Sunday Sips: Bar Crawlers
A guide to neighborhood bar crawls around Madison
It’s been a couple of weeks since my last edition of Sunday Sips and a lot has been happening. Between training for a half marathon and keeping a busy social schedule, it hasn’t left as much time for writing as I would like. But after my race next weekend, things should start settling down a little more giving me more free time to dedicate to other pursuits.
One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice out is to bike around and explore different bars and neighborhoods. Not only is it a good way to get out and visit areas I don’t get to frequently, but it’s also a chance to find establishments that may become a new favorite.
I’ve slowly been creating a list of little mini-crawls that I’ve done in the past or want to do at some point. And each one covers at least one little pocket of town that you may not usually find yourself in.
I wanted to share my list with you from what I enjoy. And if you see something you like or that I may be missing, please let me know. I want to create a fun resource for anyone looking for help with planning a day or night out.
Now a good crawl has to have at least three stops, so everything in this list below will adhere to that. And this being Wisconsin, there’s at least a couple of other bars in the area that you could add to the lists below. Consider this a jumping off point to help get you to a good spot.
In no particular order, other than what was in my Notes app on my phone, here we go.
Cottage Grove Road:
It doesn’t matter where you start on this one, as all four bars are with a quarter mile stretch of Cottage Grove Rd. on the east side. I’d suggest starting with Mike’s Horseshoe Bar & Grill where you can grab some cheap, but delicious, bar food and enjoy an ice cold beer out of a frosted mug. Then make you way down the street to The Dive Inn. This is one of my favorite places to watch UW Volleyball when in season. Afterwards head to Chief’s Tavern where you’re likely to find some live music on the weekends. And if you need one more stop all you need to is look for the large primate pointing the way to Jade Monkey.
North Street:
Over on North Street, you can take bar crawl almost literally, with two of these being right across the street from each other. If you love craft beer and fish fry, I’d suggest taking a Friday night to do this one. You can start at either Tip Top Tavern or Dexter’s Pub. Both places have a delicious fish fry, with Dexter’s blue-gill being my favorite in the city. And both of these bars serve up a wide selection of craft beer. In between these two stops, you need to visit Young Blood Beer Company’s North Street taproom. This outpost keeps those dank, drippy vibes going from the downtown location with the same high quality beer.
North Side Dives:
I haven’t completed this crawl yet, but I have been to all of these on seperate occiasions, and can tell you they each have their own charms that I really like. For this one, I would probably start at Slice’s Bar & Grill, then make my way up Sherman Ave. to Busse’s Markway Tavern and finally end up at Villa Tap to end things up. I had also though about including Locker Room Bar & Grill, but after visiting there one afternoon, I found it to be not the kind of place I would want to recommend to others.
Fitchburg:
I’ve got a few different ideas for Fitchburg crawls. This one includes Monkeyshines Bar and Grill, Seminole Tap, and ending at Hop Haus Brewing’s Fitchburg location. This one, like most of the surrounding suburb ones, requires hoofing it a little ways between each spot or some driving. So if you do these, be responsible and make sure you have a designated driver if needed.
Verona Road Dives:
As I’ve been spending a little more time on the west side lately, I’ve gotten to know some of the bars a little bit better. One place I’ve really come to like is Badger Tavern. Not only is it a great place to watch a game, but the food is pretty good too. From here, it’s just a short hop over to Madison’s best and only tiger themed bar, Le Tigre Lounge. Don’t be fooled by the strip mall exterior, this place is truly a gem in the Madison bar scene. And then for something a little rougher cut, you can check out Bennett’s Meadowood Country Club.
Fish Hatch:
Cruising down Fish Hatchery Road, you can make a stop at any of these locations for a variety of different experiences. Start at The Thirsty Goat for some barbecue and beer. Then visit The Great Dane Pub & Brewing to enjoy a locally made beer on their patio. Next grab a margarita and some popcorn at Me & Julio. And finally, end the trip with a visit to Atomic Koi.
Downtown Middleton:
I haven’t forgotten about my friends in Middleton. This one I really like and would do on a weekend afternoon in the summer time. First head to Capital Brewery and enjoy a drink in their biergarten. They’ve got a great live music schedule all summer long. Next head around the corner to Longtable Beer Cafe. Order something on tap or grab something from the extensive list of offerings available in the cooler. And do yourself a favor and order the frites along with it. From there, head over to The Free House Pub or The Village Green depending on what suits you.
Middleton:
Cheese curds are almost an essential order for any good crawl. And the best in Middleton can be found at Craftsman Table & Tap. If you go on a Sunday, make sure you’re there in time for Beero Bingo. After getting your fill of beer and cheese, go to Bristled Boar Saloon & Grill followed by Mid Town Pub. Between this and the previous crawl, that should cover all of your Middleton needs.
Monroe Street:
Monroe Street was a little harder to come up with something good. Because of the large stretch of residential areas between the two commercial sectors of the street, I almost split this in to two separate lists. But that wouldn’t leave me with many options. Regardless, the two must stops on this street would be Garth’s Brew Bar and The Laurel Tavern. The other spots are more restaurant focused, but still have a good bar program. On the west end, cocktails from Everly would be my choice, and on the east end of the street I’d suggest a stop at One & Only.
Regent Street:
This one basically writes itself. Depending on your age, I’d suggest doing these at different times. If you’re in college, then I’m sure you’re aware of the popularity of these bars on any given night. For the rest of us, I like to go on a gameday to enjoy the best atmosphere. These are all on a stretch of like 3 blocks on Regent, so the order doesn’t matter at all. Sconniebar, Lucky’s 1313 Brew Pub, Jordan’s Big 10 Pub, and The Red Zone will have you ready to go.
Atwood Avenue:
Now for my neck of the woods, the near east side. I’ve done this Atwood dive bar crawl plenty of times (intentionally and unintentionally). All of these bars contribute to making the neighborhood one of my favorites in Madison. Start at Ideal Bar, then walk across the street to Player’s Sports Bar & Grill. After that walk a couple of blocks down past the Barrymore Theater to The Atwood. And finally end the evening at The Ohio Tavern, where they have some of the most fun karaoke around on Saturday nights.
Willy Street:
One last crawl to round things out, and this one takes us down Willy Street. Starting on the end closest to the capitol, visit The Wisco. They have a great sand volleyball league if you can get into it too. Continue down the street and visit I/O Arcade Bar for some skee-ball, pinball, and all your favorite classic games. The make your way to the far end of the street for some pool and darts at The Crystal Corner. And finally, end the evening at Mickey’s Tavern for a more chill experience. Unless there is a band playing that night. Then you’re in for a rockin’ good time.
State Street/Downtown:
If you’re downtown around the square or over on State Street, you can throw a stick in any direction and hit any number of bars. This is mostly a choose your own adventure area as there are too many to recommend just a few. But if you want a more curated list suited to your tastes, feel free to reach out and I can give you a few suggestions.
Of course I have my favorites, but you never no when the mood will strike to visit a rooftop bar, a college sports bar, or a fancy cocktail lounge. This section of town has it all.
That’s it for my initial list of crawls. I’ve been thinking about writing up some other guides similar to this and sharing them. A few years ago, over on my Instagram account, I wrote up several guides for breweries, cocktail bars, dive bars, liquor stores, and more. Unfortunately Instagram took away that feature, but I have some of it saved off, so I may revive those lists here in the future. Stay tuned.
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Drink of the Week: My favorite beer from Working Draft’s 7th anniversary weekend was the Primo Pivo, 14° Plato Czech Pale Lager. Clint brews some of the best lagers in around and his Czech-style ones are my favorite. To Those Who Wait, is my #1 favorite beer in the city, and this new lager just released is just as tasty. I want to go back and keep drinking as much of it as I can before it is gone.
What I’m Reading: Two weeks ago, I mentioned that I was reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Since then, I’ve finished that one and completed a few others as well. That list includes How to Steal a Galaxy and Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis, Hum by Helen Phillips, The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry, and Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. Out of these, The Naming Song was the best read followed by Dark Matter. There was a lot of sci-fi in these last couple of weeks, and I think I’m gonna get back to reading fantasy for a bit. But, if anyone has any good contemporary fiction books to recommend, please let me know, because I could use a little more variety.