Tip Top Tavern

This was a pleasant surprise. The diner across the street had a long wait and the cafe across the street only served pastry for food. My mother and I stopped here and ended up having a lovely brunch. The server was very friendly and helpful. The options were great and the food was good. I appreciated the option for a salad with breakfast. The self serve coffee was perfect for me. The prices felt like they were pre pandemic, very reasonable. I like the woody, cozy pub atmosphere, especially since there was still good sunlight in the front of the restaurant. They had the option of a spacious patio out back. It seemed like they were partnered with the Cabaret across the street, I saw many postings for upcoming performances on the walls. This seems like a great neighborhood spot.

We had the pleasure of stopping here on a Saturday evening. It is very modest from the exterior, and the parking lot was small, but there was handicapped parking and extra parking on the street. The interior is lovely, with very tasteful lighting, wallpaper accents and simple seating. The tin ceiling was a treat and the other decor showed an appreciation for art deco with an eclectic vintage vibe. Well kept and clean, the wait staff was cheerful and busy, but attentive. Great background music had a nice jazzy feel, I found myself nodding to the beat as did the bartender. The menu contains some amusing wordplay, which was appreciated. We ordered “The Rooster” and split it between us. It was delicious and hit the spot, kind of an elevated BLT with egg. It came with a field green salad nicely dressed. The Summer Spritzer was very refreshing and light. They also offered a honey lavender lager, which sounded delicious but I was pleasantly full. Although we ate inside, there is also a fairly substantial patio area. This establishment is handicapped friendly with no stairs to navigate. Overall a wonderful dining experience with great service and a relaxing ambiance. Highly recommend.

A hidden gem! We love going to this restaurant. The food is absolutely delicious and reasonably priced. Small little restaurant with patio seating (highly recommend when it’s nice out). The servings are a great size and the food is absolutely fantastic. We had the cheese curds as an appetizer and they were really good. We had two different burgers, Reuben, and mushroom melt with bacon. This place is dog friendly for those who are inclined to bring their four legged friends. Every time I’m in Madison, we usually make a stop here!

So we stumbled upon here based on the good reviews that I saw on Reddit. I’ve never been to Madison before and was passing through back to Chicago. We came here and were pleasantly surprised at how delicious the burgers were! I can honesty say this was one of the best burgers I have had. Big and juicy meat patty and big piece of cheese. Bun was nice and buttered. If you’ve seen the movie The Menu, this is what I imagine the cheeseburger being like. One of us got the veggie patty and also throughly enjoyed it. ———— Drinks 10/10 I got the apple cider and it tasted like juice. Liked the local selection of taps. Had spotted cow on tap. Burger 11/10 would come here for this alone Reuben sandwich 8/10 was good tasted cozy Veggie patty burger 8/10 pretty delicious, needed some more sauce though Cheese curds 10/10 only had cheese curds twice but these were nice plump and squishy Fried pickles 5/10 average, little overdone Sweet potato fries 3/10 were overdone for sure, probably get a side of cheese curds with my burger instead Service 2/10 didn’t seem like we were welcomed or offered any help if we had questions. Gave them lots of thank yous and was left with blank stares. I’m not sure if it was the local customs but it was my first visit to this city and it was amis

We had a great meal on the patio! Everyone cleaned their plate. Excellent goat cheese salad, huge walleye filet, and tasty baked cod, and topped it all off with a scrumptious dessert. Wonderful neighborhood bar worth traveling across town for.

Love the tavern atmosphere. Good beer selection and on draft. Would love it more if there was a TV to catch a sports game on a weekend or evening. Cheese curds are phenomenal. Burger and fried fish were fine but nothing to write home about

This place was so lovely! We sat in a corner booth and it was such a cozy little nook. Decor is an absolute joy to behold, even if the food was bad I would still come here just for the vibes (but thank god, the food is VERY good.)

Quite possibly Madison’s best bar. Awesome patio, great staff always someone friendly there to talk to. This is what a bar in Wisconsin should be like. 10/10

Another great experience at Tip Top Tavern for date night! Server was great and moved quickly through the entire space. Food was on point! GF bun wasn't tough or dry.

One of the best burgers in town @tiptoptavern! Tip Top Burger includes heritage farms grass-fed beef with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and tip top special sauce served on a buttered bun.

Memorable and super helpful staff. That's my 87 y.o. Dad's description, which is high praise. Finding somewhere to eat on game day in Madison is challenging to say the least so we were happy to find this place. The atmosphere is traditional Wisconsin tavern but the food is a step up! Loved their take on an eggs Benedict and the Bloody Mary was excellent. when in Madison looking for brunch, stop in! (Or for a beer later in day)

Came here for brunch with the family before heading back home. I love the feel of a neighborhood bar with solid service and community....and this place had it all. I would totally frequent this bar if I lived in the area. We came with our kids, and didn't get any attitude about them. I had eggs benedict, my wife the carnitas verde, and the kids had pancakes. Everyone really enjoyed their food. The coffee was solid as well. The place was crowded, but we had a very short wait. Worth a try.

Tiptop is always the move!!! Great food great drinks great prices. Also fun places to watch sports if you get a spot at the bar by the TV. Bartenders rock as well.

Bustling area of Madison with great service and excellent food. This place has charm of an old Wisconsin tavern, love the new cozy space added inside. The brunch menu, Pastrami Hash, chef's kiss! Enjoy having the self service station for water/coffee.

Good solid comfort food in a down home atmosphere. Impressed with the side salad, a cut above, and my veg burger with mushrooms was spot on. Sweet potato fries are great too. Fridays are really crowded so you may want to avoid the long waits. After dinner check out the sister bar, North St Cabaret, across the street for great live music! Five stars!

I took out lunch on a Friday afternoon. I went for their Friday special beer battered cod fry. For side I went for loaded baked potato, which was good. Fish fry was good as well. Coleslaw wasn't as good. The place was empty on Friday afternoon. They didn't have a parking lot. But there was plenty of street parking.

Found this place on Yelp. Great old school tavern with great food. There's a few tables. They worked to accommodate our family of eight. Of course we ordered cheese curds for starters. Main courses were many burgers, walleye fish fry, and my fav anywhere fried cod! Food was delish. Service was great! Ambiance perfect for our casual meal. Not too expensive. Everyone truly enjoyed our dinner. Perfect dinner to start our family staycation in Madison.

I'm from out of town and as a single woman traveling by myself, I didn't feel comfortable going to some restaurants near my hotel. I travel 30 minutes to Tip Top Tavern because it had great reviews. And I could see why! Everyone was very friendly and the food was excellent! There were people of all ages, including kids. What a great addition to this neighborhood!

Tip top tavern- is exactly that!! The food comes with fries and salad. Whaaat?!! Yes please !! The outside seating is lovely in spring and summer. The beer selection is elite. For sure a staple!

First time here and its a cute small bar/restaurant. I ordered the mushroom melt with butternut squash. It was absolutely delicious. My bf ordered the burger. I had the sweet potato fries which were super good. Love that the meal comes with a side salad. The dressing was so good it was sweet, tasted like strawberries. I definitely want to come back when in town.

The Tip Top has an amazing patio, for starters - a great spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner on a lovely day. Terrific food - everything on the menu is delicious! Creative drinks, great beer selection, fun staff who work their butts off to make you happy and a fantabulous Friday Fish Fry - that, ironically, you can get on other days as well! Yummmyyy!

Stop the bus! This is the perfect wisco tavern for Sunday brunch and bloody Mary's! Had the pastrami hash with eggs over easy and would get it again. Service was great and the vibe is spectacularly unique!

This evening was the final straw. Shitty unfriendly bartender whom I suspect is also a liar. For a bar that all my friends seem to like so much, I have never had a great experience here. The food, while yummy, is typical sconnie bar offerings and nothing to write home about. The wait staff has always been completely adequate but seems bizarrely/unusually withdrawn. From this point forward, I will be having no experiences here, as I will not be going to this bar again. Very disappointing.

Stopped in for a Saturday brunch. So glad we did! Very busy but our server greeted us and directed us to a very cozy corner that we thoroughly enjoyed. Great food and drink coupled with great service from Allison! Fun times!

Great little neighborhood bar. Service was great and food very tasty. This is an older building that has been renovated and provides a nice atmosphere.

A cozy place to grab some drinks and food. Stopped here randomly after work this week and I'm so very glad I did. The meat here is very tender and well cooked. So most of the items you order will taste great. My hubby ordered a burger which came with a side of salad and chips. He loved it, the patty was prepared medium rare and it was well flavored. I ordered the carnitas with verde sauce and it was just okay tasting. In my opinion it needed better spices and maybe salt, but beside that, it was edible and the carnitas were still very well cooked. I will be returning soon to try some more stuff off their menu.

If you haven't yet been to Tip Top for brunch, you are missing out. My husband raves about their bourbon glazed ham eggs benedict. I appreciate their standard breakfast, as they offer veggie sausage, English muffin for toast, and breakfast potatoes which are SO good. Not only is their food fantastic, their outdoor patio offers expansive seating fenced off from the sidewalk/street. The patio is dog friendly, too! If you are visiting for dinner, I highly recommend their veggie burger with the tip top sauce. It's unbelievably delicious. Ask for extra sauce to dip your fries. You'll be happy you did.

Honestly one of my favorite places in Madison. Come for the food, stay for the kind and thoughtful waitstaff, bartenders, AND cooks who recognize you and remember your order! (You made my day, Spooky!!) They are all wonderful.

Food exceeded my expectations for a tavern! Service was on point. Water and coffee stations were set up for self serve which is genius. We sat outside, well shaded, pet friendly.

$ 76 dollars , for a shared burger , 2 margaritas and fried pickle appetizer plus 2 IPA's. RIDICULOUS!!! The pickles were the best part . The margaritas were served in a short false bottom cocktail glass with TONS of ice for 18 bucks ! The burger meat literally tasted like week old ground beef , and I wanted to spit out the first bite. I couldn't stomach the rest . Oh plus they charge extra if you split the burger. This place is a complete overpriced joke of a venue. I have NEVER spent this much for such a rip off in the Madison area ever ever !! If the food or drinks were quality , I'd have never written this review . But wow , they sure know how to overcharge for extremely below subpar food. I'm super upset. What a waste of my hard earned money and what I hoped would be a nice evening out. I'll never recommend to anyone to visit this establishment. It's horrific and truly reflects price gouging . Stay far far away .

My husband and I were in Madison for the weekend and decided to go for breakfast and Bloody Mary's. Cozy,cute atmosphere with yummy food. Will definitely go again

Old fashioned was delicious. Not strong but they put a splash of ginger beer in it which gives it an interesting kick almost intensifies the bitters. I had the walleye fish fry, which was delicious. Portion was large. Fries were great. Tartar sauce was unique, not like a regular chunky relishy tartar more of a smooth mayo. The parking is hard to come by, as are tables, but we got there early on a Friday and lucked out. Got a little loud because it's a small place. I'd go more often if I am on this side of town.

Fish was very good. Bz place but good service. Young and old kinda bar. Something for everyone.

Funky little bar. Only 3 parking spots but plenty of street parking. Simple menu but very tasty and better ingredients than a typical bar. Attentive servers and good music is always playing. The florentine burger had mushrooms, the baby greens, crumbled cheese, tomato and a garlic aioli. The side salad had red onion, carrots mixed green and a balsamic vinaigrette. All so yummy, filling and at a reasonable price.

LOVE the eggs benedict. Weekend brunch is superb. Excellent servers. Very friendly and helpful.

They have good food if you are able to get a table or service at all. No hello when you walk in or any acknowledgment whatsoever

Great with nice service. Always spectacular ambiance. Love this place. Will be back many times

Food was delicious. Wait staff very friendly. Cool little place in a cool neighborhood.

Friendly staff, delicious food- the salad that came with my Reuben sandwich was beautiful - fresh mixed greens and pickled beets! I love pickled beets!

This place is a very lively bar and grill. My group was pretty big yet they were very accommodating in getting us tables that were close together. That being said, we had to go and find a server/host because it was so busy they didn't know if we were new or current customers because the place was packed. Once it get later in the night the service is what you would expect from a restaurant. The food need more variety because most of the food are either fries, sandwiches, burgers, or soup which were all good. My friends had to only eat the fries because there was no vegan option where even the salad have dairy. It's not a big ask to have one vegan dish if it's a bar considering there are more people going vegetarian or vegan. As far as drinks go, it's what you expect from a Wi bar. Lots of variety for wine, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks. It's a good place to hangout for dinner and anything afterward. Just keep in mind your friend/family diet.

Shirley temple: have you ever seen so many cherries in a shirley temple before? 10/10 reuben review: a little too much meat for me and the sourdough rye wasnt my favorite but still pretty good 7/10 overall: fries were incredible and the outdoor seating is adorable great atmosphere

I always forget to take a picture of the food because I'm always starving but I haven't been disappointed yet. French Nasty (messy fries with delicious fixins) is so good. The cheese curds are great. Try them with the Josie raspberry jalapeño jam (I dare you). The servers are super nice and very accommodating. I always have a great time when I come to Tip Top and leave full and happy.

Tip top service!! This quaint little restaurant/bar has got it all. Andrew provided my out of town party with excellent service. He had great suggestions for food, drinks and where to eat/drink around town. The fish fry was delicious on Friday night. Great Midwest dining experience. Highly recommend stopping in for a meal when in Madison!

The food is good. Great burgers & I love the cheese curds with their tip top sauce. Fun to hang out in the patio in the summer. Great local bar/restaurant.

Great brunch! The scrambler delicious! Great coffee, bacon, and mimosas. Service was good and the prices were fair. We will be back!

3.5 - Good fries and beer selection, but they didn't ask how I wanted the burger cooked and it came out overdone.

We LOVE this place. The only reason I don't want to place a review is because I don't want it so busy that we can't find a seat... I want to keep it a secret! The food is so good and just "different" enough! Right down to their hamburgers, in which the meat is sourced locally, to their fish fry which in our opinion is the best in town! We went for brunch this past Sunday and it was amazing! We will be back again!

We had horrible service. We walked in and no one greeted us. The bartender ignored us despite no active drink orders. When we went to speak to her she told us it was open seating (why wouldn't she tell us that right away instead of just letting us just stand there). She didn't warn us that the patio stopped serving food at 8:45, so we sat in the patio. Our waitress rushed us even though the kitchen closed at 10:00 am. She didn't tell us any of the specials. Overall, not a pleasant experience due to poor service and unwelcoming atmosphere.

Still love this fish fry. The fried walleye must be the best in town. If you're the type to share a dish, one order is enough for two. Updating my review: the walleye leftovers are great for breakfast! ask for an extra container of the tartar (which is more of a tarragon mayo and better than traditional tartar) to go.

Our group of 5 was hungry and looking for a place to grab dinner after the most recent home football game. We called Tip Top and were pleasantly surprised to learn they had no wait for a table. When we arrived, we were a bit worried because it's a small (somewhat dark) place in a clearly residential neighborhood. We grabbed a spot on the street and went in. We were seated immediately and the service was friendly and quick. The chicken sandwich, walleye, Mediterranean grain salad and burger were all delicious.

Love the old wood and local neighborhood vibe/ambience going on at the Tip Top. They have a great selection, and I've always wanted to go for their brunch and finally was able to right before COVID hit us. Brunch was quite good, and I even thought about deviating from my standard eggs, potatoes, and toast (something I never do, and alas, did not do this time... but their menu was amazing). What I really appreciated was that they accommodated my very particular feelings about mimosas. I CAN'T STAND mimosas in champagne flutes, and they totally put a double for me in a wine glass instead. Made my morning! And it was a darn good mimosa too.

Brunch with pastrami hash and a PBR. What more can a man ask for? Food is delicious, beer menu is solid, and the decor matches the vibe, relaxed.

This place is a delicious gem!!!! I had the sconnie and a Bloody Mary adding cheese curds. My foodie heart is still on cloud 9. The hubs got the Bruce burger, it was cooked to perfection. He added havarti and it was the best decision. The food is so good!!!! The fall Esther was great so we enjoyed the patio and the staff were busy but you didn't even notice. They were friendly and helpful. So great!

Had issues with food wait times multiple times. Service in general is subpar. Odd since you have to get your own water. Another attempt at being a hip bar and restaurant from the family who brought you Gils. And everyone knows how toxic that place is ....

Located in a cute neighborhood in Madison. Pet friendly patio and excellent service! The portions and food were great!

Brisket sandwich. Isn't anything close to what a brisket sandwich is. No barbecue flavor and very little brisket.

Probably the coolest and dreamiest patio areas in Madison; there are lots of cheery plants and string lights to escape an otherwise blase Monday evening. We brought the guest of the evening, our precious pup and I think he was impressed. They have a water station set up and bowls all ready to go. I ordered the Carnitas Verde $9.95, he, the Tip Top Burger $8.95, and a plain hamburger for the pup $7.95. Both the burgers came with chips and fresh greens, but you could substitute fries for an additional cost. I would recommend getting it as is because the greens were crisp, dressed lightly in an herb vinaigrette, and was so refreshing that I didn't even miss the fries. I'd also just suggest getting the regular burger and add toppings to your liking instead of the Tip Top burger. For an additional $1, it didn't come with anything you couldn't get gratis. The burgers was savory, the meat blend was a harmonious blend of lean and fat where it was still dripping in juice without being undercooked. The carnitas arrived with two over-hard eggs on top. The meat was tender and the flavor was deep, though maybe too generous with the salt. The lightly warmed corn tortillas cut away the saltiness, so definitely soak that shit up. We stayed for an after-meal drink, I got the recommended by the waitress; silver tequila, chambord, and pineapple juice - it was okay, I feel like all I could taste was the tequila. For dessert, they only had pies, so we'll have to come back another time for their cheesecakes.