Usually one of my favorite places but today, even when they knew it was a special occasion, the…read moreparking and service was poor! The food was good but not great. Disappointing! I hope they just had a bad service.

I don't even like seafood but this fish themed bar was a blast! We saw the good reviews and…read moredecided to try it out. On a busy Saturday we couldn't even get a reservation til 9:30. We arrived at 9 and tried to frt seated early. No dice. But we sat the bar and had spritzers and appetizers. Not bad! Lots of local brews and ciders, plus plenty of open sparkling wine. The signature sardines were imported and served in the tin. What, you thought they came from lake Monona? It's across the parking lot, but these were from Spain. I'm told they were good. Let my take a moment to mention how friendly the service was. At the bar and all the helpers, I can't believe how kind and friendly they were. Order a little or a lot they were there to serve. By the time we got a table we were well on our way. Our server was excellent. Super nice, and knowledgeable about the menu He talk to us about the menu and took our orders from memory. We ordered everything from his suggestions. It was good move. We had the special scallops. They were 10U size, meaning 10 her pound. Each plate came with three peices. Th hey were good. We also ordered the lamb chops. Seated with a burnt crust. I think wrapped in bacon. Wow we really enjoyed it too. Dessert almost got skipped we're so full from a weekend of eating. He highly recommended the butterscotch pudding. It was like a big cup of pudding. It was amazing, highly recommend. We also shared a standard vanilla crème brûlée, which was merely very good. Light fluffy and perfectly crusted. Yes the food was good. The vibe was energetic. But what really made it enjoyable me was the friendly service and knowledge of the food.

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.

If you judge Lombardino's from the outside, you might not expect much. It looks like a place that's…read morebeen around forever, kind of unassuming, maybe even easy to overlook. But once you walk in, it's a completely different story. The service was excellent. Our server was friendly, helpful, and had actually been to Rome, which made the conversation more interesting and added a nice touch of authenticity. And the food? Way beyond what we expected. Everything was well done and felt like a real step up from what the exterior might lead you to believe. You can feel the history in this up close, the statue at the entrance of the Trevi Fountain almost pulls you in before you even realize what you're looking at. The detail is incredible, even with the wear and mineral buildup from years of flowing water, it actually adds to the character. Standing there, tossing a coin over your left shoulder, it's one of those moments that feels a little touristy... until you do it. Then it just feels right. Like you're taking part in something that's been going on for generations. Simple tradition, but a pretty cool one. This place is a bit of a hidden gem. If you haven't been, it's absolutely worth checking out.

Lombardino's was the fav of my wife and her then-husband 62 years ago. (they are searchable on…read moreAncestry). She and I returned with three others Aug 27 2026. As good as ever. Love the old Italiany ambiance. (not enuf 'Italian' music). Wife and I have been to the land of her mother's birth several times. We cook 'Italian' at home. All five pasta dishes were excellent. Eggplant, Chicken, summer veggie, buccatini, & Bolognese. Tiramisu was good but not great.

Kristoff was super quick and helpful during a rush on Friday night! Such great drinks too!read more

We had a great experience dining at Eno Vino Downtown last Saturday evening. The service from Abby…read morewas simply amazing, and it made the whole evening event so pleasant. We went there to celebrate the 50th birthday of a friend from New York who was in town for the art fair. Abby was attentive, with good recommendations. She's such a sweetheart. We really had a wonderful time chatting with each other and eating the great food. The mocktails were excellent, and we decided on 2 sets of their special - a two-to-tango meal. The dishes were very generously served and delicious. I would highly recommend Eno Vino Downtown for any celebration.

L'etoile really impressed me, my first 5 star rating in a while. I was taken here as a surprise…read moredinner by my partner to top off our trip here in Madison, and the dishes are all solidly delicious, unique (flavor combinations aren't what I expected), and are plated really intentionally, intelligently, and artfully. L'etoile is a sophisticated white tablecloth establishment, and perfect for a date night with its high ceilings, warm lighting, jazz music, and view of the Capitol. The acoustics are such that conversations from the table beside you are a quiet chatter, and you can hear your dining partner perfectly. We ordered our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd courses a la carte and opted not to do the tasting menu. I ordered the Alaskan king crab for my 1st, the Sea scallops & pork belly for my 2nd, the meyer lemon panna cotta for my 3rd. My partner ordered the charred spanish octopus for his 1st, the duck for his main, and the sticky toffee date pudding as his dessert. I can't recommend any one dish because honestly, all were equally impressive and what you order depends on what flavor you're in the mood for. The servers were attentive and the pacing for each course was even, with little snacks offered in between -- bread with bone marrow butter, a sunchoke foam & proscuitto amuse bouche, chevre cheese cream puffs. We were very full to end the meal, and they even sent us home with an oatmeal creme pie. Some notes below to guide an a la carte course selection, based on our meal -- 1st course: Autum squash w/ alaskan king crab: brighter, sweet, acidic Charred spanish octopus: deep & smoky 2nd course: Sea scallops & pork belly: A dish of contrast- sea scallops are light & almost like eating sashimi paired with an equally light sauce, contrasted against fatty pork belly with a strong plum sauce. Fun to mix & eat strong and light flavors and textures together. Duck: Medium rare duck with a deep flavor - somewhat smoky & earthy, also fun to explore as it comes with a white sauce, berry sauce, and a terrine also made from the duck 3rd course: Meyer lemon panna cotta: Bright and impactful -- the lemon panna cotta and guava sorbet are tart and pack different sweet punches. Lots of elements on the plate (spiced cookie, champagne sabayon, wafer, berry glaze) to play with Sticky chocolate toffee pudding: Decadent, deep, and warm. Not your average sticky toffee pudding, as there are some additional elements in the dessert that take it to the next level. Thank you again L'etoile. This was one of the best fine dining experiences I've ever had. Can't wait to return.

Food: 5 Service: 5…read moreUniqueness: 5 ---------------------------------------------- This is my favorite restaurant in Madison. Full stop. I had to leave a review because I'm incensed at how low the rating somehow is. Chef Tori is dope. We've been here twice - both times for our anniversary and each time the meal was 100% memorable. The staff are warm and have a way of making the meal feel like a secret being shared just with us. They had personal recommendations and favorites and the wine pairings were absolutely outstanding. I'm more of a beer guy, but this place might convince me to try some new things. Both times we've been the menus been completely different so you know they're being creative with what's in season. The bites are hard to describe how they can be equal parts comforting and familiar yet wholly unique. Last year they had some sort of white fish ceviche type thing that may have been my best bite of my life. I got a second order because they explained how items don't really repeat because chef tweaks even familiar ingredients as they rotate in. It's a hefty price tag but well worth it for a special occassion.

So the two stars are for excellent full service at the bar and one rather good appetizer…read more Everything else gets a zero their "Ancho margarita stereo" with ancho chili liqueur suggests a spicy margarita. It is not. It is rock candy flavored with agave. It was sweeter than my wife's rail Margarita on the rocks with salt. Their French onion soup is arguably the worst I've ever had. Flavorless. Slightly warmer than room temperature and the cheese was barely melted yet alone browned. Their appetizer of pork belly Fundido was the best option of the evening. Flavorful delicious and filling it was fantastic. However, the $40 pork chop entrée was unpalatable. Describe as a pork chop topped with a strawberry barbecue sauce. The sauce had no strawberry flavor. The pork chop can hardly be described as a grilled pork chop and is better described as a salt brine soaked Virginia ham warmed topped with watered down sweet baby rays barbecue sauce. Honestly. You could take this cut of meat, put it in a wooden box in the woods and use it as a salt lick stand during deer season. It was disgusting as much as it was dehydrating. The accompanying mac and cheese was basically Kraft dinner topped with panko. The highlight was the summer squash and that's saying a lot as it was nothing special and for crying out loud-it's squash. My wife and I could not stomach finishing more than half the entree between us and left. I repeat. The servers at the bar were great. But nearly everything brought in front of us disappointed.

This is a nice supper club that is away from downtown and has parking. We were sat in their main…read moredining room but apparently theirs an upstairs I don't know if that is for parties or the public though and then the have a large bar area. The area is very moody lighting and even has small lamps on each table. Our server and staff were great and everything came out timely. We got an old fashioned and a sangria. The sangria is strong but you won't know it until you stand up. We started with the cheese puppies and they had a fantastic pull to them. Some of the best version of cheese curds I've had in a while. My husband and I both had salads and the bowl was too small for the salad but it was a decent salad I do wish the cheese was sprinkled on top as it ended up going to the bottom of the bowl. For an entree I had steak frites. Fries were solid and the cooking of the steak was good with the charcoal but it didn't have much flavor. The chard on the side was also good considering I've never had it. For dessert we had the valentine special chocolate cake and again it was good but nothing super special. We didn't stick around the bar too long but enough to get a winning pull tab. I would come back for the bar tenders they seemed chill.

Great spot near the Capitol! Cute spot with NYC vibes. I was traveling alone and asked to sit at…read morethe bar. As soon as I sat down, I was asked what I wanted to drink and if I was dining at the bar. I ended up ordering a Negroni Sbagliato since I rarely see that on a cocktail menu. It was very well made. Kudos to the bartender, Warren! He also explained the nightly special and I ended up ordering the pasta dish and the fennel salad. The pasta special was so yummy and the tomato sauce reminded me of my Italian grandpa's sauce. The owner, Dino, checked on me and told me a little about himself. Dining solo can be hard, but I'm thankful that the staff here made me feel comfortable. It was the best meal I had on my business trip and will definitely recommend to anyone traveling to this area!

Absolutely fantastic meal. We ordered family-style and tried a lot of the menu, and nearly…read moreeverything was excellent. The carbonara was a standout, and the octopus and calamari were some of the best we've had. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the tortellini was another favorite. Great food across the board and a perfect place for sharing several dishes. The only misses were the house Cabernet, which was disappointing compared with the quality of the food, and the lack of any non-dairy milk option for coffee. It's 2026--having oat or almond milk available feels like a pretty basic expectation at this point. Those are small criticisms of an otherwise excellent dinner. We'd absolutely come back, especially for the carbonara, octopus, and calamari.

Great service and very accommodating! The happy hour is perfect and so many options. I highly…read morerecommend the cheese curds of course. I love the vibes of the hotel and the restaurant. Outdoor seating is available too. The French 75 is so refreshing and not overly sweet even though it has rhubarb and strawberry. Highly recommend

The cheese curds here were amazing. Lightly fried, great sauced and not too heavy. Our dinner…read moreentrees were all great, too. Don't sleep on the specials! Our waiter Pablo was so sweet. Great experience all around, highly recommend. And they validate your parking!