I can't say enough good things about this experience…read more We have wanted to try Lombardinos Italian Restaurant ever since moving to the Madison area decades ago. Can't believe we put it off this long--what an amazing treat we've been missing all those years! This was one of those rare restaurant experiences that was truly excellent from start to finish. --Cocktails (Negroni and bourbon old fashioned)--YUM! Exactly what we want in an authentic Italian restaurant. REAL drinks, no fruity watered-down imitation cocktails here. --Appetizer (local beet salad, a special that night)--great, and we don't even usually love beets, but this salad was just right. --Entrees (half chicken Al Mattone, pappardelle with ragu toscano)--both excellent. The chicken was tender and juicy and had a wonderful seasoning (not exactly sure what all was in it, but it was delicious). The pasta and sauce were excellent, tasty and filling but not overly heavy. --Dessert (which we don't usually get; chocolate nemesis cake, butterscotch pudding)--both amazing. I don't think I've ever had a better chocolate dessert, and believe me, that's saying something (I love chocolate)! --The glass of red wine I had with dinner was a new one to me and was very tasty (Corvina, Cabernet and Merlot blend "Alanero"- Zenato 2022, Venuto). --Servers were all friendly, helpful with great recommendations, prompt but did not rush us at all, despite the place being packed by 5:30pm. --The atmosphere is authentic, feels "old school," cozy and welcoming. --One caution--get there early. They don't take reservations. We got there around 5:10pm on a Friday and were seated right away, but every table was completely full by 5:30pm. Also, parking is a bit limited (small lot beside the building), so you may have to park on the street and walk a block or two. But it will be WELL worth the walk and any wait you have (get one of their amazing cocktails and wait at the beautiful wooden bar)! Again, I can't say enough good things about this experience. It took us decades to finally get here, but we'll be back very soon.

They were super busy, so service was a little bit slower. Our server was super friendly and got all…read moreof our orders correct. The mushroom pasta dish (tagliatelle) was definitely the stand out of our meal. While the budino was delicious, I didn't get the butterscotch flavors as it was noted in the menu. It almost tasted more like pumpkin and cinnamon. Warm fresh bread and the traditional cesear salad were delicious. I really liked my white sangria but my husband didn't care for his barrel aged Negroni. Love the tiles behind the bar and the history of this classic place.

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.

Great service and very accommodating! The happy hour is perfect and so many options. I highly…read morerecommend the cheese curds of course. I love the vibes of the hotel and the restaurant. Outdoor seating is available too. The French 75 is so refreshing and not overly sweet even though it has rhubarb and strawberry. Highly recommend

Date of visit: January 24, 2026…read more We didn't really want to venture out much more than we had to on account of the crazy low temperatures and decided that there were some good options on the menu here and limit the amount of times we had to go outside. We didn't have a reservation but thankfully did not need one and Pablo took good care of us for the most part. I tried a fun mocktail, the Espresso Impression and it was very good if quite small for the price. I understand why a real espresso martini is $12, but not one without any alcohol... I did enjoy it, just would have enjoyed it more if it was say $7 or $8. Pablo recommended the Birria Sandwich and I asked if there was anything else in it besides the meat and cheese and he said no. Well, that wasn't entirely true as there were quite a few onions in the mixture that had I known about, I would have chosen a different option. I scraped them out as best I could and it was good overall, just disappointed about the onions. Guess I should have specifically asked about them. I ended up finishing my husband's Garlic Knot Chicken (definitely do not need to worry about vampires with this sucker!) and side of Au Gratin potatoes and both were quite good. Prices--excepting the mocktail--were quite good considering it was in a hotel and should I stay here again, would definitely give some other menu items a try.

Otto's was such a wonderful experience! Almost seems like a supper club with a Mediterranean twist!…read more We were searching for a change from the typical downtown scene, and this was exactly what we were looking for. The restaurant is very unassuming but we are so happy we visited! We started with the Mediterranean platter and I will absolutely order this again because the whipped feta was amazing. Most entrees come with a salad or soup so we had the Cesar salad with ours. Dishes were perfect. Proteins were perfectly cooked and the lamb seemed very high quality. I also thought the portions were great for the price. The friendly vibe and incredible staff really put the finishing touches on an awesome night. We decided to sit on the patio and it was such a wonder summer night. Definitely make a reservation for weekends as it does seem to get busy.

I love Otto's happy hour with half price on certain appetizers and they offer a lot of gluten free…read morechoices on their menu but I am not sure I will go for dinner there any more. The prices have just gotten out of control!! We had a bill of $156 for two people which was $186 with a $30 tip. Almost $200 for TWO people!! And it was not even that great. The calamari appetizer was extremely chewy and not good and they served the tentacles, which looked very unappetizing. I had one glass of wine and the person I was with had two, these were $14 each and not a great pour. I had the seafood trio which had exactly two scallops, two shrimp and a small piece of salmon over a bunch of vegetables that did not look made fresh at all and were mushy. The person I was with had the chicken with mashed potatoes, also over what looked like the same vegetables. Everything was just ok, to be honest and the whole thing certainly was not worth $186!!! I am not cheap by any means and will pay good money for great food and appreciate really good food but this was not worth almost $200 at all!! Prices everywhere have just gotten out of hand!

Lallande in Madison was one of the most delightful dining experiences I've recently had, and the…read moreservice deserves just as much praise as the food. Our server, Hannah, was absolutely wonderful. Her knowledge of the menu (we needed to some help with gluten free selections) thoughtful explanations, and perfectly paced service made the entire evening feel effortless. Truly top-tier hospitality. We started with an amuse-bouche of a warm autumn soup...lovely welcome to the meal. The salmon tartare with house-made chips had a wonderful balance of flavor and texture. Then came the roasted beets with crème fraîche and toasted hazelnuts, easily one of the standouts of the night. Unbelievably good. We shared two entrées: a medley of mushrooms over cheesy polenta, which was rich, comforting, and delicious, and expertly cooked cod with a creamy sauce that somehow felt both light and decadent. A small house salad rounded out the meal, and the cocktails were refined and every bit as impressive. I cannot wait to come back. If you haven't visited this lovely Madison bistro, please make it part of your dining journey....and hopefully you'll have the pleasure of having Hannah guide you through it.

This is probably my favorite high-end restaurant in Madison. My husband took me here for my…read morebirthday, and I ordered a French 75, cervelle de canut, French onion soup and a halibut that was cooked in pastry with a light gravy (think a halibut hot pocket, lol). Service was perfect and the ambience is somewhat understated but romantic. I was absolutely blown away and would return for future special occasions.

We love coming to Rare for a special date night. The restaurant is so beautiful with dark woods,…read moredark ceiling and ultra-cozy booths. We discovered their wonderful bone-in pork chop on a prior visit, so we ordered one dish to share in addition to soup, salad and sides. We still had pork to take home! Totally recommend the lobster bisque and wedge salad, both were outstanding! The pork chop was fabulous and arrived carved into tender slices. I typically am not a fan of pork, but this dish is truly special. Our two sides of mushrooms and green beans were nice, but probably will skip the mushrooms on future orders. Service is always very good at Rare.

Last night was my first time going to Rare, and wow am I impressed. The great first impression…read morestarted with our table Captain Guinevere; she was very attentive, knowledgeable, and had a wonderful and upbeat attitude. My food was incredible, but the lobster bisque and sweet chili shrimp stole the show. To die for. The ambiance is rich and comfortable, albeit just a tad too dark, making it a little tough to read the menu. I will absolutely go back to Rare again, and will be requesting Guinevere.

We had never been here so we thought Restaurant Week was a good time to check it out. We do like a…read moregood steak but going to steak houses around the Square in Madison normally requires a lobbyists' expense account. With a reservation in hand on a week night we arrived to a a somewhat busy but not full restaurant. We were seated on the main floor where the bar is located. It is a classy environment. Our waitress was very good. We did not see their regular menu since they were only serving their $50/ person Restaurant Week menu (we did hear somewhat at an adjacent table question where the regular menu was...) We both started with a glass of wine and followed by a pretty small Caesar Salad - small but tasty. For our main we each got the petite filet which actually for us was a good size. It was perfectly done medium rare and very good as were the sides. Since it was our anniversary they gave us each a complimentary flute of sparkling wine which was a nice touch. We tried the tiramisu and the flourless chocolate cake for dessert both were very rich. The only complaint was that it felt a bit rushed - not sure why because they didn't need the seats because there were empty tables the whole time we were dining.

It was a beautiful Friday evening stopping into the Draper Brother's Chophouse! We had a…read morereservation for 8:30 pm but, we were able to get in about 30 minutes prior. We were coming from the Moon over Monona event. The lobster bisque was tasty and flavorful. I loved that there were big chunks in the soup. The waygu pappardelle pasta was just what I was looking for. We did have to have the Cacio e Pepe remade due to the sauce coming out very gray due to the amount of pepper that was added. The waitress was very kind and helpful in having the kitchen remake it.

Came here on a Saturday night and was able to sit at the bar after a quick 5 minute wait. Normally…read moreI'm not a fan of dinner at the bar but it was quite comfortable. The bartenders were great and the bar was set up well for dining. Ahi tuna tartare (4/5): not the best visual but man it tasted great. I loved the hazelnuts as it added a fun texture with a hint of that flavor that just balances the dish really well. Knocked a point off because it was a bit salty Funghi pizza (3.5/5): I wish they used different mushrooms that enhances the flavor. I didn't really taste the mushroom in the dish. Also, the fingerling potatoes overpowered the pizza a little bit. On their own; they were delicious potatoes but on the pizza it was a bit too carb heavy. Crust was amazing though and the bartender suggested I add some olive oil to the pizza which really took it to the next level Rigatoni (4/5): loved the fresh pasta. The dish was really good but could have used a touch more salt Overall, I think this is a great restaurant and with a little olive oil and salt we really enjoyed our meal. Also, the portions are VERY generous and we ended up having leftover for a couple of days

This had been on my list to try for awhile now, and I finally got a reservation for a Saturday…read morenight. There is a parking lot but it is shared with the entire strip mall area. That said, even on a Saturday night, we saw two free spaces and not super far down the street there were also plenty of street spots if you're willing to walk a few extra meters. The place has dim lighting and a cozy atmosphere. The staff was super friendly from the hostess to our server and all the other staff members who ended up bringing out some of our courses. We started with the olives and the insalata di cavolo -- both were absolutely enormous and a bit much for one single person. The olives had a lot going on and even seemed to have some olive oil at the bottom of the bowl (is that necessary?) -- all of the flavors mixing together just made the olives get lost. The salad, while huge, was absolutely incredible. It was one of the few dishes that wasn't swarming with ingredients -- it was simple, to the point, and delicious. For main courses we got the rigatoni and the fettuccini scampi. The Bolognese on the rigatoni had almost a watery texture to it, where it made the flavors seem watered down and a bit mushy. It could have benefitted from less liquid and maybe a bit more or thicker tomato/marinara type something. The rigatoni was quite large but somehow seemed to get drowned in the sauce. The scampi had a few too many ingredients that they all blended together and didn't do much for each other. The artichokes were kinda bland but had enough flavor to overpower everything else. A lot of the other pastas seemed to have a lot of ingredients going on, too, which is why I shied away from them. Perhaps a more simple focus on what's going with the pastas wouldn't hurt. The actual pasta itself, however, was cooked to perfection. I didn't love the drink menu, but did try their limoncello plain/neat before our appetizers. It was a nice shot sipper and actually kinda went nicely with my salad. Nothing else looked great on the drink menu, so I asked if they could make me a traditional old fashioned served up (I know, a very un-Wisconsin order), and they did! So yay for that. Overall, it's a cute place, and while I'd come back for the salad, I'm not sure this will make a regular rotation. That said, other reviewers seemed to love it so I'd make a reservation and decide for yourself!