I highly recommend this place for get togethers. Clean, spacious, good acoustics, delicious food, great service & good specials. read more

See all

I love coming here! They keep the drinks coming even with busy crowds. It's a total Wisco vibe with memorabilia for days! I mean... thousands of priceless/highly collectible items. Bartenders on Wednesday are always the same. They get to know you and order preferences. Lots of options for playing pool, shuffle board, darts. Volleyball and cornhole leagues year round. read more

See all

Packers, Badgers, Brewers.. oh my! And the BEST pizza that no one is talking about. read more

Ok so the place screams sport. Standard sports bar fare, TVs and memorabilia everywhere. Our server was very nice and didn't "over serve" us at all. Food was a pair of burgers and fries and there were no complaints. Worth a stop if you're into this kind of thing. read more

Pooley's - Place is littered with sports memorabilia like old helmets, banners and signs. It's a pretty cool place. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Such a fun place to go for a game day atmosphere! Drinks and food here was great and so was the service! Definitely need to come back!

Stopped in with a friend from out of town, and we were pleasantly surprised at the size of this place! Very large, and SO much sports merchandise. Staff is friendly, and the food was great! I practically inhaled my burger and ranch-seasoned fries. I could eat those things every day. I am a big fan of pull tabs - a guilty pleasure that is a fun treat on the (rare) occasion I'm at a bar these days - and usually I am lucky if I win $1. This time, I won $250! So I don't think I could've made a bad review about this place even if I tried, but I had an awesome experience regardless. I will definitely be back. read more

See all

Food was great. Service was good. Drinks were good as well. Loved the atmosphere. Would totally eat there again.

If you love sports and have kids, this is a great place to eat and have the kids entertained. They have a basketball gym I believe is for booking, so lots for the kids to do. Food is great and beer selection is nice as well. Service is always on point and the radio always has good music playing. Never too loud or too low. Always the biggest hits. read more

See all

I have mixed feelings about this place. The drinks are cheap but the food is gross! In particular, the tacos and nachos are a 2/10 at best. I really feel that this place needs a better cook or to change their menu options. A lot of locals come here which is why the place is still open. The environment is chill and they have a cool little area to play games and they have a place to play slots and arcade games. read more

See all

They have good food and the service is great. Lots to do, and you can participate in actual sports. Chill environment

Fun place for a drink! Came here with a group of people on a Saturday and had no issues with service or seating. Decor was super fun, will be back! read more

Pooley's - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great sports bar with signed memorabilia, flags, helmets from all kinds of teams-Orr, Mahomes, Bench and Morgan. Service was fast & friendly, food was very good. The fish fry was fresh and hot . The house sale is big and loaded with veggies. read more

We hosted our wedding reception in the gymnasium space- it was perfect! Our guests loved the decor, activities (volleyball, basketball and corn hole), and patio access. Working with Michael, the GM, was a breeze and he accommodated all of our requests. All of the waitstaff were helpful. Highly recommend the nacho bar and chicken wings. We also did a hot sandwich buffet (burgers and brats) but our guests seemed most excited about the appetizers and unfortunately had to waste some food. Wish I could go back and live that day all over again- it was so perfect! read more

I have been going to pooleys for years!! Really whenever I am in Madison.. classic place to eat

A true sports bar. There are lots of food options--meals and snacks to eat while watching a game.

Pooley's is one of my favorite sports bars in Madison! They have so many TVs to watch games on, great happy hour deals, delicious Old Fashioned's, plenty of seating, and the bar is surrounded by Wisconsin sports memorabilia. They also have tons of games including pool, pull tabs, gambling machines, and even a basketball court inside! They have a large patio to sit on when the Wisconsin weather cooperates. For a sports bar, it's clean and the food is pretty decent. I really like the garlic cheese curds, they're always a crowd favorite for our crew. You'll definitely find me at Pooley's on game day. I'm so surprised by the low ratings I've seen on here! Definitely try it out and see for yourself. :) read more

Pooley's - Wisconsin Old Fashioned - A glass of Wisconsin Old Fashioned cocktail with olives and a straw on a red table inside a sports bar decorated with sports banners and TVs. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Large sports themed bar, with tons of tables and a large "W" shaped bar for seating. TONS of TVs around the entire place so every seat is a good seat to see the game. Good place to meet up with friends for sports games, drinks & food. There is a lot to keep both adults & kids entertained as they have pinball machines, basketball games, shuffleboard, darts, pool table, gambling machines, pull tabs and a handful of other arcade games. We came here for a Packer game to meet up with a larger group and we all had a great time! Their food menu is surprisingly very good; everything came out hot and very fresh. I had their grilled chicken wrap & fries - would definitely order both again. My husband had wings which were also very good (and I'm extremely picky about wings too!) Their dry rub with lemon pepper (not on the menu but asked & they had) was great. My friends grilled chicken salad looked green and fresh and I would like to try next time. There is also a full bar, lots of beer on tap and many options to choose from. Our server was great & on top of everything even with a full bar & chaos for the game. Will definitely be coming back for the next big game :) read more

See all

Great place for an extended family gathering. They were very attentive to us and reserving the game room was helpful so we had activities. The guys said the chicken wings were awesome. read more

It was a very enjoyable experience. Food is great. The associates very friendly the atmosphere. I really enjoyed.

Great wings! Requested extra crispy and they delivered. Great buffalo sauce! Cold beer. Great friendly service! I'm going back.

What can I say about this amazing Wisconsin sports bar. Great place to watch a game with their 10+ TVs. Grab a $2.50 happy hour drink or the garlic cheese curds (not on the printed menu). No matter what you order, you are sure to be happy. The staff is attentive and quick. Great place for anyone. Oh, and did I mention the indoor basketball court? How cool is that! read more

See all

Great sports bar and fantastic pizza. Visiting out of town for a family birthday party. Was a very busy place and had a spectacular time. The server( Meghan) was awesome. Running her butt off trying make sure everyone was served and happy. Sorry to say though, the bartender was extremely rude to us and the waitresses. He wasn't pleased about the big crowd and made it very known. read more

One of our favorite spots in town! Great service, not a bad thing on the menu, and the atmosphere is great. Love their volleyball league too! read more

Great service, good food, awesome atmosphere and Wisconsin sports. All you can ask for in a Wisconsin Sports bar. Top in the state. read more

Pooley's - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Stopped in for opening Sunday of NFL. Of course, packers and bears were on the majority of televisions. We requested one small tv be turned to a Seahawk game. Waited, and waited. Eventually one turned to a Raider game. No Seahawks in sight. I understand that we are in a huge Packer fan area, but when there are only 5 games and you have the NFL package, at least one tv should be devoted to each game. Will not return read more

Don't waste your time with the cheese curds or the servers. Wish I could've sat at the bar because the bartenders seemed to have done a much better job with customer service on the tables they were helping. CoVID caused the bar to not have any seats!!! Liked the happy hour prices on the beer though read more

Pooley's - Cheese curds that were hard as rocks - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

A huge, local Wisconsin and NFL sports bar with pool tables, arcade games, several TVs and lots and lots of sports memorabilia. Literally every inch floor to ceiling is covered in sports memorabilia and it's really fun to walk around and look at it all. This place is such a dedicated U of Wisconsin bar, the bar itself shaped in a W! The staff was very friendly and attentive. We had some drinks, which were reasonably priced. We didn't have any food, so I can't really comment on that. I was a temporary cheese head just passing through town, but whether you're a local or just passing though it's worth a stop especially if Wisconsin is playing! read more

See all

Great pub food. They pour great mixed Drinks. Friendly bar keepers. Josh and Monica are terrific bartenders. If you love sporting events this place has televisions everywhere. They can host large groups anytime but I would recommend you call ahead so they are ready for you!!! Burgers are great. The wings are off the chain. BW3 wishes their wings were this good. Great sauce selection too. If that is not what you are looking for try the grilled chicken Caesar salad better than a lot of sit down places. read more

See all

Excellent service on a busy night. Food was fantastic and love the atmosphere of the restaurant. Will definitely return

Love this place - best sports bar in town IMO. Big enough for large groups or small enough for sports fan date. It can be a little loud, but you can spend days looking at all the sports memorabilia and still not see everything. Cheap drinks, food is decent, pull tabs, pool tables, darts, bar shuffleboard, and plenty of TVs. read more

I come for the volleyball stay for... friends who are too lazy to migrate elsewhere. Your choice of taps are few and dismal; Capital, Spotted Cow, Miller Lite, Bud Light, and their claim to craft beer: Hopalicious. Pitchers are $12.50 for Hopalicious. A tiny Blind Russian served in a 4 oz shot glass was $6.50. Their beer fried fish on Fridays are pretty solid. $9.75 for three pieces of fried or baked cod, choice of fries/tots/chips (sweet potato fries are extra), coleslaw, tartar sauce and a slice of rye bread (no substitutions on this one, I asked). The breading reminds me of panko breading. It's crisp, yet light, sticking onto the flaky meat of the cod without sogging it up. I'm surprised by the prices they charge for such a rinky dink establishment; $10.25 for a salad with some protein, $9.25 for tight wraps (not just any wraps), and $9.75 - $10.50 for burgers with toppings other than lettuce and tomato. The bar itself is... eh... endearing? There is a ton of sports memorabilia, signed photos with prominent athletes, jerseys, mannequins modeling said jerseys and I'm sure some of the items are actually really cool if they actually took the time to dust the layer of dirt off and reorganized the display scheme. It really looks like a hoarders paradise. The bar is W shaped, again pretty cool in idea but poorly executed because the bartenders face away from the patrons most of the time and it takes a while for them to make it to you if they are busy and stuck in the crevice of the first dip in the W. I don't know who would rent the gym they have as a banquet. It's again, dirty, dark, and dingy. The courts are one of the hardest courts I've played on and you really should think twice before diving. I'd recommend wearing some heavy duty carpenters knee pads. read more

See all

So, I've never left a review on here, but my experience at Pooleys made me compelled to so so. I am a madison native, and I wish I had found this place sooner. The bartender was super attentive, they have not only pool but also darts, corn hole, a punch bag game thing that's also fun,air hockey, and its a fun place. The food was on point, and super tasty. But what compelled me to make this review was the bartender and (what I think is) the manager on duty. It's been a while since I've been somewhere that has such a good energy about it. If you're on the fence, this is a good choice of a place to have a relaxing drink and delicious dinner. read more

Pooley's - A sports bar interior featuring three large TVs displaying hockey games, surrounded by sports banners, jerseys, and memorabilia. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I always have a good time at Pooley's, but that is partly because I can play volleyball and watch almost any Wisconsin sporting event. The food is mediocre at best, but they mix strong drinks for the price. You can count on your favorite game being on one or more of the ubiquitous TVs in the place. The game room is fun if you are into pool, shuffleboard, darts, etc. The volleyball courts are excellent, and they do a pretty good job hosting leagues and tournaments. They hosted my high school graduation party years ago, and they did a great job managing the service. read more

Pooley's - A few TVs... - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Great food, good-looking bar, unfortunate racial experience. The Good - The food. I love the burgers here. I got the Wake Up Burger and requested the egg to be runny. It was perfect. I'd always recommend the burgers to anyone who asks. Tater tots always come out nice and crispy as well. The Bad - My friend was accused of stealing peanuts by one bartender when the other bartender had previously given it to him. We were charged, but we let it go. No big deal, just a misunderstanding probably. Then, we were told that if anyone pukes, the bartender was done serving us because he had to clean it up last time. None of my friends ever recalled this incident. NO, we do not look alike. NO, we certainly do not act alike either. I'm sorry you had a bad experience cleaning up someone's puke, but don't racially profile us that it was us, or that we'd do the same thing. Would you say that to every white person that comes in? Very unfortunate and very unfair. Very disrespectful. If he would have said, "if anyone pukes, I will not serve," that is understandable to me. The second part of what he said has very different context to it. We came to this bar because it was a friend's birthday and he chose to come here because we've had good experiences prior. I've had good experiences here prior so I will not let this one cloud my judgement. I would still come back. However, I do think others who wish to read this review need to know what could potentially happen to them. read more

See all

Pinball update! Current machines are: Addams Family, still a fav Atlantis (Bally) Star Trek World Cup Soccer Atlantis was totally new to me at this visit but it's a really fun game for any level. Great art, great submarine sounds, a lot of fun and in great condition. read more

Pooley's - New machine: Atlantis - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I get it, I get it... Pooley's is a sports bar. Once you get over the allure of being hit over the head with sports memorabilia up to the ceiling, you'll notice you're basically drinking in a repurposed utility garage meant to keep large tractors at one point. If you look at the jerseys and helmets, you will see a layer of dust caked on them; even some of the flags sag with dust. Gross. They do have a gym attached, when I looked in they had a bunch of folding tables set up and some bag toss on one of the courts, as if celebrating someone's birthday at the local public gym. Looked like a party on a budget. Saving grace? The bar was shaped like a W for Wisconsin of course. There were TVs everywhere and yes, if you have a favorite sports team not from Wisconsin, you could play a little scavenger hunt and likely find your team. These things are what saved it from a one star, also - if you're looking for a place good for groups... Pooley's has the space. read more

This place is just plain fun! Well-above-average standard bar fare, and an awesome environment and vibe. The servers are phenomenal and this is a sports-memorabilia dream! The prices are just right, and if you want to play V-ball all year, this is your new favorite place in Madison! The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is how dirty all of the memorabilia on the ceiling and the high shelves is. I mean the level of dust on that stuff looks like it hasn't been cleaned since they opened. As amazing as all the stuff is to look at, one can't help but think there is some of that dropping in someone's food almost daily. That said, the dirtiness is only high up. The tables and floors are always clean, and the place is good all around. Even the restrooms are near spotless, which makes the dust up high even that much more confusing. To the management: Get a long pole and wipe that crap off. Then you will get 5 stars form me all day every day!! read more

I'm not sure I would just call this your typical sports bar. This is more of an unusual sports bar amusement park. While it may look busy when you first arrive due to all the cars parked in the lot, the place is pretty big. The bar zigzags around with these soda fountain type bar stools. Then there's large tables all around, TV's everywhere. A dining area on the second floor. All types of local sports and Big 10 memorabilia, banners, helmets, caps, jerseys, etc. As far as food, they have a nice selection of bar food. Regarding beer, they could do a bit better. Some nice local brews including New Glarus. I switched from Hopalicious to Alpha King in a bottle which I was told is very hard to get. They have drink specials every day. Mostly on certain mixed drinks and standard brews like Bud/Bud light. I had their buffalo wings where they give you 8 wings, but no celery/carrots. The bleu cheese or ranch on the side is to dip your wings if they're too spicy. They had a nice dry rub with an excellent seasoning possibly with a little smoke added. Very crisp, meaty and tasty. It's nice to have flavor and spice without the sloppy sauce all over your fingers. read more

Ah, probably a nice bar if your 21 but for me it is a lot of noise, spilt drinks, shouting to hear each other, slow service.... not a fan. Rather somewhere with quicker service, less noise....just a blah place. read more

Well this place is very bright, wow! Tons and tons of sports paraphernalia which is cool. It would be fun to watch a game here, but we just came for lunch. When I looked it up, the menu listed about 30 sandwiches, disappointed when I got here and there were only 5. I got the Poolys chicken which was mediocre but the fries are dusted with a ranch salt which was delicious! Service was great. Not a place to come for the food- but stay for a game! read more