8.5 on the perch! Loved it. Very crowded. But would eat the fish fry again. Fries are ok, a would change up the coleslaw.

My husband wanted to treat me to what he said was the best burger in the Madison area. He goes there with work colleagues for lunch, once in a while. He took me to Oakcrest Tavern. We arrived mid-afternoon on a Saturday. It isn't very large inside, but it has a rustic vibe and had a quaint feel. There is a small dining area to the left of the bar. The bar area is on the smaller side. Immediately a staff member came over to ask what we would like. We ordered two Badger club beers, and cheese curds. The cheese curds came out popping hot, and were very delicious, not greasy, and the best ones I have had so far, in the area. They use white cheddar in their curds. We ordered two medium rare bacon cheeseburgers, with lettuce, tomato and onions. Also, because my husband is an appetizer freak, he ordered onion rings. The onion rings arrived first, and were hot and not greasy, and had a nice crunch. I will admit I am not a big onion ring fan, but they were quite good. Our burgers arrived next, and oh my, they were large. The burger is six ounces and is made with extra lean ground beef and steak trimmings, which is ground daily by the Oakcrest staff. I do admit, that our burgers did end up well done, and I could predict it, as the cooking area was beyond where we were sitting, and it took longer than I expected, but they made it right in the end. The burgers had a nice tasteful char on them, and the steak trimmings they add to the burger, takes it up a notch. The atmosphere was quaint and comforting, the staff was awesome, and the customers were also very friendly. We heard a lot about their fish fry, so we will return later to give it a try. read more

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Oakcrest Tavern is the *real-deal* Wisconsin Fish Fry. This is authentic as fish-fries get - I don't think the OT has changed much since your Grandpa ate there waaay back when. [est. 1950] The service was classic WI - friendly and beverages with a 'healthy' pour. The atmosphere is Wisco Northwoods, this spot could be anywhere Up North as they say. It is not big inside, and there can be a wait, but you should definitely give this spot a try. read more

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A Madtown classic. Friday night perch fish and chips is the best!! Ambiance is spartan but charming. Staff were great!!

Really good burgers. Good beer selection. Great service. Good vibe with lots of locals! read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Two regular burgers, our way, and some fries! - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

A cozy local place with fantastic food with non-touristy prices. I had the burger which is 6oz and perfectly cooked medium. I also had amazing onion rings, which were thick sweet onions with a nice batter made to order. We watched them batter the rings. My wife had the perch fish fry since it was Friday. A huge order that she couldn't finish with nice crispy fires. The coleslaw that comes with it is really tasty not over dressed and twice those little portions that you get elsewhere. It's a bit off the beaten path but well worth the visit. We'll be back the next time we're in town. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Menu - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Delicious local spot -- great beer and burgers. I thought the cheese curds were some of the best I've had in the city. I can see this becoming a go-to spot for many. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Cheeseburger - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Solid Wednesday night fish fry. Perch was on point and the serving size generous. Oakcrest is an institution. A neighborhood and locals joint. Drinks are good to boot. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great Middleton dive. Great vibes. Very local and comfortable spot. Cant wait to go back. read more

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Amazing amount of perch in the fish fry. So glad they have it Wednesday-Friday. Had to leave town on Friday so no other place had it. Nice looking dinner and tv's everywhere. The wife had a burger and it was BIG and delicious. Staff worked together to get our order and drop it off. Would go again if in the area. read more

Thank you best burgers and fries since the Banana Factory in Sarasota Florida. Watching to staff cook from the corner was amazing

Oakcrest tavern has amazing burgers, but everyone in town knows that so be prepared to wait in line unless you come at an off time. I ordered a burger, medium rare, with all the toppings and barbecue sauce, and it was so juicy and tender. I love a good thick burger, and the price here definitely makes it worth it. Would definitely recommend coming here just for the burger. I haven't had a nice thick burger like the one here. read more

Great bar and restaurant. The burger and fries were super, and service was fast and competent.

Absolutely the best cod fish fry I have had in Madison! Cozy Wisconsin bar vibe. Friendly staff, they definitely appreciate their regulars.

ALMOST perfect. Walked in and it is a seat yourself kind of place. Bar was full at 5 pm on a Wednesday but plenty of tables open. Fast service right when we sat down and got drinks and appetizers ordered. The old fashioneds were a strong pour and delish! The cheese curds were some of the best I've ever had. Top 5. Ordered food with another couple. They got their food and we waited another 15ish minutes for ours. Seems the kitchen had forgot our order. We split a cod dinner. Was disappointed to see we got charged for extra fries even though we didn't ask for them. Maybe that's the charge for splitting a meal but would've been nice to be informed. Cod was pretty good but the perch we tried from our friends meal was AMAZING. definitely recommend the perch. The batter on the fish is outstanding. Overall would go back to have the fish again. Be sure to arrive early! Place was packed when we left around 6:30. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Brandy Old fashioned sweer - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Busy place on a Friday night, still great food and service The person that seated us and took our order did a very good job getting our beverages and food delivered in a timely manner. Not our first time there, that's why we went there. It was very busy, but wasn't too loud read more

It was a Monday night at about 6 pm. The regulars took up most of the bar. The food took forever. I was really looking forward to the burger based on the reviews. The burger was just ok. Really nothing special. It said it was steak trimmings but it needed more flavor and probably more fat content. It was also over cooked. I specified medium rare. Nope! The crinkle cut fries were hot and the best part of the meal. The 2 servers and 2 cooks were working hard. They needed at least one more server. The building and dining room were exactly what I expected from a tavern. Old and rustic. Nothing special here. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Tiny place - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Just another Madison classic. You absolutely can't go wrong with any of their burgers. One of the best in Madison. Sometimes seating can be cramped during busy times as the Oakcrest is not the largest. Oakcrest embodies everything that Tavern should be-warm staff, stiff drinks, decent beer, and hearty food. read more

The perch plate is the best.. it reminds me of the great perch plates growing up..potato salad is wonderful. Fish was breaded lightly and crispy.. coleslaw was delicious..just wished the potato salad portion was a bit bigger.. price was very reasonable.. Burgers here are fantastic I highly recommend this place.. read more

Excellent bar and grill. Cheeseburgers were cooked to perfection. A nice place to watch some sports. Friendly folk.

I last visited the Oakcrest for St Paddy's I think. Great burgers and very nice food options regarding basic caliber bar food. The meat is very good and brags to be prepared and sourced from the nearby butcher which also boasts their product at many area bars and restaurants in Middleton. I've not shopped there in years but I do recall it being a cut above the grocery stores. But that is reflected in the price so I guess that there reminds me of the one reason I didn't become a regular customer. But the oakcrest tavern is a great neighborhood watering hole that I do have a couple very tame and find recollections of in past years. Three in my writings is a number I feel is a good representation of what I want to be viewed as being a well worth visiting location. Two being meh. 4 is more memorable and five simply had to be a very good memory for whatever transpired to make it leave me with that much enthusiasm. Though in truth, I've got a sh*t ton of memories of 1star beer troughs that I could dredge into the procession of the evening of storytelling if you catch me when I'm particularly loquacious. Those stories are my favorites. My wasted youth is always just a few caffeine drinks from beneath the surface. And this bar has never been in that area of my revelries, nor shall it. read more

Back again. Started with the cheese curds. Tipsy cows are better but these are pretty darn good. Didn't have the Bloody Mary this time but it's amazing. My husband and I both got the cheeseburger (medium well). He ordered it with grilled onions. He also got onion rings but my husband would get the fries next time. Everyone is super nice here. Great place to watch football!! read more

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Found this local gem on a "best fish fry" article and had to swing by. The place is small and parking is limited- we parked in the neighborhood behind the place on Oak Crest Ave.. there's a nice little path with stairs to get to the restaurant. We had to wait about 15 min, but it was a Friday and the Bucks had a game. I would have waited 30+ minutes! We came for the fish fry and it delivered! We got the coconut shrimp for an app, delicious! The sauce was so good that came with it (Shout-out to the waitress that recommended this) Next up was baked cod with a side salad. Cod was perfectly cooked, great flavors and not too oily/buttery. The melted butter and tartar sauce came on the side and I enjoyed both. The salad was plain, but still yummy. My fiancé had the fried perch, baked potato and fries. All very good! The only thing I wish they had were their cheese curds. (They do have them, but not available on Friday during fish fry) SO GOOD. read more

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Experience was horrible. If you're not a extreme liberal. Said thanks sweetheart to a female bartender and guy on staff yelled at me and threatened to kick me out even after apologizeing..then bartenders said don't call us when you're buisy.wait your turn meanly. When they were doing nothing. Guess being an American and thanking a women the old way is not here read more

For the price and for the atmosphere, this dive bar is definitely worth it! The burgers were handmade right in front of us and the servers were quick and helpful. Honestly, I had some of the best sweet potato fries ever here! They made a great spicy Bloody Mary (it was a large glass, with a big Spotted Cow chaser, too)I was hobbling out of the bar after the larger cheeseburger and splitting a basket of fries. I'm happy we stumbled into this place after a long round of golf! read more

The Friday fish fry is fantastic. Perch was perfect. Light, crispy, fresh. Good portion. It is a small place and very popular, so even at 4:30pm we had to park on a side street and wait for a table. My only complaint would be the slow service, specifically just paying our check to leave. We had been done with our meal for more than 30 minutes and needed to leave for a 7:00pm game and I had to go find a hostess and ask to pay so we could get on our way. As long as you're not in a hurry, the food will not disappoint! read more

Was excited to try this place but was very disappointed with the experience. Not enough staff, ambience is weird mixture of morose families and old couples overstaying the early bird special. Staff were pleasant but overwhelmed. Burgers are mid and not worth the 30 minute wait. Medium rare = well done at this place, so not sure what medium would be. Fries are an extra $5 on an already overpriced standard burger....onion rings were burned and brittle. No refill on the soda. Everything is nickel and dime, and it takes forever. Avoid. read more

Here working from out of town and came across the reviews looking for prime rib which is only on Saturdays here but it was excellent! The staff and other patrons were welcoming and suggested other local area favorites to try out , definitely recommend read more

Great brats and cheeseburgers! Fries were delish too. Server could have been a bit more observant and responsive when trying to get drink refills and our check read more

They are what they are, and they know what they are. Menu is small, but when you see what they're working with, it's totally appropriate. Fresh, straightforward burgers made with beef from the meat market across the street. No arugula, cream cheese, avocado concoctions here. Lettuce, tomato and onion (raw or fried) are available. Friday fish fry (we always go perch) is consistently excellent. Decent tap list with local and in-state options along with the swills. This place has a well-earned reputation, and if you plan to kick off your weekend with a fish-fry visit, prepare to get there early or expect a wait. The place is rather small, maybe 12 tables that are pretty close together. Small bathrooms. It's definitely cozy. You will overhear neighboring conversations. I appreciate a restaurant that knows it's limits and focuses on what it can do well. The Oakcrest is exactly that. read more

If you want a fancy burger , fancy sides ....go somewhere else ....if you want a damn good burger , damn good appetizers , great fish ...come to the oak crest it's bar food at its best read more

You guessed it, amazing burgers. This place is exactly what everyone has told you. A great bar burger with a dive feel. The staff was friendly and you can tell it's a neighborhood bar as the regulars sat at the bar drinking beer with ice. Limited beer selection but the burger is why you should come here. read more

My first Oakcrest was prepandemic and a Friday fish fry evening. If you like being packed into a place like a sardine, which I do, this place is perfect on a Friday night. Get the perch. We've been back many times for a burger lunch. Not so crowded and they make one of the best burgers in Madison. Date I say this place is a "classic?" I do! read more

Oakcrest never disappoints, we typically get take out fish fry's on Fridays since they are so busy on Fridays. Fish is top notch and their burgers are outstanding. Staff is always super attentive and service is always great. read more

This is my go to place when I want a burger on the west side. The people are very nice and the burgers are top notch. Excellent pickle as well. Fries are pretty standard. I have never been able to get here for fish fry on Friday but friends tell me it is awesome. Lots of TVs tuned to sports. Try to park on the west side of the building if possible. The parking on the other side is sort of funky. read more

This day completely sucked!! After trying to get a hold if them last weekend and their phone being put off the hook the whole entire night!! I figured I would give them another try tonight!! Finally after about 10 phone calls they FINALLY pick up to just put the phone down and not say a word but let me listen to the people in the back ground talking amd laughing at me while I was screaming into the phone trying to get anyone's attention!! Thus went on for about 10 to 15 minutes!! I was bound and determined to get their attention but yet I did not!! Im sorry but these people are very much aholes who think their poop doesn't stink and to good to pick up the phone!! read more

A neighborhood institution. Food is good, atmosphere great. I can't really say anything bad about this place.

Excellent dive bar! No wait for a table and friendly, attentive service even during the Epic UGM meeting. Good local beers on tap and excellent cheese curds and tasty grilled walleye. read more

If you're from further north in WI like me you'll appreciate this little pub, it's definitely got that classic northern WI feel. I really like that you can sit at the bar with a drink and literally have a conversation with the cook has he grills your meal just a few feet away. Great burgers and even better cheese curds. Definitely give these folks a shot! read more

3.5 stars Fish fry review: Went here a couple of months with co-workers after meeting up at a local winery. Got here around 8pm, and the small tavern was still packed. We managed to wrangle some street parking and 1 bar stool for 8 of us (to order drinks). The old fashioned's were strong, but not necessarily the best I've had. 3.75/5 We finally got some high top tables (15-20 mins later) and some food. The fish had all the right look to it. We got perch and cod. Nicer crunch to the cod, but the perch had a nicer flavor. Unfortunately, both were dry and luke warm. Overall, A-OK fish fry - good taste. Could have used a little more seasoning to put it over the top for me. 3.5/5 Slaw - little too dry for me. 3/5 Overall, I will be back with a smaller group to see if it changes the temp and dry levels. I'm sure the large group wasn't so good for the small kitchen. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Perch - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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