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    The Paradise Lounge

    3.9 (91 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars, New American
    Open 9:00 am - 1:30 AM (Next day)

    The Paradise Lounge Photos

    Business Info

    THE PARADISE LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Juke Box
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Paradise Lounge

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    Menu
    Chris T.

    The Paradise Lounge is a classic dive bar which I'm sure, makes them proud. A good beer selection, friendly bartender, and a dark, "barfly" kind of vibe keeps it authentic. So nondescript outside that you might walk right past it. Look for the well-worn Paradise sign over the door.

    Paradise Burger
    Emily D.

    I've been here a few times for drinks on a Saturday night. Classic dive bar vibes. We also got lunch here because the burger was included in burger week - ir was pretty good! Nothing incredibly special, but solid taste and cooked well. Onion rings were delicious (not pictured).

    A local IPA
    Laura M.

    Well my work travel companion stumbled upon this little place the day we arrived for a 4 day long business trip. The place is divey. However the bar food, drinks and service is top notch. Such nice friendly local regulars frequent this establishment which made this like a little "cheers" type place that we had to revisit a few times during the trip. The fried cheese curds are delicious and you cannot go wrong with the paradise burger. If I'm ever sent back out to Madison I'll definitely come by here again!

    Burger and fries
    Caleb S.

    This is a fairly fun dive bar with above average food. The downside is that the bartender was about as unenthusiastic as a human can be. I asked a couple questions about the menu, and he seemed really disinterested in helping me decide what to get. Most of my questions were met with one word answers. I expected a much more welcoming and friendly atmosphere from this spot. After all, human connection is (or should be) part of what separates this kind of place from the myriad of chain burger restaurants. I ordered the cheese burger with fries and a hard cider, which were good. Ultimately, though, the only thing that stands out about this spot is that it is the cheapest option for getting food near the capitol.

    Menu
    Vikki Y.

    If you're in the Madison area (near the State Capitol), I definitely recommend this place for a fun/chill dive-bar atmosphere. When we walked in, we immediately heard the Smoking Popes playing on the sound system and saw a bunch of people shooting pool and having a good time. Service: The bartenders were awesome- they were quick to get our drinks/food started and were super patient with my group and the many times we went up to redeem our "cardboard crack"- aka Wisconsin lottery pull tabs. Drinks: reasonable prices and great selection. I'm a huge fan of ciders and they had my favorite- which I don't find very often at dive bars (it's usually the standard Angry Orchard or Redd's which I'm not a fan of). Food: food choices were simple and seemed frozen. The mac n cheese bites were incredible! The chicken strips were kind of salty but the plus is that their kitchen is open late.

    Steven T.

    After the joke of the American on tap we wound up at this cool dive bar. It's a narrow place with a pool table, foosball table and gambling machines. The place had lots of wood tables and booths. Flat screen tv's with in eye view. Regulars were coming and going while we were there. The staff and regulars were very nice to the new people. The place attracts a diverse group people and had the feel of a nice hang out place. The place is narrow with lots of wood tables and booths. There was your typical small selection of draft beers. Zombie dust was on tap for our tour. If you look at my picture you will see a grill on the left right next to where people sit at the bar. They do have food but I didn't try any. This was a genuine cool dive bar and I would be back.

    Tommy F.

    I Love the Paradise. The music is loud, the food is no frills fantastic, and the beer selection is on spot. This is the dive with attitude (my favorite). The Paradise burger is fantastic! The best burger in Madison. The lightning is really low, probably because you don't want to see what is going on in there. The jukebox is always full of Slayer, Pig Destroyer and all the things I like. This is my go to when I'm in town. Eat up, drink up, and buy the bartender a shot. This place rules.

    dana v.

    Go late for fried cheese curds. Leave early before they turn the lights on.

    The infamous cheese curds.

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    Chameleon is the best! Love you guys! Best bartenders in Madison. Great drinks. Slayer is awesome!

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    Really wanted to like this place but the Bartender was super rude and unaccommodating. Shamrock next door was great tho.

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    Ask the Community - The Paradise Lounge

    Review Highlights - The Paradise Lounge

    The fried cheese curds are delicious and you cannot go wrong with the paradise burger.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Crystal Corner - Ahhh the lights

    Crystal Corner

    (49 reviews)

    $

    Williamson - Marquette, Willy St

    It looks like an average corner dive bar from the outside but wow, was this a fantastic place a see…read morelive music in Madison! Heads up: cash only at the bar. Come prepared. Bartenders were very nice. Tip them. There is an ATM near the restrooms if you run out of cash. The acoustics are fantastic and I loved the St. Patrick's Day weekend concert! It was packed, but we still found space to dance. Plenty of free street parking. I'm not used to that as a Chicagoan. That was a nice surprise.

    I REALLY wanted to love Crystal Corner, but sadly after our recent visit, popping back by on my…read morenext trip to Madison is not looking very likely. Crystal Corner is located in the famed Willy Street area of Madison, sitting on the corner of Willy Street and Baldwin Street. Crystal Corner has the vibe of the neighborhood, as is it divey, funky, nostalgic and truly local. However, even with all those things, this spot missed the mark for me and my buddy. We swung by on Sunday afternoon for a few drinks while wandering around Willy Street. We bellied up to the bar and ordered a couple of Bloody Mary's, to which the bartender said "Oh, I need to make up some mix. I can't believe people still drink those things around here.". Which was odd, as that was about to be our third bloody of the day, with neighboring restaurants going as far as having special bloody menus. The bartender pulled a can of tomato juice out, dumped it in a pitcher, added a few dashes of hot sauce, Worcestershire and some seasonings. And that was it. She then took some rail vodka, mixed it all up, and topped with an olive and pickle. While I know this sounds phenomenal, it was in fact one of the worst bloody's I have had. Additionally, the olive and pickle were a weird, almost rubbery texture. The combination of everything was off putting...and that was just the start. Next up is the space itself. While I appreciate a good dive bar that is full of nostalgic artwork, furnishings, lighting, etc...but it shouldn't be visible that the place hasn't been cleaned since these things were added. The ceilings and floors were the worst part, with the ceiling tiles being caked with black dust and dirt. Again, being worn is part of being divey, but being dirty doesn't have to be. In addition to the the main room ceilings, the bathroom ceilings were awful, missing tiles, moldy pipes exposed and just an overall feeling of ick that is beyond a normal bar bathroom. Last, but certainly not least, was the service and vibes. They were off, and kind of weird. When we arrived, there were a few locals and regulars, and then a few folks, including us. While the bartender was friendly with us, she was very rude, uncomfortably so, to another patron when he pulled out a credit card instead of cash (cash only spot). There was a little back and forth, then he left. Even after he left, she was calling him names and such to the other patrons. Again, uncomfortable, especially as a new patron to the bar. Overall, the bloody wasn't the only thing that left a bad taste here. From the bloody to the service to the dirtiness, this place needs some love and was just not it for us.

    Mickey's Tavern

    Mickey's Tavern

    (251 reviews)

    $$

    Williamson - Marquette, Willy St

    Mickey's Tavern may be one of my new favorite spots in the Madison! Located on the eclectic…read moreWilliamson Street, Mickey's is divey, local, welcoming with a tinge of new age and it works, really well. The exterior is quintessential old school dive bar from the worn paint to the old school PBR sign. When you walk in, you are quickly transported into a retro, yet new age space that features old school lighting and artwork mixed with new age neon's and a creative menu. Staff were excellent at the bar. They hooked it up and helped us choose just the right drink, and chatted us up for a while. Patrons were equally friendly, which was nice. With that, it has the vibe of Wisconsin from decor, menu, staff to patrons. We hung out in the main bar area for a while, and then discovered there was a whole other section with a pool table and more cozy style seating areas. They do offer your standard bar food, which looked and smelled good. However, we were there on a liquid diet, so cocktails is all we got, and we were not mad at it. Overall, absolutely in love with Mickey's Tavern. Will absolutely be back on my next visit to Madison!

    Mickey's is a proper local pub, right on Willy Street,…read moreRegardless of your sex/age/race, it's a great place to meet, We were told "you must try the food & sexy fries", We weren't disappointed, they weren't telling lies, So next time you're in the area, relax and follow your feet!

    The Paradise Lounge - divebars - Updated May 2026

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