This place is a whole vibe. The layout is on point, and I love how the bar is set up super spacious and inviting. The open concept kitchen is such a nice touch too you can actually see amigo and them preparing everything. The food is yummy too with a wide selection to choose from, and the bar is fully stocked. One of the bartenders really made the experience even better with great recommendations and good conversation. Hope to be back soon. read more

See all

The atmosphere is super nice, staff was excellent and the service was great. The steak was excellent as well. Madison was our server and she was very friendly and inviting. Also try the guava Margaritas. On point! read more

This is a favorite restaurant. We dine here frequently. The food is, and always has been, five stars. Let's start with that. The ribs are fall off the bone tender served with a really good Asian slaw and fries. Note, ketchup is served in a small cup. The pot roast is excellent. Tender with a red wine sauce served with carrots, spinach, asparagus and mashed potatoes. So yummy. The grilled Caesar salad didn't have any char or grill marks. The brandy old fashions are the best in Madison. Now, the less than stellar part of tonight's dinner. It's date night. I research menu's online before picking our spot. Bonfyre had a shrimp and scallops ceviche on their menu. A deal maker as this is one of my husband's favorite appetizers. We ordered it along with cheese curds as they are the best curds in Madison. We were told the ceviche was a no go. Oops, sorry. we suggested they update their website. My husband displayed his displeasure by saying this is why we chose this restaurant for dinner. Strike one. We enjoyed our drinks. A while later our server came out with our entrees and salad. What? Is this a cafeteria where all food is dumped in front of you at once? Weren't we here to dine? Where was our appetizer? We canceled the cheese curds as it was apparent the order wasn't put in. Sad as I was really looking forward to them. I showed my dismay that we didn't get our appetizer and that the salad was served with the entree. Kinda put a damper on our date night. The server apologized and realized she screwed up. Service after that was tentative. I expect it was a learning experience for her. We will give other restaurants a try for a bit as this was a less than stellar experience on an early Wednesday night dinner reservation. read more

See all

My partner and I stopped here after a long day on Saturday for a simple drink and some cheese curds! We actually went to the Mexican restaurant next door just before... We decided to come here to Bonfyre after a sub par experience at the Mexican spot next door. ~ The funny thing is we had a $10 margarita at both Bonfyre and the authentic Mexican spot, Hands down Bonfyre had the better Margarita! The cheese curds are melt in your mouth and are to die for! Legit such a good decision! The service is spot on! We sat at the bar and had an amazing time. Can't wait to go back and try the food. read more

Bonfyre American Grille - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

As part of burger week, they were highlighting wagyu burger. So decided to give it a shot. I took out lunch from here. Went for a Wagyu burger and zucchini fries. Zucchini fries came at a $6 upcharge, but a welcome change from the mundane sides. Wagyu burger was good. This place is part of an apartment building. From the parking lot, the restaurant is not visible. That was a bit confusing. Fortunately I decided to get down and walk around and found the place. read more

See all

Never got past the RUDENESS of the front desk. Had a reservation to get a new mother out of the house. Not thinking I made a reservation for 4 adults. We actually had a 2 year old and a 2.5 week old. They would not seat us. We stated we were fine with having the 2 year old at the corner of the table and the infant was in a wrap in mother's arms but they would not seat us. If that is the policy so be it but the person behind the desk could not have been more rude. Continued to say that a baby is a person, well of course they are but do they need a seat. My husband who is very soft spoken actually raised his voice and told the person that there is no reason why she could not be kind. She asked us to leave, wow! I do believe the management needs to read this and look at the person people see when they come in the door. read more

My friends and I went before prom, and the food was great, and our server was very nice and accommodating for all of us. Overall, very great and clean and fancy, and nice. read more

I can't remember the last time I ate a chicken breast, they are usually to dry and tasteless. This time I swear the chicken breast tasted better than the other parts. I will come back because they are doing something special. Order the Rotisserie Chicken you can't go wrong. read more

Came here for a short happy hour. Happy hour lasted until 7 which gave me enough time for 3 drinks and two appetizers. The happy hour drink menu is limited. I had the mango martini because I prefer something sweeter. It was pretty decent, I had two of these. I also had the spritz which was a bit more bitter. The Spotted Cow beer was pretty light and not bad, I don't prefer beer but a beer drinker would probably like it. We tried the cheese curds which were fried so lightly and the ranch paired perfectly. The truffle fries were also delicious. The ambiance was pretty casual and lights were dim. It was definitely more of an adult vibe than family. We sat at the bar but the service was good nonetheless. read more

Thank you. my 8 year old son Greyson was tired and hungry after his soccer game.we live about an hour and a half away from where his soccer game was and this was the nearest restaurant and we had not ate supper yet. this establishment closed in about 25 minutes by the time we had got there. they were very welcoming to us and weren't upset that we came a few minutes before they closed. however the bill was outrageous! But I am totally willing to pay the price for those delicacy of foods. my son was happy.i was happy. we both thoroughly enjoyed our meal and we will 95% be coming back! just not 20 minutes before they close... read more

Folks were visiting from Jersey. It was a perfect night to be sitting on the patio. The semi sheer blinds helped cut down on the wind and Sun, the patio a nice location for our dinner. Our server was attentive and congenial. The meals were, as per usual, very good. The dumplings had just the right amount of heat in the oil. I loved the ahi tuna app. Tasty tender strips of tuna complemented by a crunchy salad with sweet-hot sauce. The Wedge salad and steak was a favorite of my wife. The steak was packed with flavor and cooked to a perfect t med-rare. My salmon was tender, flaky and moist. Bonfyre did not disappoint. This is why it is one of our favorite restaurants around 'Madison. read more

See all

Food was great! Dessert was terrible and so was the bill!! It cost over $250 for 2 adults and 2 children!! Absolutely outrageous!!

We have gone to this restaurant about a handful of times. The staff is always very attentive and provide good suggestions. The ambience isn't too loud. It's great for groups and for kids. The grilled chicken meal for kids is very decently portion for a growing child. Mine devoured it. The food is good and enjoyable. The seared scallops and the sauce were very tasty. The cheesecake is decent. The drinks are pretty reasonable too. If you happen to be in the area, it's a good stop for a nice family meal. read more

Bonfyre American Grille - Seared Scallops - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Food was amazing! Wagyu burger was so beyond tasty, calamari was tender and well seasoned, and truffle fries were super GOOD! Service was great too. read more

Came to celebrate a birthday also celebrated this food! The food at bonfire was very delicious and well prepared. We ordered many things off the menu and enjoyed. Some highlights were the grilled octopus, Calamari and ribs which were fall off the bone. Ordered the meat trio with Steak, chicken and Ribs. Recommend the ribs but not the cut of steak and rotisserie chicken which was unfortunately dry. All the other food was great so I was full before I got to it. I will definitely come back, especially for happy hour! read more

See all

I received horrible service when I hosted my wedding rehearsal dinner in their private dining room and am extremely disappointed in the awful customer service I received afterwards from Elizabeth and Alfredo. DO NOT host any event at Bonfyre! I booked the room multiple months in advance and communicated with the catering manager to organize the details of the dinner. The catering manager was extremely reassuring that everything would be done according to our discussion, and yet all three things that were pre-discussed were wrong, leading to an unorganized dinner and awful service and resolution. The catering manager confirmed that I wanted the u-shape table setup in the room, that all servers would use my named menu placards to know where each order went (I sent over an organized list for my 26 guests of dinner/salad orders with names a month in advance), and that we would substitute ranch instead of blue cheese on the wedge salad. All three items were WRONG on the night of, even though the catering manager was the one in charge. It became obvious that she had shown false confidence in her emails and had no ability to follow through. She provided nothing but false platitudes. When we arrived, the tables were in parallel rows instead of the u-shape and my seating chart would no longer work. After some confusion and awkwardness, I asked them to move the tables, which required guests to stand back up and then they didn't have enough chairs and had to pull over another awkward small table that a couple guests were stuck at at the end. The catering manager, Elizabeth, assured me that they would discount the meal and make up for the initial mistake. This was only the beginning. Then the servers began stopping conversations and asking each of our guests what they wanted to order, even though I had already confirmed that they would note down the names at each chair at the beginning of the night (all guests had a named menu in front of them). I asked one of the servers why they were interrupting and asking what each person wanted when I had sent over the names and orders in advance and was told that they didn't have those orders and instead just had totals of each entree but not who ordered it. I said that I sent over names and orders beforehand and they said that they didn't know and they didn't know where that information was. Again, even though Elizabeth was present she didn't intervene and didn't correct it. It took so long for the meals to start coming out due to the mistakes and additional time of needing to take 26 orders (well over 1.5 hrs before any food arrived). Then the salads came out with blue cheese crumbles and dressing, even though they were supposed to have ranch (the only thing I requested changed about the set event menu and had previously been confirmed multiple times). It was just mistake after mistake and it impacted the evening heavily and made it so frustrating and unenjoyable on what should have been an incredibly happy and celebratory weekend. When I reached out to Elizabeth after the event to share my feedback, she told me that she was sorry but they couldn't refund or do anything else for me, even though she acknowledged that all of those items were pre-arranged and then ignored. Only a handful of the cheapest drinks were comped (totaling less than $70) and then she said that the owner had approved a refund of the "credit card fee" of $20 for my troubles. Mind you, the bill was over $2k and she offered a "discount" of about 1% even though she messed up every single arranged item of the evening. It was just insulting at that point. I emailed the owner twice over the course of a couple weeks and he ignored me (still no answer from him to this day). It's clear that Bonfyre has no regard for their guest experience and make no efforts to correct their mistakes. I absolutely DO NOT recommend hosting any event at Bonfyre for any reason! The catering manager is incompetent and the owner will ignore you and try to pinch pennies at your expense. What horrible and disappointing service. read more

What a fantastic night to go out and try Bonfyre. Loved the decorations and the centering of the bar in this establishment, it was very lively. Overall, great experience, good food, and excellent customer service. We arrived during happy hour and ordered the zucchini fries. It arrived a little after our drinks and it totally hit the spot. The sauce has tangy and delicious. Our drinks were the mango martini and the Bonfyre Old Fashioned. Two very delicious drinks that are not watered down. We both shared a tomahawk steak with a side of asparagus and a twice baked potato that was delicious. We ordered a medium rare steak and the only reason I am giving this a 4/5 is because our steak wasn't medium rare all the way through. Some areas were rare. Besides this, the steak was delicious. We will both be coming back here again :) read more

See all

Came here for a lunch during work in the middle of the week. Ordered the Thai flatbread and WOW I was very impressed. I hadn't seen any great pictures of the flatbread but still decided to try it! Sooo glad I did. A little messy to eat so be warned but worth it. Coworker got the tacos and she said they were fantastic. Only complaint was the service took a little long to get our order and it wasn't super busy but was still a positive experience! Will be back to try more items! read more

Bonfyre American Grille - Thai Chicken Flatbread - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

We had Easter Brunch Buffet today at Bonfyre Grille and while it was not as good as last time we tried it (2-3 years ago) it was still a very nice buffet, we had a 1:45 pm reservation and were seated immediately. The food was great with the exception of the carving station, the lamb was dry and tough and even the ham was dry, both likely due to only an hour of so until the buffet was over. I thought the self service coffee was complimentary with the $50 a person buffet, and was a bit surprised to see we were charged $3.75 for basic coffee that we had to get ourselves, the coffee was nothing special and they only had one creamer choice and that was empty until I asked them to refill it. In all fairness the menu for the buffet said no beverages were included. For $50 a person they should include free, coffee and tea. 2 years ago I would have rated our experience 4.5 stars, this time it was 3.5 stars. read more

This was our 'go to' for birthdays and special family events. On our recent visit a couple of weeks ago we were extremely disappointed. We were 7 of us and nothing was even acceptable except the steak, truffle fries and the cheese curds. The chicken Parmesan was average at best and the vegetable risotto looked and tasted like made with Uncle Ben's rice. The server simply did not know what he was doing. We asked if they could do a pasta for the 1 vegetarian in the group they couldn't. We had to ask the server multiple times for anything as he kept forgetting. Good ambiance with poor food and service doesn't do it for me. read more

This past Saturday, 3/28, my daughter and I went to Bonfyre for her birthday. The first time we ate here was pretty good. Service, ambiance, food; 4 stars. Pricey but not bad. The second time was with my husband. Server spent most of her time at the hostess station talking. Twice I had to get up and request her to come to the table. Both times the restaurant was quiet. Early dinners and my expectation was similar. Third and final time was for my daughters birthday. (All three were in a space of two weeks.) This time the restaurant had more business and I had planned her birthday on Open Table as well I requested at the hostess station to be seated at a specific table. There were three host(s); the young man was pleasant but one of the young ladies acted bothered. They didn't seat us at the table I requested but I didn't say anything for reasons that I wanted to keep it cheerful. Our server Chad seemed on the ball at the beginning and then it went downhill from there. The table next to us had drinks spilled and plates of food dropped at their table with not a single manager stepping in to apologize. My daughter ordered the 10 oz filet that was served well done. Chad ordered a new steak mid-rare and said it would be out quickly. I finished my dinner and the steak came out on a little plate by itself 20 minutes later. This is a 52.00 steak. No new plate just a side order. On top of this no offer of complimentary dessert, drink comp. Nothing! No manager either! He acted so aloof as if it wasn't a big deal. I will never go back or recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

Spending a weekend in Madison, Bonfyre was probably the best food experience I had all weekend. Going in for a rather late dinner, I chose only to get an appetizer, drink, and dessert, though the rest of the table went to have full dinners. My appetizer was the carpaccio, thinly sliced, raw beef with herbs and spices. A lot of the time, I get this and the seasoning is really unevenly applied -- here it was fairly well seasoned throughout. I also tried the cheese curds because... cheese curds. Theirs were the atypical, orange-y cheddar variety, which I honestly didn't think much of. They tasted a bit like artificial nacho cheese in a breading, and I could do without those again. The waiter was very friendly and outgoing. It also seems to be a fairly upscale, relaxing vibe. read more

BonFyre is a restaurant that begs for executives to dine. The dark wood and kitchen in the middle sets a very high class ambiance. Our service was spot on! The food, however, just didn't wow. This is gonna be the only time on my trip. I was going to have Wisconsin cheese curds. They were very greasy and lackluster. I had the cilantro, lime salmon, which was nothing special. I did, however, enjoy the asparagus. My boss had the baby back ribs, and there was enough to feed a small army! My pier had the fillet baked potato and asparagus, and again said it was all right. For dessert I have peach cobbler which wasn't worth the calories. I would definitely try it again. We just weren't wowed. read more

See all

Food was good. Service was good. But they brought me a $60 bottle of Chardonnay and it was room temperature in a bucket of ice. I tasted it and said "It's room temperature" to the waiter and he said "I tried to chill it as soon as you ordered it". Why don't they keep it chilled so it is ready to serve?!? read more

We went to the Bonfyre American Grille to celebrate my in-law's anniversary. When we arrived, my sister-in-law already ordered cheese curds and bacon wrapped shrimp, before we arrived. The curds, although sitting for awhile before we arrived, were delicious! They were tender, unlike other establishments in the area, that are gummy and chewy, and overcooked. The bacon wrapped shrimp was also very good. My husband ordered the jambalaya, and I ordered the blackened salmon, with broccolini and wild rice. Both of our meals were awesome! Although, I wouldn't really call the salmon blackened, and the creole sauce didn't have any spice at all. The wait staff was a bit non-existent at times, and it took a while before we were served our drinks and meals. I will just blame it on being short staffed. The only con, is that the music is too loud, and it was hard to have a conversation at our table. read more

Bonfyre American Grille - Blackened salmon - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

I tried the Lobster Ravioli. I am not sure if there was actual lobster or some fake white chunks they were passing as lobster. Whatever it was was mushy and tasteless. The ravioli was undercooked. Boiling pasta and setting a timer is not that hard. I did not eat it. The waitress did not ask how I liked it or if it was okay. I left a plate of food. There is obviously something wrong with it. Date ordered bread pudding. I was not at the table as i would have asked what was in it. Tons of nuts. I am allergic. Not the restaurants fault, but way over done. I don't think anything is actually home made. read more

With a weeknight reservation in hand we dined here on a cold rainy night. We should have parked in the garage behind the restaurant to avoid the elements. Despite it being the middle of the week it was busy so it was good that we had a reservation. Given the weather I am glad I requested a table by the fireplace in the main dining room. We were seated there but had to request that they turn on the fireplace - two different times! Not sure why it kept going off... Anyway after reading some recent reviews and study the menu online I was ready for the prices. They were high especially since my wife had dined here often (pre-covid) for lunch. We started with a bowl of their butternut squash soup which was thinner than some we have had but it was very flavorful with a small bit of heat. For my main I had their version of steak frites. The steak was medium rare with an excellent crust on it - very good with just the garlic butter as the sauce. The fries were a bit crunchier than I care for but better than soggy. My wife ordered the fish tacos and really enjoyed them. Our server was pleasant and efficient. Overall a nice experience but I will explore other restaurants in this price range before returning. read more

Between, dinner, lunch, happy hour and both Easter and Mothers Day Brunch, we go to Bonfyre 30+ times per year. The past two times we have been there have me questioning if we would go back. Today, our drinks were really poorly made. The Thai Flat Bread, which we would normally die for, was a mix between the Bianchi and Thai. Thai Flat Bread with Mozzarella Cheese on the crust? After complaining about our drink and having it made poorly again, we just ate the Flat Bread, paid the bill and left. Not sure if or when we will go there again, but it will likely be quite awhile. read more

This is over rated and the price is outrageous for 4/5 of a tiny $14 pizza. This place has been declining over the years! read more

Bonfyre American Grille - This is a $14 pizza. I think someone ate a piece. Ugh - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Decent enough restaurant. I got the jambayla and my husband got the curry bowl with chicken. Both were satisfactory but didn't blow me away. Both dishes could've used more seasoning. However we understand that we didn't get signature dishes. The shrimp was a little chewy but not so off putting that I didn't eat it. The stand outs were the drinks, I got the watermelon Paloma and my husband got the Kentucky mule. Service was quick and polite. Good place to go if you have limited time for a sit down meal. read more

See all

Bonfyre is a head scratcher. It's been open for over 14 years, in a peculiar location and puts out really average food at a higher than expected price point. Obviously, with that type of tenure, they must have a cadre of repeat customers but what am I missing? I've had several lunches there and all have decent but unremarkable. My latest lunch was a $18 chicken season wrap (with choice of side-I opted for the sweet potato fries). On the smaller size, the wrap lacked the garlic snap I would expect. Completely ho hum. The fries were dusted in cinnamon sugar and excessively sweet. No complaints about the service. Attentive and prompt, they were quick to refill water and other beverages. Kudos to Bonfyre for lasting as long as they have but I won't be returning to crack the code. read more

This place is ok! I like the atmosphere and the service. It is a chill place where you can have a low key vibe but still watch whatever sports game you want at the bar. The food was pretty average. I had a burger with potatoes. The burger was a standard burger and the potatoes were unfortunately hard and not enjoyable. They were not crispy, more like hard and chewy. The cheese curds were alright, and the chicken marinara was also ok. Not bad but just not amazing. I would only come here if I wanted somewhere slightly more comfortable to watch a game (rather than an actual sports bar). read more

See all

This is one of my favorite places in Madison. Been there a few times and always left feeling full and happy. Everything I have tried so far is amazing. Favorite entrees are the swordfish, poke bowl, Korean bowl. In the appetizers I like the blackened shrimp Crostini, truffle fries and the spinach artichoke dip. Service is great and the decor and ambience of the place is very warm and inviting. A must try if you are in Madison. read more

See all

Not a very welcoming place... food is okay but will not go back. Owner is not a nice person at all. Staff get treated very bad, I watched it for weeks. I WILL never support this place again. read more

Last week was Madison's Burger Week so a friend and I looked at the options and decided to try Bonfyre American Grille's Wagyu Burger: A wagyu beef patty topped with peppercorn mayo, shallot jam, arugula, and Gruyère cheese on a brioche bun however we realized once we arrived that this was not a special burger for Burger Week but a burger that is on their menu. So I decided to order the Chicken Parmesan-Seasoned chicken, marinara, Italian cheese blend, and garlic alfredo fettuccini served with garlic bread. This was the best Chicken Parm I had in a long time. It was moist, fresh, and cooked to order. I cleared the plate! I would definitely order again and try the Wagyu Burger sometime this summer. read more

I've eaten here 3 times and have never been dissatisfied Mussels, steaks and cocktails have all always been top notch. read more

The risotto with salmon was served warm and was absolutely delicious. There was enough of the meal that I had leftovers for the next day that heated up well in the microwave. I also love that Bonfyre has fried zucchini on the menu, that I always enjoy. Our waitress was very attentive and made sure we were well taken care of. Bonfyre is my favorite restaurant! read more

Bonfyre American Grille - Risotto with salmon was delicious and there was enough for leftovers the next day. - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Went to Bonfyre last night for the first time. It was a positive experience. Jordyn G. was our server; she was excellent! General ambience was pleasant since we were seated in the "wine room." The food was very good, especially the walleye and the rotisserie chicken. Also notable were the Maytag Bleu potato chips and the bacon wrapped shrimp. read more

See all

H! I recommend this place because the service was great. The food was excellent. it was clean and overall I really enjoyed it. I was surprised to find out the health department said it needed to be re-inspected. They said it was not up to code. I would like to know why? read more

Bonfyre American Grille - Oreo pie was delicious! - American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great variety of choices on the menu for dinner. Everything was very good including the appetizers.