The A.V. Club’s guide to the best seats in the house around Madison

It’s possible to patronize a tavern for years and never consciously think about which table might be the best one. But there is often a table with a view and position that crushes all others, and sometimes it hits like a cold mackerel across the forehead that all others are deficient in comparison. The A.V. Club takes a feng shui tour of watering holes on a route that tracks west from the Yahara.

Mickey’s Tavern (1524 Williamson St., 608-251-9964)
Up at the bar, by the waiter station, is the catbird’s seat. Bathrooms are close at hand, beers are closer, and the radiator runs along the wall directly behind for waves of heat in the winter.
What to do when you get there: The sightlines are perfect for watching a band or new arrivals coming through the front door.

Jolly Bob’s (1210 Williamson St., 608-251-3902)
When it’s crowded, getting the busy bartenders to help out feels impossible, unless seated at the bar and positioned directly in the center, equidistant from the drafty front door and the restaurant floor.
What to do when you get there: Order complicated tropical rum-based drinks and watch runners steam by with avo cats (walnut-breaded catfish filets served with avocado) all night.

High Noon Saloon (701 E. Washington Ave. #101, 608-268-1122)
On the balcony, there’s a table—not the very last one in the side wing, but next to it—with a direct view to the stage in unobstructed glory. It’s also a good place to stash a coat to join the party below, as Madison thieves are too lazy to climb all those stairs.
What to do when you get there: Raise a flagon and hoot down to the rabble below.

Brass Ring (701 E. Washington Ave. #104, 608-256-9359)
Next to the best pool table (where two sides have no adjacent neighbors), there’s a really nice chair and a little table.
What to do when you get there: It’s possible to survey the entire room with your back to the corner, feeling like Bill Hickok in the early days.

Natt Spil (211 King St., 608-258-8787)
At the very back of this long, narrow restaurant, there’s a table that looks all the way out, past the DJ and wood-burning pizza oven. A server caters to food and drink desires.
What to do when you get there: Order dim sum, look out at the Chinese lanterns, and pretend it’s Beijing.

Cactus Ranch (2701 University Ave., 608-231-3473)
Patrons perched on bar stools near the wall can order dinner under an invisibility cloak provided by the axe-shaped layout.
What to do when you get there: Survey the mix of hospital workers and neighborhood drop-bys over Tex-Mex appetizers.