Met a friend here for lunch on a random weekday, and had a very lovely experience. I've always wanted to try Breakwater and I'm happy I finally made it. Definitely planning to go back soon. It was still a beautiful summer/fall day so we started sitting outside on their patio/deck which overlooks part of the Yahara River. It has a very nautical vibe to it and is a great way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, there were a lot of bees around. Our server (Nate or Nathan I believe -- he was great!) helped us move inside. The inside is all light woods and likewise a fun atmosphere. We sat at a table in the bar area, but there did seem to be a separate room for more traditional dining tables. Their drink menu looked wonderful, but alas it was noon and I still had a bunch of stuff to get done that day so I did not partake. The menu had a little something for everyone to include a kids meal. I ended up going with the Caesar salad and added grilled chicken. It was wonderful, and the chicken was grilled so nicely I could have just ordered two plain grilled chicken breasts! My friend got the Brussels Sprout Salad, which I'd been considering but I feel like Brussels sprouts can be so hit or miss. Well, this salad looked incredible and I definitely want to order it on my next visit. read more

Breakwater - Caesar salad with grilled chicken - it's fantastic. - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

Stopped by on a Monday night for dinner with friends. Place was nice and service was friendly and quick. Had a special on taps which was great too. I had the Shrimp PoBoy sandwich and it was delicious. Great flavor and spice - plenty of shrimp. Chips were great too. My friend got the nachos with chicken and the serving was huge. Very tasty too - nice balance of toppings. Quite impressed by the food and at a decent value too. Will definitely come back. read more

We had a fabulous lunch on the deck at Breakwater! The service was quick and friendly. We ordered a wrap and tuna bowl and both loved our entrees. I especially recommend the sweet potato fries, they were some of the best I've ever had! Shoutout to bartender Kelly, he was so kind and accommodating. read more

Breakwater - Sweet potato fries - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

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The food is very good. Atmosphere is great especially if you are outside watching the boats go by. I recommend this place.

I love to go to spots on the water, so I was hoping to really give this place a stellar review! It's unfortunate because their food was good and it seems like a really cool atmosphere, especially for hot summer days and boating. And because of this, we will think about giving it another shot. But it was a Thursday lunch that me and my husband decided to stop here. There were only a couple other two tops in the restaurant. We were hopeful, because we didn't have a lot of time during work hours. We were seated right away with menus. The server neglected to come back for about 10 minutes, took our drink order and another 10 minutes went by until I got my drink... My husband never got his. We ordered the Cuban sandwich and Brussel sprout salad. It took another 20 minutes or more for our food to arrive and we did not have silverware. The bartender comes out a few minutes later with silverware and apologizes. It was another 10 minutes before we saw the server again, at which point we wanted our check. It took another 10 minutes for that! To say the service was disappointing is an extreme understatement. read more

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We had lunch and not only was the service great, but the food was phenomenal! We loved the new menu!! The icing on the cake was how DOG FRIENDLY everyone was!! Great place to bring the whole family!! read more

Rudest manager. We were a large party seated on the deck and were asked to leave and go sit on the upper bar deck once we finished eating if we were just going to be drinking. WTF?!We footed a large bill and were treated like this? We just left. Never going here again. Food and drinks were mid and overpriced. read more

The drinks are awful and the service is just as bad. Sitting at the bar (empty) and sat with empty drinks for 20+ minutes. Claim they make their own sour but don't do it, so bad. read more

Bree did an excellent job as my server and bartender! Her recommendations were perfect! I really enjoyed the baked cod fish fry with their amazing French fries. The pressed brandy old fashioned was a delicious complement to the meal and a beautiful lunch by the lake! I highly recommend the Breakwater for the great food, excellent service and waterfront meal! read more

Gabriel did a wonderful job as my planner for my second event at Breakwater. Great food, venue, prices, but most importantly Gabriel was great at communication and so helpful to make sure we had everything we needed. read more

Do not recommended this place at all. Food, service, and ambiance were all awful. As mentioned in a lot of these reviews, staff was nearly impossible to track down to get our orders once seated (they were not busy). Once we did, we got the perch hoagie and the blackened catfish sandwiches. They were soaking wet and inedible, and they made us sick a few hours later. Just so disgusting. My partner got one of their signature drinks and it tasted like straight syrup - also inedible. Again, took a long time to get the bill. Probably were there for two hours. Our other (and final) visit, we thought we'd give it another shot, just getting casual drinks on the patio. Well, I ordered the Firing Squad from their signature drinks, and it was probably the worst drink I have ever had. It tasted like cigarettes somehow, I could not even believe it. And no ice either? We had to wait for our server to arrive at our table where I could let him know it was inedible, later to find he did not take it off the bill. We didn't want to wait another 30 minutes for him, so we paid and left. The same night, some very drunk and disruptive on the roof of the establishment. While my partner and I were at our table on the patio below them, their can of tobacco fell on us from above. They began heckling us that we "stole" their chew, though it rolled into the water. The waiter was at our table when this occurred and said nothing, and allowed the men to yell at us. They were not escorted out or talked to at all. I know the mens behavior is not the restaurants fault, but I expected something from the folks working there to help us as we were getting yelled at. read more

Food very good bbq pork sandwich served on toast with a bit of good slaw and a melted slice of cheese. Decent house made pub chips. Under staffed at 5:30 pm. The waitress struggled with the room on her own. Not recommended if you are in a hurry. Ambiance fair, inside in the rain. read more

Nice dining on the patio watching the boats pass. Enjoyed the beer selection and relaxed vibe. Service was friendly and attentive. read more

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Four of us looking for dinner and someplace we hadn't yet tried. Breakwater was a great pick. Everything was outstanding. Service was excellent as she gave us the menus and took our drink orders right away. Menu has a wide choice to select from. Two of us selected the California Cobb Salad. One with crispy chicken, honey/lemon vinaigrette and the other with grilled salmon with blue cheese. Order of one pound of wings half buffalo and half BBQ. Me - The Godfather, Cajun grilled chicken with fries. Everything was very good. To top off the great service and food was the view during the storm. See picture of the rainbow. This would be a great deck to watch boats. read more

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The food and service were excellent. The "specialty" drink menu is fun to explore. The setting on the water is a relaxing place to hang out during the summer days. We will definitely be returning. read more

Went for a Friday meal late afternoon. Server was attentive and polite. Drink orders were put in but even with 2 bartenders on it took 15 minutes to get our drinks and it wasn't very busy. One bartender at the far end never even acknowledged anyone but the 2 guys he was in a deep conversation with for about 45 minutes. We didn't even think he was working. The other bartender had our drink orders but she chose to re-write the entire lighted sign with specials or whatever before she made our drinks. My husband even asked the waiter why it was taking so long. He said he turned the ticket in right away and if he could make the drinks himself he would have but he wasn't the bartender. Deep fried pickles were good. Our friends ordered the 2 piece cod dinners which they also said were good. My husband and I ordered 2 sandwiches to share. The perch sandwich on a hoagie with pub chips and a Nashville type spicy chicken sandwich with pepper jack cheese and fries. Pub chips were mediocre and the fries were kindy limp and soggy. The filet of perch and the chicken breast actually looked the same under the buns. The chicken was not hot and spicy at all. Neither of the sandwiches were moist or juicy. Both sandwiches tasted basically the same. There was no distinguishable chicken flavor versus fish flavor. You honestly couldn't taste the difference in the sandwiches except for the sauces on them. Portions were generous. We brought half of each sandwich home and tasted the proteins later without the buns. Again we could barely taste any difference whatsoever between the chicken or the fish. They both tasted like the breading they were deep fried in and they almost looked identical in appearance without the buns. Our friends agreed with both taste and looks. Leftover proteins were tough and chewy and we tossed them. Even if I hadn't been in the food service industry for 50 years you should be able to discern the difference between fish and chicken yet all we tasted was the breading on both. Both sandwiches were bland and flavorless and without the sauces nothing. Disappointing to say the least. The atmosphere is a plus. read more

Cool venue right on the water. Food was okay at best. I tried the Brussels sprout salad which was pretty tasty but nothing to write home about. The portions were quite large but it did not save well in the fridge for left overs. Our server didn't know what came in their specials and we did wait quite a bit for our food to be brought out even though it was dead. Probably won't be returning read more

The food service and ambiance was amazing. I will definitely be back. The chicken Caesar salad was the best.

Hosted a holiday party at The Breakwater and we all had a great time! We had about 50 poeple, appetizers, open bar. The team, the atmosphere, the food and drinks were all amazing! Shout out to Gabriel for keeping everything running smoothly! Easy to book, told them our needs and they made our party happen. Thanks! read more

Food was good. Service was good. What was not good was the tobacco smoke. We sat outside on the main floor balcony and the smokers walked past our table and around the corner to smoke. This should not be allowed as it ruins the experience for those seated down wind. read more

Such a lovely relaxed lake vibe - even had live music which made the experience even better!! We came at 6:30 pm on a Friday evening and there was a 20 minute wait so we opted to sit on the upper level outdoor seating where we could order food and drinks from the bartender and find our own table. I had blackened catfish and truffle fries - fantastic! And my kids enjoyed boneless wings and a cheeseburger/tots. While we ate we could watch boats come and go on the waterway. What a great meal and we will be back!! read more

Breakwater - Outdoor ambience - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

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We had tried to eat here a year or two ago but the place/workers seemed to be in such disarray we left. Recently we arrived by boat with some friends and since they picked it we had no choice. It was after 7 on a Sunday so things appeared to be winding down. We quickly got a nice table outside for our group of six. We got menus quickly but no server. The very nice hostess eventually arrived at our table announcing that in fact she would be our waitress. We ordered drinks. It took at least 10-15 minutes for those to show. The place was getting empty so go figure why it took so long. We then in put in our food order letting her know we wanted to keep things moving since we wanted to avoid boating back in pitch darkness. Well.... the apologetic waitress said she screwed up and would discount our meals since there was a miscommunication and the order just went in about 20 mins after it should have. Our food did come out and people were generally pleased with what they got. My wife was shocked by the large piece of correctly cooked salmon on her Brussel sprout salad. My boneless wings were decent. The others had no complaints on their food. Bottom line - nice server but this place as others have pointed out has a real staffing/training issue. We will stick with the nearby Buck & Honey and Waypoint for our dining on water experience. read more

In looking for a place on the water to have lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the summer, I selected The Breakwater. It's a good thing my friend and I were looking for sun because there were serious service problems this day. Our lunch ended up being a full two hours because we were waiting on getting food. And the bill. All had to be asked for three or more times. Our server said that she was training someone else on being a server. It's a good thing there were two people because the experienced server was mostly nowhere to be found. She was missing a lot of other people for a half hour or so at a time as well. Honestly my friend thought she was under the influence. We ended up ordering food about three times and eventually did get entrées. I can't recommend coming here. Nothing memorable in food. This is a place to go if you want to watch the boats go by and sit in the sun. read more

My husband and I enjoyed a beautiful mid afternoon lunch, SamplerPlatter and baked cod dinners, so good! Megan our server was great! I highly recommend! read more

staffing issues. there never seems to be enough staff on hand. the ones that are there generally seem to not care. inconsistent food quality. read more

On Madison Foodies Facebook page, I kept seeing Breakwater advertise their menu and I just had to try it. The establishment is huge, the bar manager told me that when Spring comes there is a roof top bar that serves food and has live bands. I cannot wait to go there this Spring. But I have to go back next weekend because the nachos look amazing. And oh my the pretzel is huge it fits the whole plate, guess I will need to order that after I try the nachos! If you have a boat you can just pull up on your boat too... go check it out read more

Breakwater - Breakwater Breakfast Platter - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

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Great waterfront deck - very peaceful location for casual dining. The menu is an upscale "bar menu" with burgers, other sandwiches, salads, plenty of apps, etc. read more

I live in the neighborhood so I come here round once a month. I often come on a random notion. They make everyone feel comfortable rather you come alone or in a group. Food is great! I like to come here early afternoon to mid afternoon when it's quiet. The staff is as friendly as they come... Georgia is AWESOME!!! We have great conversations and once she knows what you like, she's on it! Breakwater is fortunate to have her!! read more

Breakwater - Peanut butter jelly martini!!! - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

Came for dinner tonight on a nice summer evening. We were able to sit outside without a wait. We ordered the panzanella salad. On the menu the first ingredient is tomatoes. No tomatoes on it. Unripe avocados and stale croutons. Asked the server who told me it doesn't come with tomatoes and walked away. Cobb salad had no dressing on it. Will not be coming back. read more

Breakwater - Panzanella salad sans tomatoes. - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin

Waited for 20 minutes. No one came up to offer service to asked for own menus and bartender was lazy. Could've helped, but chose not to. So left read more

Avoid. Service is awful. We were told it would be a 10 minute wait (in a pretty much empty restaurant) that turned into 35 minutes with no acknowledgment from the staff. We gave up and left. The man with a beard (host?) spent his time moving glasses around, shuffling menus and ignoring us instead of doing his job. The nice location is completely wasted on this business. Skip this place and go to Waypoint instead where the service is phenomenal. read more

Amazing view with live music! The food was decent. It was just your typical bar food. We ordered the cheese curds, street corn dip and chips, as well as a mai tai and margarita that came in a can. We went on a Wednesday evening and sat outside on the top level. It was very busy but we managed to nab a table. The vibes were immaculate and made me feel like I was on vacation. It was very relaxing watching the boats passing by while being serenaded with 90s rock cover songs. I will definitely be coming here again and bringing my friends next time just for the ambience alone! read more

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Probably one of the best bars I've ever been to. Great patio right in the river. Awesome bar space. Went there for a brunch after a wedding w/ an awesome side room/ event space with a bar to chill and with a tv to watch the Packer game. Good staff and amazing vibes. read more

Tuff pull tabs, but good food and nice view. Gonna have to come back when it's warm. Pork sandwich was great. Highly recommended

The food was good but the service was horrible. Our waiter never came back to check after our order. Another waitress brought our food and took my drink order. My husband never got his drink refilled. He asked for sweetener for his ice tea. Never came. He went to the bar to get it. We love the idea d breakwater so we keep giving it a chance. However we keep having the same problem. The waiter apologized and said he was taking care of a banquet. Not good enough. I paid for the meal and service too. Breakwater needs to have more staff. read more

Had lunch here on a Sunday when it was about 90 degrees outside. Nice view of the parade of boats going by. We had great service and good food. Not too busy which was good but we were there a little late for the lunch crowd and it was HOT! Parking is getting tough in the area with Buck and Honeys up the street and the yacht right next door as well. Lots of buildings around here, not the sleepy area it used to be. Still give it a shot if in the area, it was all good on this day. read more

What a nice surprise to find a place with seating available on a nice Saturday evening. I had been looking for comfort food but ordered a perch hoagie since it is really bar food. But it's excellent - at least what I had. Friendly staff and the manager checked in with us. Love the view of the water, too. read more

A great view and experience. Family (2 adults, one 8 and one 4 yo) arriving in route back to Chicagoland from Wisconsin Dells and needed lunch badly. Lunch on Memorial Day means crowd and the Breakwater was no different. Host, who we later found out also was a part owner, took our names and recommended we head up to the second level to listen to some music and grab a drink. Kiddos got to watch boats slide by in the channel as wife and I grabbed cocktails and listened to live music. Our table was ready quick (20 ish minutes) and we got a perfect spot outside once again with a great view of the channel. Kids both got huge buckets of crayons and were briefly distracted :D. Slight hiccup as out waitress was swamped (I did mention the holiday crowds) but host took our drink order and then switched us to a different server. Food menu was trimmed down likely due to holiday and goal of getting food out quick so I settled on a chicken wrap, wife jambalaya and kids burgers. Slight hiccup on beer (one I wanted, on menu, was not available) but made up for by free cheese curds! Food out quick and was definitely tasty. Family walked up to get a coffee while I awaited bill and settled up. Super bonus: I forgot my credit card in the folder and who comes running out yelling for me but my old buddy the host! Thanks for saving me from the chaos of losing a credit card! Definitely stop in and if you are local I think they had a "Crew Club" that sounded like a solid deal! read more

Beautiful location and building. Nice interior design with up to date decor. Beautiful bar area and delicious food! We are from out of town but would highly recommend checking this place out if you want a nice meal! read more

Awesome place, great view. Ask for Cole. Recommend the crusted perch and the bar tender is heavy handed. read more

Breakwater - a plate of fish and chips on a table - New American Near Me - Monona, Wisconsin