Hawk's Bar & Grill

My wife and daughter and I stopped in while visiting Madison for dinner. We had the tuna melt, cheeseburger and blt and cheese curds. Most of the food was pretty good. My daughter did not care for the cheeseburger. Service is a little weird - a waitress will take your drink orders, but you have to go to the counter to order your food and you have to pick it up when they buzz you. They had outdoor seating which was great for people watching as it's on a street with no car traffic, just people walking, biking skateboard, etc. Fun atmosphere.

The bouncer denied me and I’m 21 and he wouldn’t budge either. Also, the other day I had their Oysters and literally got food poisoning.

Waited 10 minutes for bartender or staff to acknowledge us - curly headed guy - he couldn't be bothered despite no other people at the bar, so we left.

This is one of the secret spaces in Madison. For a younger crowd this place can be the NIGHT OUT, but for people seeking a wonderful evening, a dank outing or even a lovely peruse, the FOOD at Hawks is amazing. Constant engaging evening specials, great staff- seriously- this place has great service and for kids, they meet more than the standard. Bar managers are excellent with customer service and I could be happier with the chefs and supporting staff. REALLY GOOD, try try try try. Favorite space for FIFA and friends.

Absolutely pathetic staff and bouncers. My entire group, all of us 21+, got accused of having fake IDs. First they singled out two of us, which was already ridiculous, but then suddenly all our IDs were “fake” and we were thrown out. Their excuse, just “private establishment” for their complete incompetence. How do you even have a job when you’re this bad at it? Embarrassing for whoever owns this place, I feel for them. I used to love this bar, but haven’t stepped foot back in. And guess what? Every time I pass by now it’s fully empty, but not surprising, considering the way they treat people. If you want to stay in business but still manage to turn away actual paying and legal customers because your staff can’t do their job, then maybe it’s good no one’s coming.

Excellent food for the price. My Reuben was huge and for under $13. Good beer selection

I have never met a more egotistical and unprofessional group of employees in my life. A group of friends and I (all 21 or older) walked into the bar, had our IDs checked, and were allowed in by the bouncer. We were then asked for our IDs again by the bartender for “looking young.” We willingly handed them over because we were all of age. The bartender proceeded to look at two of the IDs and then confidently—and incorrectly—said, “Here’s how I KNOW these are fake,” referring to our completely real IDs. When we explained they were real and said we would call the police, he realized he was wrong but was too egotistical to admit his mistake. With a major attitude, he went from accusing us of using fake IDs to shouting that Hawks was a private establishment and he didn’t have to serve us if he didn’t want to. When we said we’d be happy to be served by another bartender, he screamed at our group to get out. On our way out, the bouncer made a comment about how he “tried to give us a chance”—which is, first, absurd that he is implying he was knowingly letting in underage patrons (which we are not), and second, proof of how unprofessional the staff is, considering every one of our IDs was legitimate. This establishment needs a complete reevaluation of its employees.

EAT HERE!!! I came for Taco Tuesday and these are the best tacos I’ve ever eaten. $6.95 and you can choose among the options. I chose grilled chicken, fish and jerk shrimp. The shell is outstanding and the tacos are incredible.

This place is amazing! While exploring State Street and the downtown Madison area, I decided to grab a bite to eat and stumbled upon Hawk's Bar. It looked like a must-visit. The service was solid, with that familiar college-town vibe. Hawk's has a cozy, divey, local bar atmosphere, which was just what I was looking for. The menu had some good options, and I decided to try the BOM Special, which stands for Burger of the Month--this month, it was Dante's Inferno. This burger is packed with flavor: Italian seasoning, tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, sliced white onion, arugula, and hot honey, all served on a parmesan-dusted onion bun. I got some curly fries and a Diet Coke to add to it. Despite the name, the burger was not too hot at all! The burger was fantastic, and I enjoyed it alfresco on the patio. Even though it was a Wednesday evening around 6 PM, the patio wasn't too crowded, which made for a nice meal with some good people-watching. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely stop by again. I highly recommend checking it out!

This is an order to go and then you choose your seat. I liked that they had a great patio outside! The food was all pretty gross... the kids Mac n cheese is just Kraft, and in a tiny bowl! The portion is for a baby... not hungry toddler. My kids were starving at the end. The kids pizza bread looked good, but not healthy for a growing body (none of the kids dinner options were healthy). When he took my order for the turkey burger, he didn't ask if I wanted all the toppings, so they automatically come on, but with the regular burger, he did ask..... very inconsistent.. the turkey burger with cilantro was really gross.. I didn't like the sauce. The side of chili was good, but the strawberry cold soup was like a melted smoothie and so gross. Overall, I wasn't impressed.

My partner and I tried Hawk's on a casual Saturday afternoon on our trek down State Street. It's a perfect spot to solve a hankering for a late morning Bloody Mary! We got the Bacon Bloody (pictured) and got a shot of Bailey's to add to our coffee. :-) The bartender was super kind and very helpful. Quick service! The other patrons were your typical Saturday morning college dads out for a drink. Overall, it is a bit dingy, like old photos and dust all over the ceiling... but isn't that what gives it character ;-) This was my second time to Hawk's, I came in the summer to grab a drink. Fun low key atmosphere. In the summer they have tables and chairs lined up along State Street which makes it a fun casual spot to stop for a drink! They have very reasonable prices. I'm excited to stop back for a burger and some cheese curds!

Don't eat here. 30 minutes to make a BLT. Cook was touching all kinds of things then touching food. Touching the register, no cleaning hands and right to the food. Yuck. UPDATE. The cook was actually wiping his nose with his hand and then touching the food he was preparing.

Waited 1 hour on a Monday for nachos. Ambiance is great service is not. Drinks are slow. Attitude is worse.

Waited an hour for a chicken sandwich and a veggie burger. Staff seemed overwhelmed with not many people in the restaurant. Never again.

Let's go Hawk!!!!! +10 for name +5 for curds -2 for trepidation +4 for four four four -2 for oversight -10 for ten day old baby at football game +20 for Badgers cover and under 5 stars

I totally enjoyed visiting Hawk's Bar in Madison, Wisconsin on August 3, 2024. The bartender was Jimmy, and he was excellent at his job. He provided friendly and helpful customer service. Hawk's has enough craft beers to keep me more than happy. Although I didn't eat there, the food menu looked very good, too. I definitely recommend Hawk's Bar.

They get a 5/5 because my friend and I who recently moved out of Madison were craving cheese curds, and boy did this place deliver. I forgot how much I missed cheese curds, and this place got me craving more. The cheese pulls were REAL!!!!! I would 1100% go again and the friend Oreos wow

This was a great sports bar to watch the Packers game, drink some beer and have food. The bartender was fast and he was always aware of the customers. The food was great also! Highly recommend the Hawk's burger and cheese curds. Overall was a great experience for my first time to Madison!

We tried Hawk's Bar & Grill for lunch recently. There is outdoor seating along State Street so you can watch all the pedestrians go by. Athough I found the beer selection pretty limited (No stouts nor porters.) I was pleasantly surprised by the menu. It's fairly extensive and reasonably priced. I had a burger and jalapeno poppers with my beer. Order your food at the counter and they bring it out to you. It was all very tasty and didn't break the bank. I'd definitely go back to enjoy more food and beverages in their outdoor seating.

This has to be one of my favorite bars on State street, the nachos are the best and I just can't tell you how much I love this bar. In the summer I bring my dog down State street and she will sit in one of the chairs outside while I have a drink and people watch. You have to check it out if your on State

Little convenient bar and food window connected, Once again here in Wisconsin the Nachos are delicious because of the best state for cheese choices! Kevin the bartender is very polite, attentive and friendly. Open a little later than other places in the area during the week.

TODR; wouldn't recommend In from Milwaukee and was just looking for a decent meal. Staff was so unfriendly (bartender was fine although I waited a decent amount of time for him to come back to bar, but was super friendly and helpful. Got one word answers, I was trying to get someone's attention to ask about how ordering works for sitting on patio and dog rules (dog friendly patio FYI) Neither of us got very far on the food, the ciabatta roll wasn't toasted at all and ended up very soggy, beers tasted like the lines hadn't been cleaned in months.

This bar is really awesome! They have a really nice patio and really great customer service. They even had free meals for veterans during Veterans Day. They also serve food fairly late for a bar and have a nice tap list. Honestly one of my favorite bars in Madison and I love their support for BLM!

I had the burger and it was amazing all thanks to the young guy working behind the counter. He's doing an awesome job.

Fairly priced compared to a lot of places in that areas. Everything I've had there has been great, and taco Tuesday is a hit.

I was incredibly disappointed with Hawks. First, they advertise a selection of 50 beers, however they only had a list of 8 you can actually order. We also got food at this location which was equally disappointing. They were out of several menu items to start, despite it only being 5pm. I ordered the quesadilla (which comes with several toppings) and asked for no beans. When I recieved the quesadillas, they had removed all of the toppings and not just the beans. I spoke to the man I ordered from and he said the toppings were pre-mixed so he just took them all off. If he had told me this ahead of time I wouldnt have taken them off. Lastly, the bartender brought my friend the wrong drink, and then did not make any eye contact with us for the 10 minutes so we couldnt switch the order

Got the bacon Bloody Mary. Very possibly the best $10 I've ever spent. Wife got a vodka and cranberry and instantly regretted her decision after tasting my drink.

So the fish. Frozen, thawed, and frozen again makes for a great dish...not. Wow hawks who have you been hiring? The food sucks now. And the people working don't care. Last Friday I had the most disgusting fish plate I have ever bought. I can't believe the 'cook' actually thought that was ready to be eaten. Soggy 100 percent not Crispy mess. The crap was so undercooked my stomach turned at the first bite. It was so bad I took some photos I'm just not sure how to upload them here After going to hawks at least once a week I cannot trust these cooks to actually cook the food or care about your health. That's what happens when you let your employees wear pajamas to work. Gross

This place is a great find on State Street. Not only do they have good food but also tasty desserts--I had to try the deep fried Twinkie (which did not disappoint). I also like that they advertise as a sanctuary restaurant which is inclusive for the LGBTQ community to people with disabilities. When we were leaving to take our food to go I noticed that they used biodegradable plastic bags which I really appreciated. Even though this place is a bar and grill that caters to the students, I was pleasantly surprised with the level of service and the quality of the food. I'll definitely be back. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area.

As an undergrad student at UW-Madison, I have loved Hawks. The food is great when in need of a casual bite while out drinking with friends. The patio is great when you can get space. The spicy marg (when in stock) is my favorite drink to get there. I would be giving this establishment a higher rating. However, at 7:30ish on 04/08 I had an absolutely terrible experience at this establishment and will never return again. I came in with a group of fellow seniors (all 22 years old) to have a pregame drink to commemorate our final week at school. There was no bouncer, just the bartender checking out IDs. This woman, after taking our order of spicy margs, she took the time to look at each of the IDs then at the end just said "no". I am not even upset that I was denied, despite being of legal age, it was the disrespect of the interaction. She would not offer any further explanation to justify why she was denying a group of 22 year olds just "no sorry". We offered to show our graduation confirmation, Instagram, any second form she desired, but she would not say anything but "no" to us. Eventually we left, and I asked for her name on our exit, to which I received a, "I do not have to tell you that". Weirdest interaction I have ever had with any bartender.

Impersonal service and lackluster food kind is what first comes to mind when summarizing my first visit to Hawk's Bar & Grill. I stopped by for lunch after checking out the menu posted in the front window. The menu had the usual bar & grill standards (burgers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers) and the prices seemed reasonable (generally $8-$10, including fries or soup). My food order was taken at the counter by the grill and the process was efficient. I was told to seat myself, which was easy, since there was only one other occupied table. After a short wait, my food was delivered without a word. And no one stopped by to check-in after the food was delivered and no one said anything as I left. My experience at Hawk's was devoid of any of the personable service that you usually encounter at a neighborhood bar and grill. If the food was memorable, I'd be willing to let the impersonal nature of the encounter pass, but by BBQ pulled pork sandwich was just as unmemorable. Granted, I was coming off an exceptional version of this sandwich from Wood BBQ, but even if the bar was set much lower, this sandwich would have failed to hit the mark. The chewy pork was surprisingly flavorless and the soggy, bland slaw did not add the same pop of flavor and texture as the Wood BBQ home-made version did. The kitchen was heavy handed with the extremely sweet BBQ sauce, so that was the dominant taste of the sandwich. And while I order the regular fries, I received the seasoned fries and they were severely overcooked - all crunch and no chew. Maybe there is a better vibe in the evenings.

This place is definitely underrated. Great location right on State Street with awesome service, good drinks, and yummy food... and it's cheap! This is a typical bar, so it's not the cleanest place I've ever been, but the food and service exceeded my expectations. Honestly, the best mozzarella sticks I've ever had. I'd definitely recommend Hawk's if you are looking for some delicious bar food and a place to watch the game!

Ick! Food sucks service is terrible & I could say so much more but bottom line STAY AWAY.

Meh... I'm honestly not sure why I've been here twice. The first time I just had a beer, and the second time beer and food. Both times were disappointing. The atmosphere inside is just kind of blah, and the food is nothing special. I tried cheese curds and nachos, both of which I would usually say "How can you mess this up?" I'm ok with bar food, but this is sub-par even for bar food!

Came on a Tuesday and got a pork, shrimp, and fish taco for $6.95 I believe. All were pretty good tacos especially for the price! Also had the jalapeño poppers which were nothing specialllll but still good! My roommate has a special place in her heart for the Greek salad and says it's giant and delicious!! Bartender was friendly and made good fast drinks!

Literally said no to my real ID. They turned down two second forms too. The bouncer is literally horrible and couldn't tell what a real id is if his life depended on it. My blind as a bat grandmother could do better. Go to Monday's instead all love

Went to Hawks yesterday for a late lunch with my co-workers. I ordered the Taco Tuesday special -- 3 Fish Tacos ( in this case it was Cod ) for a great price of $6.50. After placing the order, my friends and I waited close to 25 minutes for two orders of fish tacos and a salad. Keep in mind that we were the only ones at the restaurants ordering food. Once we picked up our orders at the counter and started to dig in; I was pretty disappointed at the lack of flavor and the strange toppings on the tacos. Sometimes cheap food is incorrectly linked with poor quality of ingredients. In this case, I think that's accurate Although I don't want to scrutinize them too severely for one plate of tacos, I likely won't choose to eat there in the future.

I LOVE HAWK'S BAR AND GRILL. RIDE OR DIE. They are global advocates for world peace, justice, and human rights. Support them!!!

I've never eaten at this establishment, nor do I live in the same city. However, I did come across a statement made by the owner(s). As a POC I was moved by the sentiment made during this very trying time. My friend and I wanted to show support to this establishment but we quickly found out that it would take a road trip. We will hopefully see you in the near future, break bread and maybe even have dialogue regarding the BLM movement and the state of chaos we are currently in. We the people stand with you as you stand with us. Kudos for being compassionate humans. It costs ZERO dollars to be kind, gracious, non-homophobic, non-sexist and non-racist. You guys are a class act.

This is Madison's place to watch soccer. They have a large screen that comes down to play those big games. Their drink prices and food prices are affordable. I've had the greek salad and the reuben before. The greek salad comes with a nice variety of crunchy veggies and dressing on the side (great for one person). My reuben was served with the seasoned curly fries. YUM! This is a big portion of food and can easily be shared between two people. I've had the cheese curds. You cannot go wrong with the cheese curds. The portion size is definitely large enough to share with a table of friends during a soccer/football/basketball game. They do have a smaller selection of beers on tap compared to other bars in the area. Do not let this get you down. They have a large list of beers in cans and bottles too. If you are looking for something in particular, just ask the bartender. They offer a full bar for those looking for something on the rocks.

Hung out here, outside with a friend for HOURS with my dog one Saturday afternoon. It was the first nice day of the year and it was nice sitting out and enjoying the sun. We chose this location because they were on a "dog friendly" list I found on-line. There are three areas to sit, outside, inside eatery, and inside bar. You have to go inside to order and then return when your name is called. Prices and food were both decent. The most fun was watching the tag team street beggars across the street.

When you read the menu, things sound promising, but nothing I tried ever tasted even half as good as it sounded. I've tried the veggie burger, the grilled cheese, and the barbecue chicken sandwich (along with maybe one or two specials), and all of them left me feeling mildly queasy. Too much grease? Spices that don't agree with me? I don't know. Even the fries disappointed me. In addition to the blah food, I'm still annoyed with their inconsideration as neighbors. I lived above them for a year, and I wanted to smash my head into the wall most nights. Ultra-repetitive music - I swear the only thing their bartenders listened to in 2005/2006 was "Sweet Caroline" (ONCE A NIGHT IS ENOUGH, three made me think about coming in and ripping the speakers down) and The Killers' first album. Also, they routinely left the music on full-blast until 5 am. I expected noise until bar time, but pounding bass til sunrise during the week, not so much. Ranting aside, they get two stars instead of one because the food is edible (not good, but edible) and they can accommodate large groups.

I'm pleasantly surprised at how good the food is at Hawk's. It's not spectacular per se but it's very well done for what it is and they actually have a decent selection of vegetarian options. As far as downtown goes they make my favorite veggie burger which has a tasty tomato-basil sauce and their portabella sandwich is really tasty as well. I've never had their fries as I always opt for their superb roasted red potatoes. If you are getting take-out call ahead as it will probably take around 10-15 mins.

Had only ever been here for the occasional drink before today. I stopped in for lunch with my sister as we were hungry and it was the first place we saw at the time! (hah!). The food wasn't amazing, but wasn't bad at all. Nothing special, but tasty bar fare. A bit overpriced, I'd say, for what we got. But pleasant service and the place is clean in the daylight (that can't be said for many bars!).

It's not a good sign when your restaurant serves something that is so bad, your customer is still talking about how bad it was literally half of a year later. And that's exactly what happened the last time I ordered a grilled tomato basil veggie sandwich here. Seriously, take that shit off your menu. It was an absolutely foul excuse for cooking that had to have been conjured up by an extremely high, extremely overweight vegetarian. I don't know what I could even call that thing. Was it some kind of attempt at a new twist on pizza? It certainly was saturated in enough crappy cheese and tomato sauce to seem like it. That floppy piece of tomato-soaked toast on the bottom might have been part of an aborted attempt at a sandwich. And why do all the vegetables have the same taste and texture as tofu? How do you even screw that up, and why on a "veggie sandwich"? Hawk's has a pretty good beer selection in addition to very friendly bartenders. So as a bar they're doing an okay job. This is unfortunately just about all they have going for them. The burgers and fries are unmemorable, there are no waiters, the kitchen staff (from whom you must order and pick up like a cafeteria) is surly, and the bar only takes cash - which doesn't help given that this place is expensive as fuck.

Hawk's looked like it had potential, but we were disappointed. Girl got the salad with turkey - turned out to be cold cuts diced over the lettuce.. I had the teriyaki tuna sandwich - the fish was good, but the teriyaki was not. I don't recall which soup I tried, but it was an unbalanced blend of undercooked ingredients - the onions were nearly raw.

Didn't go into the bar area so this review is only for the dining room. Pretty small dining room area but they packed in as many chairs/tables as possible. You order and pick up at the same counter so customer service is really negligible. It seems like a larger scale chipotle. Since you aren't reserving tables you can fit in a larger group (as long as you grab the seats as they become available). You can also stay as long as you want since you don't have to worry about a waiter rushing you to leave. Also each person can walk up to the counter and order their food so there is no mess with splitting the bill. Their turkey burger with the cilantro mess on top was awesome. BF had the steak sandwich and he loved it. Everyone else in the party seemed to be happy with their food as well. Downside--wait was FOREVER!! And the chairs were just plain wood. Ouch. Although we had a pleasant experience...I'm not dying to go back again.

Do not go to Hawks unless you want to get assaulted by a Hawks employee. Pros: Good selection of cold beer, hot food Cons: Terrible service, Hawks kicked out a table of customers on the patio who just tipped them $100 on a 3 pitcher order; then the same Hawk's employee who kicked that table off the patio, grabbed another patrons beer out of his hand, poured the beer on the guy, then sucker punched dude in the head... Not sure how this guy has a job there, the whole evening was honestly one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen; and I've been to Vietnam. Big fan of bars where waiters don't punch patrons.

My family and I took a weekend trip from Chicago to Madison. We were also lucky to have tickets to watch one of our favorite college basketball teams Ohio State play Wisconsin. We walked from our hotel near the capital building to the Kohl Center and passed many restaurants. We decided on Hawk's Bar & Grill, partially because of the signs inside talking about being union proud and talking about how Wisconsin won the super bowl of union organizing. Hawk's was pretty busy before the game. We were able to find seats for six people pretty easily. We looked at the menu and eventually ordered. I got the Real Deal with cheddar and the spicy fries. I mean when in Wisconsin try the cheese. The Real Deal was perfect for lunch. The portion was bigger than I would have expected. It's the perfect size to split. My sister tried the Grilled Tomato Basil Veggie which was also great. A few others in the group tried the BLT which they enjoyed. My brother got a burger and enjoyed it. Which is a huge completement considering he is a huge burger fan. It took a little bit for our food to come. Waiting is bad enough when you're hungry but when you're in a hurry to get somewhere it is worse. Overall, it was good experience. I would try it again the next time I'm in Madison.

One of our favorite places downtown. Great drinks, food and atmosphere. Get the reuben and cheese curds!

Let me preface this by saying that Hawk's has been, for better and worse, my go-to bar throughout college. The food is amazing, slightly overpriced but worth it. I usually go with the reuben, but the med-plate is superb if you're in one of those "keepin it light/keepin it classy" moods, not to mention a perfect thing to share with a date. Full bar. Bartenders are more than ready to make whatever you ask, and proficient at doing it. Extra Credit tip... if you get a chance, take a glance (that rhymed) at a most excellent array of pictures on the wall facing the long portion of the bar. Your mind will be blown by the eclectically enigmatic selection. To conclude, here's a little Mighty Ducks video that I think sums Hawks up in a nutshell....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPZ3JX6M7Y4 Keep winning big Hawk's

A lot of people say this place isn't that amazing. I think it has really good food. It is one of my favorite places on State St. to get some quick chow. I usually get a burger there, but I have also gotten other sandwiches. Good fries too (spicy ones are the best). The service is the only reason that it isn't five stars. You do have to go get your own food and order it at the counter, but that doesn't bother me that much. You also have to get your own water, which is annoying if you are at the outdoor seating. Overall though, the counter service and bussing service is really good. The outdoor seating is really nice. There is usually somebody singing or making music outside, which adds the atmosphere. The indoor seating is pretty good too. There is artwork on the walls from local artists and it is usually decent. Overall, 4 stars for good food and good atmosphere.

Three stars exactly. There is nothing too amazing, and nothing terrible about this place. The food was all good, with an ample amount of vegetarian options, and the roasted potatoes in particular I found to be quite good. They do have a really big screen for sporting events, and a decent selection of beers on tap. You could do worse than swinging by Hawks and having a couple beers.

Grade: C- Good food except you have to order it at the "food counter" and bring it to yourself. Very lame concept.

I love this place! It has a welcome atmosphere, and the staff are always exceptional. They also have a lot of vegetarian options for me, and the food quality has always been great. This also a great place to host group events! I've done this several times now, and they have been great to work with.

I ordered the prime rib sandwich. It had about two ounces of meat and a thin slice of cheese. Very disappointed This is why I very rarely eat out anymore.

My buddy and I were in the downtown area for the badger football game. We had a great time visiting the bars around the stadium but decided to go to state street to eat so we could actually sit down and enjoy our lunch ( The bar's around camp Randall were packed and not very inviting for lunch) We had been walking around all day and just wanted to sit down and order our food and drinks at Hawks. Unfortunately, ordering was a pain in the butt and confusing, as you have to order your food at the counter (the guy taking orders was extremely slow and they give you one of those light up devices you take with you that let's you know you food is ready) and then walk over to the bar to order your drink. After 15 minutes my food was ready as indicated by they device lighting up, so I walked to the pickup section where there were 5 different orders just sitting there and none of the employees were there to greet you to give your correct order to you, I finally figured it out and was finished running around all over the place and ready to eat (keep in mind we were already wore out by the time we got there) I took one bite of the dry and tasteless burger and immediately knew it was the worst burger I had ever ordered from any establishment. My buddy and I both ordered the seasoned curly fries which weren't actually curly, rather it seems we got the broken ends from the bottom of the bag. Conclusion: If you want to sit down to a meal and relax after a long day of walking around downtown I would suggest not going to Hawks. After going back and forth to order, then getting back up to pick up your order, I felt like I worked there. The food was terrible. I originally want to go to another restaurant on state where the food is always good.