Monday 16th of August 2010 10:16:14 AM

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Post-Great Taste 2010.

We were looking for a comfortable spot to wind down after the fest, and the Weary fit like a glove. We went through the side entrance (for hippies?), and sat in the smaller side room. EehaiCJ remarked that the old wood inside "smelled a like Belgian cafe". It was definitely worn in and cozy here. Old wood floors and walls, mismatched chairs and tables, with eclectic art on the walls. In the corners of the room were old dial telephone lamps, which reminded me of Twin Peaks. The bar seated about 12, and extended into both rooms of the place. In the corner was a stack of games, and a set of giant chess pieces. Sure enough, in the corner was a worn away chess board painted on the floor. The crowd tended to be young and hip, not rowdy. Seemed to be several bigger groups, which fit nicely into the circular corner booths.

Our server was always around, and was knowledgeable about the beer and menu. We split a pitcher of Lake Louie Tommys Porter for $14. Selection focused on the local (2-3 LL taps), with a few bottled German/Belgian imports to round things out. On tap: Great Dane German Pils, LL Premium, Tommys, and Warped Speed, Capital Fest, Oberon, 2 Hearted, and Guinness. Bottles: Hopalicious, Czechvar, Fransizkaner, Sofie, LL Cream ale & IPA, Leffe, 2x NG, Pearl St. DTB, Point, and a handful of others.

The WI "meat & cheese" charcuterie plate was huge with a generous assortment: smoked turkey, capicola, mortadella with walnuts, cheddar, swiss, pepper jack, and a mountain of seasoned bagel chips. Reuben here was of good quality.

Overall the eclectic and cozy vibe here was very relaxing, and the food was good. Some nice local beer was the icing on the cake. Stop here on the way over to Malt House, or any number of nearby beer spots. It was fun to explore Madison a little bit more, we found the Weary Traveller to be a hidden gem.

Thursday 24th of September 2009 02:57:42 PM

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The Weary Traveler is an awesome location to visit on your way to the Willie Street Co-op which features a huge selection of locally made beer and food for those with the earth in mind. Look for a large selection of vegetarian items on the menu and some meat-lover items made with locavore conscientiousness in mind. Right off Williamson Street on Madison's east side, this location is within walking distance of a number of other fine beer locations too. If you like board games, look for a number of fun items tucked in a small alcove to the left of the main bar area. Stop in on a cold winter night or whenever for a hand made dinner or for just a beer.