Went here for the first time for restaurant week and we were pretty impressed. It's never really been on our radar as a place to try, but the restaurant week menu looked pretty good, so we figured, why not. We came early, and I'm glad we did as they had many reservations that night and the restaurant is pretty small, but we got a seat right away. The view was pretty impressive since the restaurant is on the 8th floor, but I assume it was better before the large parking ramp went in. The waiter was quick to get our order and the manager came over and chatted with us for a while. Very friendly staff. We also noticed that they don't accept tips and if any are left on the table they go to charities. Definitely made this a higher value for restaurant week, and it was nice to hear that the employees are paid well. As for the food, we ordered the whitefish and corn fritters and beef skewers for our appetizers. The fritters were the perfect texture, crisp outside and soft pillowy inside. They came with a hot honey dip and were quite tasty. Also they gave you plenty to share. The beef skewers were also very tasty. You couldn't go wrong with either appetizer. For the main we got the pork chop and the Mahi Mahi. The pork chop was a little difficult to cut, but I think that was moreso due to the knife, as it tasted great. Well seasoned and also paired nicely with the hot honey dip it came with. The sweet potato puree was a good pair with the pork. The Mahi Mahi was also well seasoned and paired well with all the veggies in the succotash. The dessert options were a fruit tart and a black forest bombe. As a dessert/cheesecake snob, I thought the crust on the tart was impressive but the pastry cream was lacking a little flavor; it could have just used a little more lemon or something tart in the filling. The black forest bombe was the winner of the desserts and had a nice presentation. Overall, we were fans and this is definitely now on our radar for a dinner date. Would recommend! read more

See all

I went to Smittys since I was staying at the Fluno and wanted a simple pub meal after a busy day. I sat at the empty bar and the bartender neglected to acknowledge me for 10 minutes and seemed to avoid coming into the area I was sitting in. I eventually got him to come back and put in my order but would disappear after every interaction. He never brought me water or silverware and I had to wave down another waitress for these. The food was good (minus the cheesecake, it was odd tasting and kind of stale), views were nice but the bartender was disappointing in his service. If I stay in the Fluno again, I'd just save my time and try to go somewhere else. read more

This was an unexpected delight. We had visited a somewhat dingy college spot before this and they weren't serving beer that day, so we did a quick search and found Smittys. Took us a second to realize it was inside one of the buildings. But we were able to find it and the reception desk told us how to get to the pub upstairs. The pub is small and cozy in the best of ways, with a view of the capital building. The cheese curds here were among the best we had on our entire trip, but we didn't get to try any proper entrees since we'd eaten already. If this were my hotel bar, I would've gladly hung out here all evening with a book. read more

Felt like a super club! Fun ambiance, dark wood and EVERYONE in Badger gear (bball game night). Wish I was there in daylight to see the view. Service was top notch. Had the steak sandwich with sweet potato fries and I would order again but took bun off, very bread heavy. read more

I stopped here for Winter Restaurant Week and was pleasantly surprised! You definitely have the 'study pub' feel with lounge chairs, a larger dining area with regular seating, one main bar and even a pool table! Being at the top of the flu no center, there's large windows that let you see the downtown view. Service was attentive and food came out fast, but they were careful to portion out the timing as we were chatty Kathys that night. Appetizer: Pork wings with tahini sauce - the wings were like little nuggets and fell off the bone, but a little dry. However, the tahini sauce was amazing! Was light and creamy and had a punch of horseradish. It really elevated the taste of the wings and was a great pair. Cheese board - really generous portion for RW! There was cheddar curds, Brie, blue cheese for cheese, then a liver mousse, prosciutto, and beef jerky for poultry, then other sides such as pistachio nuts, dried figs, real honey, and 2 types of crackers. I especially loved the figs, mousse, and honey on a cracker! Entrees: Scallops/ shrimp & grits: you could either get 4 scallops, 5 shrimp or 2 scallops/3 shrimp. We opted for the combo. The scallops and shrimp were cooked well, tasted slightly Smokey which was nice! The grits got a little hard but were standard. I liked mixing it with the veggie medley in the dish which had some yummy edamame. Chicken roulade - this literally tasted like a holiday. The chicken was pretty tender and creamy with the inside, but the star was the outside crisp. A little thicker, but super crispy. Paired with garlic mashed, and cherry sauce and I had flashbacks of thanksgiving dinner. It was good! Desserts: Flunk chocolate cake - the cake had cheesecake texture. Not too sweet and I like the choco chips outer layer. I would get this again to satisfy a chocolate cake craving! Peach cobbler - wasn't overly sweet but the crumbs bits on the top didn't have much flavor to them and were a little thick. I still think it tasted good especially with that scoop of vanilla ice cream. Classic dessert read more

See all

A nice place to have a conversation since it's not busy. Decent views of the WI capital. Good service I was in Madison for business at the Fluno Center, so this restaurant on the 7th floor is very conveniently located. I like the atmosphere and will return! read more

Smitty's Study Pub - Cheeseburger/cheese custards and a margarita - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Tucked into the 8th floor of the Fluno Center, Smitty's caters mainly to guests while still being open to the public. It has decent views if you feel like taking a peek inside the building. The food is good, but nothing spectacular given the price. The salmon comes in a delicious citrus ginger glaze, but the fish itself appeared to be flash fried or broasted or something. It was interesting, not bad, I guess we've just come to expect it'd be grilled. Avoid the vegetable curry - the sauce is rather bland. The filet mignon is really good and comes with some tasty green beans. The staff could use some training. They appeared to be struggling with the POS system across multiple visits that week. One night I was there for 18 minutes without being acknowledged before I finally got up and placed a food order at the bar. Plus the kitchen times were looong, once with my side salad coming out with the entree. read more

Smitty's Study Pub - Filet Mignon with side salad - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I checked this place out for Madison Restaurant Week winter 2020. My favorite things were the Chicken Roulade and Fluno's Triple Chocolate Cake. The chicken roulade tasted like thanksgiving all in one bite. The chicken was nice and juicy and stuffed with brie, apple and prosciutto. It also had a light crunch and crisp on the outside. So all together with the cherry sauce it was a delicious dish. When reading "triple chocolate cake" you think it's going to be an overload of chocolate; however, this dessert had the perfect mixture of moussey, creamy, and cakey textures which made the chocolate flavor not too overpowering. read more

See all

Highlights/lowlights 1) cool views of the city 2) not much of an atmosphere 3) rockin restaurant week menu! I'm so torn between 3 and 4 stars! I think your impression of Smitty's will all depend on what you are looking for. If you are staying at the hotel in the Fluno Center, it's a great place to eat! Head right upstairs, take a seat, enjoy the view and have a decent meal. However, if you are a local Madisonian there are other places in the city where you can get better food for about the same price. We visited during winter restaurant week 2016. The vibe is very casual. Half of the restaurant seems like a banquet hall and has clothed tables and conference chairs. The other half is a restaurant with several TVs, a pool table and a bar. We didn't have a reservation but we were seated right away. We were given both the normal menu and the restaurant week menu. I glanced at the normal menu and it had a variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and a few entrees. The restaurant week menu was only $25 for the three course dinner and I chose to do that. The restaurant week menu clearly labeled which items were gluten free which I thought was great. I chose to start with the potato skins appetizer. I've been around the block a few times wth restaurant week and I knew what to expect...a teeny tiny appetizer taste. Whoa was I wrong! Pretty sure Smitty's gives full portions for restaurant week. Big plus! I had three huge potato skins stacked with cheese, chicken, black beans etc. My salmon entree with rice and broccoli followed and same thing...Full size entree. The salmon was great and the entree was so big I had to take some home. Same with the dessert, full size cheesecake. If you are hungry, but still want to experience restaurant week, Smitty's is the place to be! The ambiance here is ok. I think if there was a big event going on and it was busy it would be fun, but we just got a Tuesday night at the hotel restaurant. What does make this spot cool is the view of University Avenue and the Capitol from the tall glass window walls of the space. Overall, we are glad we tried Smitty's, they have the most generous restaurant week menu out of anywhere I've ever been, but we probably won't be regulars. read more

Smitty's Study Pub - Maple glazed salmon with rice and broccoli - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Somewhat greasy and overbattered fish and chips. Hey it was fast, hot, crispy, and satisfying. Also so convenient as it is on the 7th floor of the hotel. So there's that. After a tiring flight, was just fine for me. Not necessarily fine dining, but no big deal. It was just the ticket for me. read more

Great atmosphere, first time to the area. Steaks were cooked extremely well and to my requested temperature. Two nights in a row. Nothing I got thus far was even just okay! I'm surprised because it's in a hotel/conference center. Although some nights they don't have requested menu items. It would have been 4 stars except everything was so good. read more

I went to one of the best dinners ever as part of a vegan meetup group. The chef said they would have several vegan options on the menu so my husband and I returned a month later. On their regular menu, they only had 1 vegan/vegetarian entree, a black bean burger. http://fluno.com/pdfs/StudyPubMenu.pdf I asked our server if there were other options and he said he'd check. Then a manager told the server there is a separate menu of vegan options - how many people would know to ask for a separate menu? And why didn't the server know about the other menu? My husband got the Wild Mushroom Manicotti for $18. There were 3 manicotti and a small side of broccoli. It tasted fine but that is waaayyy too expensive for 3 small pieces. I had the black bean burger from their regular menu and it was fine. The view is great, but don't think we'll be back for their food. read more

Smitty's Study Pub - You need to ask for this menu - only 3 pieces of manicotti. - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Smitty's is an upscale bar at the top floor of the Fluno Center. You don't have to be a guest at the hotel to use the restaurant. They feature a large bar, with comfortable chairs and several large TVs. They have a decent selection of local beers and a relatively large menu, including bar favorites, sandwiches and burgers, and full entrees like steak. I tried the classic burger with sweet potato fries ($12, which isn't bad considering the location). The only downside for me is that I think that the food is cooked in the basement of the hotel and then transported up to the top floor. My burger was tasty, well-seasoned, and cooked as ordered, but the bun and fries were limp and soggy. Still, the prices are reasonable and the ambiance is nice so this isn't the worst place to stop for a drink and simple pub fare. read more

I was at first unsure of what to think when my friend recommended we get drinks at Smitty's Study Pub. The fact that she said it was on the 8th floor of the Fluno Center didn't really assuage my fears. But Smitty's ended up being a pretty cool spot. My friends and I went on a Tuesday night before the spring semester started so it was pretty empty. Not sure if this is indicative of Smitty's usual level of business but it was kind of nice that for the three hours that we were there, only two other people entered the bar. The drinks were good - I ordered a gin and tonic and tried my friend's Long Island and both were good. Regular rail drinks were $5 and speciality cocktails ranged from $7-8 which I thought was a pretty good deal considering the nice atmosphere of the bar and the views from the 8th floor. There is also a pool table that you can play for free and lots of TVs so I imagine Smitty's probably does get pretty busy when there is a big game happening. Overall, a nice quiet place with good ambiance to grab drinks with friends. read more

I'll be honest. I never heard of this place until I saw it popping up in social media. While waiting for a table to open up at a restaurant nearby, my girlfriend and I decided to stop up for a quick drink. Walk in the Fluno Center doors, take the elevator up to the top floor and you are there. They have a good selection of local beers on tap and while we only had time for one drink, I am definitely intrigues by both their food and their happy hour menu. It's definitely not a first date or a romantic type of place but to watch a game or do some work while grabbing a beer, I could see myself coming here a lot more often. read more

As a bar, I give it 2-3 stars. A pool table and free chex mix at the bar are the highlights. They have a limited tap beer selection and looks to be a full bar. The location is what makes this place a hidden gem. On the 8th floor of the Fluno center, near the bend of Gorham/University, it provides a very impressive view of the city and UW's campus. Hard to find a better view (with a bar) in the city. read more

Good hidden spot with a pool table. Atmosphere depends a lot on the rest of the bar guests. Majority are people staying at the hotel. Friendly staff. read more

Smitty's ugh... Zero atmosphere. The waitress was nice, but it was several minutes between being seated and being greeted at the table. Restaurant Week, so, ok, I'll try to be patient, even though the place was far from full. Ordered from the restaurant week menu, choices were limited, but looked good. Took over thirty minutes to receive my salad, and once I finished that, the dirty plate sat in front of me for another 20. Waitress never checked in or cleared my plate. I sat down at 7:20, it's now 8:13 and still no entree. Yes, I am typing this review while I'm waiting. 8:17 my steak was delivered. My salad plate was only taken when my dinner was delivered. And...she took my only fork. I waited a bit and finally took a silverware roll from another table. Steak was nice and hot, but covered in a gravy masking the flavor of the meat. The mashed potatoes tasted stale and gummy. She did come back to tell me that even though I didn't want the dessert that it would be full price (that's ok, since I knew that I was ordering from the restaurant week menu.). When she asked how my meal was I commented on the potatoes being off and she stated "yeah, I think they were getting to the end of the batch." She offered fries...but honestly, I just wanted to get out. Green beans were under cooked, on the raw side of al dente. Even when the meal was over and I asked for the check, I had to request that she take my plate. Ugh. read more

Stopped in for a cocktail and found a free pool table! Bartender Collin definitely knew what he was doing. Whiskey Sours going down fast. read more

Smitty's Study Pub - New felt! - Pubs Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Pretty cool bar at the top of the Fluno center. The interior is definitely nicer than most places downtown and will be much quieter than most places on University. They have a separate room that can open up for larger events or private parties. While it's not a rooftop bar, being on the top floor still has nice views of campus and Lake Mendota. Only giving four stars because it's a little pricier than places around it. read more

Love this place! It's a hidden Madison gem for sure. The atmosphere is relaxing after a long day of work, and the view is fantastic. Delicious food, yummy drinks.... who can ask for more?? read more

We had the cheese board as an appetizer and everyone loved it! Will definitely be returning every time I'm in town.

I came to Smitty's during Restaurant Week and was really impressed! The staff was super friendly when I got up there. I had an array of things on the menu - standouts for me included the Lobster and Crab Cakes, Varsity Burger and French fries (what can I say, I'm a sucker for a good French fry!). The view here is really awesome and definitely unmatched in this city - great at night and during daylight! I imagine this would be a great place to start the night considering the free pool and darts, too! read more

My wife and I went to Smitty's Study Pub for Restaurant Week. What a disappointment! I am sitting in my apartment waiting for my frozen pizza to cook as we left Smitty's an hour a ago and I feel like I did not eat. That says something for a three course meal. I had a Reuben Pasty for an appetizer. They were good but tiny, this was followed by a dinner of 7 very small Wild Mushroom Raviolis and an assortment of "Chocolates by Brian." Well thank God for Brian because my four or five pieces of chocolate were the largest and best tasting part of the meal. The rest of the meal was unspectacular. My wife had a very plain salad, followed by trout and a dry piece of cake. For $50 you should not leave hungry. On top of that our waitress left us waiting forever between courses and had to be remind to fill our water glasses even when it was clear that they were empty and she asked us "do you need anything else?"Do yourself a favor walk over to State Street for better food at a cheaper price and a full meal. read more