Great salad bar, a lot of natural light, staff always seems friendly. Prices are a bit too high, feels like a hospital cafeteria, wouldn't take much to spruce up the decor. read more

4/1/22 - 12:20 PM A quick search for Mac and cheese lead me here. Drove by the place for years but never knew it was a restaurant? Feels more like a cafeteria. Very interesting breakfast/lunch menu with items I would like to try (cheeseburger/French toast). Opted for the Mac and cheese with bacon, and a side of sausage patty.....delicious! If I worked around here, this would be my Mac place! Very surprised by this, will return again. Pros: Clean, bright place off the square Gluten free options Vegetarian options Nitpicks: No alcohol read more

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Maybe I've been exposed to things differently and didn't appreciate that's an exception not the rule yet I did believe or worked with the thought that if I called in advance to place an order that custom items or requested items wouldn't be a problem. 9.9.2019 I asked and was told: They Don't just make items requested they set aside a pan if you want a larger quantity. I tried to order key lime bars as the website said it's not available daily so I thought advance notice could help make it happen. No. I tried ordered cream cheese filled croissants since the site says stuffed croissants. Again, nope. They only do chocolate. In my mind that's not hard to list on the site. Or, at least take the generic reference down and make it more specific so it's understood. I'm going to say this is more of deli?!?! Not a bakery kind of thing that also happens to sell food. IN THE BUCKY BOOK read more

Gooseberry on the Square - Didn't expect a tip line as they don't have servers. Everything is counter. New hire got the $1 for being eager to help. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Goosberry has taken a well-known but boring space and transformed into a modern, hip place. Menus are available on the big screen tv for your perusal. I am commenting on the lunch. I went for a turkey reuben. Much to my surprise it was actual shredded roast turkey and not just deli meat. Score! There are a variety of sides you can choose to go with your sandwich, including fries and kettle chips. There was one more but I can't remember it. Hubby had a portabella sandwich and fries. He liked it, and said it seemed to have been marinated in a unique sauce before grilling. There is also an extensive salad bar that seems to be really popular with the lunch crowd. Service was fairly fast and efficient, considering they just opened. This is the sister location to Heritage Bakery and Cafe on my side of town. The owners are locals, send their kids to the school up the street, and are very nice people. So if you are looking to eat locally, this is a place do it. read more

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Ordered via EatStreet so can't speak to the environment or the service. Had the breakfast burrito and the breakfast potatoes. The burrito was pretty standard fair, but the potatoes were delicious. Would most likely order again. read more

With the great weather happening in Madison, we decided to eat lunch at a food truck on the square. We were surprised to find construction all around and no food carts to be found. So we stopped in at Gooseberry on the Square where I had heard they had a to-go salad bar. It was an excellent experience. The salad bar has to-go containers and you help yourself. It is loaded with a huge variety of fresh veggies and salad ingredients. Shredded kale and carrots, baby spinach, spring greens, lettuce, zucchini, squash, radish, mushrooms, hard-boiled egg, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, grilled chicken, ham, crabbish (that fake crab they put in sushi rolls), garbanzo beans, cranberries, blue cheese crumbles, two types of shredded cheese, croutons, bacon bits, etc. Really pretty much any fresh veggie or other topping I might be looking for on a salad bar was here. We then took our containers up to the check-out where they weigh them and you pay. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the ingredients, I was surprised by the price. Just less than $7. I've been to other salad bars where I payed @ $12 for the same amount of food. As far as the atmosphere, I can't really say. We took our containers outside to eat on the square. From where I was I could see the rest of the restaurant was very open and airy but gave me kind of a cafeteria feel. I noticed they had sandwiches available also, but I didn't pay attention to what they were nor how much since I was more focused on the salad bar. Our cashier was friendly, but I have no idea how the rest of the service was if you actually ate there. I will definitely go back to get the salad bar again. Great ingredients, a great price, and you can eat on the square just one block away. read more

Owners are very good, hardworking people; clearly they care about quality. Coffee is very good, as is the salad bar and their many sandwiches -- big, hearty, overflowing and flavorful. read more

Stopped here when one of my go-to breakfast places was unexpectedly closed. Verdict? Reasonable price. Okay food. Odd service and atmosphere. Two eggs, meat, potatoes, and toast was around $7. There was nothing remarkably good or bad about the actual meal. The atmosphere and service were odd, though. Orders are placed at the counter with food quickly brought to the table. I had to ask for a clean glass, and my order was incorrect (which was quickly corrected). Plates from customers before us and our plates were not cleared while we were there. Music was a strange blend of 70s rock playing too loudly. And we were the only people in the place. At 9:30 on a Monday. Next time, I will spend a bit more for better atmosphere and more interesting food. read more

I've been here a few times now, with mixed results. The Turkey Rueben was only okay. I appreciated the quality of the turkey, but the sandwich didn't really impress me flavor-wise. The Mediterranean Turkey Panini wasn't toasted, and was quite salty. The bread that the Turkey Panini was served on was kind of awful, and the sandwich was a mess. So, I haven't had much luck with Gooseberry's sandwiches. Today, though, I had a great meal. I tried their salad bar, and I was really impressed. I've never seen a salad bar with this many options, and there were several soups to choose from. Everything seemed very fresh, and my salad was delicious. The honey mustard dressing was quite gelatinous, but had a nice sweetness. The pasta salad has been routinely bland, and that recipe could really use some sprucing up. The newly renovated space is somewhat awkward, but overall very nice. There are plenty of windows to let in some sun, and it's been a pleasant place to sit and eat. I've only been to Gooseberry for late lunches, and it's been pretty dead in there around 2 pm. Perhaps I'm just missing the lunch crowd? Prices are pretty reasonable, with sandwiches under $10, which includes a side. My salad today was pretty large, and cost under $5. Staff is friendly, and food comes out quickly. I'll definitely be back for the salad bar. read more

Gooseberry on the Square - Turkey Reuben - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I work right across the street from here, so I get gooseberry if I'm super busy and don't have time to walk to a different place. I like the salad bar. Many options and everything tastes pretty good. They have a more than a handful of options for your lettuce. They also have plenty of protein options: eggs, edamame, some.meat, imitation crab. I also like their toasted sesame dressing. It is one of my favorite places to get toasted sesame dresisnc, actually! I personally did not like the food that you can order. The eggplant sandwich was dry. The pasta side was bland as well. read more

The staff is amazing. Very kind and friendly and always looking to make sure you have a good experience. The food is OK. If you're looking for a salad bar, this is the place to go - they have everything your typical salad bar will have (varieties of lettuce, veggies, and meats - a few vegan/vegetarian protein options: eggs, edamame, and chickpeas). However, if you want a huge salad, it could get a bit pricey. They also have a variety of items for breakfast and lunch, like briskets and pasta. For being a cafe inside the US Bank building, the options are great! read more

Decent salad bar with sandwiches and breakfast options. Located in the US Bank building on the Square. Salad bar runs 6.95/lb. They have a good selection of ingredients with most of my favorites (broccoli, boiled egg, chickpeas, edemame, mushrooms, grilled chicken, etc.). Staff were friendly. Pretty standard building cafeteria overall. An okay choice if you're in the area and hungry but not a spot I would go out of my way to go to. read more

5 stars for the salad bar! If you're a salad bar junkie like me, you'll appreciate Gooseberry. Lots of options, good quality, great price!

Gooseberry is pretty legit for a quick breakfast on the square. They have a variety of hot breakfasts and are located in the US Bank building. I typically opt for the breakfast burritos, but the true gem is their hash browns. The space is clean and modern, although when I've gone for breakfast, it's always been empty. I imagine they get a lot more traffic for lunch, since the downtown crowd is quite big. They regularly have Groupons and Bucky Book deals, so make sure to look for those if you plan on visiting! The one suggestion would be to increase their coffee selections. They have regular coffee, but I didn't see cold brew or bottled coffee in the store. read more

So Disappointed I've eaten at Gooseberry for about 2 1/2 years. My very favorite item was removed from their menu about 6 months ago, since then I don't go very often because I don't like most of their menu. They do have a very good salad bar, I always pile on the juicy grilled chicken and end up with over $10 in a fairly simple salad. Today however I was craving their french fries, they sprinkle the hot fries with a salty peppery mix which is tasty and not overbearing. I've had their fries before and know to ask for them extra crispy because they tend to come to the table too white and soft for my taste. So today I ordered a BBQ Pork sandwich with extra crispy fries. Yummy BBQ pork, I'm thinking juicy, messy, dripping... nope. Dry, dry, dry. Flavorless. No BBQ sauce in sight. Nothing on the roll. The slaw they add was also dry and hard to chew. And don't forget the fries which brought me in to begin with... white, somewhat raw inside, flabby. I was so disappointed. I REALLY MISS the warm chicken Caesar salad wrap and crispy fries... why did you take this off your menu? How complicated is it to make fries crispy? It wasn't busy. No excuse. I will not return. Goodbye Gooseberry. read more

Boy, did we give them a rough time. I got a groupon as a gift. I didn't print it out, and the digital version stayed linked to my mom's account. Initially they said this was a no go, they couldn't honor it without the paper copy or being able to click the 'redeemed' button on the app. So, this sounds like it should be a lower review. But, after my wife gave the poor manager a bit of hell he rallied, figured out a way around the problem, and we got our 8 dollars off. I give him credit for that. The food was quite tasty, very much mid-west fair, the signature breakfast sandwich. Be forewarned, it's a lot of grilled onions, enough to stay with you through most of the day. The bacon on the sandwich is not thin, crispy bacon but thick, substantial, fatty bacon. It's greasy. It's heavy. It may give you a heart attack. It's glorious. read more

I saw a review for Gooseberry in the local paper and figured I'd give it a shot. I mozied over there on a Friday afternoon with a nice walk around the capitol. This place is in the big bank building, so if you go in the "front door" of the bank building you have to go around the corner a little to find this place. Not complaining about the location though! I made myself a salad from the salad bar, and it was pretty good! They had all kinds of toppings and proteins to add onto it, and the standard spread of dressings. I didn't notice the soup's until I had made myself a pretty large salad, but they looked and smelled delicious! When I go back again, I'm definitely going to try them out. The prices were what you would expect for a downtown lunch spot; the salads are $6.99/lb, so for the salad I had and a bottle of water I paid about 8 bucks. I'll definitely be heading back there as my salad go-to and to try out their sandwiches (which looked good on the menu). read more

It's OK. It's over-priced. It's not a destination. It looks like no one has done something untoward to the salad bar. Mostly harmless.

Cafeteria atmosphere in an off-the-square location. I ordered the chickpea burger and what I got was a bland green paste loosely formed into a patty, warmed through on the griddle, and kinda smeared on a bun. It had no flavor, a fact that was overcompensated for by the oddly spiced, sweet tomato jam underneath and the giant slices of sweet pickles on top. Rounded out with a single leaf of lettuce, this sandwich was not worth time or money. Save yourself the mental anguish and get the falafel burger around the corner at Colectivo. The bun was good, though. read more

This is a solid, unremarkable breakfast or lunch option. I would give it 3.5 if I could. Pros: The coffee is good, many ingredients are high quality, it is spacious, well lit, and has a bookable meeting room. Convenient location. Great pulled pork sandwich. Has a decent salad bar. Fast service. NO TVS! Cons: Prices are to high for what you get, bad weekend hours. Pastrami is not as flavorful as it should be. More cheese than I would like on omelets. Good option on busy weekdays when other, better, places are packed, very conveniently located. A step above Dennys and the like. read more

I've had breakfast here a few times. I've had the ham and cheese omelet once and the skillet on a couple of occasions. If I were able, I'd probably give them more 2-1/2 stars because the hash browns (see below) are that good. I'll start out with the positive. The hash browns that are part of the skillet are amazing. They do a great job on the them - crunchy outside, softer inside (but not mush) and perfectly flavored. Now onto the "meh" part of the review. I'll address the skillet first. Their concept of scrambled eggs is a little weird to me. If you've been to Subway, their scrambled eggs are similar to what Subway serves on their breakfast sandwiches. While technically, yes, the eggs are scrambled at some point, this is not what I think of when I think scrambled eggs. Also, when I think of a skillet, I think of everything kind of mixed together so the flavors get mixed as well. Here, they layer everything. The round hash browns on the bottom, the egg on top of that, and then top it with two slices of bacon and a couple slices of cheese. I can get over a weird concept. I mean, I am able-bodied and can easily cut everything up and mix it all together and, voila, scrambled eggs and a true skillet. The "omelet-style" scrambled eggs have led to the eggs being quite dry, however. Also, due to the layering process, nothing gets blended together in the cooking process so the flavors don't meld together to form something awesome. As for the omelet, once again, it was a bit dry. It had a good flavor to it. Once again, they create the egg part of the omelet and then put the remaining ingredients on one side and then fold it over so the ingredients again don't meld together to make something special for your taste buds. read more

Great place for a quick and delicious breakfast or lunch. Their salad bar is always fresh and they offer great ingredients. I am a sucker for their toasted sesame dressing and grilled veggies. Mostly everything that comes out of the kitchen can be made any way you like, which is great for someone like me who is particular about what he eats. The staff is friendly, though at times it seems like it takes a moment for them to register your presence. My big wish would be that some of the foods in the salad bar would be made available for customizing their other menu items. A "build your own" omelet or skillet would likely be stellar with some roasted peppers or black olives. And as a final note, why put the cheese on top of the omelette? Why not in it? Am I the only one that finds that weird? read more

One of the best salad bars downtown. They have a whole menu of breakfast and lunch items, and they're good too, but the salad bar is pretty hard to beat. read more

I basically agree with most of the other reviews here. This place is - at best - a grab and go lunch spot with subpar food. I was excited when they were finally putting a legit restaurant in the bank building - but I've been there twice for food since they opened, and it's just not good. Had a burger with fries during my first visit. Burger was bland and tasteless while the fries were awfully cold and boring. Second time I hit their salad bar and - while there was a lot of selection - the ingredients didn't seem very fresh, especially the lettuce. Staff is relatively friendly but some don't seem to know what is going on. They have some bakery items and some grab-and-go stuff, but stay away and hit the food carts (or the plethora of better restaurants on the square) if you want a legitimate meal. read more

The organization I work for hosted an event in the Capitol and Goosebury was our caterer. We had them deliver coffee in the morning, coffee and boxed lunches at noon and some more coffee later in the afternoon. They were very prompt, and polite. The food was fantastic and people were very happy. I had an attendant comment that the cookie they provided in the lunch was fantastic. We are planning on using goosebury again in the future. read more

I realize this is a brand new restaurant so there is plenty of time for improvement. Let's start with the physical space. The layout does not enhance your dining experience. The front of the restaurant is wide open and under-utilized. The seating is in the back and is awkward at best. There are booths that really do not take advantage of all the natural light. The dissonance was enhanced by the fact that there were only 4 of us eating at 8:30 am. Not a good sign for a breakfast restaurant. I ordered smoked salmon scrambled eggs which were very "loose" and quite fishy. I ordered the rye toast which was super dry and devoid of flavor. The plate looked sad. It cried out for color and appeal. Some fruit or a little salad would have really made a difference. My dining partner had a poached egg and some yummy looking hash browns. Her plate also needed some adornment. She stated that she would never come back as their are so many other options in the area. I will come back and give Gooseberry another chance after they have had some time to find their way. I wish them the best. read more

Yeah, this is like a cafeteria. The food was okay, but not mind bowing. The place is literally like a big high school cafeteria. We were the only people there when we went. If it was packed it would be like a bus station with echoes and screaming kids. The location isn't really "on the square," it's on East Wash, off the square. Don't look for a sign. Look for a crowd of people staring sadly at their plates. read more

I'm shocked at the bad reviews below. As far as take-out food around the square, Gooseberry is the best, and is the favorite of our entire company. My favorite is the Fried Perch Sandwich which is killer. read more

Don't order oatmeal! For $5.00 I was served undercooked INSTANT oatmeal with 5 fresh blueberries on top. Server did exchange for another breakfast choice and comped the $1.50 difference, so there's a plus. There were no other bkfst choices anywhere near a healthy choice so I won't visit here again. And, like the other reviews mention, the music was annoyingly loud and difficult to escape because there are overhead speakers everywhere. I miss Sunprint! read more

Good breakfast and lunch menu. It is difficult to find a salad bar in downtown Madison. I was pleasantly surprised to find one here. I liked the salad menu. Their coffee was very good as well. Spacious seating and convenient take out options as well. read more

I have eaten here three times and tried something different every time and it was all amazingly delicious! I have tried the bacon Mac n cheese, a Philly sandwich, and a chicken sandwich. I will surely be going back again. Also plenty of room to sit and eat and the salad bar looks good too. lots of choices! read more

I keep trying this place because it's so close to my work and I really want it to be good, but I think I'll have to just give up. The only things I've tried and liked here are the Classic Mediterranean sandwich (which is good but far, far overpriced), pulled pork sandwich (which is far, far too large for a lunch portion), and the pre-made turkey or ham sandwiches are decent if you're on the run and can't get anywhere else. The breakfast is terrible. The breakfast sandwich consists of an overcooked omelette (about 2-3x the size of the toast of English muffin it comes on), under cooked bacon, and burnt toast thrown on top of it. The egg scrambles they have are okay, just overpriced. And the salmon omelette is disgusting - it tastes like they've used unseasoned canned salmon. No thanks. Every pastry I've tried from here is burnt or stale as well. You'd be better off walking a block down to Cranberry Creek for breakfast or lunch during the week and spending a few bucks less for something. After today's disappointing venture, I think I'm giving up on them entirely. read more

This place is perfect for a quick lunch or breakfast! They have great soups at their lunchtime salad bar, and they also have a diverse (and tasty!) breakfast menu. Oh, and the fries and sandwiches are good, too! I love to stop here to get lunch while I'm at work. read more

This company provides breakfast and lunch to the Dean Clinic delis where I work. The food is awful. All processed lunchmeat, overcooked mush, and no variety whatsoever. Tried Gooseberry in the hopes that maybe it would be better than what they serve us and was disappointed to find it was the same slop. read more

I have been here several times and find the menu appealing because they don't try to be everything to everyone. If you haven't tried the pulled pork sandwich you are missing out in my opinion. It is great and has a "kick" to it. And seriously, you are downtown and you can get a nice hot breakfast for less than $7? Really? That's amazing. A McNuthin and a coffee would set you back $5. No comparison in my view. The real secret to this place is the fine little meeting room in the back where I can meet in solitude with clients. I love this place and will continue to go there. Next time, the salad bar gets a visit. Oh, and did I mention the bakery items? Try one if you dare! but you might get addicted...you've been warned. read more

Sorry, I would not return here. It is literally always empty (which is always a bad sign in my mind) and the entire staff seems to always be grumpy or disturbed by customers. Food is just OK--there are heaps of better quality food in a town like Madison. read more

I'm surprised by the bad reviews. I've had lunch here twice and tried the pork belly sandwich. To my surprise it was very good. The sourdough bread was toasted and the pork belly was moist and full of flavor. I chose fries as a side and the fries are well cooked. I would come back for that pork belly sandwich! Yum. read more