A nice little local spot that's a bit hidden. MadisonTap is classy without being pretentious. Disclaimer: I did not order food here so my review may be a bit biased. The bartender assured us that their vegan options were incredible. MadisonTap features many local Wisconsin beers on tap. They seem to often rotate the beers and keep a solid selection. MadisonTap was spacious with bar seats, tables, and booths available. The design and decor were well thought out. The crowd seems to be young professionals in their mid-20s to early 30s. I don't recall the beers I got here but I do remember prices being ~$7-10 range mark. The bartender and owner place special emphasis on being vegetarian and vegan friendly. Even one of the cocktails used vegan butter. There was a single bartender when I visited but it was a bit slow. We had a great conversation and watched Christmas movies on the projectors. Overall, solid experience. 5/5. Favorited in Madison, WI. read more

MadisonTap - a bar with a large screen in the background - Beer Bar Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This was a fun find for us while we were in town. It was a bit hard to locate - we heard live music but couldn't tell if we could enter from the back. We entered from the front of the building. It looks like they feature a different brewery every month. The interior of the bar was pretty classy and new. Their patio was very cool and spacious. A great patio for evening drinks! The live music was pretty good too. Can't speak to the food however, since we didn't eat there. read more

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Rotating Monthly brewery takeovers keeps interesting stuff on tap, good bottle and can selection. Lots of board games (Sushi Go is a great bar game). Good check-in deal as of press time. In terms of food, the cheese curds are a rich, large portion, deep-fried of course. I prefer the duck wings or tacos. read more

Only came here for the beer and live music. Didn't come here to enjoy food sadly so can't say much about that. The beer is very good and very delicious. I was able to check in and get a free 10oz beer which was cool. They have a live band playing which is awesome cuz I don't see many bar actually have a live band any more. This place is next door to another establishment so u can share the outside patio. I did have a little trouble finding some seating cuz of the amount of people that came out for the event tonight. Awesome though. read more

MadisonTap - Open area with live music. This mini vaca is dope - Beer Bar Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Without hesitation, I declare MadisonTap the oasis of East Washington. Entering the courtyard, you are warmly welcomed by beautiful black locust trees intermingled with a charming glow of hanging lights, a landscape that reminds one of an upscale backyard found perhaps hidden behind a mansion, complete with decorative rock siding and hand-planted greenery. Moments into being in the courtyard, eyes dancing all around the lovely cosmos and ears tuned into a peacefully funky playlist Sarah, a wonderfully skilled bartender, has carefully selected for her guests, you know it's time to grab a refreshment and relax at one of the many tables and chairs this establishment has to offer. Upon arriving in MadisonTap, the warm shade of the room is inviting and refined. The design of the room is quaint, yet eclectic. I appreciate an establishment that is focused on a lush outdoor, though the indoor setting is cozy, especially if you're trying to have a private evening with someone special or entertain a night out when the weather isn't the best. I usually exchange words with John, the owner, during my visits to MadisonTap; one of the few places I can frequent and almost always see the owner involved in the atmosphere and operations of the establishment. The drink selection is what usually drives me to drop into MadisonTap. Each month features a local tap-takeover, giving guests an option to delve into the many crafts of one company at a time. While also carrying bottles/cans, wine, and spirits, the taps are a super way to sample your way through a brewery. During my evening tonight, I started with my usual Tito's and grapefruit followed by an ice cold Banjo Cat India Black Ale and later a Penguin Pale, both brought to us by One Barrel Brewing Company. Meeting with friends this evening, as it is more often than not my first choice when deciding where to our nights, I arrive to find laughter and friends in the courtyard. While live music fills the air on a crisp Monday, I grab a beverage and join my comrades under the twinkling bulbs and shake off my day amongst pals. We order the poutine, a favorite if you're interested in munching and sharing. The element of salty and mildly sweet, loaded with cheese, sends you into a moment of closed eyes while the corners of your mouth turn upward into a blissful smile. As my outing came to a close, I sauntered the two blocks it takes me to get home, fully looking forward to another night off to be spent there. A scenic outdoor sanctuary, MadisonTap is essentially an escape into a realm where one might insist they have left Madison and entered a modern yet funky piazza. Thanks again for making our town feel so special! Fingers crossed I will be returning soon. read more

MadisonTap - Beer Bar Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I've been to all the affiliated Robinia Courtyard establishments now, and all of them are pretty wonderful. Madison Tap is a very cozy space. Big bar, lots of side tables and a few booths, it a fun place to stop for an adult beverage or get some tasty eats. It's a bit further away from the square/ campus, so the crowd is a bit more mature. People are here to actually enjoy the curated offerings. Also, they have a kick butt check-in special. A free 10oz pour of a featured tap beer. read more

I found MadisonTap when I was searching for restaurants offering "deals" on Yelp. It was a bit difficult to figure out all the details on the web, it appears they have an incomplete website and social media page. But, I figured, why not? I was definitely not let down. My dining partner is pescatarian but we still found many options on their small dining menu. We ordered shishito peppers, fried mushrooms, poutine (no glaze = veggie friendly), and the bruschetta. We ordered the food at the bar and then sat at our table, where it was brought to us. The food came out one item as a time (maybe 1-2 minutes apart ). This worked out for us as we were sharing everything. The peppers were great. I had never had a dish like that before but they were very mild (my dining partner compared them to pea pods) and served with a delicious sauce. Mushrooms also great -- addictive vinaigrette. Poutine was indulgent. The dish we were least impressed with was the bruschetta, the bread was toasted but cold/maybe stale? No trouble though, the servings were huge and delicious food was plentiful. I love the tap takeover idea. They were wrapping up Karbeb4 in our visit. The bartender offered a sample or two to each of us before we ordered our pint. Great service. Aesthetics are great, very clean and sleek looking. read more

Teetering on a 4-star, but just shy... Tempted by a glowing review on madison.com, we headed over to MadisonTap Saturday night with lofty expectations. I'll give them high marks for the beer selection and atmosphere--this is a great venue to sample a range of beers from rotating local breweries, and you can spend hours on the excellent outdoor patio relaxing and finding your new favorite microbrew (be sure to ask for a sample if you're not sure). The indoor bar also had a great vibe, so it's worth a stop for a drink or two if the weather isn't great. Kudos to the staff, very knowledgable with the beverage part of the menu. I'd say the prices for both beer and food were just right. Portion size was good, each dish was about perfect for two people to share. But what lured me here was the promise of great food, and here's where things fell short. We ordered the lamb sliders, duck confit taco, fried mushrooms and the pad thai. The winner in this batch was the duck confit taco, great flavors and very juicy. The lamb sliders came in a close second--not too gamey, moist patties, but needing some seasoning. The fried mushrooms were about as expected--way better than the Sysco fried mushrooms you'd expect at a bar, just the right amount of salt, but an average dish. The real disappointment was the pad thai salad. I was told it was a cold salad, and yes it came that way, but it wasn't a great riff on pad thai like I'd hoped: the flavors weren't really "Thai" (think cold Asian noodle salad) and parsley made an odd appearance when cilantro might have been the better choice. Lots of folks were ordering the poutine, might go back here when the beers rotate to give that dish a try. The staff did a nice job of serving the dishes at a nice even pace, but the dishes didn't get sent out in the order that I was told initially--not a huge deal, but it would be nice to know the actual order in case you want to pair a style of beer with a particular dish. There were a few little hiccups that I'd normally overlook but altogether they just dampened the overall experience (one dish I ordered didn't make it into the system, my bill showed two beers I didn't order and it missed one beer I did order, a lot of the high top tables were wobbly, etc.). Hopefully these will improve over time, and with a menu refresh (and a website where I can check the menu) I can see myself coming back to give the place another try. read more

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Inexpensive but bar service was slow and detracted from the night. Munchies eaten: olives (was ok), Brussels sprouts were good, cheese curds average, fries cold when served, guacamole was tremendous. Games are the best reason to go here. Great atmosphere, was recommended by great friends and we will give it another try. read more

My wife says the Tapburger is the best burger she's ever had. We shared it, and I agree. The kung pao Brussels Sprouts were a great pairing. We visited on a quiet Sunday night, service was great. read more

As a restaurant at the Robinia Courtyard, MadisonTap has one of the better outdoor patios in Madison: the string lighting/decor is beautiful, the space is just the right size (it's never *too* crowded but always feels lively), and there's occasionally live music. ~Ambiance~ is really important to me, personally, so what I love most about MadisonTap is really just the Robinia Courtyard. Beyond that, it only has a few other things going for it: there are some fun board games to play if you're there with a group (I recommend the Voting Game), and it's less expensive than other restaurants at the courtyard--namely Jardin. For all of these reasons, I would have easily given them 4-stars... if it wasn't for the food. I'm not sure if the menu is just hit-or-miss, because some reviewers seem to like it, but my experiences eating at MadisonTap have all been pretty bad. Like, bad in a way that's almost confusing--and I am, by no means, a picky eater! On separate trips there, I've tried their cheese curds, kung pao brussels sprouts, fried mushrooms, and some type of bruschetta that no longer seems to be on the menu. With the exception of the kung pao brussels sprouts, which were actually pretty good, I'm not sure how MadisonTap manages to make all of these fairly simple appetizers taste so... meh! How do you mess up fried cheese curds?! I think I'm particularly annoyed about their menu as a vegetarian--the restaurant has plenty of entree-style dishes for meat-eaters (burgers, chicken wings, etc.), but almost all of the vegetarian options are essentially side dishes (e.g., mushrooms). To put it simply: I definitely plan on going back to MadisonTap, but I will make sure to eat beforehand. read more

This is definitely a new favorite in the Madison beer scene. Every month they have a tap take over where they offer all offer several different tabs from one brewery. So far we've been a couple of times and have gotten the pleasure to try the different rotating taps. The food is unbelievably good, I highly recommend the shishito peppers. The staff is always extremely friendly and attentive. The best part is the patio. The Robina courtyard patio is gorgeous and offers a unique experience in Madison. I'd argue to say it is one of the best patios in town. Another thing we like about Madison top is the variety of games they offer. So it's a great place to hang out with some friends on an afternoon in the summer. They are also very dog friendly so we love bringing our pup there. read more

The food is very good! We had lamb sliders and poutine and they were even better than anticipated. The brewery on tap this month is Hinterland and I loved their stovetop the best. Good ambiance and music in the background too. Definitely worth visiting this place for dinner/drinks! read more

MadisonTap - Beer Bar Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Tried going here once last Friday, we walked in and were initially confused by the layout - there are I think 3 businesses all sharing the same space in a very odd mishmash of a layout. Eventually we saw a sign that said "Madison Tap" with an arrow and made our way to the back. We arrived and observed two employees behind the bar chatting for about 4 minutes before they acknowledged our existence which struck me as a bit odd since it's not like they were busy with other customers. During the time while we were waiting I quickly browsed the beer menu and was disappointed to see that they had a "tap takeover" event by a very mediocre local brewing company with no other beer available. We weren't in the mood for any nonsense that evening so we decided just to leave and try another place. With so many good options on the near east side it didn't make sense to hang around Madison Tap with it's mediocre beer list and customer service that night, not sure I'll go back. read more

Our group met for happy hour at Madison Tap and we had an excellent time. The bartender was knowledgable about the beer and very helpful in selections. This space is incredible and the appetizers were equally incredible. If you have never had a duck taco or are looking for a "knock your socks off" appetizer to start with, do NOT miss it. read more

Order the lamb sliders! Can't wait to try the rest of the menu - very tasty. Good selection of WI brews and lounge music. Don't miss this place while driving up East Wash. read more

I adore MadisonTap. Phenomenal courtyard, great concept of a rotating tap takeover, and really great people running the bar. I look forward to seeing what the new brewery will be each month, and having more time to dive into the food menu in future trips. But for now, for cold beer in a wonderful setting, MadisonTap is definitely my place to go! read more

Would love to be able to review this place, but went in late Saturday afternoon 4 people at the bar. Husband and I sat down....and waited, and waited and waited. No greeting, no eye contact - nothing. Bartender was waiting on two guys and seemed confused. We finally got up and left when someone else walked in, stood right next to us and the bartender acknowledged them and again passed over us. Will be a long time before I even think of going back to this place. Get your staff in order! read more

Madison tap is great. Beautiful courtyard, nice people. Good music. Check it out. Don't wait!

MadisonTap is my favorite neighborhood hangout and also worth a trip across the city if you don't live on the East Side. The appeal begins in the courtyard where there is often live music and continues inside where you're met by a team of friendly bartenders. I sampled a few different beers and was there during their Ale Asylum month. The food is also incredible, small menu but everything I had was perfected. The duck tacos and pad Thai are my favorite dishes. I'll be back many times! read more

Update -- Received a response from Jon of Madison Tap. He apologized for the occurrence, and said that would not have been his response if he was made aware of the situation by his staff. He did offer to make the situation right, and for that, I do have respect. Will certainly try Madison Tap out again, and ask for Jon. Updating this review to three stars to reflect that. **** Friday night....some friends and I ordered a few beers and went on the patio to play cards. 10 minutes later, some dude setting up a DJ booth tells us we have to pay him 10 dollars to be here or we have to leave. Says it's an "event". Asked the bartender if that was accurate -- he says yes. Never have I ever been to a bar that's asked patrons to PAY EXTRA for already being inside when they start charging cover!? If that's the case, a warning before entrance would be necessary, at the very least. Absolutely outrageous. Will never be back. read more

I had dinner there with some friends on Sunday night. The place was empty, which was sad because the food was Delicious! We had the Heirloom tomato bruschetta , Lamb sliders, Fried mushrooms, Duck wings and Poutine, everything was delicious, but the lamb sliders and duck wings were the best! read more

Food is excellent. Never leave comments but this is a great destination for a relaxing evening to share good food on a laid back patio.

Amazing service, courtyard, and selections. The poutine is Grade A. Compliments to the chefs. Keep up the good work!

Great outdoor courtyard. Very friendly staff. Great focused menu. Haven't had a bad dish here and I've been several times. The fried mushrooms are amazing. Duck confit taco is really great. And, the pad thai is a cool refreshing take. Can't wait to see what the menu looks like at the accompanying restaurant. Great space for live music and I can't wait to see a movie here. read more