Move over, Mendota: The A.V. Club’s guide to drinking along Lake Monona

The Terrace chair-shaped print on Madison’s ass is all the proof anyone needs of where the ultimate lakeside drinking spot is in town. Good on Lake Mendota for shoring up such a legendary hangout. But what about Lake Monona? Have we forgotten the joys of boozing and eating along its calming coastlines? The A.V. Club aimed to reacquaint itself with Mendota’s little brother by visiting some of the friendly establishments that dot its perimeter.

East Side Club Tiki Bar
Creeping up on its 100-year anniversary, the East Side Club (which goes to great pains to let folks know it’s open to the public) has hosted way more wedding receptions than late-night drinking sessions. And while the weddings tend to hog all of the weekends, and the noise ordinances mean closing time is around 9 p.m. nightly, weekdays at the Tiki Bar represent the closest proximity to Terrace lounging on Monona. Gaylord Catering ensures that you can still get your bratwurst-and-burger fix.
The view: Pull up a colorful Adirondack chair, mind the roped-off bocce courts if you’re around during Monday’s league night, and take in an expansive view of the lake and Madison’s “skyline.” It should make for an interesting environment during Jessica Lea Mayfield’s show there June 30 or any of the second-Sunday-of the-month shows the East Side Club has planned.
The brew: An extremely limited selection of domestics in plastic bottles is augmented by a specialty drink list—featuring concoctions like the vodka-fueled Peach Flirt and coconut rummy Lake Mo Jo—that the Club’s board allegedly created during a night of experimentation.

Bourbon Street Grille
Seriously tucked away, Bourbon Street Grille combines sports bar activities, lazy marina boozing, and nondescript NOLA flair with a notably American menu featuring lots of burgers and sandwiches, oddities like potato-wrapped mummy shrimp, and Cajun standbys like jambalaya and gumbo. Plan on burning all of it off with a vicious game of ping-pong afterward.
The view: Situated on the mighty Yahara River between Lake Monona and Upper Mud Lake, both the lower balcony and the rooftop bar (open Thursday-Sunday) offer a good chance to jealously watch people who can afford boats troll up and down the no-wake zone. Watching a patron walk down, take a dip out of his mouth, and throw it in the water provides the opposite effect.
The brew: Trusty local taps like Capital and Ale Asylum join rarities like Abita’s sturdy Turbodog brown ale from New Orleans. But if you don’t have time to mess around, go for cheap tall boys of Labatt Blue ($2.75) and PBR ($2.50.)

Paisan’s
A part of Madison culture since 1950, Paisan’s is more of a sentimental hangout than a serious Italian restaurant. But it is home to the Porta, an iceberg salad smothered in garbanzo beans, cheese, green peppers, ham, and salami so popular that Paisan’s has trademarked the name.
The view: Not all the tables have a view of the lake, but the ones that do show the beauty from a perch elevated above the water; in summertime the patio is even closer to the gently lapping waves.
The brew: Madison breweries are represented by Capital Amber and Ale Asylum Hopalicious on draft. Moose Drool Brown Ale or cold bottles of Peroni are just right with a pizza or a Garbaldi salami and ham sandwich layered with crunchy banana peppers.

Lake Vista Café
Planted on the top of Monona Terrace in the William T. Evjue Rooftop Garden, Lake Vista Café isn’t necessarily the first lakeside hangout that springs to mind, but it’s one of the best places in Madison to relax near the water. Seared ginger-marinated ahi salad, spicy crab cake sandwich, and a slice of “lemonade pie” with tart lemon curd filling graham cracker crust make for a leisurely repast.
The view: The food is altogether good enough, if unremarkable, but the view is spectacular. The café is high in the air and has a panoramic view of not just the water but also of downtown. A cool breeze comes off the lake and ruffles hair gently while the sun beams down and sailboats drift by. There’s also a cool vantage point from which to watch lakeside bike path activity.
The brew: Capital Brewery Amber and New Glarus Spotted Cow on draft represent the locals, while New Belgium’s Fat Tire Amber Ale from Colorado makes a welcome appearance in bottles.

Sardine
Sardine quickly transformed from hip new restaurant into essential downtown destination within a year of its opening. With outside dining a few meters from Lake Monona and a seriously killer menu, Sardine represents the foodie’s choice: seared scallops with niçoise olives and prosciutto, and grilled ribeye steak with frites make for a solid surf-and-turf dinner by the water. Those boozing it up a brunch can slurp down one of Madison’s better bloody Marys and sup on eggs straddled by crab, bacon, and rock shrimp cakes.
The view: This is a low-level horizontal view that is less about sighing and gazing into the watery depths than it is about serious eating and boozing in the open air.
The brew: Sardine is fully strapped with an extensive beer and wine list, plus a full wet bar. Anchor Steam Pale Ale, Pilsner Urquell, and Corsendonk, a Belgian abbey-style beer are all simpatico with warm duck confit salad with a poached egg. Tuesday through Friday Sardine runs a special with discounted Stella Artois and oysters—with any luck, they’ll have ’em fresh from Puget Sound.