So I went here on the recommendation of a local. I was excited to try a local spot in Madison while in town. The location is great easy walk from the school, capitol and the hotel. Old building with with great decor, the staff was friendly and recommended a "staff off menu secret... onion ring nuggets" I was excited for the experience, then the food arrived, diner experience.... Was expecting a little more. The secret menu was literally the onion rings chopped up so most of the breading had fallen off. The burger was juicy and the sauce had great flavor, probably the saving Grace was cold beer and friendly staff. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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YUM! I was excited to try this place out after reading some rave reviews and it did not disappoint! The decor is eclectic and vintage and fun to take in and look at while you await your meal. For my dinner I chose the buffalo chicken sandwich with a side of cheese curds both of which were superb, and as a ranch aficionado I can positively say their ranch is mm-mmm good for the sandwich, curds or to drink (JUST KIDDING!) I know this place is known for their burgers, and now that I know how good the food is, I'll have to try a veggie burger next time I'm in town. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Buffalo Chicken sandwich with a side of Cheese Curds - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

So good!! They had seating out back which was really nice especially with the pandemic. Food-wise, everything was excellent. I got the best-selling burger the "Melting Pot" and it tasted heavenly. Needless to say, I will be coming back again very soon read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Outdoor patio - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Warm, vintage atmosphere. Very good service. Food was mediocre and the burger/fries overrated. Burger was a bit of a mushpile and fries were not crispy. Chile was flavorful. read more

The best burger consistently. Sides delectable as well. Great service staff- manager went above and beyond recently.

One of the best burgers I've had in awhile. I got the pub burger and it was the best in my group. Juicy and flavorful. I loved that it was on smaller size also. The cheese curds were delicious also. Try it will the purple cow beer that is only served in Wisconsin. read more

Super cute atmosphere. The burgers were amazing! Would highly recommend giving this place a try. We did have to wait about 40 mins for a table but so worth it! read more

When we got to UW Madison for a tour we asked the student for lunch recommendations and Dottys is what she said. During our 75 mins tour both tour guides independently suggested grabbing a burger at Dottys ("there's no dumplings but my Dad won't go anywhere else when he comes to visit"!). So we had to stop and have our lunch at this oh so popular spot in Madison. Not a bad choice at all! Even though it was on the later side of lunch hour for a Saturday (1:30) we still had a 20 min wait. There's stools at the bar and you can eat there if you can grab one. Since we weren't in a rush we waited and were seated at a comfy high-top in the bar area. The kitchen is small and open to see what's going on if you wanna first hand view of your lunch getting cooked. The burger choices were plentiful (including a special of the day with bacon and guacamole). Lots of chicken and other sandwich choices as well. Everything was cooked to perfection, fries included. (Speaking of fries it was nice that they come out hot with no salt-so you can control how much/little you want). Great service too! Would highly recommend on your next visit to WI. read more

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The burgers...THE BURGERS. Cool atmosphere, good music, amazing bison burger. Came for lunch on a weekday and didn't have to wait long for our food. Fries were nice and crispy and the burger was cooked perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing. read more

Just an outstanding burger joint with great beer and cheese curds to die for. If Wisconsin were a single meal, this would be it. The ambience is eclectic and fun; they show old movies on TV. Servers are fast and friendly. And it's priced right. read more

My party of 6 grown men arrived at 7:30pm on a Tuesday night and had a 40 minute wait. When we got seated it was a booth for 4. Was a little cramped. I ordered the melting pot and was not disappointed. Very good burger. Id go back again as long as I wasn't in a large group. I would of given it 5 stars if they could of been able to handle a larger group. read more

Dotty's is my favorite place in Madison. Relaxed, casual, and good food. Love going here with the family. Truly appreciate the great service to top it all off. This is a great place to have lunch! read more

Dotty's is always such a good place to go when looking for a good burger and some fries. The atmosphere is energetic and on the louder side, after all it is on the edge of the UW campus. They have a variety of different burgers to choose from with different sauces, cheeses, etc. or you can create your own. The only downfall is that you have to buy fries separate from your meal at this restaurant. I got the southwest burger which I've had before, but this time I added coleslaw and THAT made it a 10/10 burger! I will definitely be back for another. We also got some cheese curds and deep fried pickles to share which were each delicious as well. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Southwest burger w/ cole slaw - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Best vegan burger ever. The spicy black bean burger is to die for. Throw in a side of spicy pickles and you have a heavenly meal ( not the healthiest of course but worth the splurge once in a while). Nice big wooden booths in this family friendly pub. Great friendly service. The name of the restaurant is a little odd as I don't recall seeing dumplings on the menu? Maybe I missed it? Regardless this Is a great choice when on UW campus to get a burger or vegan burger. Delish. read more

I don't know what to say. This review is really going to focus on the service that we received, rather than the food, which was decent. When we walked in, the hostess was ok, could have been a bit more welcoming, especially on the day we came, which was Fathers Day, but oh well. We were seated promptly. Our burgers were good, but I would say that they were not over the top great. I found the presentation to be ok, and a bit cumbersome in handling, when you have to reach down into a square vessel, with somewhat high sides. The service, we were served by Mikayla, who gave us subpar service. We had to ask for place settings, straws, and she was not very friendly either. I heard all around me parties with men in them being greeted with Fathers Day mentions, but Mikayla did not make a mention of it to me at all. I found it insulting. I would rather be recognized, and if I were not a father, which I am, just say thank you, then be passed over like I was. It does get better. After I bring it to the attention of another waitress, that I wish that she was our waitress, because she was way more attentive to the needs of her tables than ours, and let her know that I was in fact a father, the manager comes over and offers a poor excuse as to why I was not recognized. She had stated that they do give dads a beer or pie of their choice, but that does not start till 4:30. Yes, this was her explanation, which basically told me that I was not a father till 4:30 in their eyes. Weird. I was offered a beer or pie. I respectfully declined. Unfortunately, although the food was good, we would not return due to the poor service. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Sample Basket - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Strange name but this is in fact a burger restaurant. Not dumplings like I thought for a long time. Of all the burger places in town, this place takes the cake, in my opinion. I've referred other people here and they enjoyed it as much. At this point, I think I have tried most burgers here. And I don't remember any that I disliked. To name a few: Gladiator, Heart Throb, Melting Pot. I like ordering the sweet potato fries. The service has always been good, and the restaurant has nice furniture and dark lighting. Amazing place for burgers! read more

YUM. My first stop in Madison was this joint and it really set the standard! We shared a flight of beer among 3 of us and it was honestly plenty. I got the Heart Throb burger and it was delicious. It has a bit of a kick too it, which I love. I had it medium rare and it was delicious. It was honestly one of the best burgers I've ever had and I'm so happy. The fries here were delicious too. If you're ever in the area, definitely check it out! read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - build your own beer flight, so cute! - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Burgers were ok, nothing special. Just very over priced for what you get. 80 dollars for 3 burgers, fries, onion rings, cheese curds and 3 drinks. Can get a lot more food for less and at same or better quality elsewhere. Other thing, there is no place to park. I guess I'm just spoiled being from a smaller town read more

Came here with wife and with dad. We felt welcomed by all staff we spoke with or made eye contact with. Our server was great (Fast, empathetic, charismatic)! It was very warm and toasty. Cheerfully noisy and packed but not annoyingly so. I thought the menu was well-priced and tasty (especially given the price, downtown)! ***We ordered***: - A Wisco flight ($10) - A strawberry milkshake ($7.75) - A build-your-own burger (Mine) ($9) - A Toadstool burger ($11) - An Alumni burger ($11) --- with Fries ($4) read more

While appropriately rated, I wonder if Dotty Dumpling's Dowry is forgotten by many. Whether that be the case, this place is a true Madison staple and hopefully will never go. It's been around for something like 40 years. Walking into the place, it has a partial restaurant feel complimented by a significant bar area. Sports are playing on a couple of TVs and aroma of freshly grilled burger provides the anticipation of a great meal to be served. Several options are in the menu with a number of house burgers or the ability to build your own burger. Alternates to the burger is available, but, you will be missing out! In the several times coming here, I continue to be impressed by the Grand Daddy. The combination of Kobe beef, sharp cheddar, the English Aioli and pickled red onions is difficult to forget and leaves one wanting more. The burgers are char-grilled and while I was originally concerned of an over-powering char flavor, the skill of the of the cooks leave me reassured that Dotty's understands how a burger should be served. Several delicious side items are available and the cheese curds and hay stack onions are perfect. Dotty Dumpling's Dowry is a delicious burger joint that has a nice bit of history to it while serving a damn good burger. It has the advantage of being the only place in the area with such high quality. read more

Good and fresh food. A bit pricey for a burger considering they don't come with sides, but they are tasty. Service was great and very friendly staff. I had a raspberry and grenadine iced tea which was out of this world good! I would come back just for the tea alone. I highly recommend this place. However; keep in mind that they don't open until 4:00 p.m. read more

I read lots of raving reviews so I was a bit disappointed but overall it was still really good. I tried the Wisconsin version of an old fashioned and liked it more than the classic version. It was recommended by the server and I appreciated trying a local drink. My husband ordered a beer and really enjoyed it. As for food: Cheese curds: good but I have yet to meet a cheese curd I didn't like (especially when there's ranch). The mustard dip that it came with it was super weird and sticky and didn't go with the cheese curds at all but thankfully it also came with ranch! Grand Daddy Burger - very good but not in the top 10 burgers I've had. Fries: Sorry but they straight up sucked. Zero flavor and not a great texture. We added salt (who doesn't salt fries?!), pepper and ketchup to make them somewhat enjoyable. read more

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This was a cool place, historic and neat interior- good burgers... with all their claims I expected a little more but decent for sure

This was a nice find near the hotel, offering a variety of burgers and sandwiches that were perfect for a cold, snowy day. I tried the spicy honey mustard chicken sandwich and it was delicious, albeit a bit messy to eat. Others at the table ordered different burgers and found the meat to be cooked well though cold, like the burger had sat while waiting for the french fries (which were almost too hot to eat when they arrived compared to the chilled burger). My one other critique would be about the server, John, who seemed scattered during the time I was there. He would walk over and refill one iced tea and skip the other (when the individual was literally holding it out for him). He would drop things and run, leaving me having to almost scream his name for him to come back to the table before disappearing. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry is a great place but you can't see that from the outside. Best thing to do is just go in, I assure you, Dotty's is charming. Wood booths, smaller but not boutique, cool decor, Marilyn Monroe movies playing with the sound turned down so you can hear the jazz music. And I am not into jazz but it suits this place so well. We got a table right away. Service was good. Our server knew what was good on the food and beer menus and made a couple great recommendations. The food is mostly casual and that was alright by us. We started with an appetizer sampler basket which has fried cheese curds, fries and more along with dipping sauce. For dinner we had burgers. All were cooked as we had ordered them; medium, rare and medium rare. Prices reasonable and we scored street parking. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Strawberry milk shake - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Prompt seating and courteous service. We enjoyed our delicious burgers. Prices were fair and the ambiance was just bar casual.

I've been to Madison twice now and each time I have made it a point to stop at Dotty Dumpling's Dowry. Actually, for my second we specifically made a stop in Madison on our way home from Green Lake just so we could eat here! These burgers are crazy good you guys. It was honestly so hard to decide which one to get because they all sounded amazing. I finally went with the Pub burger and it did not disappoint. It was cooked medium rare, stacked with melted Muenster cheese and smoked bacon, and dressed in their peppercorn aioli and savory onion jam, all on a seeded bun. Absolutely delicious. I also got their poutine fries for the table to share and those were awesome too. Cheese curds and French fries smothered in homemade beef gravy? Yes please! My friends and I were nursing hangovers, because well, #30yearsold, and let me tell you folks... the food here at Dotty's is the perfect cure. Those juicy, greasy, burgers along with other cheesy fried items were just what the doctor ordered. Although I will warn you that you'll walk outta here in a total food coma. If you're looking for a nice Sunday drink to go with your meal (or help a hangover), I highly suggest their bloody Mary's! The mix is very flavorful with just the right amount of spice and it's garnished with pickles, olives, a lemon, and a lime. It comes with a small beer back as well! My photos truly don't do this food justice. The lighting wasn't very great, so I'm not proud of my photography skills, but just know the taste of everything was 5-star worthy. I can't wait to come back to Dotty's next time I'm somewhat close to Madison. I'll have to save room for their milkshakes, because they looked amazing! read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Pub burger - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Dottys is excellent. Fantastic service (frosted water glass) and delicious burgers. Id give it five stars if I had tried more items from the menu. Warm ambiance. Easy menu. Just a good solid burger. I had the Gold and Green on a bed of lettuce and John had the pesto-y hot one. Both delicious! Try the bacon mayo. To note: every butger can be on lettuce for $1 more. We will be back! read more

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Decided to come here with a friend from out of town who just really wanted burgers. I was a bit disappointed with my heart throb burger though. The burger itself was rather small and tasted a bit bland in all dimensions. I like big, bold flavors, and this didn't do it. The sweet potato fries we got as an app were fine with Cajun aioli. Something about the texture of the curds was a bit off to me, and I prefer a crisper fry. It's much smaller than Nitty Gritty down the street so a bit mellower of a place. read more

Was planning on drinking/eating at another establishment when happened to walk past Dotty and decided to peak my head in the door and boy I am glad I did. Bellied up to the bar and was blessed with Molly the bartender. She had a similar dry sense of humor as I do so I knew it was going to be a good evening. They have a very good selection of beers. I ordered the 'build your own' burger and have to say it was one of the better burgers I have had in quite awhile. Look forward to coming back next time I am in town. read more

Food: They have good beer flights if you want to sample a bunch of the local brews. I started things off with the Wisco Road Trip. Then for my meal, I ordered the Melting Pot Burger. It came with Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone cheese, Jones Diary Farm smoked bacon, and their signature English garlic sauce. I can definitely see and taste why it's their number one selling burger! I finished things off with the Mad City Flight. Service: I received excellent service. The waitress always checked up on me. Not once did I feel neglected. I even had a booth all to myself. Overall: I've eaten my fair share of burgers and the one I had here easily ranks at the top. I would definitely want to come back here to try other items on their menu. read more

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Awesomeness! Great burgers. Great staff. Great Wisconsin bar. Whenever in Madison go there.

Fun place. Good selection of appetizers and beer. Burgers, though, were disappointing. Beef tasted like it wasn't seasoned at all. Kind of surprising for a place that focuses on burgers. read more

My husband loves their burgers and I'm OBSESSED with their grilled cheese. The grilled cheese is so unique. It has garlic aoli and pickles on it! If you are a pickle and/or garlic lover like myself, you will love it! They also have some of the best cheese curds around. Dotty Dumpling's in a MUST in Madison!! read more

I love this place. Our must-go spot while we are in Madison. Great apps, burgers are legit, and the environment is fun. The wait can be a little long on certain days, but it is worth it. read more

It's good little too late for that one I don't know if I should go back and look for one but I'll get it out of there I think it's just too big to fit the size I don't think I have enough for a little more but I'll look at the size and I don't think I'll go to that size but I'll get one if you can find it I don't think I'm too far out I just don't think I need to be in there I don't think it read more

I got the Bison Burger hoping that if I enjoyed it enough I'd go buy a baby Bison, raise him up good then kill him just to make burgers out of him, but alas it did not have the enjoyable moment I so desired. Don't get me wrong the burger was great , just not enough to go buy a live Bison , plus I'm pretty sure my cats would try and hunt him down . But overall yes I'd come back and eat here again if I'm feeling up for a 8 hour drive! read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - More food!! - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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My burger would've been so good if it were cooked fully. I never send food back but I had to send it back because it was dripping blood and barely cooked. I got a second one barely cooked again. I felt bad and didn't want to complain. But yeah would've been good had it not been raw. read more

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry - Cheese curds - Burgers Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The burgers were a little disappointing. I got the black and blue and added haystack onions. My bun was crumbling apart. And the burger was dry. Which is a little surprising since All the burgers "are cooked to a nice medium pink." My daughter got the chili cheese dog but was disappointed that the chili was chunky meat and not ground meat. On the other hand, the cheese curds were great and the poutine with curds was delicious. read more

One of the best burgers I have ever had. Great service. I came with two kids and they loved it. They are prepared for kids: cups with little toys, a snack, coloring pages and crayons. Awesome vibe, cool decor and theme throughout. read more