Blue Moon Bar & Grill

I’m on the constant search for the best blue cheese burger (bacon preferred), and the Blue Moon Burger (add the bacon) just landed the #1 spot. It is awesome.
Be aware, cash only, but ATM on site. Definitely worth it.

I half expected everyone to yell «Norm!» as people walked in because everyone seemed to know each other. The bar had a real homey feel.
The bartender was awesome and had the gift of gab.
Burgers, wings, cheese curds and more are available, if you need a bite.
Prices were good.

Chicken cordon bleu was real good. I noticed they get their meat for the hamburgers from a local butcher which is always a good sign that the restaurant cares about quality food. They also had a very impressive beer tap selection.
They do not except credit cards. After we got the bill no one came back to collect the money so I went up to the bar to pay. Looks like a good place to get your drink on

Stayed from it of town, the bar was recommended by the hotel. Great vibe at the bar, however, someone please tell their servers to smile or laugh or to pretend they aren’t so unhappy! I could barely bring myself to tip the two gals working tonight because they were such Debbie downers

Blue Moon is a neighborhood bar that makes great burgers and cheese curds. Portions are large and good for sharing.
The décor is a little dated, but that isn’t the reason to go. They only take cash, but at least there is an ATM in the building.

I finally got back for the burger so I will leave my food review now. The burgers are made with fresh ground beef that you can smell in the air. Lots of people with children were eating mixed with adults consuming drinks.
I ordered the bacon cheeseburger rare with raw onion, cheddar and pickle. The burger was cooked perfect rare with a thick slice of cheese. As a pickle lover I thought the pickles were bland and boring. The bun was the bummer of the good burger because it was dense and hard compared to the soft versions of most craft burger places.
The fresh ground beef burgers didn’t match the crappy frozen onion rings we were served and why do fresh beef and frozen sides anyway.
Overall the burger is on the good side but it does need a little work because it’s not far from a great burger and that’s a shame.

We came here on a Monday night for drinks with friends. Decent beer selection with some different beers that you don’t often see in other bars. The brown shugga was my favorite! We also tried the cheese curds and they were delicious. The guy next to me had a burger and it smelled delicious… almost to the point that I was likely looking his way more often than is socially appropriate. The bartender was attentive and made small talk with us every now and then. He did a nice job providing entertainment without being nosy or intrusive. We will likely be back to try the food!

Got the Bacon Cheeseburger and it was extremely good. Kind of pricey for it being just a burger but still a good spot.

Stopped in for a fish fry… it was
Amazing! Even the service was
5*
That happens once in a, Blue Moon :)
I will be back! !!!

We stopped by on a Sunday night and the bar had a decent number of customers but wasn’t crowded. There seemed to be only one waitress, and she had her hands full. She was a bit curt at first but after we sat down she came over and was very polite. I was truly impressed that she was able to single handedly service everyone who was eating that night. We sat outside and the atmosphere was very nice. Service was prompt. We ordered burgers; I had the blue moon burger, my husband had the pile driver and we ordered a large fries. The fries were nothing to write home about (they were obviously pre-​made frozen fries). The burgers, were pretty good. They came piled with cheese and they were a good size (½ lb.). For the future I would ask for mayo on mine (the buns came dry) and lettuce and tomato (which cost extra and I forgot to ask for when we ordered). At first I thought that the food was a little pricey but after realizing that the burgers are larger than Madison’s typical ¹⁄₃ lb. it seemed to be reasonable. I’m not much of a beer person, but they seem to have a rotating tap list with some good craft beers on it. I was sort of on the fence between 3 – 4 stars but I’m going to go with 4 because I think if I place my order a little more carefully next time, it’ll be a very good expierence.

Nice joint, brings back so many memories. I used to come to this bar when it was called Merk’s; talk about a throwback !! When was that, like 30 years ago !!! Sheesh, not gettin any younger, but the staff and atmosphere here are definitely warm and welcoming. Cheers!

Best. Burger. In town. Period. It’s a cash-​only establishment, gets crowded on weekend nights (Friday-​Saturday) and with very good reason: their burgers rock and their other food is fantastic.
Servers are always friendly, food is served fast, and the burgers are huge. There is a great variety of sides available, several different toppings for your burger, and their specialty burgers are delicious.
This is the best burger in town.

3.5 Stars. Simple. Straightforward. No foolin’ around. Just good eats. And, how Dotty Dumplings restaurant in Madison wins the best burger in town is beyond me. Dotty. .. this is how you do it.
** I also recommend the burgers at Monks Bar & Grill’s too, which I’d give 4.5 stars.

As a «burger conneisuerur (sp),» I have to vote this one the best in Madison. Out of the way and not on the radar of most people, looks like a divey hole in the wall. The best is the Blue Moon Burger, but the mushroom swiss is delicious too. If I had one suggestion, it’d be more bun variety with customer option. I like a softer bun in general so that the patty flavor overwhelms everything else.

Love it!!! Great food!!! Ordered cheese curds, Reuben and BLT – the best ever!!! Good service and great ambiance!!! Recommend to anyone visiting Madison, WI!!!

People and beer great. Service very good. Food-​not so much. Bad cheese curds mediocre burgers. Nice bartender. Meh.

Great little place. Friendly staff. Good food.
I decided on the mushroom and Swiss veggie patty with a side of fries. My dinner date had the Reuben, and we shared an order of fried mushrooms. Our food literally came out within five or six minutes, was steaming hot, and fresh fresh fresh. I’ve never had food come out that fast, but I’m not complaining.
One of the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. I’m skeptical of ordering them when out for dinner, because I’ve noticed a lot of times they are just frozen Boca patties and the edges get all hard and inedible when cooking. But these are fresh and made at the Blue Moon. Not exactly sure what they are made with, but oh so tasty. The mushrooms were juicy and the Swiss was gooey and melty.
I didn’t try a bite of the Reuben but it looked so good! Heaping piles of meat on toasted rye. Smelled pretty dang good too … Our fries were perfectly salted and hot. We shared a small basket, which is PLENTY for two people. And the fried mushrooms were yummy, served with a side of ranch.
We came later in the evening on a Saturday night. There was a nice crowd but we got a table right away. Our server was prompt and friendly.
Will definitely return for some more! Oh, this is a CASH ONLY BAR. They have an ATM but just a heads up so you don’t have to pay the ATM fee.

Its a Wisconsin bar. Lighting is pretty bad, space isn’t that comfortable but the beer and bar food get the job done, I guess.
Service is… well, its a bar.
Burger is ok but definitely NOT worth the hype.
The whole place could use an update.

I went for an «extended» 8 mile walk on Saturday afternoon, post-​Badgers of course. My exercise brought me from Weston Place, downtown to pre-​Freakfest activities and back home again, but not without a stop at the Blue Moon Bar & Grill.
I had been once before, but we a couple of locals looking only to add to a five hour buzz. This time was different and boy I am happy I stopped.
The beer selection is great. Not to many, not too few. The bartender (I think Jim) was very knowledgeable on beer as I asked for a malty, strong beer and he delivered with a Karben4 Lucky Lady Red Ale. The atmosphere was definitely bar, but upscale slightly based on the clientele.
I was only stopping for one beer when I struck up a conversation with a delightful gentleman who recommended the burgers. Being it was 7 o’clock and I was working on toast and 3 beers for the day, I decided on the mushroom and swiss burger would hit the spot… and it did not disappoint… definitely one of the best burger I have had, period. Of course another beer was needed… and then I called it a night as I still had a mile walk ahead of me.
I highly recommend a stop. Don’t be afraid that if looks like a neighborhood bar; it is and much more. Everyone was friendly and the bartender was excellent.
In the overused words of Arnold…“I’ll be back“
I am out!

We had a BOGO Bucky book coupon and decided to stop here after our activities.
We sat on their nice outdoor seating area in front of the building.
Our server came out almost immediately. They have an impressive tap and bottle list of beers.
We ordered the Blue moon burger, The best burger in town, small basket of fries, and a pear cider beer. Total was $ 20 with coupon and tip.
We wanted the large basket but the server said the small is large enough for two.
The burgers didn’t take long to arrive at our table. The parties are impressively thick for a pub burger (think Red Robin and not Culvers), served on crispy, golden kaiser rolls, with pickles on the side.
The burgers were juicy and tender cooked at medium. It was very good and you could tell these were freshly formed before being fried on the grill.
The size of the fries were enough for both of us for this meal, no leftovers. They were just crinkle cut fries.
This place is an institution and I can see why. Definitely would come back here again!
Tip: they do not accept credit cards but there on ATM inside and they accept local checks.