Went to the Whippoorwill for Saturday dinner, I'd say this is a blend between a restaurant, rural WI bar, and a supper club. While the current iteration of the Whippoorwill has been around for a while (2007), it's more up-to-date than some of the old-school supper clubs that have been around since Johnny Carson was still on TV ;) The food was good as was the service. The bar is also nicely updated, so while [kinda] out in the country, it's not divey. It's well-worth a try. read more

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We were wanting to try a new fish fry outside of the general Madison area, and this fit the bill. It was evident many of the others there were regulars, chatting with bartenders and asking one another about their family. It created a sweet environment. I appreciated that a trip to the (well stocked) salad bar was included with the fish fry. The cheesy potatoes were delicious. My husband had perch and I had cod for fish. We both found the fish to be good, but nothing rave-worthy. While we haven't yet checked it out, we've been told they have an amazing meat raffle that's a must visit. We'll be back to try our luck! read more

Whippoorwill/Hawks Nest - Fish Fry - American Near Me - Dane, Wisconsin

We absolutely love coming here for Friday night fish fry. Both the cod and the perch were done perfectly. We also love having so many choices for potato. I love the german potato salad and my husband loves their type of fries, super crispy and full of flavor. This place stays number one on our list not only because of above mentioned, but their salad bar puts it on the top. Staff is super friendly and where can you get a brandy old fashioned for $5 anymore????? The outdoor seating is always enjoyable and makes this a perfect summer (pre-summer) destination. read more

Definitely a supper club vibe to this place. The patio seating was very nice. I ordered the special which was lasagna. It was a nice big serving and the garlic bread was perfect. It came with a trip to the salad bar so for the price it was well worth it. It is cash only. Our server was very nice and our food arrived timely. read more

Whippoorwill/Hawks Nest - Lasagna special - American Near Me - Dane, Wisconsin

Went for the Friday night fish fry. Salad bar was very good. Really enjoyed the options and freshness. Limited menu options made meal choice easy. We went with the deep fried cod which was just ok in our opinion. Seemed like Cisco product without much imagination. Service was attentive and the place was packed even though road construction made getting there tricky. read more

This is not a dive bar or restaurant. I would classify it as a destination bar. A supper club type atmosphere. Great food and service. Come in for a surprise. I was. read more

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Four of us stopped by for dinner on Thursday night. Dinner was ok. Salad bar was small but tasty, my shrimp was not hand breaded, but the twice baked potato made the meal. My friend had the lasagna special and it was good, but the marinara was a tad sweet for me. Other friend had the sirloin steak and she said it was good and she loved the fries! The road in front of the place is getting redone so gravel road driving was necessary, not bad though. Staff was super friendly! We sat outside and the patio area is a place I would go back to. Cash only, but atm onsite. read more

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Looking for an affordable, classic Wisconsin bar, fish fry experience? This is it! They don't take reservations or have a host. Tables are first come first serve and people hover a bit to get their perfect spot. Sit back, relax, enjoy an old fashioned at the bar and wait for a table to open. Some tables are communal and you might just meet some super fun people just by sitting down. This place has the old school supper club salad bar complete with the softest freshest bread, excellent coleslaw, and even chocolate pudding. The fish fry menu includes perch, shrimp, baked and fried cod and tonight they had a blue gill special. The baked cod piece is a very generous, flaky portion! The beer battered fries are exactly as you would hope. The servers and bartenders are incredibly friendly. You might wait a bit if it is a full house on a Friday night, but it's worth the wait. The owner is super nice and has talked to us every time we've come in. My only regret is that we didn't try one of their homemade desserts. read more

Wow, what an absolutely beautiful location and restaurant!!! We often hike at Indian Lake down the road and have passed by this place many times wanting to stop in to check it out. Well, today was the PERFECT day to grab a bite to eat and have a few cocktails!!! The service is wonderful as it is under new ownership. They are looking to hire more staff so it may be a tab slow but the cocktails are AMAZING so get enjoy the atmosphere on the outdoor patio - you won't regret it! Mushroom Burger was delicious. Wings were crispy. We also checked out the building next door available for party rentals and were blown away! We'll definitely be having an event here in the future. read more

Whippoorwill/Hawks Nest - Outdoor Patio - American Near Me - Dane, Wisconsin

Food is decent, but the beer is $7 for spotted cow. Spent too much money there. Probably won't go back.

I'm not entirely sure when this restaurant reopened, but I believe it was in the last two years. The new owner has turned this place into a restaurant worthy of any drive it would take to get there. We'd heard from someone how good the food is, so took a drive on a gorgeous fall day. It's outside of Middleton. First, it's set in a wooded area, so the outdoor patio is right beside this beautiful rock wall and hill. The patio is so quaint with heaters, lights, plants, etc. The owner did a great job in decorating. Supper clubs tend to be pricey, but this place wasn't bad at all, especially for the quality of food! All four of us decided the Whipporwill would be our new favorite restaurant. We've heard, too, that they renovated the building next to it for weddings, showers, or other parties and that it's decorated really neat. The drive is pretty easy, too. This place is a must-eat restaurant. read more

Great food. Fresh and prepared just the way you order. Good fish fry. It is popular so get there early or late Good sized drinks. read more

Stopped in after cross country skiing at Indian Lake for a beer and burger. FANTASTIC bar burger and fries, done a perfect medium. Bacardi and a cheeseburger / fries ran around $10. The place is very clean, and friendly bartender. We'll definitely stop back again ! read more

Whippoorwill/Hawks Nest - American Near Me - Dane, Wisconsin

Great surprise! A real diamond in the rough. I was driving home in the vicinity and saw this place pop up on Google Maps and decided to dip in for dinner. It was a week night and there was construction all around, only one or two cars stood in the gravel parking lot and to be honest it didn't look like much from the outside. I'm from Madison and felt like I probably wasn't the most traditional patron, and certainly not a regular. I was worried I'd be made to feel unwelcome and stick out like a sore thumb in this rural pub (as has been the case with a few others around Dane County I've been to), but wanted to give it a try nonetheless. As soon as I walked in though all my fears were alleviated. The interior was cozy, not rough, it feels much more like a supper club than a local dive (not that I don't enjoy dives on occasion). I sat at the bar (only one other customer was inside, also at the bar a little ways down). The amiable owner immediately made me feel at home. The food selection was impressive - I had delicious pork chops, the special of the day -, and the bottle and tap list was a pleasant surprise as well. They had a much larger selection than I anticipated, including a few craft brews on tap from the area like Lake Louie Warp Speed. I had a nice chat with the owner (whose son is the cook) throughout my meal. I was informed they have a meat raffle as well and I have been trying to spread the word to some friends who enjoy checking those out too. I may have to plan a trip to Indian Lake Park this summer just so I have an excuse to go back here afterwards. read more

The Whip rocks! Yes, the most recent owners have really improved the quality of the food and maintenance of the bar and restaurant. The food is excellent. Don't get me wrong, this is still a dive. This is not a 4 star restaurant so don't expect that type of food. However, it is not a redneck or biker bar either. The Friday night fish fry is worth the trip. The breading is light and the fish is flavorful. The burgers are also very good, and the service is excellent. The atmosphere is simple but clean. On a weekend night all the locals gather to drink and eat. It parallels a German pub being the social center of the area. You can see 3-4 generations of the same family at the Whip at the same time. So if you want to see the real Wisconsin rural pub seen, stop by for a beer and a tasty meal. You won't be disappointed. read more

Things have gotten much better there since my initial 2010 review, I had a taco there the other night that was as big as my head! The bartender / owner has turned things around and made this a designation I prefer instead of avoid like 3 years ago. Nice turnaround! read more

Prime rib sandwich was out of this world. Classic Wisconsin bar, and the absolute cleanest bar I've ever been in. Great service and quality food. Very happy to see places like this still exist. read more

Great fish fry with cod, walley, shrimp. The food is decent with a typical salad bar selection. Expect a long wait but with it.

This is my all time favorite bar. Staff is very friendly, food is amazing and very welcoming. Favorite place of hometown families; you will probably see many generations of families here at once. The new jalapeño poppers added to the menu are to die for. Friday fish fry's are best in the state. Strongly recommend!! read more

Stopped in with a family of 4 for the Friday night Fish Fry. It was great! Nice bar area with lots of seating, friendly staff and patrons. I was thrilled that they had New Glarus Staghorn on tap!!! The way it works is that you order at the bar, and when your food is almost ready you go into a back dining room. The menu was great for the Friday special. They offer Fried Cod, Baked Cod, Fried Perch, Fried Shrimp, choice of potato, and it comes with the salad bar. When we got our food we were really impressed with the portions and quality. The baked was especially good!!! We also got the Shrimp and Fried Cod, both delicious. While waiting initially at the bar the owner was telling me about the different specials they run each night, Wednesday is Wing Night. Apparently they have 9 different homemade sauces, that looked like they'd be worth the trip. Certainly worth checking out!!! read more

Went there for the first time. Everything was fabulous. The sirloin steak was the best I ever had. Very reasonable too.

Read on FB a friend was going there last night and decided to give it a shot - GLAD WE DID! Fantastic Food - Friendly Staff - Very Clean - Great Food - We enjoyed Prime Rib, Boneless Ribs and Steak & Shrimp. Everything was delicious, large baked potatoes. This is definitely going to be a dinner destination for us on the Harleys, It is a hidden little gem with lots of delicious sounding/fairly priced specials every day of the week. read more

Forget Friday night unless you are a local. They take your food order at the bar then make you sit and wait, hoping you'll order a lot of drinks. The locals kept going back to the dining room as we waited 1 hr 15 mins for our food. When the bar was almost empty, my husband went back to the dining room and saw an empty table yet they never called us back. Once our food finally came (fish fry), it tasted good and was as ordered, but definitely not worth a 1.5 hr wait. Plus the tap beer was flat. And they only accept cash--no credit cards. read more

Took 45 minutes to get our cheese curds and mozz sticks. Essentially no service- there were 11 people in the bar and the waitress checked on us once the whole 2 hours we were there. Was a clean place but nothing special. Salad bar is a joke. read more