Wonderful music venue! Cozy place with excellent bands, reasonably priced drinks and friendly…read morepeople. They feature jazz, Cuban salsa, comedy and much more. We'll be back again soon!

Difficult place to hear music in (not as bad as the Crystal Corner Bar, which has crap sightlines)…read more Not cheap. Parking quite uneven. Sometimes the musicians are worth a trek out there, but even bands I like I'd rather catch somewhere else.

this is the place to go if you're just hammered and need to scream-sing pop songs with piano…read moreplayers. don't go in there looking for good service or specialty drinks. you're there solely to sing along to show tunes or taylor swift. i saw a bachelorette party happening one night and they were having a blast. good times.

Great place to watch & listen to pianos playing. Floors are super sticky & bathrooms smell like…read moreurine by the end of the night, but it's expected when it doesn't close until 2am. Dualing pianists were great-- and their song range was even better! Nightly drink specials and good selection of cocktails. Service was quick but only at the bar, which can be a pain when you're up in the front trying to break the crowd to order.

Great club decor and atmosphere. Best "Old Fashions" in the city (the ones at the bar "The Old…read moreFashioned" admittedly are pretty good). Enjoyed the Thursday night 5:30 Latin Jazz -- no cover!--and a great vibe to dance to later at night.

The Cardinal Bar is both retro and classy. Stopped in for some pre-dinner beverages and listened to…read morethe live conga band get set-up and play their first few songs. The service was really good with cool bartenders and a mellow vibe. Didn't try the food although it is on the menu. A bit further from campus, the CB seems to be a place catering to a more mature crowd rather than a UW student bar.

i love the vibes inside this bar. it's retro, quiet, beautiful and playful. they always have a…read moregreat selection of draft beers, and the bartender always offers a tasting beforehand. the price of drinks are on the heftier side but i don't mind it because the ambience is so excellent in there. a nice bar if you like a place that's calmer and quiet so you can have a conversation with your buddies.

I've heard people rave about The Mason, and it took me far too long to finally come in here, and it…read morewas honestly entirely by accident. I was supposed to be meeting a group elsewhere nearby when our original place closed without warning. So we headed to The Mason and it was a delightful experience. It was very busy with one bartender, so it took awhile to get your drinks, but they were still well made and the bartender was very friendly. It's a small place so it can get loud when busy, but our group had a great time and we enjoyed the place. It is a dark, neighborhood type vibe. And the sealing the deal of the 5th star for this place is that they were dog friendly. My pup had a great time getting pets from customers. Great find!

Want to hit up a fun Christmas decorated bar? Check out Tinseltown in Middleton. It's the garage…read moreside of Tanner's. It's super cute with festive holiday drinks. There are different events going on... including live music on Friday nights. Bartenders are friendly and quick.

As someone who loves science and weird drinks this has got to be my favorite spot in Madison. The…read moreinside is a lot bigger than you would think from the size of the door. The atmosphere is so cool, very experimental and unique. The colored lighting against the white walls and furniture makes for really cool pictures. The drinks were amazing. Especially the savory ones. If you love bloody Mary's you'll love their garden salad cocktail. Of course we tried some Jell-O shots too. The grape was our favorite. There is also a ping-pong table in the back! Lastly, have to shout out the bartenders because they are awesome and had great recommendations!

I think this place could get to a 5 for me but when we went it was a colder/rainy day for a…read morepre-dinner drink so the place was white only no cool lights and it was super crazy loud and the ping pong players kept losing their ball and chasing it under tables. Maybe it was just the groups who had taken over this particular day weren't my vibe. The drinks were amazing though. Creative, fresh, loved them. I had one with blended mint and gin. We tried the jell o shot of the day which had pop rocks and was salty and fruity. Seriously one of the most interesting concoctions and was fun. Very worth the stop.

Friends Applaud is such a quirky, fun spot that feels very Madison! I stopped in for drinks since I…read morehad already eaten, but after checking out the space, I already know I need to come back for the food. The vibe here is super cool, and the drinks are unlike anything you will find just anywhere. I love when a place has its own personality, and Friends Applaud definitely brings something unique to the Madison dining scene. They also have a patio that looks perfect for enjoying Wisconsin summers, which makes this spot even more appealing. The staff and owner were both very friendly and welcoming, adding to the overall experience. If you are looking for a place with character, interesting drinks, and a cool atmosphere, Friends Applaud is worth checking out. I cannot wait to come back, try the food, and spend more time here!

We checked out Friends Applaud on a Saturday night with a group of friends, on a progressive dinner…read morenight out. The owner has really curated a thoughtful, cozy atmosphere meant for long relaxing evenings with friends. You must try the absinthe for an experience you can't get anywhere else in Madison. Their wine list is also superb. Above all else, the owner was incredibly kind and fun to talk to. They are working to get permits for patio seating, which will really put this great place over the top. We can't wait to visit again!

This is a really fun local bar to go to. It's really like local, like Cheers. I love it. The…read morebartender Mike on a Wednesday is a hoot. He plays the best music and everyone is serious about their Jeopardy Show when it comes on. It's awesome the whole bar plays. It's small and cozy. They don't have food but frozen pizza. Their good. But you can always put in an order through the bartender and get a nice hot mouth watering sandwich from Jiffy Lube next door. No, I'm not going to tell you what they have there, that's another review. The drinks are awesome and the bartender doesn't let your glass stay empty, he's right on it. They have a nice variety of beer, and alcohol. They even carry those CBD drinks and soda. The bartender knows how make lots of drinks and my favorite is a shot called the salted nut roll. Yum They have a nice back room with a fireplace and pool table. I love it that when it's someone's birthday they will celebrate that person with decorations and snacks. It's just one of those places that I usually go ok, I used to go on Wednesday and meet up with some awesome friends. I had to start adulting. I miss them. I go in from time to time and surprise them and the love is over flowing.

Time hasn't changed this tavern. Wood paneling. Decent tap list. Your typical booze selection…read more Pizza made in a table top pizza oven. Busse's is your typical Wisconsin dive bar. Prices are fair. Friendly bartender and customers.