Why aren't there any bars/restaurants on the Lakes? (Madison: real estate, hotel)

[dzial67]

We're moving to the USA and Madison is one of the places we are considering. We know about the weather etc but have concerns about the lakes. One of the reasons for short listing Madison is the lakes and everything that normally goes with them. We know about the algae and have got mixed messages about the lakes generally.

What is bugging us is that in lake areas such as the Chain of Lakes north of Chicago, Lake Geneva in Wisconsin and many others in England and other parts of Europe where we have lived or know very well, there are always bars/restaurants and a host of other water based leisure activites.

There don't seem to be any in Madison and we wonder why?

[Megan1967]

There is Memorial Union which is a great local hangout for everyone - not just students. There are fewer students in the summer and the locals come out more then. The University owns a fair chunk of land around lake Mendota. There is a place called the Naughty Gal in Westport, but I don't think much of it.

One thing I do know is that there are a lot of fabulous homes along the lake shores. It is considered very prime real estate and might just price out a lot of smaller businesses.

[applesoranges]

All they got is that student union, Whippee Fizz. They don't know how to do things here. Everything is wrapped around a kiddie college. Talk about BORING, that it is. They're whole life here is this university, whereras most places look at a college as a place to get your education and GET ON WITH LIFE, here it is their life, LOL!

[RemiJP]

Some other spots on Lake Monona are Sardine (lovely, upscale French bistro), Paisan's (so-so Italian with a huge patio), and Washington Hotel Coffee Room (also a yarn shop, very peaceful with huge windows and a cute deck). There are many parks along both lakes where you can have picnics. Gov. Nelson State Park is very nice and they allow alcohol.

It's really too bad there aren't more!

[Chelito23]

My guess is that a lot of what is now the shoreine used to be swampy and was filled in for housing back when Madison was being developed in the early days. The high land was where the capitol, the business district and the state offices were...and I think the city developed in spite of the lakes as opposed to taking advantage of them.

Geographically they did pose a problem for a growing city...so I think the city grew around them more, businesses congregated along the throughfares...and of course the city preserved what land it could around the lakes as parks and beaches as well.

The trend nowasays is to reclaim what they can and develop the lakefront, but on the other and, Madison is one of the nice places where the shoreline isn't totally commercialized and is as "natural" as it can be despite being surrounded by a city of over 200,000 people.

[ranger17]

there is the Mariners/Nautigal spots on Mendota which are nice restaurants. A good majority of shoreline in Mendota is developed, and once you take out the UW property and some near the marsh side; not much else left for bars, etc.
There are some nice parks on Mendota, and Monona adds in the Terrace.
I'd add that neither lake is that large, and for the cost of any land that may be available; it ain't going to no small diner or club.....

You can enjoy the time on the lakes, but why worry about not finding a place to eat on the water. Again there are spots on every lake in the chain, we didn't even mention going thru to Waubesa and further down as well. Come to think of it there are enough spots on these lakes to party and eat at for about anyone. And the way some people operate their boats after a few cocktails, is there any real reason to have more bars on the water? ( heck just take your food and grub out with ya ).

[Milwaukee City]

Good Question, I would say they are really dropping the ball here. There should be more development, if you want "natural" then go up to land o lakes.

[fisherman26]

Yeah, my friends and I always talk about how there needs to be more places along the lake. The Monona Terrace seems to be growing its accessibility, but it certainly doesn't get the musical acts that play the Union.

The Union's not bad- good beer at least. It does get annoying having to wade through all the youngens.

The Edgewater's not bad, and has some stuff going on, but it's a hotel...

I think there's a few spots along Middleton that are considered 'lakeside', but I don't know much about them....

[Bowie]

I would guess that zoning is the biggest reason. There simply isn't much land adjacent to the lakes that's zoned for commercial use. Since most of the places cited in this thread are outside the city of Madison, that's probably a very intentional land use choice that was made by the city founders generations ago that is still honored today.

[Nique]

Maybe I've just never been to a place that had a ton of lakeshore activity, but...

The Monona Terrace just opened a new rooftop restaurant. The Edgewater is working on a huge renovation project to expand their lakefront presence; currently they have a very formal indoor dining room with windows on the water, and I think they have a patio/rooftop that overlooks the lake where they serve somewhat less formal meals. As previously mentioned, Paisan's and Sardine both have seating overlooking lake Monona.

You can grab a beer and a brat and some excellent ice at the Memorial Union Terrace, or buy food anywhere on State Street or from one of the library mall vendors and take it to the Terrace to eat. They have live music most nights all summer, and on Mondays run an outdoor cinema there.

Or, you can hop in your boat, cruise across Mendota and have a meal at Captain Bill's or the Nauti Gal.

If you don't have a boat, you can jump on a Betty Lou public cruise, see the lake and enjoy a meal and the bar on the boat.

I've always thought the combination of the above made for some great lakefront dining, myself.