Something's working at the Church Key. Maybe it's because it's not Madison Avenue. Church Key wins because the renovation job really cleaned 'er up, and somehow the place always seems so much bigger (and drunker) than one might expect on a Thursday night. The Church Key is simply the nice in-between bar — not a dive, but classy enough for the college folk. And we approve. Students gave points for the upstairs area and the fact that you can still shoot pool downstairs. We like that it's big enough to get around the place even when it's after midnight and the bar is jammed. But yikes, watch out for all the stairs on the way out. The jerks waiting outside to get in will definitely call you out when you fall on your ass. It happens. And score! The booths at the Church Key are great. They're big and you can jam at least eight 20-year-olds in them. (That's what she said.) And the police officers that sometimes grace the bar are always super-nice to the people in booths, even when they're definitely not 21. A friend told me that. Although the bartenders at the Church Key may not want to admit it, they get kudos for this: never, ever giving you a disapproving look when you ask, "Can I have eight red-headed sluts? Actually, ten." You don't even have to say it's your girlfriend's birthday shots. I applaud you, Church Key. It's worth mentioning the Church Key has food, and it's good. I've never had it, but it smells delicious and some guy at Riley's was eating it one time and he said it was delicious. (Do you remember me? I was that stupid girl who bought a sperm-shaped liquor shot for my friend. It was her birthday, and she loved it. She also loves the popcorn at the Church Key.) If all of that isn't enough for the Church Key, a few weeks ago there was a DJ guy dressed in a fantastic suit and fedora hat with an earphone mic. My roommates and I couldn't stop watching you. We approved of your music and your suit, especially the hat. So like most University of Wisconsin fashions, Church Key is the all-purpose destination — everything you need for a good night: a bar, some food, an impeccably dressed DJ and those ten red-headed sluts. Church Key: 138 votes State Street Brats: 132 votes