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Sardine

4.1 (715 reviews)
Closed • 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Sardine Photos

Business Info

SARDINE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Sardine

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Reviews With Photos

La famille
Norman M.

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

Puddy M.

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!

Moules frites, grilled lamb merguez
Hermary G.

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!

Omelet, frites, and salad
Prasanta A.

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.

Plum dessert
Emily J.

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.

cappuccino
Morgan S.

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

Basque cheesecake with blackberry puree.
Yolanda G.

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.

Steak Frites, Espresso Martini
Haley W.

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.

French toast
Ellena K.

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)

Outside
Olivia L.

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.

Warm goat cheese, beet salad
Julia M.

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.

The croque madame, mid-enjoyment. She's a beaut, Clark.
Amy H.

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!

Sidecar at Sardine.
Molly C.

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

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1 year ago

The food is always fresh and yummy! The staff is very attentive as well and the place is very pretty. It can get a little loud though.

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Ask the Community - Sardine

I've heard about their private dining room. How many people can it hold?

Our semi-private dining room can be reserved for parties larger than 17 and smaller than 25.

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4.3(910 reviews)
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Discovered this spot while my little sister was in town visiting and now have already been back…read morewith plans to keep returning. I've ordered the same thing both times because I loved it so much- the Three Grain & Tempeh Bowl. It's so fresh and delicious, filling without making you feel over-full and gross. She had the Mushroom & Gouda Omelette and also very much enjoyed. The seating space is small so you can definitely run into a wait during busy times, but service moves fast! You'll order at the counter and be handed a number to take to your table, where the food will be delivered. During busy times I've seen them try to help coordinate seating arrangements but it is otherwise largely a seat yourself sort of place. Next on my list are the lemon ricotta pancakes which are reportedly famous and a turmeric cookie I spotted in the bakery section :)

I may have thought bad things about Madison prematurely. I mean, here for an event but who really…read moretravels to Madison? But here we were in downtown in a beautiful day with a gorgeous lake-side path and finding ourselves enjoying it. Stopped here for breakfast, shocked in our research how many vegetarian options were available for my wife. Here you could get tofu eggs and tempeh added to your dishes. I got their chilaquiles and gluten free lemon poppyseed pancakes (they had GF toast but their only savory option was this or a coconut thing). The entree was delicious, not too spicy unless you bite into too many jalapeños, and the shredded chicken was great. Could have used a second egg but I'm a big boy so maybe it's just me. I was also surprised by how much I liked the pancakes. It was a gamble as I don't like things too lemony and while you could definitely taste the lemon, it was still very good. And the pancakes, for being gluten free, were fluffy and soft and great. Had a regular coffee and while it was strong, it was just coffee. It gets very busy at peak meal times to plan accordingly. We'll probably be back before this trip is done.

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Cottage Cafe - Cottage platter

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4.2(164 reviews)
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First time at this place. It didn't seem like much from the outside. There were a ton of cars…read moreoutside though so we figured it was probably good. Walking inside, it seemed like the tables were close together. The layout looked crowded. We were seated pretty quick and near the window so that was great. Waitress was fast and exceptional. Menu had a good selection. I ordered the Biscuit Stack and the wife ordered the Chicken Fried Steak and eggs or something. Our food came out pretty quick considering the place was full. Our food was very very good and that's the reason this place was full. The biscuit stack was put together in a very unique way but all the ingredients tasted great. It was a nice find for someone from out of town. I recommend this place and would visit again if i'm in the area again.

I wanted to like this place, I really did. Did some research on solid diners in the Madison area…read moreand this is one of the ones that popped up. It was off the highway, so I thought I would give it a go. Walked in and it was what you would expect from a Wisconsin diner -- old carpeting, waitresses who are lifers, and signage from the bygone era. I sat at the bar, with barstools that came about 4 feet off the ground, and asked the cordially waitress what was good. She rattled off about 3/4 of the breakfast menu so I needed a few minutes. A few minutes passed and I went with the Krab Cakes Benedict (why the K?) and the Cottage Platter. The crab cakes were decent (definitely better than the Cottage Platter), but very crisp on the outside, straddling the line of burnt, and somewhat cooked on the inside. Light on the seasoning. As they say on the cooking shows, it was screaming for some acidity...or in this case some Old Bay. Then the Cottage Platter, which I was very much looking forward to, fell flat for me. The hashbrowns had a funky taste to them, which I couldn't quite place. And again, overall, the dish was lacking in flavor. Would I go out of my way to hit this place up again? Most likely not. If I was in the area and wanted to try something else, I probably would.

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4.1(648 reviews)
0.8 mi•Capitol
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Came at 8 am on a Sunday. Had to wait a few minutes to get inside but it was definitely worth the…read morewait. You have to order at the counter first and then your party gets sat at your designated table. I ordered the blind, which is a chef's choice. You're able to ask if the dish is savory or sweet and that's it. You can ask what the dish is but then the price will go from 10$ to 15$. They do ask if you have any allergies in case they do need to alter the dish. Not gonna disclose what the dish was, but it tasted great! It's really unfortunate that the business is closing in May, so I definitely recommend to go while they're still open!

Every time I'm in Madison, I make it a point to stop here. I'm usually just passing through so I…read moreget here right when it opens, which is one of the best times. It's quiet and it feels like the world slows down for a minute. It's comfortable and also very eclectic, a get your own coffee place. Condiments, water, etc. along the back wall. Order at the counter, they'll give you a number, and then bring your meal out. The menu has a great selection of offerings, but I always get my usual. The pancakes are unreal, so delicious. You will also find adult beverages here as well for those who need a morning/mid-afternoon pick me up. It gets packed so plan well ahead or be prepared to wait a while. Great service. Great place.

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4.3(419 reviews)
0.5 mi•Capitol
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Very small but usually quiet on a weekday. Weekends are crazy busy! Great natural lighting. Great…read morefor catching up with a friend or getting some work done. Workers are very nice and hardworking! The coffee is some of the BEST you can get in Madison. I have never been disappointed with an order. Same with the food! My favorite is their ham, Gruyère, mustard crepe but I recently tried their ramp pesto, egg, and balsamic reduction crepe and it was also DELICIOUS! Their sweet crepes are amazing, as well. I recommend the lemon curd one as it is not overly sweet.

First time here. We were visiting Madison and walking around the downtown area. It's a small space…read more(almost tiny) that sits at a narrow intersection, so it's literally a pie-shaped space. The upside is that there are lots of windows with natural light. The inside seating consists of long tables or counters along the windows. This is not a place where you are likely to hunker down for a quiet or private conversation. You can tell that storage space is at a premium, with boxes stashed in overhead areas or equipment in the bathrooms. The staff there were very pleasant and helpful. Ended up getting a Chai Latte (extra foam) in a mug. It didn't take long to make, and they delivered it out to the table. It was an excellent drink -- hot, flavorful, extra foam, and not too sweet. A joy to drink. The atmosphere is a bit manic. With the tight seating, you can feel a bit claustrophobic, or on the other hand, like you are at a concert and getting energy from the crowd. For me, it's a place to grab a drink and find a quiet space elsewhere. So not likely a place that I would return to.

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3.9(1.4k reviews)
0.4 mi•Capitol
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We came for regular brunch menu on Easter Sunday. The ambience is open, airy, and inviting. Service…read morewas prompt and accurate. However, our server wasn't super familiar with the menu and didn't know what was in certain dishes. We ordered a variety of dishes. Overall, everyone liked their meals. The flavors were great. Love the Korean fusion. However... despite that we were the first ones in the door, they did not have the chicken that was on the menu. That seemed strange to all of us that they didn't plan ahead for a holiday weekend. A solid restaurant would usually have their menu items well stocked prior to a holiday weekend. Overall, still a good expertise if you're willing to be flexible.

I know most people like it here, but everytime I've been here over the years something has gone…read moreastray. This time we went to Sunday brunch with a group, including some kids. We had reservations, so we were seated right away which was a plus. Also, I will say I don't think any of the issues we had were because of our waitress. She was super friendly and quick enough to take our orders on a day when there restaurant seemed full enough, but manageable. We got our drink orders in and our food at the same time to speed up the process for getting little kids food, and the waitress even took note of that. We also ordered an appetizer to help during the wait. It took a while for the drinks to come out, but they were all rather tasty. I think my apple cider mocktail was the best and refreshing since it was getting hot in the restaurant with the sun beating in. Our food however took forever and the kids meals did not come out any earlier than everyone else. One person in our group also initially didn't get his meal, which the waitress apologized and said there was a mixup in the kitchen. That's fine, it happens, but then the staff running meals tried to bring him the wrong order 3 times. The rest of us were all finished eating by the time he finally got his food. Overall, the food was fine. I got the eggs benedict which was a little underdone on the eggs for me as the whites were too runny for me. The kids chicken nuggets were pretty tasty with a flaky breading. I heard decent reviews of the breakfast burger, but the thing that was the best to us was the breakfast sandwich. It was quite messy, but the messiness of the sauce was worth it. We also got an appetizer of the cinnamon roll. I feel like it's a little mislabeled though, as it was more like a morning bun with some frosting/glaze over the top. Tasted pretty good and helped keep kids entertained for a while. Overall, the food was fine, but the experience wasn't great. With the multiple mixups in orders and getting a little green house effect going with the sun shining in, there wsnt a great feeling when leaving. Again, I don't think it was our waitresses fault, so not sure what was going on in the kitchen.

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