This is the cheers of Madison. The bartender Winslow is the man, the myth, and the legend. Great…read moreservice and as a newbie and potentially long time patron we were greeted as such. We had a really good burger which the meat was from Jenifer's market and bacon was from Nueskes. Great time had and hope to be back soon.

This place was amazing in town for my man's bday and this was stop 1 on my tour of Madison. We had…read morelunch he had the Bou burger and I had a brat plus some delicious cheesecurds and fries. We of course took part in some pullies (Wisco tradition). Stevie the bartender was so sweet very friendly! It's narrow no tables everything's bar service.

Paradise is the best dive bar in Madison. It has the best bartenders - shout out Taylor!…read more The food options are perfect greasy drunk snacks. There can be a long line for the pool table and darts most nights so I would bring a deck of cards while you wait.

My review remains the same: get yourself to the 'Dise and have a [five star] burger & beverage. The…read moreParadise is [dern-near] a Madison institution reminiscent of a grittier Madison of yore before the construction boom and gentrification. Service is awesome. Atmosphere: It was the Best of Dives, it was the Worst of Dives... :)

I REALLY wanted to love Crystal Corner, but sadly after our recent visit, popping back by on my…read morenext trip to Madison is not looking very likely. Crystal Corner is located in the famed Willy Street area of Madison, sitting on the corner of Willy Street and Baldwin Street. Crystal Corner has the vibe of the neighborhood, as is it divey, funky, nostalgic and truly local. However, even with all those things, this spot missed the mark for me and my buddy. We swung by on Sunday afternoon for a few drinks while wandering around Willy Street. We bellied up to the bar and ordered a couple of Bloody Mary's, to which the bartender said "Oh, I need to make up some mix. I can't believe people still drink those things around here.". Which was odd, as that was about to be our third bloody of the day, with neighboring restaurants going as far as having special bloody menus. The bartender pulled a can of tomato juice out, dumped it in a pitcher, added a few dashes of hot sauce, Worcestershire and some seasonings. And that was it. She then took some rail vodka, mixed it all up, and topped with an olive and pickle. While I know this sounds phenomenal, it was in fact one of the worst bloody's I have had. Additionally, the olive and pickle were a weird, almost rubbery texture. The combination of everything was off putting...and that was just the start. Next up is the space itself. While I appreciate a good dive bar that is full of nostalgic artwork, furnishings, lighting, etc...but it shouldn't be visible that the place hasn't been cleaned since these things were added. The ceilings and floors were the worst part, with the ceiling tiles being caked with black dust and dirt. Again, being worn is part of being divey, but being dirty doesn't have to be. In addition to the the main room ceilings, the bathroom ceilings were awful, missing tiles, moldy pipes exposed and just an overall feeling of ick that is beyond a normal bar bathroom. Last, but certainly not least, was the service and vibes. They were off, and kind of weird. When we arrived, there were a few locals and regulars, and then a few folks, including us. While the bartender was friendly with us, she was very rude, uncomfortably so, to another patron when he pulled out a credit card instead of cash (cash only spot). There was a little back and forth, then he left. Even after he left, she was calling him names and such to the other patrons. Again, uncomfortable, especially as a new patron to the bar. Overall, the bloody wasn't the only thing that left a bad taste here. From the bloody to the service to the dirtiness, this place needs some love and was just not it for us.

It looks like an average corner dive bar from the outside but wow, was this a fantastic place a see…read morelive music in Madison! Heads up: cash only at the bar. Come prepared. Bartenders were very nice. Tip them. There is an ATM near the restrooms if you run out of cash. The acoustics are fantastic and I loved the St. Patrick's Day weekend concert! It was packed, but we still found space to dance. Plenty of free street parking. I'm not used to that as a Chicagoan. That was a nice surprise.

Great friendly neighborhood bar with some cool colorful soccer memorabilia. Comfy booths, lots of…read moreTV's & a variety of options of eats & drinks. Fish fry is a real treat, perfectly seasoned breading & flakey fish. Fries crispy outside & fluffy inside. Onion rings were super yummy! Coleslaw was delicious, tangy, crunchy but a very small cup...I wanted more! Served with a wonderful slice of marble rye, wowed by the fresh hearty flavor. Great time, it is a dive bar so go in knowing this and you'll be fine! Enjoy

I've been here a couple of times and each time is wonderful. Service was wonderful and the…read morebartender was hilarious. The gyro burger was so delicious! My goodness, the meat was tender and toppings were plentiful!

I really enjoyed my quick stop in. The slushie was delicious and the chat with the bartenders made…read moreme feel at home. This place is cute, clean, and has a great spirit selection.

Pay with cash or massively incompetent and "not able to read words good" bartenders will hand your…read morecard off to someone else and then play it off like it's not a big deal because again, they can't read words and just give anyone with the same type of credit card your credit card and then pretend it's not a big deal or a massive inconvenience to cancel and reissue a credit card. This place used to train and produce talent. Now it's not functionally literate. Totally pathetic. Won't ever return. Will tell them at tales and Portland what's happening in Madison. Total losers.

A really fun bar on Atwood Ave, the Ideal has been around for years and hosts local artist Jo…read moreJensen on Gallery Nights in spring & fall. You can also find her art for sale there! Strong drinks, colorful characters, yummy bar food & a cozy feel where you come-as-you-are to meet friends and share a toast.

We went here for drinks after after our meal as we headed home. This is a first class dive bar with…read moresome colorful locals. Two pool tables, music from a cd jukebox, games etc. I ordered a Gin Rickey and the bartender was peeved like how dare you order a drink that I can't make and I explain to him how to make it, he's the guy from Iowa with glasses that starts with A. So he thinks he's clever and calls it a gin Richard, ie d#ck is slang for Richard. Now he thinks he funny and called me Richard the whole time while I was there, basically calling me a d#ck every chance he got. What a Maddison hipster doofus, nice way to treat someone's who first time in the place and the last time.

Constant classic! I love living around the corner from mickeys because it's the easiest good meal…read morearound. Vibes inside are gorgeous and good for a sexy pic & the staff is always so chill. You gotta get sexy fries and then hang with friends outside it's unbeatable!!

Mickey's is a proper local pub, right on Willy Street,…read moreRegardless of your sex/age/race, it's a great place to meet, We were told "you must try the food & sexy fries", We weren't disappointed, they weren't telling lies, So next time you're in the area, relax and follow your feet!

Literally have no idea how this place has 4 stars. The regulars are absolutely terrible (minus a…read morefew decent ones) and basically own the bar. Good if you want to be overcharged for drinks unless you're an old man.

I walked in this bar and could not stop laughing, the crowd that was there was such a hoot…read more Gretchen the bartender was great, it was an all around fun time. It is a neighborhood bar so everyone knew everyone.