The bar tenders here are of the old world Wisconsin tradition of friendly and efficient…read more They also have the best vibes musically of any bar on the entire west side. Top tier music knowledge/taste from the folks running the show. If you want to get offline, belly up to a bar and engage in boring old conversation there are almost always folks here willing to chat. If you enjoy a '90s style' bar experience this could be one of the best in Madison.

Fun environment for drinks with friends and a night out! Cheap drinks and pretty clean atmosphere…read more Parking lot had plenty of parking. Food was okay, definitely a dive bar restaurant but hit the spot when out drinking or craving a burger. Service was order at the bar but staff was kind.

Sundown has amazing prices and great service. Carol is great and was fine with making a custom…read moredrink! Highly recommend.

We were looking for breakfast and a good Bloody Mary and friends recommended the Sundown Saloon…read more Jen was super friendly and makes a great bloody and Sam's breakfast did not disappoint. We'd definitely go back and would recommend you give it a try!

Paradise is the best dive bar in Madison. It has the best bartenders - shout out Taylor!…read more The food options are perfect greasy drunk snacks. There can be a long line for the pool table and darts most nights so I would bring a deck of cards while you wait.

My review remains the same: get yourself to the 'Dise and have a [five star] burger & beverage. The…read moreParadise is [dern-near] a Madison institution reminiscent of a grittier Madison of yore before the construction boom and gentrification. Service is awesome. Atmosphere: It was the Best of Dives, it was the Worst of Dives... :)

Charlie is horrible - if I could give zero stars, I would!…read more The bartender, CHARLIE, immediately questioned the validity of one member of our party's out-of-state ID, even though she is 26 years old and provided legitimate identification!While we understand that checking IDs is part of the job, the interaction felt accusatory and unprofessional. Things only got worse when another person in our group ordered a sweet Old Fashioned--a classic Wisconsin drink--and Charlie responded with a disrespectful comment about how "you really are new at drinking- it's past 8 o'clock!" Giving a hard time for ordering a mixed drink. When we expressed our concerns about how we were being treated, the conversation became argumentative rather than constructive. The final straw was being told to the 26 year old- "I'll serve you, but I won't take responsibility if you get caught," despite no valid issue being identified with the ID. At that point, we decided to leave rather than continue the interaction! We will not be back! Never bring your family visitors to this bar.

Good bar, good prices, cold beer, good selection of deep fryer classics. My favorite were the dill…read morepickle cheese curds they are a must order!

I REALLY wanted to love Crystal Corner, but sadly after our recent visit, popping back by on my…read morenext trip to Madison is not looking very likely. Crystal Corner is located in the famed Willy Street area of Madison, sitting on the corner of Willy Street and Baldwin Street. Crystal Corner has the vibe of the neighborhood, as is it divey, funky, nostalgic and truly local. However, even with all those things, this spot missed the mark for me and my buddy. We swung by on Sunday afternoon for a few drinks while wandering around Willy Street. We bellied up to the bar and ordered a couple of Bloody Mary's, to which the bartender said "Oh, I need to make up some mix. I can't believe people still drink those things around here.". Which was odd, as that was about to be our third bloody of the day, with neighboring restaurants going as far as having special bloody menus. The bartender pulled a can of tomato juice out, dumped it in a pitcher, added a few dashes of hot sauce, Worcestershire and some seasonings. And that was it. She then took some rail vodka, mixed it all up, and topped with an olive and pickle. While I know this sounds phenomenal, it was in fact one of the worst bloody's I have had. Additionally, the olive and pickle were a weird, almost rubbery texture. The combination of everything was off putting...and that was just the start. Next up is the space itself. While I appreciate a good dive bar that is full of nostalgic artwork, furnishings, lighting, etc...but it shouldn't be visible that the place hasn't been cleaned since these things were added. The ceilings and floors were the worst part, with the ceiling tiles being caked with black dust and dirt. Again, being worn is part of being divey, but being dirty doesn't have to be. In addition to the the main room ceilings, the bathroom ceilings were awful, missing tiles, moldy pipes exposed and just an overall feeling of ick that is beyond a normal bar bathroom. Last, but certainly not least, was the service and vibes. They were off, and kind of weird. When we arrived, there were a few locals and regulars, and then a few folks, including us. While the bartender was friendly with us, she was very rude, uncomfortably so, to another patron when he pulled out a credit card instead of cash (cash only spot). There was a little back and forth, then he left. Even after he left, she was calling him names and such to the other patrons. Again, uncomfortable, especially as a new patron to the bar. Overall, the bloody wasn't the only thing that left a bad taste here. From the bloody to the service to the dirtiness, this place needs some love and was just not it for us.

It looks like an average corner dive bar from the outside but wow, was this a fantastic place a see…read morelive music in Madison! Heads up: cash only at the bar. Come prepared. Bartenders were very nice. Tip them. There is an ATM near the restrooms if you run out of cash. The acoustics are fantastic and I loved the St. Patrick's Day weekend concert! It was packed, but we still found space to dance. Plenty of free street parking. I'm not used to that as a Chicagoan. That was a nice surprise.

I love that this place is walking distance to my friend's house! The outdoor patio fills up quickly…read moreon nice days, but if you can get a table it's a great place to bring kids and dogs with the outdoor games and turf. We often bring our own games too. The best time to visit is when there is a food truck, otherwise there aren't food options. I would think you could bring your own, but I've never verified. The inside is pretty cute too and has nice vibes if you just want to hang out with a drink or two. They've been understaffed on days when it is surprisingly nice and the place is nearly full outside when they open and they only have one bartender, but hopefully with the season change that gets figured out.

This place is ADORABLE! I am absolutely obsessed with the Rusty Bee Lounge. It's right down the…read moreroad from my house, so we walk there. It's family friendly, with lots of green space outside for the kids to play, and they have yard games. The drinks are delicious, and I love trying the different specials they have. They don't serve food, but frequently have different food trucks that come, which is honestly better because then I can try places I haven't before! I can't say enough good things about the Rusty Bee. Our family loves it here!

Another very hipster and vibey lounge that really describes Madison, WI! The cocktails are all on a…read moregun and not handmade which obliviously lowers the rating. The service is always very fast and friendly though! The extremely narrow seating along with the other seating options in the other room are very odd. It usually fill up pretty quick but the seats overlooking King St. are the best! Plainspoke is a great experience, but there are a few other cocktail bars in Madison that rank above them.

Stopped by here for a night cap. We honestly had no idea this space was here. You can almost miss…read moreit, but the entrance is to the left of Young Blood (be careful on the stairs up!) The interior was such a fun vibe. We loved the purple lighting and all the decor, made for great photo backgrounds. Also, the view is so underrated. The windows on the right side overlook King Street! The drinks were great also! Our favorites were the clear old fashioned and Miami vice. Staff were super nice. They were a little busy for a Friday night but we still got everything we ordered relatively fast. Overall great experience. So happy to have a place to go where I can order a fun cocktail!

Awesome place. The drinks were very good. The bartender had good dialogue classic movies playing in…read morethe background. All around this is a stand-up place.

This is my favorite spot in Madison. You can take anyone from parents to coworkers to a first date…read morehere and feel comfortable. Its got a great vibe, cool bartenders, and the owner is approachable and friendly.