Wilson’s Bar

Great neighborhood sports bar with lots of TVs tuned to every possible sporting event. Good selection of draft and bottled beers. The Friday Fish Fry and Saturday Prime Rib are really excellent and at a good price. Pool tables too.

Wilson’s Bar is one of my favorites for sports. Anything Wisconsin affiliated will bring in crowds of regulars and new patrons alike. Televisions are plenty, some tables even have their own ~25 inch TV mounted on the wall above the table — extra bonus!
The tap and bottle lists are fairly extensive with lots of Wisconsin microbrews to offer. Wilson’s offer standard burgers and sandwiches with some nightly specials. The free popcorn in the back corner is addicting — and it’s not oversalted like so many other places.
Pro tip: if you’re going to watch a highly anticipated Wisconsin sporting event, get there early! Seats/​tables are limited, and the place fills up incredibly fast.

They have Karaōke on Friday nights.
Ordered a Capital Brewery Amber and it came to $ 4.50 for a bottle. Tried to use a credit card to pay but there’s a $ 5 min.
The bartenders were sufficiently nice. Fits the quintessential neighborhood bar style.

I’ve been to Wilson’s a few times ranging from Packer games to New Year’s Eve, and I’m finally ready to rate it four stars since on my last trip, for the first time ever, it didn’t smell like old, burning grease. I had a doubly enjoyable time when I wasn’t fighting for fresh air and looking through a smoky haze.
Things I enjoy about Wilson’s:
+ TVs everywhere
+ Cheap drinks (a pitcher of Spotted Cow is $ 11)
+ A mix of karaōke and DJ on Saturday nights — you’ll probably get to sing your song pretty quick /​if there’s something you’d rather just hear than sing, you’re covered there, too
+ Nice staff
Fingers crossed the fresh air sticks around as it makes for a much better experience!

Horrible service the guy who took our order was an older bigger guy don’t know his name but he was extremely rude and the food wasn’t really that good. And the guy sets a dirty plate in front of us and leaves it there Avoid this place if possible there are plenty other bars to choose from. I will never be back

I am a fan of Wilson’s Bar. Unfortunately the only time I go there due to location is when I am waiting for a haircut at Atwood Family Barbershop next door. Whether I have enough time for food, or just need a beer, they are good at both.
I have had a few different things off their menu including a burger and fries, chili, and breakfast. For bar food made on a small flat top right in front of the bar, it was pretty good.
They have a good selection of beer on tap and in bottles. The bar tenders are always helpful and the prices are extremely reasonable.

My boyfriend introduced me to Wilson’s about a year ago. As a small town girl, this place reminds me of my hometown bars. We’ve typically come for a later breakfast and drinks, but I know it can be a popular spot to watch games as well. Definitely a local sports bar.
There is plenty of seating throughout the bar. Service has always been good and friendly, and we’ve been acknowledged quickly upon arriving by our server on all occasions.
Bloodies and drinks are good and the prices are right. If your looking for a fancy spot this is not it. If your trying to test out a relationship to see if your potential new girlfriend can hang out at local neighborhood bars, you should take her to Wilsons to see what she says.

If I was going to open a sports bar, I would pay them to show me how to cook this menu. It’s great food, they turn it around quickly, and it’s consistent. The bartenders are nice, the place is rarely empty, and they have dozens of TVs.
This is not a fine dining experience. It is simply the best sports bar in Madison without driving to one of the malls.

Arrived here for a fish fry on Friday, May 2, 2014 at around 7:30pm. I attended the dinner with three friends, one of whom happens to be a professional fisherman from Alaska. He fishes primarily for cod and salmon, and supplies several very well known restaurants with his bounty. His fish is top notch and without compare — truly great stuff.
He wanted to try Wilson’s, as he doesn’t supply them with fish and is always looking for opportunities to expand his distribution footprint in and around the area.
+ Huge space. Shockingly huge — rectangular in shape, the building is at least 4 – 5 times deeper than it is wide.
+ Bar runs the entire length of the building
+ Nice selection of taps and bottles available
+ Was quite surprised to find Abita Strawberry on tap
+ Tons of televisions; our high-​top had its own TV
— Very noisy due to all of the televisions going
— All tables were dirty; staff wasn’t too good about wiping down after people left
— Our server was quite gruff, not terribly helpful, largely absent, and forgot to bring refills of drinks and waters
So… all of that stuff aside, let’s talk about the fish.
Two options for fish: 3-​piece or 5-​piece deep-​fried cod. No baked cod, and no other fish varietals.
+ The cooking area is in plain view of the entire restaurant
— You’ll leave smelling like a deep fryer
— We watched as our fries sat and languished on plates for a good 5+ minutes while the fish cooked
— We watched as our completed plates loitered in the cooking area for another 5+ minutes after the fish was done; our server was busy running around helping other tables while the fish sat… and sat… and sat…
— Before we were finished eating, our cranky server began clearing a space directly behind us so that they could set-​up for karaōke. That’s all well and good, but the guy kept bumping stuff into us (the bar stools don’t have backs)… he was like a bull in a china shop.
+ Batter on the cod was delicious, if not quite salty. Violet L is a salt fan, and she even commented that it was overly salty
— The cod itself was dry, slightly chewy, and meh. My fisherman friend said it was «jerky-​like.» He was, however, quite impressed (as were all of us) by how well the batter clung to the cod. The two components were very well bonded.
— I thought the batter had a taste similar to KFC’s original coating — salty with a bit of pepper. I suspect that those who truly enjoy this fish fry are mostly in love with the batter.
I didn’t try the slaw; the roll was your typical cafeteria-​style white bread roll.
+ Inexpensive; four of the 3-​piece cod dinners with a round of drinks was $ 34.
I’m not sure why Madison Fish Fry likes this place so much. Perhaps we got a bad round of cod, along with bad service. Fish that sits after being cooked never bodes well… and while I believe in second chances, the overall experience left me quite sour, so it may be difficult to return in a timely manner.

I went to their Friday fish fry with family. The fish was wonderful and reasonably priced. The service however was very slow. It took over an hour from the time we arrived to get our food. The fish was the best part with fresh cod deep fried. The fries and roll were nothing special, just typical bar food. Their beer selection is good for WI beers and not as expensive as other places. Go with the fish. Madison has other better options for good bar/​pub food.

My favorite neighborhood tavern!
Service is friendly and specials are great. Tons of tables and the greatest place to watch a game because there are tvs everywhere! Also, as you walk in you’ll notice that they’re open 365 days a year.
Their website posts a month’s worth of daily specials including lasagna, baked chicken, prime rib, and more. Food is good — I’ve had a few «ok» meals (that’s the only reason I’m giving this place a 4).

I was home alone today and craving some fish for lunch. I decided to checkout
to see what they recommended for lunch. And Wilson’s Bar was «Highly Recommended.» I thought well let me check out the website first. I seen that they had a special on fish today $ 8.00 for 3 piece Cod with fries, Cole slaw and a role. Or $ 9.50 for 5 piece. I went in and it appeared to be a few older gentlemen conversing while watching the Cubs play the Giants. I ordered a Spotted Cow on tap and the 3 piece fish.
About 10 minutes later my food comes out and it’s piping hot! Their was 3 decent size pieces of fish here with some awesome tartar sauce. I started in but had to wait a couple minutes as the food was so hot. The fish had a nice batter and stayed together well with only a little bit of flakiness, The fries were good and very potatoey. The Cole Slaw was pretty good too. My final bill was $ 11.50. I will be back, their is a surplus of tvs and the bartender is super friendly.
Plus this place has a cool neighborhood vibe going for it.

Poor food handling practices!!! I was really excited to try this place as the reviews were excellent. Major disappointment! We arrived just before noon and the place was really busy. They were still serving breakfast but we were interested in lunch. We asked our server to see what the lunch menu to see all our options and she seemed annoyed. We ordered a couple of beers and they were prompt but not really cold. While we waited about 30 minutes in order to be able to order lunch, we had a lot of time to observe things. I was appalled to see the filthy salt, pepper, ketchup, and mustard containers. They looked like they had never been washed. I also watched the bartenders clear dirty dishes off the bar, then dig their hands in the cherry jar. The last straw was watching the woman cooking touch a handful of raw hamburger patties and then immediately touch the buns on the grill. Last I checked, those practices could send someone to the hospital! We will not be going back!

The Best Sports Bar in Madtown. Randy has one of the best fish fry’s in Madison. Breakfast… simple, big breakfast at a fair price that will definitely help you get over the wreckage from the previous evening. If Mack is working behind the bar order a «Mackdriver». There truly are TVs everywhere including the restrooms and outdoor smoking area. This is a great place to watch Packer/​Badger/​Brewer games… but get there early because it fills up and it’s sometimes difficult to get a «ringside» seat.

This is a breakfast review. If you want a simple, big breakfast at a modest price, this is a solid option. In fact, a good place to have breakfast after a big night out. If you need it to help your recovery, you can get a good bloody mary or just a screw drive with your breakfast. Tons of great TVs.

One liner… great neighborhood bar.
Super nice people and great food! If you like huge burritos they have one for you! Comfort food specials during the week. Hard not to like Wilsons.

How could I have not reviewed this bar yet? Doy. Well, besides the kind and sweet bartenders (Brian’s awesome), they have great burgers, a crab leg special that’s too good to pass up, and of course: beer and booze. If you are into sports, they have tons (I mean TONS, even TVs in the bathrooms and outside where you would smoke) of TVs to watch whatever ‘the game’ is on. Also, video trivia for free, and, oddly enough, one of the best wi-​fi signals around! And, Snake Hollow on tap. Go say hello. If Mac is working, try a MacDriver, his signature drink. And, the fish fry is FABulous.

The Best Sports Bar in town. Wilson’s has, dollar for dollar, the city’s greatest Friday night fish fry. Just don’t tell anyone. A lot of people have caught on and Randy raised the prices lately! Albeit only slightly. If Mack is working behind the bar order a «Mackdriver» and say goodnight. Yes, the same Mack who ran Stillwaters for years. There truly are TVs everywhere including the restrooms, so this is the place to watch the big game. A sports gambler’s Mecca!

Wilson’s… 4 stars for what it is… a local sports bar. There is always parking available, they recently upgraded all of their TV’s to new flat screens, and the locals and staff are always welcoming. The price is right for the food they have to offer, although you’re basically only going to get something deep fried or grilled up. Stick with the burger or grab the fish fry… the wings suck, but they basically always do in the Midwest (sorry, these are facts, just sayin’). The best time to go there is when a Packers, University of Wisconsin Badgers, or Brewers game is on… especially when they’re winning. In other news, there is Karaōke on Friday nights, and a couple of pool tables if you’re interested.

Nice low key place. I was half mesmerized by the presence of TVs all around the wall of the bar. So if you’re a sports bar type of person, this is definitely a must-​check-​out for you.
The bar could use a few more bartenders — two guys splitting their time between making drinks and grilling the delicious food doesn’t really work too well for a quick service.
That said, their food is delicious. We ordered cheese curds, onion rings, and chicken wings for appetizers. All of them came out hot and super crispy and just darn good greasy delicious. I ordered the reubin sandwich, which was also awesome as well.