I really like Echo Tap. They have a good beer selection and really good bar food. (I highly recommend the cheese curds.) There is a good view of a TV no matter where you are, so it's a good place to hang out and watch the game. During badger football season, Echo Tap has a free shuttle to Camp Randall. The first shuttle leaves an hour before the game, and another shuttle leaves 30 minutes before the game. If you're going to an event at the Kohl Center, Echo Tap is a great place to go before or after since it's within walking distance. In the summer, the outdoor patio is a really nice place to spend some time. Thursday night trivia is always fun too. My only complaint about Echo Tap is that they often list specials on their website that they are not actually having. On multiple occasions, their website has listed breakfast specials on Badger game days with the date and the special, but they do not actually serve breakfast on Saturdays during football season. I find this very frustrating because I don't really want to eat pizza for breakfast, so I would have eaten before arriving at the bar. If your website says you are serving breakfast, people expect breakfast. Staff should manage customer expectations by making sure the website reflects what the bar is serving, so customers aren't disappointed. read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Bloody Mary and beer chaser - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I sat outside here with a few coworkers quite late on a Sunday evening. We sat in a large couch outside, loved the ambience and lights. Our bartender/server Chris was amazing and was really attentive but not pushy. I asked for a mocktail and they made me a wonderful one and that really made me feel included. We were able to play music quite loud and chat it up for several hours. Although my friend got a pizza that was a lousy excuse for one, thats what you get for ordering bar food at 11 pm. I liked it here and had a pleasant time, shoutout Chris. read more

Not my cup of tea. Weird regulars and staff looking at me like I was an alien. Am I that hideous? Just want a mars beer. Place smells. It's sticky. It's filled with beer signs, flyers, and advertisements. Bathroom had 8-12 flies buzzing around. I understand you did a face lift, but should have probably put more money into scrubbing the old clean than building the new. One star for decent pizza. read more

My usual haunt during my first stretch in Madison, located in a convenient location, just between downtown and the lakefront, it's a great place to order out and drop in for a nice beer read more

I ordered takeout from here and got the spinach and artichoke dip as well as the echo chicken sandwich. The food was good but the portion was very small on the dip. read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Spinach and Artichoke Dip - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I have been to Echo Tap & Grill on numerous occasions and I have always had a positive experience. In the summer, they have a large outdoor patio. In the winter, they have a tent that surrounds the patio and there are overhead heater lamps which keep it comfortable. There is a very small parking lot, but lots of 2 hour parking in the surrounding streets. The Echo has levels, with TV's and seating on both levels. The bar is on the first level with lots of TV's and seating. The second level is where the darts and pool tables are placed, surrounded by a couple more tables. The waiters and bar staff are very friendly. There is a large beer selection and the food is typical of sports bar food. The cheese curds are great (a must have for a Wisconsin bar!). This place can be packed before Kohl Center sporting events, so get here early! read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Echo is one of my favorite spots in Madison. However my favorite thing to order was always buffalo curds and in recent visits, they've said they can't make them anymore, which is pretty disappointing (hence 4 instead of 5 stars). Buffalo curds should be an on-menu option! read more

The quintessential neighborhood bar. Excellent tap list and their patio (during the summer months) is definitely one of my favorites. The menu is pretty standard for a bar-fried appetizers, some salads, sandwiches, and pizza/calzones. While there burgers and wraps are on point, I feel their pizzas fly under the radar and are definitely solid. I recently had a calzone and while enormous, it was also delicious. Seating can be tight at times (especially when the patio is closed) but remember to check upstairs as there are a few tables nestled around the pool table. A great spot to check out the game (TVs are plentiful) and nosh on some solid sports bar food at the same time. read more

The Echo Tap seems to be hit or miss. It's a great spot if you want to catch a game; it's very trendy, has a fun indoor/outdoor atmosphere, friendly service, is well-equipped with TVs and lots of beer choices. Pretty good recipe for a night of watching football or getting a drink on a date. Dinner? The food is decent; -the appetizers always seem to be on point but unfortunately the entrees are usually pretty bland so it's not a place we hit for dinner anymore. The bottom line: I'll glady go if I'm invited but it's not somewhere that I'll go out of my way for. read more

Fries, buffalo wings, pizza were great. Staff were friendly and our food came out fast! It's also dog friendly on the outside patio so people brought their puppies :D read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Happy hour is a blast! Laid back environment (jeopardy games, knitting, etc.) with great food at a low price. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, especially Olivia! Definitely recommend the cheese sticks and the spinach and goat cheese salad. read more

Some witch is obviously in the kitchen I had the burger with sautéed mushrooms f- in gd delicious I havnt even touched the fries but I'm pretty sure there addictive .. get the jalapeño poppers with extr sour cream. read more

Home made pizza with a crust you can ask for? LOVE it. Extra crispy, extra thin is what we like and spot on. Double tall mixers are perfect. Mini corn dog apps hit the spot. I see some reviews about crabby bartender but if that's the case, it's very busy or patrons are being "that guy". Great local spot with location location. read more

This is a very polarized review, because this place has some really amazing and non-amazing features, all in one. 4 Stars for the patio- When the Terrace is too crowded, this is a great second option for enjoying a beautiful evening. It's a big space, not too packed with tables and twinkle lights for that extra mood. Perfect. 2 stars for the food- The food is not strong. They do have it and it is edible. May be just eat before you come and focus on enjoying the patio with a lovely adult beverage. Overall, I would totally come back and would recommend this place, but with some caveats. read more

Great bar food and great location. I love their outdoor patio - I haven't been yet because of everything going on, but once things settle down more I'll definitely go there. Their burgers are the standout here. Some of their other food is pretty average (salads, cheese curds) but it's a solid option for some good bar food. read more

I came here with my mother to enjoy the patio on a beautiful spring afternoon. The patio itself was very nice and even had TV'S. We each ordered a drink, she got a Moscow mule and I got the Brandy old fashioned sweet. They were both excellent. For lunch she got the Echo chicken sandwich which was served on very good naan bread. I got the Buffalo chicken crispy sandwich. Both were delicious. My side salad was fresh and a good size. The fries were crispy too. A great overall lunch experience. Service was perfect as well. read more

Echo has an awesome patio this time of year. Last night I enjoyed an appetizer of plain chicken wings and a chicken salad sandwich. The wings were crispy and delicious. The chicken salad sandwich was fantastic; toasted wheat with piles of chicken, grapes, cranberries, and walnuts. So good! If you're only going for food and drink, maybe check out when their trivia night is and avoid it? Our server was a little overwhelmed with our arrival and I think it was due to trivia going on inside. Service was good though. read more

I almost laughed at the "& Grill" stuck on the end of this listing. I guess they have food...right? I know you can order out and bring it in...Well now that I think of it, having food sounds about right. After avoiding it like the plague for several months, I found myself at Echo for the first time during an excruciating Madison winter. It was literally the closest bar to our apartment (as in, half a block away). As most of my husband's UW friends lived in our building, that's where we ended up going. I should preface this by saying that Echo is right across the street from the Greyhound bus depot. Thus, there are dozens of homeless, drunken, scruffy vagabonds that traipse up and down this street at any given point, including right in front of -- and sometimes inside -- the bar. Do not pay them any mind. They're more like the Echo Tap bodyguards than a threat. They, like you, just want to get drunk and forget about their problems. Now, onto the bar itself. From the outside, it looks like a trailer. Inside, as expected, was a horde of local winos and UW grads from the class of '69, but also TWICE THE SPACE that anyone would have thought. Are you kidding me? Two floors? Darts AND a pool table? And, the most thrilling discovery of all, an AWESOME digital jukebox? Also, they ask you "single or double?" when you ask for a drink that any other place would just water down and give you less than a single. I had two large vodka crans here and was fiiiiiiine without that $5 pitcher of Spotted Cow. But of course I had the Cow anyway. A great place to hang out with friends! It's stuck in a moment, in the best way. In the dead of winter, when I wish I could just hop out for a night out, I'll miss this place a lot. read more

Due to closeness, I'm almost a regular at the Echo. I usually have a low tolerance for sports bars, but i've managed to grow fond of the Echo Tap. Maybe part of it is because its location isn't that close to Camp Randall, so they don't get as high of volume of drunken fans that are hanging out before/after the game, but it's still in the downtown area, so it doesn't attract very many townies either. So, in regards to the crowd there, it's a good mix of college kids/young professionals/middle aged people. It's a variety that I enjoy. Food wise, it's solid for the most part. Some of their dishes are hits, such as the Tofu Walnut Burger, or the Aristotle's Dilemma Pizza. I've had a few things that I would only call okay though, like the deluxe grilled cheese, or the nacho plate. So, I usually just stick with only a few of the items. They're one of the more vegetarian friendly sports bars, so if that's a need you have (Like I do), then this spot will definitely serve a need for you. The drink selection is also fine. There's at least one of every major beer type there, and most of them are from Wisconsin. I believe there's about 20 taps available, and there's also more choices in bottles if you're feeling more adventurous. They do some cocktails as well, but it's mostly just the standards that you're used to, and it isn't too adventurous. They don't carry much (if any) top shelf liquor, so don't expect the cocktails to be too fancy or amazing. Overall, I enjoy the Echo Tap, and it's usually one of my first choices for a place to go watch the game at with the bros. Like I said, I have a really low tolerance for sports bars, so just the fact that I can say that I kinda like this place says a lot in comparison to the rest. Also, it's fun to do trivia here on occasion, so it's a good place to hit up on Sunday nights. read more

I can always count on Echo Tap for a good meal and beer when I visit Madison. I use to go here with coworkers during a summer internship. It has changed a bunch since the last time I was here. More TVs playing multiple sportsball games, more items on the menu, and they have outdoor seating. I got myself the Deluxe Grilled Cheese, which is just a grilled cheese with onions, tomatoes, and guac. YUM! That definitely hit the spot. The chili also caught my eye. It was good, but a little spicy for me, which means it's fine for any normal person. That took me a little while to finish. After living in Green Bay for several years, I've realized how much I like noodles in my chili (it's a Northeastern, WI thing)...kind of missed it while eating my chili. Two thumbs up for the beer selection here. All really good craft beers on tap. I'm jealous that Madison bars are more likely to have Lake Louie on tap. I enjoyed a wonderful Warped Speed scotch ale. (gulp) AHH! read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Deluxe grilled cheese and chili - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I live around the corner and find that it's a nice corner bar but the service is hit or miss ranging from good to abysmal. Not that anyone is rude; they're simply overwhelmed and understaffed at times. Good bar food, good beer, cozy place. Wish I could give them a better rating. read more

I was less impressed with the service here than I had been last time also. We sat at the bar at 7 yesterday night, but ordered food - Maybe the bartender was just prioritizing people who would give him tons of tips over us. :P -Good cheese curds! -Good grilled chicken sandwich. -I ordered "chips" as a side for the sandwich and ended up getting a little 140 calorie 75-cent vending machine baggie of off-brand Ruffles. ;O read more

When I was in college, Echo was where all my hip student radio station friends would go in search of stories that would make you cringe come Sunday morning. It was dingy enough to satisfy dive bar needs but sketchy enough to make you seem edgy in comparison to all your Plaza-going friends. White girl from the suburbs of Minnesota needs all the edge she can get. Echo has since been revamped as of last summer or so and while I miss some of the "edge", I usually get by just fine as I'm conquering one of their delicious, giant calzones. Also, after [an attempt at] playing tennis last week, my friend introduced me to the fact that Echo dishes out 5 tacos for $4 on Thursdays. Nothing compliments tennis quite like tacos so we nabbed a table inside, grabbed a beer and placed our orders with the friendly waiter. He looked at us with an eyebrow raised (probably having confused us with Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova) and asked whether we were planning to share the 5 tacos. Ha - silly, rabbit. "That'll be 5 tacos each please." Nothing crazy unique going on here but it's a comfortable venue with an adequate beer selection, enjoyable bar food and saucy-ish tennis players. read more

Echo tap and grill is a loud bar with a lot of televisions playing sports games on the walls. All in all it's fairly ordinary, very loud, and has a poor layout on the interior. However, they have food and the prices for liquor and beer are quite fair. This place is a drinker's tavern, similar to what you would find on the south side of Chicago but brighter and cleaner inside. There may be some yuppies and college kids around, but note those old horses at the bar -- they're the real ones who have likely been occupying that stool longer than you've been alive. Recommended if you're ducking your AA meeting. Otherwise, you may wish to drink at your own risk. read more

So my family got together for dinner and the Echo Tap was the place of choice for my sister (birthday girl). None of us have never been there before with the exception of my wife who had been there way back in the day. So dinner is on our minds and we had a good time! First off we had a decent size group with kids so we sat upstairs and the music was very loud but they turned that down. I like bars that feel like bars and the Echo tap did for sure feel like a bar and PBR on tap...perfect! Cheese Curds = Always awesome especially since they were lightly breaded! Now for my meal I wanted to go for what I hear they were known for and that is the Cheeseburger. I got it and was surprised on how small it was but the taste totally outweighed the small size of the burger because it was an excellent burger. Not your typical pre-made burger slapped on a grill..these burgers were handmade for sure and awesome! My wife got the pizza and much to my surprise, it was very good. Now, being good does not make it a place I would go to just to get pizza but much better than other bars who just toss in a frozen pizza. Overall a good night and a good place to eat of have drinks. read more

Used to be a 2, Now it's a 4. This place USED to be dingy, sticky floored, and smelly. The taps always tasted dirty too. NOT THE CASE NOW! Now its pretty damn good! They've completely redone the interior and added a nice little patio outside. Many more TVs than there used to be too, and they are nice new ones. Also, they pipe the game audio over the PA for all the big games. The beer selection leaves something to be desired, but they almost always have a solid seasonal microbrew, and some Capital on tap. All the lines taste clean now too, which is awesome. They could definitely use some more Wisconsin craft taps though. They have all the staples for you macro lovers though. Pretty friendly townie staff that will give you shit on occasion, so don't come if you have no personality or are easily offended. Food is pretty decent for bar food, and cheap. The cheese curds are definitely passable, but not the best in town at all. Their pizzas are pretty good too. Some random notes: - The bar stools are pretty uncomfortable, but you forget about it after a few beers. - Clientele can be quite interesting sometimes, from stumble drunks to college sorority girls. It's a pretty interesting mix. - They don't charge extra if you forget to close out your tab at the end of the night. - Good drink specials - The reviews on here from 2010 and earlier don't really apply anymore, since they remodeled the entire place. - Awesome spot to watch sports. Fin. read more

I diggit!!! Echo tap is a fun hangout spot with quite good food n drinks! The bloody mary is rich and delish, and it comes with a good sized pickle spear and a beer chase. The pizza is pretty guuud, it actually tasted better than it looked/than I thought it would. We tried the mediterranean one with feta, and it was ALSO rich and delish! I had the same server the two times I've been, and she was wonderful. If you're going to watch a game, get there early for good seats. read more

I came here and was extremely disappointed. As covid started to die down and now that I'm fully vax'ed, I was excited to socially distance at my favorite local haunts. Unfortunately, on 4/3/2021, the bartender I had was extremely rude and made me feel unwelcome. We got there around 9 and she kept saying she was closing at 10. She was extremely bitter that people kept buying drinks and wanted to stay. I had a horrible experience and I will not be back, such an unappealing crew working on a Saturday night. read more

Echo Tap & Grill doesn't really stand out from the other pubs around Madison, but it doesn't have to. With cheap drinks, delicious food and trivia nights, Echo Tap & Grill is a more casual option for fans of sport bars. The service was efficient and fast, and the place wasn't overly loud or crowded. We got a few pitchers of Spotted Cow, a pepperoni and sausage pizza and an order of cheese curds to share. The pizza was great, with its warm, melted cheese fused with the chunks of meat, and a crispy crust with a satisfying crunch. The cheese curds were just ok for me, as I would have liked it to be more tender and for the cheese more melted. Echo Tap, while nothing groundbreaking, does a great job doing just that: being a typical Madison pub. read more

A convenient neighborhood bar. There was a time when I might've given Echo Tap 4 stars as it does have some redeeming qualities. But alas, at this point I've tried too many items off the menu to give the food the benefit of the doubt. Pros: *Awesome patio for the warmer months! It looks like you're eating in a garden. Great place to enjoy drinks on a nice day. *Trivia on Thursdays *Happy hour 4-7 during the week includes half priced appetizers *Quick service *Cheese curds are actually very impressive! Cons: Most of the food is just not that good. The nachos, spinach artichoke dip, salads and soups are all mediocre. The chicken sandwich I ordered was honestly kind of inedible it was so gross. I have heard good things about the pizza, though, so maybe I will try it. So...go for drinks, skip the food! read more

Late night eating session!! Woo! (grr at Fried and Fabulous for being closed) Our friend was telling us how the calzones were the size of a keyboard and how great they were. I am in fact a fan of Calzones but this friend also recommended Curry In The Box and that place was awful. We ordered a buffalo chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and a calzone. The sandwich was pretty basic, the fries were great, and the calzone was huge. The calzone's size is made up mostly crust and it isn't flavorful. The chicken was pale, ugly, white cubes. read more

Very average food, typical burgers and sandwiches, nothing very special but there are sometimes cheap drink specials. I only come here for trivia. read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Went here specifically to get cheese curds as they reported the 'best cheese curds in town'. Very disappointed. Caught the summer lunch crowd. They beer selection was sophomoric, the cheese curds were pre-packaged and over-fried, and the food was cheap (both in expense and taste). If you want the best cheese curds in Madison... don't go here. read more

We wanted to give this place a 6/5 because they served us our first double drink in Madison. They have an amazing fish fry that we accidentally discovered. They have really great appetizers as well. Service is fast and it's a great place for locals who live in the area. We stop over here a few times a month for a drink. read more

Such a great bar whether you come for a game, beer, or food. Take out is just as great. Both the upstairs and patio rock when you can get a seat. Highly highly recommend the calzone to anyone and evrryone, it easily serves two people! read more

Pretty standard bar food. They fry their stuff well. Pizzas not too great, a bit soggy for my taste but they've got good toppings. Echo chicken is the one is recommend the most. They've trivia too, which is ok. read more

Echo Tap & Grill - Sports Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Well we were with a large party that came in. The whole bar was full so my son & I sat outside in the party room. 25-30 min went by & I discovered the rest of my group was eating in the main part of the restaurant. I went inside and informed a waiter. He was very apologetic & service commenced after that.Son had the burger which he reported as dry but ok. I ordered the drunken beef supposedly marinated beef with a bbq or similar type sauce, smoked gouda cheese, & and giardenera. What came , shocked me! Slightly burnt dry toast, dry flavorless beef with a dark colored sauce and some sort of celery with chopped up jalopenos and a tiny bit of cheese which sure the hell wasnt smoked gouda! I shouldn't hv eaten it nor the onion rings which were overcooked. They hustled to get us our food & it isnt cooked right. I am now feeling ill. Feel like yakking as Im typing. The server kept apologizing but several others in the group said the food was under par as well. Wouldnt recommend going there. read more

All of us got a craving for pizza on a Sunday night and decided to come here. To say it hit the spot is an understatement. We sat outside on the patio and ordered some beer off the great list. Then I switched to wine. I was done with beer by this point in the trip. The pizza was amazing! I think we were all shocked at how good it was! I really wish I could remember our servers name. She was so awesome! Don't be fooled by the exterior of the place. Amazing food and service! read more

Things the Echo Tap does well: Patio: A beautifully maintained space with lots of flowers, TVs, and nice tables with umbrellas. Pizza: creative options, very delicious Beer: nice selection on tap The downside? Prices: a little steep for what they're offering (i.e. $7.50 for average frozen cheese curds) read more

During the summer Echo has awesome outdoor seating on its patio - there are even TVs out there so you can catch whatever game you want to watch. The food is good bar food fare and the staff are all welcoming. I personally tend to avoid it after 9pm when the students are in town- but during the summer it is one of my favorite spots in the neighborhood to have a vodka lemonade outside. read more