Dine at Sardine! There is no need to go to Marseille for bouillabaisse! On y mange bien! The meals are magnifique at Sardine and staff led by Joshua is top notch! For French haute cuisine visit La Sardine! A memorable experience! Monsieur Norman read more

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Located in the Machinery Row Building at the large intersection of Williamson Street and John Nolen Drive, Sardine is a local, modern and elevated spot serving up fresh and creative dishes with a menu rooted in local and sustainable dishes, especially of the seafood variety! We found our way to Sardine after their recent nod in the NY Times, so we made a reservation for a Thursday evening and off we went! The location is stellar, not only is the space expertly curated to give a slightly elevated vibe, but it also provides a fish house-y feeling as the colors, decor, lighting and wood throughout lend themselves to a spot known for seafood. In addition to the interior, they are located right on the lakefront, which creates calming and gorgeous views from inside or outside! Before diving into the food, we landed on a few cocktails to start the night off with. The cocktail menu was well laid out with house and classic cocktails along with a section solely dedicated to tableside served Absinthe! We went with a classic and house cocktail respectively. I seemed to enjoy my Pimms Cup a bit more than my buddy enjoyed his Old Fashioned, but he made a pivot to a beer for his second drink, so all was saved! Food wise, as noted, they are seafood forward, but have a few other offerings for those land dwellers! The menu is not expansive, but it is robust in the areas of offerings from apps to oysters, salads to sides and of course entrees. For our starter, we went with the warm goat cheese, because I am currently obsessed with warm fancy cheese dip style dishes, no shame! The cheese came with grilled bread, however the bread was a bit hard and made enjoying the creamy texture and feel of the goat cheese complicated. I would have much preferred a softer variety of bread or toast, or a less grilled portion. For dinner once of us went seafood, the other steak. The swordfish was light, well cooked and delightful. The steak frites were a bit heavier with less components, but no less tasty! The mustard sauce served on the side was perfection and a perfect accompaniment. For a fairly plain dish, the simple preparation was good, and the fries were crisp and well seasoned. It was not the best steak frites I have ever had, but it was a steak dish from a seafood spot, so I respect it and still enjoyed it quite a bit! Service was stellar from entry to exit. Getting to the host(ess) stand can be a bit confusing as it is located in the middle of the restaurant, but once there, they take care of you! Our server was kind, friendly, helpful and a joy to interact with. Overall, Sardine was a great evening with a solid meal, good drinks, great service and a uniquely Madison vibe! read more

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This is probably the or one of the best restaurants I have been to in Wisconsin. The ambiance is reminiscent of an upscale cozy New York restaurants. The service was good, nothing special. This is a great date or group spot. We started off with the salmon and cucumber plate; this was so unique and I really enjoyed it. A slight homage to a lox bagel but in an upscale way, the cucumbers were slightly picked and the smoked salmon was great quality. We also had the seasonal tomato and burrata salad; this was delicious and the tomatoes were so fresh, if in season I would definitely recommend. We also got oysters; they were small and easy to eat just how I like. All great apps. We then shared the moules frites. I love mussels and these were done pretty well. Everything was either on par with previous experiences or slightly above for this style of french/american cuisine. I really liked it here and would go back and tell people to go! read more

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Absolutely had an excellent time at this cozy bistro! The food was wonderfully crafted and tasty! My favorites were the cheese plate and their duck pate. Everything was fresh and expertly prepared! The drinks were on the strong side, but not unbalanced. Sharing plates were generous as were portions on the entrees. Every bite and drink was delicious! Their menu would definitely be vegetarian or vegan friendly. One of the items we had was a vegan squash shared plate that was great! The decor was bright and inviting. The decor made for an intimate bistro experience. The display of their fresh oysters was also impressive. The location is perfectly placed on the lake. We were there for dinner in the evening, but imagine when the weather is good dining outside is really pretty. The service was great as well! The staff were welcoming, knowledgeable, and attentive. They were happy to answer any questions we had and make recommendations. read more

I went here again after a many year absence about two weeks ago. I had a house red on happy hour cuz wine doesn't impress me. After the second one? Who cares! I got oysters . Hard to out down oysters . On the half. I got an assortment of. They were good to great. Hard to know exactly cuz my waitress while sweet wasn't knowledgeable about them. That's a pity. I got steak frite for dinner. It wax okay. The fries were a soggy disappointment to be honest. I didn't eat them. If I'm going to down carbs , they better be off the charts. I enjoyed but could have been better. Next I'll go back to Tempest and just down the oysters read more

Went for a birthday bunch. It was such a cute place. I tried the Bloody Mary, charcuterie board and baked creamed egg. My favorite was def the baked creamed egg - dipping the toast in there was so good. Cheesy, creamy & full of flavor! read more

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4.5 stars Excellent service, nice ambiance Bread was ok MUSSELS WERE AMAZING, FRIES TO DIE FOR -- had to see a million photos of this on yelp to order it, was not recommended by the waitress Menu can be clearer: ordered the beet salmon small plate not knowing it would be raw (may be my fault but this was not evident after reading the menu or talking to the waitress about this dish) Nice dessert :) read more

This was the first place I've ever tried moules frites, and it is still the entree that I get whenever I'm here. The fries are cooked well, the white wine sauce is heavenly, and the mussels always taste fresh. The grilled lamb merguez was really tasty, but it was not filling, which was a little disappointing. The restaurant was extremely packed, so it felt like our waiter took a little longer to get to us. He did take care of us when we needed, such as when we asked for tobasco for the oysters. Lots of seating in the restaurant, but be sure to have a reservation or be willing to wait. Don't forget to grab a free matchbook on your way out! read more

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I came here for brunch with two friends. First, the location is great, right on the lake. We had reservations for a Saturday morning, which I highly recommend. The place is bustling and bright. I saw large groups and small groups - it looks like a popular spot for brunch. Good service - we were taken care of. We each ended up ordering omelets which were filling and delicious. Each comes with a salad and frites. The frites were thin and crispy and delicious, delicate fresh greens, and the omelet prepared perfectly. Excellent menu - so much to try and I'd definitely come again. read more

Sardine - Omelet, frites, and salad - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

SERVICE was great, very efficient and server was very knowledgeable of each entree. Recommendations were spot on and the FOOD was prepared as expected & delicious. Ambiance was okay-- very noisy and a tight squeeze (seating is not desirable) but most people didn't seem to care. Make sure to request a window seat! Rating is a 4.5. read more

This place is super cute and has plenty of space for a crowd or a romantic date. It's got plenty of parking right along the water too. Food was spectacular and the service was on point. Loved the salad, octopus, and oysters to start. Dessert was tasty as all get out and loved the pink squirrel drink. read more

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Brunch was amazing, great options, clean environment, kind staff, and classy set up overall. ordered: bacon, tomato, goat cheese, spinach omelette blueberry scone read more

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The best place for brunch in Madison. Depending on where you sit, you can have a gorgeous view of the lake. It's a very open space with plenty of room for groups, large or small. They have a variety of choices. The kids menu is small, but mighty. The special they had was a salmon tartine and it was phenomenal. Their desserts are fantastic as well. You can't go wrong with butterscotch pot de crème. Their desert special was a Basque cheesecake with blackberry puree. Their lemon meringue is very special as it has candied lemon rind pieces. It gives it a certain something. Our server Zeke, was very attentive and friendly. Something for everyone here. read more

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We sat right by the water and the view was amazing. The steak was perfectly cooked and had a flavorful herb butter on top. The fries were crispy and salted perfectly. The espresso martini was 10/10. read more

Sardine - Steak Frites, Espresso Martini - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Sardine is one of my favorite spots in Madison for brunch or dinner. I will never get tired of their building and view on Lake Monona. I always get the same thing: the house burger or croque madame. But, sometimes they have specials which are always amazing!! This time it was a poached salmon sort of dish on toast. I also tried their coffee, which I had not tried before, and it was so good. Better than most coffee shops. They have limited flavors but the espresso was perfect - I don't think more flavors were needed. Service was organized and efficient. Parking can get tight on weekend nights or mornings, but there is street parking a block over towards Williamson street (by the Elks Lodge) read more

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In my opinion, the restaurant venue adds to the dining experience at Sardine. It's located right on Lake Monona and we were able to snag lake side seats for dinner and watch the sunset. We tried the goat cheese starter along with an order of their frites and aoli. The fries were the perfect crunchiness. Our bread that came with the goat cheese was very hard which wasn't my personal preference. The goat cheese itself, though, was warm and creamy. I can't rave enough over the potato gnocchi that I ordered. It was the star of dinner. We also ordered the Flute special and unfortunately we're not fully satisfied. The breading was off and gave the outside a more chewy/rubbery consistency. However, the inside was quite flakey. Overall, for the price point we were a bit disappointed in that dish. Our server was kind and accommodating. Overall, we will be returning to try out some of the other menu options and soak in the ambiance. read more

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This was my second time here and it was better than the first! I love the vibes of sardine, it's very chic and the service is always attentive. Our appetizers were amazing. We had the warm goat cheese and the beets, and would highly recommend both. I had the moules frites which I had been dying to try since the last time I came they had sold out. They were definitely worth the wait- the broth was outstanding and you can SO much food. My boyfriend had the duck and wished it was more tender, but he enjoyed the flavors. We had the banana bread pudding for dessert which was SO yummy. read more

Sardine - Warm goat cheese, beet salad - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food and service were 5 stars. I was only disappointed with my reservation because when I made it on open table I was asked if we preferred patio or front/window seating, but when we arrived we were told by the host that we would have to wait 30-45 minutes for our preferred seating location. We were happy to be seated immediately in the back, but I don't think it makes much sense to ask for our seating preference only to tell us when we arrive that we have to wait that long for that preference. In addition to the great food and service, part of this restaurants charm is its location, and I don't think that they should promise certain seats if they don't honor it. TLDR: what good is a reservation fora specific table/area of a restaurant if they don't honor it? read more

I dream of their croque madame. The herb and gruyere omelette is the best egg dish I've ever had, and I generally think omelettes are boring. The view by the front windows is gorgeous and their cold brew coffee is the smoothest I've ever tasted. Staff is professional as can be. Can't wait to go back for a third time, and I don't even live in Wisconsin! read more

Sardine - The croque madame, mid-enjoyment. She's a beaut, Clark. - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Dropped in last Saturday for a drink and dessert after the Symphony. The bartender was well versed and gave great recommendations. read more

Sardine - Sidecar at Sardine. - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Everything we ordered was ICE COLD with the exception of the French Onion soup!!! The food is delicious but ours was just cold - so disappointed read more

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It is a truly lovely place with wonderful staff, and an unbeatable ambiance. Sadly, after several visits, I find the food underwhelming. As two examples, my son and I recently went in prior to heading out for a show. I had the duck confit salad and he had grilled octopus. Both were quite bland. The duck was virtually flavorless and was offered as a meager portion of little strips dotted throughout the salad. Properly made, a confit should be really flavorful, and one of its prizes is a crispy skin. Both completely absent here and the salad itself was lacking. The octopus was similarly bland and its cooking was sub-par. I really want the place to thrive. Food really needs to improve. read more

Visited Sardine for Sunday dinner to celebrate a special occasion a few weeks ago. We made reservations in advance and upon entrance, was greeted by nice staff and the ambiance was really clean and neat. We ordered cocktails to start. Wasn't a huge fan of mine and our kind waiter ended up removing it from our check (so nice!). For appetizers we tried the tomato bisque and duck salad. Both were super tasty. The bisque was full of flavor and the duck salad was one of my favorite bites. Our entrees were striped bass and a ribeye steak. My steak was medium rare (the perfect cook!) and the striped bass was nice and crispy. Overall, had a great time, would recommend. read more

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Started with oysters good & fresh. We ordered the Pan Raosted Skate Wing which was really good, Warm Duck Confit and Freisse also very good, and lastly we ordered the Wood Roasted Airline Chicken Breast which was very very dry & should not have been served. Our waitress was very nice venue is cute but very small space cramped seating. read more

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Top tier brunch spot. You totally get what you pay for. Service has always been so great, but we've always had reservations. I could see it getting a little crazy without one during peak brunch times, but the turnaround is pretty quick. Love the ambiance, open kitchen/coffee bar, and floor plan - reminds me of a true european restaurant. Get the oysters and waffle EVERY TIME. read more

Sardine - Steak frites, waffle, chocolate croissant, and omelette. - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This restaurant is located right in front of the lake. The location is beautiful. I was there for late brunch (can be called as lunch). I had a creamed egg. That was an excellent dish with 2 eggs and a lot of cheese. I wanted to try their pastry. But it was all gone before I arrived. For the location and considering it is French restaurant prices were reasonable. The restaurant was large and spacious. Inside it was a very busy place. read more

Sardine - Creamed eggs - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The food and beverages and ambiance are all stellar!!! We went to brunch on a Sunday - you definitely want to make reservations well in advance. Everything on the menu is incredible. read more

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Had a wonderful dinner at Sardine with a friend and some colleagues from work. The setting is absolutely beautiful with a view of Lake Monoa. The food was excellent and I had the grilled sardines. Service was very good however I felt that our server was disappointed that we didn't order an alcoholic drinks. Good time read more

Sardine never disappoints. When I walk into this restaurant, I feel as if I am immediately transported to a fine dining restaurant in Seattle. The view of lake Manona is exceptional and creates such a lovely atmosphere. All their menu items are fantastic, especially the oysters. Went there for brunch for the first time and was delighted by the food and quality of the service. One of the best restaurants in Madison! read more

Sardine - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I wanted to treat my mom to a special brunch, plus I've been wanting to check out Sardine for awhile now. We had a wonderful experience from the space, the food and service. I also appreciated that they did not seat tables on top of each other and spaced the tables out. Sorry that is just a pet peeve of mine when you go out for a nice dining experience and the table next to you is less than a foot away and you can hear everything they are saying. Make sure you start brunch with some of their assorted pastries! read more

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I thought it was very good, but I prefer other brunch options in Madison. I enjoyed my baked creamed eggs, and the waffle was delicious, but I think the portions were a bit small for the price. I ate my dish and was still a touch hungry at the end. Tasty, but I just don't see myself returning. Gates and Brovi (from the same restaurant group!) is still a better Madison brunch spot in my opinion. Great service though too! read more

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Sardine is the most amazing place! The atmosphere in this restaurant is like being in a cozy European place. The server was very welcoming and informed about the menu. We enjoyed the fresh oysters and our entrees were absolutely stunningly plated and delicious! Wonderful and unique food combinations- lentils with mushrooms served with seared salmon; striped sea bass with parsnips and orange segments! Yum! Desserts and cocktails equally amazing. Looking forward to a return visit! read more

Went for our anniversary and they were able to get us a table by the window so we could see the lake, which was so lovely. The food was delicious and our waitress was great! A really nice experience during our trip to Madison. read more

I've been wanting to try Sardine for a while & it was incredible! The drinks & food were delicious & the service was excellent. I had never tried skatewing before, and it was absolutely delicious. The carrot dish was also phenomenal. Overall, I would highly recommend Sardine! read more

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Ambiance and food were amazing! We were seated by window per my request. College roommates in town for visit and was so excited to bring them here especially since my first visit was good in every way. This visit didn't go as well at all as it definitely matters who waits on you. The waiter on my first visit was perfect. The host and runners were friendly and helpful but our waiter was not. He never asked if we'd like another drink, left empty glasses. Asked questions about menu and seemed annoyed we didn't know. Very condescending. We were going to order more drinks and dessert but decided leaving was better idea. Had drinks and dessert elsewhere. Very disappointed as this is not expected from a restaurant like this. Our server at Harvey House two days earlier was the best! Easy decision for next visit! read more

Wow. Sardine embodies everything that a high end restaurant should be. Every single aspect of Sardine speaks best in class. The service was everything it should be. The drink selection is phenomenal, from the superb wine list to the outstanding (emphasis on Belgian) beer and ale selection. Even if you're a fine ale connoisseur, the list will leave you stunned. And then there's the food. We all had mussels, and they were perfect. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked and perfectly presented. The prices aren't for the faint of heart, but for an occasional splurge, I can't think of anyplace more worth saving your pennies for. read more

Delectable! The ambiance etc is wonderful. Best restaurant in Madison. Frites are good. Omelette was amazing. Service also perfect. read more

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We had reservations at 9am. It opens at 9 and the restaurant doors are locked until then. There is ample space in the entry way to wait if you are a little early. Seating was quick and the staff was very pleasant and accommodating. The inside of the restaurant intriguing with a mixture of white surfaces and weathered natural wood structures. I started out with a cafe miel, it was wonder blend with coffee taste coming through, very smooth. I had the spinach roasted tomatoes goat cheese bacon omelette. It was wonderful, eggs done exceptionally and the blend of ingredients was enjoyable. I personally would have liked more goat cheese. We also had shared an almond croissant and it was wonderful. Crispy outside and soft inside. A great experience. read more

Sardine - Spinach roasted tomatoes goat cheese bacon omelette - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Absolutely amazing each time I go. The staff is wonderful. I was able to walk in while they were busy as could be and enjoy dining at the communal table this last time. Very nice if you're walking in the area or out with some girlfriends and decide to have a delectable dining experience during regular business hours. In case you're wondering, I didn't share food with people I didn't know, the table is what's shared it's actually an interesting experience to share a table with strangers and know it could fill up and you could be elbow to elbow with someone. There is a great view however, it would be amazing if the dining area was right off the lake, perhaps even two levels read more

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Ambiance and location is a five. But lots of buts. Had the special bisque. Tastes well. But almost like warm. Soup should be hot unless it's gazpacho! Service was average. Poor busboy pick up time for a bistro and we went early so yes it was busy and lots of staff but it lacked something. Tried the wood fired shrimp that was ok nothing write home about. Ok the mulles fritters. Off off. Soaking in a cream wants a beee sauce. Been to many French bistros in my life and this was off. Maybe it was a single bad weather/ occasion. French fries dry and cold. What was the best was the salmon sandwich. Price point and delicious. Oh the cocktail ////spouse had it ,,,,,,pretty good and made the ambience of the place a bit elevated a little classy ,,,,,,simple but it was wonderful and taste worth remembering Also they have a beautiful wood burning oven. Not fully used for menu. Next time I'll try the pork. Would be nice if the French bread was toasted. It was chewyyyyyy and an up-charge. We are not in California we are in the Midwest. Bread is bountiful here. read more

Sardine - Milk sauce. Not great. - French Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin