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    Recommended Reviews - Ba Lao

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    Maddie T.

    Ahan is my favorite restaurant in Madison so I was excited to try out Ba Lao. I really enjoyed eating here and the drinks were great! We loved the decor and the platter was the perfect amount of food for the three of us.

    Max M.

    Visited Ba Lao for their happy hour for the first time on a Friday and it was a really neat place. Located just across from Ahan, it's a nice place to grab a few drinks and snacks. Seating is limited, but we were able to get a table after 10 minutes of waiting. I was most impressed with the wings they served. The cook and seasoning on them were really delicious. The ambiance was very lively and relaxed. Would recommend to check out during happy hour!

    Pork chop, fried fish, chicken wings
    Kathleen L.

    Recently opened sister restaurant of Ahan (which I love!). It's located on Willy St with a bar and less seating than Ahan. We got the chicken wings which were huge. The pork chops had good flavor but was very salty. The fried fish was made with lemongrass seasoning and was super crispy and it was probably my favorite. My only major complaint is that there is no ventilation in the building so when the kitchen was cooking, the smoke would leak into the entire restaurant and it irritated my eyes a lot. They said it was because it's an old building so I asked to keep the front door open but I hope they find some way to address this problem.

    Ginger chicken

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    4 months ago

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    14 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    18 days ago

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    7 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    5 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    Ask the Community - Ba Lao

    Review Highlights - Ba Lao

    Located just across from Ahan, it's a nice place to grab a few drinks and snacks.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Merchant - Chile Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

    Merchant

    3.8(756 reviews)
    0.6 miCapitol
    $$

    I was out and about, exploring Madison, and Merchant looked like a cool place to stop for happy…read morehour. I sat at the bar, and Mi took great care of me. I had dinner plans, so I just wanted to stop in for a drink and snack. They have some really good offers for HH and their cheese curds are half off. I had never had one, so it sounded like the perfect time to try. I got a glass of wine and the curds. They came out quickly, hot and fresh. It was a big bowl of fried cheese. They come with ranch and hot honey, and apparently they recently won best cheese curd at the cheese curd crawl. They were super tasty. Well seasoned, perfectly fried, and kind of chewy. I am not on the hot honey frenzy train, but I tried it and thought it paired well, just wasn't for me. The ranch was tasty though. Even the happy hour portion was hefty and I couldn't put down half. A little wine and cheese on a beautiful day, just makes for a good experience. They were making some pretty interesting cocktails behind the bar, and it is definitely worth coming back to try out their other options.

    Wanted to sit outside for dinner and came across Merchant. Waitress was quick to come over with…read moremenus and water. We started with the cheese board for $32.00. Let's say not the best board I've ever had. Very light on the cheese for the price. Wouldn't order again. Cheese curds were tasty. My husband at the steak which came rare had to return to cook more. The fries were over cooked. My son had the Mac n cheese with chicken that he enjoyed. We also ordered a salad which was fresh and tasty. The menu was small but a nice place to come and have a drink after work then move in for dinner.

    Photos
    Merchant
    Merchant - Skillet corn bread

    Skillet corn bread

    Merchant

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    The Botanist Social - mushroom flatbread

    The Botanist Social

    4.0(95 reviews)
    0.9 miCapitol
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    You can either have dinner here or stop in just for drinks. Either way, we have loved visiting The…read moreBotanist Social. For dinner I recommend the Salmon bruschetta, mushroom risotto (soo good) and the crab cakes. The drinks are simply sublime. Gin is the spirit of choice here and you can get it straight up or mixed in a cocktail while watching the bartender. If gin isn't your thing, they have other spirits as well including a very thorough whiskey offering. I have been here now about 10 times and each time I am surprised by the drinks and entrees and each time I am greeted with excellent friendly service.

    Came to Botanist Social for a cocktail and dinner before a game…read more Walked into the cool vibe and decor and got a nice welcome from the hostess as well as the waitress. I had the clover club cocktail and it was delish. Nice and refreshing and not too heavy. CLOVER CLUB Gin, raspberry syrup, egg whites*, lemon We shared the butter's salad and it was a nice mix. BURRATA SALAD Peaches, tomatoes, burrata cheese, sweet vinegar dressing I had the Campanella pasta as the main and it was very savory. Noodles could have been a bit more al Dente. CAMPANELLE PASTA Campanelle noodles, braised short rib, poached egg, balsamic drizzle Service was good throughout, our server did several check-ins. Cool spot. Small food menu but would come back again.

    Photos
    The Botanist Social - Wall of liquor behind the bar

    Wall of liquor behind the bar

    The Botanist Social - Shrimp Rosemary Skewers

    Shrimp Rosemary Skewers

    The Botanist Social - Ramos gin fizz

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    Ramos gin fizz

    Eno Vino Downtown - Crispy Lobster

    Eno Vino Downtown

    4.1(436 reviews)
    0.6 miCapitol
    $$$

    I genuinely think I'm nicer than the average tipper, so I try to be understanding when things don't…read morego perfectly. It took about 20 minutes for us to be greeted by our server. Fair enough, I can forgive a single mistake. Once we were greeted, our server seemed to realize that, for as nice of a place as this was, the wait while the restaurant wasn't busy (there was maybe five tables sat) really wasn't acceptable, so we were given a complimentary drink. After ordering bruschetta and a cheese board, I expected things to move a little quicker since they were two fairly simple appetizers. Our bruschetta and espresso martini arrived, and both were delicious and well worth the price; no complaints there. Unfortunately, our cheese board was forgotten. Since it was obviously missed, our very kind server offered us a complimentary espresso martini which was second complimentary beverage, which was delicious. Recognizing that the overall service had been subpar, our server also offered us a free dessert. We were given the crème brûlée, which was just okay and a little too sweet for my taste and also cold. All in all, considering how slow the service was despite there being very few tables, there were more delays and mistakes than there should have been. That said, our server did a good job of making up for it with the complimentary drinks and dessert. Overall, the food was decent and the view was great. I would come back for cocktails and appetizers, but probably not for a full meal. We still tipped well higher than average because our server was extremely apologetic for the sub-par service, and made up for it in comped orders. I expect better for the cost but appreciate the honesty with the service.

    We had a great experience dining at Eno Vino Downtown last Saturday evening. The service from Abby…read morewas simply amazing, and it made the whole evening event so pleasant. We went there to celebrate the 50th birthday of a friend from New York who was in town for the art fair. Abby was attentive, with good recommendations. She's such a sweetheart. We really had a wonderful time chatting with each other and eating the great food. The mocktails were excellent, and we decided on 2 sets of their special - a two-to-tango meal. The dishes were very generously served and delicious. I would highly recommend Eno Vino Downtown for any celebration.

    Photos
    Eno Vino Downtown - The Pearfect Elyx-ir - delicious

    The Pearfect Elyx-ir - delicious

    Eno Vino Downtown - Grilled lettuce - something new for me.

    Grilled lettuce - something new for me.

    Eno Vino Downtown - View from the restaurant

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    View from the restaurant

    Ba Lao - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

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