As overused and meaningless as the term ""hipster"" has become, there is no doubt that Madison has a thorough selection of bars that cater to the demographic. Usually these bars craft a nice little hipster image through a jukebox full of indie music, T-shirts with sardonic catchphrases and a beer selection for those who think Spotted Cow isn't classy enough.
Genna's has all of those elements intact, but what separates it from other downtown hipster watering holes is very simple: you can actually talk there, and one thing hipsters love to do is talk. Be it in their awkwardly short and tall indoor seating on a cold winter night or outdoors on Main Street during the summer, Genna's offers the opinionated an opportunity to rant as much as they like to their accompanying friends, or even to random strangers sitting nearby. The bar's tiny size gives it a very nice level of coziness and an intimate quality, and the music isn't blasted so loud that you feel you're at a construction zone.
You can go to a cramped explosive party bar anywhere. But if you want a nice relaxing night with a pitcher of Oberon, you should head to Genna's.
