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Whether you’re a beer drinker or a shaken not stirred sipper, you’re guaranteed to have Mad Fun drinking your way around Wisconsin’s capital city. From pubs to dive bars, breweries to cocktail lounges you’ll find it all in Madison, Wisconsin. Making this city ripe for bar crawls for all of legal drinking age; from 21 to 100.
Madison is home to the University of Wisconsin and is one of only two major U.S. cities build on an isthmus which means the happy hours are endless, the nightlife lit and stellar lake views constant.
Here’s a round-up of stops to consider for your next bar crawl or weekend getaway in the city. We bounced around to each of these stops as a part of a themed bar crawl put on by DOGE. There were two other themed bar crawls going on at the same time our group of 40 was crawling too!
If you plan bar crawl, we hope you’ll be responsible and crash with friends in the city or book a hotel room in advance. We highly recommend a stay at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club which is within easy walking distance to all locations mentioned in this post. Plus, it has one of the most stunning views of the Capitol building from their top floor Governor’s Club!
Farmer’s Market
Before you start enjoying lots of buzzy drinks, fill up on carbs at the Farmer’s Market (you’ll thank us later for this recommendation). There’s no shortage of fantastic carb-heavy options to choose from like homemade cinnamon buns, breads (including vegan options) and enchiladas. Our personal favorite is the empanada made with cheese curds. The dough was soft, chewy and buttery which is just how we like it. Empanadas are $9 each and they tend to sell out rather quickly. There is also an empanada food stall/cart in the area in case you need a plan B on the empanada front.
The Farmer’s Market in Madison opens mid-April and runs until November. Over 100 vendors set up along the Capitol Square. This market is also the largest producer-only market in the U.S.
Memorial Union Terrace
Once you’ve carb loaded, it’s time to start sipping. A great place to start – especially if the weather is nice – is Memorial Union Terrace or as it’s more commonly referred to, “the Terrace”. Located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the terrace is a great hang out spot. In the warm months (starting about mid-April) this spot is filled with a sea of brightly colored chairs and offers a range of outdoor events like live music at the pavilion and movie nights. We grabbed a pitcher and a table along Lake Mendota to kick things off.
Bonus! There is free Wi-Fi here and public restrooms.
Paul’s Club
Address: 204 State St., Madison, Wisconsin
While Madison is a college town and State Street a popular hangout for students, Paul’s Club isn’t your typical college bar. For one, there is a huge tree inside complete with string lights for a wooded/fairytale like vibe. There are also retro-style couches in addition to high-boys and bar seating. Depending on what you’re drinking and what’s on tap, beer prices are good here. A PBR ran us just $3 each.
Great Dane Pub and Brewing (Downtown location)
Address 123 E. Doty, St., Madison, Wisconsin
A must visit brewpub, if you’re looking for a Wisconsin made craft beer, award-winning cheese curds, local merch or even to play some pool or shuffleboard. This is where it all started for Great Dane, and at the flagship location you’ll find a space to match your vibe… guaranteed. Grab a seat at one of the bar spaces, head downstairs to a dive bar like scene or grab a table in pool hall with a TV or stain glass window view. They always have specials (check out their Instagram for the latest) and a rewards program too.
Madison’s
Address: 119 King St., Madison, Wisconsin
This one’s for the cocktail lovers because coming to Madison’s and not ordering at least one artisanal cocktail would be a miss. A big miss. Jalapeno margs are always a solid choice, if you ask us. Madison’s likes to say they are a casual bar but we like to say it’s the bougie one of this lineup and we mean that in the nicest way possible. We love Madison’s – good and fast service and the best food/menu making this the spot for you to put something in that stomach once you’ve got a bit of a buzz going. You can’t go wrong with any of the dishes but the huevos rancheros ($14) are A+. You could also start your day here with a boozy brunch.
Prost! Madison
Address: 401 E. Washington Ave., Madison, Wisconsin
If you’ve never chugged from a glass boot or enjoyed a pint in a church turned brewery, you’ll get the chance to do both at Prost! This German Beer Hall has church pew seating and original stain glass windows. They also serve up classic big pretzels and sausages in addition to all kinds of beer + ciders and hard seltzers. The place can get packed depending on what sporting event they might be streaming so call ahead to check especially on the weekends.
The Plaza Tavern
Address: 319 N Henry St., Madison, Wisconsin
When things start winding down for the night and you’re looking for a no frills, cheap drink place to round out the night, the Plaza could very well be that spot. This is an older, dive bar with simple drinks and simple bar food (think onion rings and baskets of fries). You can throw darts in the back for a couple bucks and you’ll find seating in the back as well. The front part of the bar is really just a wide-open space to cram the college crowd into during game days. Staff is always friendly and it’s a huge hit/well known in Madison.
Before you start visiting waterholes around the city
Look into the Madison on Tap Craft Beverage Trail. Visit Madison describes this as “a free roadmap to 30+ breweries, cideries and distilleries in the Madison, Wisconsin area, with discounts and prizes along the way.” After you complete the easy sign-up process on your cellphone, you can check-in to different stops (no app to download required). The more check-ins you complete, the cooler the prizes you can score. Another perk of signing up is that most participating businesses offer exclusive discounts such as $1 off drafts, BOGOs and merch discounts too. Discounts vary from place to place. We checked in and used coupons at a few places. It’s very simple to use but you will need to provide access or allow access to your location/GPS.
Please drink responsibly and have a DD on stand-by if needed. Bottoms up!
~ Justin + Alyssa
