Craft Beer CultureCraft Beer Near Camp Randall Stadium: Game Day Drinking Guide

Most of the bars within a five-minute walk of Camp Randall are sports bars — the Big Ten Pub, Sconnie, that energy. They serve beer for the format. They are not craft beer bars.

If you want craft beer on a Badger Saturday — the kind where someone knows what just rotated onto tap and can talk about it — you walk a little farther. About fifteen minutes farther. Down Monroe Street.

The Craft Beer Answer Near Camp Randall: Garth’s Brew Bar

Garth’s Brew Bar — 1726 Monroe St, Madison.

Half a mile from the stadium. Twelve-minute walk if you take Regent Street west to Monroe, fifteen if you cut through the Vilas neighborhood (more scenic, fewer fans). On a typical game day, the Monroe Street corridor is dramatically quieter than the immediate Camp Randall strip — which is the whole point if you came for the beer.

Sixteen rotating American craft taps. Two nitro draft taps for house cold brew coffee and tea. Ninety-five-plus craft cans and bottles in the cooler. Madison breweries first, Wisconsin next, independent American craft third. Beertenders study for or hold the Cicerone Beer Server certification. Bring your own food — or grab a slice from Pizza Brutta down the block.

The bar opens earlier on UW home football Saturdays (game-day schedule, set per season). Check Instagram for updated game day hours.

Why Make the Walk?

Three reasons:

1. You can hear yourself talk. The Camp Randall strip is wall-to-wall on game days. Monroe Street is residential and walkable. The pour-to-conversation ratio is better.
2. The beer is curated. The Madison-first hierarchy is a real program, not a tap-list afterthought. If you want to drink something that came from a brewery you could walk to, this is the bar.
3. You can ask questions. The beertenders are working on or holding their Cicerone Beer Server cert. If you point at a tap and ask “what is that?” you’ll get a real answer, not a shrug.

Pre-Game vs. Post-Game

Pre-game (about three hours before kickoff): Stop in for one. Order something Madison-made — a 3 Sheeps on tap, a Working Draft can from the cooler. Walk it off on the way to the stadium. You arrive warm, not buzzed.

Post-game (right after): Skip the stadium-adjacent crush and walk straight to Monroe Street. The bar gets a steady post-game flow but rarely overwhelms the way the Regent Street bars do. Get a flight if you’re still figuring out what you want.

What to Order on a Game Day

The tap list rotates constantly, so specific beer recommendations age fast. The pattern that holds:

• If it’s cold: ask the beertender what malty Wisconsin offering is on. Winter Saturdays favor brown ales, porters, and Wisconsin lagers from Madison breweries.
• If it’s warm: ask for a Madison pilsner or a German-style lager.
• Always: if you came from out of town, ask what’s on tap that you can’t get back home. That’s why the cooler exists.

The Walking Routes from Camp Randall

Both routes are about half a mile. Mostly residential.

• Direct (12 min): Regent Street west to Monroe Street. Right on Monroe. Garth’s is on the right, just past Wingra Drive.
• Scenic via Vilas (15 min): Cut south through the Vilas neighborhood (tree-lined, residential). Hit Monroe at Edgewood. Walk east. Garth’s is on the left.

Rideshare from the stadium runs about $6–$10 game-day. Worth it if it’s raining or you’re moving with a group.

FAQ

Is Garth’s busy on game days?

Steady, not chaotic. Most game-day traffic stays within a few blocks of the stadium. The Monroe Street corridor — half a mile away — gets the people who specifically wanted the craft beer experience over the sports-bar experience.

Can I bring food into Garth’s after the game?

Yes. Bring-your-own food is standard. Grab a takeout pizza from Pizza Brutta (1805 Monroe, two doors down), order delivery to the bar, or pack a sandwich. They’ve got Fraboni’s pizza and Batch Bakehouse Pretzels if you want, too. 

What about non-alcoholic options?

Cold brew coffee on nitro, nitro tea, Wisconsin craft sodas, and rotating non-alcoholic beer. Designated drivers don’t get stuck with bad options.

Is it family-friendly?

Kids welcome. Board games on the shelves. The bar is wheelchair accessible — entrance, seating, restroom, and parking all set up for it.