Paul’s Club

Awesome place, great bartenders. Totally crappy customers in this night. They handled them all well! Bless them! They really put up with with a lot of d-​bags!

They have a huge (fake, but realistic) tree in the middle of the bar. They even hang their citrus from the tree. The drinks are great and reasonable, and they have very comfortable couches and chairs. Definitely not a college bar, I recommend them to people who usually go to bars on the square or if you are waiting for your show at the Overture to start (as we did).

Stopping here for a cocktail with my friend was a bit disorientating. The last time I was at Paul“s was 10 years ago. It has moved and flipped to be a mirror image. The bartender was a great help telling us where we should go next. We were in early so it was quiet and easy to get the low down on the local night life, and a bit of history as well. He also makes a mean drink.
I highly recommend a stop by Paul’s if your a bit older like me maybe earlier in the evening. It is a collage town.

You know the Three Little Bears story? One porridge is too hot, the other too cold, one just right?
It was like that on our State St. pub crawl. HopCat was a bit slick; Side Door had terrible acoustics; Coopers we didn’t even bother because it’s so pricey.
But Paul’s Club was just right. A really satisfying range of beers at decent prices (the Victory Saison for $ 6 was super); amazing, caring bartender who really went out of his way to make people happy; a relaxing, cozy atmosphere with bar stools or cushy chairs, nice lighting, and a pleasant ambiance all around; and then there’s the tree. You might just want to hug it when you go.

This place gets five stars from me for the sole distinction of having my favorite drink — the Negroni. Every other bar that I’ve been to has them, except for the ones in Madison. Until now!
Even if you’re not a Negroni drinker, you will like the drinks here. Probably the most important thing is that the drinks are not watered down. Their well liquor is of good quality, and their pours are of good size. Plus they have a tree in the middle of their bar!
I will be going there much more often. Maybe you’ll find me at the bar with my favorite drink.

When Paul’s Club first moved, I wasn’t completely sold. For years I’ve been referring to it as «Bizarro Paul’s Club» because they took a bulk of the old location’s interior and moved it, but in a mirror image of the old place. The bar was wider, and while the extra space was appreciated, everything looked just slightly out of place. The clientele on many of my first visits was also a little different than how I remembered Paul’s — these newbies were young, loud, and the best of bros (aka the worst of bros).
On my last visit, I was really pleasantly surprised. Patrons were chill, and most seemed to be a party who was potlucking and watching the Packer game. The average age had gone up by a decade. Paul’s had replaced many of their old, green chairs with ridiculously comfy black ones. They were low to the ground, but fit my short frame as well as my 6-​foot-​plus friend’s. I can’t say I didn’t entertain the idea of trying to drag one out of the bar without anyone noticing and putting it in my apartment.
It’s true that Paul’s has changed, but I’ve now found the right night to visit for what I want Paul’s to be — a cozy hangout spot where I can be psuedo-​classy.

Oh Paul… I recall your old location, and quite honestly, it’s difficult to shake those old memories. The tree, the lights, the carpet squares, the various smells…
But your new place is quite nice. Larger, more open, more spacious. The old tree found its way over, as did the green awning from the old place.
+ Huge bar area
+ Tons of mingling room near front of the bar
+ Outdoor seating
+ Friendly bartenders
+ Decent tap selection
+ Cash or credit
— No real happy hour deals
— Old school CD-​based jukebox
— Expensive ATM
— *Super* cold inside; let the A/​C rest a bit so that it can hit 65 °F inside?