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Canteen

3.9 (357 reviews)
ModerateTacos, Cocktail Bars
Open 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

Order Canteen Takeout or Delivery

Canteen Photos

Business Info

CANTEEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Canteen

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Reviews With Photos

Mallory E.

I had a very delicious meal here after a long day of travel I was looking for something that was very simple and easy to eat so I decided to get tacos at canteen well actually I ended up getting a burrito because I asked the waiter what he recommended in the Cali burrito add steak sounded delicious. I like that they give you these little wagon wheels with teen on it, but I really wish it was chips and salsa, but I couldn't justify paying the extra for the chips and salsa. They did not have iced tea here which broke my southern heart but overall I would go here again. I almost went there tonight, but I decided to try a other restaurant on my bucket list of Madison Wisconsin.

Strawberry margarita
Audrey B.

Very nice environment but small. Definitely recommend hitting happy hour for their half of deals and quieter setting. Without the 2-5pm and late nite deals, this place can really hurt your wallet. The strawberry margarita was delicious but VERY strong. I got the Diablo shrimp and fried cod tacos, both AMAZING after drizzling Valentina hot sauce. Service was amazing and efficient. Big thank you to our beautiful server!

Duritos
Dan D.

Had a dinner at Canteen during Parent's Weekend at UW - places everywhere were quite busy. Overall, I thought the food at Canteen was pretty good. The duritos were a pleasant surprise. The interior is on the small-side [cozy], but pretty Madison Square hip. Our server was kinda grumpy, perhaps due to the the place being packed. After some homework, I learned Canteen is a part of the Food Fight Restaurant Group's portfolio, some serious restauranteurs

Menu
Navatnie E.

This place has a really fun vibe, though it's on the smaller side. I went during happy hour, and the deals were definitely worth it. It felt a lot more relaxed than it would during peak times. My friend and I both had burritos, and they were absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful. The staff was attentive and got our orders out quickly. I'd come back for happy hour for sure, though prices at other times might be a bit steep.

Chopped Taco Salad
Susie D.

Fantastic taco salad and Diet Coke! Thank you! I sat outside and it was a beautiful evening. Fairly quiet for a Saturday night in Madison. Friendly service. Highly recommend!

Shrimp Diablo tacos
Amanda M.

One of my favorite spots by the capital. Good food with great happy hour deals. The tacos are always good but their taco salad is also amazing. The Guac and queso are great apps to share as well, the margaritas always are delicious and you can get pitchers which makes it even better. In the summertime they have a nice outdoor space as well.

Adrianna D.

Went on a weekend, and I will suggest you should call to make reservation before arriving. If I'm being honest, the two people at the host stand were a bit rude. BUT once we sat down it turned around. Our server was so sweet and nice! The happy hour prices are great. Unfortunately non of their taps were working that day, but their margaritas were good. The tacos meat portions are good for the price. The pastor were my favorite.

Tecate and Carnitas Tacos
Sara E.

One of my favorite happy hour spots is Canteen! They have happy hour every day and offer half off their tacos and select drinks including some margaritas and beers. I personally like to start with a margarita and enjoy a Tecate as my second drink if I'm feeling up to it. This space is quite small but you may be able to grab a spot at the bar if you didn't make reservations it really depends on the day. Lots of character and color throughout the dining area. The carnitas tacos are my favorite and I like to dabble in some of the others too. Happy hour is a great time to try something new. Each taco comes with two street sized tacos. I usually check out two different tacos and it's plenty of food if in your own. Or go with a friend and try even more!

Carnitas Tacos
Gabriela D.

Great tacos and a great happy hour special. The margaritas are delicious and the outdoor seating is the best in the summer. I love the thick lime wedges they give with the tacos. Good amount of vegetarian options and service is always good.

El Shrimp Diablo tacos and Carne Fresco Tacos
Emily B.

This is such a cozy vibe. We didn't realize we were coming during happy hour, what a bonus! Half off tacos and all margaritas every day from 2-5pm is a great deal The queso, el jefe margs, and steak tacos were the standouts. We could have used some more chips with the queso, and I didn't love the shrimp tacos. Our server was excellent. She was friendly, efficient, and helpful even though she had a lot of tables! Fun spot in a great location.

Shrimp Diablo and Carne Fresco Tacos
Ashley Z.

Surprisingly really bomb and authentic tasting for Madison, Wisconsin?! Admittedly my expectations were pretty low, but we came in during happy hour and got half off tacos. I got the shrimp diablo and carne fresco, and they were great. They use a double corn tortilla and pile on the cilantro, which I love. So tasty and filling, and very affordable during happy hour! Also the complimentary chips were a nice touch.

Menu
Rob Snow S.

I have a lot of favorites, and some of them have off days. Canteen however never misses! This location is perched on Hamilton street, right downtown in a great location for sight seeing. You will have to street park, and they have plenty of spots right out front. Also out front is the lovely patio, with ample space along the side of the restaurant. Inside is fairly large as well, there is a small bar you can dine at or catch a booth/high top. Very clean and spacious dining area. The staff is always very helpful, and accommodating. I've never had to wait long for a seat, or just someone to stop by and check on me in general. If you've never been, someone will absolutely give you the rundown. The food is incredible, I've been here 4 times now and I always come for happy hour. The tacos are delicious, packed with flavor from the juicy chicken, to the pork belly, or my favorite the beef brisket. You can't go wrong, they will also let you modify if you didn't want the pineapples, or a cream sauce that comes with it. They also mix it up a bit, no traditional chips and salsa. There are these airy chips, with seasoning on them that you get complimentary. If you are ever in Madison, WI on a layover like myself, or a local give them a shot today. Don't even add it to the list, just go and thank me later. Pro tip: Madison has an incredible trail system for waking/running/biking. You can get to it from this restaurant and downtown in general. So eat well, and walk it off.

Queso Dip & Chips

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8 years ago

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3 years ago

great happy hour deals + late night happy hour til close is the best. try the strawberry marg!

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9 years ago

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4 years ago

Great drinks and amazing food! Can't wait to go back. The staff was off the charts!

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Page 5 of 9

Ask the Community - Canteen

Do they have happy hour with food specials?

Yes. We have 1/2 price tacos and margaritas :). We hoe to see you soon!… Read more

Is this s sit down restaurant or self serve?

Sit down

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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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.

We went here for a Girls Night and had a reservation for 07:45PM. However, service was extremely…read moreslow in which we did not get our food until an hour later. We were a little disappointed in the wait because there were some empty tables around, which showed that Merchant was not extremely slammed, but we wanted to give benefit of the doubt. Fried Cheese Curds tasted alright. We probably got the unlucky batch though, because halfway through eating them, we had dime-sized cheese curds. It certainly didn't feel like we got a full appetizer size of cheese curds because of this. I think typically the smaller cheese curds are at the end of the dish, but here it felt like we had it for 50% of the dish. The Merchant Burger was alright, but nothing to wow my senses. The black pepper aioli was delicious though, but it felt like that was what was saving the burger. Not pictured was the Floral G&T drink, which tasted delicious. Overall: giving this place 3 stars because it wasn't amazing, but it was OK. The interior is beautiful though, but food and service were below our expectations.

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Merchant
Merchant
Merchant

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Canteen - tacos - Updated May 2026

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