Higher-end restaurant in Madison. We went out to celebrate my birthday and were able to get a reservation for 3 just a few hours before we wanted to go. The place is a good size, volume was nice, they have both indoor and outdoor seating along with the bar, too. Our waitress was super nice, allowed us to modify our drinks a little and our meal. The only downfall was the food took forever to come. We were there for about an hour and a half from start to finish. Drinks were good, strong. The "grilled" Caesar salad was not grilled but honestly i preferred it that way. We got the chicken meal and it was phenomenal. The chicken, the potatoes, and the sauce were so good. The salmon presentation was beautiful and delicious! read more

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I was really excited to try this restaurant to celebrate my husband's birthday. It's very rare we get to go out (with 3 young children and a baby on the way). So I was very selective about where I made our reservation. The menu looked amazing and I was looking forward to splurging on what I hoped would be excellent steak and seafood. We arrived on time and were immediately welcomed by kind staff. I was pleased to see a birthday card on the table for my husband signed by all their staff, such a nice touch! Our waitress Page was wonderful! She was very friendly and gave thoughtful recommendations on the food selections. The bartender was also awesome and made a special mocktail for me and specialty drinks for my husband's birthday. I could tell he loved his job and went the extra mile to make us great drinks. To start I ordered the roasted pear salad and scallops with grits. Considering the restaurant was relatively empty, the food service was very slow. However, my starters were both great quality and tasty. The problems didn't start until it was time for our entrees. They didn't arrive until about 30 minutes after we were done eating our appetizers, possibly longer. It felt like forever. But we could be patient for quality food. Unfortunately, that isn't what we received. I ordered the surf and turf with filet and lobster. I took one bite of my lobster and told my husband I had never been served bad lobster until that night. It was by far the worst tasting lobster I ever had. I initially thought maybe it needed more butter and was just a problem with seasoning. However, I took one additional bite which was still awful and stopped eating it completely. My husband took a bite of his lobster and immediately spit it out complaining of a strong ammonia smell. He thought there was cleaning solution in it and told me to look up on Google what that might mean. When I did I was unpleasantly surprised to find it meant the lobster was "spoiled and unsafe to eat". I had wished I hadn't eaten any of it being 5 months pregnant! It was the worst feeling. On a side note, my asparagus was overcooked and my husband's medium rare steak was well done. The horrible smell emanating from the lobster completely ruined the rest of the meal for me. I took my filet to go, but threw it away once we were home fearing it might be contaminated. If this review was based on the service/staff bartender and general manager it would easily be 5 stars. The general manager who I believe is Emily was really kind about the bad bad experience with our entrees and did comp several items from our tab. However, I really just wanted an amazing meal and celebration for my husband. Instead I had to worry about spoiled/unsafe to eat seafood and if that might harm my baby. In a restaurant with prices like this one, you'd expect fresh seafood. It's hard to imagine the chefs could miss the horrible smell from our cooked lobster. I really hate leaving a bad review because the service and staff really were amazing. However, I've seen too many Gordon Ramsay shows where he inspects restaurant kitchens and am really strict about food safety and quality. It should be every restaurants main concern that their food is safe to eat. I would never choose to eat at a fine dining establishment which served spoiled/smelly seafood. read more

Great bar! Cocktails were very tasty and festive. Food was delicious. I had the hummus wrap and a friend had the wings. She loved the wings! I enjoyed my lunch as well. I was blown away by the fries. I am particular and never expect them to meet my expectations but these were delicious! Restaurant feels upscale with a casual atmosphere. Staff are very helpful and knowledgeable. read more

River Oak Chophouse - Parm fries and hummus wrap - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

We chose this restaurant, when we were in Madison, based on reviews. We had dinner here. Overall, it was a very good meal. We shared the fish dip for starters. It was a piping hot mix of seafood and cheese served with toasted bread for dipping.There was so much, we only ate one third to half of it. We each had a Margarita - one of the best either of us has ever had. We then had a small Caesar Salad, which was heavily dressed. I had the 16 ounce Ribeye, My husband had Braised Beef Shortribs. Both came with vegetables and potatoes. We shared the Creme Brulee with a fresh brewed cup of decaf coffee. We enjoyed our dinners a lot but we had two issues with the meat. The short ribs could have been cooked a bit longer. They tasted fine and they were soft, but not as soft as we feel short ribs should be. The Ribeye was cooked to medium rare. Because of the amount of food I had had, I ate a forth, or less, of the portion at the table. We had the leftovers boxed up and we ate them for lunch the next day. The Ribeye was very tough after 15 hours in the refrigerator. We were both surprised. I had not noticed this when it was served, but I also ate only a small amount and all of my bites were cut up quite small because of how full I was. Ribeye can become tougher and chewier after it is cooked and cooled, but I have eaten ribeye after it was cooled and it was not as tough as this one. Michelle was our server. She was pleasant and attentive. We would go back to this restaurant if in Madison. We gave them five stars because of the quality of the Margarita, the food and the service. One can hardly blame the cook for how leftovers survived. read more

The River Oak Chophouse is located in the charming town of Madison and boasts an elegant dining area. Our waitress was fantastic. She was very kind and apologized for the unavailable menu items. Unfortunately we should have take a look at the menu before we made the reservation, because the prices are very high. Of course, the cheapest item on the dinner menu was one of the unavailable dishes. My friend and I were celebrating her birthday, so we decided that the food sounded delicious and since it was her birthday we were okay spending a little more than normal. Unfortunately the food was underwhelming given the description and price. I had the low country trout. The amount of trout in the dish was a bit small for the price, but it tasted fine. The leeks, however, were so salty that I had to eat them with the polenta just to make them palatable. Now let's talk about the polenta. It is advertised as seafood polenta. There was no seafood in it, unless they are referring to the trout that was on top of it. The best part of the meal was the banana cheesecake, which we got to go. I'm not sure that it was worth $14 for one slice, but it was delicious. I recommend skipping the overpriced meal, treat yourself to some banana cheesecake and call it a night. There are so many other choices for excellent food. read more

River Oak Chophouse - Low Country Trout - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

Good service. Faster than expected. Very clean. Crab and potato were light and flavorful. The filet had to be recooked but came out the second time phenomenal. The smothered chicken as good just needed to be salted a bit more. We would return! read more

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This was a super awesome sort of fancy, sort of casual restaurant we found during our recent trip to Madison Indiana. They had a menu full of seafood and steak options but so I got a bit of both. I got the Wood Fired Surf And Turf which was an 8 ounce filet, 2 garlic butter Gulf Shrimp, seafood polenta, broccolini, and black truffle cream. Now even though this was a $62 plate of food I'm here to tell you that it was worth every penny. The sides were good but those shrimp were stellar and this was a steak that you could only get at a chophouse. So juicy and so full of flavour it literally melted in my mouth for every bite. It was a meal fit for a king. The restaurant was really awesome looking and the service was as good as it could possibly be. I can't wait to save up a few extra dollars and get dressed up and come back for more. read more

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Best steak we've ever had!! The steak melts in your mouth!! Especially the filet! Wonderful experience and service. Ask for Paige. read more

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Delicious food. I had the pear salad and pasta and for dessert the creme brûlée. Great service. Aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. I'll definitely come back again the next time I'm in town. Thank you! read more

A delightful experience. Welcomed warmly with a feel of southern hospitality! Food excellent although gourmet burger was a little rarer then desired.price was fare and old fashion drink superb. A classy place! Spirited Emily was our server and so proud to convey that they are coming up with a newer menu of food choices. Her colleague shared the same enthusiasm! read more

We came here for lunch and saw the waitress one time at ordering. We sat for over an hour and no one acknowledged us or said a word. We finally asked someone at the front about it and they checked and said we were up next. It was still another 15-20 min to wait from there. Once we got the food, it was bland and pitiful. My mom's pulled pork sandwich was mostly bread. We finally flagged down the waitress and asked for the check. 20 min went by again and she was MIA and no check. We ended up grabbing a menu to total up the bill ourselves and left cash to cover it on the table. On the way out, I said to the hostess that we wouldn't be returning, to which she replied "Thank God!" My jaw is on the floor for how unprofessional that comment was, along with this entire lack of service and attention. Never have I had an experience quite like this. read more

I was looking forward to checking out River Oaks in downtown Madison. I've eaten at their sister restaurant in North Vernon and it was excellent, so I had pretty high expectations of River Oaks. Upon entering the restaurant, there were multiple empty tables. We were greeted by the hostess who began to take us to a back room. When we inquired about sitting towards the front of the restaurant, we were told that was not an option. Those were for people with reservations. We had reservations, scheduled our reservation over 3 weeks ago. So....not sure. The back room felt like an afterthought, overflow at best. It was stuffy and the tables were too close together. Our table on the day of the KY Derby. A large TV was hung on the wall but staff indicated the TV was broke and not operating. The restaurant just opened..... The food, we ordered 2 sharables and all carte steaks. One person ordered 12 oz filet cooked medium-well and his steak was more medium, all pink. Another person ordered the ribeye to be cooked to medium rare, which was good. Crispy on the outside, pink on the inside. I ordered a 12 oz filet cooked medium, my steak was raw on the inside. Not warm, cold and raw. I ate the outsides of it the filet as those were cooked more. No no one came back to ask us how our food was until the end of the meal. At that point, I asked for a box. We ordered creamed corn which was great and cacio brussels which was nothing special. Some brussel sprouts were too hard, some were too mushy. There was a little bit of charred brussel leaves at the bottom of the bowl; those were really good. Needed more seasonings. If River Oaks is trying to be a serious steakhouse, they need improve the experience. River Oaks prices the food like its a steakhouse; we spent $80/person (or $240 total). Other steakhouses with similar price points offer bread, salad, and have a much better ambiance. read more

One of the best steaks that I didn't prepare. Truly mouth-watering and even more so when dipped in the steak sauce they provided. I never eat steak sauce, so this is the most extreme complement. I'm kicking myself that I missed out on their Tomahawk steak, but I had no idea this place even existed until this week. My only gripe was where I was seated. If you make your reservations too late, you might end up like my date and I - having your dinner conversation drowned out by the loudest food processor known to mankind. However - this was all water under the bridge when the Bananas Foster cheesecake arrived. My god in heaven, this is without a doubt a top 5 cheesecake for me; possibly top 3. It could be number one. Served warm and seemingly just prepared, it was undeniably the star of the show. I look forward to dining here again, photographing more of their fantastic food and perhaps being able to concentrate on my food as opposed to the sounds of the genius hands making it for me. read more

Service was great! The restaurant can get loud after 7pm when the bar crowd arrives. My husband and I LOVED the shrimp cocktail- it was so fresh tasting and the presentation was amazing! I ordered the smothered chicken and could have licked the plate clean. My husband, on the other hand, ordered the ribeye dinner and was disappointed. The steak was slightly overcooked and tasted like it hadn't been seasoned at all. For $62 at a steak house, we were bummed out about it, but salt and pepper made it bearable. read more

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Waited almost 30 minutes past reservation time, finally got seated,ordered the Brussels Sprouts for an appetizer, after 30 minutes was told they were out of Brussels Sprouts. Then asked about the bread they kept telling us was just about out(at least 3 times) they were like, oh we are out of butter, do you still want us to bring you some bread? An hour later when the food was served, the orders were mixed, my steak was supposed to be medium, but was ordered medium rare, came out more rare than medium rare. The bill still had my Brussels Sprouts on it ($15), fortunately I checked my bill and got that waived, which was nice since they didn't have any to serve us. Not high level service and not worth the price. read more

The food was okay. Not a dry aged guy after eating here. Not my flavor. Nothing against the, just my taste buds. Ambiance was great.

First time in the spot so I tried the house burger. Ordered it medium but was cooked well done but it was still a good burger for a carry out meal. Will have to give it another try when I have time to sit and try the steaks!! Overall it will give 4/5!! read more

Great food and great service! My friend and I came out and had drinks, the chicken sandwich and filet. All amazing. Our server Jake was great and added to the experience! 10/10 recommend and will be back! read more

Excellent food and service. Menu is excellent..sushi as well. Fish .. fried rice. Japanese beer.

Nice ambiance, excellent food, exceptional service. A++ We will definitely be back with friends!! Our waitress told us about their training. It shows how much care has gone into this business. read more

River Oak Chophouse - Seafood dip appetizer and Branzino entree. Hubby had Low Country Trout. We shared Bananas Foster Cheesecake for dessert. - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

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We had a wonderful experience last night at River Oak chophouse! We were a party of six. The service was wonderful. The food was fantastic. My husband & Dale had the trout, Frances I had the chicken,Vicki & Junior had salmon. Our waitress Kailee did a beautiful job,Making Vicki feel special on her 70th birthday. The bananas, foster cheesecake was out of this world! Looking forward to the crème brûlée the next time we go! If you're in the Madison Indiana area, I would highly recommend River Oak chophouse read more

River Oak Chophouse - Private Dining room! - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

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Always great service, excellent food!! Great atmosphere, Always very attentive. I have a friend with alot of food allergies They always accommodate her. read more

We visited Madison and decided to try the River Oak Chophouse for dinner. While the atmosphere was cozy, and the waitress friendly and efficient, the overall experience was very disappointing. I suffer with a large number of severe food allergies with anaphylactic reactions. I cannot eat in any restaurant with any kind of peace of mind due to the risk of cross contamination and general lack of ability to accommodate my restrictions. Rather than deal with that, I usually take a small salad with me to have in the restaurant so I have something to eat while my dinner mates dine (people feel uncomfortable if you just sit and watch them eat). I always ask if it's OK, which I did at River Oak Chophouse, there was no problem. Until halfway through our visit when the waitress returned and said the manager was imposing a $5 fee for bringing my own food. The manager did not visit our table to relay this information herself, which shows a complete lack of understanding of what it means to dine out with serious medical allergies. Charging a fee for the only safe food option I can have is not just poor hospitality, it effectively penalizes customers for medical conditions beyond their control. I left feeling embarrassed, uncomfortable and unwelcome. read more

OMG!! So delicious!! We couldn't get over how amazing the food was. We had the trout and the ale braised chicken and both were unbelievable! We paired it with a Pinot Gris from Oregon that was perfect. Then topped it off with a chocolate mousse cake that was out of this world. Fantastic food, great service (thank you Emily!) and lovely ambiance. Would highly recommend!! read more

River Oak Chophouse - Trout - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

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This place was way too expensive for what you receive. Our food was cold and when I asked to heat it, it took them almost 20 minutes to bring my food back. They heated up one item, which was the chicken - a leg and a thigh on top of a scoop of mashed potatoes with 4 slim carrots. All this for $28. I would at least expect a breast! Do your selves a favor, Chophouse. Stop trying to be so fancy and find a way to keep your food warm until it's served read more

River Oak Chophouse is a culinary gem that combines sophistication with a cozy atmosphere.

We went in (party of 3) with no reservation Saturday night. We were seated at the bar and couldn't have had a better experience. It was very busy, but the bartender Brandon was never behind. He was moving the entire time, our drinks were fantastic and he gave great conversation. The way he spoke to the patrons and other staff was so respectful and kind. The food is pricey, but it is top quality. We will definitely return. read more

The ambiance, the staff, and the food and drinks were amazing. We enjoyed it so much and we will be back!

The food, drinks, and service were the best I have ever experienced. Our server, Jake, was very responsive and provided a lot of feedback on the items on the menu. I had the Steak Frites, the steak was prepared exactly as expected and was presented on what looked like a cutting board, loved this. It was covered with candied bacon and a bourbon cherry jam, very flavorful. The french fries are cooked in duck fat, these were a perfect pairing with the steak. The bourbon cherry jam with candied bacon was used for dipping my fries, tremendous flavor. We have a 4-year old and although they do not have a kids menu, the chef prepared a dish for our child which included the cream corn. The cream corn was a hit with everyone, including our child who is a finicky eater. Our 4-year old also enjoyed the jam and bacon. For desert we had the strawberry shortcake creme brulee and I had a lemon drop martini infused with Limoncello. Both were excellent! We will definitely be back to Madison to dine here again with plans to bring family and friends! 5 stars all-around. read more

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Food - excellent!!! Service - friendly, easy-going. Ambiance - good enough, but nothing special. Clean. read more

We had brunch with some friends. Service was good and food was delicious. Nice ambiance as well. Definitely recommend the steak and eggs!

came in for a reservation and waited 15 minutes to get a waiter. my wife and her mom had to have their steaks remade because they were raw. after remaking my wife's steak it was raw again. we will never eat here again. it's a chop house and they can't even grill correctly read more

Great food. Did not disappoint. We will return. Looking forward when there is outdoor seating.

First time at River Oak Chophouse did not disappoint! Good wine selection, delicious drinks with house made syrups and juices, and wonderful food. We ordered the Strip Steak with the Whipped Potatoes and Pork Jowl Succotash, and the Chophouse Burger with the Duck Fat Fries. The Creamed Horseradish and Verde sauces were delicious complements to the steak. The Louis Jadot Beaujolais was a great pairing. Our bartender and server were both very welcoming! Can't wait to go back and try more of their menu. read more

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Our server, Paige, was excellent....attentive but not intrusive, very professional. The menu is very good, and the quality is worth the price, although because Paige was also having to attend to a holiday group of 20, my dish must have waited too long as I had to send it back to be reheated. The real weakness is the loudness of the dining room. What could have been a great experience turned into a disappointing one with the food having to be reheaed and the dining room so loud that our table conversation had to be so loud it contributed to the loud atmosphere. Serious sound buffering will make a huge difference in the quality of a relatively expensive night out. Will I teturn, questionalble. Just too loud. read more

unquestionably the best food in town. The waitresses were all very attentive, but Kourtney did a fantastic job and her timing was perfect, I didn't have to ask for anything because every base was covered. If you're hesitant to check the place out I hope this helps. read more

River Oak Chophouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Indiana

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Since this restaurant has only been open for two months, I hope this review can be taken with a grain of salt, in the hopes that any growing pains they are experiencing will be oiled out in time. The ambience is stellar, the music not too loud and the selection perfect. Emily, our server, was sweet, knew the menu backward and forward, and even offered suggestions in each food category. The charcuterie starter was superb, with a nice pairing of sweet, savory, and salty. I had a limoncello martini that was quite tasty as well. My husband's selection, hanger steak verde, was delicious. My choice, the sugar cured tenderloin, was quite disappointing. It came out quite burnt, so much so that it flavored the rest of the meal with a charred taste. The second time the chef sent out the same entrée, it was slightly less burnt, but still left a literal bad taste in the mouth. The creamed corn, I must say, was exceptional. For dessert, the crème brûlée was wonderful, and when we tried it, the rotating flavor this time was a cinnamon and sugared delight. I will say, they absolutely tried to make it right, and sent us home with a tenderloin entrée to go. Lastly--and this is just a personal preference--but the entrées and starters are served on slate slabs. This is absolutely fine for things that don't have sauces, but for anything with any kind of liquid at all, it spills over the side and makes a royal mess all over the table, also potentially soiling your lap as well if it drips. read more

Came for a birthday dinner. We typically avoid new restaurants for a few months after opening - allowing time for them to get the kinks worked out, so we were nervous giving them a try after only a month of service. All of our concerns were quickly squashed by the delicious food and attentive service. We tried all of the following: - Fire Grilled Shrimp Cocktail - portion was easily enough for a party of four and the shrimp were cooked perfectly. A touch of heat from the harissa, but not too spicy. - 12oz filet - thick cut cooked perfectly with a very tasty, salted crust - Matre' D Butter - rich, smooth, creamy texture - Heirloom carrots - tender and well-seasoned - Creamed Corn - phenomenal! I'd heard a "lick-my plate" review of this dish, so we had to order it. Really glad we got the shared portion size of this one - it was incredible. - Steak Frites - grapefruit tarragon butter topping was a great combination that perfectly complemented the flavor of the steak. The duck-fat frites were very crisp and flavorful. - Banana's Foster Cheesecake - very tasty. Loved the deep-fried banana. Wish I had requested some extra rum sauce and whipped cream. Really enjoyed our meal. Steaks were on par (if not better than) meals we've had at Jeff Ruby's, Mortons, St. Elmo's, and Le Moo. With a couple of minor tweaks (boxing up leftovers in the kitchen vs. having guests take care of this), this will easily be our special occasion go-to. So glad to have this option close to home. read more

very disappointed. We tried the new restaurant for my mother in laws 88th bday. When we arrived, they told us our table was a high top which my mil stated she could not sit in a high chair, which seemed to irritate the hostess. once we were seated, we hardly could find our waitress. my mil ordered the grilled shrimp appetizer which was seasoned so heavily, she could not eat! Once we received our entrees, everything was just lukewarm and no one seemed to care! Tried to order another glass of wine but waitress was not to be found. Was hoping they would make a bigger deal of her bday and maybe have a complimentary dessert but no! Needless to say, we will never go back again, if anyone cares!!!! read more

I've been dwelling on how to write this review for a few days now. How to best describe the toughest, unseasoned, burnt oil tasting ribeye I've ever had. The disappointing seafood dip that I can best describe as the La Croix of dips, imagine a decent Alfredo sauce with the essence, or juice, of shrimp and nothing more. The bread soaked in grease fire flavored oil. The bacon cheeseburger that had no bacon and was half the size of the bun. The fact that it took 15 minutes to get one beer. read more