Reviews of Avenue Club and The Bubble Up Bar (Night Club)

Michelle LaMore

Old bar turned into a jazzy spruced up place with good drinks, friendly people, and great food! Their beer battered cheese curds are fabulous! Prices are decent and plenty of seating. Decent parking lot. They serve breakfast along with other yummy food items. Good place to eat and drink!

Timothy Schimick

Went for dinner on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend and it was busy but certainly not overly so. Got our table in time and were greeted by our sever after a short wait. We were told he would return with water after he first took our drink order. We ordered drinks and waited for them to arrive. I saw the server bump into a table and spill part of a drink he was carrying to our table. He didn’t apologize nor did he offer to top the drink off. The other drinks took longer than expected and we still hadn’t received water yet. After finally getting our drinks (and water) we placed our dinner order. The salads arrived quickly but we were only 1/2 way finished with them when the meal arrived and our salads pushed aside to make room. After the meal we waited an inordinate amount of time with our dirty plates sitting in front of us for the server to return. We finally got the server’s attention and made it known we needed some boxes. He said he’d be right back with some but still didn’t clear the table. After another 7-10 minutes we finally got our boxes, still with dirty plates (now sitting on the table for 15 min) and I asked for the check at that point to try to save time. I was entertaining guests from out of town and was disappointed and embarrassed by the terrible service. I miss the old Avenue Bar and can’t recommend coming here if you’re looking for a nice dining experience.

TRAVELSwithDavid

Stopped in pre Badger game and as expected is was very busy. No Problem. The staff look like they do this all the time. We ordered a round of Bullit Old Fashions. very good. We also had the onion rings and cheese curds. The curds were melt in your mouth good. Hot, crispy. great. Onion rings we hot but the onions inside were a little crunchy. not bad, but I like mine soft and melty. your call. still hot and crispy.

Jan Vandegrift

Some what disappointed..service was slow and food was not hot when served at our table..had to send them back and was another long delay..

A S

The Bar keeps the same charm From the Original Avenue, wallpaper has to go. Drinks where good, Bartender was new and still learning. I would stop in again.

Diane Schultz

Drinks & Happy Hour prices were very good. Food was good.

Chauncey B

Man I love this place. A not-so hidden gem. The brunch is very very good and it's never super busy so you can get a table immediately. They have this vegetarian eggs benedict which is probably my favorite brunch dish in Madison. Their lunch and dinner menus don't have super robust vegetarian options but the cocktails are good and all the food I've had there has been delicious. Also, the whole ambiance of the place makes it worth a trip. The architecture is very 60s/70s with a recent modern, sleek update that I absolutely love.

Bruce Lawson

OMG so good. Great food, reasonable prices and the service tonight was above and beyond all expectations. There were a couple of little "bumps" with our meal and Margaret (our server) handled things with grace and finesse. Great sense of humor, great personality and an excellent waitress. Couldn't ask for anything more.

Steven Twixer

Really good food at a decent price. Serving sizes are decent and service was good. Will go back in the future!!

Danny Carstensen

Very attentive and curtious staff with great food.

Patrick Jones

The most tender prime rib I have had in a long time.

Denise Reed

Excellent food at an affordable price

Kate Spann

A bit sad about the remodel. A facelift may have been due but it's sooo different from what I remember and loved about the place years ago. Food & service was good. Fun drinks.

Brady Quackenbush

A nice spot for dinner and a great looking bar! There's a lot to choose from on the menu and you can't really go wrong with any of it. You'll leave full and happy.

Holly Burrington

Great place to pre-game for Forward Madison. The Smoked Onion Dip was delicious!

Donald Bennett

A fun take on a "modern" supper club. The food is very dependable and approachable. Highlights include the cocktail menu and fish fry. Service is friendly. On weekends, there may be long waits, so book a table online or explore other options in the Wil Mar neighborhood during those times.

Skip Hanson

Very good food, hearty portions, excellent staff, drinks were expensive

James Younger

Food and service were very good. Brunch menu lacked biscuits and gravy but since they already had sausage gravy it was easy to provide an alternative bread. It was quite good. Very willing to make our meal enjoyable. Worth checking out.

Jacob Matthews

Great atmosphere, well mixed cocktails. Good supper club experience. Enjoyed the chicken Cobb salad, but I dont think the term blackened was appropriate - no spice.

Ryan Cobb

Visited from out of time, my first time in Madison the Avenue came as a recommendation for Fish Fry. Our entire group either ordered the walleye or Atlantic Cod both were excellent. I am not usually a cocktail person but had two of the old fashioneds both were great. I'd recommend to any tourist

heather essig

Not a favorite, but not bad. Food is good but not exciting. Classic cocktail menu is the best part of this place!

John B

Your website has no information other than for kids. Good luck on your advertising and hope at some us elderly people will be able to see menu.

William Koepke

Ordered a burger here and it was delicious. This place was crowded on a Friday night but they still quickly made room for a table of six plus a baby. Would definitely recommend this place!

Jake Podrasky

Food was excellent, waitress was very attentive and really nice. Only complaint is the $10 cake cutting fee.(we brought our own) In my opinion that's a little excessive. There were a lot of interesting choices on the menu and I would recommend it to anyone.

Michelle Sanchez

Place is clean service is friendly, the food and menu sucks there is no cheese in my curds and super greasy and extra breading. Very hungry and was very turned off from the food ill stick with the drinks they r good though they did not have gentleman's jack

Chris

For a place that serves their "famous fish fry" 7 days a week, you would think that it would be dialed in to perfection. Unfortunately the fish needs an overhaul. The beer battered cod that we had was wet and mushy. The batter that they used is too heavy and was greasy. The accompanying slaw and potato options are good but the main course is disappointing. The relish tray wasn't very exciting either. Pickles, pickled beets, and bread is what you get. On the positive side, drinks and service are great. The Avenue Club has an awesome atmosphere and has a wide variety of seating options. Next time I visit, I'll avoid the fish and order their tasty reuben.

travis dobson

This is my 1st time back to the avenue bar since before it was remodeled and wow The food is awesome we ordered the calamari and cheese curds the cheese curds melted in your mouth and the calamari was just about perfect then we ordered 2 burgers both were juicy and very good everyone else got steaks and also juicy and tinder even the kids mac and cheese was very good the house chips are tasty and crisp and the Fry's are good also I must say the burger was one of the best I've had and I've had great burgers all over the world and USA I'm definitely going back to eat

John Von Klopp

I visit 2-4 times a year. Never disappointed!!!!

Cynda Solberg

Great place! Really good place to go for lunch. Good GF options.

David Adler

Fun place to stop before Flamingos game!

Troy Theis

Best fish fry in town! Great service as well!

Lucas Chasteen

The Avenue isn't the same old supper club it used to be--and that's a good thing! They have an excellent menu of classic dishes like chicken pot pie, beef stroganoff, chicken cordon bleu, steak, and salmon all well prepared by the kitchen staff. Both the cheese curds and calamari are my favorites in the city and the onion dip is likewise excellent. I do, though, miss the steak tartare that is only now occasionally offered during restaurant week. There is a good selection of beers and an excellent selection of retro cocktails. I recommend the New York Sour, but you can't really go wrong. I'd also like to mention that The Avenue has exceptional staff. We usually just sit two at the bar but both the dining staff and bartenders are fantastic.

Eugene Turke

My buddy took me there for Friday night fish fry. I thought the cod was outstanding and, as others have noted, the fried cheese curds are worth the trip all by themselves. Yeah the coleslaw was nothing to write home about, but I’m not much of a coleslaw eater anyway. I don’t get into town too often but I would definitely go back.

Ronald Lund

As a professional food critic that regularly travels and judges different establishments I found the Avenue bar an overpriced under quality establishment. The food was cold, stale and of very limited quantity. $15.99 for a two piece fish dinner on a Friday evening. The fish came out cold and was of poor taste. No flavor to it. The bread that was served was dry and stale. The very small portion of coleslaw served in a small tin container the size of 2-3 Tablespoons was dry with no flavor and tasted like chewing on shoe leather. The potato which I ordered as mashed potatoes came out cold with little to no butter in it and none was offered. There is an extra 50 cent charge for those of you who would order baked potato with sour cream. Most other establishments I travel to this extra is free. All in all I would not recommend anyone to spend there hard earned money on such poor prepared and poor quality food. There are much better establishments in the area for far less money with a much better quality fish fry offered. July 2019

Jeff Blankenship

I hadn't been to the 'new and improved' version of the Avenue Bar, so was anxious to see how it was. Overall, I was kind of disappointed, but there were some good things: Pros: Food was good, I had the Ruben, and the staff was very friendly Cons:Unacceptably slow service; it was not crowded, at all; nearly all tables in the bar were open and many in the main room. Took about 10 or more minutes for the server to come over (she was very nice), and then, more than 45 minutes to get our order. Simple order; soup, an appetizer and 2 sandwiches. We asked about it, and were told 'it was busy'. It was NOT busy. There was also a dank order, especially in the bar, like wet basement carpet; not appealing at all. Very surprising given how relatively new the place is. Decent prices, good food, but I won't wait that long.

Katie Perez

Camp Wannadrinki was fun!

Johnathan Predaina

The burgers are good and so is the prime rib sandwich. Drinks are priced right and taste good. Right after the remodel when drinking at the bar the drink I ordered was tiny ice and after a few sips all that was left was a solid glass of ice. I was happy when ordering my drinks the other night that this didn't happen again, if it did I was ready to make a scene and maybe even get a yelp account. Not normally a wait to get a table.

Michael Vanderscheuren

Every once in a while you spot a gem from the car, make a u-turn and end up someplace special. The classic old-fashioned, sour was just what the doctor ordered. The side order of curds were the perfect combination if light and crisp batter covering pillowy gobs of cheese. Will we be back? Yes.We. Will.

Brianna Krejchik

Great place to go! Did the Bitters Camp and it was awesome! Great staff and lots of fun!

Brady Voss

First time eating here. Not impressed or satisfied at all. Food was sub par and so was the service. Nice atmosphere but I would of also have liked to get more out of the over shockingly bill of $83 for two meals and a couple of small drinks. Very unsatisfied.

Paul Quella

Food was great. Early Mother's Day breakfast.

Miguel chantes

Really good food and interesting drinks but a lack of attentive service.

Nana Torres

Awesome atmosphere and great food.

lysuki

This is our favorite place to go for fish fry and old fashioneds. Hands down the best. But we just tried the brunch, and we now love The Avenue for brunch, too! As with many Food Fight restaurants, they're always happy to accommodate special requests like related to food allergies. And it's super great that they take reservations.

Kathryn Kozel

Just had coffee while getting the car washed.

jeff grimsled

Cheese curds were great, my sandwich was ok. My girlfriend loved the meatloaf.

Barbara Gulten

Easy, decent spot for a hangout or happy hour. Plenty parking, which is a big plus as many other places around this area struggle for easy parking. Good service, simple interior and decor. The faint bleach or cleaner scent is odd; not sure what that's about. Cocktails and menu is what you would expect from a standard place, its not extraordinary. Have only ordered apps; they were ok. For easy, no frills time.. check it out.

Constance White

This revamped restaurant/bar is nothing like the former place at all. So be ready for a different atmosphere and food. All in all the food was fine and wait staff helpful.

Kait Boss

Pretty tasty Wisconsin-flair food, but if you've been here before the remodel, you will be nostalgic for the the old, supper-club vibe that is now gone. While they hit the mark on certain menu items (cheese curds), some other standards leave one wanting (fish-fry). Where the food is sometimes lacking, the bar definitely picks up the slack. With classic cocktails and throwback tiki cocktails, this place is a great place for drinks before hitting up other restaurants on the square or Isthmus.

Sarah Crandall

Not terrible. Just very mediocre food and surly waitress wearing a lot of perfume. Ych

Kathryn Rinderle

Best grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup ever; definitely soul food.

John Wardale

It was in my coupon book. I was good! Veggie options on the menu (try the fried string beans!!) All the dips were delicious. Beer selection was fine. The interior long wood bar motif was visually stunning. Many old-fashioned cocktail options. Very posh ... good date-bar!

Dave Ullsperger

Nice place and very nice atmosphere! Service was excellent! Good food!

Olivia Reese

It’s taken about 3 years to get here and it was well worth the wait! The food is delicious, staff is so friendly and the atmosphere is great! Can’t wait to go back

Soul Sailing Hippie

Killer selection on the menu. I'm a vegetarian. Brilliant cooks. Staff wicked polite.

Sarah Owens

We had brunch there this morning and couldn’t be happier with our visit. The food was top notch and the service was above and beyond what was expected. It was nice to be in a place like this where we felt like one of their family the entire time. We fell madly in love with the decor and music too :) There’s no question we’ll be back soon. Probably for the fish fry ;).

Dustin Serbin

Fantastic, cheap old fashions also!

Katie Lemen

They have lots of comfort foods on the menu.I had the meatloaf! It was a generous portion of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The cheese curds are awesome!

Miles Hungsberg-Perzewski

Wow!! Amazing fish fry!! Amazing original press old fashioned!! Greatly supremely satisfied!! Haven't been so satisfied from a restaurant in a half past a pickle on pumpernickel!! Shi shi shi!! Believe It!! All the Best!! 'Cause dis some da best!! Tasty-licious!!

Maija Riedel

Good food, good service , even gave us a military discount on Memorial Day.

Elizabeth Shimek

One of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. The food is always good, from brunch to dinner. Most recently I tried the cioppino, which was heavenly.

Pablo Lupo

Great food, it was pretty full, on the weekend so remember to call for a reservation!

Cheryl

Great place for old fashions

airbagabe

It's a huge, well-run place with an extensive menu. Good prices, convenient location and parking. Recommended.

G Giron

Good is ok, service slow

Gregg Schroeder

Just a great retro vibe in a great building good food and service and the place is been kept up wonderfully

Vannessa Rodello

Thanks for fixing the tartar sauce and chowder. Dill does not belong in either.

Peter Dettmer

Excellent! Food was delicious. Lots of flavor and great service. Bloody Mary was a meal by itself!

Christi Ward

Great food. Half price appetizers and wine 3 to 6 pm shrimp cocktail was great

Sara Chapman

Love this place! Modern, good atmosphere and excellent food. Don’t skip the cheese curds - they are the best in town! Enjoyed the veggie skillet tonight - highly recommend that too!

Jocelyn Kwakkel

AMAZING food, I got a burger that was actually made medium rare (like i wanted) with house chips it was delicious my boyfriend and some of our friends got the prime rib it was great! Fresh veggies and all around flavors were perfect.

Doug Wells

The atmosphere hearkens back to the old supper club era. I liked the decor, and I thought their fish (baked cod) was very good. The Old Fashioneds were good. Waitresses were very cordial and attentive, and we had a big group (about 20). Would go back again, I would also recommend it to anyone.

Judi Pecha

Loved the variety of Old Fashions- enjoyed a Gin variety! Great bar tenders!

Rush W

Food is targeted at an older demographic, simple, under seasoned. If this is the kind of stuff you want, the great Dane, old fashioned, and essen haus do it better in five block radius. Feels like an airport restaurant. Manufactured, but it's a food fight place so you kinda have to expect that.

Jean Degenhardt

2 pieces of cod for $15, too expensive, small coleslaw and cold baked potato. We won't be going back.

Rafael Chavez Contreras

The fish fry is fantastic. Friendly staff and great cocktails.

Sam Thomas

Great food and service. The ambience isn't as special as other places in town, but you can get a great meal at a very good price. Always a solid option.

John Shea

Great Wisconsin food and drink selection. Walleye is excellent

David Zeller

Old Fashioneds for dazzzzzzeeeeee

Pamela Hoard

I had the fish fry last Friday night. I got 2 fried rolled thin pieces cod and 2 large scoops of .ashes potatoes. That was the entire meal for $19.99. The fish was not greasy. There was no parking available at 715 p.m. we waited an hour to get our food plus 15 minutes to get our diet cokes.

Jamie Dorfman

Not too many Sunday Happy Hours in Madison but this place has one and it is a doozy! 2 for 1 groovy Tiki drinks and half off apps. We drank so cheaply that we stuck around for dinner too. Big servings and super friendly staff.

Jaime Wykle

This place is fabulous! We had a reservation but without one, the wait would not have been long. The decor is adorable and retro. Super clean and spacious inside. The menu is a perfect size with the perfect amount of options. The ultimate bloody is HUGE and delicious. It is enough to fill you if you share a plate with someone else. The $4 follow up is a great deal if you want to get the party started. Basically we had nothing we didn't like and have nothing bad to say about our entire experience. Would definitely come back!

Jacque M.

Really great drinks, and cool atmosphere. Bloody Mary's are really cool and delicious.

Rick May

Beautiful presentation, I had the eggs Benedict, and my buddy had a skillet. The eggs were cooked perfectly, the seasoned potatoes were everything you would hope for, and the hollandaise sauce was creamy and smooth. Staff was friendly, and glad to help. The interior is done up like a 50s/60s supper club, and they knocked it out of the park. Will have to return for lunch or dinner.

Cami Torres

Love the food but service always leaves more to be desired! No reason for having to sit around 10 minutes after they take your plate for your bill. Has happened more often than not and it never seems too busy.

Cindy Diederich

Always enjoy this place have been going here since I was a child with my family.

Roylene Garrett

Good food,fast service, friendly atmosphere.

Aisha Bachlani

This is the perfect happy hour spot! Love the atmosphere - almost like a "modern" retro. Whether you are at the bar or dining, customer service is on point! My favorite cocktail is the Rouge 75 (they'll switch out the gin for vodka if that's your preference) and favorite apps are the onion dip (house chips are AMAZING) and the cheese curds. Definitely put this place on your list if you haven't already been!

Nicolas Calvache

Pricey for the quality, Milwaukee has better bars and restaurants.

Greg Gersbach

Good food and service.

Joey Brockert

We had a coupon, so we used it. We had a Turkey club sandwich, an old fashion, & a glass of wine. The sandwich was pretty good sized, with house made potato chips, so that was interesting & good.

Gavin Thomas

Went for the fish fry and cheese curds. Cheese curds are amazing, but the batter on the fish was a little too thick for my liking. I did appreciate a fish fry that offered a baked potato as a side choice.

Amanda Blackwood

I called for pick up for Friday night fish fry. I got there in the time they said it would be done, and it seemed they forgot to put my order in. I don’t know who I talked to but she was so sweet and got my order made within 5 min. Everyone was so apologetic and I really appreciated that. Great friendly service

Dawn West

Great food, good service, fun vibe. We'll be back!

Profe Fernandez

I had the opportunity of visiting twice and all I can say is perfect. Service, food, everything is amazing delicious perfect. I would give

Susan Pohorski

Too many deep fried appetizers. I like the ambiance. Didn't have dinner. Maybe next time.

Mike Fitzpatrick

The restaurant, the food or fantastic. On a Monday night nobody else in the entire restaurant we are the only two people sitting at the bar we had to send up flares just to get the bartender's attention. Poor very poor bar service the waiter at the table the food fantastic!!!. I had to go to the hostess to find out if we had to get seated or we could sit at the bar whatever oh, the bartender totally ignored us the only two patrons at the bar or, in the bar. I think there was two full tables plus the two of us at the bar

Devon Chastain

Great Staff and good food.

Tony Solberg

High prices for mediocre food. Not worth frequent visits.

Patty Heaston

I've never been much of a Food Fight fan. There are some exceptions, but Avenue Club isn't one of them I had the loaded potato soup - looking forward to something that would be hearty and warm. I got a cup of potato water with chunks of potato, a few onions and cheese on top, plus a few bits of bacon. Not only has a Madison landmark been completely removed of all of it's character,, but the food isn't worth paying for.

Susan Bennett

This is the kind of cool place you knew your parents were going and couldn't wait to grow up and experience it! Fabboo old fashioned, creative and retro cocktails abound! And the chicken sliders and that shrimp cocktail dip.... come see for yourself!

Yvonne Frydenlund

Great Lunch, very nice waitress with very fast service on a busy day.

Leah Wisdorf

Quick and friendly service. The newly renovated space is inviting. The food was delicious the variety offers something for everyone to enjoy.

Kelsey Storm

We always love this place for the food and drinks. Service is always inconsistent. Everyone seems to be in a ‘mood’ when we visit. We have only had a handful of times where I can truly say the service was fantastic. The food on the other hand is always delicious. The meatloaf is one of our favorite comfort foods this place has. They have some of the best cheese curds I’ve ever had. Highly recommend for a quick drink and an appetizer on a night out!

Joe Mortell

Love this place, great happy hour deals and friendly staff, also some kickass food!!

Xenette Gabato

The service is always exceptional and that goes with the food too. Fish fry is delicious as always.

Jenny Skrenes

Great food, lovely decor, service is friendly but slow.

Alan Baryudin

Cocktails were great. Chicken pot pie was even better.

Julia Madsen

Friendly staff good service

Kendra Gurnee

Great supper club drinks. Fantastic happy hour deals (half off apps, tiki drinks, and old fashioneds!)

Robert Dubeau

Food is good, had a luncheon special and side salad s, and shared we with wife.

Nicole Elise

My absolute favorite chicken Cobb salad!

Randy Grabler

Haven’t been here since Food Fight took over. Our bar tender was top notch and very friendly. Good bloody marys and tasty food

Lisa Smedema

Arrived by 11am. Restaurant part and bar was packed. Only two bartenders were staffed. Very slow service at the bar. We ordered the Classic Bloody Mary. I must say it was not good. Extremely spicy and it had garlic in it. We were not asked if we wanted it spicy or not spicy so I'm assuming it was already premixed. We have been here before and this was not like ones we've had before. I told our waitress and she gave us extra tomato juice to add. I just couldn't get past the garlic, so I didn't drink it. We had Walleye Breakfast which was very good, but the waitress never came back to ask if it was ok, or if we needed something else to drink. Very disappointing at this visit.

Dan Dean

Andy and Evan the bartenders know there stuff! Amazing original drink recipes. And top notch food. Great place for a date, or just to relax and grab some dinner and drinks!

Neil Gleason

Salmon burger overwhelmed by jalapeño slaw, but beer was delicious.

Brandon Gracyalny

Great fish. Excellent atmosphere. One of the best fish fries in Madison.

Ben Laughton

Meh. Art deco interior did not make up for moderately bad drinks, cold fried fish, soupy chicken pot pie, uninspiring potatoes and general lack of care. It's like Olive Garden decided to open a supper club. So many better options in Madison.