38 Best Cocktail Bars in Madison

“Fantastic cozy bar. This was our first stop on a round of three different bars recently and was by far our favorite. The decor is somewhat sparse and reminiscent of an art gallery, but the lighting and fun amenities (arts & crafts, coffee table books, Thursday night free snacks) add to the charm. The drinks were unique and fresh and the service was good. I appreciated the offerings of N/A beverages that weren’t just soda on tap. I had a grapefruit Sage fizzy N/A drink and my spouse had a lovely gin mixed drink (gin, passion fruit, tea). Definitely will be back!“

“We had heard good things about Lallande and we were not disappointed. We ate at the bar which I would highly recommend. Our server was Nina and she made the evening fun. I had the salmon and my husband had the lamb chops. Generous portions and absolutely delicious. We also had the chicken pate which was so good. But the highlight for us was the carrot tarte. A must have, if you go.The owner Ann Marie was working in the kitchen keeping all the balls in the air, but she took time to visit with us and made us feel extra welcome. Do yourself a favor and dine at Lallande on Monroe St. Perhaps we'll see you there because we'll be back! Five stars.“

“Thank you Michael and Brandon! First time at the Union Corners . We will definitely be back !“

“We thought this place was a gem! The bartender Jon was able to make a Ramos gin fizz and hit it out of the park!“

“Me and my family stopped by a day ago. The customer service was amazing. If I remember correctly, our server’s name was Trinity. He was very kind to my grandma . Also, the food was delicious, our server recommended I try the strawberry burrata which was amazing. I would stop by again. Five stars.“

“Really neat environment. It was welcoming and intimate despite being fairly large. There was plenty of seating and although noise carried moderately (it is a bar after all), it was easy enough to have a conversation. I appreciated the large amount of unique drinks and specialty mocktails. It’s always such a bummer to see only soda for N/A options, so this was a treat. It’s also cool that you can order sushi from Jacknife. We tried Dew My Honey (N/A) and Bonsoir Subaru. Definitely will try again!“

“Taj Indian Cuisine & Bar was a "breath of fresh air" in fine dining. The food was just absolutely delicious. The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere was modern and fun. I highly recommend Taj Indian Cuisine & Bar for a wonderful meal!!!“

“Finally got to this place after anticipating it for a while. Cocktails were very pretty and creative/good. Appetizers good. Ambience fairly generic, clean, good for a business meeting with people you don't know or drinks with in-laws.“

“I’ve been to RED several times, and it keeps me coming back. I really enjoy the modern atmosphere. The lighting, colors, and background music give it a relaxed lounge vibe without being too loud or distracting.

The service has always been excellent, and the food comes out surprisingly fast. The sashimi is fresh with a great selection of fish, and the presentation is beautiful. The miso soup was outstanding, and I always think that’s a good sign of a quality sushi restaurant.“

“Top notch atmosphere, great drinks, good food and snacks, dog friendly. Feels like a cabin in the northwoods. I want to decorate my basement to resemble the Muskellounge because it just has the perfect feel. A must stop whenever we are in town. Highly recommend this place.“

“Stiff drinks and a loose time“

“We stopped here on my friend’s bachelorette drinking trail. The bartender, Eric, was talented, engaging, and extremely good at what he does. The drinks were amazing, and the atmosphere is very aesthetic. I would definitely recommend the Dreamsicle! The prices were extremely reasonable for the quality.“

“Haven promises to live up to it's name and rather more. In the midst of many, many new Asian restaurants on or near State Street, Haven stands out for having a warm, open, well-lit and tasteful atmosphere--including not only a few games but a well-chosen, literate bookshelf that welcomes you to linger. The tea selection finally brings us back to the long-lost day of Dobra tea, finally expanding the State Street area Asian dining experience beyond bag tea. The food is equal to these other successes. I had the braised beef noodle bowl. This was a generous, flavorful no-nonsense bowl with a goodly bone-n joint of beef in the midst of the other hearty chucks of meat. The broth and the noodles were up to the same generous, flavorful standard. I observed in passing that they seem to have the liquor selection they will need to fit in with State Street, though that isn't a reason why I stopped in. I will certainly be back.“

“Cordial nails it every single time! Excellent drinks, genuinely friendly service, a cozy vibe that makes you want to stay for one more.“

“We recently had the pleasure of dining at AmarPeru today, marking my first experience with Peruvian cuisine, and it did not disappoint! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance struck us as both elegant and inviting. The decor was sophisticated, setting the perfect tone for a delightful meal. Upon our arrival, the executive chef greeted us with a warm smile, which immediately made us feel welcomed. With our excitement, we dove into the menu and decided to sample a variety of dishes: lomo saltado, paella, ceviche mixto, truffle yuca fries, and anticucho. Each dish was a masterpiece, showcasing just the right balance of flavors. We savored every bite, feeling completely satisfied yet still we left a room for dessert. We chose to indulge in alfajores, arroz con leche, and pisco tres leches. She even has us try the passion fruit juice and one of their specialty dessert. Desserts were the perfect ending to our meal, the ideal balance of sweetness and texture that we wanted. Overall, our experience at AmarPeru was fantastic! We left feeling full and happy, already planning our return to explore more of their culinary offerings. It was a wonderful opportunity to immerse ourselves in a different culture's cuisine, and I can't wait to go back! Highly recommended for anyone looking to try something new and delicious. Thank you to the chef and the entire team for crafting such a delicious meal. 🫶“

“One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time! My husband and I had a great date night. Fabulous meal, service and atmosphere.“

“Nice little local spot, great fit for Madison.
I can't believe I've never wandered in here before, it's a fun little bar. If I went out more I could see it being a regular hangout spot. Not sure if we were sitting under a speaker or the volume was a bit high, but slightly louder than my tastes, then again I do like a quieter setting overall so that that how you will.“

“As good as it gets for atmosphere and staff.“

“Juicy grilled steak, roasted corn, black beans, sautéed peppers, shredded cheese, cotija, and a double scoop of guac—loaded up Baja-style. 10/10 flavor explosion in every bite 🌯🔥 (And yes, someone’s hoping I drop it 😅🐶)“

“Took my daughter to this 60’s inspired cocktail style restaurant, to celebrate her birthday. We both agree that the overall vibe was sensational. The staff was amazing with our waitress being kind and courteous, as well as prompt with service. The menu is rather eclectic with various options, so there is something for everyone. The design of the place is thoughtful with the music matching the vibe. I am excited to see what the future holds for Lola's!“

“Cute atmosphere. A little overpriced. Chicken Taco way over seasoned . Recommend adding simple tacos for children or others that enjoy the basic taco. Bandito delicious ! I’ve never been where you have to pay for chips & salsa . Adding in fountain soda would be a plus .“

“What an incredible experience! Everything from the drinks, food, service and atmosphere was amazing. We cannot wait to come back again. Gabe was an incredible server - personable, knowledgeable, funny, and had the best timing (he just knew when we needed another cocktail). I cannot recommend this place enough!“

“Love the rustic indrustrialized interior. The outdoor beer garden is absolutely charming with grape vines and lights. Staff are all very friendly and attentive. Really enjoyed the Strawberry Fields cocktail and the freshly made Ellsworth cheese curds. Can't wait to go back and try more!“

“Nice little spot in the Sheraton hotel. William, our waiter was fabulous! Very friendly and attentive! We also had a waitress deliver our food, Christine. Both were so nice and made sure we were well taken care of. The food was great, my lemon drop martini was one of the best I have had! Def will go back!“

“I'm not much for the downtown thing but this little place was awesome last night. Super rad bartenders with great stories :) Also, I got pretty drunk, which is cool.“

“It's hard to know where to start. First they have Guinness on tap they have harp on tap they have some incredible drink selections but let's go away from there and go to the food I only had the basically the fish and chips the batter was incredibly light it was not greasy it didn't detract in a fish the fish inside was amazing the chips were great decent french fries fresh as opposed to cook for 2 hours before the coleslaw was superb they've been a two slices of rye bread with it the rest of the menu looked very good it had sandwiches anywhere from 12:00 to $19 main meals anywhere from 22 to 42 or higher market price steak whatever that means in English and the appetizers look amazing so I'd recommend it if you're going to be in a first class hotel in Madison Wisconsin which isn't going to happen to everyone and barely happen to me I recommend this place it's got aesthetics and Keith and they do wear masks“

“The catering order placed for our holiday lunch was simply amazing. Legit best value for the price, great flavor, and those homemade sauces are a true chef's kiss. Def. recommend!“

“Cozy atmosphere, great food and drinks!“

“Ive been going to the Bonfyre for years and I really love the place. For the past year it has been infested with gnats or fruit flies or whatever they are. . You cant take a sip or a bite without waving them away. Its annoying as hell and gross. Its not a one time thing, I go there often and its not getting better. This afternoon I stopped in for a couple of beers and some calamari appetizer. I love their calamari! I used to, today I got a massive plate of breaded bread. And swatted flies away the entire time. I'm not giving up on Bonfyre but if they cant fix the bug problem soon I'm done. I stopped by Badger Tavern before going to Bonfyre, the parking lot was packed as was the entire street so went to Bonfyre. Bonfyre was pretty empty. The atmosphere at Bonfyre should and could be a 5 star...get rid of your bug problem!“

“I was snowed-in to my parking spot across the street and they lent me a shovel! After struggling to dig myself out for 20 minutes they even sent an employee out to help lol. Not food/drink related but it says a lot about the service!! Thanks for your help guys! It was much appreciated.“

“Overall a great spot! The chicken tenders were HUGE, sides delicious and the staff were awesome.“

“good place, good drinks, good food, great atmosphere!“

“Probably my fave Madison bar. Snap pea gin cocktail was baller, thanks. Also had either a diamondback or jersey lightning, cant remember what was on their menu.

Personaable, fun, classic. Bar manager cares about what they're doing. Refreshing.“

“I LOVE ILSA! ILSA is probably one of the best people I have ever met. Ilsa made my experience at the stuffed Olive so much better than I could even explain. This is my second time here, but I thoroughly enjoyed the service that I received from ilsa this time way more. I never write reviews, but today I am going to write one for ilsa because of how much of an impact ilsa made on my experience here today.“

“Fabulous place, omg the view of the capital is amazing“

“Awesome free chips and yummy margaritas. yummo“

“Food and Service were great!“

“Absolutely loved the food choices. Everything was fantastic. The location was awesome and atmosphere was very fun.“