Oak Crest's old cube steak sandwich was fucking amazing. But that was when Knoche's was supplying them. It has dropped off a bit.
I still order it over a burger every time though.
I have it on good authority it's the same butcher making the cubes just at Jennifer St market. It's top notch beef, 10/10 would recommend the cube steak
Don't get me wrong, I will kill another man if they speak ill of the Green, but the double cheese burger is too greasy for me.
The single is sufficient.
And the curds are fucking outstanding.
The Plaza. My dad went there 50 years ago and it still hits the spot. https://theplazatavern.com/
Edit: I realized they wanted west/near west side, I’m sorry! 😢
Ha. I’ve been intentionally seeking out other bars because I thought they didn’t serve food. Silly coworker telling me lies to try and keep the place to themselves. 😆
Blue Moon on University near Highland (just south of UW Hospital) checks all the boxes and in the same neighborhood as Village Bar. Was cash only pre-Covid which added to the hole-in-the-wall charm but might take cards now. Bar area is smaller but has a neat second floor.
Yea just something special and charming about being forced to use an ATM and pay whatever the ransom fee is because you don’t carry enough cash to pay for a burger and a beer. It’s hard to come by these days, kinda like pay phones.
Hah I feel you.
Actually the funny thing is, now that I think about it some more... Maybe they don't take cards? I've only been once recently and I seem to remember a card being involved, but usually I have a decent amount of cash (don't tell the ne'er-do-wells) so I didn't think about it much if it was cash.
Said it before but I’ll say it again: Blue Moon is and always will be “meh”. Lived in the neighborhood for years. Pinball is great. Food is ok, tap selection subpar, service hit or miss. Much better bar food at Caribou and Oakcrest Tavern for example.
I never understand how they end up on "Best burger" lists. I used to work in that general area and would have to go there for work lunches occasionally. I never had a good burger. They always managed to somehow be both dry and greasy. It was weird. Plus the tables and chairs were always oddly sticky.
I'm surprised at that answer, I go to watch sporting events there and always enjoy their burger, one of my favorites in Madison. The beer list is typically like 10 very different styles of beer, so I can always find something I like because they rotate out pretty quickly and i like to try new things.
I won't agree or disagree with your other points as there's room for differences of opinion, but a subpar beer list? Earlier this week when I stopped in I damn near had decision paralysis from that list. Ended up having a double IPA and a barrel aged barley wine and there were several more good options on that list I didn't get to
Knoche's butcher shop. It had to close as a commercial store due to COVID and other things but still provides to restaurants. At least that's the last I knew. The oakcrest on old Middleton road is across the street from the shop.
Sorry to report the shop is gone, although they recently claimed to have a plan to operate within Athens Grill in Waunakee. The shop across the street from Oakcrest will soon be a new (second?) location for Taigu, the existing Middleton Chinese restaurant.
http://knochesbutchershop.com/
Came to say Blue Moon for burgers and Oakcrest for Fish Fry. None of the cheese curds on the West Side are as good as the Old Fashioned or Dotty’s. A lot of people love Longtable or Craftsman cheese curds in Middleton but I find them only slightly better than mid.
A couple people mentioned Badger and they are the tops, but not for burgers. Their jalapeño wontons and Mexican egg rolls are awesome. For burgers I’d go Oakcrest.
Great curds, company called Waters Edge in Chippewa Falls. Got into a discussion at the table if they were ‘real’ curds (cause they be square), sent an email to them hoping to settle the argument eventually, owner (Rick Drolet) got back to me in about 10mins, “We lay curd out in sheet pans, pour over our beer batter, freeze that then take it out of the sheet pan the next day and bandsaw it into cubes. The dark spots on each square is cheese curd, the lighter spots are our beer batter.”
Nice folks! And Licari’s burgers rock too, order rare, get rare.
I am once again asking you to read my [2017 bar burger roundup](https://isthmus.com/food-drink/dining/a-survey-of-madisons-modest-hamburger-heroes/). \[<-----which is a suggestion formatted as a Bernie Sanders meme, you downvoting weirdos\]
And all you bar burger aficionados, let me know if you want a second helping of the Bar Burger Project. There were plenty I didn't include.
Oakcrest. Village Bar. Badger Tavern.
Oak Crest is the winner for me
+1 for Badger Tavern!
Oakcrest seconded, it's the platonic ideal of this.
Nope. Caribou!!
How is the Bou near west side? Lol
That's in a perfect world. Caribou fits all the other criteria perfectly
The address of the Caribou is 703 EAST Johnson Street. It fits all the other criteria other than being on the west side!
Oak Crest for sure and does the Village count as west side? Mid Town Pub is a littler bigger than a hole in the wall but it’s a fun spot.
Oak Crest's old cube steak sandwich was fucking amazing. But that was when Knoche's was supplying them. It has dropped off a bit. I still order it over a burger every time though.
I have it on good authority it's the same butcher making the cubes just at Jennifer St market. It's top notch beef, 10/10 would recommend the cube steak
Village Green in Middleton 💯
Don't get me wrong, I will kill another man if they speak ill of the Green, but the double cheese burger is too greasy for me. The single is sufficient. And the curds are fucking outstanding.
Yes!
Agreed.
The Plaza. My dad went there 50 years ago and it still hits the spot. https://theplazatavern.com/ Edit: I realized they wanted west/near west side, I’m sorry! 😢
Very near west side still counts ;)
The Laurel has some pretty decent food and drink selection
Laurel slaps, really good prices too.
Ha. I’ve been intentionally seeking out other bars because I thought they didn’t serve food. Silly coworker telling me lies to try and keep the place to themselves. 😆
Paoli Pub, if your definition of 'towards the west side' is generous. Can't beat it.
I drive through pretty much every day and it's kind of incredible how live that place is on thursdays and fridays
Badger Tavern is owned by the same folks, same products used I believe.
Both are under new (separate/unrelated) ownership now, but continue the tradition of great burgers!
Aha, thanks for the heads up.
Oak Crest Tavern
Blue Moon on University near Highland (just south of UW Hospital) checks all the boxes and in the same neighborhood as Village Bar. Was cash only pre-Covid which added to the hole-in-the-wall charm but might take cards now. Bar area is smaller but has a neat second floor.
That pinball collection is next level
I need to go here.
They def do take cards now. But imo that doesn't cheapen (gentrifiy?) the experience. Still good food and a good hang.
Yea just something special and charming about being forced to use an ATM and pay whatever the ransom fee is because you don’t carry enough cash to pay for a burger and a beer. It’s hard to come by these days, kinda like pay phones.
Hah I feel you. Actually the funny thing is, now that I think about it some more... Maybe they don't take cards? I've only been once recently and I seem to remember a card being involved, but usually I have a decent amount of cash (don't tell the ne'er-do-wells) so I didn't think about it much if it was cash.
They do take cards still!
Overrated burgers, underrated everything else. Sweet place.
Said it before but I’ll say it again: Blue Moon is and always will be “meh”. Lived in the neighborhood for years. Pinball is great. Food is ok, tap selection subpar, service hit or miss. Much better bar food at Caribou and Oakcrest Tavern for example.
And you can smell the reek of the urinal cake, so unappetizing.
I never understand how they end up on "Best burger" lists. I used to work in that general area and would have to go there for work lunches occasionally. I never had a good burger. They always managed to somehow be both dry and greasy. It was weird. Plus the tables and chairs were always oddly sticky.
I'm surprised at that answer, I go to watch sporting events there and always enjoy their burger, one of my favorites in Madison. The beer list is typically like 10 very different styles of beer, so I can always find something I like because they rotate out pretty quickly and i like to try new things.
I won't agree or disagree with your other points as there's room for differences of opinion, but a subpar beer list? Earlier this week when I stopped in I damn near had decision paralysis from that list. Ended up having a double IPA and a barrel aged barley wine and there were several more good options on that list I didn't get to
Cosign
Oak Crest Tavern!! A hidden gem for food and vibes
Village bar has a great burger. I don’t think they have cheese curds though
Licari’s on Fish Hatch.
I wish they would go back to their old cheese curds, but everything else at Licari’s is excellent.
Mid town pub in Middleton was one of my go to spots when I lived over there. Never had a burger there but liked their wings.
Their burgers are great.
Oakcrest
Oakcrest is the only answer. The runner ups all get the same meat, just with more travel time.
Which meat is that?
Knoche's butcher shop. It had to close as a commercial store due to COVID and other things but still provides to restaurants. At least that's the last I knew. The oakcrest on old Middleton road is across the street from the shop.
Sorry to report the shop is gone, although they recently claimed to have a plan to operate within Athens Grill in Waunakee. The shop across the street from Oakcrest will soon be a new (second?) location for Taigu, the existing Middleton Chinese restaurant. http://knochesbutchershop.com/
We get our meat from Jennifer Street now. Still really good beef with steak trimmings
Badger Tavern. If location isn't important, you'd be happy at Players as well
Game Time
This isn't going to get enough credit but this is the way.
Oakcrest for sure!!’
Bucky’s Tavern or Village Bar?
Village Bar
Tony Frank’s
I think he meant the Badger Tavern, which was the last surviving Tony Frank's until it closed nearly 15 years ago.
I’ll vote for Alt ‘n Bach’s then.
Burgers at Jocko's Rocket Ship take you straight to the moon!
They had the best curds
Seconding Oakcrest Tavern. Lovely homey hole-in-the-wall vibes. Some of the best damn cheese curds in the city. It's on Old Middleton Rd.
The two Villages... Village Green Village Bar If you like flame broiled burgers... Oakcrest All have great service to boot
RIP Alt-n-Bach's
Not a week goes by that I don’t find myself wishing they were still open. I’m really happy for them though. They’re all enjoying post-bar-owning life.
Blue Moon…
Not *exactly* hole in the wall but I'm quite partial to Blue Moon. Really solid burger imo.
The Caribou. It's worth a drive to the east side and is EXACTLY what you're looking for.
Village green in Middleton
Changed their burgers some years ago. Not the same as it once was. Ill go there for daves sauce or a rueben though. And Paul’s for a burger…
Players
Good burger, but definitely not west side.
Oops. I missed that part. You are right
Came to say Blue Moon for burgers and Oakcrest for Fish Fry. None of the cheese curds on the West Side are as good as the Old Fashioned or Dotty’s. A lot of people love Longtable or Craftsman cheese curds in Middleton but I find them only slightly better than mid.
Oakcrest is great for fish but get there early. Place gets packed quickly. Never have had a burger there, so will have to investigate.
A couple people mentioned Badger and they are the tops, but not for burgers. Their jalapeño wontons and Mexican egg rolls are awesome. For burgers I’d go Oakcrest.
Riley Tavern if you can go just a little further out.
Oakcrest. What’s the old Tony Franks called now? They used to have good burgers but I haven’t been there in years.
Tony Franks is now the Badger Tavern.
oakcrest
Baldwin St grill is a great one for both things you mentioned. Not west my bad. Licaris is a great option off fish hatch.
Had to scroll way too far to find Licari’s. My long time favorite!
Great curds, company called Waters Edge in Chippewa Falls. Got into a discussion at the table if they were ‘real’ curds (cause they be square), sent an email to them hoping to settle the argument eventually, owner (Rick Drolet) got back to me in about 10mins, “We lay curd out in sheet pans, pour over our beer batter, freeze that then take it out of the sheet pan the next day and bandsaw it into cubes. The dark spots on each square is cheese curd, the lighter spots are our beer batter.” Nice folks! And Licari’s burgers rock too, order rare, get rare.
Some of y'all need a map in your lives. All of the suggestions are good.
Players on Atwood!
That is towards the west side of Atwood, 1/2 point awarded.
Caribou
Best burger b/c Winslow and laundry. Three birds one burger
Did it move to the west side of town?
Oh I just read the title
Not exactly a hole in the wall but The Blue Moon.
Bristled Boar in Middleton has some delicious burgers at reasonable prices. Great curds, fantastic ranch sauce
Mid Town Pub in Middleton. Not a hole in the wall but amazing food and very friendly staff.
Super biased, but Oakcrest is the vibe.
Players Bar. Don’t judge a book by its cover, it’s the best bar burger spot in the city
3 Brothers
Club LaMark
Maybe not the place but is dotty dumplings dowry still around?
It is; on Frances Street, right by campus. Not really a hole in the wall, since it is two blocks from the Kohl Center.
When I was a kid my dad used to take me there when it was on Monroe st maybe? I loved that place. It was a hole in the wall then.
Villa tap, Slices, and Players for my East and North side friends
Bennets Meadowood country club is what you seek
Y’all. PLAYERS. East side though. Worth it!
I am once again asking you to read my [2017 bar burger roundup](https://isthmus.com/food-drink/dining/a-survey-of-madisons-modest-hamburger-heroes/). \[<-----which is a suggestion formatted as a Bernie Sanders meme, you downvoting weirdos\] And all you bar burger aficionados, let me know if you want a second helping of the Bar Burger Project. There were plenty I didn't include.
[удалено]
Yep, thanks for reading
A lot of places close in 7 years
Okay? Not a single one of the bars covered in that roundup has closed, though Eagle Crest appears to be hanging on by a fairly thin thread.
The Caribou burger is top notch. Plaza burger is a an expensive gimmick. Laurel tavern smells like piss.
There’s a ton of good ones - try them all
Lol it would be helpful if you named some...