This was the first bar I went into when I moved to Madison and it was the best thing I could have done. Everyone was super friendly, good drinks, immediately made friends. It's a great dive, reminds me of bars in Pa, highly recommend. read more

Bartender denied service despite being shown legitimate identification with multiple forms. After stating the first id shown failed the test, refused to look at other forms presented read more

I have been in in the service industry and managed companies for over 25 years. Corporate manager for 8 . Lindsey was so busy and by herself, sad for a busy Saturday and a farmers market, the place was packed! From the moment I walked in the door I was greeted with an amazing smile and checked on regularly. As soon as I walked out to the patio she was already out there cleaning the tables, being the only server. Absolutely greeted, smiled, served, and lit the whole place. Words can't express what an asset Lindsey is to your establishment is. Although she could easily run a bar with 20 people on her own, get her some help before you lose an amazing asset. Otherwise, I'm going to start a business out here and still her read more

The staff, specifically someone who seems to be the owner, at this pub are extremely rude. I have never been treated so poorly by a business in my life. Looking through their reviews, it seems like many others have had similar experiences. On top of that, all of the responses from the business are defensive. I've worked in the service industry for many years, and there is rarely a reason to be rude to customers. It's even worse when the business does not own up to their wrongdoings or apologize. Best of luck to this place, seems like they might need it. Many Madison establishments are known for the friendliness of their staff, so I'd choose somewhere else if you can. read more

Never been treated so poorly at a Irish Bar. I was Very respectful, dropping off my kid to college. The bartender must have had a bad night, but he cursed at my family. Will not go back until they make a mends. College kids and families stay clear of this place. read more

Stopped in for a quick beer during the Packers game. This place had the Irish pub authentic feel to it. Would stop in for another beer if I visit Madison again. read more

Bar tender treated me and my child terribly. We were going to stop for a drink and went to the bathroom first. Bar tender yelled at us and told us it wasn't a public restroom. My son is four and almost had an accident. Needless to say we didn't stay to have something to drink. Haven't been treated that poorly in a long time. America at its finest. I'm going to guess that lady doesn't have children read more

I've been stopping in since my college days in the '90's and not much has changed. And that is how it should be. Irish Pub doesn't try to pretend to be something it's not. A simple dark and cozy bar filled with regulars, college students, patrons who have seen better days and the like. Order a beer and a shot, grab a seat at the window, and watch the sea of humanity pass you by. A solid pub. read more

Really nice bartender, Alex and Pat were awesome. Cash only, prices were reasonable and really awesome people. Definitely my favorite bar in Madison so far read more

Very weird experience. Came after a Badger game with some food because had no idea they sold food and wanted to check them out. Got kicked out in a very rude manor within 5 minutes for having food with the manager saying "not doing this tonight." and then heard the manager saying "now it smells like food in here" to other employees. Very weird vibes. Would not go back, as it could have been handled way better considering we had no idea of their policies. read more

These people are still crazy. Still have my face plastered across the back of the bar for god knows what reason. My friend went in there recently and saw it was still up after an incident I had w a bartender MONTHS ago where they took a pic of my ID on their personal phone claiming I got it from china. Pls keep in mind I'm 25 years old. I got the cops involved and they said they had had multiple incidents with the purple haired bartender having power struggles with customers.This used to be a regular spot for us and I can guarantee you we will never go back there. And to management, you can take down the beautiful mural of our faces including multiple pictures of me from the 8th grade that you scrolled YEARS back in my Facebook to get. I can guarantee you we will never give y'all money again. Thank you for being my fan though! read more

It's pretty much a bar with burgers. We where hoping it was a little bit more traditional food like Shepard pie. Had to turn right out of the pub. Looks like a nice spot for a drink. read more

The bartender was great, very personable and friendly. I only had a couple beers, but I loved the place. I would go back and give them a chance on food if I were here longer. read more

John, the bartender, could not have been more helpful to a stranger in town. I ordered drink, I asked him questions about city, since my first time, told me grocery store, some other facts about z Madison. He told me history of bar, new owners, soup of the day, next time , save a bowl of white bean and sausage!Nuts , I'll return , for your soup du jour read more

This bar denied me although I am above 21. I am from Wisconsin and have never had an issue with my ID before. The bouncer was incredibly rude and clearly intoxicated. She was slurring her words and her eyes were bloodshot. Would not recommend. read more

I was at Irish Pub and the bartender said me and my friends' IDs were not real. We are 22 years old, and they all are. After saying I'd call the cops to check it, the bartender told us all to go fuck ourselves. Do not give them your money. read more

if you are looking for a great bar to hang out check them out. Great service, great atmosphere and ask for Ralph. Will always come back when in town read more

Jess's food takes the Irish Pub to the next level. Great place to eat good food and have a Guinness with friends. I highly recommend!

What can I say? It's an Irish Pub. Has a bit of an angry happy feel to it. They can our a decent half and half. Cash only! read more

Mackesey's Irish Pub - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My go to place for lunch and a cold pint of Smithwick's whenever I'm downtown to shop on State Street or the Square. Good burgers and sandwiches. Best potato salad in Madison! Friendly staff. read more

Was quietly sitting in a booth early afternoon and had some Irish tunes playing low on my Bluetooth speaker It's an Irish pub and they were playing Willy nelson Was not crowded.. only four other people in the bar When the cook came from behind the line and told me to turn it off The pastrami sandwich was just great as well as the male bartender was amicable But this woman just cost the pub a potentially valuable customer read more

Their toastie sandwiches are so delicious. I've tried about 10 different ones over the last year. So good!! Recently realized their burgers are also tremendous! read more

Mackesey's Irish Pub - Love their toastie sandwiches!! Ham n swiss or pastrami w horsey sauce. - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I asked the bartender if they served food (not being from here, I was unsure) where she practically scoffed at me while telling me they did indeed serve food, acting as though I was an idiot. She handed me the menu and I said thank you, asking if we could take it outside. She said "what, the menu or the food?" in an arrogant tone. I said "Both?", a little taken aback by the abrasive tone of her voice. As we turned to go outside, she said "You have to be 21- do you both have IDs?" I said absolutely, as we are both 22. We gave her our licenses where we proceeded to wait for an absurd amount of time as she looked them over front and back with a look of disbelief and condescension on her face before returning them to us. I understand wanting to be sure you are serving someone of age- but it felt so personal and rude! We then ordered an appetizer and two drinks before I decided that I no longer wanted to stay long enough for food, so we settled only for the two beers. Keep in mind, we are acting nice and pleasant this whole time, though we were faced with the opposite attitude. I felt like I was being judged, ridiculed, and under interrogation. It's a shame, because the Irish pub, dive bar atmosphere was very appealing to us. Just not sure why she responded to us with such harshness! read more

I've been going to this bar for the past 3 years and I've never been more furious in my life. I'm 25 years olds and got denied. I came in on a Sunday with some friends (all over the age of 21) and was rudely denied from the bartender with purple hair. She said and I quote "we're supposed to take these." She continued to take pictures of our ID's and said we were never allowed back. I was so taken back. I never thought I'd be denied from a bar considering I've been 21 for 4 years. I am absolutely disgusted. Just because I'm from a different state and she doesn't know how to identify a fake ID should not excuse the fact that she denied me. Clearly this bartender is not trained on how to identify false identification. She may not be trained but she's also RUDE. She yelled at us to get out when we simply asked why we were being denied, even though all of us were over 21. I will never step foot in this bar. We have friends that bartend here and have been going to for years but unfortunately the lady with the purple hair ruined this bar for us. I do NOT recommend spending your money at this establishment. This place is an absolute joke. I will come back once that terrible purple haired bartender is fired, but until then do NOT spend your money here. read more

Stopped in for lunch today and it was fantastic. There's basic pub options and some goodies you wouldn't expect. The Sweet and Spicy Turkey Toastie was perfect. Highly recommend the chips and house made french onion dip too. The chips are everything you want from potato chips but never get. Plus every basket of food came with a bite size Snickers! read more

Stopped in the Pub with two great friends yesterday for a couple of cocktails in between soirees - we picked the Pub on proximity. It was awesome and pretty hilarious! My two pals are pretty high end so when the were both looking for high-end Scotches, then up Martinis with high-end vodkas, they both got shot down by the very quick and honest bar tender (23? yr. old young lady) - "You know this is a dive bar right? You can't be looking for up martinis in a dive bar and be upset..." She's right - They drank from the rail, and we had a great time taking in the local dive vibe! No frills, but totally chill ! read more

I ordered lunch from the Irish Pub yesterday. The Reuben was by far the best I've ever had. I also ordered some soup to have for dinner, and it was amazing! I highly recommend supporting this fine establishment, you won't be disappointed. read more

Yeah, it's a bit dive-y. Yeah, the bathrooms are small. Yeah, it's nothing special. But so what, I like it. I can see how this place doesn't seem very attractive to passer-by's, with trendy places like The Icon popping up downtown. It gets better if you keep coming back. To me, it's simply that bar where everybody knows your name. read more

The Irish Pub isn't going to win any awards compared to other establishments along State Street, but I've got a history with the place and even though I can clearly see all the defects and downsides I still keep coming back. The Irish has the kind of feel of a blue-collar neighborhood-type bar where the bartenders are chilly to newcomers and the regulars rule the roost. What is incongruous about this is that the Irish is not off Packers or Milwaukee or the like, it's right on State. I haven't been here all that often on weekend nights and the few times that I have I remember it being crowded and loud. My favorite time to stop in for a drink was right after class or nowadays work. I'd grab the paper and have a beer or three before heading back to my place and the Irish was the perfect destination for this purpose. Even with all of the negatives I don't think I've ever really had a bad experience at the Irish Pub, though I'm sure that I've got a case of the rose-colored glasses when it comes to this place. This just so happens to be my first Madison bar. Back when I was a sophomore I was fortunate to know one of the bartenders and although I was underage she'd allow me to stop in for a beer when she was working. Since she worked at another place at night I always went there in the afternoons and the habit has stuck with me through the years. I like the attitude of the place in the afternoons - it's laid back and casual, with the music turned down a bit and room to spread out a paper and complete the crossword. The taps aren't too bad but nothing really stands out. I think I usually get a Guinness, Smithwick's or NG Fat Squirrel when they've got it. The bartenders have always been pretty friendly with me but I have been a semi-regular since 2000. The bathroom is small and unwieldy as everyone says, but when you're not staying the entire night it's not too much of an issue. I've never tried the food since I'm usually there between lunch and dinner hours. The juke is one of my favorites in town though I did find the hard way that the queue can fill up hours long on a weekend, leaving one $5 poorer with no songs to show for it. There is also a few tables upstairs - nothing secret about it, but it does make for a nice place to stake out if you've got a group on the weekends. All in all it might take a few years but this place grows on you. read more

Probably the best juke box in Madison (formed after many extensive trials and tribulations across the city of Madison, no alcohol was involved during the testing of course). The Pub Mix CD's have some serious jams on them (search for the "Mullet" Mix CD if you dare!). I've never eaten here, but I have asked my favorite server (dark haired woman, nearly impossible to get her to crack a smile and wont even think about taking a chilled shot of Cherry Three Olives Vodka) what the "soup de jour" is (and no Lloyd Christmas, she did not say "It's the soup of the day") and it actually sounded good, not to mention they make them fresh everyday. However, I digress. I did plan something to say to said server for 2 days, came in, slid this undoubtedly witty phrase and I did make her smile. However, like most nights at the Irish Pub, it was tough to recall what I said or did. Dart boards in the front of the bar, right up on the windows to state street are perfect for when you are looking for a crowd to watch you out-shoot your friends (Tyler B and Mike F for me). The IP also boasts what has to be the most unusual, uncomfortable, unique mens bathroom in the city. If you are using the single urinal, the door will get opened up into your ass and back as there is ~1 sq ft of space to work with. Good thing however is that there is at least a chalk board for you to write on while in excruciating pain. I've never sat in the "secret" upstairs portion of the Irish Pub, I want to keep it a mystery. This isnt the roomiest bar, but it usually doesnt get extremely packed in here either. Summer nights I find it to be just right for a beam and coke and 2 hours of playing the juke. Message me if you want the codes to my favorite songs on the juke so you can punch in the #'s then belly up to the bar and enjoy without having to wait too much time searching. read more

Came through here after an interview at their med school, I was looking for a fun looking place to be around some other students, and grab a bite to eat. This place was dark, depressing and had a bunch of old people in it. Why did I come in here? Some guy who had been to San Francisco was inside and called me in (we were walking around together, I prayed he wasn't going to rob me). 3 stars because the Guinness was well poured (and shamrocked), and the bratswurst was damn good. Some younger people came in later, taking shots from plastic condiment cups-must be a Madison thing... read more

What can a person expect from such a nondescript bar as the "Irish Pub"? What it lacks in originality of name and decor, it makes up for with selection of beers, quality of music on the "jukebox", and the danger one feels when pulling money from the ATM...located conveniently next to the dart board. "Quelle dangereux mes amies!" I had a good time in here. It's pretty plain, the prices are average, and my friends and I stayed quite a while playing darts while looking out onto State Street at all of the drunks stumbling by. I'd recommend stopping in for a quick pint of Guinness or Smithwicks, especially if a live band is playing here...which looks like it happens some nights. I could see hanging out here and watching the eclectic mix of local students and old-timers walk in and out of the door. You can't put a monetary value on the entertaining drunks on State Street though. read more

It was cold. We needed something warm. They have Irish coffee. Seemed appropriate for the Tuesday night. It was the closest bar we could find to the Overture Center. There was around 7 people in the bar for the 45 minutes we were there. They mostly kept to themselves. It is a very long but tight area so on weekends or game days, I could imagine it getting PACKED. Especially since they have a sign posted saying that if you leave, you are expected to get to the back of the line. The place was clean, we jammed to '90s music, and drank our lovely Irish coffee. We came, we drank, and moved on. It was nice having a warm place to hunker down but would not be worth it if millions of undergrads are populating the place. Good prices on drinks though! read more

They're always making the best libations and delicious food. It's a must stop when you're on State Street.

They have an old Ms. Pacman arcade game that only costs a quarter. It's pretty cool to play, just you and the joystick dodging and weaving around pesky ghosts, chompin down those little dots, and eating big dots to OWN the ghosts by biting their heads off like a wild beast. Sometimes there's fruit or food floating around, worth a bunch of points, but more importantly needed to fuel your gains. High scores don't just happen, you need proper sustenance. When you get your quarter in the machine, your hands tense, palms sweat, pulse rises, and you know it's go time. With any luck, swarms of beautiful women will pack in tightly around you as you guide their 1980s feminine pixel hero masterfully through the mazes, avoiding death with each turn and inching closer to surmounting the high score. The power is in your hands, and people who don't know that will realize when you strut proudly away from that arcade. Drinks seemed under poured 3 stars. read more

I enjoyed the outdoor seating, but no real food inside for a light eat. But can't complain about the drink prices. Saw a few dead bugs not really my taste. read more

This place is a dive. Now before you think that casts a negative light, let me tell you what a "dive" means to me. This is a bar that has been in place for decades. You can feel the history of the personalities and the happenings as you sit there. There are several "notorious" locals who sit in varying spots who are open friendly, and more than willing to provide you with some "color and atmosphere". Everyone roots for the local team, and will kid you over your "tourist" status, but not in a mean way, just in a "getting to know you" way. The atmosphere is dim, perhaps even "dank", but this just adds to the comforting feel of the establishment. If what your looking for is a brightly lit, "Shennanigans" or "Beefalo Wild Things" feel, then you will sadly be disappointed. Fortunately though, I wont, and neither will the other patrons if you choose to move on. read more

Yummy pretzel and cheese dip. Chili fries tasty. And blueberry bread pudding oh my. Upstairs live Irish music played by friends.

A pint of Guinness and a shot of Jamison for $8. How can this be bad? Yes it's a dive. But it's on State Street in Mad City!

Overpriced drinks served by lousy inept bartenders.