Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
herb farmer, a free-range-chicken vendor, a Hmong family selling vegetables, jug-
glers,local politicos pressingtheflesh,andaheckuva lotofpolitical orsocial organ-
izations of many bents. Add to this, zillions of customers circling counterclockwise.
Dance Clubs
A perennially fave dance club is
The Cardinal
(418 E. Wilson St., 608/251-0080,
www.cardinalbar.com
)
. It's heavy on Latin music but you may find a jazz/martini fete or
even a fetish night.
Near East Side
The Near East Side begins four or five blocks east of the Capitol, downhill along East
Wilson Street to the hairy junction of about six or seven roads at the cusp of Lake Monona.
Here, legendary Williamson Street (“Willy Street”) begins. Willy Street and its neighbor-
hoods are a pleasant hodgepodge of students and families, with an up-and-coming array of
restaurants,clubs,bars,andshops,allstillrecallingthe1960ssaladdays,whentheseblocks
were the hippified enclaves of revolution and fighting The Man. The cornerstone is the
Crystal Corner Bar
(1302 Williamson St., 608/256-2953,
http://thecrystalcornerbar.com
)
at the corner of South Baldwin and Willy Streets; this neon-lit bar is a hot blues (especially
blues), roots rock, Cajun, and R&B spot in town, though it doesn't have as much music as
it used to.
Uptheroadtothewestisfunky
Mother Fool's Coffeehouse
(1101WilliamsonSt.,608/
259-1301,
http://www.motherfools.com
)
, with eclectic music regularly. And a bit further
is
Plan B
(924 Williamson St., 608/257-5262,
http://www.planbmadison.com
)
, the hippest
gay bar in town.
Continuing east of the Crystal, you'll find one of the greatest neighborhood bars in
Madison:
Mickey's
(1524WilliamsonSt.,608/251-9964).It'sfamousforrock-bottombeer
prices, coasters made from well-worn carpeting, and large crowds. But, get this, it also has
amazing food. Seriously.
Regular eclectic big-name music acts—roots rock, alternative, hip-hop, folk, inter-
national—appear at the neighborhoody
Barrymore Theatre
(2090 Atwood Ave., 608/
241-2345,
http://www.barrymorelive.com
)
,recognizableforitsdistinctive-hueddome.This
old vaudeville hall (which also hosts film festivals) has an endless schedule, so something
is bound to be in town.
