The staff was friendly but the waiter we had wasn't vary good. We ordered fried pickles as an appetizer when we ordered drinks (hangry children with us). Took while for our drinks (our waiter was nowhere to be found). Our food came out fairly fast but never received our fried pickles, asked for them again and received them when we finished our meal. I would have rather had our waiter tell us he forgot and apologize rather than nothing at all. All the other wait staff and bartender were attentive to their tables and helpful when we needed boxes and our bill (yes, we had to ask other wait staff for this along with silverwar The decor was atmosphere was fun and enjoyable. It's kid friendly and would also be fun on a night out on the town read more

Such a Madison classic with amazing food. Biiiiiig fan of the tipsy burger and both regular and goat cheese cheese curds. I think top 3 in Madison. Staff is super friendly and attentive and fun (kind of small) indoor and outdoor seating close to the square. Relatively big bar area as you walk in. Can't beat the cow! read more

The Tipsy Cow - Tipsy burger - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The truffle fries was really good. The tipsy burger was also good. Service and vibe of the place was great! Would definitely come back and try other items! read more

Came in for an early dinner when in town for a conference and it was fine. Server wasn't super pleasant and really seemed like she didn't want to be there but did the job. Food was good bar type food. They had a lot on tap and it was a quick in and out dinner. read more

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Came to the Tipsy Cow to try out their highly rated cheese curds. They had great texture and flavor. I'm not a ranch girlie so I didn't dip them. Solid service on a Thursday afternoon; the restaurant wasn't too busy. read more

The Tipsy Cow - Cheese curds with ranch dipping sauce - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fun vibes and good food and drinks at the tipsy cow! I ordered the fish tacos and an avocado taco (did not realize avocado tacos were fried based on the description) but they were tasty! It was very busy for a Saturday lunch likely due to the crowd from the Madison Farmers Market. The sandwiches do not come with a side. Friend loved the steak sandwich. I wish they had a couple more veg friendly options. Overall recommend and great experience! read more

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SO delicious, & a WI classic / must try!! Ordered: - Local goat cheese curds: Loved this! - Fried cheese curds: Loved this! - Truffle fries: Great firm fries (didn't felt too doused in truffle oil), & paired well with the sauce! - Local lamb burger: Really liked this!! The meat was very tender. - Tipsy burger: This is a great burger on paper, but a little too greasy for my liking. Personal preferences! - Fried Mike's pickles: Loved this!! Tasted like an onion ring, but better! The batter compared to the sourness of the pickle is a great combo. Service was also good. Waiter checked in on us often. Nice bar vibes / ambiance. 100% recommend! read more

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They have decent burgers and curds but every time I go, service is very distracted. The bartender is negligent and the servers really push you to order more food. If you don't order more food, they bring the check right to you even though you don't ask for it and still have full drinks in hand. What's the rush? read more

First time at this Madison staple! I started off with the seasonal apple cider marg and it was great, though I felt like the apple taste could've been stronger. I got the sour cream and onion fries, and that was a hit! I ordered a mushroom and swiss burger but accidentally got the mushroom sandwich, and the server was so nice and understanding when I brought up the mix up. The burger wasn't my favorite mushroom and swiss burger, but it was good. It is a little loud in here though, so be prepared for that! read more

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Tipsy Cow was recommended to me by multiple locals here in Madison, WI. Cheese curds are on point, tipsy burger was comforting and heavy. The drinks are on the stronger side in my opinion! Overall everything tasted very good, would come back again read more

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Cool little place. Decent burger at a good price. Servers were very Midwest friendly.

I hadn't been here in years, but used to come here for happy hour after work. Decided to try it out for dinner on a pretty summer evening. We decided to sit outside and had prompt, attentive service. I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was fantastic. My Old Fashioned was delicious, and when we went I wasn't starving so kind of wanted something light. A lot of the appetizers looked decent but still wanted something slightly healthy. They had an open-faced egg/asparagus sandwich that sounded light and intriguing. I almost would call this more of an appetizer than a sandwich, but either way it was delicious and I'd totally order it again. It was basically everything I was looking for and completely hit the spot. Will definitely make sure to come back sooner. read more

The Tipsy Cow - Sandwich - Asparagus & Egg - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Very cool pub. Stopped in for lunch and place was packed. Well worth the wait. Incredible burger and fries. Fried pickles outstanding. Monster half salad and killer steak tacos. Would have enjoyed a couple beers but duty calls. Classic interior with great background music. read more

Very cute spot with a great atmosphere, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. I genuinely wanted to enjoy it, but unfortunately the food didn't live up to expectations. I ordered the burger and after just two bites I could tell it wasn't for me. It was extremely greasy and, despite that, lacked flavor. The sauce on it was overpowering and didn't really help bring everything together. I ended up paying for a burger I could barely eat. The truffle fries also missed the mark. If you're looking for that classic truffle fries experience, this isn't it -- the truffle flavor was very subtle and the aioli was a bit too heavy. They also forgot one of my friend's items, which was disappointing. It may have just been an off day, but overall it wasn't the experience we were hoping for. read more

I ate here while traveling. Great food and service. The atmosphere is nice as well. I would definitely return.

They have some great seasonal cocktails for around $10. Friendly vibe, definitely a touristy spot. They curate a lot of local ingredients for their menu. Service is always on point. 4/5 due to lack of accessibility. read more

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Tipsy cow burger is juicy and as good as a restaurant burger gets. Nice job. Beer battered fries are nothing special but it served its purpose. Friendly staff. read more

The Tipsy Cow - Cowboy Burger and beer battered fries. - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Decent service at 12:30 pm but a bit slow. Decent truffle fries. Lamb tacos were too greasy and on the bland side. Lamb tacos came with charro beans, I thought, but got a small bowl of chili instead. I enjoyed the clam chowder. Garlic aioli with the truffle fries was good (warning, strong garlic) but was not as wild about the fries themselves. Seems to me truffle fries don't need a seasoning coating. Fries were crispy and warm. Good prices. Entrees for $12. I would eat here again, would be nice if they good take some grease out of food, though. read more

Classic Wisconsin fare in the middle of Madison downtown. Cheese curds were amazing as was the other food we had!!

We were trying to decide where to go for my birthday and came across the yelp listing for The Tipsy Cow. We had only been at the downtown location once since moving here a few years ago and just hadn't made it back. When I checked out the menu, seeing goat cheese on the list caught my attention. The me u was full of things that our family of 5 would like so I said I know where we are going. My husband and I had apple margaritas, which were tasty. I had the smoked salmon grill cheese, my husband had a spicy Korean sandwich. One kid had a brisket grilled cheese, another ham and cheese, and an other had a goat burger. Everything was delicious and being able to sit on the patio was a bonus. We will definitely be back read more

After being seated outside, we were ignored by waitstaff for at least 20 minutes despite the place not being very busy and there were muliple waitstaff walking around. Seemed super disorganized. Happy we decided to leave because we walked over to the beautiful beer garden at Great Dane and enjoyed wonderful service, ambiance, food, and drinks. read more

This was our first stop after checking in to our hotel. We ordered the goat cheese curds and I had a house turkey sandwich. Both were unique and very tasty. I would definitely make this a lunch stop if you're near the capital. read more

Great food great atmosphere and great prices. Location is in downtown Madison and easy to find and park.

This review is solely based on the bar area of Tipsy Cow! After grabbing dinner around the corner at The Old Fashioned, we were after a night cap in the area and stumbled upon The Tipsy Cow. The main entrance takes you into the dining area, but we entered the side entrance which places you directly in the bar area, which was perfect for us! Both areas are connected through a small hallway, but they both have their own vibe. We bellied up to the bar and ordered a few cocktails. The bartender was super friendly and made a great gin and tonic! We didn't get any food, but those giant chocolate cookies looked delicious! Overall, super chill spot for a cocktail in downtown Madison. Happy to swing back through on my next visit! read more

As someone who doesn't eat beef, a good alternative burger is rare to find. This lamb burger is splendid, great quality meat and good flavors in the dish overall. Need to come back ASAP! read more

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ALL I could hear when I walked into this Madison must-have is Tommy Boy. Like legit, Chris Farley was speaking from wherever he is saying-- "God, you're gonna remember this the rest of your life. Can't believe you've never been cow tipping before. Get ready to live." (Yes, I know tipping a cow is far different than a tipsy one... but with a little modification, this could be its motto.) Needless to say, Chris was not wrong. I could see this being my hangout if were to move to Madison. The Tipsy Cow isn't trying too hard. It's a fabulous watering hole in the shadow of the Capitol. It boasts a great patio, friendly staff, rotating tap and plethora of cocktails. We popped in for Happy Hour on a Monday. Absolutely no complaints here! Honestly, I was mad we didn't grab a bite to eat. The menu looks bomb dot com with a dozen or so appetizer options (including alligator bites and goat cheese curds)... and then burritos, tacos, salads, soups, mac n cheese options and more, The Tipsy Cow has something for everyone. The Tipsy Cow doesn't disappoint. read more

Me and a coworker stopped by here after searching for open places after a late work event. The interior of the restaurant/bar had a rustic, mid-western aesthetic with interesting decor and a local bar vibe. The staff that we met were super welcoming and offered tidbits on what to order. We ended up going with the alligator bites, fried cheese curds, pretzels (with a whole grain mustard sauce and a cheese sauce), and a grilled cheese. Overall, it was great bar food. I'd gotten a mango margarita mocktail which was refreshing and tart. The alligator bites were definitely interesting but pretty good, somewhere a mix between a tougher flaky fish texture wise. The cheese curds were a hit and the grilled cheese was also yum. The pretzels were also great and the cheese and mustard sauces were a good hit if you like that flavor profile! read more

The Tipsy Cow - alligator bites, grilled cheese, fried cheese curds, and pretzels (off to the right side) - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

O.M.G this place was delicious!! To start the vibes are on point such a fun and cute place, music was great & love the decor! The service was quick, but someone in my group had an order get mixed up and it was very quickly resolved! So service was quick and very very nice. My asparagus and egg sandwich was one of the best things I have ever eaten, it was amazing i'm talking 10/10 perfect it was truly like so so good. Will be coming back when i'm back in Madison!!! read more

The Tipsy Cow - Asparagus and Egg sandwich - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Just a great place to have really good drink and bar food on Madison's Capitol Square, on a balmy Friday night. We needed to find a place to eat and drink for the four of us and a dog, on our visit to Madison. There are quite a few restaurants with open air dining on the Square, so I suggested a place that none of us had gone before. When we got to the Tipsy Cow around 7, it was fairly busy but there were many open tables in the sidewalk dining area, so was confident that the wait wouldn't be too long. We were quoted 30 minutes for a table of 4 outside, and ended up only waiting 15. The restaurant uses an automated waitlist so can use the link sent to your phone to see where you are in line. The tables outside are spaced far enough apart to allow dogs to comfortably sit their owners. We were brought menus and waters, and given time to peruse the two page menu. Most places in Madison have Spotted Cow Ale on tap, so we ordered two pints ($5 each which is a great price) and Loon Juice Hard Cider ($6). I haven't had any Spotted Cow for eight years, so that first big sip made me very, very happy and set the tone for the rest of the dinner. The cheese curd appetizer ($10) was a must when first eating in Wisconsin, and didn't surprise. It came with two dipping sauces and had been made with fresh curds so was the right amount of chewy and stringey, with a good light batter. It's quite a bit better than what you can get at Culver's which is what people outside of Wisconsin are used to. We also got an asparagus app ($8), which came with 7 big pieces of asparagus that have been grilled over and drizzled with some light mayo dressing and black and white sesame seeds. My wife really liked it. My wife and future SiL ordered the Friday fish fry with Walleye ($16 each), which came with French fries, cole slaw, rye bread and two types of sauce. Both came with a very big piece of expertly battered, deep fried fish. It just puts other fish and chips meals outside of Wisconsin to shame. The fries were not great (probably the only thing not good in our meal), limp and greasy. But the cole slaw was fresh and zingey. My daughter got the 1X1 cheeseburger, using Knoche's beef ($10) and 3 year old cheddar with topped grilled onions. The bun was very soft (squishy), and she said she really enjoyed it. Knoche's was a local butcher shop that closed during the pandemic, but still provides very high quality meat to consumers and businesses. I also noticed that they use Nueske's smoked bacon, which my wife and I think is the best bacon out there. I got two shareable dishes: bowl of tipsy chili ($8) - excellent...I could eat two bowls of this with some bread and call it a very satisfying meal. Memphis Tots ($8) - never had this before, but it was a very popular dish with the table. It was great as -is (with a generous amount of the memphis dry rub seasoning), but also great dipped in the chili. It was very crispy, maybe even overly deep-fried, but it was great for us. The total for the 4 of us was $96, before tip. We laughed since this meal would have cost at least $200 in California and wouldn't have been as good (don't order walleye anywhere outside of the Midwest). We got to enjoy summer eating outside in Madison. And because it was the right amount, we still had space to get the best ice cream at the nearby Memorial Union. read more

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So yummy! First time here. They had specials and I got the poutine grilled cheese (fries, cheese curds, gravy and grilled onions) and a steak sandwich. read more

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Fresh food and great selection for kids. Love the crunchy fries. Decor is hip with lots of interesting knick-knacks. Service was excellent.

I took out lunch from here on a weekday. I took out a couple of sandwiches - spicy steak sandwich and korean beef sandwich. Both were excellent and super flavorful. Because ribeye was used, sandwich had a lot of beef fat which I loved. Sandwiches came nicely packed in aluminum boxes, which were aestetically pleasing as well as retained the heat for a long time. read more

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In town for a wedding and was a recommendation. 6 of us for a late dinner. Excellent service, good service and fair prices. An enjoyable experience read more

A must stop when visiting Madison. Excellent cheese curds and burgers. So many great options to choose from and I always struggle on what to order. But you can't go wrong with the burger and cheese curds. The burger is heavy and juicy with some good cheese curds you'll be full for sure afterwards. Service is always great no matter when you go. Staff is friendly. Even if you have a short trip you gotta eat here especially for the cheese curds. One of the best I had so far read more

The Tipsy Cow - Burger and cheese curds - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My last night in town, this was an unplanned choice. A lively, nay, raucous bar scene of young-ish folks living the life. My cute pixie bartender was super cheerful and welcoming. I went all in and ordered the walleye sandwich. I think, once upon a time, walleye was somewhat common, if seasonal, as a CNY fish fry choice, but it seems almost extinct, as haddock is king. I have to say, walleye and cod both throw shade at haddock. This fillet -skin on, but I'm totally cool with that- had a perfect beer batter coating, was light and flaky inside, and the chipotle mayo and fancy slaw window dressing were a nice uplift. As my mom used to say whenever she got a particularly big tail order at our local fish fry stand, "ooh! It's so big!". see the accompanying pic to assure yourself this isn't hyperbole. A nice half order of curds, a couple a' pickles (I wouldn't have minded more), a Spotted Cow, and then a Leinie Shandy, because at this point, I'm all in on all things Wisconsin. read more

The Tipsy Cow - Papa's PBR Battered Fried Walleye, with a half order of curds. - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place is amazing! It was a very busy Friday night, and we did have to wait a bit until our server got to us, but once she did, the service was outstanding! Then, the food! My wife had their grilled cheese with bacon and a roast garlic aioli which she said was extra special! I had the mushroom and swiss burger, which I have to say was the BEST mush and swiss I've ever had! The smashburger was super juicy and flavorful, and the mushroom and saute'd onion mix had so much flavor mixed with the melty Wisconsin swiss has truly set a very high bar. We have some really good burger restaurants back home in Indianapolis, but this burger blew their version out of the water! read more

Right off the downtown Madison capital square. They have patio seating, bar seating, and a separate dining area. The raspberry mule was AMAZING and my alligator bites were so good and tender. My friend was with and got the burger special and said that was also very good! Prices were not unreasonable. Good spot! read more

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There were 4 of us wandering around Madison trying the most recommended items from the servers at each stop. I love when the waiters/waitress just get it, hop on board, help us get the item cut in 4, bring the check, and root us on. Just great service for a short stop. This is my favorite burger place in Madison, I have personally eaten here but my guests have not and they agree... most flavorful burger they've tried. It's a cool little bar tavern perfect for a night out with friends. read more

The Tipsy Cow - Tipsy Cow Burger & Fries - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Love the food and beer here. The waitress was super friendly and very attentive. We sat outside on a very pretty spring Wisconsin day. Love this place!!! read more

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Very unfriendly and grumpy hostess, who somehow managed not to assign a server to our table. After about 15 minutes, we finally asked a passing server if she could help us. She was very helpful and friendly, apologized for the long wait and took the appetizers off our tab. The exact opposite of the hostess. Fried shrimp and goat-cheese curds were fantastic. Fried walleye sandwich was huge, but a bit heavy on the batter. lamb burger was very interesting with a strong lamb flavor. Plain cheeseburgers were also decent. read more

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