Moved to the area earlier this year and finally made my way here. I'm a glad I did. Twice in one…read moreday to be exact. First trip was to the walk-in humidor to reload. It has an amazing selection, and so well organized. Second trip was later that evening for a smoke and a couple of cocktails. The bar is damn cool with the glass wall humidor back drop. Bartenders are real pros and drinks were on point. My new go to!

Everything is neat and clean.,All the staff are wonderful. I am envious we do not have a cigar bar…read morerestaurant to compare in Columbus, Ohio Five star rating Thank you, Gary Voll

I've heard people rave about The Mason, and it took me far too long to finally come in here, and it…read morewas honestly entirely by accident. I was supposed to be meeting a group elsewhere nearby when our original place closed without warning. So we headed to The Mason and it was a delightful experience. It was very busy with one bartender, so it took awhile to get your drinks, but they were still well made and the bartender was very friendly. It's a small place so it can get loud when busy, but our group had a great time and we enjoyed the place. It is a dark, neighborhood type vibe. And the sealing the deal of the 5th star for this place is that they were dog friendly. My pup had a great time getting pets from customers. Great find!

I can't believe I haven't been to the Mason Lounge yet the vibe was amazing I feel like you could…read morecome in whatever fit and feel chill! The live music area was one of the coolest things I've seen and we got yummy Moscow mules. The bartender (Tracy I think) was so kind and so amazing!

I was out and about, exploring Madison, and Merchant looked like a cool place to stop for happy…read morehour. I sat at the bar, and Mi took great care of me. I had dinner plans, so I just wanted to stop in for a drink and snack. They have some really good offers for HH and their cheese curds are half off. I had never had one, so it sounded like the perfect time to try. I got a glass of wine and the curds. They came out quickly, hot and fresh. It was a big bowl of fried cheese. They come with ranch and hot honey, and apparently they recently won best cheese curd at the cheese curd crawl. They were super tasty. Well seasoned, perfectly fried, and kind of chewy. I am not on the hot honey frenzy train, but I tried it and thought it paired well, just wasn't for me. The ranch was tasty though. Even the happy hour portion was hefty and I couldn't put down half. A little wine and cheese on a beautiful day, just makes for a good experience. They were making some pretty interesting cocktails behind the bar, and it is definitely worth coming back to try out their other options.

Wanted to sit outside for dinner and came across Merchant. Waitress was quick to come over with…read moremenus and water. We started with the cheese board for $32.00. Let's say not the best board I've ever had. Very light on the cheese for the price. Wouldn't order again. Cheese curds were tasty. My husband at the steak which came rare had to return to cook more. The fries were over cooked. My son had the Mac n cheese with chicken that he enjoyed. We also ordered a salad which was fresh and tasty. The menu was small but a nice place to come and have a drink after work then move in for dinner.

We found this absolute gem for Sunday brunch after seeing great reviews for their gluten-free…read moreoptions, and it did not disappoint. We made a 12:00 PM reservation, which was definitely necessary because the place was full. Right off the bat, our server asked if anyone had food allergies or dietary restrictions. When I mentioned I have celiac disease, he confidently assured me they could absolutely accommodate it, which immediately gave me peace of mind. I ordered a strawberry spritz and we shared the gluten-free donuts to start. A huge win for the celiac community is that they have a dedicated fryer, so we also safely shared the truffle fries. For our main entrees, I had the fried rice which was excellent. My husband ordered the skirt steak hash with gluten-free toast and loved it, though it is worth noting for others that it packs quite a lot of spice. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and attentive regarding the allergy protocols. The overall service ran a little slow, but it was understandable given how slammed they were for the Sunday rush. As an added bonus, the restaurant has its own parking lot, making the logistics seamless. We will definitely be back and highly recommend this spot, especially fellow celiacs looking for a safe and delicious meal!

A solid 3 stars…read more Arrived around 1130am on a gorgeous Saturday. The parking lot was full, which is a great sign. I was able to easily find a spot at the bar, another great sign. The bartenders were personable and competent (I watched them deftly make multiple drinks at once). The space is large and well lit, and the outdoor seating looked nice. I'm sure it's a vibe when the temps are a little warmer. I ordered 2 drinks. Haley's Comet - tasty, albeit a little sweet for me. Call Her Daddy - def my favorite, better balanced imo. I ordered the brunch fried rice and it was a letdown. It was advertised as having bacon and there was none to be found. The food was not hot, leaning towards cold. Like it had been sitting out. Oddly the poached egg was perfect. The rice itself was clumped, as if they didn't use dried out rice (what I'm used to for fried rice) As a rule, I tend not to send food back, so I ate the shrimp and let it be what it was. I was sorely disappointed though. I saw people ordering the brunch burger and honestly that looked way better than what I ordered. I'd be willing to give it another go, as the service and drinks were lovely

Best rolls ever!!! Service was friendly and great…read moreenvironment. I'd definitely return next time in Madison.

Food 4/5 Service 4/5…read moreAmbiance 3.5/5 Oishi is a pretty tucked away Japanese food restaurant right outside of downtown Madison. The restaurant itself has a lot of heart in its decoration and looked fairly well kept, though there were quite a few house flies the day I came, which was a bit of a bother. The food itself came out quite nicely - the sashimi was clearly fresh, and the food in the salmon hibachi lunch bento I ordered all came out well. Nothing too particularly fancy or unique, but also nothing bad to say either. Just some good food. And sometimes, good, consistent food is all that matters in life. Granted, I need to visit more before I can really judge if they are truly consistent. But what I had in my time there was truly good food.

The best elevated sushi spot in Madison. A reservation is needed to dine here…read more Fish here is high quality by Midwest standards. I think the standout thing here is the specialty rolls. The rolls are big, the rice is soft, and are stuffed to the brim with fish and various toppings. The Salmon Lover roll is my favorite and I always order it, alongside with whatever seasonal rolls intrigue me. Drinks here are really good as well - I recommend the Always Sunny and the Lychee Martini if you enjoy a sweet cocktail :)

I placed my order well in advance for an 8:30 p.m. pickup, which should have given the restaurant…read moremore than enough time to prepare four sushi rolls. Despite that, my order wasn't ready until 9:00 p.m. What was even more disappointing than the delay was the complete lack of customer service. No one apologized, offered an explanation, or acknowledged that I had been waiting. Delays can happen, but how a business responds makes all the difference. Unfortunately, this experience left me with the impression that customer service is simply not a priority here. That being said. The sushi was great.

Crowded as expected but nice atmosphere, I got sat at the bar pretty quickly. The staff are super…read morekind and good at making conversation and being helpful. I got a cocktail and the 4-course. The cocktail tasted really smoky yet incredibly smooth. The fois gras mousse was kinda ok but also 4 small bites maximum. The salad proved that even basic vegetables can be perfected. The casonelli was one of my favorites dishes for sure. Extremely satisfying texture and flavor combinations. The pork collar was also pretty pretty solid with flavor combinations, and texture was a little chewy depending on how you cut it (in a good way). The dessert was not bad, to me it kinda reminded me of really fancy whipped cream on top of vanilla pudding. Would come back here again (if they weren't closing!)

Wandered into this restaurant with a group and enjoyed a lovely dinner!…read more We tried a few different cocktails, all of which were nice. We tried a range of dishes and some of the favorites included the lamb belly, the beet salad, and the duck breast. Many items were beautifully cooked, such as that duck and the octopus on top of the risotto. However, overall we felt that there were some missed opportunities for stronger flavors. There were many bites where I felt that everything was tasty but just missing the full flavor potential of such lovely ingredients. Service was perfectly fine and friendly and everything came fast once we ordered! I would certainly return for another visit and hope that this restaurant, which is clearly a community staple, takes some bolder flavor risks in the future!

This was one of the best dining experiences I have had in Madison!…read more Fantastic atmosphere Exceptional service Amazing food Highly accommodating for dietary needs They went above and beyond to make this a special occasion to celebrate my wife's birthday. Well worth every penny!!! The trumpet mushroom appetizer= chef kiss! I had no idea you could make mushrooms taste so absolutely delicious. I have been dreaming about them now for weeks. James Beard award winning chefs. Yeah, I can see why! Oh, I can't forget to mention the deviled eggs are simple but some of the best I have had. They are just done to perfection. Well done

Great experience - there were for of dining so we had two different past a dishes, swordfish, and…read morepork tenderloin... as well as several sides. This was by far one of the best fine-dining experiences I've had in Madison. The attention to detail from service to taster to presentation was outstanding. I'm generally hesitant to order swordfish in the Midwest, if even at all as if it's not properly prepared or fresh it can be off-putting. This was perfectly cooked, moist and tender. The bold flavors accompanying the fish were not at all overpowering, rather very much enhancing and complimentary. My understanding is they have a rotating menu and I look forward to my next visit.

Still my absolutely favorite cocktail place downtown. The decor is fantastic, and I love the old…read morelooking tvs playing movies. The menu didn't have exactly what I wanted but I talked with Atticus and he made me the perfect drink, something on the menu with a bit of spice added. 10/10

Really cool little cocktail lounge that is perfect for the city of Madison! The vibes are super…read moreretro, funky, and hipster. The bartenders are always amazing too! This is my go to recommendation for an espresso martini in the city! It is always super yummy here. It is definitely worth the stop!!

Waypoint for the win! Back again for another great round of apps and drinks!…read more Sunset was beautiful and bugs stayed away until Sun was completely down. Server was super friendly and helped move us inside for finishing up our drinks.

Fantastic Tuesday dinner with the family. Sat immediately. Great service all around our waitress…read morewas nice gave good recommendations, checked on us, refilled drinks promptly. Everything was fresh and flavorful. happy hour cheese curds were good. Kids loved the smash burgers and Cajun fries. Had the blue gill sliders which wear cooked perfectly and dressed nicely with fresh toppings and the creamy coleslaw was really good. Had the Thai up cocktail for happy hour and it was deliciously spicy and refreshing. Husband loves super spicy food and enjoyed the jalapeño popper brisket sandwich which had some heat. It was huge and couldn't eat all the bread. Sat in a booth in front of bar which was loud. But it's a bar and lots of people enjoying themselves. stripped down decor is fun.