Butterbird was SO fun! First off, the ambience is cute and a little retro. A fun casual spot for sure. The service was wonderful. This was our first time and the woman at the register was kind and welcoming. She even gave us free tokens for soft serve because it was our first visit. Our food came out within five minutes and it was hot and delicious. We ordered the hot chicken sandwich and the smash burger. Both were great! The chicken was very tender and the burger was very yummy. And don't get me started on the fries! They were perfectly crisp and salty. We both ordered the Butterbird punch which was one of their cocktails on draft and it was refresh. Can't wait to go back! read more

Butterbird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Don't let the line scare you off - it moves fairly quickly! A group of 10 of us came on a Friday night, at 5:30pm, before a Badger Basketball game. Despite choosing the worst time we could have picked we were able to order our food with only about a 15 minute wait in line, and even got tables next to one another for all of us with no real issues. I had the spicy chicken sandwich, the honey hot sweet potato, and a bourbon smash. All were delicious. The chicken sandwich is in the running for the best I've had, but I will be craving the sweet potato on the daily. It's oddly delicious. The chicken was great, but the sweet potato phenomenal. The bourbon smash, which interestingly included ginger, was also great. I also must mention the staff. They all were so kind and friendly, and in the best moods despite the fact that they were unbelievably busy. read more

Butterbird - Spicy Chicken Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I didn't have high hopes for a delivered meal from across town, but I was completely blown away! I was working from home yesterday, and craving a hot chicken sandwich badly (it's been my number one pregnancy craving). I decided on Butterbird, and oh my gosh it was DELICIOUS! The best hot chicken sandwich I've ever had. It was still hot (temp wise), crispy, and so flavorful. I really loved the crunch of the pickles, they were super tasty. The Smokey chipotle mayo and hot chili oil added the perfect kick. I was super impressed, and can't wait to order weekly! read more

Butterbird - Badger Hot - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place is new and owned by the same who head the Harvey house so I did have some expectations here. Given its opening weekend, you guessed it-there was a line even around early dinner time (5pm). There was only one person taking orders so that was kind of hard to muster through - she was very kind though so it's not her fault! Having standing in negative temperature outside for ~10 minutes, I'm not sure if it's worth the wait. Ambiance: I thought it was interesting - retro diner vibes meets sports people meets old school games. Casual vibes, lots of families oddly enough, but what kid doesn't love chicken tenders. They have a high top where you can play games but it's only at one table. Think tic tac toe, chess, scrabble, etc. Food: chicken tenders by itself is definitely lacking some flavor. It's moist and juicy. We had the chipotle mayo and was my favorite pairing (we also tried hot honey and dilly ranch). Hot spicy chicken sandwich: flavor was good but I think that's because of the sauce. Coleslaw: tangy, not my vibe. The fries: okay they sold me here. A fresh McDonald's replica The banana pudding sundae: it was a nice treat. I think a little overpriced in the realm of desserts. I'd come back to try some of their beverages. read more

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Some of the best customer service I've received. The staff are professional and welcoming. The food is delicious. I recommend their chicken sandwich and a shake. The atmosphere is incredible!!! read more

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Always wanted to try this place, and I couldn't be more happy I did. Food is gas but the outdoor seating and ambiance really sets this place apart from anywhere else read more

Butterbird - BUTTERBIRD CLASSIC FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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All I am saying is that Clueless was playing on all the TVs, Jell-O shots are readily available, and there are plenty of yummy chicken options. How could you not love this place? read more

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Such an adorable space and a great addition to Regent Street. Everything we ordered was so delicious. The chicken tenders, swiss melt, fries, kale salad, and sauces were all amazing. Must get dilly ranch and green garlic mayo. Will be back for sure! Had lots of leftovers too that were great. read more

Butterbird - ROTISSERIE CHICKEN & SWISS MELT KALE CAESAR CHICKEN TENDERS PLATE - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Fun ambience: clean, bright, and well decorated. A movie was playing on the wall screens. Order your food at the counter and find a place to sit. They will give a number to you upon ordering and will bring your food to your table when it's ready. Decent food with quality ingredients. The cheese curds are good, but I didn't eat anything that I absolutely must go back for. The restaurant was not busy at noon on a Thursday so it was easy to find a place to sit. read more

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Damn this is like crack I'm so addicted. Must get the green sauce with everything you order. Also buy some Sexy butter bird swag and play the butter bird claw machine and Photo Booth. Best place in Madison! read more

A great place for some of the best chicken in Madison, BUT, I was blown away by the Triple Smash Burger! Not to take anything away from the Chicken as it truly is delicious, but that Smash Burger was probably THE BEST burger I have ever had. Those meat patties was grilled perfectly and those red onions really added a great taste. Had I not been in town only for only one more day we would have gone back again. Thankfully my daughter goes to UW-Madison and I like coming up to visit as I can. There was a bit of a line, but the staff kept things moving well and we ordered, seated and had our food in about 20 minutes. A great place that I guarantee we will be back! read more

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I was excited to try Butterbird since I've seen a few Instagram reels highlighting the new establishment, specifically its ambience. I was pleasantly surprised with the "cool" retro vibe inside including lots of brown, rounded corners, and dim lighting. As a plus, they were also playing the movie Little Shop of Horrors and other 80s classics on large TVs. When you enter the establishment you order at a counter, and I was definitely surprised by the high prices as seen in the menu photo I have attached. My boyfriend and I ordered two Butterbird Classic chicken sandwiches which includes a chicken thigh, shredded lettuce, dill pickles and dill ranch. I love pickles, but I was unsure I would like the dill ranch. I ended up really liking the dill ranch and the homemade dill pickles and were a little too tough for me. My boyfriend and I both loved our sandwiches, the buns were so buttery and the chicken was very good. I would have been happier with the $13 per sandwich price if they would have come with french fries or another side, but even french fries are $5 extra. We also got an order of the chicken-fried mozzarella sticks. They were lightly breaded and the papa's marinara sauce it came with was good, but they were not the best mozzarella sticks I've ever had, especially not for $11 for 6 sticks. We sat at the bar to eat which is connected to but on the opposite side of the front counter. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time, and our area was quickly cleared when we were finished eating. After eating we used the photo booth three times because that was something I was looking forward to, and I liked that the photo booth had a feature to email yourself your photos so you have the actual quality photos rather than having to take a picture of the printed photos. We hung a copy of our prints on the large bulletin, and I was happy to see some retro UW- Madison photos and ads framed by the photo booth. Overall, I really do like the branding for this restaurant, including the website, interior design, menu, and overall theme, but it is not an establishment I will frequent due to the prices. I also enjoyed the food, and would like to try the Banana Pudding Sundae, but it is definitely on the expensive side which was a turn off for me since it is on a college campus. Additionally, the staff was friendly and efficient, but I would not say the service stuck out to me as a customer. read more

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Such a fun find! The inside of Butterbird is so cool. Lots of energy and bustling with people. Ordering at the counter was super easy and the food came out quick. My party had regular chicken sandwiches and a hot one. Oh the hot one had some kick! But great flavor on everything. The fries were 10/10. Perfectly salted. Will be back! read more

Butterbird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I love everything about Butter Bird, but I am sad they are phasing out wine from their drink menu. Why? Since you have it in cans, why can't you continue to stock it? read more

The aesthetics and branding of this business are A-1. Props. But aesthetics/branding alone do not make a good restaurant. The second best thing about this place is the service. People were very nice. But $40 for my meal felt like a scam. I got several things so that I could get a taste of the menu. Chicken sandwich was just ok. Fries were a little too salty for me. The fried chicken pieces were fried a little too hard & were dark. Seasoning needs work. I was very excited about the pickles but they had a barely there, kinda flaky, light batter. Very underwhelming. Dill mayo was fine. The two things I enjoyed the most were the green garlic mayo (super tasty) and the Butterbird Punch. Overall feelings: If you're on Regent Street and have money to burn, sure, visit Butterbird. But what they charge does not equal the quality & taste. I would maybe go back for the drinks & to try the non-chicken items. Chicken is not worth what they are charging. read more

Butterbird - Close up of the fried chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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This review hurts me more than itll ever hurt the business. 1. I have loved. I mean loved. The Harvey House since its inception. Every out of town guest I send their way. It is magical. So. Imagine my thrill when these purveyors plan a fried chicken joint in what can only be described as a good fried chicken desert that is Dane County. 2. I waited with this news for nearly a year. I avoided the place for a month+ post opening. Every new place deserves a time to work it out. I would walk by during construction checking on timelines. I waited. 3. Tonight's the night. 8 piece chicken, dark side, smash burger, broccoli salad, sweet potato, fries and sauce. 4. There is no service. In that it has the same table service and ordering as the McDonald'snext door. 5. The ambience is the best part. If you're familiar with the Harvey House you'll notice the similarities. Though a bit louder. Bright. Beautiful. 6. The sauces (we ordered 6) were great. As was the broccoli salad. They reminded me of who started the place. 7. But the crux. The food. Chicken and burger. Awful. The smash burger was minimally acceptable. The fried chicken was awful. The breading is either flavorless or in the opinion of my son tasted like cucumbers. It was not served hot. It was not juicy. It was Kwik Trip fried chicken at best and that's being kind. It was awful. They shouldn't bother breading it. Their fries make McDonald's look good. I can't articulate how sad I am that this is their best effort. They should have tried good fried chicken first to formulate their own. Like Ripp's in Ladd, IL. Or a host of others. This seems like a bad culinary school senior project. read more

Butterbird - Their awful fried chicken. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I went with a friend and the service was amazing! The cashier (I can't remember her name now) was so kind and the ambiance was a fun mix of retro and camp. For food, I got the butterbird chicken sandwich and it was so good (big fan of the pickle sauce with it) read more

Had high hopes for Butterbird once we heard that the owners of Harvey House were opening a new chicken restaurant. However, I believe it was overhyped. I will say that service is impeccable, and I had extremely positive interactions with all of the staff. The server heard us debating whether or not to get a side of fries (which we decided not to), and she gave it to us on the house! The reason for my review is the food was not anything amazing, and in some cases, just not good. We ordered the pretzel, Butterbird classic, and the Badger hot chicken sandwich. The pretzel was good while hot, but not even 20 minutes later, it was as hard as a rock. The chicken fillets in each sandwich were thin and mostly consisted of breading. With the high costs, I would have expected larger, thicker pieces of chicken. It was very disappointing. The saving grace was the banana pudding sundae. It was a really great mix of two things I love: banana pudding and ice cream! I am glad I tried this new addition to Madison, and I sincerely hope they decide to improve the quality of their food. Until then, I will not be back. read more

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Butterbird has something for everyone. I saw kids and families, but there is also a bar with delicious sounding drinks. you order at the window and food arrives quickly to you table. I had the boneless thigh and a waffle and it was perfect. Fun retro decor. Loved it! read more

Great meal today. Two different chicken Sammy's and both were great...the only thing better than the food was the service...GM and staff were awesome, will definitely be back read more

Stopped by at 5:30 and ran into a line out the door, it moved pretty quickly! We ordered fried pickles, chicken tenders, and the hot chicken sandwich! All were delicious - the dipping sauces are all amazing. Hot honey and dilly ranch were faves. Finished our lovely meal with a banana sundae! Yum! Great vibes and service. Definitely a higher price point than some other chicken places. We got 2 drinks, an app, 2 entrees, and a dessert for about $80 with tip. We balled out a little bit... will definitely be back! read more

Butterbird - Banana sundae - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Ambience is like no other, reminiscent of a 1940s diner, soft hip, music, and nice ambient lighting. The food is another story. While the sandwiches came out hot, both separate times my fried and rotisserie chicken came out warmish. Not to the point I would complain but it made me wonder how long it was sitting out. The fries were also at best warm and a bit too salty. I enjoy my food hot and fresh so I may be a bit picky. In terms of what you get for a premium price, I will look for other options. read more

Lots of hype around this place from the folks who do Harvey House. Inside is very harvey house. It's really pretty, big, detailed, slightly dark. J's fried chicken was lukewarm - we went right at open so maybe it was slacked preparing for a big rush. My sando was delicious. Hot honey was excellent. Cocktails were okay, didnt get any sides. Would go back! read more

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I ordered delivery and the order arrived quickly, was correct and delicious. I had the Badger chicken sandwich with extra chicken - it was enormous and very tasty. The only odd thing was the interface between ordering on their site and DoorDash. I had specific delivery instructions that were not communicated to my "Dasher." Not sure exactly where the glitch was. read more

One of the best patios in Madison! They had games, were playing Legally Blonde, it's shaded, plays great music, and the vibes are high overall. We just got drinks this time but are really looking forward to ordering the food next time. My husband and I each ordered the Cadillac margarita and got a pickleback & apple pie shot. All were delicious! I can't wait to come back...probably next week ;) read more

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I love this place! I come in for brunch whenever I can because the chicken and waffles are AMAZING, but I had lunch there the other day - the harvest salad with fried chicken on top was so delicious and filling, I will definitely be back for more! Not to mention the pumpkin milkshake - folks, go in and get it while they have it!! The staff is always so kind and courteous, and the ambiance/overall vibe is 10/10! read more

Top notch ambiance, something special. All they need are a few more vegetarian options...

Really good fried chicken and ice cream bar. Full bar also. Food comes out fast and it's a pretty cool place to hangout.

I definitely feel like you are paying for the ambience of the restaurant and nothing else. Besides the cute chicken decor The food didn't even taste any better than fast food drive-through, yet cost almost twice as much. I came here as a group to get dinner, and each of us was extremely disappointed. I ordered fried pickles which did not taste like pickles at all and instead like cucumbers that were fried in bad oil. The pickles had such a gross taste. I also ordered the eggplant Parmesan sandwich, which was mostly bread and oil. The oil was so heavy that the bread was soggy, and the cheese wasn't warm. One of my friends got the badger hot chicken sandwich, and there was so much oil on it that it was pulling in the bottom of the tray, She stated it wasn't spicy at all, and mostly tasted like old oil. Neither one of us ended up eating the food, as not only did it not taste good, but was extremely oily. Another girl got the butter Bird classic, and while she felt like it was edible she said it wasn't anything fantastic nor did she think it was worth the money. This place has cute decor, and we enjoyed the photo booth but other than that would never come back here read more

Excellent food, speedy service. Place looks like an old time restaurant. Very open and roomy. It does back up. Lines when it gets busy. This is the order line but it is efficient and moves rapidly read more

Just ate at Butterbird and I was skeptical at first. The ambiance is like a mix between a diner and a cute mechanic shop. The staff even wear jumpsuits and coveralls to complete the vibe. The prices seemed high for fast fried chicken, hence my skepticism. However, the food was really really good. I went on Saturday and had the chicken and waffle from the brunch menu. The waffle was a sweet corn one served with butter, maple syrup and your choice of chicken. I got two really well seasoned tenders and was so full by the time I finished. Anna and Ryan were two of the super kind servers I interacted with who definitely should get a raise for their attentiveness, friendliness and kindness. I even walked away with a to-go brownie to share with my kiddo despite my fullness thanks to these lovely souls. All in all, I'd recommend, especially for a chill day date where you want to impress but not feel too stuffy. read more

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A+ service, A+ ambiance, A+++ food. Such an enjoyable spot for everyone, but uniquely for families. Not a lot of places that accommodate the parents with a delicious, healthy meal, and cocktails, and kids with games, TVs, kids menu, ice cream... Between the decor, the movies playing, and the old school amazing service it's basically my platonic ideal of a restaurant from the '80s. read more

Best chicken in Madison! We ordered takeout for three and had a great experience. Chicken and waffles were separated in the Togo box so it wouldn't get soggy, and my daughter's chicken was fried to perfection. She loved the French fries too. 10/10 read more

The food is good, the service is good. My main issue is the pricing. They serve a solid fried chicken, but the pricing of a single chicken sandwich makes me feel like I am paying for an experience or atmosphere. It's a good place if you are really in the need of fried chicken. read more

The ambiance is perfect in this restaurant, staff is super friendly and helpful! And most importantly the food was delicious! I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody going to try new food in Madison! read more

The only thing saving this from a one star is that Butterbird is still relatively new. Given the previous reviews, I expected alot more. Like other things in Madison, the "cult of personality" seems to influence diners. Yes, this is the second restaurant from the Harvey House crew (which I adore) and the lines out the door are indicative that this influence is strong. Quite simply, BB was a disappointment-a fast casual (order at the counter and get a number) restaurant centered around fried chicken. And when you put all your eggs in this basket (get that pun?), you better deliver. And simply, it didn't. The chicken was devoid of seasoning, and while the coating was crispy, a layer of mush existed between the coating and the meat. The fried pickle snack I ordered was luckily saved by the dill sauce that accompanied. Due to the slices being so thinly sliced, if you didn't use the sauce, it tasted like vinegar soaked cardboard. The chicken entrees are served with a "chicken in a biscuit" hush puppy. This was actually too salty and lacking of any real chicken taste. A salty pasty ball. Add in the rather high price point $11 for a leg and thigh and $8 for the pickles and it becomes a head scratcher. Across town at Zippy Lube, a two piece clocks in at 7.99. I will give the BB crew credit on the interior. Modern yet classic, it is evident that considerable thought went into the signage, lighting, bar and seating. No doubt, with the Harvey House linkage, the restaurant will continue to draw customers and absolutely kill during home Badger games. And that is a shame, as the execution and taste of their food (at the time of this review) is simply not there. read more

Butterbird - 2 piece dark with fried pickles - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Was so excited to see another fried chicken joint in Madison (I love fried chicken)! Visited with friends on a Friday night around 7:30 pm and there was a 15 minute wait in line (not bad considering it's a new joint). The atmosphere and service was a 5/5, the staff were very friendly and helpful. The interior gave off old school dive restaurant vibes with a modern finish. We ended up ordering the whole fried bird (8 pieces), the egg plant parm sandwich, mozz sticks, and a bunch of sauces (with fries + slaw). The chicken was very juicy and moist, but the batter was not my favorite (it was too thick and not as crispy - but that's personal preference). The egg plant was very delicious and the mozz sticks were ok (nothing special). The chicken itself could've used a more seasoning - it wasn't as flavorful by itself (the sauces really helped enhance the chicken). Definitely get the egg plant parm, it was so good. Also, they have a claw machine and I ended up winning a stuffed chicken plushie on my first try lol. Overall, I'd give the atmosphere & service a 5/5 and the food overall for me was a 3.5/5. read more

Butterbird - Chicken Shop Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We had a great time visiting Butterbird this week. The atmosphere is 11/10. The outdoor eating area was really great if you're looking for somewhere to eat outside. Loved it! The food was very good. I especially liked the fried pickles and dilly ranch. They have a good happy hour too from 4-6 weekdays. The service was amazing! They take excellent care of their customers. My daughter was upset because she didn't win their claw machine, so the manager (or owner) came over, opened the machine, gave my daughter 10 $1 bills and rearranged the toys to give her a better chance at winning. I was shocked. Seriously exceptional care given to us. Thank you, Butterbird! We'll be back! read more

We were eager to try Butterbird for a 9pm post-movie dinner. We ordered fried chicken, chicken tenders, and a chicken sandwich, along with Mac & cheese bites and kale Caesar. The chicken was okay- liked the crispy coating but not much flavor. Chicken tenders were bit but somewhat tough. Salad was a bit boring-- not much to it. Overall, the food was okay but disappointing for the price. Also would have preferred actual plates instead of disposable/plastic. The atmosphere is nice and decor is cute. Hope the rest of the experience will improve! read more

Great food. Small but tasty menu. Loved the smash burger and rotisserie chicken and Swiss sandwich. Tasty chocolate shake to end.