Mickey’s Tavern

Been coming here for 16 years. Love this bar. Problem is, every time I come here, I am reminded that I am not a regular. Tonight we came in to sit at the outside patio. Gonna get dinner. Seating for 52 outside, pretty busy, one visible server, so we go inside to order a drink. We were told to go outside to order our drinks. So we walked outside, saw our friend still sitting there without a wait staff waiting on him. We run into the server and try to order our drinks, she tells us to sit down and she will wait on us… We refrained from saying it didn’t work before…(sigh) Finally order our drinks, and she asks if we want a dinner menu. No thanks. Gonna go to Taco Bell.

I feel really unsafe here. It’s well known amongst the staff that a bartender regularly harasses women but nobody cares: (.

I grew up in Madison, and have lived out of state for the past 7 or 8 years. But man, I have yet to find a bar I like better than Mickey’s. I truly believe this is the best bar in the entire world. Every new bar I find I compare to Mickey’s, and they all come up short. So why is Mickey’s Tavern the literal best bar in the entire world? Great food, great alcohol. (The prices are especially great coming back to visit Madison from the coasts.) Great patio, it’s wonderful to be able to smoke while I have a cold local beer. The inside of the bar is large with ample seating, and great homey décor. There’s a pool table. The bar is large enough that if there is a band playing, but you are looking for a more low-​key evening you can find seating in another room. But the real reason Mickey’s is the best is how friendly the atmosphere is. I always feel like I am attending a pleasant party every time I go there. People are just nice. Not midwestern fake nice, but super fun to talk to if you want. But, of course, you don’t have to.

Mickey’s has great food, fairly decent prices, and a kind of funky interior like Lazy Jane’s on Willy Street. But OMG the waitperson we had the first and now only time I have gone in to have food there was horrible. It was 5÷24÷2016 late afternoon, not only did the waitress refuse to make out separate checks but also refused to ring us out separately. She got our drink order wrong, then our dinner order wrong, and then over charged us on the final bill. Strike three your out! And we were the only people there having dinner at the time. I’ve lived in the Willy St., Schenk’s, Atwood neighborhood for 22 years, I will not go back to Mickey’s.

I’ve come here twice while traveling. It really does feel like I’m sitting in a parlor or a living room, chatting over bloody mary’s and having a delicious meal. Great service. Loved the house burger, frites, bloody mary’s. Had breakfast once (eggs) and it was also great.

Really solid brunch place. The menu is simple but they do it right! I ordered the daily scramble which was amazing and had some friends got bloodies which they also said were on point. I’ve eaten out on the patio in the back which is really nice if the weather is right.
Haven’t been there for dinner yet, but definitely want to check out some time.

I love everything about this place, from the cozy atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re in someone’s house to the cheap prices and delicious food. Best brunch spot in Madison. Their biscuits and gravy are homemade and decadent. The bloody Mary’s have a good balance of spices. No credit cards accepted but they have an ATM right by the front door.

Terrific. Try the sexy fries.

Pretty good!
We entered and didn’t really know what to think — seemed like lots of regulars gathered there, lots of people eating some tasty looking treats, crowded, maybe a little divey and a band setting up.
Some patrons at the bar shuffled around to make room for us, which was great and we ordered up. I started with a beer, cuz I’m boring and only like light domestic beer, but I followed up with their special which was a basil boozy lemonade. Quite delicious — the basil was fresh and muddled in the drink and the lemonade nice and cool. It made for a refreshing drink on a hot night.
We only stayed for a couple since there was a band setting up, but had some nice conversation with the regulars.
We’d go back, but I would have a snack next time too.

Locals bar, old school atmosphere. Great bloody marys and breakfast.

Pros:
–Fantastic atmosphere and nice energy. I always have a good time here.
–Generally solid food. They are a half notch above most bars when it comes to their food offerings, but I wouldn’t go there just for a meal. When I have, I’ve been mildly disappointed.
Cons:
–Service sometimes borders on the apathetic. It can take a while just to get someone’s attention.
–Cash only is annoying.
–Sexy fries are not sexy. They taste like soggy chips. I’ve seen this style of «fry» popping up more and more often, and I’m adamantly opposed. Make fries or chips. You can’t have it both ways.

I was told that this was the classic midwestern bar brunch and it didn’t disappoint. My bloody mary was solid and came with (as is apparently common practice around these parts) a small cup of PBR as well. I don’t know why I’d need a beer chaser but getting both for $ 6.50 is a steal.
I am no fan of brunch generally. It’s usually an expensive pain in the ass that I can’t be bothered to go out for. But not at Mickey’s. The prices and value are good, and it’s lack of presumption means you can just enjoy your weekend morning booze and eggs in peace.

Unbelievable place. Walked up to it for the first time and thought it was going to be a standard hole-​in-​the-​wall. Was I ever surprised. The folks that run it are the best. Really professional yet very personable.
The atmosphere is the most eclectic I have ever been in, yet they pull it off very well. The background music was a strange collection of some chill genres and yet very pleasant and contributed to the vibe of the place.
We went there for lunch and I thought it was just going to be some ok bar food. I love getting surprised by places like this. I had the Mickey’s Burger and was treated to a very good, very unique treat. I can’t wait to go back and try a few other plates.
This is definitely going on my Madison favorites list. Once you got inside everything about it screamed unique but felt free to walk right in. And while it was was-​dare I say it– artistic, it could easily be a great place if you are looking for a town bar. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Mickey’s comes in as my Top 3 bars in Madison.
The vibe here is always laid back and no one ever has an attitude despite the mix of grungers, artists, old timers and preps. Everyone just gets along and drinks together.
The vibe is dark, weathered and cozy. The music late night is loud and local. the deer selection is good but not surprising. The food is interesting aand well done. Breakfast here is easily one of my favorite things and their bloody s are the best in the city. Be warned though it ican be difficult to find a spot ehre in the morning before 1030 and everyone here drinks like its the end of the world, which I like :)
They have a patio which is quaint and if youre a guy the view from the mens urinal is refreshing and fun!

Good food reasonable prices staff is friendly but you are on your own for some things like seating and water. Bloody Marys are good and the food is plentiful.

It’s hard not to love Mickey’s, if only for their awesome patio in the Madison summers. If I lived closer to Mickey’s, this would be my weekly haunt.
Mickey’s has a sign right when you walk in the door that explains exactly the type of service you should expect, i.e. European style, slow paced, sit back and enjoy the company you’re with. In other words, this is not a rush you in, rush you out kind of establishment. This is a place that lets you savor those long conversations with your friends, slowly sip that beer, and nibble on those sexy fries.
The sexy fries are a hit or miss for me. Sometimes beautifully perfectly fried, but sometimes a bit overfried and not as enjoyable. But then I discovered their super sexy fries which is regular fries with the same truffle oil, parmesan, and red pepper topping, and this is always perfect for me. I’m also a fan of their salads topped with steak and the lime dressing.
I’ve also been to Mickey’s for brunch. Their brunch dishes are just okay for me, but their bloody marys are the star. They’re perfectly mixed — not too garlicky or heavy on the tomato taste, enough alcohol for that nice early afternoon buzz. The bloody mary toppings aren’t excessive (I don’t need a fried chicken with my bloody mary), but not sparse either.

This is SUCH a cool bar. Total Mad East vibe, come as you are, but with great drinks and food. Anything Jane Capito (from Lazy Jane’s) touches turns to gold. I love the décor, too — furniture from your grandma’s house, but doesn’t smell like old folks.
We pop in here during bike rides since they have great access to a trail intersection. Good for night drinking and riding home with head and tail lights.
As with Jane’s other restaurants, they don’t take credit, so bring cash or use the ATM machine.
Oh, and get the fries. DANG!

The best place on the isthmus and for miles around for a bloody mary and a burger. Sitting on the patio during the warm months on a Saturday or Sunday morning is ecstasy!!!
I love the bloody with the pbr chaser/​beer back/​schnit. I also love the side of homemade coleslaw and chips that accompany my burger (I recommend dipping the chips in the slaw.)

I have not eaten the food. Just a forewarning.
I love their patio and their drink offerings. The boozy coffee is amazing! I have not had anything like it, or that delicious for that matter. It had a whip cream vodka, a caramel vodka and coffee for just $ 7. Wow? Yes.
The beer selection is great too! You see so much Potosi around Wisconsin and yet I had never seen the Steamboat Shandy. I think… why not? Delicious! Doesn’t even taste like beer, which is a little dangerous. But, hey, it was pretty tasty.
My only complaint about the patio. Some people were smoking. Just because it is outside, doesn’t mean people want to snuggle up next to that.

If all you want to read is this first sentence, then here’s all you really need to know: try their weekend brunch and order the Tofu Scramble.
Tofu is one of those ingredients that half the world lives in fear of. Another small percentage of the population will brag about the tofu salad they had at lunch, though we all know they had to choke it down. There are then people who have experienced tofu done right and thus genuinely love the stuff. Trust that after trying the Tofu Scramble at Mickey’s, you will fit into the latter group of the tofu world.
What makes this tofu so wonderful is that it’s marinated in peanut butter. It’s special. A common complaint with this often dismissed soy product is its tendency to taste bland if not prepared correctly. When it’s cooked up at Mickey’s with just the right amount of rich peanut butter, this worry is null and void. Add to this flavor packed mixture some sautéed spinach, sweet red pepper, and red onion and it’s no wonder this dish is known for winning over anti-​tofu folks. The fresh produce cuts the intensity of the peanut buttered tofu and offers great contrast in terms of color and texture as well.
Though it’s only served Saturday and Sunday, the Tofu Scramble is so wonderful you’ll be craving it all week long.