Updated 2026/09/12

The Best Bars in Madison, United States (2026)

Compare 41 bars in Madison, United States, averaging 4.53 stars on Google Maps. The typical listing has 325 reviews, so the ratings below reflect real customer volume rather than a handful of opinions. 61% maintain a website. Most are clustered around Maple Bluff, Shorewood Hills, Monona. Rankings combine Google rating, review volume and website popularity, keep one entry per brand, and refresh automatically as our data updates.

41 businesses ranked4.53 average rating

Top picks

Rank 1

Garth's Brew Bar

4.9(216)
67.6

Garth's Brew Bar is a Cicerone-led craft beer bar on Monroe Street in Madison, Wisconsin. Voted Best Craft Beer Bar in Wisconsin in 2020, three months after opening in December 2019. Sixteen rotating draft taps of American craft beer, two nitro draft taps for house cold brew coffee and tea, and a 16

BarMadison Website 1
Rank 2

Mason Lounge

4.8(385)
62.2

Cozy bar with 15+ craft beers on tap

BarMadison Website 1
Rank 3

Village Bar

4.7(574)
55.9

Casual local stop for pub staples

BarMadison Social page
Rank 4

The Malt House

4.7(460)
55.8

Welcoming pub with craft beers & a patio

BarMadison Website
Rank 5

BarleyPop Tap & Shop

4.7(404)
55.7

2045 Atwood Ave Unit 107, Madison, WI 53704

BarMadison Social page
Rank 6

R Bar

4.7(211)
55.0

7773 Martinsville Rd, Cross Plains, WI 53528

BarMadison Website
Rank 7

Peg & Doc's Sports Bar & Grill

4.7(179)
54.8

106 Dane St, Dane, WI 53529

BarMadison
Rank 8

Rocket City Craft Beer

4.7(114)
54.0

Rocket City Craft Beer is your neighborhood craft beer taproom. With 22 rotating taps of beer and cider, there is something for everyone. Opened in March of 2018, RCCB is a veteran and woman owned and operated family business. Craft beer lovers Jesse and Lindsey brought their vision to life by open

BarMadison
Rank 9

Old Black Bear Brewing Company

4.6(1344)
49.4

Madison Alabama's Premier Brewery and Restaurant

BarMadison Website 1
Rank 10

I/O Arcade Bar

4.6(1097)
49.3

Warehouse-style hangout for games & beer

BarMadison Website 1

How we rank

  • Google rating and review volume, as a Bayesian average, so a 4.9 with 500 reviews outranks a 5.0 with five.
  • Website popularity: estimated monthly visits, an independent signal of real-world demand.
  • Only businesses with at least 4.0 stars and 10 reviews qualify, and each brand appears once.
  • Rankings recompute automatically as our data refreshes. No business can pay to be listed or ranked higher.

Full list

11Cask & Ale4.6(551)12Greenbush Bar4.6(466)13Bos Mead Hall4.6(401)14Up North4.6(316)15The Broadwater Bar4.6(265)16Drackenbergs Cigar Bar4.6(131)17Mickey D's Corner Bar4.6(92)18The Coopers Tavern4.5(2142)19Ivory Room Piano Bar4.5(690)20The Plaza Tavern4.5(611)21Bennett's Meadowood Country Club4.5(325)22Library Cafe & Bar4.5(270)23Main Depot4.5(214)24Gold Nugget Bar and Grill4.5(165)25MadisonTap4.4(114)26Jerry's Place4.4(175)27Chief's Tavern4.4(255)28Nomad World Pub4.4(309)29Paradise Lounge4.4(400)30Argus BarGrille4.4(539)31Pitcher's Pub4.4(537)32Crystal Corner Bar4.4(510)33Brass Ring Bar & Restaurant4.4(918)34Star Bar4.3(138)35Come Back In4.3(832)
Browse all bars in Madison, United States in the directory

Frequently asked questions

How many bars are there in Madison, United States?

We list 41 bars in Madison, United States that meet our quality bar of at least 4.0 stars and 10 Google reviews. The wider directory holds more, including newer and unrated businesses.

Which bar in Madison, United States is rated highest?

Garth's Brew Bar currently tops our list with 4.9 stars from 216 reviews. Rankings update as new reviews and traffic data arrive.

How are the bars ranked?

Each business gets a composite score: 70% a Bayesian average of its Google rating and review count, so a 4.9-star business with hundreds of reviews outranks a 5.0 with five, and 30% estimated website traffic. Chains appear once. Nobody can pay to be listed or ranked.

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