Bars and breweries in Madison, WI: 10 local spots
Ten bars, breweries and cocktail lounges in Madison, Wisconsin, with notes on what each serves and one detail that sets it apart.
10 local businesses · Updated November 2026 · From Our Local Spotlight
These ten businesses cover a range of plans, from cocktail bars and taprooms to a bookstore with a bar and a basement pizza spot. Many of them serve food, but not all, so it helps to decide first whether you want a full meal or just drinks. Check hours before you go, since they often differ by day and some places close their kitchens earlier than the bar. If you are planning a group visit or a private gathering, ask whether the venue takes bookings, and confirm whether seating is first-come, first-served. Ask about ID requirements too, since some bars ask guests to show identification.
1
COCKTAIL BAR
Bar Madison, WICocktail Bar serves house cocktails and wine by the glass, and it sells its own Black Squirrel Bitters. Its weekday happy hour, the Witching Hour, offers $9 house cocktails and $7 glasses of wine. The bar also hosts private events and takes booking inquiries.
2
Friends Applaud Tavern & Cafe
Bar Madison, WIFriends Applaud Tavern & Cafe is a neighborhood spot known for Raclette sandwiches, served alongside Loire Valley wines. The menu also includes espresso drinks, pastries, tins of fish and soups, and the room hosts live music on Saturdays and chess on Thursdays.
3
Garth's Brew Bar
Bar Madison, WIGarth's Brew Bar on Monroe Street pours 16 taps of American craft beer and keeps a bottle and can selection of 95 or more to take home. It offers 32-ounce crowlers for hikes and bike rides, and carry-in food is welcome.
4
Genna's Cocktail Lounge
Bar Madison, WIGenna's Cocktail Lounge is a family-owned downtown bar that Frank Genna opened on University Avenue in 1964. It moved to West Main Street in 1993 and offers a Bloody Mary bar on Saturday mornings after the farmers' market.
6
GREENBUSH BAR
Bar Madison, WIGreenbush Bar serves tavern-style pizza in the basement of the Italian Workmen's Club, one of the oldest continually operating Italian social clubs in America. The bar has served pizza since 1993, and tables are first-come, first-served with no reservations.
7
Herbiery Brewing
Bar Madison, WIHerbiery Brewing makes beers built around herbs, flowers and foraged ingredients. Its Chamomile Mulberry Blonde Ale uses locally foraged mulberries, and the brewery also offers a gluten-free Herbeweizen brewed with ALT Brew. Private event bookings are available.
8
Hop Haus Brewing Company
Bar Fitchburg, WIHop Haus Brewing Company runs a brewpub in Fitchburg and a taproom in Verona, pouring its own beer alongside wine and cocktails. The Fitchburg location has a food menu and sells Dilly Dally THC drinks, and the brewery also runs a mug club.
9
Leopold's Books Bar Caffe
Bar Madison, WILeopold's Books Bar Caffe combines a neighborhood bookstore, bar and coffee shop under one roof. Guests can order espresso or craft cocktails and browse books arranged by country of origin, and the spot is friendly to night owls with a raw bar on the menu.
10
Mickey's Tavern
Bar Madison, WIMickey's Tavern on Williamson Street pairs a kitchen with live music, and weekend brunch is served until 2 PM. Weekdays open around midday and weekends start in the morning. The kitchen closes in the late evening, so order food before then.
Details come from each business’s own listing in Madison Local Directory. Businesses don’t pay to be in our guides.