What to do in Madison?

I was about 1 second away from posting the exact same question: So I'm going with some friends to Madison for the game this weekend (seemed like a much better idea when we planned the trip in August) and was just wondering if anyone on the blog could make recommendations for places to eat, bars, or anything else that I should see/do while in Wisconsin. Are there landmarks similar to our Blimpie Burger, Zingerman's, etc.? Thanks for the help. Look forward to hearing the answers.

It's right near the Great Dane, by the capitol, bout half a mile from the main campus area. Big beers (yards) and POLKA! I know, but you have to give it a chance. Seriously.

Try and get to the Sunroon Cafe for breakfast. It's on State St. The blueberry pancakes are awesome and the Florentine omlet is very good as well. As for bars, when I went I made the mistake of trying to go to specific ones only to find out that for the most part, they are all the same. My suggestion is just walk around and go into one. There is a bar on pretty much every street, and you can get an idea of what the crowd will be like by looking at the people in line. If it's not your scene, walk half a block to the next one. Have fun, Madison is a great place.

You'll have a great time in Madison. Since the game starts at 11am CT, most people will start showing up between 7 and 8. We usually park for free in the neighborhoods and walk to the stadium. There are a number of good bars across from the Stadium. Contrary to what a few others have said, my wife and I both think that Madison is one of the best places to visit. Both the fans and the atmosphere is great. We almost always meet great new people old and young before the game. Of course there will be a few drunk students who can get offensive, but you should expect that for any road game. Enjoy - let's bring home a win! Go Blue!

As my handle indicates, I'm a Michigan alum in grad school at UW in my 6th year (that was depressing to type). A lot of this has been said, but let me give my take. The best bars are downtown. I don't care for much on State Street (Brats is a huge frat boy hangout whenever I'm there). State Street is a lot of fun to walk down/get a bite to eat, sort of like Main Street with no cars. Downtown is where the really good bars are at: Old Fashioned is the best, but extremely crowded. They make great food, and have every beer brewed in the state available for purchase. The Great Dane is a close second (I actually like it more). It's still busy, but much bigger. Plus they brew their own beer and have great food. The best thing about downtown bars is that you'll be avoiding the undergrads. Madtown people are really nice, active, and hospitable. The students, are not. If you want drown sorrows in beer or have a load of fun with a group of friends, go to the Essen Haus/Come Back In. Boots are hard to get, but the beer is flowing and the atmosphere is great. Madison has great restaurants if you are looking for something nice. Willy Street is the best for variety (it's the hippie -> hipster part of town). Magnus is the best food in town, but $$$$. If you get a chance and the weather is nice, go to the Memorial Union and get some ice cream. They serve good beer there too, but you need a student ID or union membership most of the time. It's worth trying if you get there Friday afternoon since they rarely card. You can step out to the terrace and enjoy the beautiful lake. For game day, be ready for some heckling by students. I've been to most Big Ten stadiums, and UW students get jacked up for Michigan. The old people are really nice, especially close to the stadium since Barry Alverez has started a campaign to "Roll Out the Red Carpet". My in-laws came for the MSU game and got two "F-U"s on the way, but many more "Welcomes". Be ready for piped in music at the game. A lot of god-awful piped in music. The student section won't show up until half time, and probably won't live up to your expectations since it is not a night game. Jump Around is fun to watch, though. If you are in the student section, have thick skin. It's fun to play along with them. I love Madison, it's a better town than Ann Arbor. Make sure to enjoy it by staying away from campus bars. Campus food/bars are generic for a big 10 school. If you have family, go to the Vilas Zoo - largest free zoo in the US, and Olbrich Gardens is nice even in the cold.