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

Atomic Koi Cocktail Lounge in Fitchburg, WI has potential to improve if they had the right staff! I…read morehave gone there on more than one occasion where their bartenders were rude, unprofessional, and ruined the overall experience. My husband still loves coming to Atomic Koi Cocktail Lounge because it's a laid back lounge away from the rowdier young local college students bar atmosphere that's still vibrant with an eclectic vibe with illuminated fish tanks and a fun cozy ambiance. The crowd is mostly young working professionals near the area mid 20s-30s on up that are looking to unwind and have fun with their family/friends. Atomic Koi is a fun lounge that has games like a giant Connect Four, a pool table, shuffle board, and darts. They also have a good diverse cocktail menu that has something satisfying for everyone from martinis, tropical drinks, mojitos, beer, and more. Recently, my husband suggested the Atomic Koi to show our friends and family from out of town a good time in the Madison area. I ordered a cocktail and the bartender claimed they didn't have the ingredients to make the drink which didn't bother me but I have gone to Atomic Koi more than once trying to order a cocktail on their menu and the bartenders claimed they were unable to make it or didn't have the ingredients or maybe they just didn't feel like making it like some of their ice cream drinks and it wasn't busy in the moment. I then ordered the Golden Colada which is a fun pineapple tropical flavored drink! If they are unable to make a specific drink but the drink is advertised on their menu they should be able to make it consistently if requested otherwise take it off the cocktail menu permanently because patrons expect to be able to order a specific drink if its on the menu. My husband, friends, and family were having a good time. A back corner nook opened up where some people left and we wanted to sit there as a group however there was super sticky drinks on the floor under the table nook. One of my family members asked one of the bartenders if she could please mop up the sticky floor or find another staff that could. The bartender was super rude to my family member and said she wasn't going to mop it up until closing time at 1am. Then my family member asked if she would at least get someone to pull the mop out from the back and he would mop it up himself and she refused. She should have politely told my family member "sorry I am unable to leave the bar area but I will find another staff to mop it up when they are able to" but it was her rude don't care entitled attitude which didn't leave a good impression on my family members from out of town. I went back up to the bar and spoke to a different bartender who wasn't busy tending the bar and told him the situation. He did fix the situation and mopped up the sticky floor when he was able to which I appreciated but he looked over it like he didn't really want to be there not really friendly. If Atomic Koi could consistently recruit/ retain more professional, trained, personable, friendly bartenders and actually follow through in making cocktails actually advertised in their cocktail menu , its a great spot to go to for a great drink and a fun place to unwind!

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.

Had a really bad experience here about a year and a half ago. My friends were definitely racially…read moreprofiled in this establishment by the security here. I understand everyone was there late, and that can be irritating if your shift is about to end and you want to go home. But if you state that you are open until 2, people are going to expect to stay until 2 am. We went for a friends birthday, and we were going to start here and make our way downtown to just bar hop and play some games of pool. At about 1:00 the security told everyone last call for drinks and we all got something and headed back to the table we were sitting at. They then proceeded maybe 15 minutes later to say we needed to clear out. Now I would like to add we were not the only people in there. At least 10 other groups of people continuing their games of pool. My friend whose birthday it was went to take his last shot at the 8 ball. Literally our last ball, and the security comes over and starts to harass my friend. Stating it's his business which we understood so we started to pack up because at this point they were clearly uncomfortable by the way he was approached by the security. On the way out the security CONTINUED to talk under his breath about my friend. He did not approach anyone else in that bar except us. The rest of the room continued to play pool until they finished their games. He felt extremely uncomfortable and racially profiled since he was one of three POC in that whole bar, and as a matter of fact those three people were in our group. They all felt some sort of way about how he was approached and we all agreed to never step foot in this establishment ever again. And this is not the first incident I've heard of happening here....

My mom always talked about frequenting Pitcher's Pub in the 70s, and that her go-to drink was Swamp…read moreWater. I finally stopped in a few months ago, and the drink was delicious! It was SO strong, which had me laughing because my mom is not a drinker! I honestly can't believe that she drank these throughout her 20s. Either way, it was really good, and now I know why it's their signature drink. I was really impressed with how expansive it is inside - lots of pool tables, gambling machines, tv's, and a long bar with plenty of seating. When I went, it was mid-afternoon on a weekday, so I would definitely like to return when the place is hopping! It definitely looks like a super fun place to hang out on a Saturday night.

Charlie is horrible - if I could give zero stars, I would!…read more The bartender, CHARLIE, immediately questioned the validity of one member of our party's out-of-state ID, even though she is 26 years old and provided legitimate identification!While we understand that checking IDs is part of the job, the interaction felt accusatory and unprofessional. Things only got worse when another person in our group ordered a sweet Old Fashioned--a classic Wisconsin drink--and Charlie responded with a disrespectful comment about how "you really are new at drinking- it's past 8 o'clock!" Giving a hard time for ordering a mixed drink. When we expressed our concerns about how we were being treated, the conversation became argumentative rather than constructive. The final straw was being told to the 26 year old- "I'll serve you, but I won't take responsibility if you get caught," despite no valid issue being identified with the ID. At that point, we decided to leave rather than continue the interaction! We will not be back! Never bring your family visitors to this bar.

Good bar, good prices, cold beer, good selection of deep fryer classics. My favorite were the dill…read morepickle cheese curds they are a must order!

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!

This spot is quite classy and serves the kinda cocktails that are full of fancy ingredients I…read morebarely recognize! I've been several times and the drinks are always delicious. The bartenders are nice and welcoming! It's a bit pricier than other spots in Madison, but it feels fairly priced since they are doing so much more than just cracking open a can. These bartenders are really more like cocktail artists!

A great place for a drink. Classic Madison tavern on the outside, cool laid-back vibe inside. My…read moremarg was spot on and not from a mix.

If you happen to go to rip's bar, make sure you take a local from Waunakee with you. With a…read moreWaunakee local, you will have fun and meet new people. If you go alone, you will not be looked at talk to or even acknowledged..

Best dive bar in town. Mel is the best bartender I've ever had the pleasure of meeting…read more Good music, good people & no judgment. If your fortunate enough to shake some dice you'll know what I mean. Have a better time each time I drink here!

Love this place! Came back with my dad for a scotch flight and a few martinis. Got to talk with the…read moreowner Scott who was amazing! Knows his stuff behind the bar. I highly recommend taking a look at the extensive martini list and giving a couple of them a try. They have weekly specials too-- Wednesday is $6 Martini night. Say what?!? Yes, you heard me correctly-- top quality martinis (shaken not stirred) for under a Hamilton!!!

Came here before a show at the opera house and was so happy to be greeted by ms. ELKE. This is a…read moresmall spot and the lights and dim but the drinks were great. They also have a bunch of board games to keep you entertained. But the best part was Elke.