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    Heritage Tavern

    4.4 (736 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Heritage Tavern Photos

    Business Info

    HERITAGE TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Heritage Tavern

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    Skirt steak with mushrooms and asparagus
    Helen W.

    Came for a 4th of July dinner. Service was excellent and like the chilled relaxed atmosphere. We like 2 of the 3 assorted eggs. The tamari one was a little on the saltier side. Loved the grilled octopus. The chicken wings had a nice flavor a little on the spicier side and just a little on the drier side. The skirt steak was good. My only negative comment was that the hostess was not very friendly and did not crack anything resembling a smile the whole time we were there.

    Grilled baby octopus
    Allison N.

    We visited Heritage for dinner and absolutely loved the ambience! It was happy hour and it was quite lively but not in a way that was overbearing. We were served quickly and after we ordered everything came out perfectly spaced so we could enjoy each part of dinner. We learned on our way out that our server never showed us the happy hour menu even though she should have, so that was disappointing. For drinks we got the 131 bourbon street and the rhubarb gimmie. They were both good although the non-alcoholic drink cost the same amount as the one with alcohol so that was a little surprising, not in a good way. For appetizers we had the assorted deviled eggs and baby octopus. The eggs were delicious and appropriately priced, and I would order them again. The octopus was okay and definitely not worth the price for the small amount you get. For our mains we had the smoked butternut squash tortellini and pork schnitzel. The schnitzel was okay, while the tortellini was out of this world with flavors and textures. If they added two more pieces of pasta it would have been perfect. As-is, there are too many extras on the plate and it takes away from the pasta. For dessert we had the lemon sorbet and the cheddar ice cream. I was pretty obsessed with both of them, especially the cheddar ice cream as I've never seen that before and it was soooo good! Overall would go back again but would order differently and also obtain the happy hour menu.

    Omelette

    Brunch at Heritage Tavern is a delicious act of rebellion in Madison; a city so grossly progressive it feels like even the menus have strong feelings. The Tavern Benedict is phenomenal: rich, indulgent, and completely unconcerned with your intentions to "eat lighter." The Bloody Marys are delicious and unapologetically boozy, which makes sense because... Wisconsin. Somehow, in the self‑proclaimed capital of wokeness, reusable everything, spirited debates, body piercings/hardware, and other poor life choices, Heritage Tavern quietly reminds you that unity is possible... as long as there's great food and a drink strong enough to make everyone agree brunch is sacred. Hidden gem, zero lectures, maximum flavor.

    Deviled eggs
    Dinka K.

    Heritage Tavern - 4.5/5 I came in with high expectations, and for the most part Heritage delivered. Service was impeccable from start to finish. I started with the deviled eggs three ways--two were creative and memorable, one was forgettable, but overall a fun opener. The peppercorn steak was the star. Perfectly cooked, with layers of flavors and textures that made every bite interesting. Paired it with a Merlot, after starting with a Hefeweizen, and both matched well with the flow of the meal. The ambience inside is truly great--small, warm, and full of unique antique touches that give the restaurant real character. It feels special without being overdone. This is a 4.5/5 experience, but since I came in expecting excellence, I'll call it a 4/5 here. Either way, it's an easy recommendation if you want refined food, great service, and an atmosphere that adds to the whole experience.

    Plate
    Sara E.

    Enjoyed a drink and lite bite before heading to a show at the Overture Center. I love the option of sitting at the bar and have lucked out a couple of times. It gives the opportunity to watch the bartenders make drinks. I've found everyone to be helpful and friendly. With so many of their own ingredients and sourcing locally outside of that you can really taste the quality in each dish. The bar board came with a couple of cheeses, meat, bread, crackers, nut butter, jam and sliced apples. I left feeling full and not heavy.

    Shrimp and grits
    Maggie B.

    I'm giving 5 stars for service specifically. Our waiter, Charlie, was so immediately engaging and authentic. He asked questions to understand what brought us into the restaurant (were we celebrating something, did we need to be anywhere in a certain time), which set a base for us to have a relaxing time. Charlie was so attentive to our meal service and also took a little time to chat in such a personable way. We welcomed his energy and really appreciate the brunch experience because of what he brought to it. The food was beautifully presented and fresh. The restaurant and restrooms are clean and have grounding, rustic decor. I would definitely visit again.

    Lobster Scramble
    Sarah F.

    We tried brunch here before an event across the way at the Bartell Theatre. The food was absolutely delicious! Bacon and cinnamon rolls? Yes...you must try! Our drinks were all delicious and portions were really well-sized. Our server was great, and the service was generally quick throughout the meal. The restaurant was packed a little tight, but they are a smaller location. We will definitely return here! I would try dinner sometime.

    Jennifer M.

    I was shocked that my son actually found an awesome place for us to eat brunch . We were traveling and he selected this place right around the corner from our hotel. Hands-down, it's one of the best. We actually have heard about this restaurant from others due to keeping current with the Chef world and the best ones out there in the state. We knew it would be awesome. It definitely lived up to its expectations and surpassed. I went 100% out of my comfort zone and had shrimp and grits for breakfast. And also had a poached egg in there. I literally would never order this, but I knew it would amazing place. As expected, it was top-notch. Everything else that we ordered was excellent as well. I wish we had room to eat at all. We were so full. Next time I return, we are coming back here. It's the best.

    Dessert menu from 3/7/2025
    Jenni W.

    I came here since it had been a commonly recommended restaurant in Madison. We came here for happy hour on a Friday at around 5 pm and there were only a couple of seats left at the bar but there were still bar tables across that were still available. We got seated, had our coat checked, and were given the happy hour menu, the Julia Child's inspired prix fixed menu for $75/person that they had for the week, and the dinner menu. After looking at the different menus, we decided to go to with the happy hour menu for our first time, and because the ambiance in the area we were seated in seemed much more appropriate for the happy hour menu. We ended up ordering some cocktails--the fukushu gimlet, Austin and leftie, and the malacopa. I thought all of the cocktails were really tasty and very different. I would come back just for the cocktails. We also ordered each of the deviled eggs, which were spicy tuna, crispy pork, and turmeric flavored, as well as the house cut parmesan fries, a tempura bacon-wrapped cheese curd, the old fashioned ham sandwich, smash burger, tavern sausage, and market green salad to share. I really liked their deviled eggs--the spicy tuna was my favorite, the parmesan fries were also really tasty and came with house made aioli and ketchup, and the market green salad and tavern sausage were also pretty solid. I might come back to try their dinner items. The menu was pretty interesting since it seemed like they served all different kinds of cuisines. Tl;dr Come for happy hour (4-6 Monday through Friday) for drinks, deviled eggs and fries!

    Jenny K.

    Dined in during restaurant week. I got the charcuterie board, salmon, and profiterole. Everything was good. Salmon was on the saltier side, however, it was cooked perfectly and the sauce was balanced. The profiterole was hands down the best dish! The maple ice cream with the perfectly made pastry, Carmel, and pecans was excellent. Service was very good and quick. I would go back for their regular menu

    Melon sorbet
    Dana C.

    Lily was an amazing waiter along with the other staff. The food was delicious with absolute joy we ate our dinner. The texture, flavor & appearance were spot on! Chefs kiss! The restaurant is clean, cozy & has interesting decor. A real treat to dine here!

    Tempura cheese curds
    Derek R.

    Me and wife decided to try this place after seeing yelp reviews. The inside is nice. Wife really liked it. We started with the tempura cheese curds and deviled eggs. We both really like the cheese curds and deviled eggs. The deviled eggs were different. One was a spicy tuna and the other fried rice. We were a little skeptical but after trying them we were convinced. Two of the best deviled eggs we've had. The wife got a grilled cheese and I got the schnitzel with knockwurst. It was good but wasn't as impressed as I was with the starters. The wife felt the same with the grilled cheese. It was good, I mean it's a grilled cheese, but felt it was a little greasy. All in all it was good and we'd go back. Also staff were great.

    French toast- the special
    Erika R.

    Everything was great! Best French toast I've ever had. The service was quick and attentive. We loved seating in our booth! Would recommend

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    1 month ago

    Best deviled eggs in town and the world probably! I'll take twenty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    We were pleasantly surprised with this spot. The cocktails were yummy as were the main dishes (steak and salmon).

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    Page 1 of 19

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    Discovered this spot while my little sister was in town visiting and now have already been back…read morewith plans to keep returning. I've ordered the same thing both times because I loved it so much- the Three Grain & Tempeh Bowl. It's so fresh and delicious, filling without making you feel over-full and gross. She had the Mushroom & Gouda Omelette and also very much enjoyed. The seating space is small so you can definitely run into a wait during busy times, but service moves fast! You'll order at the counter and be handed a number to take to your table, where the food will be delivered. During busy times I've seen them try to help coordinate seating arrangements but it is otherwise largely a seat yourself sort of place. Next on my list are the lemon ricotta pancakes which are reportedly famous and a turmeric cookie I spotted in the bakery section :)

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    I wanted to like this place, I really did. Did some research on solid diners in the Madison area…read moreand this is one of the ones that popped up. It was off the highway, so I thought I would give it a go. Walked in and it was what you would expect from a Wisconsin diner -- old carpeting, waitresses who are lifers, and signage from the bygone era. I sat at the bar, with barstools that came about 4 feet off the ground, and asked the cordially waitress what was good. She rattled off about 3/4 of the breakfast menu so I needed a few minutes. A few minutes passed and I went with the Krab Cakes Benedict (why the K?) and the Cottage Platter. The crab cakes were decent (definitely better than the Cottage Platter), but very crisp on the outside, straddling the line of burnt, and somewhat cooked on the inside. Light on the seasoning. As they say on the cooking shows, it was screaming for some acidity...or in this case some Old Bay. Then the Cottage Platter, which I was very much looking forward to, fell flat for me. The hashbrowns had a funky taste to them, which I couldn't quite place. And again, overall, the dish was lacking in flavor. Would I go out of my way to hit this place up again? Most likely not. If I was in the area and wanted to try something else, I probably would.

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    We came for regular brunch menu on Easter Sunday. The ambience is open, airy, and inviting. Service…read morewas prompt and accurate. However, our server wasn't super familiar with the menu and didn't know what was in certain dishes. We ordered a variety of dishes. Overall, everyone liked their meals. The flavors were great. Love the Korean fusion. However... despite that we were the first ones in the door, they did not have the chicken that was on the menu. That seemed strange to all of us that they didn't plan ahead for a holiday weekend. A solid restaurant would usually have their menu items well stocked prior to a holiday weekend. Overall, still a good expertise if you're willing to be flexible.

    I know most people like it here, but everytime I've been here over the years something has gone…read moreastray. This time we went to Sunday brunch with a group, including some kids. We had reservations, so we were seated right away which was a plus. Also, I will say I don't think any of the issues we had were because of our waitress. She was super friendly and quick enough to take our orders on a day when there restaurant seemed full enough, but manageable. We got our drink orders in and our food at the same time to speed up the process for getting little kids food, and the waitress even took note of that. We also ordered an appetizer to help during the wait. It took a while for the drinks to come out, but they were all rather tasty. I think my apple cider mocktail was the best and refreshing since it was getting hot in the restaurant with the sun beating in. Our food however took forever and the kids meals did not come out any earlier than everyone else. One person in our group also initially didn't get his meal, which the waitress apologized and said there was a mixup in the kitchen. That's fine, it happens, but then the staff running meals tried to bring him the wrong order 3 times. The rest of us were all finished eating by the time he finally got his food. Overall, the food was fine. I got the eggs benedict which was a little underdone on the eggs for me as the whites were too runny for me. The kids chicken nuggets were pretty tasty with a flaky breading. I heard decent reviews of the breakfast burger, but the thing that was the best to us was the breakfast sandwich. It was quite messy, but the messiness of the sauce was worth it. We also got an appetizer of the cinnamon roll. I feel like it's a little mislabeled though, as it was more like a morning bun with some frosting/glaze over the top. Tasted pretty good and helped keep kids entertained for a while. Overall, the food was fine, but the experience wasn't great. With the multiple mixups in orders and getting a little green house effect going with the sun shining in, there wsnt a great feeling when leaving. Again, I don't think it was our waitresses fault, so not sure what was going on in the kitchen.

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