I like Mickey's because what you see is what you get.
Someone had the brilliant idea of taking an awesome old house and putting a giant bar in the middle of it. Then they filled the bar with great Wisconsin beer. Then, they opened up the kitchen for brunch, lunch, and dinner and put delicious, local food in it. Delish.
Plusses
- great beer list
- fun atmosphere (laid back, kinda hipster)
- good food
Minuses
- this place is "seat yourself", so sometimes you have to wait for people to leave in order to sit down
- it can get a little crowded (but that is only because a lot of people like it, right?)
Great beer selection. Unique & clever mixed drinks. Elevated bar food.
Sexy Fries = sliced, stacked, fresh potato chips with truffle oil, parm and chili flakes. Devine and devoured before we knew it.
Chili Fries - Let's just say I will be here this fall when I want some chili. And I'm a picky chili eater.
Yup - it was a fry kinda day.
The patio out back is perfect for relaxing morning, noon or night. The menu isn't too large so you can be decisive. We'll be back for brunch sooner than later.
One of my favorite places in Madison. They definitely serve up the best bloody mary's in town. World's greatest sandwich is aptly named (add avocado!). Sexy fries are delicious. Importantly, they have good ranch here. Decent eggs benedict makes it a nice spot for brunch too. Fun, eclectic seating inside; lovely little patio outside. Only downside is they don't take cards, an obnoxiously common trend in this town.
Review Source:We've been to MIckey's probably a dozen times this year; I felt it was time to update the review.
Once again - bar seats rule. If you're looking for more attentive/expedient service, the bar is where it's at. Not only is the service better, but the bar itself is really nice and the patrons are extremely friendly (and interesting).
Great tap selection with special kegs that rotate fairly regularly. Their bloody marys are the stuff of legend.
The expanisve deck/patio is nice for al fresco drinking; service will be a little more slow out there.
The kitchen isn't fast, but I'm finding plenty of things that I really like on their menu - explore, be a little adventurous, and check out the daily specials. You'll be happy!
One of my favorite east side hang-outs.
YUMMY!!!! Fantastic drinks! Sexy Fries! The worlds greatest hamburger! I don't know what else to say. Our service was wonderful. The food took a little while but I was with great company so I thought the pace of the meal was leisurely; I didn't feel rushed to be in and out in an hour.
My hamburger was sensational! They seasoned the meat perfectly, added that chipotle aioli and some perfectly peppery fried onions on a ciabatta bun! Delicious!! And Sexy fries... the name says it all. I will be back!
This was the breakfast I wanted at Plaka Taverna.
Mickey's is a small, divey bar that always seems like it's filled with hipsters. My family was up this weekend for graduation, and I took them there for breakfast--a first for me.
Yes, a bar for breakfast. They apparently have awesome Bloody(s), but due to my hangover from post-grad celebrating, I passed.
I had the eggs over easy, with toast and potatoes, and a side of bacon. Without the bacon? $4.50. Bargain.
Eggs were cooked flawlessly, toast was wonderful (good bread, too!), and the home fries were outstanding--no hash/sliced ones like Plaka Taverna. Coffee was surprisingly good, too.
We all got a form of eggs, except for my brother, who got the breakfast burrito--it came with kickass salsa and the flavor combo in it (chorizo, eggs, cheese) was great.
I'll definitely be back. Pics of the breakfast/brunch menu are posted. Delicious.
Initially I only knew this place as the "sexy fry" place. In fact, I thought this place was called "sexy fries" because that was what my friends called it.
So I had a goose island ginger beer, my friend enjoyed a nice Crispin and her husband had an almond drink. We all ordered some burgers, which was clearly the way to go, and all subbed sexy fries. It was also pretty entertaining to see my friend's one year old chow down on Sexy Fries too - he was clearly a big fan of the truffle oil. We sat in the back room, where there were board games and a pool table (3 quarters for a game), and it was a great hipster Mother's Day dinner.
Also, across the street is a "Brew and Grow" place, which I also found entertaining. I'm officially a fan of the "sexy fries" place, whatever name you choose to call it by.
I'm gonna say this is not worth the wait even if the food is gold. I've been waiting for 45 minutes and there's still no food yet!
You really gotta come here with an attitude there's nothing else to get to.
Ok. I ate. I changed my mind. I will be back. BUT I will bring work or some game to play during the one hour wait.
Tofu scrambler. Best scrambler ever!!! Word of caution - if you're faint hearted for the oil, then you might not be suited for this deliciousness. There onions were perfectly cooked, the peanut butter brought out the awesome eggs and the spinach was perfectly done! It taste more like minced meat to me! Love it. Best scrambler ever!!
My boy's biscuits and gravy were good but I've had better. Biscuits were a little dense for me and the gravy a little too runny.
I took off a star for the wait. Not for people with little patience or things to hurry to
Last night I had gone out to dinner with a friend in Madison and after the dinner we found ourselves with nothing better to do at 7 pm on a Sunday night. I know Madison is a substantial town, but 7 pm on a Sunday night does not leave a whole lot of options.
But then I remembered I had Mickey's in my back pocket. I would give Mickeys 5 stars on two conditions. The first is if both beers I wanted were actually on tap (the tap ran out and no one switched out the kegs), and the second is if the bartenders just spend a little less time flirting and goofing around with each other. Having said that, I get that being a bartender at an establishment like this is not really about being too serious so I get it. Another thing to take into consideration is the parking. As it is on Willy Street, the parking can be a headache but this wasn't the case on a Sunday night.
I've eaten their brunch on other occasions. Solid brunch. In the past I have had the breakfast burrito and it was one of the better breakfast burritos I have had. I also think Mickey's happens to have the best bloody mary in Madison. When someone finds a better one, please send me a message to let me know.
The friend I took was just as enamored with the place as I was upon my first visit there. Everytime I go to Mickeys it is just a hodge-podge of people. There really is no set "group" of people that go into this bar. I made my friend take a walk through tour of this bar with me; what can you expect, this bar is in an old house. The different themed rooms complete with chalkboards in the bathroom just make this a place to experience.
If you love to sit, drink a beer and people watch get to Mickeys. Now. You won't be sorry.
P.s. Cash Only
Came here on a weeknight. Told myself that I would only go in if I found a parking spot in their tiny lot. SO SO glad there was.
Time Lapse of Night:
8:00 - walk in & had a seat at bar.
8:01 - Ordered Sexy Fries (sm) & Bloody Mary.
8:10 - Bloody arrives
8:15 - Sexy fries arrives
8:15-8:45 - Txted,eat, chatted with bartenders
8:45-? - Someone finally sat next to me. Thus chatted and meant more people.
Sexy Fries your so fine.The small size could feed at least 2 people. Thinly cut. Great balance of some slices extra crispy, some soft. Drizzled with just the right amount of  truffle oil and topped with a snow shower of parmesan.
The Bloody Mary is so far the best on my quest to try as many at any establishment that carries them. Just look at my picture you can see the shredded horseradish and ground pepper. Almost creamy, super rich and kickin.
The bartenders were on top of asking if needed anything and friendly. An atmosphere of it's own that worth checkin out. Great diverse crowd.
Glad to say that my first time in bar by myself was memorable and not scary.
You did good Mickey's
I like Mickey's, I really do, but the last time I went, the service was horrible. Previous visits included drinking only, and a sample of my friend's sexy fries! And I must say that the bloody mary's are awesome and include an amazing assortment of accoutrements...this is NOT your usually celery stick. You get a pickled mushroom, brussel sprout, olive, pickle, and who knows what else. Meal in a glass!
Onto the disappointment. I recently went for brunch and arrived just after my friends received their food. I ordered a drink and food, a friend ordered another drink, and another asked for a coffee. The waitress seemed super overwhelmed by our monstrous order. The waitress brought my bloody mary and forgot my friend's. My friend asked for the bloody mary again. The bloody came and after about 15 minutes, still no coffee. Coffee ordered again after the waitress returned to our table 20 minutes later. We see her take a shot at the bar in the distance.
Finally, drinks and coffee are on the table. It was an hour after I had ordered my food and still no food. I asked the waitress (after her 3rd shot at the bar) and she had forgotten to put in the food order. By that time, the bloody mary and nibbles of my friends' chips had been sufficient. I said nevermind to the food order (not knowing how long it would take to arrive!) and drank another bloody mary.
All in all, cool spot, crappy service (at least on that occassion).
I enjoyed Sunday brunch here with a huge group. We had to wait a little while to be seated inside, but it was well worth it. It's definitely an old house that's been converted into a restaurant with seating in several different rooms. We got to sit on a couch and a comfy chairs around a large table.
I had the tofu scramble (as did several others in my group) and it was pretty much to die for. I also tried a blueberry house kombucha with vodka....YUM!
Visiting my daughter in Madison we came here for after dinner drinks.
Staff is great- place is fun!
Worst vodka Collins ever and so-so vodka cranberry but thankfully great local brews.
Smoky as hell on  the patio so it is inside for us.
Will look forward to trying their food which my daughter says is good.
All in all a good hanging out spot.
Fantastic food with a great beer selection. One of Madison's oldest bars and still going strong! The night crowd tends towards the hipster and those who want to be "cutting edge" but don't have the guts to venture out into the world like NYC, Chicago or LA. Daytime tends towards more working class and grad students. It is as close to the old 602 Club as anyone will ever get and that makes it work.
Review Source:Four little friends went to brunch.
One ordered the tofu scramble and instead got the scramble of the day.
One ordered wheat berry toast and got sourdough instead.
One was disappointed with the portions. And ran out of water because the water container was empty for a good 20 minutes.
One was happy. Even though the service was slow.
Yes, the food tasted good. But it may have been too little too late.
i suppose it's a testament to mickey's that we actually closed out this place on a sunday night despite:
- a buncha day-after-stpatricks weirdos including middle-aged ladies talking about santorum and 2 girls 1 cup
- open mic night
crazy cheap drinks. friendly service. outdoor patio. a separate room for the quieter patrons and the pool hustlers. what else do you want?
Mickey's is really the only place in town that feels right anymore. There's nothing pretentious or phony about it, it's a neighborhood bar that is honest to the core. All the old fixtures remain, augmented by the wacky, thrift-store additions of the owner. Different times bring in different crowds. There are regulars at happy hour, a young, hipper crowd that pushes in during music shows, families and couples at brunch....
Mickey's recently started serving food and it's as good of bar food as you'll find. Skip the fancy restaurant and sample the menu here. It's good, locally sourced, lovingly prepared food that can be hearty or delicate - whatever strikes your fancy.
It's Mickey's. You'll love it.
The décor is very 1960s bar in your basement, laid back and enjoyable. The wait staff was some of the best I've encountered in a long time--not too much hovering, but their when you wanted them.
Their sexy fries were delicious, could have used a bit more parmesan but I think that is a personal preference. The rest of the food was solid. We had a steak salad and the Greatest Sandwich Ever (as it is so labeled), as my husband said of the sandwich "I don't think it's the greatest ever, but its pretty damn good."
Was in town for one night only, wanted to check out some local music. Â Based on a review in the Onion, chose this place, very wisely. Â
Cool, divey neighborhood bar with a lively but relaxed crowd, attentive bartenders, and a good beer selection. Â Didn't get to sample the food, but suspected that it was very good by the feel of the place and the specials on the chalkboard near the bar, and it looks like that's the case based on the reviews below. Â The stage was near the front entrance, and there was surprisingly good sound and clear vocals given the set up. Â It was busy but not so jammed that it was difficult to move around. Â
Good show, Mickey's.
A great bar that manages to cater to multiple kinds of patrons----from college students to family diners to the local drunks. Good beer garden in the summer, nice dive-y front area for people watching, great surprisingly quiet  'pool room' that feels more like a 1960s den.
The pizza is great, very thin and I'm surprised to say that it's probably one of the five best pizzas in Madison. Their mac and cheese is enormous, rich, greasy, and decadent. It's good, but could probably use an acid to cut the grease, and something like bacon to add texture and smoke to the cheese. 'Sexy fries' were about as sordid as Estelle Getty, but did the job of tasting like fresh-made potato chips and were good for sharing.
my friends have always been big fans of Mickeys and since I've moved closer, I frequent it much more often.
I like the atmosphere a lot, anyone can feel welcome here from 70 yr old biker dudes to sorority girls, you'll find them all at Mickeys. Â And I live how it feels like youre at a house party, with all of the cozy couches and little books.
The prices are in line with what you'll find around Madison ($6 so co old fashion, $4 ale asylum beer) and they have standard bar food.
Fun place, me likey.
I Love the decor and the original charm kept when converting the house into a bar. The little rooms in the back with the old couches and furniture are great for hanging out with a small group of people.
The food is fun, with a name like "sexy fries", who wouldn't be tempted? It isn't gourmet by any means, but for casual hippie/hipster-area bar its perfect.
Willy Street is of course, a great location, with lots of other bars and restaurants a hop, skip, and a jump away; and the people who hang out or live around the area are great.
If I lived a little closer, Mickey's would be a main hangout.
I love Mickey's. I love that it's a converted old house, with the back rooms still looking as such with bright paint and comfy couches. There's a pool table in back, and the bar area also serves as concert space. In the warmer months their huge patio is perfect for a nice night chatting with friends.
The drinks run strong (last night we couldn't taste the difference between the whiskey ginger and whiskey Sprites we ordered) and the beer is cold. Sometimes the bartenders can be a little gruff (though never rude or mean), but that's half the fun.
Bonus points for supposedly being haunted by a guy who got knifed. No old building is complete without a good ghost story.
As everyone else has already said, the atmosphere in Mickey's is great. All of the different rooms allow for a certain element of privacy, but there is also a friendly, neighborhood-y vibe.
I got lunch there with some friends the other day, and had the "World's Greatest Sandwich," which has 1 fried egg (over easy), bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. For me, it would have been "greater" with 2 eggs and riper/more flavorful tomatoes. That said, the egg was cooked perfectly, and the bacon was nice and crispy. Also got a bloody mary, which was OK, though not great (didn't quite have that zing, you know?), though it came with a beer chaser, which  is always appreciated.
My kind of place.
*casual vibe; laid-back clientele
*great selection of beers, (not surprisingly, very Wisconsin-centric)
*jukebox, with a wide variety of tunes
*nice crowd (but not too crowded)
*delicious looking food (we just had dinner so we didn't eat, but others seemed to be enjoying it)
*friendly bartenders
*comfortable bar stools (a much-appreciated detail; I have a bony ass)
Mickey's is just the kind of place where you could spend an evening and not feel the need to go anywhere else. We did just that.
Great bar. Â Great food. Â Good selection of beer - on tap and bottled. Â I like having lunch in the outdoor seating area on a nice sunny day and I've seen many great musical performances in the bar at night. Â My only complaints are that the "stage" area can get quite cramped and that second-hand smoke can be annoying when dining outside.
The bartenders at Mickey's range from exceptionally good to really crappy. Please don't write the bar off if you happen to get a crappy one on your first visit.
If pressed, I'd have to say that Mickey's is my favorite bar in Madison, which, as you know, is a town full of great bars. Â I come to Mickey's for three reasons, in ascending order of awesomeness-of-experience: typical bar-going; my Wednesday knitting group; and their weekend brunch.
Mickey's as a bar is fun and homey. Â It's a collection of different rooms, plus an outdoor patio, which on summer evenings is a divine place to have a beer with friends. Â The beer selection itself isn't huge, but it's definitely more than adequate. Â The bartenders are friendly and don't play favorites. Â There's lots of seating and standing room. Â The crowd is local, pleasant, and hip, but not too hip -- the "swivel factor" is pretty low here. Â And they host cool stuff like April '10's Karaoke Underground, which was one of the funnest nights of my life!
Mickey's has been incredibly accommodating to our fairly rowdy, 10- to 20-person knitting group as well; while they couldn't reserve a space for us for our Wednesday evening meetings (we generally gather from 5-ish to 9-ish), the back room is usually available, and the wait staff is always gracious as we clamor for booze, soda and food. Â They're responsive to our requests and frequently check on us. Â Jane herself even dropped by once to welcome us!
But my favorite reason to come to Mickey's is their weekend brunch, which I adore so much that my boyf and I have made it a Saturday-morning ritual. Â The World's Greatest Sandwich (a BLT with a fried egg and Swiss cheese) is, indeed, the world's greatest sandwich, and their bloodies are always topped with a delicious assortment of pickled vegetables (my favorite is the Brussels sprout). Â The coffee is serve-yourself (yes!!) and FREE (YES!!!!). Â The waiters and bartenders are very sweet and always smile politely when I give them my Sally Albright-style sandwich specifications. Â The food in general is actually really good -- everything I've tried has been tasty -- although, as a creature of habit, I do tend to stick to the WSG.
So, Mickey's is really more than just a bar -- it's a restaurant, a meeting place, and the kind of cozy, quirky establishment that makes me thank my lucky stars I live in the Wil-Mar neighborhood.
I recently went to Mickey's Tavern for brunch after Mickey's Dairy Bar was closed. What a great place! When I walked in I thought it was really small, but then my friend led our group to the back rooms. The atmosphere and layout were so cool. It felt like I was in someone's living room just hanging out and eating breakfast.
The food was great, too. The bloody mary had the perfect amount of spice and a great variety of vegetables to top it off. The waitress was even kind enough to bring me more olives. My boyfriend, friend and I all ordered the eggs any style with toast and breakfast potatoes with a side of bacon. Everything was great. My other friend ordered the vegetarian scrambler which looked pretty tasty.
Very satisfied with my experience and would love to go back.
Joined a few friends here for Sunday brunch, but none of us realized that they don't open until 10(a bit late, in my opinion) though...so we were stuck loitering for a half hour outside..
Thankfully, it was nice out, so when we were let in, we decided to go right back outside--onto the back patio. There are quite a few tables outside, several large enough for 6-8 people.
Two of us decided that bloody mary's were a must, and I was pleased. They came topped with an array of veggies, but the drink  itself was a bit mild for my taste. I meant to ask for extra spice...but forgot.
I tried the World's Greatest Sandwich, which was basically a BLT with an egg. Good, but not great. Certainly not the World's Greatest. The slaw that came on the side was a nice touch, though. It was tangy and not mayo-laden. The scrambles looked yummy, too.
Our server was friendly and competent, which is always a plus. So, all in all, Mickey's is a good Sunday brunch for late risers who enjoy outdoor dining!
Well, its a house converted into a tavern. So the seating arrangements can sometimes be tricky; BUT if you can get a group of people together and grab one of the rooms with couches I guarantee you'll have a terrific evening!
The prices are reasonable and the drink specials are ok, they sometimes have live music which makes for a good time!!
I hadn't been back to Mickey's since the smoking ban (yeah, it's been awhile)... and it's glorious. And I just went for breakfast. This adorable dive is even habitable during the daylight hours.
Sweet servers, a delicious eggs benny sandwich with sauteed spinach and mushrooms, ham and bacon both (YUM), and myself and my boyfriend happy and full for $15. Booyah. Oh Mickey's, when I am back, I will visit and visit often. Those bloody's looked marvelous...
Damn it.
I like this place, don't get me wrong. Â I just feel a little out of place. Â From what I understand, they only recently started serving food.
The food I got kind of sucked. Â It's just that whenever I hear a server say "pork burrito," I just can't friggin' resist. Â So when our tattooed, pierced server told us of such a special, I had to do it. Â In retrospect I should have gotten the sandwich that had a fried egg on it, and bacon. Â
The vibe is great, one of the oldest bars in Madison. Â They've clearly expanded their space, branching out to all of the small rooms adjacent to the bar, adding pool tables and kitschy couches, lamps, etc.
They've also opened up a nice little patio. Â Even if it is clouded thickly with cigarette smoke. Â It was here where I had the "sexy" fries and the pork burrito (I should have known better). Â Maybe it's because I'm such a taqueria snob, but the flavors really weren't layered. Â I later thought of it as more of a pork stew burrito. Â Blech.
What's the deal with smoking anyway? Â Is it cool again? Â There's something cathartic I guess about sitting down, drinking a few beers with your cigarettes placed within reach. Â Oral fixation, plus a coolness factor that can't be denied. Â Something to do with your hands and mouth that make you look complicated, without having to say a damn thing.
Well, all it does for me is sting my eyes and make my pork stew burrito taste...marginally better.
After a couple glasses of beer, I listened intently as all the smokers compared the shapes of their noses and told Michael Jackson jokes, you know, the ones that refer to him as a pedophile.
Whatever, I'd go back , but only if I had a full pack of p-funks and a bohemian sheik goddess bride, adorned with tattoos and nose rings.
Such is the near East side of Madison, or so I've been told. Â Where the old hippies and the new hipsters hang out, to see, and be seen. Â To smoke, to eat sexy fries and egg sandwiches, and tell bad jokes. Â Really bad jokes.
Mickey's Tavern is a "nice" place. They have nice bartenders and really cozy atmosphere, so if you are in the casual mood, this is a good place to come with friends and talk. I'm not sure if this would be a party scene. Summer months seem to have more fun as the outside seating area open up.
*Updates*
I had the chance to sit outside and enjoy a very fine evening with friends. We ordered "Sexy fry", which supposedly is a french fry with truffle oil. It was SO good especially on a empty stomach after a softball game. It was a perfect accompaniment to beer and good time.
I love this place. Â It's a neighborhood bar that's hip and trendy without trying. Â The patio is a smokers paradise, in summer anyway. Â They just added food and the sexy frites are pretty awesome. Â I had the "Greatest Sandwich in the World," as they call it. Â I've had better sandwiches, but that wouldn't stop me from recommending it. Â They've got a nice game room, a nice sitting room full of mirrors. Â Another one of the bars that gives you a couple settings which allows you to get the right feeling. Â They also have a lot of cool live bands there so that adds a little liveliness.
The lady who owns Lazy Jane's Cafe owns this place, so she knows a thing or two running a cool joint. Â Gotta like Mickeys.
This place is very cool.
Being from Chicago, the best comparison is "Danny's"
The best part are all the little rooms coming off of the main bar room that are painted in all  kinds of funky colors with lots of interesting furnishings.
My husband and I had fun taking portraits in each room.
The outdoor beer garden is super pleasant and they make a good
vodka gimlet.
minus one star for the dumb ATM that ate my money...booo..
beware.
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