Ate lunch at Circ today and ordered the salad bar. There was a nice variety including fajitas and a couple dessert choices. My husband suggests they offer bread or rolls with the salad bar and I agree. We parked in the underground parking and they gave us complimentary parking but you have to ask. read more

CIRC proclaims itself as Madison's favorite salad bar and I can now confirm that it is mine. Just a massive salad bar overall with all the fixings you could wish for. Also included, small hand sandwiches, soups, and deserts. Oh that must cost a ton right? Wrong--$15. The starters were great to start with as well. I went with the meatballs and the walleye strips and they were both fantastic! CIRC inside the concourse is definitely a solid place to come for lunch. read more

We absolutely loved this place when we were here before for brunch buffet on a Saturday (no review). Came back for a quick lunch midweek and fit the buffet (how can you pass up the salad bar & all other options for $15??). Unfortunately our server didn't seem to care we were there, waited until my husband got his second plate to bring drinks. When we were done we waited another 10 mins before seeing her pop out from the back, waved her down for our check. And she still took another 5mins to come back with it. It's attached to a hotel so expect lots of foot traffic & business people. But the vibe still is classic, clean & casual. I hope we have a better server the next time we go back so I can up my review from 3 stars... read more

See all

CIRC is a great choice for a fast and delicious weekday lunch. Order the salad bar, and you get so much more: soup of the day, bread, hot "entree" of the day, dessert and a soft drink. When I ate at CIRC, the soup on the salad bar was Beer Cheese Soup. The soup was outstanding! Hot and cheesy with chunks of bratwurst. Even better, it was all you could eat! My husband is not a salad person, so he ordered a Shaved Prime Rib French Dip. He opted to upgrade the side to cheese curds. Both the sandwich and curds were very delicious and arrived quickly. Lunch was a big success for both of us! Free underground parking for lunch patrons is a huge bonus, too. read more

See all

My coworker recommended Circ and it's a hidden gem. This past weekend I met up with some friends for brunch and it was amazing! 10/10 on service, cleanliness, and quality. I ordered the Short Rib Benedict which includes poached eggs, caramelized onions, smoked paprika hollandaise topped on a toasted croissant, and breakfast potatoes. I asked for a toasted croissant over a toasted English muffin as I am not a fan of muffins. Pro Tip: Circ is located at the Madison Concourse Hotel and parking is free if you park in the ramp. They serve bottomless mimosas for $12.00 per person. Brunch is Saturday and Sunday from 11AM until 2PM. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I will be back again. read more

CIRC - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Awesome spot for a Madison lunch. The salad bar always has an amazing selection. I love the lunch menu as well. The turkey panini is the best and very filling! Servers are always attentive and it's a very clean and fresh ambience. Will be a frequent visitor here. read more

CIRC - Roasted Turkey Panini Lunch - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We grabbed a bite here on our last morning in Madison following a stay at the Madison Concourse Hotel. I wasn't expecting much from a casual hotel restaurant but the food was surprisingly good. The prices are reasonable for a hotel, our waiter was friendly and attentive and the service overall was great. My daughter enjoyed her grilled chicken Caesar salad and I liked the grilled cheese with tomato soup. We also ordered a side of French fries which were nice and crispy. The portions were pretty big considering the prices. A good value overall, especially if you're staying at the hotel. read more

This is the restaurant located at the Madison Concourse hotel. It is located across from checkin within the lobby. The waitress was extremely nice, provided quick service and was very welcoming. After looking at the menu I was torn between selections. The waitress suggested the the pub burger. The garlic chive mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and hickory bacon provided great flavor. As my side I had the parmesan garlic fries, which were quite tasty as well. The only thing I'd change is that the garlic cloves were rather large for fried and I prefer them chopped more. After hours The Bar is another location they have within the hotel. The Wisconsin beer cheese soup was so amazing that I ordered it numerous times during my stay. Prices were reasonable. Food was prepared quickly. I would revisit again without hesitation. read more

Amazing amazing amazing. The food is unbelievable fantastic. The service is friendly and the atmosphere just scream great! read more

CIRC - I call this perfectly cooked. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

At first, I was skeptical about giving CIRC a try. The restaurant is located inside of a very ritzy hotel, and I assumed that the prices would reflect the facade. But one day, I decided to throw caution to the wind. Best decision ever! I don't think a day has gone by that the servers at CIRC haven't seen me. They've got a great lunchtime deal: all you can eat soup and salad for $13. And you can get the soup by itself for just $3!! Isn't that such a steal?! An assortment of vegan, cheesy, hearty, soups to choose from, and an array of salads, snacks and sides you can combine into a delectable meal. Finally, if you've only got 30 minutes for lunch like me, fear not - the servers are super accommodating. They'll bring you two containers, and you can fill them up till your heart's content. Any and everything is up for grabs. Every day for lunch I'm: in, out, and happy. I want you to be, too! Enjoy :) read more

CIRC - All you can eat! If you're carrying out: all you can stuff into your doggy bag! Haha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Excellent food, top notch in every dish we had. Turkey panini, grilled cheese and tomato soup and honey lavender crème brûlée were fantastic! Service is excellent. Going back to try the Salad Bar after we check out. read more

I love this place simply for its Wisconsin beer cheese and andouille sausage soup, which I only find on the lunch salad bar menu. The salad bar is my preferred go to when I come here, and it's filled with your typical salad items along with some pastas, crudités and delectable desserts. Skip the big fancy restaurants and stop in at CIRC for some quick and filling lunch from the salad bar (not sure if they do weekend salad bar though). read more

CIRC - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is a great restaurant.It is a hidden jewel in the Concourse Hotel in Madison. The food is superb. My wife had the Sea Bass, preceded by a cup of the carrot ginger soup. I had the New York Strip Steak, preceded by the baby green salad with blueberry vinegarette dressing. I asked for some olives and tomatoes in the salad which made it extra delicious. The steak was cooked to perfection at medium and the string beans were wonderful. My wife loved the Sea Bass. The bread was homemade and excellent. The glass of wine that my wife got, a chardonnay was much more full than in many restaurants. The meal was so outstanding, we didn't feel the need to have dessert, although the selection looked great. I give this restaurant 5 stars. It's not inexpensive, but not overly pricey either. The service was really friendly and good. The ambiance was casual, relaxed and mellow. If you are smart and you are in Madison, you will thoroughly enjoy your dining experience at Circ. read more

CIRC - Jerry and Merle Sternberg - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Came in for lunch on a Saturday. Despite the art fair and lots going on, we were the only people in the place. The menu had a nice variety and based on the fact that it was in a packed hotel and was empty, my expectations were low. The food came out, and despite the fact that we were the only people in the whole place our very nice waitress struggled to remember which person had which order. Shortly afterwards, a party of four walked in. For some reason, the host decided that the best place to sit this new group was in the table immediately next to us. Again, up to that point, we were the only ones in the restaurant! Fortunately, the other group recognized that was not right and asked if they could have another table to give us some space. It just seemed odd and it cost a star. Don't let that mistake take away from the food. It was outstanding. I had a grilled cheese with tomato soup and subbed the fries for a Caesar salad. The portion was huge and each item was outstanding. While we always stay at the hotel when in Madison, I had never considered the lobby restaurant as an option. That has now changed. read more

Service was great. I ordered a avocado Eggs Benedict, and it was just a pile of mush. Very unappetizing. Coffee is Starbucks. But I doubt I will go back. read more

Still a classy first rate restaurant. On this night we had perfect service and great food. I had chicken and dumplings and expected the old classic with pieces of chicken swimming in gravy and dumplings. Not here. It was way to upscale for me. The dumplings were those dough balls that I can't remember the name of, that are dense and tasteless. Two pieces of chicken on the bone and some other assorted mushrooms and peas that were first rate but not what I was looking forward to. My three dinner companions all had wonderful meals like brazed short ribs and a skate wing for my buddy that he had never tried before. All good. So even though I wasn't happy with what I ordered it is one of the few really nice restaurants in the up-town area. read more

I stayed at the hotel with friend for a concert Saturday and Sunday we did not feel like driving for breakfast so we decided to try this place out. We were told a 20 minute wait which was fine we had 8 of us. The lack of star is because we legit had to wait that long then when we checked in they told us another 20 minutes on top of our first wait. When we told them we were going to just leave they then seated us right away. It was strange service in that regard. The lox, avocado toast with sauce was really tasty. The salmon portion on it was large an the sauce was light yet creamy. My husband rather enjoyed the buffet and the waitress was attentive refilling drinks and such quickly. I liked the food quality so I would recommend them over all. read more

CIRC - Lox toast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I LOVE a good salad bar and I had heard good things about CIRC. The salad bar at CIRC did not disappoint. It's not the largest buffet you will see, but for a Salad Bar buffet it is phenomenal. All quality ingredients, the staff kept everything clean, the price was reasonable, AND there were some tasty prepared items, yummy desserts, and a pretty decent selection of non-salad items. There were four soups to try. I had the cheese and chorizo. It was fine, but not my favorite. At the salad bar were mixed greens, spinach, iceberg lettuce, peas, garbanzo beans, egg, grilled chicken, bacon bits (not the canned stuff, but real bacon pieces), blue-cheese, peas, carrots, radishes, beets, cucumbers, mushrooms, I'm forgetting a dozen ingredients, but all seemed fresh. Probably eight different dressings. Also croutons, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, pretty much everything I look for in a salad. They also had smoked salmon, sliced salami, a variety of cheeses, fruit pieces. For prepared foods there was a Bulgar-type salad, rice-noodles, green-bean salad, lettuce wedges w/bacon, tomato, and blue cheese dressing. Dessert include cookies, brownies, a cherry crisp, and some strawberry mousse items. I'm sure I'm forgetting several items. For a salad bar I was truly impressed. Not huge like a Chinese buffet, but the quality of all of the ingredients was completely spot on. I was a little skeptical since it's a hotel restaurant and those can be pretty hit or miss but I'll definitely go back to CIRC. read more

So glad we came here for restaurant week. Great service, amazing food, and nice ambiance. Would definitely come back to check out their regular menu. Every dish was superb read more

See all

Went for Restaurant Week - not impressed when I walked in. It's really lacking in ambience, especially the lighting, which was too bright and kept it from feeling romantic or intimate. But then we got the food. This was a truly memorable meal, from appetizer to dessert, and I even loved the wine suggested by our server. More to come. Bachelorette just started. Don't judge. read more

After dining here on more than 4 separate occasions, I can't comprehend the less-than-4-star review. Food and service is always great for me. read more

CIRC - Pork shank! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

With a restaurant without walls to a busy (sorry I meant REALLY BUSY) hotel lobby, it was a bit hard to spot the host stand. We found it and were seated. The space was loud with the lobby guests. I would not have wanted to take a date there but it was just my mom so I was okay increasing my volume to talk to her. We got started with brandy drinks. Mom got the Old Fashioned sweet and I got the Brandy Slush. Both drinks were good and the slush really took me back to when my parents made it during the holidays. Drink menu had other nice options. We ordered the Sautéed Calamari and Rock Shrimp appetizer to start. The flavors were very good, just a bit of a spicy note but totally manageable. The seafood was cooked very well. Sauce was so good we both dipped some bread in after the seafood was gone. The entrée of my choice (Pappardelle) was sadly unavailable. I opted for the CIRC Burger. A broiled butter burger with pancetta, Hook's 4yr Cheddar Cheese, and Camembert Cheese. The burger was cooked as I requested and seasoned well. The whole sandwich was flavorful and filling. I had the side salad with it and it was generous. My mom had the special of the day: Pumpkin Ravioli. It was spiced pumpkin puree in the pockets of ravioli noodles. Covered in a cream sauce. There was an extra serving of pumpkin in the middle. After the first few bites, my mom really liked it. In summary, the flavors of the food- five star. Service was attentive-four stars. Comfortable tables and chairs-five stars. Open to lobby and all the lobby noise-two stars. All in all, one of the best meals in a hotel restaurant I have had in Madison or the Midwest...just a bit loud to come back for romantic dates. But business meeting dinners...a big yes! read more

Came her by myself to have dinner, had the french onion soup and whiskey pork shank. The meal was good and it wasn't out of the extraordinary. The french soup had a very strong flavor, the pork shank was very soft but was missing something. read more

Arrived at my lunch reservation a bit before my 11:30 reservation for a party of 8 and had to wait a bit before the table was ready. Overall the service and food were terrible, extremely long wait for our order to be taken, coffee refills and when the food arrived it was cold. After I brought this to the waitresses attention she made excuse after excuse and ultimately brought over one plate of breakfast potatoes for the table to share. Completely unacceptable... not worth the money you'll spend. You'll be better off someplace else Also no turkey sausage, only pork friendly breakfast meat options read more

I thought the food was very good however service was extremely slow I'm thinking they were a bit short staffed. It was a bit costly and I was not filled up but it www good the cheesecake was to die for! read more

Staying here for conference. The porkchop is to die for, crisp and soft all at the same time. Full of juice! The grilled cheese is my second favorite item, superb! I have never had a grilled cheese with cheese on the outside!!! Friendly staff and loved both of the restaurant managers we met. Awesome food and great prices. read more

See all

Good food. Slow service. Went on a Friday night wasn't that busy. Took 30 minutes to get drinks and an hour to get food.

My boyfriend and I finally made it in to Circ for the winter restaurant week 2017. Our server's name was Calvin, and he was absolutely spectacular. He had extensive menu knowledge and checked up on us at the perfect times. My boyfriend ordered the O'so night train, while I had a Sean Minor sauv blanc. We were offered a bread basket with a great grain wheat bread, and delicious rye crackers that I couldn't get enough of! Then our appetizers came out. He ordered the fried chicken livers with a white barbecue sauce- his first time having chicken livers. They were perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside, while soft and delicate on the inside, and the BBQ sauce complemented them. I ordered the pear and apple salad, with hazelnuts, bleu cheese and bitter red cabbage. While the salad was good in parts, it was essential to get every flavor together in one bite to get the true beauty of the dish. He and I both agreed that while the salad was delicious, there's just no way to beat the chicken livers. Then came out entrees: I ordered roasted pheasant with mushrooms, smoked pearl onions, and herbed pappardelle pasta. It was delicious, warm, savory, and the smoked pearl onions were so weird but amazing, the dish in whole was, in a word, delectable. My boyfriend ordered the osso buco pot pie. I am a baker, and my boyfriend insisted that I try the crust. It was a perfect, ultra buttery puff pastry round. You could feel every delicate layer, and it was like you were transported somewhere else... it was magical. The osso buco was perfectly tender, warm, seasoned just right, and paired with the buttery puff excellently. Again, while both dishes were delicious, nothing could beat the puff. Finally desserts came out. He ordered the tiramisu cheesecake, while I ordered the hot sticky toffee pudding with a caramel bourbon sauce. Both desserts paired beautifully with his beer. The tiramisu had the perfect amount of coffee, a crispy yet sturdy crust, and elegantly dense cheesecake in the center, topped with a piece of chocolate disguised as a coffee bean!! My hot sticky toffee pudding was warm, dense, gooey, and warmed the soul. Perfect blend of spices with a little ginger to give a tiny kick keeping it from going overboard. Whether he believes it or not, I won the dessert round. All in all, with beyond excellent service, and food that left us eating all of it and then feeling overbearingly full after (no regrets), we will definitely be back to dine at Circ, and have already been gushing to those around us about our experience. Shout out to Calvin- you're the best!!! read more

See all

Great breakfast buffet! Excellent service and reasonable price! We will definitely be coming back!

My husband and I spent a weekend at the Madison Concourse Hotel and decided to try out this restaurant the first night. We called earlier that week and a made reservation for a 7:30 dinner on Friday evening which turned out to be totally unnecessary since there were literally two other diners in the entire restaurant. It was really odd to be in such an empty restaurant on Friday night, especially since the restaurant is slightly open to the lobby and guests walk through it to get to the Starbucks. The food was inconsistent - we had the ceviche to start, which ended up being the highlight of the meal. Our entrees were fine, but a bit bland. My husband had the lamb, which was fatty and over cooked and I had the brisket bolognese, which was fine but I wouldn't get it again. The waiter and host were funny and gave us great service. We wouldn't go again, especially with so many great options in the area, but I do recommend the ceviche. read more

Their mushroom soup and seared scallops are so good I had them two nights in a row! I always stay at the Concourse and these are automatically in my list! read more

See all

This place missed on all fronts. Ambiance stark and bright, but not in a hip way. Hostess would not seat our partial party until all arrived when the restaurant was nearly empty all night. Server was very inexperienced. Worst of all we were a big party and nearly everything we ordered was not well prepared. Over use of garlic, cold pork chop, flavorless fish that had putrid presentation, dry pasta, awful desserts. The only thing edible was the cheese and meat plate and bruschetta Would never recommend this place. Eat pub food downtown instead read more

Food took forever and wasn't very good. (We ate an hour and a half after being seated with a reservation.) Waitress offered us drinks while we waited but we didn't need more alcohol so we asked if our existing bottle of wine could be comped and they determined no... so we paid full price for a very long and mediocre dinner. Wouldn't recommend - there are so many amazing places in Madison within a few block radius that it's not worth it. read more

After leaving a nearby restaurant due to an extremely rude hostess, my friends and I opted to try out CIRC for lunch. What an oasis! First, the salad bar is $11 and it is first rate. Three hot soups, fresh salad bar, antipasta salads and meats, smoked salmon, and a dessert bar. Hearty bread, vegan options, fresh fruit. It lived up to the "Best Salad Bar in Madison" claims. It exceeded my expectations. Second, the staff was first rate. The hostess upon hearing we were in town for the Garden Expo shared with us her knowledge of the area and drew us a map to the Olbrich garden. She was so incredible! Our waitress was equally as kind, she made a special effort to get change for me so I could put money in the meter outside...even though it was lunch hour and this place was hopping....she did not bat an eye when I made this request. Third, the atmosphere is modern AND comfortable...how did they pull that off?. Ha ha. It really was quite comfy. My friend ordered a flatbread with steak and blue cheese. It was an excellent, very tasty flatbread. The only negative was that it didnt come with anything and she said it would have been nice to have a bowl of fruit or something to balance out the taste of the blue cheese. The other negative was coffee was $3, that seemed a little high. I would not hesitate to recommend CIRC as the BEST lunch salad bar in Madison. My friends and I do plan on stopping again in our next outting. I could tell from how busy they were I'm not the only one who likes this place. read more

Located inside of our hotel we conveniently dined for breakfast. We did a walk through of the continental buffet and decided not to partake because it didn't look worthy of $12. Likewise it wasn't worth $15 for made-to-order entree w/ continental buffet because breakfast dishes by themselves were cheaper to order. The continental buffet was fruit, yogurt, bread, and oatmeal. Platters were not filled and everything looked low in stock. Not appealing. We ordered an omelette which was egg folded over the ingredients. Ingredients were not mixed in with the egg. Thus, doesn't really qualify as an omelette. Also ordered the short rib benedict. Both entrees came with breakfast potatoes and ketchup as dipping sauce (assuming we like ketchup with our potatoes ??). Food was good. No complaints. Service on the other hand, was slow and for as little clientele as there was, food took a while. For what you end up paying, I would skip this place and get breakfast elsewhere. read more

CIRC - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

We t to lunch there on a Sunday two years ago and enjoyed it. I had my parents visiting from California. Theyare elderly. They loved the food and atmosphere. read more

Where to begin, this restaurant is located on the main floor of the Concourse Hotel. It serves small portions (think French cuisine). Figure on two or three menu items per person. My wife an I both ordered two items and beer. I had mushroom soup and braised flank steak, my wife ordered potato gnochie and soba noodles. Dinner was served with what appears to be fresh bread and butter. The meal was filling especially the soba noodles. It was however a bit bland, we expected more flavor. The mushroom soup is brought to the table in a small carafe and a bowl of mushrooms, the server pours the hot soup over the mushrooms in the bowl and it ready to eat. The flank steak is braised in tomato puree and served with fingerling potatoes. The potato gnocchi was the best part of our meal. The docs noodles has mushrooms, vegetable, and a soft boiled egg. They do offer larger portions of certain dishes and have specials. It cost us just over $50 for four menu items and two beers. I'm sure the majority of their business is from business travelers during the week, we stopped in on a Saturday night before going to a show at the nearby Overture Center. The restaurant was fairly slow. Service could have been better considering it was slow. read more

In Madison for a conference. Enjoyed a delicious late breakfast here this morning. Had a three-egg omelet with bacon, ham, and Swiss cheese folded inside, along with a unique take on a side dish of potatoes, toast, and bottomless coffee. The omelet was done perfectly (not too greasy) with a generous portion of meat and cheese (bacon was done, not too fatty or still "wiggly"). The potatoes were whole, sliced relatively thin (thicker than potato chips - maybe 1/8") and fried to a crisp perfection - again not greasy. Very hearty! Friendly, attentive service. read more

First time here. We both dread going to the Capitol square area for all the hustle and bustle. This wasn't a bad experience at all. It was great to be able to park beneath the hotel in their garage, albeit it is an awkward parking garage with tight turns. I don't know how pickup truck drivers handle the layout. The restaurant was easy to find. We were recommended to use OpenTable to make a reservation, which worked out well. The service was great! We were well taken care of. I base at least the majority of service on promptness, professionalism, and how quickly they are to refill empty glasses. All three were met. The food was well cooked and well seasoned. We had few complaints, if any. The only reason why we did not leave a five star review was due to portion sizes for the price and they wouldn't validate our parking, which may have been due to a new employee who didn't think they could do that and I didn't press it. read more

I checked in to the Madison Concourse Hotel and dropped into Circ for an early dinner before an evening of meetings. It's an upscale restaurant with modern decor, beautifully decorated. I was greeted by the host and sat within seconds of arriving. My waiter was Dan, very professional, friendly and knowledgable. Dan gave me some recommendations and he did not steer me wrong. I had the warm beet and arugula salad and the scallops for an entrée both were so good! I'd order them again. I had the vanilla bean cheesecake for dessert which was a perfect size, about three bites...really, who ever wants more than that?? Bonus-dessert was only $3.00. Overall, this place is a solid restaurant, great ambiance, superb staff and one heck of a chef. Try it! read more