Cue the music... "Where everybody knows your name!" This is the absolute vibe of Genna's and even…read morethough no one knew our name, we felt like they were at least interested in learning it. We belied up to the bar and ordered a few cocktails. The bartender was super welcoming and friendly and had the best pour of my trip! As the afternoon progressed, more locals and regulars continued piling in, each welcomed personally and in some cases were greeted by their favorite beverage. The space is divey, but not dirty. It's eclectic, local, retro and homey. Downstairs has a simple local dive bar feel, while upstairs has more of a "scene" vibe. Overall, really enjoyed Genna's and is definitely on the "visit list" for my time in town!

The quintessential locals bar. Fun space, friendly staff, and cheap drinks! I actually stopped in…read moretwice while in Madison and was able to find space at the bar both times!

Still my absolutely favorite cocktail place downtown. The decor is fantastic, and I love the old…read morelooking tvs playing movies. The menu didn't have exactly what I wanted but I talked with Atticus and he made me the perfect drink, something on the menu with a bit of spice added. 10/10

I got ID'ed 3 times for 2 drink. I walked in the busser ID'ed me, okay fine that okay. I walked up…read moreto the bar to order a drink, the bartender ID's me, okay they are doing their job, and keep my tab open. I go up for a second drink while my tab is still open I get asked for my ID again, I inform them I have a tab open and have been ID by multiple people at this point. Get told I don't care if you have a tab open I need to see your ID again otherwise I will not serve you. All in less than 20 minutes. All while there were 10-15 people there and the bar was empty. Drinks are unique but this has been a repeat experience with this place.

Very interesting cocktails and good service. The atmosphere is cozy. Parking can be challenging.read more

i'm glad this spot exists because it's such a pretty bar. the bartenders know their stuff, and i…read morehave a good time whenever i go. but don't go on a weekend evening. it gets super crowded and there's just not enough seats to go around.

Sat at the corner of the bar with my husband on a Saturday night. Our bartender was awesome and…read moreattentive. The drinks were excellent and watching the mixologist at work was entertaining in itself.

I liked the cheese curds and the mushroom flatbread. The potato with some spicy tomato sauce was a…read morelittle weird, the roasted chicken was a little dry and the brownie cake with ice cream (the brownie was a little hard or stale). The short ribs were not as tender, the mashed potato could use a little bit of salt/seasoning. Service was not very good. In fact, it was very bad.

The Post bagel sandwich appealed from the moment I first saw it on the room service menu. I…read moreactually HAD it in the dining room the next day and it was very neatly prepared and came with an enormous side of fruit. The bagel had a LOT of stuff on it including a house made aioli, avocados, sausage, cheese and about 4 other components. While everything tasted great together it was beyond the carrying capacity of the everything bagel it was served on. Still, it was a treat.

I didn't realize brunch was such a big deal in Madison, everywhere I wanted to go had over an hour…read morewait. We had other plans later, so when we passed this place and saw it was totally empty, we decided to give it a shot. The space is nice, open layout with lots of tables and bar seating. They serve standard American fare and have a brunch menu. The food was okay, nothing bad, just pretty standard. They offer bottomless mimosas too. Overall Service: We got seated right away, we were literally the only ones there, but service was a bit slow. There were a few servers around, mostly on the other side of the restaurant, and it took a while to flag someone down when we needed the check. A little unexpected since we were the only table.

The Corral Room is perhaps downtown Madison's best kept secret. It's cocktail lounge beneath the…read moreTornado Room that only opens after 9pm. The menu is mostly small plates and drinks. The lighting is intimate and the decor relies heavily on dark corners and draped curtains. The place simply oozes atmosphere and looks like something straight out of a David Lynch movie. It's hard to categorize the Corral Room Bar. It straddles the line of both divy and classy. Both seedy and romantic. If you're on a date and you REALLY want to impress someone, take them to the Corral Room. P.S. I'm pretty sure this is the only place in madison where you can order escargot.

This is no Tornado room...but, it's kitchy and if you're in absolutely no hurry and in the mood to…read morefight for a table and have a small party, what the hell. Give it a try. We ordered the French onion soup, cheese curds (not available on the upstairs menu), scallop appetizer, steak sandwich and the pineapple upside down cake (also not listed on the late night menu but on the upstairs Tornado room menu). Pros: We could get quality cheese curds that weren't normally an option here! They had many of the fav's from the upstairs menu available as a late night late night option. The dessert was amazing, as always! Con: The steak sandwich had been rumored to be a showstopper but ours was thin pieces of tough, chewy steak. Nothing close to what I'd have ever guessed possible for this usually elite steak house on even its worst day. Major disappointment.

How fun and funny is this place? Always some drink prep happening to entertain you. Fun names, fun…read moreglasses, but they back it up with amazing flavors. We didn't try the sushi rolls from jackknife but would someday. Prices about what you would expect for craft cocktails. It's medium loud. We were there on a gorgeous day with the windows wide open. There are a few different types of seating available from cozy couch to bar seats and high tops.

If you asked me right now what my favorite cocktail bar is, I would say Public Parking in Madison…read more I'm officially obsessed. It has such a cool vibe. Grandma Hates My Neck Tattoo--seriously good, with a funky blend of whiskey and strawberry rhubarb. Good Googly Moogly, which was totally refreshing with pineapple and coconut cream. We Met On Ashley Madison--smoky mezcal mixed with tropical flavors was the perfect way to wrap up the night. If you're looking for a spot to unwind and enjoy some creative cocktails, this place is it. Can't wait to come back and try more!

Another first-time experience in Madison, and this spot came highly recommended if you're a true…read morewhiskey or bourbon lover, and wow it did NOT disappoint! It happened to be near the theatre we went to, so we decided to stop in and check it out. They have nearly 775 different types of whiskey to choose from, which is wild! I loved that they offer different ounce sizes so you can sample a few, and they even pair it with water so you stay hydrated while tasting (smart touch). Price ranges between ~$7.50-$20.00+. The place had a cozy, lounge-like vibe and was pretty busy, but the staff was friendly and helpful. It's first come first served for seating, just like any bar. We sampled a few whiskeys and also tried their premade espresso martini. The whiskey selection was phenomenal, the espresso martini was decent, not the best I've had (it was premade), but still enjoyable (it's made with Tito's, which isn't my favorite base, but I appreciate the fresh coffee beans they used). All in all, this place is a hidden gem. Great whiskey, friendly staff, and the perfect cozy spot to escape the rain for a while. I'll definitely be back next time to try even more from their list!

The perfect chill spot for a couple, if you need a cozy booth with dim lighting & good cocktails…read morethis is it! We also loved that the football game was on and it wasn't too loud. It's intimate and the drinks are fire. We stuck with the classic old fashioned and felt they were strong and well crafted - thank you for a true luxardo cherry too! We ordered at the bar but chilled in a booth. So many whiskey options!!! Service is friendly & quick!

Another very hipster and vibey lounge that really describes Madison, WI! The cocktails are all on a…read moregun and not handmade which obliviously lowers the rating. The service is always very fast and friendly though! The extremely narrow seating along with the other seating options in the other room are very odd. It usually fill up pretty quick but the seats overlooking King St. are the best! Plainspoke is a great experience, but there are a few other cocktail bars in Madison that rank above them.

Stopped by here for a night cap. We honestly had no idea this space was here. You can almost miss…read moreit, but the entrance is to the left of Young Blood (be careful on the stairs up!) The interior was such a fun vibe. We loved the purple lighting and all the decor, made for great photo backgrounds. Also, the view is so underrated. The windows on the right side overlook King Street! The drinks were great also! Our favorites were the clear old fashioned and Miami vice. Staff were super nice. They were a little busy for a Friday night but we still got everything we ordered relatively fast. Overall great experience. So happy to have a place to go where I can order a fun cocktail!

A few of us were in Madison for a jazz concert at UW. We were looking for a nice pre show dinner…read moreand heard great things about Merchant. The restaurant didn't disappoint. Our hostess and server were pleasant. The cheese curds, burgers and fries were delicious. My New York strip, however, was just OK; tough and not very flavorful. The baked on site carrot cake was really really good! Nice place with nice people and a fun vibe.

We went here for a Girls Night and had a reservation for 07:45PM. However, service was extremely…read moreslow in which we did not get our food until an hour later. We were a little disappointed in the wait because there were some empty tables around, which showed that Merchant was not extremely slammed, but we wanted to give benefit of the doubt. Fried Cheese Curds tasted alright. We probably got the unlucky batch though, because halfway through eating them, we had dime-sized cheese curds. It certainly didn't feel like we got a full appetizer size of cheese curds because of this. I think typically the smaller cheese curds are at the end of the dish, but here it felt like we had it for 50% of the dish. The Merchant Burger was alright, but nothing to wow my senses. The black pepper aioli was delicious though, but it felt like that was what was saving the burger. Not pictured was the Floral G&T drink, which tasted delicious. Overall: giving this place 3 stars because it wasn't amazing, but it was OK. The interior is beautiful though, but food and service were below our expectations.