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    The Tipsy Cow

    4.0 (611 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Tipsy Cow Photos

    THE TIPSY COW ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Madeleine G.

    Fun vibes and good food and drinks at the tipsy cow! I ordered the fish tacos and an avocado taco (did not realize avocado tacos were fried based on the description) but they were tasty! It was very busy for a Saturday lunch likely due to the crowd from the Madison Farmers Market. The sandwiches do not come with a side. Friend loved the steak sandwich. I wish they had a couple more veg friendly options. Overall recommend and great experience!

    Local lamb burger
    Sharon M.

    SO delicious, & a WI classic / must try!! Ordered: - Local goat cheese curds: Loved this! - Fried cheese curds: Loved this! - Truffle fries: Great firm fries (didn't felt too doused in truffle oil), & paired well with the sauce! - Local lamb burger: Really liked this!! The meat was very tender. - Tipsy burger: This is a great burger on paper, but a little too greasy for my liking. Personal preferences! - Fried Mike's pickles: Loved this!! Tasted like an onion ring, but better! The batter compared to the sourness of the pickle is a great combo. Service was also good. Waiter checked in on us often. Nice bar vibes / ambiance. 100% recommend!

    Hermary G.

    First time at this Madison staple! I started off with the seasonal apple cider marg and it was great, though I felt like the apple taste could've been stronger. I got the sour cream and onion fries, and that was a hit! I ordered a mushroom and swiss burger but accidentally got the mushroom sandwich, and the server was so nice and understanding when I brought up the mix up. The burger wasn't my favorite mushroom and swiss burger, but it was good. It is a little loud in here though, so be prepared for that!

    Cheese Curds
    Jeremy O.

    Tipsy Cow was recommended to me by multiple locals here in Madison, WI. Cheese curds are on point, tipsy burger was comforting and heavy. The drinks are on the stronger side in my opinion! Overall everything tasted very good, would come back again

    Sandwich - Asparagus & Egg
    Lindsay K.

    I hadn't been here in years, but used to come here for happy hour after work. Decided to try it out for dinner on a pretty summer evening. We decided to sit outside and had prompt, attentive service. I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was fantastic. My Old Fashioned was delicious, and when we went I wasn't starving so kind of wanted something light. A lot of the appetizers looked decent but still wanted something slightly healthy. They had an open-faced egg/asparagus sandwich that sounded light and intriguing. I almost would call this more of an appetizer than a sandwich, but either way it was delicious and I'd totally order it again. It was basically everything I was looking for and completely hit the spot. Will definitely make sure to come back sooner.

    Date night with my hubby!
    Angela S.

    They have some great seasonal cocktails for around $10. Friendly vibe, definitely a touristy spot. They curate a lot of local ingredients for their menu. Service is always on point. 4/5 due to lack of accessibility.

    Cowboy Burger and beer battered fries.

    Tipsy cow burger is juicy and as good as a restaurant burger gets. Nice job. Beer battered fries are nothing special but it served its purpose. Friendly staff.

    lamb burger, cheese curds
    Akshita P.

    As someone who doesn't eat beef, a good alternative burger is rare to find. This lamb burger is splendid, great quality meat and good flavors in the dish overall. Need to come back ASAP!

    alligator bites, grilled cheese, fried cheese curds, and pretzels (off to the right side)

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    4 years ago

    Food was amazing and the beer list was super impressive. I had the truffle fries and would get them again anytime!

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    3 years ago

    The service is excellent, and drink selection is top notch. I would definitely pay them a visit next time I'm in town.

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    Good food, good service, not over priced and great location with parking in front and across the street. What else could you ask for!?!

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    Page 5 of 16

    Ask the Community - The Tipsy Cow

    The Weary Traveler Freehouse

    The Weary Traveler Freehouse

    4.0
    (720 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    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!

    The Weary Traveler Freehouse is an unexpected, but also on point eatery and bar situated on the…read morefamed "Willy" Street in East Madison, and have quickly become one of my favorite spots in town! Weary is an eclectic space that is full of a hodgepodge of artwork, mirrors, lighting, decor and a bunch of random items that just make sense together. The vibe here is uniquely local for this part of Madison and from the moment you enter through the large ornate wooden door, you are teleported into a special space where a good time is sure to be had! We have come here for Friday Fish Fry, weekday lunch and weekend brunch, and we have never left unhappy or hungry. The menu is made up of mostly classic dishes such as salads, soups, burgers and sandwiches, with a few mains like steak frites and pork chop. Brunch has your classic brunch dishes such as breakfast plates, biscuits and gravy, burrito and of course, French toast. The fish fry is excellent here, especially the pan fried version, which still provides the light, crisp and fresh fish but less the thick breading. For brunch, the breakfast burrito add sausage was spot on and super tasty! For cocktail, they have a stellar menu of house curated cocktails. For brunch, I went with the Bloody Mary and outside of brunch hours, I gravitate to the Killer Bees Knees gin based cocktail. I will grab a beer on occasion, but the cocktails are too good to pass up! Service is always stellar here whether we are sat in the dining room or bellied up to the bar. Overall, absolutely in love The Weary Traveler Freehouse!

    Photos
    Specials Menu as of 4/25/25
    Specials Menu as of 4/25/25
    Table Lamps!
    Table Lamps!
    Side dining area

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    Side dining area
    The Old Fashioned

    The Old Fashioned

    4.1
    (2.6k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    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.

    I need to qualify this statement by saying I got takeout, and only got one thing - the cheese…read morecurds. On a recent stop through Madison, I asked a friend what "must try" items I needed to check out, and he recommended the cheese curds at The Old Fashioned. Needless to say, I found my way here. Came on a Monday evening in the summer time, and while it looked like most things in downtown were rather dead, this place was bumping. I'm glad I came in when I did, because a mob of people came as soon as I placed my to go order. The hostess that took our order was super friendly and even recommended a few sauces to try with the cheese curds (paprika and ranch). We placed our order, and within 10 minutes, we had our cheese curds. Walked across the street to the Capitol and sat at one of the benches, prepared to try the cheese curds. The cheese curds were......ok. I have not had a ton of cheese curds, but from what I was told to expect, they should be crisp on the outside and nice and cheesy on the inside. These cheese curds were cheesy no doubt, but were not crisp at all. It's as though they had been sitting out for a while (maybe that's why we got our order so quickly?). The sauces were good, but did not elevate the cheese curds to the level of "must try." OVERALL - perhaps it was just an off night, but it wasn't enough to bring me back. perhaps dining in is the way to go. CELEBRITY RATING - Ashton Kutcher

    Photos
    Inside bar
    Inside bar
    The Old Fashioned
    Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.

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    Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.
    Turn Key Madison

    Turn Key Madison

    4.1
    (106 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    The self serve Bloody Mary garnish bar was 100% worth it for brunch. They had meat sticks, pickled…read moreeggs, pickled veggies, hot sauces, etc. It was basically an appetizer. Food was also very tasty. Service was friendly and there was a large parking lot. Would definitely visit again if in the area!

    This is a nice supper club that is away from downtown and has parking. We were sat in their main…read moredining room but apparently theirs an upstairs I don't know if that is for parties or the public though and then the have a large bar area. The area is very moody lighting and even has small lamps on each table. Our server and staff were great and everything came out timely. We got an old fashioned and a sangria. The sangria is strong but you won't know it until you stand up. We started with the cheese puppies and they had a fantastic pull to them. Some of the best version of cheese curds I've had in a while. My husband and I both had salads and the bowl was too small for the salad but it was a decent salad I do wish the cheese was sprinkled on top as it ended up going to the bottom of the bowl. For an entree I had steak frites. Fries were solid and the cooking of the steak was good with the charcoal but it didn't have much flavor. The chard on the side was also good considering I've never had it. For dessert we had the valentine special chocolate cake and again it was good but nothing super special. We didn't stick around the bar too long but enough to get a winning pull tab. I would come back for the bar tenders they seemed chill.

    Photos
    Beautiful dining room
    Beautiful dining room
    Charred carrot
    Charred carrot
    Turn key brunch has lots of delicious food

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    Turn key brunch has lots of delicious food
    Merchant

    Merchant

    3.8
    (753 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$

    My wife and I stopped in yesterday to celebrate our 25th anniversary, and we couldn't have picked a…read morebetter place! From the moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the host, who we later found out was a AG Manager Dillon. He immediately made us feel welcome. After we were seated, Dillon brought us water right away and let us know that our server, Kyle, was helping a few other tables but would be over shortly to take our drink order. We really appreciated the communication, as so many restaurants leave you wondering where your server is. We had seen the Date Night menu online, which included a choice of wine. Since we don't drink alcohol, we asked if we could substitute a pitcher of iced tea instead. Dillon was happy to make that happen, which was such a thoughtful touch. We also had a wonderful conversation with him while getting settled. Seems like he has a wonderful future ahead with schooling. Always wonderful to see kind and hardworking young matured adults. Kyle soon came by with our tea, introduced himself, and took exceptional care of us throughout the evening. He made sure we were comfortable, anticipated our needs, and even surprised us with extra desserts alongside our beignets to celebrate our anniversary. His hospitality was truly top notch, and he made our evening feel special. For dinner, we ordered the etouffe and the shrimp bbq dish, and both were absolutely delicious! There were so many other menu items that caught our eye, so we'll definitely be back to try more. What impressed us most was watching the team work together. It seemed like they might have been a little short staffed, with Dillon and Kyle constantly moving throughout the dining room alongside the bartenders and kitchen staff. Despite that, they never missed a moment. They were attentive, friendly, and genuinely cared about every guest. We even overheard other tables complimenting the service and food they received. This was such a wonderful place to celebrate our anniversary. Merchant delivered outstanding service, incredible food, and genuine hospitality from start to finish. If you're looking for a restaurant with amazing food, exceptional service, and a great atmosphere, whether for dinner or drinks, Merchant is the place to go. We will be back for more soon!

    I was out and about, exploring Madison, and Merchant looked like a cool place to stop for happy…read morehour. I sat at the bar, and Mi took great care of me. I had dinner plans, so I just wanted to stop in for a drink and snack. They have some really good offers for HH and their cheese curds are half off. I had never had one, so it sounded like the perfect time to try. I got a glass of wine and the curds. They came out quickly, hot and fresh. It was a big bowl of fried cheese. They come with ranch and hot honey, and apparently they recently won best cheese curd at the cheese curd crawl. They were super tasty. Well seasoned, perfectly fried, and kind of chewy. I am not on the hot honey frenzy train, but I tried it and thought it paired well, just wasn't for me. The ranch was tasty though. Even the happy hour portion was hefty and I couldn't put down half. A little wine and cheese on a beautiful day, just makes for a good experience. They were making some pretty interesting cocktails behind the bar, and it is definitely worth coming back to try out their other options.

    Photos
    Merchant
    Merchant
    Merchant

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    The Tipsy Cow - bars - Updated July 2026

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