Cozy little Tavern Bar. We went for the Fish Fry after reading it "is the best ever!". While it is good, it isn't the best in Madison. Since moving to Madison in May I have been on the look out for the best FF in town. So far Jordan's Big 10 Pub has this place beat. If you are looking for beers, some chow and a place to hang, this is a good, solid choice. It is kind of small but they seem to take care of the crowd. Update: I've been back a few times now and I stand by my review. It is just ok. If you are off work, after 9 and looking for a beer and a burger, and this is on your way home, then stop in. I had the bacon cheeseburger last night. The flavor that came out of the burger was from the mustard and ketchup. I even salted it. The fish my better 1/2 had was over cooked and dry. Out waitress was useless....I said hello to her as we walked in, then 10 mins later the bartender asked if we wanted to order food. I told him we were waiting for a table and said "is your name on the list". I get it, it is busy, it is hot and there is a lot going on. But if you are in the service industry put on a happy face. There are a lot of bars in this town and a lot of burgers and fish fry's. I'll probably be back, but it will be months from now. No chance this becomes our local spot. read more

Awesome old fashioned drinks, good beer on tap and a great fish fry. This is our third time back and we will be back again. The wait/bar staff takes turns waiting on you and they keep it relaxed and easy through the whole drink and food ordering process. Good place to come on a Friday night to kick back and have a drink with your fish. read more

Good food, reasonable drinks, lots of flat screens (albeit small), nice staff, typically crowded with regulars, Fish Fry on Wednesday and Friday, don't have daily "bar specials" and the table tops are kinda always sticky so deal. Overall, a good place to grab a beer and burger. read more

Melt in your mouth Burgers Great Friday fish! Super supper service read more

Oakcrest is a great neighborhood bar. With a diverse clientele (even for Madison!) and a good amount of seating, I see why folks keep coming back. The bartenders are friendly and the service is great. While I haven't eaten here for a meal, the onion rings and cheese curds are well above average. On the heartier side of snacks, the chicken strips are a great choice. read more

I've been here a few times now. I have had the burger before and it was very good. The drinks are always excellent and the beer choices are good. I went in for the Wednesday fish fry this week and was pretty disappointed. The perch came out very soggy as if it had been fried then sat in a warming tray for a very long time waiting for me to order it. Worse than this was the taste. Extremely bland and no taste from the fish itself at all. As far as fish fries in Madison are concerned, there are many better options than the Oakcrest Tavern. read more

I hate giving only two stars for such amazing burgers, but my most recent experience was annoying. There was a large group taking most of the space in the dining area, which is fine, except for the vast amount of noise - so much so that conversation among other tables was almost completely limited, but we got to know the large table of college students very well. On a Sunday during lunch hours it took about twenty minutes to even get a waiter, then another to receive two sodas and place orders. Meanwhile the large table ordering alcohol most certainly received the most attention. The food was still good, obviously the burgers being the best choice (the rest is fine, but typical bar food). It took two staffers to successfully serve us, and this took a total of about 90 minutes...way too long for two burgers and cokes. The large table was so vocal (I can tell you much of their life stories) other customers left, so it was disappointing to see the staff not ask for just a little less noise in such a small building. If you're looking for a good burger and don't mind possible noise or wait time, you won't be disappointed. If you're going with a large group, maybe choose a larger venue. read more

Traditional tavern. Good people. Good food. Good prices. I had the Top Sirloin Dinner and the steak was cooked perfect. No complaints.

This place is so good! We just got in from Chicago and we chose this as the first place to go. BEST. DECISION. We got cheese curds, Bacon cheeseburger and the Hungry 3/4 cheeseburger. It was super fresh and tasted amazing. Joe the server was a great guy. Felt very comfortable. I would definitely return every time I come to Madison. read more

Great little locals bar. Do yourself a favor and get the cheese curds.

Ordered Friday night fish fry for carry out. Oh, dear. Perch was cold and breading soggy. No dinner roll but came with half a slice of store-bought rye bread. Tartar sauce was too sweet to eat. So disappointing. Love to support local restaurants but will not be carrying out fish from the Oakcrest again. read more

The Oakcrest... I can't recall how many times I thought about going here... I finally did one Friday afternoon for lunch. As Steve L. mentioned it takes forever for service here. Why does my lunch cost me an hour of time? Either way the food was good, prices were reasonable at best. This feels like your average neighborhood tavern. Service was ok... read more

Best damn cheese curds in the state, and that's saying something. The waitstaff are always friendly. It's somewhat small, but cozy and comfortable. If you're looking for some good old-fashioned American food and a family-friendly atmosphere, this is it. read more

This is a pretty standard neighborhood joint. Fairly cheap, divey atmosphere where it is not uncommon to see small children and old folks. The high chairs kind of suck but they have normal ones too. To be honest I would go here a lot more if I lived nearby. It's not that big so it can get PACKED sometimes (esp Friday) But the real reason you go here is for Friday night Perch fish fry. I think they also do it on Wednesday but I can't be assed to look into it read more

Great burger! Super friendly service! Bloody Mary had a little too much olive juice for my liking-but I drank it! Spotted Cow was warm on tap, so I let her know in case something was broken. Highlife in a bottle was cold and perfect. We would definitely go back! read more

We love going to this place. It is always busy especially on Wed and Fri for their fish fry. We would rather sit at the bar then sitting at a table. The place is a dive, but has good food. You could think of a hundred things to change or clean when waiting for your food, yet you wouldn't change a thing. There are regulars to this neighborhood place and not a place for kids, strollers or car seats. TVs are on place for viewing. This place is extra packed for pre or post Badger games of any kind. Try this place you'll love what we love the kind of joint that brings people together. read more

Go for the burgers, but don't forget to order the curds! I went to grab a good burger with a co-worker who had been told to try it out. Both of us are new to Madison so when we were craving some grease, we decided to try it out. The place is a total dive, but I'm a huge fan of WI dives. It looks like a little bar that belongs in the north woods, not on a Madison street. It's pretty small, but they cram quite a few people in. We had to sit at the bar when we showed up because it was pretty busy for lunch. We ordered some cheese curds as an appetizer and I'm so glad we did. Incredibly tasty and 'fresh,' and I highly recommend it if you can manage the extra calories. When the burgers came out, I was quite impressed. Definitely large, and great bun. The beef used is incredibly fresh, and mine was cooked medium to perfection with a little bit of pink. My only complaint was that they could have used more seasoning. While you can taste the quality of beef, it just seemed to lack spice and salt or something. But, overall, great burger. Just a heads up: even though it has the quality of a dive, I was a little surprised to walk out of there dropping almost $20 for lunch. And that's without any beer, just soda. Granted we got the curds, and I had ordered a few extras for my burger, but I was not expecting to spend more than $12-15. read more

I spent $15.00 on a soda and steak sandwich at the Oakcrest Tavern today. When I ordered it over the phone the bartender told me I had two choices, rib-eye or tenderloin (which is what I got) but there was a third choice, a prime rib sandwich special for $8.00 which I found out about when I got there. The tenderloin sandwich was bland and needed salt and pepper at very least. For what it costs it should have seasoned itself and poured me a drink. I wasn't asked if I wanted anything to drink or even the can of pop I'd ordered while I waited. I got just the can instead of a glass with ice when I asked for it. Many places will ask you, open the can, and pour the soda over ice. Just because you're a neighborhood bar doesn't mean you can't have good bartenders and you'll often find very good ones at a neighborhood or dive bar. As a former bartender this place offends me. And it used to be a whole lot friendlier, there are still regulars around the bar and some at the tables but I have no idea why they keep coming back although they're probably why the place is open. I remember going to the Oakcrest, watching a game, having a sandwich and a few drinks by myself or with a friend and feeing welcome. Not anymore. The bartenders have been unfriendly the last few times I've been there, one of them going out of their way to be a total dick to an inebriated customer and I've seen drunker. The ridiculously rude bartender might have also been a cook. Even the person I was with talked about how shitty he was and she's normally pretty tolerant and rarely complains about service. Me, not so much. The new Oakcrest attitude is not all right and I know of west-siders who will no longer go near the place, even if they're picking up an order at Knoche's. Losing regular customers should make the owner take note. These are people who loved to have some drinks, some curds, shoot the breeze and get an order to go when they left, but now along with me, we're done. This city has so many other choices and I could spend my $15 bucks on something that tastes good and comes with something other than a blank stare and a side of hostility. Speaking of which, not even a pickle? The price included a tip which was slightly over a buck, but honestly, the bartender didn't even deserve that. He acted like someone burped in his face when I said,"Keep the change." This is a guy whose total service was putting a wrinkled brown bag and a can of Coke on the bar. Since this is the third time in a row I've been met with cold, lazy, unfriendly service, the Oakcrest Tavern is OUT. read more

Oakcrest Tavern - Even though I hadn't eaten all day the sandwich was so bland I wrapped it back up until I got home a few hours later. - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Great food, but they need to season their food. You have to put a ton of salt and pepper on anything you order. There is a HUGE difference between salt and pepper in food, than salt and pepper on food. read more

We went at 5 pm in hopes of beating the rush. It was packed. We got the last parking spot and waited 45 minutes for a table. It was not kid-friendly. Most of the tables are high with barstools and a highchair could not reach them. There was only one item on the kids menu, and it was more expensive than the adult food. Overpriced and not that great. read more

The BEST burger in Madison. Come for the ambience and local flavor. One of my favorite places to have a burger, beer and watch the Badgers!

I can't comment about the food since we left after waiting 1.5 hours without being served. I can say the service is TERRIBLE. We asked about our order (4 burgers and fries) after waiting 45 minutes and were told it would be up soon. 30 minutes later and still nothing. The server argued with us about checking on our order...ummm, you are a server of food and we waited an excess amount of time, at least pretend to do something about. Don't go here, unless you want to spend an entire afternoon waiting for burgers and fries. read more

I recently stumbled upon this gem and wasn't disappointed. What a great tony sports/dive bar. Good beers, open kitchen and fun. The crowd was a mix of older regulars and younger college groups all enjoying good WI beer, comfort food and watching the game while having good conversation. Thoroughly enjoyed the burger and Friday fish fry. read more

Greasy, Cheesy & Great! Sure, it's a dive, but the burgers & cheese curds are to die for. I went here to quench a deadly thirst and a man-sized hunger for some MEAT. Guess what? I won in both regards, thanks to Tammy, a former-local who is now a present-global, alongside me, on The Dave + Tammy Tour, where we brag about all the Good Grub, Cool Cocktails + Tasty Treats we find all across America! Special Note: This is also where I first fell in love with #spottedcowale (and am sad to say I haven't sipped it since. read more

Oak Crest is great. Are they refined? No. Is the food great? Yes. Burgers are strong. Fries are solid. Onion rings are best in the bar, as opposed to pick up- and that's true everywhere. Give it a try and enjoy a locally owned, locals pub and grill. read more

One of my favorite bars in Madison. Great burgers and the best tenderloin steak sandwich around. The fries are tasty as well. Stiff drinks and a nice neighborhood bar feel reminds me of coming here as a kid with my dad. read more

Always our first stop when visiting family in Madison. Fun, local atmosphere with great food and drink. Their fish frys should not be missed!!! read more

Horrible. Potato Salad in a small soggy cup. Rude staff. All fried food. Overpriced. I would not recommend this place. In addition no parking. read more

Its really hard to review this place. I love the idea of your local tavern, and this place fits the bill better than anywhere I've ever been. Heavily lined wood interior, big Friday night fish fry, divey atmosphere and menu. Unfortunately, that's all it really is in the end. Its not a bad place to eat by any means. Burgers are greasy and good, as are the fries and curds. Beer is cheap. A good place to catch up with folks and grab a beer. But nothing to go out of your way for. read more

Hung out here while in Madison for work and caught a playoffs game on a slow Tuesday night. Great neighborhood bar feel, friendly bartender and a random a cappella group that at one point broke out in song. Decent beer selection and one of the better bacon cheese burgers I've had in a while. The meat was incredibly fresh, a true mid-rare and the bacon was spot-on. read more

Lunch or dinner, you can't go wrong at the Oakcrest. If you get a burger, be sure to get bacon. I don't know what they do, it is one of the best bacon cheese burgers around. A hidden gem that has outstanding flavor and is very fulling is the Chicken Teriyaki sandwich. It a huge chicken breast and the two pineapple slices are great. Last tip, the cottage cheese is solid, get it as an alternative to the something deep fried. Only challenge about this place is parking, so be ready to park on the street. read more

I went to the Oakcrest Tavern on a whim today for a quick lunch on my way out of town. I sat at the bar and had a bacon cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. A half order of fries was plenty for one and I liked that the sides were a la carte so I could choose for myself. The burger itself was one of the best I have had in quite a while. It was served medium rare so if you want something different, you best speak up. The bacon was cooked perfectly and I appreciated a choice of cheese. Can't speak for the staff other than the guys behind the bar who were friendly and willing to put the Blackhawks on the TV for this Chicago girl. Will definitely return with the hubs in tow. If we lived in Madison, I could see us becoming regulars. read more

Came to town for business, had the Friday night fish fry. The perch is a little better than the cod, but both are good. They also have a very tasty cole slaw and the fries were hot, crisp and tasty. The price was right, with $13.99 and $11.99 respectively for the fish dinners. Had a couple of Spotted Cows to go with it, a nice fish fry. Pros: good food served fairly quickly, and I liked the small environment. Service could be a little more attentive. read more

Probably not a good idea to visit the Oak crest on a Friday night. The wait is long and some of the help don't have enough experience to even keep track of how to seat people in a proper order. Food was good, but not what you want to have folks waiting next to your table for there chance at a table, Also, they serve the take out orders before the people seated waiting for their dinners. read more

This has been my neighborhood bar for the last 31 years. Classic Wisconsin fare. Good luck getting a table for a fish fry on Friday. Having a brandy old fashioned tonight. Life is good. read more

Best steak in Madison. Previous review is correct - please go, but please don't ruin the secret.

See "Sweeney's Oakcrest Tavern" review for more information, I don't want Steve scaring anyone off. He himself gives a great review on the Sweeney's page. I happen to like the fish fry here, also they have one of the best Bloody Mary's in town, great burgers, and a great staff. read more

Just had my first burger from the 'Crest and let me just say, I can't wait for my next! If you like stuff that tastes good, then look no further. Oh, you say you're hungry, then you found the place. It's the real deal, not like a tiny Applebee's burger - humongous! Get off the computer and get to this place now! Just do it! read more

A locals bar and grill that is a total gem. Great greasy burgers and a surprisingly deep menu of supper club fare like fish fry and prime rib. All good and run by a very nice staff. Expect a short wait at peak hours/days. read more

Best fish fry AND best burgers in Madison. This is no exaggeration. The atmosphere is very very very cozy, an so there's often a very very very cozy wait for a table during peak hours, but it's all worth it. The staff is also very friendly. All around, it is the perfect neighborhood tavern. read more