Nice farm stand with great stuff. Lots of fall favorites…read moreright now. Prices are reasonable.

L'etoile really impressed me, my first 5 star rating in a while. I was taken here as a surprise…read moredinner by my partner to top off our trip here in Madison, and the dishes are all solidly delicious, unique (flavor combinations aren't what I expected), and are plated really intentionally, intelligently, and artfully. L'etoile is a sophisticated white tablecloth establishment, and perfect for a date night with its high ceilings, warm lighting, jazz music, and view of the Capitol. The acoustics are such that conversations from the table beside you are a quiet chatter, and you can hear your dining partner perfectly. We ordered our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd courses a la carte and opted not to do the tasting menu. I ordered the Alaskan king crab for my 1st, the Sea scallops & pork belly for my 2nd, the meyer lemon panna cotta for my 3rd. My partner ordered the charred spanish octopus for his 1st, the duck for his main, and the sticky toffee date pudding as his dessert. I can't recommend any one dish because honestly, all were equally impressive and what you order depends on what flavor you're in the mood for. The servers were attentive and the pacing for each course was even, with little snacks offered in between -- bread with bone marrow butter, a sunchoke foam & proscuitto amuse bouche, chevre cheese cream puffs. We were very full to end the meal, and they even sent us home with an oatmeal creme pie. Some notes below to guide an a la carte course selection, based on our meal -- 1st course: Autum squash w/ alaskan king crab: brighter, sweet, acidic Charred spanish octopus: deep & smoky 2nd course: Sea scallops & pork belly: A dish of contrast- sea scallops are light & almost like eating sashimi paired with an equally light sauce, contrasted against fatty pork belly with a strong plum sauce. Fun to mix & eat strong and light flavors and textures together. Duck: Medium rare duck with a deep flavor - somewhat smoky & earthy, also fun to explore as it comes with a white sauce, berry sauce, and a terrine also made from the duck 3rd course: Meyer lemon panna cotta: Bright and impactful -- the lemon panna cotta and guava sorbet are tart and pack different sweet punches. Lots of elements on the plate (spiced cookie, champagne sabayon, wafer, berry glaze) to play with Sticky chocolate toffee pudding: Decadent, deep, and warm. Not your average sticky toffee pudding, as there are some additional elements in the dessert that take it to the next level. Thank you again L'etoile. This was one of the best fine dining experiences I've ever had. Can't wait to return.

Food: 5 Service: 5…read moreUniqueness: 5 ---------------------------------------------- This is my favorite restaurant in Madison. Full stop. I had to leave a review because I'm incensed at how low the rating somehow is. Chef Tori is dope. We've been here twice - both times for our anniversary and each time the meal was 100% memorable. The staff are warm and have a way of making the meal feel like a secret being shared just with us. They had personal recommendations and favorites and the wine pairings were absolutely outstanding. I'm more of a beer guy, but this place might convince me to try some new things. Both times we've been the menus been completely different so you know they're being creative with what's in season. The bites are hard to describe how they can be equal parts comforting and familiar yet wholly unique. Last year they had some sort of white fish ceviche type thing that may have been my best bite of my life. I got a second order because they explained how items don't really repeat because chef tweaks even familiar ingredients as they rotate in. It's a hefty price tag but well worth it for a special occassion.

Great atmosphere. Eating at a restaurant on the lake is so relaxing. Food is amazing. I have been…read moreto Artisan 179 a couple of times and will go many more. I couldn't recommend it more.

I am pleased to write this review. I had a wonderful experience here. We had reservations and were…read moreabout ten minutes early, but our table was ready and got seated right away. I was here for a birthday dinner. We had a table that faced the window, so we had a great view of the lake. It was a Saturday, and they even had a guitarist playing music, which was a nice touch. We ordered the smash burger and the salmon. The meat in the burger was very tender and flavorful. It melts in your mouth. We chose the truffle fries with it and these complemented the burger nicely. I liked the fries more than the burger. The salmon came with crispy skin on top, which is my favorite part of salmon. The best part of that dish was the crispy roasted brussels sprouts, probably the best I ever had! So rich and savory! They made my partner's birthday special with a dessert on the house. We shared a rumchata bread pudding, which was sweet but not overpowering. They even wrote "happy birthday" in chocolate and gave him a handwritten card. They really went above and beyond. This was such a nice experience. I can't wait to come back again!

A few of us were in Madison for a jazz concert at UW. We were looking for a nice pre show dinner…read moreand heard great things about Merchant. The restaurant didn't disappoint. Our hostess and server were pleasant. The cheese curds, burgers and fries were delicious. My New York strip, however, was just OK; tough and not very flavorful. The baked on site carrot cake was really really good! Nice place with nice people and a fun vibe.

Service has gone down. Was lured into a burger special with an old fashion and my bad, got a…read moreWisconsin old fashion - stay away. My reservation was at 7 and my food came out at 7:58. As a solo diner this was awkward and unacceptable. The manager comped my drink and half my meal, but it would have been better if I was turned away at my reservation. I will not be returning

I visited the Winter market for the first time, and it was a pleasant experience. I enjoyed…read moretalking to a few of the vendors ago make and sell their own products - so impressive. One vendor had apples and honey - and there were artisans there as well. This market is indoors (thank goodness), so it's warm and cozy indoors to shop. The live musician singing and playing music provided the right ambiance. I recommend stopping by!

This is a great market. It helps bring back good memories of summer, while offering buyers cozy and…read morecomforting goods. Loved Matt's Wild Foods for exotic mushrooms I also spent far too much money on handmade pain balms, vegan spring rolls, fantastic preservative free wine cheese and several other items. You owe yourself a visit. Several vendors also offer snack or lunch/breakfast items for immediate consumption.