This old theatre has a quirky charm to it. They have a massive concessions stand. The seats are…read morevery comfortable. This theatre is small so there are no bad seats. There is a parking lot and a good amount of street parking available.

The Barrymore Theatre is a 971-capacity live music venue on the east side. It was originally built…read morein 1929. It is to me the most important place in the Schenk-Atwood area. The Barrymore has had a history as diverse as the current entertainment on its schedule. It is an independent, community-based theater, owned by a nonprofit corporation. These are dying in America, so let's support the one we got. There is something here for everyone at least once a year! Not a big picture taking gal so no evidence to support this claim but I'd venture to say nothing about the theatre appearance has changed in my time. Who knows when it last did. And that's what you need to know so you are coming with right expectations and not "corporate" ones. This is a no frills joint, an old school theatre where your focus is on the entertainment. I get my pre-show chow down the block and simply enjoy amazing acoustics for all of the live music I have witnessed at The Barrymore. This setting does really well to beautifully showcase a man and his guitar. We will see how it does next month with a man and his guitar and a piano! Truly we should be thankful to share an intimate room with some of the best musicians of our generation. We need The Barrymore for hosting them and to continue to make the sound superb. The venue hosts a variety of entertainment too, which I appreciate though it's all live music for me. It's worth looking at their schedule to find something to attend if you are in town for a long weekend or more. Visitors should stop here for a Madison experience. There are Barrymore ticket sellers around town so if you want to buy a physical ticket in your neighborhood, you can do that. Huge plus.

The Bur Oak is a fun spot to catch music - great lineup of bands, perfect acoustics, nice seating,…read morefull bar, etc. Check it out!

Lacy is amazing and kind and makes the best food. Thanks Lacy!!…read more We've been many times and it is consistently good!!

Run don't walk to Lola's to try their Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich before their menu changes for…read morethe summer. I kid you not, I visited the restaurant twice within 24 hours after having one for the first time. One of the best meals I've had in Madison in a while! As always, great vibes, lovely staff, and dope tunes.

Went here for the first time on a Saturday evening for a Girls' Night Out, and it was so amazing! I…read moreloved the lighting, the decor, and overall it was giving "cozy cocktail lounge with a bit of class". Our server was so kind, she made sure that we were well taken care of, and checked in every so often to see if we wanted any more drinks. But the food-- wow! It was so delicious and I don't think I've had better cheese curds than at Lola's. The cheesiness and crunch were perfect, and it was not too hot to burn your mouth. Everything we ordered was so good, and the Pelmeni was super flavorful. I wish we had more rangoons, but I have no complaints about the food. Passionstar Martini was the best drink we ordered here. I definitely can see myself coming back here for another fun night Only downside about this place is that there are only 2 bathrooms (yes, single-person bathrooms) throughout the entire establishment. It gets a little crowded waiting for it, but otherwise everything else was amazing.

A lovely 400 seat capacity venue complete with a loft that features tables and chairs. From the…read morestreet, the space is available for lease, but on the backside it's all business. The wife and I were in town and had come to see Not Quite Brothers (Iowa) which have a phenomenal mixed set list that covers more decades than their age would suggest. In fact, I'm pretty sure the majority of the crowd were older than the band. Regardless, a good time was had by all. I'm pretty sure this Saturday night show was wrapped up and had a bow put on it by 10 or 10:30pm. I would totally come see a show here again and would totally see NQB again. One interesting thing to note about NQB, is that once they hit the stage, they played non-stop until they were done, no breaks, came back for an encore set and done \m/

We have a great time every time we visit high noon saloon. We usually sit in the very small seating…read moresection upstairs but occasionally get down right to the band on the floor. This time we opted for upstairs seating and went downstairs to grab a couple of drinks just prior to the show starting. The beverage service is generally prompt even though at times there can be a long lines. The biggest joy is hearing these small bands perform and hoping for them that they make it to the big time!

I really wanted to love this bar, but it unfortunately missed the mark for a women's sports bar…read more There was very limited women's sports memorabilia on the walls, and what was displayed leaned more toward men's sports, making it feel no different than a generic bar. Because of that, it's hard to see how this could be labeled as a women's sports bar at all. About half of the beer taps were down, making the tap beer options limited. The overall atmosphere felt unwelcoming, and for a newer bar, I would have thought they would try to acknowledge their guests to make them feel welcome, to help drive return business. Unfortunately, we will be going to a different bar to watch the rest of the Women's NCAA tournament. We came with a group of 10, specifically to watch the UConn vs. Notre Dame women's basketball game, and asked if the game could be shown on the big screen. We were told yes, but then saw the screen being put up without any explanation or communication about what was happening, which was confusing and frustrating, leaving us watching the smaller screens around the room. With more attention to detail towards being a women's sports bar, better marketing towards being a women's sports bar, clearer communication when necessary, and all taps working for a better beer variety, this bar could be much better.

What a fun place to catch a concert in Madison. The sound was amazing, really great acoustics. And…read morethere was plenty of space to dance right up in front of the stage. It was perfect. I didn't order food, but friends said the burgers and personal pizzas were solid, with a special shout out to the onion rings. There is a deck in the back which was nice to be able to step outside for fresh air between sets. Plenty of lot parking, which is free, but the lot was full when I arrived so I just parked on the street and that was also free and safe. Loved the vibe here. Loved the bartender. Just $15 at the door to see a super-fab two-set show by an amazing Madison band! I'll definitely be back. Often!! And I'll order those onion rings next time!

The performing arts center offers many opportunities to see various art forms including galleries,…read moreplays, musicals and music. I've recently discovered the broadway subscription package and highly recommended. The packages offer varying price points with some around 50-60 per show. Arrive early and visit the free galleries throughout.

It's been a while since I've been at the Overture and last time was for a Matt Nathanson concert…read more so very different experience. Was very excited when it was announced that & Juliet was touring through Wisconsin. The speciality cocktails were great. Loved the photo back drop space and that they had staff helping to take your photo! We were in the Right Balcony row J. Note it is a very steep set up for balcony- great for view no heads in the way - get "closer" to the stage but for those with height or falling phobias do beware! Sound was really great and if you did have to pop out during performance for some reason- they actually have monitors out in the hallway showing the stage which is nice. Would definitely return for another show.

This was my first show at The Sylvee. I had heard a lot about it, but I finally got to see what it…read morewas all about. And OH, I was not disappointed! I got to see the Static-X/Sevendust/Dope show, and fortunate to enjoy it from one of the few suites (far from the mosh pit!) that line the perimeter of the viewing area. The location: If you love downtown, this is a great location. If you fear downtown Madison, well, sorry. The good news is you can find decent (or free) parking nearby without getting lost in the mess of one way streets and chaos. The better news is that there's no shortage of places for your "pregame" efforts, whether you are looking for dinner or just a cocktail. The venue: The Sylvee is clean and tidy. You can tell it was built for the best concert-going experience. Plenty of room to move about, good bathroom situation, and numerous places to find a beverage. Up by the suites? Even better, with a special bar and bathroom situation just for them. And the bars have a great selection of craft/local beers. Overall the technology in the venue is great. The sound is excellent, and the lighting is on point. I know a lot has to do with the act that is in town, but Sylvee seems to have what they need to put on a good show. Now, you won't find Aerosmith or KISS coming by to do a show here, but you can find some pretty sizable acts performing here. If you find a show in town that really trips your trigger - and it's at The Sylvee... book it! You won't be sorry.

My first time at The Sylvee and definitely not my last. Such a cool, modern, spacious, event space…read more I got to see Maren Morris and it was incredible! The layout is great. You walk in and you have a huge bar area on the left to grab a drink, then you can walk down a few steps and it's a huge area right in front of the stage. We got standing only tickets so that's where we stood. It was awesome because you could get so close to the stage. They do have a second floor with an additional bar and paid seating that looked really nice. The sound was great, everything was clean, air conditioned, the bar staff were efficient, and the prices weren't insane. There were a lot of people there but you still had your own standing space, it wasn't a packed sardines situation at all. Even leaving was easy, it wasn't a stampede. Overall an awesome somewhat more intimate experience for a concert. They do have a parking garage for $15. We went to dinner on Willy Street before and had street parking there so we didn't need to move our car. Only a few block walk, super convenient! I can't wait to see another concert at The Sylvee!

Stopped in about a month ago for a friend's little get together, and had a great time! Currently…read morepregnant, so can't shed much light on the beverage situation, but the vibe is fun and pretty much quintessential Wisconsin bar. My kids enjoyed the pinball machines and the board games they had available, and it was the perfect day to sit outside on the deck. We were thrilled to find out that it is non-smoking out there, because we were able to hang out with our kids out there and just enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. I definitely plan to return post-partum to enjoy some alcoholic beverages at this fun establishment!

This is become the go to Bluegrass bar in Madison, with live music almost every night. Positive…read moreatmosphere, affordable drinks, really friendly bartenders, and an incredible vibe. It's a default go to before high noon saloon or other places, lucky to have it as a gathering spot in Madison.

The Cardinal Bar is both retro and classy. Stopped in for some pre-dinner beverages and listened to…read morethe live conga band get set-up and play their first few songs. The service was really good with cool bartenders and a mellow vibe. Didn't try the food although it is on the menu. A bit further from campus, the CB seems to be a place catering to a more mature crowd rather than a UW student bar.

The decor is so cute and I really liked the food options and NA drinks! Parking is a challenge so…read morewe parked in the Essen Haus lot then walked over. We arrived shortly after they opened and it was excellent: great service, great vibes. We were so relaxed. We visited on a dancing night and even though we stayed at our table, it was so fun to see people of all ages, sexualities, and wardrobes coming to and from the dancefloor. Once it got busy, the bartenders were really struggling. It seemed like most of them were new because they kept asking one of the bartenders questions. One of them didn't even know where to find the drink I ordered (it was on the menu, and in the fridge in a can). Once all of the employees are as seasoned as the one they were all asking questions to, I think things will run much more smoothly. It also turned into a big party atmosphere which was fine with us, but many of the tables that were relaxing when we arrived were gone shortly after the music started. So just choose your visit time based on the type of experience you want.

Date of visit: January 24, 2026…read more One of my Christmas gifts was seeing John Mulaney here at The Orpheum and it was a delightful venue, full of history and stately charm. Like many venues of this age, it was not built for security checks and metal detectors, which meant we were waiting outside to get in for a while and that normally would not bother me but given the frigid temperatures, I do wish they could have done something to streamline the wait. Once we were in, staff inside were friendly if not necessarily helpful with not one but two ushers steering us in the wrong direction to our seats, seats on the floor that were not cconsistently labeled. Thankfully there weren't any issues with our seats and we were able to enjoy the show--too bad our feet never warmed up the entire visit!

Been to the Orpheum for several shows. I have always found it to be a positive experience…read more Getting through security was easy, and quick. The lobby can get a little busy and crowded (nothing new there). If you are planning to buy alcohol, you get your wrist strap ahead of time. There's a place to get merchandise, and that can get a bit congested. Plenty of folks to help you get to your seats. For this show we were front row balcony (which I feel is the best spot in the entire place). The seats are a little dated, narrow, and might benefit from being restuffed. The acoustics were good, but not great but certainly better than most large venues (i.e. Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee). I would definitely come again.