Nitro Beverage Lounge — Restaurant in Madison

I absolutely LOVED this spot! I loved that it wasn’t on the main college strip and was in a bit of a quieter area. The atmosphere is perfect. It had a very Gatsby vibe. The seating was cute and comfortable, the art and fireplace were stunning, and the decor and chandeliers were so cool! It wasn’t packed, which was nice. The crowd that was there was very calm and just making conversation. Evan was our bartender and he was super nice. Not to mention the cocktails were amazing! I got the “porn star martini” and it was honestly one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. My husband got the “for me, I really like corn” and loved it (which is a big deal because he’s a beer guy and never gets cocktails). I tried his too and agreed, it was amazing! The presentation of the drinks was awesome! I loved all the little details of this whole place, like the nitro N on the ice cubes. You can tell a lot of care and thoughtfulness was put into it. Yes the drinks are a little pricey (11-15 on average for the cocktails) but I feel like you’re going to pay that anywhere that isn’t a chain or using cheap liquor with half the atmosphere. Also, I didn’t try them, but they do have a full menu of mocktails and N.A. beer that all sounded amazing. Again, the thoughtfulness of the place really impressed me. As someone who doesn’t always want alcohol and has a lot of friends who don’t drink, it’s nice to see a bar have real creations that are still fun. I’m someone who honestly normally avoids bars because I find the environment overwhelming and overstimulating but Nitro was perfect. It felt fun, creative, and the perfect place hangout for a chill night out where you still want to dress up and do something unique. Honestly, if I was a local, I’d even go by myself with a book. It felt so comfortable and safe! I cannot say enough good about this place. I wish we had something...

It’s definitely a place with a pleasant atmosphere and a great spot to meet friends. However, my recent experience left me feeling disappointed. I visited this place with a group of friends to celebrate a bachelorette party in a casual, relaxed way—nothing extravagant, and most of us were over 40 years old. We ordered drinks and were enjoying ourselves, but at one point, I ordered my FIRST drink at 8:26 p.m. and then another one at 10 p.m. The manager suggested I have a glass of water before my second drink to "calm down." This recommendation seemed out of place, especially since the rest of the group had only had one drink each. When I expressed my concern to the manager, I was told it was because other patrons had complained about our volume.

I understand the importance of keeping the noise level respectful, but the issue is that we were never informed that we needed to remain particularly quiet to fit in. I also couldn’t help but wonder if the situation might have been different if we weren’t a group of Latina women. I am left wondering if the bartender would have made the same decision to offer a glass of water if we were all "dressed red" celebraring a game and having a good time like other groups. It would have been helpful to be given clearer expectations upfront, rather than having to adjust based on feedback we hadn’t been made aware of. I left feeling that our celebration was unfairly judged, and that a simple heads-up about the noise level could have avoided the awkwardness. It’s a shame because the place itself has a lot...

Nitro is a beverage lounge, and not a "coffee shop". I found this out when showing up a morning to meets some friends. These comments are specifically meant to judge it against what I think a coffee shop should be.

It opens at 10:00 (sharp). I got there earlier, looked inside to see people setting up, and the doors opened, and let in a line of people. It has a minimal menu of coffees, lattes and teas. Did not offer a London Fog, so I ordered a Chai Latte. It was "okay". A little weak on the tea, and not especially hot. They don't offer any bakery or pastries (always like me a scone to go with the tea).

There are a bunch of different tables and seating areas. Unfortunately some of the chairs that they have at the 4-tops, are wire metal, and terribly uncomfortable. Since there were only 3 of us, we grabbed a small cocktail table, which had 2 cushioned chairs, and an ottoman.

The place was about a 1/3 full, and it was noisy. The result of the music playing and the hard surfaces.

Perhaps, this beverage lounge is better suited for afternoon or evening gathering. Just not a great "coffee shop" experience. Not some place that I would...