Two words: Tator Tots This is an unsuspecting old tavern on E Wash and Baldwin with THE BEST Friday fish fry! This really is my favorite fish fry in town and I love that a side option is tator tots. I feel like a kid in my elementary school cafeteria (cuz my momma never made these at home). Owner, Ryan, is usually tending bar and making extra effort to introduce himself to every patron in the place. He has tons of energy and wants everyone to have a great experience. I love what he's done with that corner and look forward to seeing it grow. It's a little divey on the inside, but the food and drinks are excellent and they even have somewhat modern dishes they use to serve the meals. I hope that means he's planning more investment in upgrading the tables, flooring, etc. as the business grows. I think he's going to need to give the place a facelift with Pasqual's moving in next door. One thing my husband and I talked about as we left after our most recent visit was that there was quite a diverse crowd - young and old, different races and ethnicities, and everyone was having a good time watching the TVs (they usually have movies and sports playing simultaneously). I love that about Madison and this bar. Everyone is welcome and has a great time! read more

I fell in love with this place over the weekend. On a recommendation from a friend, a group of us met up there for drinks and food on Saturday night. The bartenders were great guys. Nice, down to earth, and efficient. The beer is cold and the mixed drinks are stirred to perfection. While the outside may not look welcoming, the inside is clean, spacious, and has three big screen satellite TVs. But, it's the burgers that created this review. They're simple and delicious. Try it on a poppy seed buns and with sweet potato fries. Perfect bar food. I couldn't ask for more. My friend's recommendation was for the Friday Night Fish Fry which I'm excited to experience! read more

Well its better than Pugs and the drink prices are reasonable. Its a total meh, Kinda like the Dry Bean shrank and moved...and ditched the music. read more

The embarrassment of East Wash is getting an upgrade. And what an upgrade it is! They added about 100 square feet of space for the bedraggled to bump into each other. Being across the street from shopbop and just down from the shiny new buildings you'd think the place could gravitate away from soulless psuedo sports bar mish mash towards something actually creative or attempting to do something vaguely unique. Rooftop seating? New facade? Bueller? The food isn't bad when you can get someone's attention at lunch. At night it's a bunch of sad saps contemplating suicide by booze. Why can't we have something better. Oh god why. read more

It's a really hard call to make, but you've got my hard-won endorsement. I've tried a hell of a lot of them, everywhere I could. But didn't expect it to be at, of all places, some townie bar I ran in to in order to briefly avoid the snow. Best Cheese Curds in Madison. read more

We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and the place was a HOOT. We got there after brunch hours an ordered off the regular menu. Food was good. Bloody Marys were good as well. Then the Sunday Meat Raffle started up! I love meat raffles and this was very fun. I can't wait to go back on Sunday when we can stay longer. read more

The atmosphere of the bar is great. It was set up for those who both wanted to eat and those who wanted to drink. The air conditioning was awfully two cold however, I had goosebumps after five minutes. I tried the Philly Bubbie Burger, which was a stuffed burger filled with standard Philly toppings. The food was cooked well, but the burger was dry. The Grille claims to be the only place in Madison that serves Bubbie burgers, so I was expecting more in all honesty. The cheese curds were amazing, as always. My biggest pet peeve when dinning out is when it takes longer to receive the check than it does to order/receive food. This was due to the fact there were only TWO employees for the entire place working. One bartender and one chef. There was easily 30 people. Overall it's a good place to grab some beer and some bar food but the management set the staff up to fail by not scheduling enough people. read more

Stopped in on a Saturday evening, after a Badger game. Shared the Thor burger with my wifey. Super flavorful. Fried were not as crispy as I like but still good. Would definitely stop here again!! read more

Wow! What a deal! Don't know who put the price point on this one. Think a brat at Miller stadium is cheaper than this. Bartender told me that a Coors or Miller lite is normally 2.50 a pint. 7.50 for a brat!? The seems to be normal for this place. Overcharging for a place that's a dump. read more

Baldwin Street Grille - Wow! What a deal, Not! $7.50 for a brat and chips? - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

An intimate local tavern, but friendly to the outsiders. The menu specials are quite aggressive for such a small place. Shrimp Jumbalaya? Yes please! The staff is quick and courteous as well. read more

Living close to Tenney Park this is one of the closest bar/restaurants you will find. The decor might be a little dated but the food is great and the drinks are strong. I have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. The owner in particular goes out of his way to shake hands and introduce himself to new customers. This is really a neighborhood bar that welcomes all, even if you aren't from the neighborhood you will want to come back. Also check out their awesome weekend brunch! read more

Baldwin Street Grille - Bacon Blue Bubbie - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

A new review of an old Madison tavern! Several craft brews on tap. Great burgers! They have a separate menu of "stuffed burgers", which you definitely need to check out if you are an adventurous burger guru. The onion rings are homemade and AWESOME! They have a great batter and plenty of sauces to try as well. We did not try it, but the deep fried mushrooms are fresh and just as good as the onion rings per the bar staff! The burgers we did have were as expected, a great bar burger! read more

Perfect place for Sunday-Funday in Madison! Especially when the packers are playing, this pub is rocking. Great beer/cider selection, good whiskeys, and plenty of free shots for every packers score. They also do some great raffle give a ways during the game with local meats and cuts. Food is also amazing; I would definitely recommend the standard burger (just really, really, good beef; doesn't need tons of toppings or sauces), the sweet potato fries are wonderful, and the fried cheese curds with the advocado ranch sauce are a perfect addition. read more

Unassuming and a totally townie bar- give it a chance because you won't be disappointed- get the burger- the Carolina or Juicy Lucy.

Awesome local find on a Sunday in Madison, WI! And the Packers are playing adding to the vibe. read more

Baldwin Street Grille - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We heard that the burgers were good. We walked over as we just moved into the neighborhood and we were excited to give it a try. After sitting at the bar for over 10 minutes, no one behind the bar said HI to us, or even said they'd be a few minutes or anything. We did not acknowledge us whatsoever. There we only 5 people sitting at the bar. HUGE bummer. read more

Food was so greasy that I got sick after eating there. Service was friendly, though, which earned then an extra star.

Always a good time at the 'Grille. Stopped in for a quick after-Yelp-event beer this afternoon with some folks, but I've been here for their very fun karaoke nights (some of the bartenders put on an impressive show) and excellent fish fry several times. The staff is super friendly and attentive, the drinks are good, fairly priced and generously poured, the crowd is eclectic, and it all just works. Today our server, Jessica, was very convincing that we needed to come back for Saturday or Sunday brunch because it is excellent. I'm down! If you go for dinner, drinks or snacks, try the fried pickles. Hand battered dill spears are hot, spicy, not greasy, and just right. read more

What the hey!??? How come I have never heard of this place before? Went here for a date night with my boyfriend (we've been together 13 years so date night is mostly about good food- less cheesy romantic sh*t). The burger was delicious- buttery bun. I had chili which was also wonderfully tasty. The sweet potato fries were nice and crispy. My whiskey coke was strong. Decor is not fancy but who cares- food is good! Bartender lady was super nice....not too overbearing- just whatever- I like that. There is one pool table, some video gambling things. Best of all- they have karaoke on Thursday nights. I haven't checked out karaoke yet but gonna do it this Thursday. Also, Tuesday is 25 cent wings- really yummy and cheap. I love this place- one of my new fav places in Madison- truly local spot- if you like Caribou Tavern, you'll love Baldwin St. Grille. read more

You might drive down East Wash and never even notice this place but it's a gem. Great food, strong servers. Their new menu is really delicious. I had a beautiful house salad and fried Mac and cheese bites and was delighted by both picks. The sriracha aioli is delicious. Love it! read more

Man, I love this bar. Perfect neighborhood type bar, complete with regular patrons and colorful bartenders. The food is seriously stellar. They make their own ranch, which is to die for. My favorite is the eggs benedict on Sunday for brunch. THE BEST I've ever had in this city, and for only $8.00 The bloody mary bar is pretty great, too. Give it a shot. Oh, and there's a meat raffle at 3pm on Sundays, too. read more

Baldwin Street Grille looks like a dive bar, but they had a great fish fry. Only 4 stars because they need to figure out how to have more tables. It was very crowded and we had to wait awhile to sit down. I had the perch with sweet potato fries and cheese curds. I really wanted perch and it was the only place I could find that offered it. Glad we tried this place out. We will be back. read more

This was my first time coming here and our server was Brian. Brian was very enthusiastic, shook our hands, asked for our names and used them the couple of times he passed by. We ordered an appetizer, Cheese Curds, which took about 10-15 minutes to come out, which is understandable because they were fairly busy. While waiting for the appetizer, Brian didn't come around and had taken up conversation with the table next to ours. After he finished the conversation and walked away, someone else brought our cheese curds and then he stopped by to ask how they were. After that, he disappeared. We finished the appetizer, my drink was almost empty, and we had to ask another employee to take our order-Dana. Dana happily took our order and refilled my beverage. Brian still hasn't come to the table since delivering the cheese curds about 20 minutes ago and we haven't seen him on the floor but once since. The atmosphere is fairly loud so it's hard to hold a conversation unless you're raising your voice to talk over the other customers. read more

Cool neighborhood hangout - the Carolina burger is to die for (either because it's awesome or your arteries have clogged beyond repair). Great brews, friendly staff, great food! read more

This place just keeps getting better. More room, better food, great service. The staff to a person are friendly and eclectic. The owner asks how things are in a sincere way. No longer a dive bar, the serve an awesome Cobb Salad. Stop in if you want good bar food and relaxed environment. read more

This is my go-to neighborhood bar. Very friendly staff, good burgers, excellent fish fry (at least the lake perch - that's what I always get), and a nice draft beer selection. The place is generally loud even if there aren't a lot of people there due to the acoustics but it's a great bar. They've even got a Sunday meat raffle. read more

Stellar Staff coupled with killer grub and reasonably priced beer/cocktails! 6 Stars if available!

I was very impressed by the food at Baldwin Street Grille. I went for breakfast with my boyfriend last Sunday. Our waitress was super friendly and had great recommendations. My boyfriend ordered the special Peach Cobbler French Toast, which was amazing! The chef came out and checked in to see how our food was, and proceeded to explain his inspiration for his creation. This place is a hidden gem! I will be returning in the future for breakfast and to try dinner :) read more

Stopped in here on a Tuesday night and was not disappointed.I had the BSG Wrap and my boyfriend the Philly. The food was excellent and the service fantastic. Our bartender/server was friendly and prompt. Decent beer/wine prices, and the wine wasn't bad for a small bar. Only complaint was our table was pretty sticky. Will definitely be going back here! read more

Don't let the dive bar exterior fool you, this place is a hidden jem. I had the fish fry and the wife had The Original "Juicy Lucy"* burger, friend had the perch. Both the fish dishes were very good and the burger above average, but surprise was the Mediterranean Plate appetizer. Good pitas, great feta, and excellent hummus. If you get the fish fry do your self a favor and get the a tater side, all of them are great even the tater tots. read more

Finally got around to stopping by for their Friday Night fish fry and it was excellent. Delightful service, pleasant ambiance and crisp deep fried cod, very lightly breaded lake perch good slaw, pub chips, roasted red potatoes all with sides of Sriracha and blue cheese dipping sauces as well as a unique and delicious tartar sauce. And the perfect accompaniment to a fish fry, a slice of rye bread! Why was I thrilled with the rye bread? Because back in the day, my folks always served rye bread with fish because, as my dad said, if you start choking on a fish bone, you eat the rye bread to clear your throat and save your life. read more

This place used to be the Friendly Tavern for decades and has changed names a few times since then. I haven't been here before and was pleasantly surprised. They have a big menu with lots of choices. I had a chicken sandwich that was an actual piece of white meat, not processed patty, and it was very good. My partner had a hamburger with coleslaw on it, I can't remember what it is called, and it too was very good. The service as well was great. They have both a big bar and eight or ten tables and the usual big screen TV's. The only thing I would complain about is that going out the back door, we were hit with a sheet of ice. This door is popular because there is only street parking and this is the closest door to it. No one bother to shovel the walkway after the storm and it is very slippery and dangerous. A law suite in the making. Give the place a shot if in the area. It's better than a lot of places with bar type food. read more

Not much to expect from the outside and has a "hole in the wall" atmosphere to it, but the food was stellar and the beer selection is nice. My gf and I tried the fish fry: both the perch and cod were on point and the curly fries were a plus. Great wings too! read more

Had an entertainment coupon so decided to stop for lunch. Ordered the stuffed mushroom Swiss burger and my friend ordered the chicken wrap. My burger was way over cooked with limited mushrooms and cheese. The chicken in the wrap was very dry, not fresh. Ordered a side of macaroni and cheese bites which were good. There is no signage on the building and the music was very loud and varied from rock to country. The best part was we got a free shot during the meat raffle. Probably my would not go back again. read more

Great beer and food selection! Never had fried mushrooms before but would definitely try them again!

Simply amazing! The Rubin is spectacular, service is perfect and the atmosphere chill and inviting.

Aeswome, craving for some sweet potato fries Sunday night. I called and they had it ready in 3 min. Good sweet potato fries!!!! it was little pricy for a side of sweet potato fries....$4 or 5 bucks. SO good!!!!! read more

The place looks a little divey on the outside--don't be deterred! The food is excellent and a good deal and the beer selection is top notch. The owner and waitstaff make an effort to connect and I know that they have improved the interior considerably over the time they've taken over. The owner's goal is to be a neighborhood spot--as a neighbor, I look forward to the grand plan! read more

This place has recently switched management, with a few new additions to the menu. EXCELLENT fried pickles, sriracha mayo, fried mushrooms, and tater tots. Becky is an excellent bartender and they have a good rotating selection of beers. My only constructive criticism would be sometimes the kitchen closes too early (it can be hard to find good late night food in this neighborhood) and their glasses of wine are a little skimpy...but I guess it's not really a wine place! read more

Great service, good food, great location, need I say more. There is street parking only, so sometimes it can be hard to find a good spot.