Cheese curds, cheese curds, cheese curds. Get them! If you don't like them, I'll refund your money. Well, no--but I'll finish them for you. These are the BEST I've had--surpassing the Old Fashioned's. Yep, I threw down! Sadly, the two sandwiches(reuben--not on the menu any longer, and the roasted veggie) I've had there have been decent, but not a re-order item. I really like the feel inside, and I think it's a good place for a group. Sort of Great Dane-ish, but a little more upscale, with about half the menu(not a bad thing). They have decent outdoor seating, and I'm looking forward to trying brunch. Service has been friendly, albeit slow. But...the cheese curds! read more

I'm kind of surprised that, after many visits to Craftsman Table & Tap, I haven't written a review until now. I've been a fan since they opened - how could I not be a fan with their impressive tap list - and they've also been the starting point & destination of our cycling club's Tuesday night rides. First, let's talk taps. Over 20 beers between the downstairs and upstairs bars, with a lot of rotation, but some that will make their home for a while. I've *really* liked this aspect of their beer menu - it's great to have a choice of something new or an old favorite. Wisconsin and other great Midwest brews are well represented (Toppling Goliath was very present this summer), but they bring in great beers from all over, including imports. Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale and I became very good friends this year! They're also doing a lot of cool tap takeovers (folks from a featured brewery come in and "take over" all or many of the taps for a night. Great chance to try some rare or limited release beers) and beer dinners. The food, I'd call it gastropub fare (not sure if that narrows things down much...) is delicious and the variety runs from casual (it's a great place for a burger and fries) to more upscale, dinner-date type of items. One of my very favorite meals in Madison is their pulled pork bahn mi sandwich, served with either fries or greens, depending on your mood. Like the beer list, there are staples, and rotating dishes. Craftsman's cheese curds deserve special mention, and are on my (and many of my friends') short lists of best curds in town. I'm too noncommittal to name a single favorite of anything, but these very well may own that slot for me when it comes to cheese curds. The staff and service are excellent and the servers & bar staff really add to the fun of a visit. The one time we had an issue (just kind of a Murphy's Law of restaurants thing), I brought it up and they were super responsive - truly one of those cases where I was more impressed with them than if there hadn't been an issue at all. Tip: Go on a Sunday afternoon. The Packers will be on, and they have Beer-o Bingo! This is as much or more fun than it sounds, and you may walk away with a coupon for an order of curds and a token for a draft beer or a Bloody Mary! read more

Best cheese curds i've had in the Madison area so far! The pasta is also great! read more

Solid food, but nothing exciting or different. I'm not sure what kind of theme they are going for, which makes the place lack personality. Strengths - good wait staff and some good beer options Downfalls - not sure it is worth the price and nothing too exciting. read more

So the good: Josh Ruffin is super fun to talk to - you know so many interesting things about beer! I've been reading some beer books and while they are fun and informative, you are more fun and more informative. So maybe write a beer book, m'kay? There are also beer classes which I haven't attended, but what a good idea. The outdoor spaces are excellent. What a lovely porch and rooftop terrace. The cheese curds are really good. (*Whispers*: Maybe better than Graze). Now the "needs improvement": Your food could be better. The burger had essense of freezer and my risotto was announced as full of vegetables but was sadly not full of vegetables. Let's help keep healthcare costs down, m'kay? Give a girl a little kale. So the summary is that if you were downtown and I could walk to you, Craftsman, I would drink beer on your porch with the same enthusiasm that I do at the Terrace. But you are in Middleton, so if I'm going to go, the food better be good and it's not there yet, so you are going to be in trouble. read more

Upon walking in the place is gorgeous! Very clean and decorated nicely. However, the multiple windows are somewhat of a down fall in late fall. We froze the entire meal. We ordered cheese curds and a few craft beers to start, which were great. The cheese curds melted in my mouth, and were seasoned wonderfully. That's about as good as the meal got. I ordered the beat and goat cheese salad. It arrived without dressing (I had to ask for some) and the beets were canned (not fresh) and not seasoned. Also my salad came without bread which I thought was strange. I also ordered their broccoli cheddar soup that had only broccoli flavoring and not a lick of seasoning. :(. My husband ordered the Craftsman burger which he didn't finish because of the lack of flavor, a salad came with his that was also not dressed (had to ask Again for dressing). Our waitress was overwhelmed and rushed. Only briskly stopped by our table not giving my poor grandma enough time to order an appetizer. :( She was also extremely hard to track down when we needed drink refills. Overall, if you are looking for a nice meal and great service, there are far better establishments in the great city of Madison. If you're looking for a place to get a good beer and yummy cheese curds stop here, otherwise don't waste your time. The 3 stars are for the beer and cheese curds alone! read more

Wish the menu was a tad larger. I get the same 3 things. I like them all enough to order them over and over again, but I guess there is not a whole lot of other things I want to order/try. Not been in for a fish fry, but a really good ff is hard to come by. Everyone has cheapened the fish to keep the price "wisconsin comfortable $" Waitstaff is average. I love love the decor. It's simple and it's clean in there. That is all I care about. Parking is good. Easy to get to. read more

The food is definitely what earned them their 3 stars while their less than ideal service took away two. The hostess was disrespectful to the family in line ahead as it was obvious due to a language barrier the parents didn't understand why they were unable to sit outside. She was then short with us while taking us to our seat. Our waitress was polite but didn't check on us until it was time for the bill. We could have used a water refill and wanted to get dessert for the birthday celebration but wasn't offered any. The atmosphere was overall just okay. the brisket mac and cheese was delicious so I will go back and give it another try, could have been just an off night. read more

I SO wanted to love this place - okay, even like it - and am incredibly disappointed by the food and service. We went 5/1/12 - seemingly long enough for them to have worked out the initial kinks. I came away insulted that they call themselves a "gastropub," as it's some of the worst food I've had in years. Hummus app was laughably bad quality - and by the time our horrid salads came (and we ate only half of them because they were so flavorless, not fresh, and stingy on ingredients) - we were not laughing. Neither was our waiter. I don't mind a curmudgeon, but this guy was just plain rude from the moment he first approached our table. I used to be a waitress, and if I get bad service, I only tip 15%...I wanted to stiff this guy, he was so unfriendly. Dude, why are you in the SERVICE industry? Craftsman, why do you HIRE such folk? I want to support my local pub, but they have MAJOR overhauling to do on their menu, in their kitchen, and in the front of the house. At this point, I would only go back to have a beer. read more

Came here after doing an online search for restaurants in the area. I noticed they had a decent beer selection so wanted to give it a go. It was a nice quiet place (relatively) with quick service. I had the cheese curds as an appetizer with a tasty local beer. I also had the sandwich special with the soup of the day. The sesame tomato soup was unique and tasty... and the sandwich was almost a winner. The contents were tasty but they really failed on the bread. The toasted white bread was no match for this sandwich and was a tad soggy. A nice hearty bread would have been better. Overall the menu seemed good and the beer selection was pretty decent. I would stop here again when I am in the area. read more

I celebrated my birthday here with my family in 2018, nine of us total. They were the third restaurant I called to make a reservation as the other two restaurants wouldn't take reservations and couldn't guarantee we would all be seated together. When I called, the woman who answered first advised they don't take reservations. I expressed my frustration and said all I want is to make sure I can be seated with my family on my birthday. She made an exception. Thank you! Everyone loved the food! The cheese curds are the best, the brisket sandwich was tender and delish, the salads fresh and tasty, the burgers juicy, and the Rueben sandwich spot on. Three years later and, although the menu has changed, Craftsman is still one of my favorites. read more

So let me tell you little boys and girls a story about the craftsman. It is mothers day 2016, and I am preparing to get my brunch on. But not too hard, because sober Samantha said that I had to behave. So I order a bloody mary, and it comes out in the largest mug I have ever seen - tall, skinny, and beautiful. However, the bottom of the bloody was warm, and it was not strong enough for my taste. There was a beer release for the vintage pink IPA, so I requested this as my chaser. A porter came out, and the waitress assured me that the beer was pink if I held it up in the light - when she realized her mistake she brought over an entire pint. Then another waitress realized the mistake and brought over a new beer chaser. All of a sudden, bam! its mothers day, and I have four drinks in front of me. Sober Samantha was not pleased until after her fourth mimosa - they were bottomless for only 10 bones - what a deal! The food was amazing - I had a BLT Benedict, which is an amazing eggs Benedict on toasted foccocia with jalapeno aioli. The breakfast potatoes are on the fringe between very thick pub chips and circular french fries. Are you wondering whether that is a good thing? Well it is - they rock socks. I was tricked into feeling like the service was great - pro tip to restaurant owners: It doesn't matter how negligent your waitstaff are, as long as they are trained to apologize in free drinks. Finally, please remember that rooftop patios are the best kind of patios. read more

My second time here. Today was better than first time, bartender Sam was a reason to come back. I had turkey club which was delicious, hubby had cheeseburger Mac and cheese - he said it was the best Mac and cheese he's ever had. Good choice of tap beer and craft cocktails. Personality, above average food, good drinks. Nice cozy atmosphere too. read more

My husband and I have visited Craftsman Table & Tap twice since we moved to Madison. It is located in a trendy Middleton neighborhood and isn't too far of a drive from where we live. It is the perfect place to enjoy a casual (but delicious) meal and good drinks. I wouldn't consider myself a cheese curd connoisseur in any way shape or form, but I feel like I have had many cheese curds in my life, growing up in Wisconsin and all. I have to say that Craftsman's cheese curds are THE BEST cheese curds I have ever had in my life. I say that with complete honesty and no exaggeration. They are incredible. I don't know what in particular makes them so delicious, but I don't think I could visit this restaurant and NOT order them. Seriously, check them out. Aside from the (amazing) cheese curds, the entrees themselves were delicious as well. The first time we visited I had a burger which was cooked perfectly. On our most recent visit I had their fish fry, which was a decent deal and a generous portion. The breading was perfect and the fish was not over or under cooked. They have a decent beer selection and would be a good place to visit if you're looking to try out a number of new beers. Overall each time we have been there is more enjoyable than the last. We will be back! read more

Hands down best cheese curds in the Madison area! The Craftsman burger is my go to entree item. Burger, cheese, bacon, garlic mayo what's not to love?!? My only complaint is that it's served on a rather non-descript sesame seed bun. A nice burger bun or hard roll from one of the local bakeries like Clasen's or Madison Sourdough would be a lovely change. Plan to share dessert. The portions are huge. Highly suggest the banana caramel bread pudding! read more

Craftsman has good food, great beer, superb events, and the best cheese curds in Dane County I've had. The wait for a table can be a bit long and wait service a bit slow because of how full it gets & smaller size, and that's really the only downside. Sit back and relax with a beer from their amazing tap selection while you wait for a table, and you will be perfectly happy as I am. Besides the cheese curds, okay maybe rivaling the cheese curds, are the beer-based events, like Tap Takeovers, Beerologies, and the Middleton Beer Fest. These are superbly run by Liz and Mari, cover a wide range of topics and beer styles, so if the event one week doesn't trip your trigger, the next one likely will. These are so good, and if you are a local beer lover, you should definitely get to Craftsman for them. read more

Fantastic beer list, great apps and only a mile from home! How i don't spend more time and money here i will never know. go there. Drink beer. Be happy. read more

Best cheese curds I've ever had. I also ordered a bottle of beer which was accompanied by a hot glass....not cool! read more

Craftsman Table & Tap - Gastropubs Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

I haven't lived in Madison now for about 5 years so whenever I'm back, I'm excited to meet up with friends at places they like. Usually it works out since Madison has so many fantastic restaurants, but Craftsman....not as much. I arrived after my friend, who had ordered us the German pretzel for an appetizer. It was pretty good and came with some good brown mustard and some beer cheese sauce. For the dinner, we both ordered fish fry because I do miss a good WI fish fry every now and again. I was excited, but it just was average. The breading was too thick and crunchy for my taste, the coleslaw too creamy, and the fries were average as well. Apple crisp for dessert was quite good but overall, just an ok dinner compared with other Madison spots. Maybe I should have had the cheese curds as this seems to be what people have raved about. With the competition for this type of place in Madison, Craftsman needs to step up its game. read more

Food was excellent as was the service. It's a wonderful family environment to watch football and basketball.

We were a table of six. Server did fine getting us drinks and appetizers. One of our party did not receive a plate for sharing, and no servers were around, so I grabbed one off the service station. Our server disappeared for 45 minutes until I went to find her to ask her to take our dinner order. She was in a back booth, folding napkins and gabbing with another employee. (The restaurant was less than half full and every table already had utensils and napkins.) I asked her to come take our dinner orders. Our party noticed that everyone who arrived after us already had their dinner - we had not yet ordered. No one had cleared our appetizer plates - after asking the server to clear them, she picked up two and left the rest. When dinner food came out, I had to ask the runners to take dirty dishes and drink glasses away with them so that we had enough room for our food and weren't sitting in a pile of dirty dishes. No one cleared the dinner dishes, either, so after waiting a while, I started to pile them on a neighboring table. It was just bizarre how our table was ignored all night. I felt terrible as 3 of our party were Black women from out of town - who knows what impression being ignored most of the night left on them about Middleton. read more

Every time we are back to this place.. They don't disappoint with the sumptuous fried cheese curds. They are so good. I had a falafel sandwich for a change. They were a little dry but the sauce was yum and made up for it. My brother had a blue cheese burger and he loved it. Cooked to perfection he said. A must go if u are craving great American food!!! read more

Craftsman Table & Tap - Blue cheese burger - Gastropubs Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

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Rude and dismissive hostess. Super watered down cocktails. Average food. Know-it-all wait staff. The hostess was impatient and barked at us to sit at the bar to wait for an outside table. Ten minutes later we asked the bartender to check in with her - apparently our names hadn't even been on the list. The restaurant wasn't even that busy - maybe 65% full. People got sat before us that came in after us - we said nothing. First drink watered down - said nothing. After my second drink came out also watered down I finally said something. The manager came back to the table carrying it back to me unfixed, saying that I could pay to add a shot or keep it as is. I used to manage a bar so I know she just thought we were trying to take advantage of the bar by lying or just being fussy and particular. The drink I returned was entirely full, and it tasted like nothing else but tonic water. If a customer let's you know the service is bad - they are bringing a problem to your attention that is your responsibility as food staff to fix. If you choose to use that as an opportunity to either gouge the customer for more money or make it clear you do not take their issue seriously, this is the definition of bad customer service. Our server was in training (not the rude manager) and she was very sweet. We politely declined the drink and requested water instead. We tipped 20% and left without complaint, because there is nothing worse than a customer who makes a scene. We were not these customers - but wow. What a waste of money and a nice Friday date night. What a bummer. read more

Came at the recommendation of a colleague and Craftsman lived up to my expectations in every way. Our waitress was fantastic - told us right away that she had one other table which was a very large party helping set the tone for the pace of things. We were there to relax and take our time - reassured her - and then she managed to balance both us and her other table fantastically. Cheese curds were great - Churrasco wrap was fantastic and flavorful - beers were never empty (they had Great Lakes on draft!!! Swoon!) and overall just a great meal. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating despite being a bit busy - great staff and leadership at this restaurant. read more

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Crafstman Table and Tap is a terrific local restaurant and bar owned by Food Fight Inc. I generally enjoy Food Fight restuarants because the service is usually very good (they tend to hire people who are passionate about good service (always friendly, usually make sure a water glass is filled, they have a smile, and regularly checking on you and your needs)). And that is the case at Food Fight. Even when the bar is a couple people deep with folks, the bartenders get frustrated (I know I used to tend bar) but the never show it. They are always patient and friendly. I have eaten here at least a dozen times. Craftsman has some great sandwiches. I love the Cuban and the Brisket sandwiches. The Cuban is heaping mounds of pulled pork and ham atop crunchy pickles, with swiss, whole grain mustard that has a nice tang to it, and a perfectly grilled focacia. The Pulled Brisket is similar. Lots of good, locally sourced brisket with cheddar, garlic and caramelized onions, and again that perfectly grilled focacia. My kids love this sandwich. Add in a few distinct touches like beet salad (yummy!), fried walleye cheeks and german pretzels, plus some standards like out-of-this world cheese curds, burgers, meatloaf and tasty sweet potato fries and you have the makings of a good local eatery. SO while the food is good, the beer selection is spectacular. 18 Beers on tap from all over, many local, including New Belgium, Bells, Oso, Central Waters, Ale Asylum, New Glarus, just to name a few. many more available in bottles. Great party room upstairs. We have been going here for our FFL draft every year since it opened and I have attended graduation parties and other events there. Plus they have a balcony that looks out onto the neighborhood. Food was good too. Four Stars because as good as it is it is not spectacular and may be a little on the pricy side. read more

I really wanted to love this place. We stopped in on a Thursday for our first try of this promising restaurant and were wowed by the decor. The restaurant was pretty full and we were excited to try out the menu. We were there around 6:30pm and the menu states that Happy Hour goes from 4-7--yippee! Alas, our waitress told us that the menu was old and that happy hour only goes until 6 now. Ok. Well, water for us. :( We decided to go forward and try the German soft pretzels and cheese curds. The cheese curds were very good with a light tasty coating. The soft pretzels had very little flavor. They were saved by a tasty beer cheese sauce that was offered as a side. We then chose to order a Craftsman Burger with the sweet potato fries. The burger was ok. Not great. Not awful. Better burger is found at Hubbard Avenue Diner. The sweet potato fries were very fresh, but sadly lacked seasoning. So disappointing. We cut our loses at that point and didn't stay for dessert. We won't be back. There are plenty of better restaurants in the area. read more

Visited for my first time last week. When we arrived around 7:30pm we were told there was a 45 minute wait. We chose to have a drink at the bar while waiting for a table. The service was quick and the bartender was very friendly. We ended up only waiting for 30 minutes and were even given a choice of two different areas to sit. I ordered the steak with crab and was pleased with everything. Great service, our waitress was very attentive. Would suggest trying it out if you're on the west side of Madison. -large bar -plenty of room for large groups -tvs near the bar area -has both booths and tables -street parking read more

The cheese curds are their go to item. Solid menu and a very good ever changing beer list. The beer and drinks are a bit pricier than they should be. The bar staff gets a 5 star! read more

The cheese curds are to die for. It's a nice and quiet place for brunch or lunch, and the menu is very good with many good options for a wide range of whatever you'd want. The ambiance is nice and the quality of the food and service makes it an easy choice to come back to again and again. read more

First time we had ever visited the Craftsman. We were warmly welcomed as soon as we opened the door and seated right away. Started with the pretzel, which was covered in a savory cheese sauce and delicious. We ordered the Brussel sprout salad and added salmon. It was one of the BEST salads I've ever eaten. The Brussel sprouts, butter lettuce mix, chunks of local bacon, topped with a delicious tangy vinaigrette came together perfectly. The manager was very hospitable, stopping by each table to chat with the patrons. We will definitely be back! read more

This place was amazing in every way possible. It had a great vibe. I've been their twice, had two different waiters and two different bartenders. Each one of them was great at their job. The beer selection is amazing also. On tap, they have some popular breweries, but they have brews that are a bit rare or very small batch productions. Cheese curds- Amazing Sweet Potato Fries- Amazing Bacon Cheese Burger - Amazing Pulled Brisket - Amazing Was in town for 3 days and I went here twice, if that tells you anything! read more

Everything just dry. Dry chicken, dry fries, dry bacon, just dry. Get a huge glass of water. Not worth it. Also, I have celiac disease and got a gluten free bun, extremely sick all evening so I do not believe gluten free precautions were taken, even when I notified the waiter, nor do I believe that the bun was actually 100% gluten free. read more

We stopped in for brunch on a Saturday morning. The place was pretty empty- there were maybe 2-3 other tables of people in the whole place. The decor is nice enough- as the name would imply, it is decorated in a craftsman style and accented with various tools and such. It seems a little out of place in a brand new building in a yuppie neighborhood across from Starbucks, though. The whole theme would be more believable in old downtown building, but whatever. Anyway, on to the food. I had the craftsman scramble, which was tasty. It was interesting that instead of shredded or melted cheese, they throw in cheese curds. In an egg scramble? Yes. And somehow, they worked! The skillet potatoes that came on the side were delicious! Best part of the meal, in my opinion. My husband had panuchos and said it was pretty good and VERY filling. We noticed that they have a happy hour special for teachers, so even though we don't work near Middleton and would never be able to take advantage of it, we certainly love any place that supports teachers! read more

Love this place! Burgers are great and the Friday Fish Fry is amazing! Our server Jessica was so great. Definitely recommend.

I REALLY REALLY wish I could rate this a 3.5 stars. Maybe I'm leaning towards a 4. A recent visit pushed this more up to a 4 but not quite because of their excellent tap list. Fish fry is good but not outstanding. On a small note, I noticed that the women's restroom had a sign saying that there was a baby changing station inside. The men's did not. If this is true and it's not an absolute impossibility of putting a baby changing table in the men's room, Craftsman should establish some parity between the genders when it comes to....unpleasant tasks. read more

The restaurant has a warm and cozy feel when you enter the door. Upscale, but casual. Seems to fit into the Middleton vibe pretty well. We sat at the bar for a casual lunch and beer. Their selection of beers was nice and covered a variety of palates. It's hard to find multiple dark beers on tap at a restaurant and they had three! My brussel sprout salad was really good. It was a nice portion of greens, sprouts, nuts and other mix-ins. The prices were a little higher than expected. We each got a lunch item and 2 beers each and the bill was $55+ for lunch (tip extra). The beers are served in a variety of glasses, so don't expect a pint for the price listed. Some of the beers have high alcohol levels, so do consult the board or the menu for additional details on this too. It's the holiday season and the restaurant was all lit up. It probably looks cool after dark. They do have a variety of seating available and seemed to fill up pretty well over a Monday lunch hour. If you have a larger party (6 or more) you may want to check to see if you need a reservation. read more

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This place is great. Super friendly staff, lovely spaces, approachable food--the chef does experimental stuff and comfort food with equal aplomb. Solid tap beer selection, lots of locals mixed with interesting craft & imports. I was pleasantly surprised by the Monaco, a cocktail with balsamic reduction and sparking wine. read more

Craftsman Table & Tap - Giant jenga! - Gastropubs Near Me - Middleton, Wisconsin

Our first visit was on a Saturday night. The joint was jumpin', service was friendly and efficient, food was very nice. I had the bleu cheeseburger with the side greens. It was delicious. Two others in our party had salmon, I believe. They loved it. The fourth member of our party had the pork chop. I remember him really liking it. Second visit was a Monday night a few weeks later. It was two of us just looking for a nice meal in the neighborhood after a lo g day. The World Cup soccer games were on. LOUD. We couldn't hear each other across the table. It took a good 5 minutes before anyone took our drink order. The restaurant was largely empty. At that point, we should have left but we liked the place before and it had been a long day. I ordered the green pea curry. It was described as "vegetables of the season" and cashews, as well as the peas. It comes with a side of housemade naan and rice. $13.95. What actually appeared: a bowl of thick pea soup flavored with curry and maybe 6 snap peas stirred into it. There couldn't have been a Tablespoon of cashews in it. As for vegetables of the season - that was half a mushroom. The rice was dry and the naan was as stale as a crouton. I will not be back. read more

I enjoy coming here for lunch and brunch. When I come for lunch I always get the pear and walnut salad with chicken. I think it's wonderful. I've had the beef brisket sandwich and porta Bella both yummy. When I come for brunch usually a Bloody Mary, perfect spice and all the good stuff ( bacon, pickle, cheese curd, olive, celery, lemon lime, asparagus) I eat the biscuits and gravy Benedict so good! Biscuit is soft. I love the potatoes it comes with. The mimosa kit is really fun too! Staff is great. I like the bartender Alex and the manager with the red hair is very nice! All the servers have been good! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do read more

We had been here before and enjoyed it, but went for fish on a Friday and it was not good--way under what I have come to expect from a Food Fight restaurant. Fish tasted off and the breading was way too thick. Cheese curds were good, but not as good as Graze or The Old Fashioned. read more