Greenbush Bar

Greenbush Bar is the kind of place that makes you feel like you found a secret, even though half of Madison already knows about it. You walk down a split staircase into the basement of the Italian Workmen's Club, a building that goes back to 1922, and the room just hits you: low ceilings, Christmas lights year-round, wood paneling, cozy supper club meets corner bar.

The pizza is the whole reason you are here. Thin crust, tavern style, crispy edges, that slight chew in the middle. The Alberici is the signature and the one to order: Nueske's bacon, mozzarella, gorgonzola, tomato and arugula on an olive oil crust. It is different from anything else you will get around Madison and genuinely excellent.

The bourbon list is several pages long, way longer than the food menu. Break-even bottle night on Tuesdays is a cool touch: they pour one bottle at cost, one ounce per person, while it lasts. Thursday piano bar is a vibe too.

No reservations, first-come first-served, so get there early or be ready to wait. It is worth it.