I'm going to start off this review by stating that I grew up in the Milwaukee area with Leon's and Kopp's (and Le Duc's further out of the area). My life has been spoiled with good custard. Madison has plenty of good ice cream, but sometimes I want *frozen custard.* Rather than wait for my next trip to Milwaukee, I decided to finally give Michael's a shot. Note: Yes, I know about Culver's. Love their burgers. Their custard is fine and works really in moments of desperation. I decided to also try the basic (single) cheeseburger and fries to complete my dinner alongside my small vanilla malt. The fries were good, and I love that they're a sliced potato style that curls up as touch to create a perfect well for scooping into your custard. The cheeseburger was a very standard burger at $4, the reduced price as part of their 40th anniversary specials. Were I to get another burger, I would likely opt for one of the others that comes with toppings beyond ketchup. My shake was also fine. It was a bit on the thinner side, and I'm unsure if that's the custard or the ratio of custard to milk when mixing. Though I was giving a thicker straw, it wasn't needed. Overall, I liked my meal but was a little underwhelmed given the prices. I am intrigued by the rest of their menu, particularly the signature sundaes, so I will give the custard a further shot in the future. I can see why this is a popular Madison spot, especially on a summer night with its classic diner/soda shop vibes. I just continue to remain a spoiled Milwaukee custard loyalist. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Small vanilla malt, the basic cheeseburger, and small French fries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

A summer staple in Madison! The turtle sundae is absolute perfection. The caramel, hot fudge, and pecans make for an amazing salty/sweet combo. A friend I was with recommended the cheese curds, and they delivered! Which is a big deal for a born and raised Wisconsinite! The breading wasn't too thick or oily, and they stayed hot. Service was very fast, and the outdoor tables were clean and available to sit at. I love that each table easily seats up to six. Cute spot for a sweet treat. It even drizzled a little, but the umbrella over the table kept us completely dry. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Cheese curds - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Five stars because I love that old school diners still exist! Staying with five stars, because they have a $5 cheeseburger that's awesome! I came here on a random Wednesday night and even though they were not busy, the place was clean and service was super fast. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries and these hit the spot! Thick and crispy, and comes with a dipping sauce of your choice for no extra charge! I have a nice water station nearby ice cream. And lots of outdoor seating when the weather is good. read more

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Such a popular spot ! The menu has plenty of delicious custard options, with something to satisfy every craving. Service is fast, so you're enjoying your dessert in no time. The ambiance is absolutely adorable, with outdoor and indoor seating. It's warm, inviting, and perfect for enjoying a little tasty treat. A must-visit for anyone who loves custard! read more

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Custard is way too runny, and they can't even cook a grilled cheese all the way through. Not coming back. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Grilled cheese - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I was there on a Friday evening. The place had enough seats inside and outside. And there was not a lot of crowd. I took their famous turtle sundae, and that was my favorite item here as well. I went for a German chocolate cake custard as well. It was good as well. As others mentioned, I think its a little bit expensive. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - German chocolate cake - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Awful experience and rude customer service. We ordered two "cookie jar" sundae's based off the menu (photo attached) when they came they were peanut butter cookies. I'm pregnant and have not been able to eat much peanut butter. I politely showed them the menu explaining how I thought this came with Oreos... they said they changed the menu and there's nothing they can do. They wouldn't exchange... I wouldn't have an issue but we paid $20 for these! That's a lot of money! All I could do was buy two new Sundaes. They also gave us two different sizes? I was shocked at how rude they were. They closed the window on us. I know there's bigger problems in the world, but I was so excited for this sundae and just needed to vent. Won't be going back :( read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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It may have been a voyage to get here but it was so worth it! There's lots of construction going on so getting here was extremely difficult but once I got here, it was so good! The place is small but is decorated in a cute retro style diner setup. The cashier was helpful and gave me her recommendations on what to get. There are so many options! I ended up getting the Flying Monkey which was milk chocolate custard and bananas with peanut butter sauce. Sooo good! There's so many choices so have fun choosing! I doubt there's anything bad here! read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Flying monkey twister (milk chocolate custard with bananas and peanut butter sauce) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Easy, quick, decent food, very nice and quick service. Got an iced Carmel macchiato, spicy chicken sandwich and cheese curds and was super yummy. On the pricier side, only reason for 4 stars. We paid $30 for 2 sandwiches, cheese curds and small coffee but nonetheless, I'll be coming back eventually! read more

Good burgers on Mothers Day outside on the patio. But, the pagers they use now are so loud, they ruin the experience. We were there 40 minutes and the beeping was constant. You really need to get something that vibrates instead of an audible read more

Best ice cream in Madison!!! The ice cream is thick, creamy, and oh so flavorful!! I love their sundaes and Twisters. The ice cream itself is so delicious and the toppings are amazing! I love the peanut butter sundae and my husband loves the Death by Chocolate. I've had both and love them both! I also love the decor and there of the ice cream shop. They have a cute outdoor seating area with umbrellas for shade. I'd describe the theme as rainbow signs/decor and comic book theme. It's all super cute! The parking lot is pretty big and they also offer a drive thru option. The drive thru and order window are both super efficient and the workers are very friendly. You definitely need to check Michael's out!! read more

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Inventive flavors but holy cow this place is so overpriced. I'd love to try some of the flavors but it was so insanely expensive for a tiny bit of custard. Will not be returning. read more

Really good food & ice cream. Innovative shakes & twisters. The fries are the golden type - my fave type. I've included a photo because idk how to describe it. They have many flavors of creams, custards, & shakes. I asked them to make a special flavor of milkshake and they did it! Thanks ! Definitely visit the drive through soon or sit outside on their rainbow picket fenced-in patio. read more

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I love turtle sundaes.....especially with custard. Had one here a week or so ago. It was OK nothing special, it was outrageously priced. Didn't even come with a cherry on top. Given the average quality and over priced product they won't be seeing me ever again. Not worth the price. read more

Wowowowowow this place is crazzzy expensive! $18 for TWO small custards. I got a scoop of vanilla w/pb cups and dad got a on pb cup sundae. $8 for mine and nearly $10 for dad's. And they got my order wrong. While I waited for mine to come out I watched them good up 3 other orders. I don't remember it being like this, won't go back. Oh, and all the prices are nuts. 13.75 for SWEET POTATO FRIES is what I read on the menu. How does anyone afford this place?! read more

Super yummy custard and nice people!! However the prices don't make any sense it's so expensive for what you get :/

Custard is good - you'll usually have a choice of chocolate or vanilla with whatever topping combinations you choose - and the decor is a neat roadside 50's diner vibe. But holy schnikes is it expensive for what it is - $7.79 for a small sundae. read more

Go for the custard, and if you are doing drive through and want the flavor of the day, be sure to ask for it fresh. I was sure Culver's just down the way would drive a stake through Michael's when it opened a few years back, but it hasn't happened. For those of us who like the real thing, that's something to be happy about. I've been happy with their veggie burgers and can't complain about the food over all. Drive in kinda food... read more

I have never posted a Yelp review before but our recent (and final, trust me) experience at Michael's Frozen Custard on Atwood Avenue in Madison Wisconsin has driven me to it. I've read the review guidelines and believe my review abides by them. We haven't been to Michael's in a couple years but went back for a burger, a chicken sandwich (my wife couldn't finish it, mainly due to the sauce that was on it), two fries, and two sodas (mine was bottled, over $3). Expensive! ($28 for two people, with multiple discounts, and we had no dessert either). Much more expensive than I remember (and thinking back we didn't go there often because it was expensive before). A similar meal at another local burger joint is much better and costs about $10 less. I just had a hankering for a Michael's burger, which I remembered as being pretty good - and I am now cured for life. It was not a good experience at all, and from other reviews I see I'm not alone. Besides the expense is the convoluted pricing policy (posted prices are if you use cash, more for a credit card - or maybe the other way around, I'm not sure - anyway it's not clear unless you ask). Other discounts include a basket discount (actually _three_ types of basket discounts), plus they dropped the price a little because I didn't want cheese (that was the one bright spot). In any case, there's no clear way to tell whether what you are paying is at all predictable or accurate. The food quality has sure gone downhill too. Burgers not as tasty, way too many fries, and, get this, no drink refills. I mean, they filled the soda glass to the brim with ice, then dribbled in some soda, and "we don't do refills" when we asked. I guess they can't spare a nickel's worth of soda. Not customer friendly. I'm not surprised the other four locations are closed (although I haven't researched exactly why, to be honest - but I don't really care). During our supper-time visit we were the only customers. To the owner: sorry for the brutal review, but I think your establishment has earned it. I realize this is your livelihood, but if so you really need to make some customer-friendly changes. At least realize when you fill the soda cup with ice and then top it off with a little soda, expect that people will want a refill and provide when requested. And oh, please fix the pricing mess. We have other, better choices when dining for a burger, so we will not be going back to Michael's ever. And to paraphrase from Star Trek IV: "avoid Michael's Custard at all costs! Farewell." read more

Definitely not worth the price. Hot fudge sundae was $7.22 for a small. When asked if it was possible to add nuts considering the price, the woman working replied "I don't make the prices it doesn't come with that". And she initially overcharged us by 3 dollars. The Spongebob dessert was not what it was described as and was nearly $10. Just not good food, way overpriced, and workers were extremely rude unprovoked. Would not come back. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Receipt and prices - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Finally got to try frozen custard. Vanilla, chocolate and fresh peach or the flavors of the day. Three of us got the peach and one got the vanilla. We liked the peach. The vanilla guy thought it was a tad too sweet. Overall, it was a delightful treat. A little pricey, though. read more

If you've never been in a Michael's, the interior is a throwback to nostalgia, with shiny vinyl booths, neon signs, and old coke machine. Retro poster boards adorn throughout reminiscent of good ole times, think Grease era, sharing a fountain soda pop with your sweetheart. The facade of the happiness projected on the menu boards are lost in the employees. One, which was working frantically to fill the drive-thru order, and the younger, front register employee, who did not seem at all thrilled about being there. The flavors are listed on a magic eraser board, today was vanilla, chocolate, and flavor of the day, chocolate cherry torte. We ordered two single scoop waffle cones ($4.21 each) of the chocolate and flavor of the day. I was expecting chocolate custard with cherry pieces for the FOD, but instead it was vanilla custard, with chocolate cake and maraschino cherry mixed in. It was delightful! Really rich and creamy, and I loved getting chunks of the cake with almost each bite. The chocolate custard was also velvety smooth. We liked the FOD so much we wanted to take one home. I asked if I could have another single waffle cone of the FOD, but placed in a dish so I could carry it. Instead, they just gave me a plastic cup filled with the custard, no waffle cone. *waaa* read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Take aways and cute little throwback booths - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I am a fan of the sundaes here. The custard is tasty and the toppings are plentiful. My favorite sundae is the Muddy Banana. Vanilla Custard, Hot Fudge, chocolate cookie crumbles, and banana slices. Yummy. The staff is usually friendly and quick. I tend to park and walk in versus drive thru so I can watch it get made. Plus driving with a drippy cone or dish is never fun so I just eat it there whenever possible. This location has a good parking lot and a fun interior. It also is a bit bigger than the other Michael's locations around town. The prices are a bit high but it should be an occasional treat. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Marilyn likes Michaels! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I think this place seems very over hyped. The ice cream was really expensive and didn't taste anything special. ( I mean really expensive, please check prices and make sure you are willing to pay an arm and a leg for mediocre ice cream prior to your arrival). read more

Spent $9.22 for a small turtle Sunday. One scoop of ice cream with some hot fudge and caramel sauce and a few pecans. There wasn't even a cherry on it. Overpriced and not worth it. read more

For all the hype, Michael's is quite a disappointment. Maybe it's because I didn't try the custard. But seriously, I didn't need more weighing down in this weather...so I ordered an orange crush float instead. For something that would have cost me MAYBE 50cents to make at home, I paid close to $5 for a 12oz cup. That is ridiculous. In general, I think their prices are pretty steep for what you get....you'd probably have to order a burger to really get a bang for your buck... Like RB, I also had an issue with the service. It was slow, disorganized, and not very friendly. The line was almost out the door, but the employees behind the counter didn't even ATTEMPT to speed up the service. One of them just disappeared into a back room. tsktsk. I also thought it was hilarious how one of the employees crumpled up an order form before the order had been completed, and then had to UNcrumple the paper so she could re-read the order to her coworker. Anyway, I will probably give the Monroe St. Michael's - and their custards/burgers - a shot, but I'm not going to get my hopes up. read more

Michael's has been around forever...I've eaten more sundaes here than I care to admit. And, without fail, they are good. Every. Single. Time. Yes, they are a bit pricey. Yes, they may be small for what you get. Yes they are all pretty similar. But darn it. They are so stinkin' good. Just eat them before they melt, because gosh does custard melt faster than ice cream!! I have never eaten the "real" food at this location - so I can't comment on that. But the sundaes are worth it every time. read more

I've been an east-spider since birth. My family and I have gone here for years. Once I went to college I didn't go much, but I recently went back on a quest with my fiancé for a great burger to buy. And this place has it! Yes, the prices are quite high for all items. Your wallet will hemorrhage, lol, but this food is wonderful! Fries are crispy, burger is thick, juicy and you can tell the veggies are fresh, buns are wonderful... I can't describe to you how good this food is. GO BUY IT YOURSELF!!!! The custard is wonderful. Many, many sundaes and other desserts (orange crush float!) to try. Let's be real, this is Culver's in steroids with a more Madison vibe. The aesthetic inside is a retro, 50's diner. Fun signs and colorful. Staff has been kind. Take your friend, spouse, kids here. You won't regret it! Only reason I have 4/5 review is the cost. read more

Not sure about the food but the Frozem Custard is great!!! Good Old Fashion atmosphere. I would like to see them chanfe the music from country to more ole time rock . They have a wide variety of sundaes to choose from . We went with the strawberry cheese cake and the banna split. Both were excellent. Also got a strawberry shake which i realy liked. You can sure tell the difference in taste from your normal ice cream shops. This custurd has a much more richer taste. read more

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Very disappointed in the quality of the burgers and the cost was crazy. I had always heard the Custer was good but decided not to get any after lunch because the prices were so high. We sat inside and it looked like a business that was going out of business. I remember many years ago the lines were out the door. We were the only people there and I'm not surprised. read more

The place is not as good as it used to be. They used to have an awesome turtle sundae. Pecans are still good but they put a drizzle of hot fudge and Carmel and that's it. When I asked for more I was told no. For $8 for a small sundae I expect plentiful toppings. Very disappointed. read more

Yaaaaaaaaaas! The cheeseburgers, like come on, why do I live so close?! My pants won't want to fit! Very flavorful, I didn't find that once I got the burger home it was soggy, so thumbs up! The custard. Of course you gotta get that too. read more

What the &$@?? $6 for con??? And extra $1 fro "sprinkles"?? And the machine show $8.75 when the total bill is over $16???? ( so the kid explain me: "it was without tax"..... Oh my god - lucky you I visit with my grandson so I couldn't just slam the door in your face read more

We were looking for a good, local to the Grandview area, take out burger. We heard a rumor that Michaels had some good stuff, so we hopped in the drive thru and spun the wheel of chance. Winner winner chicken dinner(or burger dinner)! Excellent, tasty burger and bun. We ordered a bacon cheese burger and the mushroom/Swiss burger. Both burgers were juicy. The bacon was not crispy enough for me but my friend was good with it. The mushrooms and fried onions were excellent and plentiful. The burger buns were very good, better than most. Not the least expensive burgers but well worth the price. Oh and they have great onion rings... very thin and the batter does not fall off when you take a bite. Recommendation: go often!!! read more

I just paid $6.18 for one small scoop of vanilla ice cream with the equivalent of one or two oreos crumbled on it. I really like the food here, but unfortunately it has now priced me out. Fancy gelato shops don't even charge that much. I'm super bummed because I really do like their burgers a lot. EDIT: It was $5.18. For one small scoop of custard and a crumpled up cookie. Almost the same price as a fully loaded cheeseburger. read more

It you're a custard aficionado, Michael's is certainly a real treat. If your a newcomer start with vanilla or chocolate in a dish to appreciate the quality and then add a topping or go for the favor of the day on future visits. The staff is friendly and the place is clean enough. The only thing stopping a knock-out five star review is they the prices are a bit steep. $13 for a small dish with hot fudge and a small turtle sundae blows my mind ,but quality seems to be a virtue here. From the flavoring in the custards to the more than generous amount of toppings it's a still a winner. Heck, if you can't finish it all stick it in the freezer overnight, take it out when you're ready and wait to enjoy until it has nice sheen to it... read more

The juciest of burgers. A perfect lunch spot after hitting up olbrich garden. Service is quick and delightful. Every item is about 4ish dollars. A single come is 4.73 but was decent size. Burgers are huge and well seasoned. Fries are double battered and perfect. Cheese curds are meh. read more

Michael's Frozen Custard - Lunch on a Sunday afternoon - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Didn't Michael's used to be good? I remember going to the Michael's in Verona, years ago when I was still in high school. There was nothing better than gorging on malts and burgers on Friday nights in the summer. I remember them being glorious, greasy shrines to all that is good and pure in the world. I hadn't been to a Michael's in years--partially because I had moved out of the area for some time, and partially because there are none in close proximity to my home. However, the other day I happened to be near the Atwood Ave. one at lunch time and figured I'd go for the nostalgia and try to relive my youth for a few paltry seconds. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. First, the place was nearly empty at 11:30am. There was one other couple eating when I went in, but even the drive-thru was quiet. That should have been my first warning. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. It took a reasonable amount of time for the burger to get to me, but it was seriously lackluster. It was a cheap, thin, frozen patty and some wilted lettuce and a bland tomato. The bacon was okay, but there wasn't enough of it. The cheese was some processed crap. The fries were equally frozen pieces of bland, tasteless crap. After my first bite, I wondered if I could ask for my money back. It was so far from what I remembered from my teenage years that it continuing to eat the burger was essentially throwing my happy memories into the toilet. I hate to make a fuss, so I didn't. I powered through and finished. I know why Culver's is the tried-and-true home for decent burgers and malts. Unless something changes, I think I'm done with Michael's. read more

A freezer full of titles that need to be decoded! I asked the counter guy the tough questions: "What's the difference between bear claw, elephant trax, and badger trax?" I can't remember what the difference was other than that elephant trax sounded the best. I didn't want to risk ending my day with artificial caramel, so chose the chocolate custard with peanut butter cups. Perhaps a little steep at upwards of $5 per pint, but hey, it's not much more expensive than regular-price Haagen-Dazs or Ben&Jerry's is getting these days, and I think it's at least on par, plus it's freshly made! read more

First of all, how has no one reviewed Michael's yet? They have the best everything! The best frozen yogurt, certainly the best fried cheese curds EVER, and the best root beer. Michael's is open kind of later than you might expect, and has a nice patio to sit outside in the summer. They now offer K-9 custard, so you can bring your dog too! My cat likes ice cream, I wonder if K-9 custard could be good for felines? read more