I heard about this place from the comedian Al Madrigal . It was the example of how to run a place…read moreon a Wednesday at 10:30 at night. The staff was great and the bar while packed it had this jack off named Kyle bitching and moaning about how packed it was . He should have been tossed out by the staff as he was one of those chicken finger eating no idea what real food tastes like generation who would rather eat chicken fingers and tater tots and play on his phone. The steak I had was pretty damn good and the French fries seemed to be hand cut and super fresh. Go here eat here and never ever listen to Kyle

Where to begin. We were seated at a table that was in a room that sounded like we were in a sports…read morebar. It was so loud that my wife and I had to raise our voices to talk to each other. The communication between us and the waitress contained many requests to repeat ourselves. It was bad. They provided us with a small loaf of uncut bread (which, of course, sent crumbs all over the table) with enough butter for half a piece. They were happy to bring more but we had to ask. Apparently, butter is at a premium at the Tornado room. We also received a glass (?) of raw vegetables with no accompaniment. I like vegetables as much as the next guy, but it would be nice to provide some kind of dip. Raw radish? My wife ordered a $13.50 drink that came in a small water glass. Enough said. I ordered a New York Strip (medium rare), steak fries and a wedge salad. The steak was fine, not great. The problem was that it was 2 inches thick. Now I know that people ohhh and ahhh over a thick cut of meat, but it is impossible to cook it right. The edges were fine but the center was as raw as if it just came out of the field. There are only 2 ways to cook a 2-inch steak to someone's liking, raw and well done. Everything else is a disappointment. The flavor was good but nothing special. You can get the same taste in most basic restaurants. The steak fries were floppy and luke warm. I HATE a warm fry. If you sell fries, they need to be crisp and hot or don't bother. My wedge salad was not a wedge salad. It was a chunk of iceburg (good) with roquefort (fine), no bacon (WHAT?), cucumber, tomato slices, croutons, onions, and black olive (again, what? to all of it). This was a garden salad without the lettuce cut up. Don't call it a wedge salad. It's not. My wife had the shrimp, asparagus and french onion soup. The soup was good. Good flavor and very fresh. The asparagus was not. You know when you get a piece of asparagus and start to eat at the tip and work your way down. It's really good at the top but there is a point where it gets stringy and you give up on it. These were like that. This is a sigh of low-quality asparagus. For $1.50 per spear, stringy should be found nowhere in the description. What was edible was good. The shrimp was really good. The spices they used were very tasty. The only complaint I have would be the size. They were smaller than I would have expected from what is supposed to be a high-end steak house. All-in-all, save your money. If you want to spend $50 on a steak, there are lots of places with better atmosphere and food.

This was one of the best dining experiences I have had in Madison!…read more Fantastic atmosphere Exceptional service Amazing food Highly accommodating for dietary needs They went above and beyond to make this a special occasion to celebrate my wife's birthday. Well worth every penny!!! The trumpet mushroom appetizer= chef kiss! I had no idea you could make mushrooms taste so absolutely delicious. I have been dreaming about them now for weeks. James Beard award winning chefs. Yeah, I can see why! Oh, I can't forget to mention the deviled eggs are simple but some of the best I have had. They are just done to perfection. Well done

We had good service, the vibe was fun, and the food was good. They went above and beyond to…read morehelp my friend with food allergies know what she could order. The cappaletti was really flavorful but could have been hotter. My friend absolutely loved the flavor of the risotto but didn't enjoy the rabbit as much (it was fairly dry). Everything was good, but with how highly rated and recommended they are, I think I was expecting to be more wowed. a

Highly recommend. The food and cocktails were amazing. I am eager to come back to try the rest of…read morethe menu. The empanadas were delicious. They could be a meal or shared appetizer. The poblano cream is very mild. I would have liked a little more heat, a little more of the pickled onions, and a little more brisket. I'd order this as an appetizer to share, so you can try more than one menu item (because everything is so good), but it's also filling enough as a meal. My husband got the duck pot pie and was only willing to share one bite. He was very happy with his choice. The duck was delicious. A friend enjoyed the Potato & Cheddar Soup with Fried Chicken. The crispiness of the fried chicken was a perfect contrast to the soup which is a delicious sauce to dip each bite of crispy chicken. The only feedback is to serve this with a spoon, so people can enjoy every bite of the soup. They have a great cocktail menu. Service was great. Our server was kind and attentive. We were seated near the door, so they turned on a small space heater to ensure we didn't get cold when the door opened.

Was a little disappointed at first this isn't the kettle black kitchen I thought it was going to…read morebe...HOWEVER the food was still incredible! The cocktail menu had excellent choices as well. They were accommodating to our dairy free request. Every dish was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Portion sizes were perfect. The Mac with the short ribs had a bit of spice I wasn't expecting but tasted great. The elote was also spicy! Overall I'd recommend this restaurant however I'd warn it's not the French restaurant it was a year ago and a lot of the pics shown on Yelp are not offered anymore.

Stopped in with my cousin when I was in town visiting. Found a couple of spots at the bar and…read moreexperienced their tasting menu for the evening. Great food, awesome service and great cocktails. Looking forward to my next visit. Yes ambience was great as well.

Been here for brunch, happy hour, and restaurant week. Interior is nice, but there is a food smell…read moreon your clothes when you leave. Seating is a bit dense, and it can get a bit loud. Hostesses are always welcoming and friendly. Food is good, but quite pricey. I'd recommend going for happy hour for the best bang for your buck--the ham sandwich is tasty (from someone who doesn't even like ham), and the oysters were really yummy.

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.

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.

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.

This place was our choice for our 15th wedding anniversary celebration weekend and it didn't…read moredisappoint! Bartenders were great and service was spectacular! They gave us a free dessert of choice for our anniversary. I love the stone walls and gothic themed decor, definitely an upscale supper club at its finest! Recommend reservations ahead of time as they get busy on the weekends and bar seating is FCFS.

Walked in after walking state st and I must saw wow! Food was so yummy, I had the chicken Marsala…read moreand my companion had shrimp pasta. The front entrance is dark so you might pass it, but the ambiance is super cute. Perfect place for a date or to grab dinner if you're going to comedy club. Service is the best, from the hostess to the waiter. I would come back. This is our favorite place to eat around the capital.

We went here for lunch before a game and everyone loved their food. It is very comfortable and…read moreservice was fantastic, really friendly and responsive. We had called in advance for reservations since we had a large party which is a good idea. They have a great menu including some great beers on tap (I had a blue moon, but others enjoyed local choices. Then we started out with some fried cheese curds. I am not a big fan of cheese curds, but these were delicious with a light bread coating and fried perfectly. For my main course, I ordered the Nashville which includes spareribs and brisket (on Texas toast). They have some incredible sides where you could pick two--I had the corn muffins and the beans (but also tried the hush puppies which were also great. Really excellent barbeque. The ribs were cooked just right and had a really nice flavor. They have several choices for sauces you can add on the table and the sweet one worked great for me. Then as much as I liked the ribs, I absolutely loved the brisket. Great flavor and it just melted in my mouth. Then both sides were outstanding, the corn muffins were so good. Everyone loved their sides. The portions were really generous also. Nobody finished and everyone loved it. Definitely worth a trip!

Ordered take-out for a party of 9 on Saturday, 9/12. Fantastic choice! Something for everyone, even…read moreour lone non-meat eater. All the packaging for travel was superior, the staff was attentive and super friendly, enjoyed the atmosphere & clean restrooms during our short wait for pick-up. The brisket was phenomenal, chicken & ribs both fall-apart delectable. We sampled a variety of yummy sauces. Everyone loved the Mac N Cheese and we're a tough crowd. Hubs loved the cornbread muffins and I was impressed with the perfectly creamy cole slaw. Plenty of leftovers that we polished off the next day. Would return, maybe to add some seafood next time!

First timer here...not sure why I've taken so long to try this restaurant, but glad I did…read more FOOD: Our appetizers and entrees were quite good/cooked and seasoned perfectly: ribeye, filet, sliders. Calamari was seasoned with a unique peanut chili sauce. The crab cakes were good, but not amazing. Though slightly overdress IMPO, the Delmonico salad did not disappoint. DRINKS: The martinis were light, but proper, and I appreciated the hand-stuffed blue cheese olives. Their Cherry Smash mocktail is very simple, yet something special. If you wanted to turn it into an adult beverage, you could easily throw some gin in there and call it a day, because it would not be overly sweet thanks to the tartness of the Luxardo cherry juice and lemon juice. CUSTOMER SERVICE: The stand-out of the evening, was our server, Taylor. She mastered the art of checking on us often, while making sure to not rush us; allowing us time to visit with each other. I appreciated her patience and professionalism as she helped guide us through the menu options. She gets an A+ for eye contact...not just with the paying adults, but also with the teenagers at the table (this is unfortunately a thing). Honorable mention to the other staff members who regularly topped off our water glasses and made sure our dirty dishes didn't sit in front of us for long. Great experience. We shall return!

Celebrated Mothers Day at Johnny Delmonico's and from start to finish things were an A+. Our…read moreserver Ashton was friendly, knowledgeable of the menu and made great recommendations. He was a consummate professional and was always available without hovering. We started our meal with a couple cocktails, and I have to say the Pear Martini was delish! The guests in my party were equally happy with the Bees Knees and the Gimlet. Very nice drink menu, lots of choices for everyone and all drinks were well made. Food wise, we started with a couple appetizers. The Oysters on Half Shell, the Stuffed Mushroom Caps and the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. We also tried the French Onion Soup. Not a complaint to be heard, and we practically licked the plates clean if that gives you an idea of how tasty everything was. Entrees included the Salmon, the Seared Scallops, The Waygu Burger and the Manhattan Surf and Turf with the addition of Marrow Butter. Absolute perfection... each and every one. I would not hesitate to recommend you give it a try, you will NOT be disappointed! Thanks for making my Mothers Day so incredibly special.