Churchkey Bar and Grill

Awesome!!! Will certainly be back for their awesome food and atmosphere! Also very friendly staff!…read moreLoved it!!! We brought friends from out of town and they wanted to know when we can go back.

This was my second time visiting. I swore I wrote a review the first time but it didn't pop up…read more Anywho, this time my daughter and I were in Madison for the day and visiting the museum across the street and decided to come for dinner. It was Thursday evening and they had a ribs/pulled pork special. We waited about 10 minutes at the bar for a table. The bar and atmosphere is great. Pretty bar lights and an old wood bar. We were seated by the window with a great view of the capital. My daughter and I shared the rib dinner and had plenty of food for us. Our waitress was new and learning but was doing a good job. I'd definitely come back.

1.8 mi•Willy St, Williamson - Marquette

Inside bar

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Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.

The Weary Traveler Freehouse

4.0(722 reviews)

I'm a vegetarian and love Reubens. This is the best vegetarian Rubin I've ever had. Actually, it…read morewas vegan and it was still the best! So was the potato salad that came with it. Cool restaurant with a cool vibe.

Finally got to try The Weary Traveler, it did not disappoint!…read more Easy street parking found on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Walked in to a friendly greeting & were seated right away. To drink I ordered a watermelon refresher-tasted like summer! We shared the Goulash, Walleye Sandwich, & Prime Rib Dip. Every single bite was delicious! The garlic fries were crispy & flavorful. I appreciated that their full menu is offered during brunch. Can't wait to come back!

Specials Menu as of 4/25/25

Table Lamps!

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Side dining area

Sweet Home Wisconsin

4.4(175 reviews)

0.4 mi•South Campus

First time trying cheese curds and they were wonderful. The sriracha sauce was delicious and a bit…read morespicy. Bartender recommended the Patty Melt and did not disappoint. Finally, the Krombacher beer was delish. Excellence service and great food.

Visited Sweet Home Wisconsin while in Madison and popped in for lunch. The place had the vibe of a…read morelocal neighbourhood hangout, with a laid-back, chill atmosphere and equally relaxed service. I had the House Bleu Salad, and the blue cheese added a nice depth of flavour. We also tried the grilled cheese with tomato soup, as well as the patty melt with fries -- both were okay, but nothing particularly stood out. Overall, a casual neighbourhood spot that's perfectly fine if you're in the area, but probably not a destination I'd go out of my way for. Saluti.

Boneless chicken wings

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Mmmm beer

Haven

4.6(46 reviews)

0.1 mi•Capitol

As reviewed extensively, the braised beef noodles in red chili broth take the cake at this…read morerestaurant. I am a big fan of Sichuan peppers when it comes to spice. The feeling of numbness for some reason makes the food very appetizing. It's a big portion, where you can probably bring it home for leftovers. Skewers are also an option here as a nice aside. There is a variety of alcoholic options, including wine, liquor shots, beer, and sakes. The drinks are great with the games they have in the restaurant and the ambiance.

A hidden gem! I came here on a Thursday night and just beat the dinner rush. I ordered the braised…read morebeef noodles and it was so good. It wasn't spicy, but there was chili oil on the table in case you wanted more. The beef was so tender and just melted in your mouth! The eggs were also wonderful. I think this restaurant is still pretty new, so they're still working out their kinks. My server was extremely nice and friendly, but the service was a little slow because of the amount of people. The environment in the restaurant makes up for it though, especially the Pokemon on the TV. Will definitely be back!

Heaven

Apple Bavarian Tart

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Stir-Fried House Made Noodles

Camp Trippalindee

Locally owned & operated

We came here when it was too rainy to go somewhere else. The views are great since it's at the top…read moreof the hotel. The staff was nice and food was delicious. I recommend the buffalo chicken sandwich. I will admit though the room was very cold.

Food was quick and delicious, drinks were wonderful. The view was amazing but the service was not…read moreimpeccable and almost rude.

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The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company

3.8(1.1k reviews)

0.9 mi•Capitol

This is a great spot for first timers and regulars. The menu consists of your typical pub grub…read moreoptions. The real excitement of this place is found in the upstairs and downstairs bar areas. The downstairs area is known as the Rathskeller which is like an old dank cellar, great for parties. The craft beers they make here are decent, but on the little on the tame side, although I would recommend their I-5 draught IPA. The wine and dessert menus are very limited, but I noticed that they do sell a cannabis infused seltzer. They do keep things interesting menu-wise with monthly specials and featured Dane deal specials. The food overall is on the 3 to 4 star level which is fine as long as you're expectations aren't too high. Everything's handled on the handheld device, including the final payment and tip. They have the right formula working for them, the food and prices are fair, the beer is decent and the service was attentive. 10 photos for more insight, including the menus and bill.

We arrived on a Friday evening around 7pm, the place was busy due to all the pre beer festival…read moreevents going on that day. We sat at the bar and ordered a few beers and some food, the girls behind the bar were great.. attentive, helpful and friendly. I ordered a Rueben sandwich and some nachos for my girlfriend. The food arrived in a timely manner but the nachos had sat under the salamander (or in the oven) too long; to the point that the cheese was crispy and not melty. The sandwich was ok, the corned beef was tough and big pieces would pull out of the sandwich when I tried to take a bite. Some beers were good and some were not, the highlight of our visit was the service at the bar.

Bar area

6 Pack Pub Wings (habanero hellfire)

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The outside of the building is a little shabby and could use fresh paint but I guess that's part of the charm.

The Side Door Grill and Tap

3.9(121 reviews)

0.2 mi•Capitol

They close a lot earlier than advertised. We dropped in at 11:30pm on a Thursday night when…read moreclosing time was supposedly 1am and they were already closed. Kitchen closes even earlier!

Solidly ok in food, service, and atmosphere- food might be a notch above ok. We arrived with a…read morelarge group of about 10 on a Sunday evening. The Side Door was pretty quiet. Service was a little slow and one of the meals ordered was forgotten. I had the volcano tots, which included large house-made tots with lots of spicy things. Not for those who are spicy /heat adverse.

2.5 mi•Schenk - Atwood, Williamson - Marquette

Volcano Tots

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Alchemy

4.1(430 reviews)

Super cute old timey shop, with great indoor & outdoor seating. Friendly happy chill staff…read more Delicious food, fresh, flavorful, imaginative & super tasty!

Tons of vegetarian options. All of our choices were delicious. The highlight was the coconut tree…read moreleches cake. Cozy seating. Service was good and friendly. We found street parking easily. Beautiful weather and we appreciated all the open windows as we lean into springtime.

Cutest corner window seat

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Outdoor seating super cute

Fya Syde Kitchen

4.9(33 reviews)

1.2 mi•Vilas

Fantastic food, friendly, and probably the best taco (oxtail birria) that I've ever tasted!read more

Every bite was a tasty delight . We had four in our group and tasted each other's dishes . Had the…read moreOx tail with rice and beans and corn bread . The ox tail melted like butter . The corn bread was delicious. We also had the BBQ chicken and cabbage slaw . We had the chicken tacos and ox tail tacos . We will be coming back for the goat Curry .

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Jamaican old fashioned

Tornado Steak House

4.0(849 reviews)

0.6 mi•Capitol

•$$$

I got into town far later than I wanted to on a Thursday night due to air travel issues and this…read morewas the only thing that was open near my hotel. Thankfully, I had already pinpointed as somewhere I wanted to go. The vibe was absolutely excellent .. a dark bar is my happy place so I was pretty thrilled. The bartender was super helpful, immediately got me the late night menu, and continued to deliver excellent service until I walked out the door. I had an excellent steak sandwich with a baked potato on the side and was very happy that I had found something to eat at such a late hour. Food was delicious, would definitely recommend. An authentic Madison experience for sure.

I had been really excited to show this spot to my friend who was visiting from out of town, but the…read moreexperience was not as special as I'd hoped. We came for the special late night menu. After waiting to be seated, we waited nearly another 20 minutes before our waitress came over. I can understand getting behind, but this pattern continued all night. Our appetizers (escargot) and then food both took forever to come out, and the waitress rarely checked on our table. We nearly got up to leave before the appetizer arrived (which I've never done before). To top it off, the steak sandwich was mediocre and overcook, and my friend's steak was also unimpressive. Still giving this review 2 stars since the atmosphere is neat and our escargot was tasty and buttery, but I doubt I'll be coming back to the Tornado Room.

Dining Room

Wedge Salad

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Bar entrance

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Lauren K.

9 years ago

One of my favorite Madison bars. They always have specials, and it doesn't take long to get served unlike some other spots on campus (looking at you The Double U) . I've never had a bad night at Church Key! read more

Quin P.

6 years ago

Great owner and all here for supporting small business ess!! Great restaurant!! Will be back

Melissa H.

13 years ago

Great specials and super cute bartenders!

Lauren W.

13 years ago

Churchkey Bar and Grill - bars - Updated September 2026

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they have a huge fake tree inside it is so funny. aside from that banger of decor, theres lots of…read morebar, tall table, and lounge seating.

My husband and I had a terrible experience today when trying to enter Paul's Club…read more We had our passports with us, as well as our translated marriage certificate. I am 19 years old, and my husband is over 21. As soon as we presented our passports, the security guard at the door refused us entry and would not even look at our marriage certificate, which showed that my husband would be responsible for me here in the U.S. In addition to that, he was extremely rude and disrespectful. He raised his voice at both of us while forcing us away from the entrance, used his body to block us (even though we were not trying to force our way in--we only wanted him to review our documents), pointed aggressively at a sign stating that alcohol consumption under 21 is prohibited, and told us to "get out." The issue is that I am visibly pregnant--38 weeks--and I do not consume alcohol. We were only there to celebrate a friend's birthday. Shortly after, our friend tried to speak with him and explain the situation, but once again he showed complete indifference, simply stating that he was "doing his job." My husband and I would not have had an issue if the bar had a strict policy of not allowing me to enter, even accompanied by my husband. However, the level of rudeness and lack of professionalism we experienced was completely unacceptable. He did not seem qualified to be in a security position, as he refused to review documentation and treated people in a disrespectful manner, regardless of whether they were customers or potential patrons. After reading other reviews, I noticed that poor service appears to be a common issue at this establishment, which is disappointing, as the venue itself seems comfortable and appealing. However, after today's experience, I have no interest in trying to visit again or recommending it to friends. I hope you take this feedback seriously and consider hiring staff who know how to perform their roles with professionalism and respect. Situations like this are embarrassing and ultimately damage the reputation of your business.

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Atomic Koi

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fawn's review is hot trash. i love it here. plus they make a great cocktail but i dunno what it's…read morecalled.

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