Local Guides World

Top Cocktail bars in Madison, United States

Top Rated Cocktail bars in Madison

Top Reviewed Cocktail bars in Madison

Reviews

Some Girl
at 2024 Jul 16
Some Girl
at 2024 Jul 16
It's not that I doubted it would be worth the money, but it definitely surpassed my expectations. I enjoyed the merchant burger, definitely one of the best burgers in town!
Tammy Trawally
at 2024 Jul 14
Tammy Trawally
at 2024 Jul 14
I had the pleasure of dining here for the first time yesterday 7/13 for my birthday and the service was amazing the rain came down pouring I made into the restaurant soaking wet I was offered a towel to dry up as much as I could (thank you so much to the two wonderful greeters who welcomed me in I'm so sorry I remember your names ) and to our server who was equally fabulous who made sure my nut allergy was not an issue. With that said the atmosphere was very pleasant and inviting. The food was delicious I different recommend and I will back hopefully not on a rainy day.
C L
at 2024 Jul 14
C L
at 2024 Jul 14
charcuterie board is worthy of praise, beware of the arrogant inexperienced service staff. Bartender was inattentive and had to be asked multiple times to refill my water. Our food was initially delivered to the wrong diner and after being placed in front of us no one checked in for drink refills or even describe what we ordered (this is the cheddar, this the aged sausage etc). 3rd time in since the renovation and frankly the service has been terrible each time. Will not return, may I suggest Sardine down the road instead ???
P Weber
at 2024 Jul 07
P Weber
at 2024 Jul 07
I had a truly fabulous evening! Kelby, the bartender, was very supportive and creative. The welcoming environment inspired me to sketch a picture of the restaurant. I can't wait to return for more unforgettable moments. Thank you, Kelby, for making my night better and brighter!
We were really looking forward to visiting The Merchant again on our visit
to Madison. Unfortunately, this visit was not nearly the excellence we have experienced in the past. The bar tender was not knowledgeable or attentive, although, he was friendly. The food had to be sent back because the egg whites in the eggs Benedict were not cooked. We were given a discount, which was appreciated, but there is something the management needs to address as the vibe has changed. The customer experience does not seem to be the focus. As for the kitchen, I watched a cook clean out her ear, then touch food, no gloves, and did not wash her hands. Hopefully, this was just a bad day, and our next visit will see this restaurant up to it’s usual high standards.
Tori
at 2024 Jun 27
Tori
at 2024 Jun 27
Fantastic spot for dinner. I made a reservation for 1 and was sat at my table right on time. My cocktail was lovely, my pasta was perfect, and my affogato was a yummy finish. Service was spot on without being bothersome. Inviting atmosphere too. When I am back in Madison I would love to return here to try more of their menu.
Kris Houtler
at 2024 Jun 22
Kris Houtler
at 2024 Jun 22
We chose to celebrate our anniversary with a first time visit to Bar Corallini. The cocktail selection was delightful. I had the risotto which looks like a work of art and my husband chose the pesto dish that was amazing. Thanks to our server Krystal and the entire staff for an anniversary well celebrated.
Matt Bolen
at 2024 Jun 02
Matt Bolen
at 2024 Jun 02
We had the rigatoni alla bolognese, which was very good. The rigatoni was perfectly al dente and the sauce was rich and meaty. The breadcrumbs added a fun contrast of texture and the ricotta was smooth and creamy. The ricotta gnocchi was very good. The gnocchi were pillowy and the sauce was rich and creamy with the butternut squash. The whole dish was very rich, I'd recommend ordering several items and having the table share. A few bites of each dish were perfectly satisfying and executed perfectly. We ended the meal with an afacado, super good!!! The vanilla Gelato was so smooth and floral with the vanilla bean and the espresso shot was warm and fruity.
Overall and excellent place to eat! Will be back!
Jorge Guardado
at 2024 May 30
Jorge Guardado
at 2024 May 30
Drove to Madison and decided to explore the area and stop by this Nice coffee shop. I was treated very well, and so were my dogs. One of the workers brought water for my dogs outside. The coffee was really good, and loved that they had a lot of different choices of flavors for the lattes. The Fruit cup and grilled vegetable wrap both were very delicious. Well, be back again thank you for being dog friendly.
Brandon Meyers
at 2024 May 30
Brandon Meyers
at 2024 May 30
Very cute and quite coffee shop right across from the county courthouse on the site of Oliver Hardy's child hood home.
The barista was top notch, full of positive energy which is exactly what I love to see in coffee shops.
Susan Kramer
at 2024 May 23
Susan Kramer
at 2024 May 23
Delightful afternoon stop for wine and cheese tray! Service was wonderful. Seating is mostly outside but nice to sit and enjoy the square. Highly recommend!
jayy dinera
at 2024 May 20
jayy dinera
at 2024 May 20
Grace is simply the best ! I have come to botanist social with my friends since it opened. We have always loved the food drinks and ambiance however the service was always sub par. Today i came in and had a server by the name of grace. After coming here for the first time in a while it was so refreshing to be greeted with the sunshine and friendly personality she emulates . Not only did she care for us but met us with a great attitude and demeanor that we had be looking for here for years!
Grace was our server and she was AMAZING! Normally the service is very cold and impersonal, but grace was warm and welcoming! She was attentive and very friendly/polite. Will be coming back to specifically see grace!
Domenica Schiro
at 2024 May 18
Domenica Schiro
at 2024 May 18
Bar Corallini was everything we expected and more. Food was prepared perfectly with fresh, well selected ingredients. Service was friendly and timely. Atmosphere is eclectic. Thank you for preserving that beautiful building!
Jessica Luke
at 2024 May 11
Jessica Luke
at 2024 May 11
I visited this place over the summer and it was the first time I had ever had a latte and it was delicious. The girl behind the counter was extremely helpful and patient with me a coffee novice. Back home, I have tried lattes from a variety of different places and none of them measured up to the latte I had from this place. Today, I returned to this place and I was sorely disappointed. I walked in and the girl behind the counter (different from the one before) asked me what I wanted and I said a honey latte (hot) and after taking my order and my money, she proceeded to walk next door and get champagne glasses instead of starting on my order. She left my family and I and two customers in the shop alone. She then came back in and slowly started on our order. She would talk to the other customers in the shop, take long breaks between working on our order, not even watching what she was doing and then when I received our order it was an iced latte. I pointed this out to her after she gave me only two of the lattes, (I paid for three) and she said she would redo them but after the customer service I had received I just wanted to leave. Before she handed me the other latte, she walked out the front door to holler at a young lady walking by. I regrettably leave this review because my first experience with this place was unforgettable and I could not wait to get back to it, (fyi, I live four hours away), but after today, I cringe at the thought of going back.
Thursday 5/9 at 4:30 my friends and I showed up to plain spoke to have a cocktail. We go in and get greeting by the bartender and he serves us and we pay for our first drink. Everything was good and we were satisfied and planned on chilling there for the night because it was not busy and even discussed ordering food and more drinks.

Not even 10 minutes after receiving our drink the bartender says to us “just letting you guys know I’m not offended or anything, but not leaving a dollar on the bar after getting served is a really good way of not getting good service by your bartender. I know you guys are students but I’m just saying”

This was completely rediculous. He immediately assumed we were not going to be tipping him. We’re also not students. My character felt very judged. I always tip my servers and bartenders before I leave. Sorry it wasn’t within the first 10 minutes of us being there. We finished our drinks and left feeling very uncomfortable. I’ve never experienced something like this at a bar before.
Patrick Schommer
at 2024 May 10
Patrick Schommer
at 2024 May 10
What a great place! Excellent food with a wide variety of choices. The vegan beet salad was full of flavor and the perfect starter. We had a delicious muffuletta (could only eat half), gluten free pizza (rated excellent), and vegan pasta with mushrooms. Capped it off with dessert and coffee to celebrate graduation, and we were getting close to our 2-hour reservation limit. Great service and a bustling atmosphere made it a wonderful treat for our small group. With tip the bill ran to just over $50/person.
Daniel Fogel
at 2024 May 08
Daniel Fogel
at 2024 May 08
Excellent selection of pastas and other courses. Lots of starters and we selected the Farinata fries which were crispy and paired with a spiced mayonnaise type sauce. Pasta portions are fairly large and could be easily shared along with a meat course entree. Will return
Akshay Amin
at 2024 May 06
Akshay Amin
at 2024 May 06
Ambience- great ambience and decor. Cozy date night feels

Food- good Appetizers. We had the mushroom flatbread and salmon bruschetta.
We had lobster roll as our large plate. Let’s just say it was not value for money in terms of taste and portions.

Drinks- good selection of cocktails. Inconsistent flavors when w ordered the repeat drink.

Overall, it seems to be a good place to hangout for pre-dinner cocktails. But won’t consider this as a dinnner place.
Love the vibe of this place, and love the menu to try their cocktails on tap. The service is just ok. most of the space is first-come seating with no table service, and bartenders don't have a great system/patience when people are crowding at the only open bar spot to order (which is poorly located). it's not a craft cocktail scene, most cocktails are tastings of their premade canned cocktails.
Melissa Polizzi
at 2024 Apr 27
Melissa Polizzi
at 2024 Apr 27
Fantastic drinks and chill talented bartenders! Drinks were very reasonably priced for the level of complexity they offer! A great place to take colleagues and clients after a long day at a conference!
Mitchell Kelly
at 2024 Apr 17
Mitchell Kelly
at 2024 Apr 17
Really great coffee shop. The staff is always friendly and it's a cozy atmosphere. I also judge a coffee shop by the ability to get a cappuccino right. Too often I get a "kinda frothy latte" but NOT HERE! Ya'll never miss on the cappuccino game. Keep it up.
Our first time dining here, for our son’s bday celebration they offered a delectable dessert! This earned points for sure!
Food was excellent and the service was impeccable.
Sandy Caughlan
at 2024 Mar 24
Sandy Caughlan
at 2024 Mar 24
Cool looking place. Service was good. The food and drinks were underwhelming. Had the risotto, which was bland. I typically don't salt my food much, but this was one note. Needed more acid, salt, or something. We had the gin, raspberry, lime, egg white drink, and it was incredibly sour. Like drinking lime juice. Requested some simple syrup to make it drinkable. The onion fondue was good. Although I was expecting a cheesy onion fondue, it was not. It was like French onion soup without the broth. It was still yummy with the chips. That was my favorite thing here.
Adam Sch.
at 2024 Mar 10
Adam Sch.
at 2024 Mar 10
We had an excellent time for our anniversary. Food was delicious, we’ve never had a bad special there, drinks or food. Service is always spot on. It’s become one of our favorite spots.
Justin Arndt
at 2024 Feb 27
Justin Arndt
at 2024 Feb 27
This place is so awesome. Small local businesses doing things right! Come by and say hi to Ella! She is amazing at her craft ☕️
Sara Errthum
at 2024 Feb 17
Sara Errthum
at 2024 Feb 17
This was my first time back for a meal since the restaurant's reopening. It's a great spot for gathering with with friends or a date. We started with several dishes including the Bibb lettuce salad, cheese curds and the charcuterie board from the bar snacks/starter portion of the menu. The salad was very refreshing and light. It's fairly big and we were able to share it across 4-5 people. The curds came with a spicy hot honey (not spicy so give it a try) and an aioli. The charcuterie board came with two cheeses, a couple of meets, jam, bread, pickles and more. I would rate it as in my top five. My friend and I shared the steak and frites along with the beet salad. One of the best beet salads I've had! It was a friend's birthday and he got a choice of dessert. The carrot cake was amazing and I'm not really a carrot cake person. The cream cheese frosting melts I. Your mouth. We also tried the flourless cake and which I'm always a sucker for. It was small but didn't disappoint.
Cassidy Sahy
at 2024 Feb 08
Cassidy Sahy
at 2024 Feb 08
Stopped in on a whim before a show at the Overture and so pleased that we did! It's beautifully decorated, provides an impressive gin menu, and has a great SOCIAL atmosphere. The menu is creative without being inaccessible, the plates were perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. We tried the lobster roll and the red snapper, but saw so many of the other dishes as they were happily received by other guests. The food we had was without flaw, and the cocktails were pretty and perfectly balanced. Still, perhaps the best part of our experience was the excellent service! We were fortunate to have a great duo of bartenders on a Wednesday eveing who (from someone in the industry) worked so wonderfully as a team, kept a tidy bar, and expertly crafted each cocktail for the packed house while still remaining so attentive to us diners at the bar. The service was so outstanding from the moment we entered the door, it outshined even the immaculate menu offerings.
venessa
at 2024 Jan 26
venessa
at 2024 Jan 26
Just came for cocktails but we will definitely be back to try the food. Great service, gorgeous space, and impressive gin collection.
Jen Peters
at 2024 Jan 26
on RED
Jen Peters
on RED
at 2024 Jan 26
Ordered online for pick up, ready quickly. Super fresh and delicious.
Claire Catino
at 2024 Jan 24
on RED
Claire Catino
on RED
at 2024 Jan 24
Wish I had taken more photos! We ate here for my birthday and the experience was wonderful and memorable. We didn't have a reservation but they were still able to seat us.

The restaurant it's self is beautifully decorated and designed so you feel extra special being there.
The servers were very attentive and kind and made sure our needs were met at all times.

The food was phenomenal! I have eaten here in the past and been impressed but in recent years I became vegan and was hesitant to revisit. I wished I hadn't waited to return because their vegan offerings were so delicious I am still thinking about them and can't wait to go back! Our favorite was the nutty vegan roll but we had 2-3 others that were just as good. There were some dishes and appetizers that were veganizable, we love when a restaurant can accommodate.
Kenneth Allen
at 2024 Jan 23
on RED
Kenneth Allen
on RED
at 2024 Jan 23
The ambiance is exceptional. The service is first class. The food is over priced. We usually go here once a year with a group and order the entire specialty side of the menu. The quantity and quality is not anything special. There are other sushi restaurants that will give you more rolls of the same quality for half the price.
Absolutely love this place! Always a go-to for us. Great people, great service, great drinks, great vibes!
Jess Riley
at 2024 Jan 09
Jess Riley
at 2024 Jan 09
Amazing, thoughtful food! The attention to detail and care that went into every dish was clear and much-appreciated. Our 4-top shared four appetizers +dessert, and everyone ordered a main. Everything was seriously delicious, including the craft cocktails. I'm vegan (dining companions are not), and it was wonderful to be able to order anything on the menu and share several unique apps for the table. I'd love to come back when the courtyard dining space opens again in spring. There is also a coffee shop and fun little "secret" bar in the Robinia space. Highly recommended!!
Wonderful downtown spot, not too far from available parking.
Fun atmosphere, quality food with a modern flair.
All the meals were very enjoyable it was a Sunday so we went for the brunch menu . 👍👍
Karina Mazari
at 2023 Dec 11
on RED
Karina Mazari
on RED
at 2023 Dec 11
Absolutely beautiful food to service. I feel like it is a place worthy of celebrating something big like a proposal, graduation or even a birthday.

Sushi dishes are amazing and filling. For my dietary requirements I can’t have foods with alcohol in so they made me a separate rice for my sushi since they do add some wine in their normal rice 🍚 for sushi 🍣
Yuliang Hu
at 2023 Dec 03
on RED
Yuliang Hu
on RED
at 2023 Dec 03
I forgot to take a picture of the salmon lover sushi I got but it was delicious and beautifully made. We thought the salads were more of a side dish but they were actually of a decent entree sized portion and full of flavor. Service was slower than I expected on the day we went.
Kate Spratlin
at 2023 Dec 03
Kate Spratlin
at 2023 Dec 03
I love going to local coffee places and this one ended up being one not to miss. I loved my iced mocha and we split a croissant which was so great. I highly recommend this place.
Lake Kubilius
at 2023 Nov 12
Lake Kubilius
at 2023 Nov 12
Madison has several excellent vegan restaurants, but this one was the best of the lot for me. Fantastic food managing to make mushrooms into startlingly good meat approximations. (I know many vegan places claim this, but most such claims are laughable. This place really delivers!) Excellent flavors, presentations, and personable service. A little on the pricey side, but well worth trying or for a special occasion!
My husband and I have visited Plain Spoke a couple times and decided to host a welcome party for our wedding guests. The planning process was simple and Steph was very kind to answer all our questions. We were originally going to use both the bar and private event space, but ended up just using the bar area and it worked out well for the amount of attendees. The draft cocktails made for quick service for the group and everyone enjoyed the variety of both pre-made and built cocktails. You can also include food from the downstairs YoungBlood kitchen which was delicious. Great venue option for a private event!
It's one of the top 5 cocktail bars in Madison imo. They only carry Low Brow Spirits, Plain Spoke is technically a tasting room for that distilling company. Not technically a tiki bar, but they feature a good amount of tiki cocktails on their menu. Great vibes inside. Service can be kinda hit or miss depending on bartender/time of day.
Cool space, warm welcome from the bartender. But not only were our cocktails bad. He overcharged us. We both ordered rail drinks, which the menu says are $6. He charged me $10 and my friend $7. My drink was tea-weak on both liquor and flavor. My friend's was completely flat.
I walk in and get a table, a gentleman brings me a water, he is great! then it's a long waiting until I leave. At least 15mins nobody come to serve! Terrible lunch day!
sri krishna Seshadri
at 2023 Oct 07
sri krishna Seshadri
at 2023 Oct 07
Will highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to try a Vegan place.

For Vegan food, this place was great. Maybe I had low bar for Vegan food but this place was fantastic. The staff were nice. The ambience was beautiful. The food was wonderful.

The drinks were great. The only average item on the menu was the dessert. Would recommend ice cream outside if you want good dessert.

We got the tandoori chicken - good not great.
Blackened tofu - excellent.
Chick pea paneer - fantastic.

Try it.. You won't regret.
This is one of my first visits here, and the food was delicious! The manager was very sweet and the service was fast. The pork ramen was absolutely delicious. The meat was soft and well-cooked. The place was recently renovated, and it was very nice and clean. I would highly recommend coming here!
Angela Valentine
at 2023 Sep 19
on RED
Angela Valentine
on RED
at 2023 Sep 19
Best place in Madison. We sat outside on a beautiful night. Food came out at perfect pace, service was excellent. The volcano roll was amazing, and the fried mushroom from the kitchen is a must try. Will definitely be back next time we are in madison.
Vibes are IMMACULATE here. Great lighting and atmosphere, and the cocktails are unique and tasty. Any of the drinks with herbs are super fresh and earthy, in the best way possible. They even have a back room showing action movies like the early Fast and the Furious movies!
Caren Lewis
at 2023 Sep 17
Caren Lewis
at 2023 Sep 17
Michelle at Deliciouser had recommended we try Jardin, so we planned dinner before going to Gleam at Olbrich Gardens. To say we weren't disappointed is an understatement. The service was great. The food and our cocktails were both delicious. Really enjoyed the ambiance of the tables near the bar. It felt the perfect amount of cozy and inviting. We will be back since we have moved in close by.
Food and service were both great! My wife and I shared “The Experience” which was three different roll types. We also got the Grilled Calamari which was delicious!
Absolutely amazing place! Beautiful environment and great food! The service was absolutely excellent and I can't stress enough how much I loved the server Shane. He went above and beyond for us and I couldn't have asked for a better server. The food was beautiful and great! So many different options to choose from and the staff were all great and polite. I will certainly be returning to this place again and I recommend it 1000%.
Had a great time here! Ordered a bunch of rolls and teriyaki chicken! Not the best sushi we’ve ever had but definitely very fresh and well presented.
Chicken teriyaki was fried chicken which was new for me, very yummy! Side vegetables were plain steamed (which is fine) but I would’ve liked it to be more “mixed in.”
Prices were fair, maybe a little pricey for what you get but definitely a great place. Not busy at all even at peak hours, extremely clean establishment.
Our server was wonderful as well, very kind and paid attention to detail. We loved her!
The place has a great atmosphere and amazing food. The service can be hit or miss on some days but overall this is a great place to get sushi in the Huntsville/Madison area. We ordered the Pink Pleasure and Dragon Roll - both were great. Highly recommend.
Logan Swiecki-Taylor
at 2023 Jul 07
Logan Swiecki-Taylor
at 2023 Jul 07
Kitchen was short staffed and our server was also one of the Chefs! Good food is worth waiting for! Presentation & food was sensational. Even got my meat loving father to enjoy a plant based meal! Much gratitude.
Rachel Warrick
at 2023 Jun 23
Rachel Warrick
at 2023 Jun 23
We came to Jardin for a family celebration, and it was delicious and relaxing! My kids are both vegetarians, so it was incredible to have so many varied options on the menu. We got the patatas, salade de saison, chickpea curry and blackened tofu. All were excellent and so flavorful. We were discussing today and couldn't decide which was our favorite! We ate in the courtyard, and the greenery and rock wall made it so lovely. We highly recommend Jardin!
Amazing place! Very cozy atmosphere inside. The food is very tasty and drinks are one of a kind! The staff is also very kind and hard working and food doesn’t take long at all to come. The music is also just loud enough to enjoy it while you can still have a conversation with your group without yelling! It is definitely a place where i will return over and over.
If you are looking for a place to enjoy your evening without drunk drama- this is a place to be!
Jessie Olson
at 2023 Jun 11
Jessie Olson
at 2023 Jun 11
Jardin is absolutely amazing! Definitely a hidden gem in Madison. My husband is vegan (I am not quite there yet). But, this place is great for those who are 100% vegan and for those who are just foodies like myself.

We got the flatbread to share, a couple of drinks and finished with the cast iron cookie.

The ambiance and location is so perfect! Would highly recommend to try this place out.
Spent $50 today for a to-go order including a teriyaki chicken lunch combo and two orders of chicken fried rice. Found a black hair twisted into a piece of chicken and the salad was brown. The manager only offered a complimentary fried rice and salad when I return which will be never.
Sierra Devereaux
at 2023 Jun 04
on RED
Sierra Devereaux
on RED
at 2023 Jun 04
Absolutely hands down the best sushi restaurant in all of Madison. I could eat RED sushi for the rest of my life and be content. Never ever had a bad dish/drink/experience here.
This place needs a Michelin star. Seriously.
I love you RED.
Natalie Levine
at 2023 Apr 11
on RED
Natalie Levine
on RED
at 2023 Apr 11
We’ve been to RED multiple times as our go-to special event spot. The first visit was phenomenal! However, the quality has declined a bit over time. Presentation and sushi is still fantastic, but the price point seems to be riding the reputation a bit and it doesn’t always feel worth the cost to indulge anymore.
Great atmosphere, attentive staff, and amazing food. The edamame and Tokyo tea was a nice way to begin the meal. If you're in the Madison/Huntsville area--this is a great place to get sushi. We got the Godzilla roll (light and refreshing), the "O" roll (my favorite-savory, sweet and spicy), Romance roll, rainbow roll, and a few cheaper standard fish rolls. We ate way too much, but after a long hiatus from good sushi... It. Was. Worth. It.
James Stein
at 2022 Sep 25
James Stein
at 2022 Sep 25
Updated 9-2-203: 5 stars again! Superb, as always. Not just the best vegan restaurant in Wisconsin, but one of the best in the country. It's one of the top 3 restaurants in Madison and among our favorites anywhere. Our non-vegan friends were blown away by the flavors and how satisfied (as in filled) they were by the food. The drinks and service were superb!

Updated 4-2023: 5 stars. Superb food and experience. It’s the best vegan restaurant in Madison and among the best in US. The entrees are very flavorful, presented beautifully, and filling. The drinks are superb and the complimentary digestif is a very welcome touch. Kudos to the friendly and knowledgeable wait staff who make the experience very comfortable and relaxing. Jardin is a true gem.

Previous from 9-2022: Creative and delicious menus which stand out as one of the best in Madison, but loses a star due to flavorless drinks and cold room. The chickpea paneer was the standout of the apps along with the potatoes azules. The entrée standouts were the Door County cherry mole, roasted eggplant, blackened tofu, and if you like mushrooms, the lobster casarecce had a perfect texture and smooth flavor. Desserts were fine. The drinks were a huge disappointment - massive amounts of nice, little booze or flavor. The room was cold, but it was a surprisingly first cold night in September.
Simon Robson
at 2022 May 13
Simon Robson
at 2022 May 13
Very nice spot for a sandwich type lunch. We had a couple of paninis, chicken salad a couple of delicious cookies and a blueberry muffin. The have some great coffee from the ATL also. Small restaurant that used to be a Sinclair gas station with outdoor seating. Environmentally conscious owner with a very attentive and friendly staff. In the evening (open till 9:00pm) I could see a very relaxing conversation with a beer or glass of wine.
Such a lovely place. The ambience is very unique and moody. I tried the brunch menu and it was really good!
I’d like to come back and try their dinner platters. Mark, our server was really helpful with recommendations and was attentive.
Currently one of my favorite cocktail bars. It's really a tasting room so they don't always have things but their in house creations are universally delicious and the bartenders are awesome.