20 Best Dive Bars in Madison

“Our son just moved to Madison so we’re looking for local places to frequent, Slice’s is definitely on the list! Delicious food, friendly staff, good prices. Did the Friday fish fry and it was fantastic.“

“Really fun lil dive bar! Friendly bartender. Within walking distance of the Sylvee. ❤️“

“This place is a true hidden gem! Doesn't look like much from the outside, but walking in - holy cow! Give your eyes a moment to adjust because it is very dark, which makes it hard to see the tigers, and there are tigers everywhere! I had a few beers and got great friendly service from Alyssa and Teddy - awesome bartenders! I saw them make a few fancy drinks that looked delicious, but I had to head out. If you are looking for a bar that is unique, this is a MUST STOP!“

“I enjoy the overall square footage“

“Great Burgers“

“Came for St. Patrick's Day specials. Did not disappoint. Highly recommend. Delicious corned beef special. Very friendly staff. Great service. Convenient location.“

“The best burgers! Just a great old bar.“

“Friendly, amazing music, great outside place. Bring a chair and settle in.“

“Okay this place is KILLER for tacos. The scorcher, the New Guy, and the Old guy tacos were amazing. Just had the nachos for the first time and I'm pretty sure I had an out of body experience or something. So good. My friends said the oysters were good too. The only thing that I had that was not a culinary masterpiece was the Islander taco. It was just bland by comparison to the other yummy stuff there.“

“Hopped by after happy hour margaritas & tacos across the street. This spot was an awesome no-frills bar. They’ve got a private room in the back, two pool tables. Juke box, pull tabs, tv on for football games (the lions were playing so I was tuned in). Beer on draft and also cans. Bartender was easy-going. The only pic I took was in the bathroom stall, haha. There’s a male bathroom and a female bathroom.“

“Still one of my favorite dive bars in Wisconsin. Had a pretty good burger this time too. Got to pet a couple of good dogs and was able to enjoy a pair of reasonably priced beers. Glad to see some things have stayed awesome since I left this beautiful town.“

“One of my Madison faves!!!“

“great food, great bar tenders, great atmosphere, great time every time I stop in! huge shout out to Kurt/Claire/Derrick/Linken/Marley for always knowing me by name and making every stop amazing!!!“

“we came in close to close and were treated every bit as warmly as the first customer. the burgers were delicious, the old fashions were fantastic, the staff so friendly,with great service. we'll be back! your new friends from baraboo edie and doug haney“

“Very cool place if you like calm, and not crowded. The bartender was very nice. The people (aka guest) very nice. Small bit enjoyable. A place for awesome communication, worth partying in small groups, or alone. Rather than party scenes that are over crowded, ect“

“Best bar in madison!! :) cheaper food n drinks! And the air conditioner works! Plus right there“

“Best bar in Madison! Drinks are cheap and good, bartenders are so nice and helpful, and bouncers are hilarious. Music is good typically. Bathrooms are comparable to most college bar bathrooms— nothing to write home about but it’ll get the job done. Come in for a good time!“

“10/10 recommend if you're looking for a chill spot to unwind and hang with some pretty amazing locals. We're visiting from Panama City, FL for Canoecopia and absolutely loved the time we spent at The Paradise Lounge. Steve was not only a great bartender, he really made us feel at home. Midwestern charm at its finest! He also gave us lots of great recommendations to keep us busy during the downtime on our trip. We'll definitely be stopping back in before we head home.“

“Good bar but I gotta shoutout to whoever works there that thinks it’s acceptable to be putting his hands on people in a threatening manner on an almost daily basis the past few days I’ve been in. Sure hope nobody contacts the police to press charges.“