I'm a vegetarian and love Reubens. This is the best vegetarian Rubin I've ever had. Actually, it…read morewas vegan and it was still the best! So was the potato salad that came with it. Cool restaurant with a cool vibe.

Finally got to try The Weary Traveler, it did not disappoint!…read more Easy street parking found on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Walked in to a friendly greeting & were seated right away. To drink I ordered a watermelon refresher-tasted like summer! We shared the Goulash, Walleye Sandwich, & Prime Rib Dip. Every single bite was delicious! The garlic fries were crispy & flavorful. I appreciated that their full menu is offered during brunch. Can't wait to come back!

Ironically, even though The Old Fashioned is known for having the best cheese curds in Wisconsin…read more(Food Network said so!), I still haven't tried them. What I can tell you is that the walleye and eggs brunch entree was the best breakfast I've ever had. The portion is huge for the price, which is a big deal in this economy. The walleye was cooked perfectly. Their rosemary potatoes were a great take on a classic. Maybe I'm gassing this place up a lot, but those potatoes were life-changing. The atmosphere is lively and buzzing in the best way, so it's a fun spot to hang out after going to the Dane County Farmer's Market. I also picked up a cool shirt that shows how to make an old-fashioned one, which is the perfect souvenir. Next time, I'm finally getting the curds.

Food Network rated as the BEST Fried cheese curds. Not sure about that. They were squeaky, salty,…read moreand greasy. Not pleasant at all. I heard the Doubletree does a better job. We had the special BBQ plate on Thursday night. Additionally we had the pickled beet salad. Now the ribs were fire. Tender, moist, and delicious. Beet salad was ok, but nothing special. Ambiance was a very old lodge-like atmosphere. Make sure to get there early as the place gets busy. We had to wait 25 min for a table.

The self serve Bloody Mary garnish bar was 100% worth it for brunch. They had meat sticks, pickled…read moreeggs, pickled veggies, hot sauces, etc. It was basically an appetizer. Food was also very tasty. Service was friendly and there was a large parking lot. Would definitely visit again if in the area!

It was nice but I'm not sure it's worth a second visit. The space is nice but a little weary with…read moreits strange heavy curtains to the patio area in the back. The only restrooms were upstairs (or at least that's where we were directed) there was a very dirty and rusty lift. Wings and cheese curds yes. The relish tray is not worth the money and it's too far away from my supper club expectations. No to the French onion soup and the Italian beef. My fault on the sandwich I wanted Chicago I got an interpretive version. I hear the fish fry was good even though the fries were over salted. They're strict on your seat time we were getting together after a long time apart so being told we should prepare to leave was an awkward way to end but it's the policy I guess. Server was lovely patient and kind.

Went to Alchemy on a Friday night at 7 pm. There was a 20 minute wait but was able to grab a drink…read moreat the bar and enjoy their outdoor picnic waiting area which was adorable! We were sat and greeted by a wonderful server. She was incredibly friendly and welcoming! She answered all of my questions and steered me towards the best meal choices which was so helpful! I ordered the stuffed grilled cheese. The bread was delicious, but I wanted more from the veggies. I think they could be cooked for longer to make the sandwich texture more cohesive. I also think a bit more sauce was needed as the cheese didn't have as much flavor as I wanted. However, our server did say I should add bacon and I neglected to - so maybe that's on me. The friend ordered the BBQ Ribs which were topped with the best bbq sauce I've ever had. The meat was tender and incredibly delicious! The mashed potatoes were amazing, as was the seasonal vegetable (zucchini). We finished with one of their seasonal desserts, an apple custard streusel with whipped cream. It was the best thing we had all night! The apples were a perfect texture, the whip cream was airy and had the right amount of sweetness and vanilla flavor. But the streusel topping was the best part! It was so salty and complimented the other flavors so well. I will definitely be back but probably order their chicken house boat sandwich or get one of their burgers next time!

I visited from out of town for lunch recently, and this was easily my favorite meal of the trip! We…read morewere looking for a casual stop with delicious food, and this fit the bill perfectly. It was pretty busy at lunch time on a weekend, but luckily we were able to snag seats at the bar. The staff were very friendly and attentive, kindly offering recommendations. I loved that the menu offered both elevated takes on classic dishes in addition to a rotating seasonal menu. Eventually, we decided on the kimchi reuben and the Vindicator, which was essentially a turkey club. There was a great selection of sides to choose from as well, so we went with the wasabi green beans and seasonal lemon zucchini pasta salad. The turkey club was served on sourdough from an amazing artisan bakery down the street, and was absolutely stacked with delicious, high quality ingredients. A large slab of melted cheddar paired perfectly with a smoky chipotle aioli, which almost tasted like bacon. The reuben was also super unique- all of the flavors came together very well, and I loved the contrast of having refreshing kimchi to cut through the decadent Swiss and pastrami. The pasta salad was dangerously addictive and had the creamiest lemon Parmesan dressing. I thought the green beans were crunchy and well cooked, but didn't really taste any wasabi. We left full with leftovers, and felt that the value was great given the quality and quantity of the dishes. I would absolutely be back given the chance, and highly recommend paying a visit!

The staff was friendly but the waiter we had wasn't vary good. We ordered fried pickles as an…read moreappetizer when we ordered drinks (hangry children with us). Took while for our drinks (our waiter was nowhere to be found). Our food came out fairly fast but never received our fried pickles, asked for them again and received them when we finished our meal. I would have rather had our waiter tell us he forgot and apologize rather than nothing at all. All the other wait staff and bartender were attentive to their tables and helpful when we needed boxes and our bill (yes, we had to ask other wait staff for this along with silverwar The decor was atmosphere was fun and enjoyable. It's kid friendly and would also be fun on a night out on the town

We stopped into Tipsy Cow while visiting Madison, and while there were definitely some highlights,…read morethe food ended up being a bit of a mixed experience. We started with an order of cheese curds and a couple of Spotted Cow beers, and this was easily the best part of our visit. The cheese curds were excellent! Lightly battered with a flavorful coating and a wonderfully smooth, almost velvety cheese inside. The ranch was also fantastic and paired perfectly with them. Exactly what I was hoping for while back in Wisconsin! Unfortunately, things went downhill a bit from there. We ordered the tomato soup and chili, and neither really impressed us. The tomato soup had an unusual sweetness that almost tasted artificial, along with a surprising amount of spice. It was quite different from the traditional tomato soup flavor we were expecting, and it just didn't work for us. The chili was better, although still pretty spicy, and we actually found two whole bay leaves in it. What disappointed me most was that both soups arrived barely lukewarm, which really took away from the experience. We also tried the walleye fingers, which were good. The fish was cooked well, and the accompanying sauce was very dill forward. Nothing particularly memorable, but certainly not bad either. On a positive note, the service was good throughout our visit. Our drinks stayed full, and we had no issues with the staff. The restaurant was dark wood and very cozy. Overall, Tipsy Cow seems like a great place to grab a cold Wisconsin beer and some genuinely excellent cheese curds. Those alone would bring me back! Unfortunately, the rest of the food didn't quite live up to that strong start. I'd be willing to give it another shot, but next time I'll probably try a different entrée and hope it lives up to the appetizers.

Stopped in with my cousin when I was in town visiting. Found a couple of spots at the bar and…read moreexperienced their tasting menu for the evening. Great food, awesome service and great cocktails. Looking forward to my next visit. Yes ambience was great as well.

Been here for brunch, happy hour, and restaurant week. Interior is nice, but there is a food smell…read moreon your clothes when you leave. Seating is a bit dense, and it can get a bit loud. Hostesses are always welcoming and friendly. Food is good, but quite pricey. I'd recommend going for happy hour for the best bang for your buck--the ham sandwich is tasty (from someone who doesn't even like ham), and the oysters were really yummy.

Smashburgers done right! I am extremely happy to report that Settle Down Tavern perfected their…read morecraft, rather than just blindly jumping on the trend for the sake of saying it's on the menu. Settle Down has patties that are smashed to a lacy, crisp, well-browned perfection. Points also given for high quality beef that is well-seasoned. Both times, I ordered a Good Idea (a great idea, if you ask me). A simpler combination of meat, cheese, grilled onions, pickles, and sauce. Everything goes together fantastically and stays in perfect balance. I happily devoured it both times, and would have asked for a second if I was feeling especially ravenous. That said, for me, one burger is enough to no longer be hungry, but also won't make me chock-full. Another thing at Settle Down I enjoy is the different varieties of pickled goodies. These all taste fresh and house-made, with that little bit of magic touch not found in commercially manufactured items of the same name. The chocolate chip cookie also should not be slept on: it is warm, wonderfully chocolatey without going overboard, and had that little sprinkle of salt that elevates it to the next level. Outside of food, I was able to try some of their non-alcoholic beverages, and both times they were a hit. They are tasty, interesting and unique (celery lemonade, anyone?) Love that they aren't necessarily sugar bombs, nor do they use Ritual brand n/a spirits that taste like industrial de-greaser. The service here is very good. Staff is friendly and fairly attentive. On my second visit they were absolutely slammed and shorthanded, but still working as fast as possible to get everyone fed. Finally, there is the question of value. Given the price of everything, and the quality of the product, I feel that Settle Down Tavern delivers an excellent value. It may not be quite as cheap as fast food, but a massive upgrade for a few more dollars. Final verdict: Among many flops, Settle Down is one of two smashburgers I've had that were done right. This, combined with great service and value leads to a winning proposition.

Stopped by for happy hour and ended up having a really enjoyable visit. Everything came out…read morequickly, and the staff was attentive without making us wait around. The drinks were also really good and made the stop worth it. Happy hour here is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a casual place to grab a drink and relax. Also like that they let you fill out a post card and will mail it out for you, such a cute extra little fun thing we did.

This place is amazing. It's farm to table so they partner with neighboring farmers for their fresh…read moreingredients. The cheese curd is a must try - they come with a garlic aioli and gochu jang sauce, yummy! The kale caesar and bibimbap were both very good. Nice ambiance, high ceilings, very clean. Our server was good and attentive.

Disappointing return after 11 years…read more I first visited this restaurant 11 years ago and loved it, so I was excited to come back. Unfortunately, something has changed. The menu options were limited, and the food was disappointing. My steak arrived ice cold. Service wasn't any better: we sat at the bar, and the bartender seemed bothered that we wanted to order food. I won't be returning. I love a good farm to table restaurant and this one was extremely disappointing.

While in Madison for IM relay. Couple spots ended up going back cause right there and good food…read more The Great Dane Pub & Brewing was one of them. In prior review so many options all within walking distance in downtown Madison. Right off loved the vibes, old school vibes, downstairs area (area checked out), restaurant level two levels, one nice spacious car area, and other section more dining room. All around one thing common lots of widescreens. NFL back weekend games and also big college town University of Wisconsin. It can get loud and crazy. The food naturally had to get some cheese curds. Out of the two spots just as solid. Not the best of the two. I ended up having Thai Chicken pasta the first time carbload night before the race. Solid pasta dish. Nice hearty, nice flavor, and nice portion. The second time went with Korean rice bowl. Another nice hearty and refreshing dish. The service was friendly, attentive, and all smiles!

Love this place. Good food and great beer…read more They have the best Fried Cheese Curds in Madison with a delicious chimicurri ranch sauce. Their I-5 IPA is an english style, lower carbonation more frothy. Truly delicious. The wings were spicy and good Salad was a salad and my wife ordered it so... Service was quick and friendly. Pub atmosphere. Next time in town I will come back.

What an awesome way to kick off our road trip! This was our first brewery stop on our first night,…read moreand it couldn't have been better. The entire staff was welcoming, friendly, and genuinely seemed happy we were there. Terry was especially fantastic--super engaging, took the time to chat with us, and made us feel like regulars instead of travelers just passing through. The beer is just as solid as the food. They poured a fantastic hazy IPA that was so good I ended up taking a crowler home on day one of our trip! The burgers were excellent too--great flavor, cooked perfectly, and exactly what we needed after a long day on the road. The beer, food, atmosphere, and service all came together to make this a memorable stop. If you're in the Madison area, don't miss this place. We'll definitely be back the next time our adventures bring us through!

Grabbed a drink before mannequin Pussy I ordered the…read moreespresso martini, definitely not made , definitely poured out of a bottle, hated it! But love the vintage, the vibe, and we will always come here