Beautiful and delicious dinner tonight! Wonderful atmosphere, came with my college daughter. We both loved it. Started with the seared ahi tuna appetizer with avocado - so so so good. I had the mussels with frites/mayo which were ridiculously addictive. The mussels were fantastic. Followed by the duck confit salad - INCREDIBLE! and the chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese. I am frequently wary of chicken (esp breast) in restaurants because it's often so dry but this was bone-in, juicy, tender. It was served on a bed of corn, fava beans and BACON. I could have eaten a bucket of that stuff. SO GOOD. We both wanted dessert but were way too full. Maybe next time... read more

We had a lovely experience here, while visiting from Chicago. The ambiance is great - charming decor, lovely staff. We started with the Charcuterie plate and for entrees we had the Trout and the Duck Confit salad. Both were delicious. Our server was the perfect balance of attentive yet not intrusive - great timing. We'd definitely come back! read more

Big fan. I've been here 4 or 5 times and absolutely love them. It's a bit pricey, but they have been spot on every time. Their fried vegi's are just yummy. A great place to celebrate a special occasion. read more

So good!! Duck l'Orange was so flavorful, I would highly recommend. Everything about this place, beginning to end was great. Service, food, ambiance... A+ read more

Love Sardine! Always a great choice for a special occasion! Service, food and ambiance are wonderful.

We've been to Sardine several times and it is one of my favorite restaurants in Madison. Make sure at least someone in your party has the duck confit salad...large enough to share and it is excellent. My entree fave is the skate wing; a dish one doesn't see very often and they prepare it perfectly. The restaurant has a rustic converted warehouse look. Excellent service - attentive without being intrusive. A few minor areas I think they might improve upon: my better half and I both found the chairs to be uncomfortable and paper menus / dinner mats seem cheasy for fine dining. But an overall very nice dining experience. We'll be back. read more

Lunch is really good. But dinner is so disappointed. Went there with friends, the size of everyone's meal is small, extra small. But the price is crazy. Many things can not taste out what that is. Disappointed. read more

Great vibe inside and one of the few places in Madison where you can eat 'near' the water. Only a few tables outside. Good seafood menu

If I was judging on ambiance alone, this place would easily get 5 stars. It used to be our go-to place to bring out of towners for a nice night out to dinner (pre-Graze). And truly, I have not had a bad dinner here (though I will always miss the skate wing!). My issue with this place comes with the Brunch. The best service we have received for brunch has been "acceptable". What I don't understand is why their brunch chef cannot cook an egg. I enjoy the yolk runny, and I guess the only way to get them this way is to specify barely over easy or sunny side up. Poached was almost hard boiled, and even when I asked specifically if the baked eggs had runny yolks, I got overcooked eggs. And for the prices here, I expect more. I'll still go here for dinner, but there are a ton of other places in Madison I will be frequenting for Brunch. read more

Fantastic! I took my son and 4 other college students there when visiting this past weekend. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. Four of us had fish dishes that were excellent. One had the lamb and another the hanger steak. Everyone loved their meal. The service was top notch - the college kids loved everything about the restaurant as did this mom. I would highly recommend Sardine. Make a reservation because it was packed! read more

Hi - We came here to meet friends on Sunday Brunch after the Madison Marathon. First - the address "617" points you to the "entrance" at 617 Willy st - which is NOT a real entrance. Wish they had a small friendly sign to inform you to "walk around" to the lakeside "real" entrance... we gueassed at that. We were here for the Brunch time eats... after the Marathon. Had a small group, and a rez - and were quickly seated - not crowded anyway. Our server was "Spencer". Everything was pretty much fine, except for Specncer. We order drinks - he forgot two - had to be reminded. We order our lunch time meals... ie - Omelettes with spring salad and frites Spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and bacon * 10 This was really good - finished it all - and the "french fries" (frites) are real thin and crunchy - great. Some others had sandwiches - some had the Frittata - all were good Various plate servers brought out our meals, but Spencer was not to be found. He never came over to see how things were going, etc... Next was dessert - we flagged Spencer, and all ordered things to share. All were great - but he mixed up one order.... we didn't bother at this point. SO - for our Brunch, it was a really nice time, great and unusual pairings for the lunch time menu.... Everything would have been great - except for Spencer. We then had a table discussion about the "tip".... since the bill was over $100. How do you communicate your "rating" to the server ? Do you chat, write on receipt, talk to mgr, what ? I felt sorry - paid the total bill - and left a 12% tip read more

I've been a fan of Sardine for both brunch and dinner for awhile, and just ended up there twice in quick succession. One time out of the recent two, I needed a reservation for 12 that happened to change twice. Everyone I talked to was great, no problems with the changes, and the hostess set our table a bit apart from the Saturday night holiday madness. While I wouldn't say that the food tends to arrive quickly, I've always had good service (even with the group of 12), nice recommendations, and good advice on ingredients or substitutions when I've asked. I don't eat red meat, so that's always appreciated. While it gets loud at busy times (and it does get busy), I like the industrial/bistro atmosphere, and especially the view over the lake. Ask for a table near the lake windows (or, when it's warm, the outside tables!) for a bit more intimacy. There's a wide selection of beers and wines, including reasonably priced and quite good house wines, and some lovely specialty cocktails. For appetizers, I've recently ordered the picollo fritto and the cheese plate. Recent unexpected favorites among the picollo fritto items have been fennel and lemon. The cheese plate had a nice variety of cheeses, many of them local -- cheddar, blue, chevre, etc -- as well as fruit and a unexpectedly delish vegan "salami" made out of figs and nuts. I had salad and fish for dinner on both of my recent visits (the salmon once and the mahi mahi once), and both were fresh, grilled nicely, and clearly served quickly. Well marinated, hot, moist, and flaky. The lentils that came with the salmon were a bit on the salty side, but the bok choy & fennel with the mahi were a lovely sweet-and-sour complement. Yum. My husband is a fan of their cassoulet and their steak (although, warning, the steak does come with both frites and butter). Overall, their fish seems reliably great, but I haven't been thrilled with their pastas when I've tried them in the past. The orechiette sauce, for instance, is oily and a bit too heavy on the garlic and olives, which overwhelms the broccoli rabe and tomatoes. Sad, because I adore a good broccoli rabe. As far as desserts, I've tried a bunch of different items, all good. The chocolate cake and the sorbets (rotating, often in unusual flavors like olive oil or buttermilk) are favorites. So: while I wouldn't say that everything is fabulous at Sardine (hence the 4 stars), there are a lot of very good options. It's a nice place with a good vibe, accommodating of large or small groups, and definitely on my Madison favorites list. It's worth the trip (or a few!). read more

For the past couple years I have gone to Sardine for my birthday in August. My elderly parents travel from California to take me there. In the past it has been fine. However last August 22nd things were definitely not fine. I'm not sure if it is because we arrived a little early but they seemed to want to punish us. My 82 year old parents were dismayed because we waited over 45 minutes for our meals. We all ordered fish. The waitress was not attentive. Wait staff swarmed around us and other tables, seated after us, were served their entrees first. We were ignored. I hated to see my parents go through this as we usually look forward to and have had in the past had a good time. Not a great birthday dinner for me. read more

Excellent location overlooking the lake! Beautifully decorated. Staff was very attentive, but not annoying. I had the apple salad which was truly delicious. The bread basket was generous with crusty French bread. I also had the salmon which was done to perfection. Great flavor, nice sized portion. Finished off with coconut sorbet, housemade and delicious. The Malbec wine was a great compliment as well. Highly recommend!! read more

This is my family's favorite brunch spot in Madison. Every experience we've had here has been excellent. All the food I've tasted has been delicious, and if I could have brunch there every Sunday, I would die happily (and probably with clogged arteries-- let's be honest, really good food is pretty fat and calorie rich). read more

I've been to this place many times, most often meeting friends for drinks. At times, the house red wine has been nearly undrinkable, and I'm pretty easy to please with wine. I ate dinner there with a group of 6 about a year ago, and we all agreed that the seafood did not taste fresh at all and the dishes were not creative or really very flavorful. I probably should have learned my lesson, but I went back recently to try their happy hour oysters. I received a plate of east coast oysters, many of which were so small that they didn't even appear to have anything in the shell. Most places would give these away as an extra on the plate for free. It's too bad- this place has great ambiance, and they usually have a good tap list of beers, but don't bet on the food. I'm amazed at the rave reviews I always see... read more

Sardine was superb. The bar service was impressive, food was delicious, and the views of the lake were stunning. I will definitely be back!

Sardine has to be one of the best lunch/brunch spots in Madison during the summer, I love the view of the lake. The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant makes you feel like you're hanging out in a small Seattle restaurant. The food most definitely delivers as well; I'm yet to have a bad meal at Sardine. The menu is pretty limited, but when they cook something, they do it well. read more

Favorite place down town Madison. The menu rotates regularly and always features some locally sourced options of all courses. Very vegan/vegetarian friendly. Great selection of oysters as well. The best bone in pork chop I've ever had was eaten here too. 12/10 read more

Food is great. Waitstaff functions and presents well. The drinks are made exceptionally well. Must visit for Madisonians.

greetings fellow lovers of food. it was balmy Wednesday evening. it had been raining for 4 days, but it was a warm rain thank god. the misses and I both had a rare evening free from responsibility, that cruel mistress. I was wearing a one of a kind brewery sweatshirt that fit me a little too snugly. she, heaven. I had been staying up too late for a few nights on my projects. needed a shave and I needed a good drink like Sammy makes, only at the sardine. a local hideaway with a dependable kitchen, fostering much of the criminal element in this Gothic sprawl i call home. Madison. writing the word is like an old lovers name on parched lips; it leaves a sting, but sweetly. the food was excellent, the company more than. the drinks made me feel young again, and the staff treated us like kings and queens and family all around. I'd like to see this place in the winter, with Sinatra on soft in the background. clinking of glasses, chandeliers like quaking pearls in the sky. white snow on the not yet frozen lake outside, tasting the salt in the sea. read more

What happened? I moved a couple of years ago and was so excited to have brunch during my visit this weekend. I used to eat here frequently. Whether it be oyster happy hours, brunch or dinner and NEVER had a bad meal. Did they change chefs? We had 4 entrees and one kids meal. The "soft" eggs with the eggs/sausage took on the literal meaning of soft - they weren't cooked. I mean raw and snotty. Two people ordered that and both were cooked the same. The server suggested we get something different because she can't promise the next round wouldn't be more of the same. My meal was the ribeye with poached eggs and hollandaise. It looked good and was ok but I expected more. It was pretty bland to be honest. The re-orders decided on simple side orders for their meals which were hard to mess up. Surprisingly, they were charged full price for those items. Yes, the returned meals were pulled from the ticket but she didn't offer anything while they waited which constitutes bad service in my world. Especially at a restaurant with the reputation of the Sardine. The other meal was the crab/shrimp cakes. Gross. Looked like a cross between chicken fried steak and a fried buffalo chicken patty. I've never seen a deep fried crab cake before. I won't be wasting one of my precious trips to Madison on the Sardine anymore. read more

We had our wedding dinner here with a small party of 12. It was wonderful. Brunch here is fantastic with a glass of cava. You can't beat the charming atmosphere and lovely views! read more

I've eaten here a lot and had great meals, but on visit this week, I felt for the first time like the food did not justify the cost. The cocktails were great as always, the charcuterie and goat cheese apps were top notch, and the mussels were good, but the steak and salmon entrees were nothing special, and frites were subpar. I'm sure we'll go back, but we may stick to brunch and cocktails and appetizers. read more

Best steak I had in Madison. It was done medium rare,wine is very very good and pasta is always al dente.

Just OK in my book--kind of expensive and not the most expansive breakfast menu (no french toast or pancakes for breakfast?), also the cheese sampler was not impressive at all. slow service..maybe that makes it french? read more

My boyfriend and I went here for brunch on Easter Sunday and it was delicious!!! We had mimosas to drink, they had a great flavor and came decorated with a strawberry and an orange peel. As for food, we had omelettes which came with mixed greens (had a great vinaigrette dressing) and frites (skinny fries). My boyfriend created his own omelett since he's kind of picky (ham and onions). I, on the other hand, had the spinach, roasted cherry tomatoes, goat cheese and instead of bacon I chose ham. It was absolutely delicious! The cheese made such a great taste with the tomatoes and the mixed greens with the vinaigrette. Yum, Yum! But that's not all, we also ordered the Buckwheat Belgian waffle with whipped cinnamon orange butter, sliced banana and pure maple syrup. OMG!! It's to die for... What a perfectly cooked waffle (which I don't usually like or eat) and the flavors were outstanding.... Definitely recommend this place and we would definitely go back again! I gave it a 4 because I've only been there for breakfast, so i haven't tried much and I did think it was a little pricy (we spent $50 for 2 people with drinks and tax/tip). But really worth it!! Plus it's right by the lake and the sun shinning on my face was really soothing! read more

Pleasant surprise in Madison. Was traveling from Chicago up to Canoe Bay for a romantic getaway with my wife, and we stopped in for brunch. Wow. Authentic french food, great service on the water in Mad town. We'll be back! read more

Food was excellent. Great service. Nice wine Selection.

Sardine is our go to place in madison for dinner. John and Phil have created a welcoming hangout that never fails us. On Valentine's Day we sat at the bar in our favorite spot - the corner where you can lean against the wall. We had fresh oysters with mignonette sauce and they were so good and cold and not briny. On weekdays they have a great happy hour so the oysters and the Stella's were half price. The one and only thing I wish were different is the acoustics - it can get so loud. Wait - one more beef; there is this one big booth in the corner of the bar that is perfect for kids because they can't get out and you can't reserve it and that has been made very clear to us by the hostess. So that is fair enough but one time we saw that it was empty and we went to sit there but were told that it was reserved and that really hacked me off. read more

Very smart and attentive service + delicious food = great experience - extremely noisy acoustics = almost there!

A very consistent favorite with enough gradual evolution of the menu that there is always something new to try, though it's hard to resist the old favorites of moules, duck salad, salmon, and steak. The special this time was cassoulet, which was excellent. read more

A nice clean restaurant with good service and some outside seating. I had the salmon, my friend had arctic char, and the other person had whitefish. The dishes are somewhat small, especially the whitefish dish. It was one thin slice of white fish for 25 or 26 dollars. The salmon and the arctic char were excellent. Price based on portion is a little high. read more

Sardine is one of my favorite restaurants in Madison! I've never had anything that is not good. The crab cakes are too die for. The atmosphere is upscale elegance. I highly recommend Sardine. read more

Sardine is just so great every time I go there. I had a delicious farmer's market omelette (the special - love the ramps!).

I went to Sardine with friends for brunch in the fall. I had been for dinner before, and thought the food was just OK for the price. This visit, I really enjoyed the brunch. The frites really are great. But our service was very, very awkward. My friend ordered a bloody mary, and waited quite a long while to get it. Our food also took a very long time to come. I guess if I could give it a 3.5, I would. The food was good. read more

The location and decor are fantastic. We went in December and the whole place was decked out with poinsettias. Stunning. It is so bright and open; even visiting in the winter, the lake view was stunning. The brunch food did not meet the hype, but the Duck Confit salad was a very satisfying meal. I would return for dinner for a special occasion. read more

The acoustics are horrible, unless you're in the bar area or patio. The food is pretty decent- well thought out. However, I don't eat pork, and there are very few dishes available porkless. The Valentine's Day specials menu was fabulous- as there were Camembert Croquettes- really wonderful, on a bed of sauteed greens with (I believe- it was dark) cherries, grapes, walnuts and a mustard sauce. Very good- I wish it were a regular on the menu. I'd have a go to thing to order. Otherwise, not much for me on the menu. Nice wine list. read more

I enjoyed the Seared whitefish, shrimp and wild rice dumplings, sauteed baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and sherry cream sauce. They provide a small carafe of water on the table. read more

We ordered the mussels here and my husband was throwing up later that evening. I think he ate a bad one. You have to be really careful when cooking those things as they can make people VERY sick if not cooked properly. I wouldn't eat here again. read more