Madison Reporter

Madison restaurant owners are pleased as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted throughout Dane County.

Bar and grills and music venues dealt with the pandemic as best as possible, but they are looking forward to going back to business as the old, pre-pandemic, usual, NBC 15 reported.

“Art is essential and I think that the pandemic has proven that to be true. When we have art in our lives and in our immediate proximity, when we can hear it, touch it and feel it in our everyday lives it makes life more enhancing,” said Café CODA Owner Hanah Jon Taylor, according to NBC 15.

Through the early days of the pandemic, many music venues live-streamed.

Bar owners and employees followed masking and other pandemic rules and seem to think it is paying off now.

"For two years we’ve been following the rules very closely," Harmony Bar and Grill Owner Brennan Nardi said, NBC reported. “My staff is fully vaccinated and most of us are boosted. We’ve been doing the right thing and now the right thing is to get back into business.”

Many events that were scheduled in the past two months were canceled due to the rising COVID-19 cases. Business owners are excited for their loyal customers to return and enjoy food and good music after nearly two years gone.