China Inn

Madison sourdough made it to our list of places to visit by virtue of their morning buns, which I…read moreread about during my research for what to eat in the area. We stopped off on a Sunday morning before leaving Madison to head to the Dells. We were able to snag a parking spot on the street pretty much right out front of the place but I did notice that there seem to be a parking lot next-door. we were intimidated by the queue that had formed and was literally no exaggeration, "out the door". I wouldn't say that it moved quickly per se, but quick enough. The time spent on the queue is good for catching up on emails, some self reflection, or perusing the menus that they have stacked on the counter. We finally made it to the register. I ordered a ginger pistachio Matcha (iced of course, in this heat) and GF a banana something latte. The morning bun was fantastic. It almost reminds me of a cruffin. Maybe lighter? It wasn't overwhelming, it was flaky and delicate with a muffin-esque but lighter booty. A delightful breakfast snack. The matcha was out of this world. Such a unique and delicious flavor. It lasted two seconds. GF enjoyed her latte. It wasn't as sweet as I would have liked but for her, someone who doesn't like sweet coffee beverages, it was perfect. I can see why this place is so popular.

I'm always on the hunt for a good bakery and couldn't pass up the chance to visit Madison…read moreSourdough! From creative baked goods to yummy breakfast plates, this is a great stop if you're craving some comfort food or a sweet treat. The interior was cute with a casual vibe- we saw plenty of guests catching up with friends over brunch and others getting some solo work done over coffee. You order at the front, and although it was very busy, things moved pretty quickly. We tried the biscuit breakfast sandwich and hot coffee. The bacon and eggs on the sandwich were perfectly cooked, and I loved that it came with jam to balance out the savory flavors and rich cheddar. The biscuit itself was tasty but dry- I think a generous pat of butter and a bit more jam would have done the trick. It came with a tangy arugula salad that lightened up the meal nicely. The coffee was on the watery side but had a good flavor. I do wish we'd picked up some pastries or bread for the road, as I tried some of their sourdough on a sandwich at another local restaurant and it was absolutely delicious. Overall, we had a good experience and I would definitely stop by to try more of the menu!

Interior

Bacon fig toast

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Babka

Hot Lunch

4.6(75 reviews)

4.0 mi•Tenney - Lapham

This is one of my fav casual lunch spots in madison. I usually get the turkey sandwich with a side…read moreof potato salad. You order at the counter and the staff bring your food out to you. If you're a millennial like me, you will likely enjoy the ambience of this place - it has wall to wall memorabilia from my youth, and it's always playing peak millennial movies. Highly recommend.

We went here before a concert at the Sylvee and it was a great choice. The service was quick and…read morefriendly. I think we got our drinks within 1-2 minutes of ordering and our sandwiches in less than 10 minutes. There were a couple outdoor tables and the indoors were retro and cozy. I would return!

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Café Zupas

4.0(166 reviews)

11.3 mi

OUTSTANDING. I had the mushroom bisque. Fam had Italian sausage gnocchi soup. All came with fresh…read morebread and a chocolate strawbeery. Will be back VERY soon

It's fine for a step up from Panera - had soup and salad and it's pretty good. The people that work…read morethere were super nice. I'd go again for sure if I was in the area.

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The Globe

4.7(224 reviews)

4.5 mi•Capitol

The Globe is a part of my home. I don't usually write reviews, but the food they serve here can…read morecure a broken heart!! Truly soul food, and beyond that, the service is impeccable. It is constantly packed, but the staff and owners always tend to us and make sure our food is always the best quality. If you ever have time, talk to the owners. Tell them thank you. They are incredible people who really know how to make you laugh and feel completely at home!! Ask about their family's other restaurants in the area, they are truly a powerhouse of talented people. I am vegan and I always order the Thai Curry or the Mango Coconut Curry with tofu along with an appetizer of baji (crispy chickpea flower veggie fritters), samosas, or Tibetan dumplings (steamed). The curry is the best I've ever had, so incredibly rich and deep in layered flavor. The tomatoey Nepali style sauce served with appetizers is to die for--salted to perfection and the tamarind sauce is also incredible. Here's a little tip: if you LOVE spicy food, and I mean if you LOVE pain and suffering, ask for a 10 out of 5 spice level. One of the owners got such a kick out of me ordering high spice levels and I worked up to a 14 out of 5. Granted, once I ate a 14 out of 5 on an empty stomach and felt the impact for DAYS...lol so now I stick with a 5/5 spice level every time I go. So please be smart about it and use caution. It sure is fun though. Thank you staff at the Globe for being a part of this community and bringing us closer to your cultural cuisine. Your food matters so much to me and the city of Madison. And also, thank you for being so friendly to me and feeding my soul through some of the hardest times of my life. Love, Emma.

The Globe is a spot that is very popular with the UW students, and it can get pretty crowded. It's…read morea small restaurant that has a selection of asian fusion food. The menu can change/rotate, so be aware of that. You order at a counter and the staff bring the food out to you. My husband and I went and had some Afghan Korma Curry, thai coconut curry hurry and some momos with a mango lassi. I preferred the Korma to the thai curry, but both were good. Mango lassi was cooling, which was nice, as some of these dishes had a kick to them.

Tibetan Dumplings Vegetarian Plate & chai

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3 Piece Korean BBQ Taco

Nook

4.9(67 reviews)

2.6 mi•Schenk - Atwood

•$$$$

We absolutely loved the immersive experience at Nook! The shared dining experience was social but i…read morewas still able to have conversation with the person I came with. We could tell a lot of thought went into the design and flow of the evening. Every dish was beautifully presented, flavorful, and full of creative twists on classic favorites. Like the strawberry tomato soup and the corn blueberry ice cream. The bison and other meat dishes were perfectly done and high quality. t's clear that the chefs take pride in crafting dishes that are both inventive and approachable, with local ingredients. I was also happy to find out they'll box up any courses you can't finish, which is great if you want to plan ahead for what to eat and what to take home. Already hoping I can get a reservation to go back.

I have been WAITING to come here and I was not disappointed. Honestly, if you want to try Nook (and…read moreyou should if you can) I would go in with no expectations and just experience it -- meaning stop reading this review after the first paragraph because it might give some spoilers. To start, reservations. They open a few months in advance at midnight on the first of the month... sucks for anyone not usually up at midnight but worth it. I locked in my reservation date at 12:03am, a coworker was also trying to get a reservation for the same month and it was sold out by 12:06am when he tried. So, know your date ahead of time, click refresh constantly starting at 11:59pm, and Godspeed! Now to my experience. I'm not usually wild about the 12course restaurants you see in Chicago or New York. The space is uppity, the people are obnoxious, and the food is... usually just fine. This is truly a Madison and a Wisconsin spin on that pretentious kind of environment, and it is so down to earth. It's a personal experience with the chef and staff that you can't get in the big city. They explain each meal and often would tell you where the ingredients came from nearby... sometimes the chef's backyard. There is one seating per night at 6:30pm and everyone is sitting together. The plates are served individually to each person, and technically there are six 2-person tables assembled together about 3-4 inches from one another to make a sort of single long table. I'd sort of been picturing one single long table, but this worked just fine. My party of 2 was near the middle, so it was fun to be able to have some inclusion on conversations on both side of the table. And the food. Wow. Continuing the Wisconsin spin on a 12 course (this being 13 course) meal, these are not tiny plates. While each one is not a solo big meal, they are larger than I expected and I was legitimately full after course #4. And we hadn't even gotten to the "mains" at that point! They do box parts of the meal up for you if it's conducive to leftovers. That gave me dinner the next night as well. So pace yourself, and if it's something that would function as leftovers, try it and move on. I did the wine pairing with it, and they were also generous pours (9 of them) -- consider an Uber. I'm not a wine-o, but I figured when in Rome.... go all out. The wines actually did complement each meal really well. This is a unique experience of fine dining you WILL not get at the fancy restaurants. If you are a foodie, this is a must. It's super low key, come as you are. We had people at our table in hooded sweatshirts and people in nice dresses as if they were ready for the symphony. All were welcome and nobody was judged. The chef is hilarious, the staff is so much fun and I was laughing constantly. They are truly part of the experience almost as much as the food itself. If this in in your budget, it is worth the stress of getting a reservation. Bravo. Oh, and if it's not obvious -- yes, the food is incredible.

The space

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La Baguette

3.8(199 reviews)

10.7 mi

We have been satisfied customers for more than 10 years. Great pastries, assorted breads , salads…read moreand sandwiches. Sadly we learned the current owners are planning to retire in the near future. If you haven't visited La Baguette in the past, do so ASAP so you can enjoy the best French bakery in Madison

While visiting Madison, this has became a favorite of ours- especially for brunch! The macaroons…read morewere amazing and their breads so delicious. I brought my spouse initially because they're a lover of French food and this blew her mind!! We love visiting on our trips to UW!!

Amandine

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Stalzy's Deli

3.5(177 reviews)

2.3 mi•Schenk - Atwood

I love their sourdough (even the day old) for sandwiches! They are a great option for your weekly…read morebread needs. Although I haven't tried their Sammie's, they look delicious! Good quick option for a meal on the go. No seating inside. But you get fast service with a smile. And can place your order on the website ahead of time.

Went to Stalzy's, this morning and picked up 2# of corned beef. The person waiting on me went to…read morethe back of the store to slice and package it. I couldn't really see it until I got home, and unwrapped it. It was so fatty that, after I trimmed it, it was at least 1/2 fat, or 1 pound of fat, and 1 pound of fatty slices. Not happy. Never coming back. $36 wasted.

Corned beef, as purchased.

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Ruyi Hand Pulled Noodle

4.4(201 reviews)

4.6 mi•Capitol

Hand pulled noodles for REAL!!! You can watch the chef pull your noodles to order. So rare of a…read moreprocess I HIGHLY RECOMMEND trying this mom and pop noodle shop. The texture of the noodle that's achieved by hand pulling cannot be replicated by a machine. This family run restaurant deserves your attention if you love authentic, tasty, and local food. There are many options: hot/cold; udon, rice, cut noodles if you don't want hand pulled; soup dumplings; baos; and more. We will be back for noodles and dumb for sure! This family restaurant will not disappoint if you're in the mood for noodles, or noodle soup.

The food was OK. Nothing too amazing, but it is a solid spot for cheap eats. The broth was…read moredelicious, but it felt like it was missing something...I also wish that the dish came with more veggies / meat. It felt like most of the dish was just the noodles, and it was not balanced (ended up not finishing the noodles). Service is very straightforward. You order up front, and they deliver the food to you. After that, you put away your dishes/trash. Very standard noodle shop. Nothing too crazy. We came in at a pretty empty time (near 8pm), so service was not packed. It is a standard restaurant with standard seating options. Standard vibes only.

Hand Pulled Noodle Wall Art

Spicy Shredded Chicken Cold Noodles ($11.99) - sesame sauce, carrots, cucumbers, bean sprout, peanut, cilantro, green onion

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Seafood Spicy Hot Pot ($14.99) with Sliced Noodles - fish ball, imitation crab meat, shrimp

The Old Fashioned

4.1(2.6k reviews)

4.2 mi•Capitol

Ironically, even though The Old Fashioned is known for having the best cheese curds in Wisconsin…read more(Food Network said so!), I still haven't tried them. What I can tell you is that the walleye and eggs brunch entree was the best breakfast I've ever had. The portion is huge for the price, which is a big deal in this economy. The walleye was cooked perfectly. Their rosemary potatoes were a great take on a classic. Maybe I'm gassing this place up a lot, but those potatoes were life-changing. The atmosphere is lively and buzzing in the best way, so it's a fun spot to hang out after going to the Dane County Farmer's Market. I also picked up a cool shirt that shows how to make an old-fashioned one, which is the perfect souvenir. Next time, I'm finally getting the curds.

Food Network rated as the BEST Fried cheese curds. Not sure about that. They were squeaky, salty,…read moreand greasy. Not pleasant at all. I heard the Doubletree does a better job. We had the special BBQ plate on Thursday night. Additionally we had the pickled beet salad. Now the ribs were fire. Tender, moist, and delicious. Beet salad was ok, but nothing special. Ambiance was a very old lodge-like atmosphere. Make sure to get there early as the place gets busy. We had to wait 25 min for a table.

Inside bar

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Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.

Sunny Pho

4.2(98 reviews)

5.3 mi•Greenbush

Food 5+/5 Service 4/5…read moreAmbiance 3.5/5 I obviously might be biased because of my Vietnamese roots, but I'm a sucker for a good bowl of phỏ. Sunny does it really well - no skimping on the proteins (both in variety and amount), savory broth, and the fact that the portion sizes are just huge for what you pay for all just make every bowl worth eating. The actual shop itself is a pretty low-end, hole in the wall type shop, but trust me when I say it's these types of places that have some of the best, most authentic Vietnamese food. Try their Sunny Special - you might need to come starving to finish it.

I was really excited to try Sunny Pho as i've heard great…read morethings about the food from multiple people. I know that they are well known in town and are considered to be authentic. When I got there with a friend, we were told to sit wherever we wanted. I noticed that it the place looked pretty outdated and not super clean. I walked around looking for a spot to sit but most of the tables didnt look cleaned off and there was a "wet sock" smell that followed me around the restaurant. It smelled like a dirty dish rag that never fully dried. When I ordered my food, i was excited to try the pork pho! My friend also ordered that. The server then told us they stopped serving pork pho last week. I feel like this should have been mentioned before ordering. It could have been helpful. Also pork pho is a staple type of pho- so im not sure why this was taken off of the menu? My friend asked what kind of teas they had to offer and the server wasnt very knowledgeable and didnt seem to care. Overall, this was not the experience that i thought i would have. I will definitely go somewhere else next time. I am hoping that their outward lack of cleanliness is not reflection of the state of their kitchen too.

Inside

A4. Vegan Egg Rolls (2 pcs)

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Allison R.

11 years ago

I have ordered a number of times from China Inn and have been less than impressed with them. My most recent order I paid extra for extra broccoli and paid extra for vegetable lo mein. I received NO extra broccoli and received plain, NO vegetable lo mein. The General Tso is nothing special either. I am VERY disappointed and will NOT be ordering from them again. read more

Deven P.

5 years ago

Quick, hot and delicious. Definitely a great place to eat. And right by my house. Definitely recommend

Connie C.

13 years ago

Great food, . fast. We carry out from there at least once a month, sometimes more.

Bernie G.

16 years ago

It is good American Chinese food. Very friendly people and a good price.

China Inn - chinese - Updated November 2026

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After years of getting take out from subpar Chinese food - this changed our plans in the future…read more Order was hot, correct (a few special requests), on time, and....delicious-really. There are so few good choices in Madison, this one is out top choice now. Thanks for a great dinner of our favorites. Chicken LoMein, Chicken and Vegetables, and of course egg rolls. Super friendly staff.

Carry out order placed. Arguably the best hot and sour soup…read morein Monona or in most places especially the Midwest. 100% excellent. Beef fried rice? Superb. Orange chicken? Flavorful. Perfect. So. Why 4 stars? When you order sweet and sour chicken you expect a balance. Or. At least. A presence. We got fried chicken. No sauce. None AT ALL. Come on.... What you do to completion is perfect. But you failed solidly with such a basic thing. If you filled the order and one out of four entrees sucked you'd still get 5 stars based on how great everything else was. But you failed for lack of effort.

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Good inexpensive Chinese take out. The food is made to order so it's always fresh and hot when you…read morepick it up. Covid19 precautions mean you cannot enter the restaurant. When you arrive you speak thru a speaker in the door. They put your order in a pass thru cubby in the door. They close their door and you open yours for a hands free delivery. Chiang Jiang's website ordering is user friendly. The menu is extensive, naming the dishes but not listing the ingredients. If you're not familiar with Chinese food this could be a problem. We ordered the combo plates which includes fried rice and an egg roll. The garlic chicken (thin slices of chicken, baby corn, green peppers, mushrooms and broccoli) was flavorful and lightly sauced. The Szechuan beef (thin slices of very tender beef, onions, green peppers and matchstick carrots) was missing the spiciness we were used to in this dish. Both the egg drop soup and hot and sour soup were excellent. The fried wonton strip accompanying them were stale. After a few minutes in the toaster oven they crisped right up. The fried dumpling come with an excellent soy ginger dipping sauce that's a favorite.

Food made us sick. Mediocre at best but the worst was getting sick. The rice seemed fine but the…read moredragon phoenix and chicken with vegetables were not very good. It looked and tasted like it had been sitting for a very long time and in the end, we both wish we wouldn't have had it because it made us sick.

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Horrible…read more Absolutely horrible. The food was mushy and I'm sure the fried rice was frozen. The Egg Rolls were all dough and tasteless without any visible filling. The Szechuan Chicken was mushy and the rice tasted like it was freezer burned. I'm still not sure the chicken was real meat. Then again, I didn't eat enough to find out. The texture of all of the veggies and the chicken were the same...mush. It was the consistency of wet oatmeal. *****Trigger warning***** The chicken had the consistency of mucus from a seriously bad cold. The Vegetable Fried Rice was gross. The veggies were overcooked and the rice tasted like a wet ball of chemical mush. This was my go to for a fast meal but unfortunately, that's changed. Inedible. I tossed it in the trash.

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(39 reviews)

Solid options here. You really can't go wrong. Menu options are very approachable for those that…read moredon't want to venture too deep with Chinese cuisine. You'll find the usual suspects here. The biggest plus is that they offer their own delivery. This in itself is amazing. Why? Because UberEats and doordash both upcharge on menus. It's annoying really. Especially if you're having to pay delivery fees. Glad to see there's a Chinese spot in town that caters to the neighborhood. It's a game changer...

Service was fast & friendly. Walk-in customer so had to…read morewait, but not too long. Ordered Beef With Peapods, Hot & Sour Soup, Pork Eggroll. Eggroll rice sticky, one pc pork, tasteless. Soup tasteless, not hot, not sour, no egg, no pork. Entree tasteless & beef over-tenderized. Had carrots, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts in it which I have never seen in this dish. Rice was so sticky it would not come out of the box easily or fall off the spoon onto my plate. Was looking forward to the reward of a good meal after a hugely stressful and demanding weekend. What a disappointment.

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Ordered pickup and the food were good. Only missing was the cutlery. Next time, make sure that we…read morehave it before leaving the restaurant.

Flew back in to Madison after a trip starving. Picked some food from here on the way home. They…read morewere slammed with lots of orders. The staff was pulling double duty with cooking and dealing with the register. I did have to wait a little longer than expected, but still not terrible. The food was perfect.

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Solid Chinese American fare here. You will find all of the favorites here at a great price…read more They're super quick and the flavors are on point. Packaging may not be the best, but you're going to devour their food soon enough so it's not a deal breaker. They also offer their own delivery so that's an added bonus. It's a win...

This is our favorite Chinese place. The food is always great. The only problem is that the delivery…read moretime is usually pretty long. But, they are always really nice about it and very apologetic. We should go pick it up but we're too lazy to go. So we wait.

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Okay wow a spot I've driven by multiple times but finally made the time to go to! I loved the vibe…read moreat Taigu and it was obviously a popular spot to the Middleton community. While they were busy, the service was so friendly and smiley- it made for such a fun time. Although they were busy, through a quick smile and usher to a table, somehow my sister and I were convinced to sit at a table with two other customers. While it was odd sitting at a table enough for six people with two strangers, we felt comfortable enough to have our own separate conversations because of the hustle and bustle around us. We ordered a plate of the housemade cat ear noodle four color vegetable. The vegetables could've been cooked through a bit more but their sauce was perfect for the dish and the noodle texture complimented the rest of the dish. We did think there might've been a higher ratio of noodle to vegetable which made for a heavier meal, so balancing those two could've been nicer. You'll definitely receive a large portion of food here- no fear haha Parking is available around the side but during peak hours definitely packed. They have free wifi!

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