We had never been here so we thought Restaurant Week was a good time to check it out. We do like a good steak but going to steak houses around the Square in Madison normally requires a lobbyists' expense account. With a reservation in hand on a week night we arrived to a a somewhat busy but not full restaurant. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated on the main floor where the bar is located. It is a classy environment[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Our waitress was very good. We did not see their regular menu since they were only serving their $50/ person Restaurant Week menu (we did hear somewhat at an adjacent table question where the regular menu was...) We both started with a glass of wine and followed by a pretty small Caesar Salad - small but tasty. For our main we each got the petite filet which actually for us was a good size. It was perfectly done medium rare and very good as were the sides. Since it was our anniversary they gave us each a complimentary flute of sparkling wine which was a nice touch. We tried the tiramisu and the flourless chocolate cake for dessert both were very rich. The only complaint was that it felt a bit rushed - not sure why because they didn't need the seats because there were empty tables the whole time we were dining. read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - Flourless chocolate cake - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautifully restored bar room with wonderful views of the capital.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]A warm welcoming atmosphere, gave a relaxing vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent staff very friendly & attentive, Madison was great! I order the petit filet rare, wonderfully seasoned & seared to perfection. Mashed potatoes delicious & creamy. Dessert came & it appeared they cut it in half to ensure having enough for that nights service. The tiramisu was spot on in flavors just would have been nice to have a whole square. Overall a great experience. read more

See all

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I feel like we got the best table for two on the main floor. It was located in the corner near where the main entrance used to be for a previous restaurant in this space (Blue Marlin).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We peeked at the second level dining area, and that space seemed a bit more luxurious. Probably because the bar is located on the main floor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We both ordered the lobster bisque to start. The enormous bowl it was served in was way to big! The bisque was velvety and rich, with a substantial amount of lobster meat. I yearned for something to cut the richness. A dinner roll would have sufficed. Neither one of us finished our bisque, as we wanted to save room for our dinner. I had the tuna steak. It may have been called pepper-crusted on the menu, and it surely lived up to the name. There was a sauce on the side, but I would have liked a bit more. My husband had the pork chop and we shared a side of lobster Mac & cheese. He enjoyed the pork chop, but in hindsight thought he should have ordered a steak. The lobster Mac & cheese was excellent and plenty for 2 or 3 to share. I was tickled that they offered three mock-tails, and one of them was Orange Whip! I had two Orange Whips, and they went well with my tuna entree. Fans of the movie, The Blues Brothers, may remember this drink. Our server was super nice, attentive, and gave insightful menu advice. A+ read more

See all

If you haven't had a chance to dine at Draper Brothers Chophouse, do yourself a favor and make a reservation ASAP! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's evident that their ownership and staff have spared no details: from a thoughtfully curated menu to attentive service and an intimate ambiance, this is one of the most flawless dining experiences I have had in a while.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The wine list is one of the most impressive I have seen - whether you're hosting a group or winding down the day solo, there is something for everyone. I'm very particular about the steakhouses I frequent, and I will 100% be a regular customer. If you're in the Madison area (or even visiting), be sure to put Draper Brothers on your list - you will not be disappointed! read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - 8 oz. filet + fingerling potatoes - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Absolutely fantastic food. So worth the reservations. The steak was tender. The risotto delicious. My drink( the Heartbreaker) swoon. I'm in love with this chophouse. Lovely dining experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Absolutely terrible. ALL of our steaks came out completely ice cold. We sent one back and it came back overcooked. The waiter was very kind and removed the sides and one steak from the bill. To pay $75-85 for a sub par ice cold piece of meat is amazing. If one were cold it would have been acceptable, but all the steaks? We were a party of 8. I will never return and would not recommend. Especially when there are so many other steakhouses in Madison. read more

Been here twice, one time my food took over an hour, the next time, we walked in with a group of 5. Some guy (assuming a higher up) goes "nice hoodies guys" and gives us a laugh and thumbs up, but continues to seat us. Yes - we were underdressed. However, a simple - sorry guys, we have a dress code would've sufficed. Considering they were the only empty restaurant on tn (we tried 5 restraints before them) I am shocked and disrespected. Poor management. Lead with respect and kindness. If he said anything respectful about our clothing, we would've happily left. [[HIGHLIGHT]]To update: we got into a packed, way nice restaraunt Rare right after.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We've been to Draper Brothers Chophouse five times now (my wife four), and each visit has reaffirmed one thing: this place gets it right all the time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Housed in a beautifully preserved historic building, the ambiance strikes a pitch-perfect balance--elegant yet relaxed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]No pretense. No need to dress like you're heading to a gala. Just a thoughtful, elevated atmosphere that makes you want to linger.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] While it's a chophouse (and the steaks are phenomenal), I've twice strayed from the obvious and ordered non-steak dishes--both times, the food was exceptional: Beef Mushroom Ravioli and Sablefish. Lamb Lollipops and Lobster Bisque are musty-try and Lobster Mac and Cheese as well! The kitchen isn't a one-trick pony; it's a culinary team that knows how to impress across the board. The bar team deserves a special shout out. True mixologists who know their craft, yet never cross the line into cocktail snobbery. Like the rest of the staff, they make you feel welcome--genuinely welcome. Not like someone who has to be important to belong, but like someone who's simply meant to be there. Credit goes to the owner, who also brought us Rare Steakhouse just down the street. Clearly, he understands what quality hospitality looks like--and how to deliver it without overplaying it. Bottom line: if you're in Madison and looking for a premium dining experience, Draper Brothers Chophouse should be at the top of your list. read more

The food was delicious, meals are paced out. The service was decent, not what's expected in this sort of establishment. The tall female server was clumsy and partially spilled a drink on me and while walking over my significant other's drink spilled some of that. She only visited the table a few times. Waters were left untouched for extensive periods of time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Either the electricity was going off and on or a staff member was repeatedly messing with the lights.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Even with the mishaps we had quite a romantic evening.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was mostly tasty and cooked to perfection. The sauce with the Shrimp Cocktail was made with wasabi Salmon is one of my favorite dishes however this salmon had a very strong flavor not sure if it was from a salmon farm or frozen. The New York strip was amazing. The deserts were amazing, Not sure if this is on my to do list again as the server was not trained well and the salmon was off, but thanks for the amazing New York strip and desserts. read more

See all

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice bar area to have a drink before dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] (Good mock tail menu which can be hard to find) Service was great and the food was very good. Ordered a chopped salad, filet, lobster Mac and cheese, Yukon potatoes, broccolini and key lime pie. Favorite dishes were the Mac and cheese, salad, and filet. I would skip the key lime pie and broccolini next time. read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food was delicious. I ordered the scallops. Service was great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was lovely.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Would recommend! read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - Scallops - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

If you're looking for a great meal in Madison look no further than further than Draper Brothers. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Everything about this place was incredible. The style, the atmosphere, the history, but most of all the food.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Chef is not only amazing but so friendly. I started with a Caesar Salad, had the rack of lamb for my main paired with the mushrooms and onion on the side and finished with the pana cotta. Everything was simply delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great food, great location, great service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will definitely be back. I'm already planning my next trip to Madison. read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - Dessert - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Amazing. Filet was perfect. Loaded masked potatoes and cacio e Pepe was crazy good.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The Draper Brothers Chophouse ambiance is amazing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have kept the quaint bar and dining room on the first floor from when it was the Blue Marlin and opened a second-floor dining room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Wonderful wait staff (our bartender and waiter Mitch was superb) service and atmosphere. At our table we had multiple entrée's which were quite delicious. Our only suggestion would be to have a better cut of meat when charging $72 for it. While our steak was cooked to the perfect temperature, it had more than just a bit of annoying fat and gristle. Regardless, I would highly recommend the restaurant and intend to return. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Very noisy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Expensive. .mediocre food. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I love the fact that the owners restored a fine old building.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance should not have been checked.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My grandson and I wished to share a large steak, and the kitchen staff and waitress refused to cut it. Very small portions. read more

I have dined here twice now in the past few weeks. The food was excellent and prepared to our liking. The waitress we had was very nice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'd recommend upstairs if you want a quiet dinner and downstairs if you like things a little more lively.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very clean place, including the nice bathrooms![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] One of the ways I judge places. The owner stopped by to check on us. The cocktails were delicious. I'll be back for sure. read more

See all

Well now, that was fabulous! 30ounce tomahawk steak with garlic mashed potatoes and a ceasers salad. Pretty expensive but well worth it! read more

Draper Brothers Chophouse - Italian Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I have been to this restaurant 3 times now and every visit better than I remember. can't wait to go back from the lamb chop appetizer to the steaks and deserts all amazing. I don't drink alcohol so I can't comment on drinks but the bar looks amazing. read more

The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare, and the crust was excellent. Johnny Delmonaco's steak is a bit more flavorful and buttery, but this place does a better job on the outer sear. The mashed potatoes were amazing, the parmesan really did it for me. Staff were super friendly and accommodating. We went on a Monday so the vibe was very chill, not a lot of people. I'd like to go back to try their pasta options. read more

See all

My wife and I made reservations here for our anniversary and thoroughly enjoyed our evening. The cocktails were spot on and the food was delicious. I recommend the 12 oz bone in cut. Great seasoning and properly grilled. The service was wonderful. Attentive without being overbearing. Highly recommend! read more

I had one of the worst dining experiences of my life here about a month ago. Everything is very overpriced. Our food was served to us cold (and even frozen in one case!), and yet our white wine was served warm. Our martinis were laughably small and the bartender did not make them correctly, and only because we were at the bar and pointed this out did he fix it. The food took so long and there were so many issues that we had to leave before we were served half of our order. I noticed that my original review was deleted! (not surprised based on how this place was run). read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The food, ambiance, and staff were all fantastic![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We went there for our anniversary, and it was the perfect spot. read more

This place wasn't open a week and I had an excellent meal. We started with the carpaccio and it was excellent. The chop salad had a delicious dressing and was really well balanced. My ribeye was the best steak Ive had in madison and seasoned and cooked perfectly. The cacio e Pepe pasta was good as well. The remodel of the building was beautiful and such a cool space. Our service team was great too. Definitely a few new restaurant kinks, but nothing that won't get worked out over the next few weeks. Highly recommended. read more

We came to Draper Brothers Chophouse on a Thursday night as a party of 5 for restaurant week in late July 2024. I had been giving the place some time to settle in to tbe downtown vibe, but it was time. We were seated upstairs and the first thing I noticed was that it was very loud. I mean loud enough that I struggled to hear the conversation at our 5 top. Then the food - it wasn't the worst, it wasn't the best. But for the price, it should have been better. The asparagus was muddled, the mash was acceptable. The steak was decent, but again, for their pricing, I don't think their food keeps up. Lastly, we were charged an automatic 20% gratuity for a party of 5. I normally tip at least 20%, but having it included already just seems very "not high end". Service was decent. To be honest, Madison has better choices, so I likely will not be back. read more

10/10 would return. I got the salmon and my boyfriend got the dry aged ribeye. Both incredibly tasty & the cookies and cream cannoli for dessert knocked off socks off. Patrick our server was wonderful. Easily competes with any steakhouse in Madison! read more

Unique menus and a creative approach. Cant miss. Nice variety of top quality steaks and house made pastas. Many other specialties. A steak Tar Tar like no other read more

See all

We dined a few days ago and it was wonderful. This is a refined, sophisticated restaurant for discerning adults. People complain about prices; if you visit any fine dining restaurant, you will definitely pay the same or more. The drinks were great (try the Gold Rush). We both had Short Rib Ravioli. We've never had that good a pasta, even in Italian restaurants. The warm rolls and butter were appreciated. The decor is very nice, the staff is friendly, and food is wonderful. (And they have James, the best bartender in Madison.) This is an excellent restaurant for fine dining! You won't be disappointed. read more

Food was good, despite slightly expensive for what you get. Cocktail we got was great. The ambiance was a bit off - loud room with rock music playing in the background. read more

We have been wanting to try this place. We were seated upstairs (with past ownerships this location never had this!). It was a very nice room and quite comfortable. They did a great job with this! We were in no hurry, but after 10 minutes, a wait staff noticed we were looking around. A glass of water or cocktail order would have been nice, and she informed us our server was busy. She took the orders. Our server finally showed at 15 minutes when the drinks arrived. The drinks were quite good. I had a Bulleit Rye Manhattan, but $20 seemed a bit high.... Oh well... The chop salad was pleasing with an interesting blend of flavors and sensations with sweet and tart. It was done well. For entree's, my wife had the whitefish and I had the filet mignon. Like the chop salad, the food came with an interesting blend of taste and senses. I will say, if you like sweetness in your food, this may not be your cup of tea. It is hard to get that blend right, and only the chop salad achieved this blend in our opinion. I had ordered my filet mignon medium rare, and although it was a good cut of meat, the evenness of cooking was rather poor. Some parts were over medium and other parts were medium-rare. I don't think I had ever seen a steak that internally inconsistent, even from left to right. It did seem like a fail by the chef. I have to admit, I was disappointed because the web site said they served osso buco, which they did not. Seemed like a bait and switch to me, but I do recognize meals change. It is also interesting that our server disappeared during dinner. I had wanted a glass of wine and had to flag down the other server that had initially taken our drink orders. We had some type of frozen custard dessert with walnuts and dried strawberries. I missed the name. We were surprised with dried strawberries in strawberry season. This was the only dish that had no hint of sweetness, haha. The coffee was some of the best I had tasted. The manager was stopping by tables, but never ours. Our server was way below par for a dinner over $200, but I also did tip the other server that had helped. It was a C performance that was known by the manager. You make the call! read more

Filet done to an exact medium rare and casually great (two words hard to achieve together) service from Patric. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Classy but low key spot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We went here for restaurant week. My boyfriend cannot eat cheese and shellfish, so I ended up getting 2 shrimp cocktails as an appetizer. The place felt bad that they couldn't accommodate him and offered to take an item off our hill. It was very nice of them. The shrimps were huge and delicious. So sweet. I didn't care much about the cocktail sauce. For entrees, he got the lamb and I got a New York strip. I like how the chef liked to add sugar and sour flavor his dishes. The steak had this sweet raspberry glaze which was very interesting. The meat cooked perfectly. The quality of the meat; however, maybe it's because for restaurant week, it was okay. The lamb was also tender and good again. Again, the chef added sweetness to the polenta. Polenta had mint and pistachio which we thought so creative and cool. At the end, we got the chocolate creameux and Italian sorbet. Delicious. Would recommend this place. read more

Spoiler alert: this will not be a good review. My wife and I went to Draper Brothers to celebrate a delayed Christmas dinner together. We were seated upstairs at a very drafty and cold table next to a window. We moved to bar seating on the main floor, which was warmer - unless the restaurant door was opened. Oddly, both the hostess and bartender were chewing gum, which is unprofessional in a restaurant setting. To begin our celebration, we ordered a very expensive bottle of Pol Roger champagne, which unfortunately was warm and thus not as delicious as we are accustomed to. For starters my wife ordered the Bruschetta, which had cheese missing from one of the pieces. We brought this to the attention of the wait staff who were told by the kitchen that "sometimes the cheese melts into the bread and can't be seen." What? They tried to make it right by sending out a small ramekin of cheese instead of a whole Bruschetta piece. For my starter I ordered the tagliatelle carbonara with pancetta. It was poorly executed as the pasta was quite dry, glue-like consistency and the pancetta was undercooked. The rest of our meal included the Smoked Tomato Risotto, Mascarpone Polenta, Lobster Tail, and Smoked Crab. All of which were delicious but lacking presentation for such an expensive restaurant. For example, the Smoked Crab is simply lump crab piled in a large bowl - no garnish or flair. I know the restaurant is new to the Madison dining scene, but we were disappointed overall and left feeling like Draper Brothers isn't quite ready to deliver a quality dining experience that justify its menu prices. read more

Walking in history with great food and friendly service. If you're downtown this is a great place to visit!

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great setting, but dinner took longer than normal to serve and all four meals were just average.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had seafood pasta, tasted good, but needed more lobster and tiger prawns were like little "scrimps", not what I expected. For the prices charged there are better options on the square. Sorry, but just not up to par yet. read more

Salad was nothing but lettuce and shitty cheese. probably got it from walmart and took 30 min to bring out. the 70$ filet minot was cold and subpar. drinks took forever to get to us. and i had to ask them for silverware every time they brought a dish. outrageously expensive. i felt scammed $300 bill for 2 read more

The restaurant is very well decorated and designed and they carry out a lot of time, effort and finance into this. The menu is sparse and not exciting in anyway and it seems to be copying a steakhouse from the late 90's. We started with the baked brie appetizer and it was bland in taste, badly plated and came along with a dinner roll that was not good. The shrimp cocktail was decent as the shrimp itself were fine but again the plating was not good with some shrimp having tails and other without and a small portion of a sauce and no lemon. The entree was the scallop and it was ok as well. Nothing more or less to say about it. Then ordered 1 dessert to be told it was sold out after a few minutes (that happens) so I ordered a 2nd option. Same thing happened after a few minutes. I tried Draper Brothers and I will not be going back. read more

We were wowed by the food and service. The ambiance was pleasant. Highly recommend the charticerie board and pork chop...so good

Food and ambience were both great! All the staff were friendly too! We will definitely be back!

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Great ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 8 oz filet mignon was great, but 12 oz bone in was over cooked. Sides widely underwhelming. Risotto was extremely citrusy and broccolini was average at best but kind of under cooked. Biggest complaint was only being served water when we sat down and not again until we got the dessert... over an hour later.... Waitress also never checked on our main courses. Not bad but definitely would prefer the other steakhouses in Madison. read more

I would consider this a mediocre experience. We had 6 people at 7 PM on a Saturday to celebrate a birthday. The place was pretty dead. The highlight was the chop salad. The frutti de mar, Caesar salad and key lime pie were all underwhelming. The service was fine and the bar area pretty cool however, given how expensive it was and the quality of the food, we won't go back. read more