Big fan of this place for a hang out spot with friends. It's a classic bar with a great grill and lots of food options. The pours at the bar are HUGE and the food is made to order and can take some time. The clear thing to order is the burger. They have plenty of winning burgers that they showcase but they are layered with a lot. I think the best way to try a place is with a classic. So we for a bacon cheeseburger and a walleye fish fry since it was Friday. The bacon cheese burger came with the most bacon I have ever seen on a burger. Dare I say too much bacon. The burger itself was a little dry but all together kind of worked. The fish fry wasn't very meaty but the coleslaw and fries were good. Overall, solid place but it's not going to be the best food ever. It's a good place to start with friends then head downtown as the prices were super reasonable and the service was top notch. I'd round to a 3.5 if I could. read more

There is nothing that didn't go well on our first visit a couple of weeks ago. In fact, we were so impressed with the food and the staff that we are going back again this evening, for dinner this time (it was lunch the first time), and my wife and I are bringing our son and her mom as well. Not sure if I want to do the 65er again, or maybe diversify a little. Definitely getting the frolic curds and the frolic fries. Food is great, service is great and the ambience is perfect for what this delicious place is. Well, we went back but this time the burger patties were like hockey pucks. Our son ordered his 65'er medium rare and got medium well. I ordered mine medium and it was so overdone the patty shrank for about half of the size it should have been. Waited almost an hour for food that, unfortunately, disappointed a bit this time. It was definitely not the owners in the kitchen like it was on Father's Day. read more

We went to try this for the first time after reading of their recent burger award. We got there just after 5 on a Saturday night and set out on the patio. It was not busy at the time, we were the only ones on the patio and just a few at the bar. Our waiter was attentive to start and friendly. We ordered drinks first that came out right away and then placed our order for food. It was not until 6:20 that our food was brought out. (The burgers were all a little overdone.). The waiter never came back out to check on us and by this time the patio was getting busier. Finally, just after 7 we went into the bar to ask for our check. In the mean time we noticed others that arrived around 6 were still waiting for their food when we left. If you want to give this place a try, know it would be an hour or more after your order before your food comes out. So plan accordingly! They are way understaffed, the food was fine but not worth coming back to for the wait. There are many other places where the food is just as good and the service far exceeds this establishment. read more

Hidden gem near the beltline! During old fashioned week, this location participated and it drew me in. Hiding in plain sight and on my way home from work it was the perfect spot for a drink with a coworker. Immediately, the food smelled great. They have a wide variety of bar food and even some salads. I love that they use Jennifer Street market meat for their burgers and a bigger plus was curly fries! Great portions, friendly staff. Check it out! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Cheeseburger, Fries - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Enjoyed a few burgers @ Licari's - they were very good. The atmosphere is nice, casual but not dive-bar. The service was quick & efficient, a good burger place & well-worth a try. read more

See all

I picked this dive bar thinking we'd have a really nice burger. Heard it won burger of the week last year. I hate to say it but we were totally disappointed. Sat outside and it took awhile to be waited on. The waiter said to another table it was his first day on job. Well I'm very okay with new people learning but this took it to another level. Very very inexperienced to say the least or they gave him no training. Said it would be 30 minutes for food if we ordered; okay fine! Over 1 hour later we still had no food. He was very forgetful, brought wrong drinks, was told to turn umbrellas down. He didn't know how to turn the handle to lose it, I helped him with that. Said he'd put brewer game on tv - not. Burger of the week was special 65rrr. So t thought I'd try it; finally when we were served our food by the cook herself ( who god bless her ) tired her best to make up for the mess. The burger had fried onions, bacon ( lots of bacon ) good bacon I must say. The burger was huge 1/3 lb they say but all the flavors blended into one so so burger. My wife's cheeseburger was better. They wanted you to vote for the 65rr for burger of the week. I just couldn't. I'm pretty forgiving but this was probably the worst diner/pub I've been to and I've been at a lot! read more

See all

Burger was decent; small patty and overcooked and smothered in cheese. Cheese curds were nasty- like cubes of processed cheese. read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Nashville cheese curds - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My daughter took me here while visiting from DC/Virginia. Server was fantastic. Burgers were amazing. Great service with Winconsin hospitality. I'll definitely go back next time I visit!! read more

So good and such great service we came back a second night!! Popped in on a super busy Sunday and were greeted by Alex with an acknowledgment that I see you and I will be with you in a minute or two. Dropped menus right away and let us know the wait on food. We were committed so we stuck it out and so glad we did!!! (Wait time was way less than anticipated!!) Lydia rocked the grill and I had one of the best shrimp salads and the husband is still raving about the grilled hotdog sandwich!! They were both getting their asses handed to them but they greeted every customer immediately, never complained and smiling. Being from the service industry to see those two work together was awesome and so was the food. Not your classic bar food but elevated and delicious. Highly recommend for the service, atmosphere, hospitality and delicious food!!! read more

When you walk in the atmosphere is typical bar look and feel. We stopped here for lunch because my partner has been here before and wanted to share it. Our waitress was AMAZING! She was so friendly and helpful. I ordered the chicken bacon salad with truffle fries ( recommend by waitress) and my partner got the braised pork shoulder sandwich with french fries instead of chips. The food did not disappoint! We're bringing friends back asap! read more

See all

This is a must stop, great local family owned place with amazing burgers and cheese curds! The staff is super kind and attentive and this is your classic neighborhood bar vibe. The burger was one of the best I've had and the cheese curds were crispy and gooey inside. read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Spicy bacon cheeseburger & Jalapeno Cheese Curds - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The hamburger was good but that's all I can say. Nobody greeted us when we walked in and it was not very busy. We sat ourselves. Staff behind the bar made eye contact but no move to come over and wait on us until we made a point to flag them down. We got a drink and our food pretty quickly but nobody checked on us after that - not to see how the food was, not to see if we wanted another drink (which we did) and not to see if we needed our check. We waited awhile and eventually went to the bar and closed out. We took our money and our business to another establishment instead of staying someplace that didn't really seem to want our business. I guess if you're a regular and you sit at the bar, you might get better service but the only way to get more regulars is to treat all customers with the a basic level of friendliness and good customer service. We won't be back. read more

Burgers are amazing, great beer selection, friendly staff. The walleye sandwich was the best fish sandwich I've ever eaten.

Had to stop out here to see for myself why this bar is on the top of lots of polls for burgers. It's a very friendly good feeling place with some interesting things on the menu like the pull tab popper. My wife got the bacon cheese burger which was perfect with crispy bacon and cooked medium like she ordered. I ordered a regular hamburger which was way over cooked and dry. Not a deal breaker but dissapointing. The fries were good but were not drained first and were swimming in oil on the plate. The coleslaw was excellent and a generous portion. So, we did like the place and would return and hope for a little better in the food preparation . read more

See all

Outstanding service!!! The fish fry was not good and the burger was ordered medium rare and arrived well done. It was just ok. As I mentioned service was awesome, every member of the staff was attentive and polite. Perhaps it was an off night as the reviews were great. May try again but it will be a long while. read more

They won 2024 Cap Times Burger Week championship. Pull tab popper burger was the one that won the competition, and was available till the end of June. So stopped by to try it. It was a real flavorful burger worthy of the title. It even had 2 jalapeno poppers in it. The burger was flavorful with a lot of bacon and aioli. It was a big burger. Eating it was a messy affair. Had I had this burger during the burger week, I would have voted for it too. For side, I went for Frolic fries, which was funnel caked fried to resemble french fries. End of the day it is still funnel cake. read more

See all

Stopped in for lunch, the food took over an hour. We finally asked refills on our beverages when the food came & there was something floating in the water glass so I went without. I ordered my burger medium rare and it was over cooked, no pink at all. The sourdough wasn't toasted so the burger completely fell apart. The chips were cheap bagged chips. A staff member repeatedly went out to the smoke patio and smoke lingered to our table which was not appreciated. Overall disappointing, I had been here in the past and had the spicy chicken sandwich and enjoyed it. read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Pull tab Burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

PLEASE DON'T EVER GET RID OF THE PULL TAB POPPER!!! I literally will dream of this burger every day for the rest of my life. I don't want any other burger as long as I live! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Pull tab popper - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Good service and I used to eat lunch there four days a week when I worked across the street. Best burgers in Madison.

Great food and atmosphere I simply loved my meal and recommend another visit this place will blow your mind

Licari's is a fun, easy, casual go-to anytime you want a great burger & friendly service or a beer (or maybe something a bit stronger) - it's all good at this family-owned joint on the near West side of Madtown. Cheers to you! read more

Had the fish fry here tonight and, except for waiting a bit long for our order, really enjoyed it. Great French fries. Loved the coleslaw and tarter sauce. The cod was delicious and came with lemon slices. I would recommend Friday night fish to anyone looking for a good price, well prepared food and a casual atmosphere. read more

Licari's Bar and Grill is a hidden gem with delicious affordable pub food right here in Madison, WI nothing fancy but truly a great dive bar! :) Licari's is one of my favorite small Wisconsin hometown bars in Madison that is truly a Bacon Lover's Paradise!!!! This local, small, casual hometown bar has great food, a nice selection of tap beer, and friendly staff! Licari's Bar also has affordable drinks, bar games like darts, outdoor patio seating, and serves bar food late night! You can even call an order on the phone ahead of time and the food will be ready for you! This bar is one of my favorite must go destination for delicious bacon cheeseburgers!!! They don't skimp on the bacon piled high with yummy crispy bacon!!!!! They offer some low carb menu items such as delicious naked unbreaded Cajun chicken wings and salads with chicken/steak that can be piled on with delicious bacon cooked perfectly with side of ranch! It is not a gluten free establishment but they do offer a few gluten sensitive menu food options! Licari's Bar is a great place to go when you are craving delicious deep fried pub snacks/bar appetizers such as pizza rolls, jalapeño poppers, pickle chips, tator tots, etc. They also serve great daily home cooked meal specials (varies day to day), soup, variety of delicious sandwiches, fried chicken wings, unique scrumptious tasty burgers with crispy hot fries, and they have a nice Fish Fry!!! Licari's is really just a super fun low key bar to go to enjoy to watch the game, play a few bar games, enjoy delicious pub food, enjoy a beer, and sip on a Wisconsin Style Old Fashioned cocktail! :) read more

See all

The service , food and atmosphere were perfect. I ordered a bacon burger and it was super tasty. The others with me ordered the pull tab burger that was a gourmet version of a burger read more

I stopped in here with a co-worker for a working lunch. It was actually quite busy, but they kept up pretty well and had plenty of staff working. We ordered cheese curds, bbq bacon cheddar burger, and just a regular bacon cheddar burger. The cheese curds were delicious and you CANNOT beat $6 cheese curds these days! The burgers were loaded with almost a half a point of bacon, which is amazing! My main reason for the rating, is the fact that the burger was so overly greasy that my stomach was so uneasy after lunch. Some might say that grease is how you know it's good, however, just putting anything from the deep fryer into a paper towel lined pan first would really help. The fries were some of my favorites though! But I am sure I will be back to try again. The price point and service are definitely worth a second time around. read more

See all

Super clean and quaint establishment! We came here for my birthday dinner and it was just as other reviewers had posted. Great prices, great burgers (even had GS options) and a good variety of appetizers that arrived quickly to our table. So many different side choices, it was a lot of fun choosing. read more

See all

pretty disappointed with this place. I came one time during the day and had fast and friendly service so I decided to bring my family here to try it again. we waited 10 minutes before asking if we could get service then we waited 50 minutes for our food do it to come out cold literally cold not even warm and way over cooked. We ordered both our meals medium rare and they were extra well done and not prepared correctly (didn't have my pull tab it was supposed to come with as well). when we let them know of the issue the two little girls that were serving us were rude about it and never got us refills. We also had to go to the bar to ask if we could pay because we never got checked on. Only the cheese curds were good. i don't think I'll come back , not worth the wait or the price read more

This is a great establishment - a Madison staple, if you will. Speaking as a true Madisonian, they probably have the overall second best burger in Madison (first is Caribou Tavern on Johnson St - get ). Anywho, the bartenders Jenn and her husband Logan are dope! They are "people-people". The older dude Jason is cool too and real good at his job. All in all, great food! Especially since they have limited equipment to work with, as far as a "kitchen". GREAT DRINKS / great drink prices. Cool bartenders whom are good at their jobs. The one and only down fall of Licari's is this guy Austin. Guy sucks at his job lmao. You order a brat and it never comes... order wings with ranch and buffalo and you never get the sauces. There's never a time where he doesn't mess up the order. In fact, I play a game now every time I go where I order a simple drink and a simple food menu item and he never fails to mess it up in some way. It's just hilarious at this point. In conclusion, go to Licari's! Good drinks and food + activities like darts, gaming machines, and pull tabs!! Fun spot no doubt. Just make sure anyone other than Austin serves you (laughing but serious). read more

Such a cute "dive" bar and grill! The wait staff was amazing. The lady we spoke to was the daughter of the business owner - family owned and operated for about 60 years! I love supporting local businesses and families, but that's not the only reason I'll go back! The food was good, service was excellent, and the atmosphere was laid-back and welcoming. Plus, look at all that BACON! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Jalapeño cheese curds with ranch - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Visited here Sunday afternoon as I am a salad lover and heard of their amazing chicken bacon salad. We received our drinks right away. The staff was very friendly saying hello when we came in and thank you & goodbye when we left. We had their fried cheese curds & that salad with bacon and chicken, chopped up tomatoes, cheese, house made ranch, and a peppermint patti on the side which I believe I forgot to eat. When you combine fresh lettuce and a delicious house made dressing salads are just wonderful and this one hit that bar. It's been a while since I had eaten bacon on a salad this was nice freshly cooked bacon as well. Licari's gets my vote. read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - We sat at the bar, look at this beautiful, delicious, and very filling salad. - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I came in for lunch on a weekday and was served a bacon cheeseburger and fries, it was delivered in minutes, grilled to my liking with lot of bacon and fries. Friendly people! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Bacon cheeseburger and fries with mint! - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great little gem! Second time here decided to eat. Amazing appetizer platter where you can pick three items. Mini tacos, Jalapeño cheese curds and beer batter boneless wings were great. Also had the walleye fish fry for $8.75! A bargain for two delicious fillets and a pile of crispy fries (we added the Cajun seasoning which was a smart choice). Bartenders and patrons are friendly. Very clean and a great patio which looks like it would be great for warmer weather with a bar outside. If you're on your way from the west side or east side and want some place right off the Beltline, this is the place! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Snacks menu - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Average bar with average bar food. Not the cleanest but not the dirtiest bar I've been in. Ate there once, don't need to go back. Bartender guy had the personality of a couch pillow. read more

Great people, cold drinks and friendly service. The burger special is my favorite! Good food, fast, and served Buy some of the friendliest staff around. Perfect for a quick lunch for business also! read more

Nice local spot. Very lowkey. Not somewhere you come if you're high maintenance. Service is solid, workers are laid back but kind. Food was fantastic and a great price! Would recommend. read more

See all

$8 for fish fry/shrimp, fries, and coleslaw? AND you get a peppermint patty?! Color my impressed! The cocktails and beer prices were also super reasonable. We enjoyed everything we ordered in the spacious patio area outside. There was even an outdoor bar and cooler back there, presumably for when they are busier or have special events. Even the staff were super gracious and attentive to us. I'm going to ask if that patio is dog friendly, and then I'll change my review to 5-Stars! read more

Licari's Bar and Grill - Dive Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Call John Taffer, bearded bar manager thinks he's the owner and is a dick, cancer runs through the staff, this place is a goldmine. Fire all staff , remodel and let the money flow great location in Madison wi with a patio better then most upscale places in the area that they don't even use. Not even close to the potential. Get rid of the regulars, they are scarring away the the money. read more

Such an amazing bar. Great food and drinks. Laid back atmosphere. Super bartenders. Jenn is my favorite bartender. You can't go wrong visiting this bar. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. read more

The best food ive ever had and i travel the world for work the drinks are amazing and the staff is kind and happy so blessed I found this place. read more

Absolutely loved this place! The table centers were real flowers, great touch. Beautiful decorations, welcoming staff and of course the food was absolutely delicious!! The food was prepared quickly and they brought us a water pitcher so we never ran out of water. Even the chairs were just a dream. Wonderful experience! 100% recommend! read more