Oakcrest Tavern

Oakcrest Tavern had been recommended to me a ton so we decided to try it out on a Saturday night. It was crowded, which we were warned about, but it felt cozy and supper-​clubby which I liked. We were able to grab a seat at the bar despite the busyness. We we’re able to order drinks right away and the old-​fashioned was good and made the proper Wisconsin way. We got a table soon after we sat down, it was a little confusing though. I think it is seat your self but wasn’t really directed by anyone, also didn’t see any signage.
We had heard good things about their burgers, fish fry and prime rib. Since it was Saturday I tried the prime rib and my husband got a burger. The prime rib was pretty good especially for the price but nothing special from other supper clubs in the area. My husband’s burger looked really good and he enjoyed it. Overall pretty good food but I am looking forward to coming back for their fish fry to see if that stands out a little more.

classic neighborhood wisconsin bar in all the right ways. Great food, friendly service. Friday night fish fry is excellent (although be prepared to wait for seating). Burgers are always a safe choice, and the cheese curds pass the authentic Wisconsin sniff test. Good mix of beers on tap. Kid friendly.

Seriously, it’s Friday, go to Oakcrest Tavern for fish. Now. I had lake perch that was the best I’ve ever had, my friend had the baked cod that was bursting with flavor, not just butter! Friendly service, no reservations so the wait is common, but have a beer and enjoy!

I have heard the burger there was great so I was already curious. Well the burger was absolutely awesome and the service was even better. Very impressive. I will for sure return. And I almost forgot… I got the clam strips as well and they were awesome. Pretty sure they were frozen bought but I really don’t care… They were awesome with a squeeze of lemon and some cocktail sauce.

Visitor in town. Very much the definition of a locals bar. Very friendly people coming and going and they all seemed to know each other. I had the cod dinner and my colleague had the burger which he described as ‘really good’. Decently priced as well.
A bit off the beaten path but would return.
It’s a small establishment– maybe 15 tables and it’s cozy but wait staff was awesome.

This place is tough for me to recommend. Not because it isn’t good — it is really good. We were turned onto this place by someone who had lived in the area for a long time. We also told him that we didn’t need anything fancy. This is a typical neighborhood bar — think Archie Bunker’s Place — that I swear they knew we are not Madisonites the moment we walked in the door.
Fortunately, Wisconsin people are very friendly. We were shown to our hightop table by Kasey (or it may be Kelsey, I’ve sleep since we left there). She gave us the «first timer» rundown and graciously offered to let us experience all of the appetizers: french fries, sweet potato fries, fried perch, fried cod, and of course — cheese curds. All four of us opted for burgers. When my burger came out without bacon (which I had asked for double-​bacon), our server came back with literally a BOWL of bacon. Can I have some bacon with a side of bacon?!? Yes please!!! The burgers were to die for. The bacon was not from Sysco (or Walmart for that matter).
We ended the meal — and evening — with an Old Fashioned. I should admit that I am not a dark liquor fan… or rather it is not a friend to me. But on our server’s recommendation, we ordered three (someone had to drive) Old Fashioned with Korbel Brandy. First off: they are BIG drinks. Second, they go down like they have no alcohol in them. Wait 30 minutes and you will want to find a bed to take a long sleep in. If you have eaten the aforementioned food items, be prepared to wake up in the middle of the night needing water to help with the sodium intake. Also, put two aspirin on your bedstand so that you can take those and go back to sleep and dream of happy Wisconsin Badgers.

Oakcrest is a great neighborhood bar.
With a diverse clientele (even for Madison!) and a good amount of seating, I see why folks keep coming back.
The bartenders are friendly and the service is great.
While I haven’t eaten here for a meal, the onion rings and cheese curds are well above average. On the heartier side of snacks, the chicken strips are a great choice.

Four star bar food with a football game, what could be better. Had a great burger and fries with a beer. No complaints on anything including the service. Give it a try if in the area.

busy place on Friday nights but the fish fry is well worth the wait. Definitely our favorite spot to go for Friday nights. They serve good steaks as well on non fish nights.

I enjoyed a burger and fries on Sunday afternoon, prepared exactly the way I requested. The Knoche’s ground beef makes any burger better. And with hot, crispy fries, this is perfection.
I had not visited the Oakcrest for 9 months, a victim the evening crowds and hour plus waits for the fish fry. I like the lightly battered fish filets. But, as Yogi Berra so wisely puts it, «Nobody goes there anymore ’cause it’s too crowded.»
Although I’ve never ordered the filet mignon dinner, it must be pretty great to merit the $ 30 charge in this corner bar atmosphere and served on a paper plate. (But, it’s REAL NICE paper!)

Oakcrest is the classic neghborhood pub on Old Middleton. When you walk in, you’ll notice how small it really is on the inside (looks big from the outside).
Great place to grab a burger or fish or some interesting specials. Pretty decent menu with the standard pub choices, higher-​than average quality for bar food.

One word: Amazing! Had the perch on Friday. Portion and flavor were out of this world. My fiancé ordered a bacon cheeseburger just so we could taste some thing else on the menu and it was cooked perfect and tasted great. The hour and a half drive was worth it. Will be coming back!

Returned here for fish this Friday, despite my better judgement. Arrived quite early (around 4:15pm) and scored a seat at the tiny bar.
— Tap list remains super limited
+ Happy Hour tap prices are fair — around $ 3 — $ 3.25
— Pedestrian list of bottled beers; no prices listed on their menu (s)
— Staff remains a bit absent, although they are fairly friendly when they eventually get around to helping you
— Fish fry remains sub-​par. I truly don’t get why people go so crazy for the fish here. All of the fish comes from a Sysco-​box, as do the 5/​16″ crinkle cut fries (saw tons of bags of them). While the kitchen is efficient, the food is so bland. Zero seasoning in or on anything. I watched the cooks crank out plate after plate after plate of fish and fries; zero salt added to anything, including burgers and other flattop items. When my order of fried cod arrived, it was served piping hot but had zero flavor. Same for the fries — super fresh, but oh so bland. Rye bread was super dry, coleslaw was awful.
— Side salad was quite literally bagged lettuce mix with 1 carrot stick.
So… meh. I get that this is an «institution» but it just blows me away as to why. Super slow, super non-​existent service, and completely flavorless fish and fries does not make for a good time. Done. For good. Really.

Everything we got was amazing, the cheese curds were perfect. I can honestly say this was the best burger I have had in Madison. The Prime Rib was delicious as well. Great atmosphere. Best bar

I hate giving only two stars for such amazing burgers, but my most recent experience was annoying. There was a large group taking most of the space in the dining area, which is fine, except for the vast amount of noise — so much so that conversation among other tables was almost completely limited, but we got to know the large table of college students very well. On a Sunday during lunch hours it took about twenty minutes to even get a waiter, then another to receive two sodas and place orders. Meanwhile the large table ordering alcohol most certainly received the most attention.
The food was still good, obviously the burgers being the best choice (the rest is fine, but typical bar food). It took two staffers to successfully serve us, and this took a total of about 90 minutes… way too long for two burgers and cokes. The large table was so vocal (I can tell you much of their life stories) other customers left, so it was disappointing to see the staff not ask for just a little less noise in such a small building.
If you’re looking for a good burger and don’t mind possible noise or wait time, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re going with a large group, maybe choose a larger venue.

This is a pretty standard neighborhood joint. Fairly cheap, divey atmosphere where it is not uncommon to see small children and old folks. The high chairs kind of suck but they have normal ones too. To be honest I would go here a lot more if I lived nearby. It’s not that big so it can get PACKED sometimes (esp Friday)
But the real reason you go here is for Friday night Perch fish fry. I think they also do it on Wednesday but I can’t be assed to look into it

We love local tavern type spots (think Village Green in Middleton) and finally made it to Oakcrest after months of talking about it! We went on a Saturday night at 7:00 pm and only had about a ten minute wait! Walking in the door sort of feels like you’re walking into a living room… great bar, open space, mix of high and low tables all lined with wood paneling, TVs, and beer signs! We had an energetic and attentive server, Crystal, that always made sure we weren’t without a drink!
We had a cheese burger and a ribeye sandwich. Both were awesome… burger comes from across the street at Knoches and was a no frills perfectly booked burger on a perfectly soft and crusted bun with tomato and onion (drooling as I type this)! The ribeye sandwich was also great and simple served on the same type of bun, we added grilled onions. We also had a side order of the clam strips (which I almost never see in our area) and they were equally great… a nice change of pace from fries!
Beer selection was great and priced fairly… the old fashioned tasted like a mix (don’t know if it was or not) so we will most likely stick to beer next time!

Its really hard to review this place. I love the idea of your local tavern, and this place fits the bill better than anywhere I’ve ever been. Heavily lined wood interior, big Friday night fish fry, divey atmosphere and menu. Unfortunately, that’s all it really is in the end. Its not a bad place to eat by any means. Burgers are greasy and good, as are the fries and curds. Beer is cheap. A good place to catch up with folks and grab a beer. But nothing to go out of your way for.

The Oakcrest has been around for a long time and I know a lot of people like it, but it just doesn’t do it for me. I work right down the street, so I met up with some people for lunch recently and boy did I regret it. I should note that this was not my choice to begin with, but I was willing to give it a try.
It is true that there isn’t a lot of seating, but it wasn’t extremely busy when we got there and our service was fast. We were in and out in a little over a half-​hour. I agree that the staff didn’t seem particularly friendly or happy, but they weren’t rude either. I had a chicken sandwich with bacon and no side, while my four companions had burgers with fries or cheese curds. Everything was typical greasy bar-​fare. I tried the curds but not the fries. The flavor was good, but it was so greasy and salty that my mouth was burning by the time I was done and my gut was already churning as we walked out to our cars. I was miserable for the rest of the afternoon. One member of our party felt the same, but I believe everyone else enjoyed what they had.
In all fairness, I know my experience is a fairly individual one. I eat very healthy food and I hardly use salt when I cook or add it when I’m out. If you typically eat like this, you’ll probably love it. I probably would have loved it before I shifted my diet away from this kind of food. However, I do enjoy burgers and fries at places like the Great Dane and the Grumpy Troll, where they aren’t grease-​laden and loaded with salt. If you have a diet more like mine I wouldn’t suggest eating here. I don’t plan on going back, but I still give two stars because my experience my not reflect yours.

The Oakcrest… I can’t recall how many times I thought about going here… I finally did one Friday afternoon for lunch. As Steve L. mentioned it takes forever for service here. Why does my lunch cost me an hour of time?
Either way the food was good, prices were reasonable at best. This feels like your average neighborhood tavern.
Service was ok…