SETTLE IN for this Settle down Review. The Short: Run Here now for the Grain Bowl and take a gamble on their mixed drink menu. Other menu items, IMHO are sure to be good, but the Grain Bowl knocked my socks off. The Run Down: The Magic Grain Bowl was thoughtful and scrumptious. The mixture of fresh, tart and umami reinvented itself with each bite of varying ingredients. The butternut miso butter was sweet like a gift from a friend, joyous and genuine. The pickled pear had a delivate tartness that lingered and tingled on my tongue. And dont get me started on the crispy mushrooms. Oh! *chef kiss* The best grain bowl I've had in a while with a price that made me come back for seconds. The Drink I had, the Homocidal Psycho Jungle Cat was inventive with a beautifully balanced profile. The spice flavors of Chai, ginger and chile came forward with the first sip, but didn't overpower the tequila flavor we know and love. They stayed long enough to savor, but left soon enough to be a refreshing drink, rather than a chile taste test. (That is to say, they balanced it well fir the novelty of the spices, but it holds its own against mixed drinks less piquanté) The Fish and Chips, and Crispy Chicken Sandwich were good, but maybe not worth the hype. The breading on the Fish was fried to a crip outside, but a battery inside. The fish itself was tougher than flaky, but the flavors were bang on. But pushes my expectations of an 18$ dish. The Crispy chicken Sandwich had a beautifully Crispy chicken cut, but the bread flattened into a thin sheet when I tried to grab hold of it. Would have loved a bread with a bit more structure. The Staff both visits were kind, attentive, and professional. No complaints there. The decor in the bar area was a fun "reclaimed industrial" meets 80s diner? The vibe was casual and friendly, a nice, lowkey-fun-tasty place. All in all, I'd recommend this place to anyone for the Magic Grain Bowl alone, but I found the other dishes were good, but not astounding. I would definitely come back here and hope you too have the good fortune to come in, grab a Magic Grain Bowl, with a fun mixed drink some night to Settle Down with some friends and great food. Context: I went 2 times, once at night in the bar area, and another time during the day for lunch. I rank based on quality for price points. A $ may have a 5 star from me more readily than a $$$ vecause of its bang for buck. A 4 star from me means that this is a place worth going to and I intend on going again. It is above average. A 5 from me means it is the best of all the other places I've been. A 3 would be I'd take it or leave it. So Settle Down has my approval as a really solid option any day of the week. read more

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There is something magical about this place. The burgers were so good! I had the prit' near me :) with beef patty and the red wine pickled mushrooms were amazing together with the soubise (I had to Google that one - it means thick white sauce with onion purée - onion, butter, cream). Our out of town guests just loved the Cheese Puppies which was crispy on the outside and gooey to perfection on the inside. The ghost fries were an interesting choice besides regular fries but they were a little too thin and fried too much for my liking. I would like to go back and try their Magic Grain bowl and Crispy Polenta & Meatballs next. read more

Settle Down Tavern - Inside with plants and open space. - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Yum this place is amazing! Although their menu is small WOW is it so delicious and fresh. We started out with the cheese puppies which by the way are an absolute must if you dine here! They were amazing! If you're a cheese curd lover like myself you'll be blown away with how delicious they are. My fiancé got the grain bowl which was very hearty and delicious even though we didn't realize it was a chilled dish. The chicken sandwich special was so yummy. You could tell it was freshly breaded and fried to perfection. After our meal we enjoyed a hot cocktail which they have an entire menu dedicated to hot drinks which is so nice for these chilly WI nights. I can't wait to come back and try more cocktails and the burger! read more

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Great drinks, unique cheese curds, and awesome space! First time at settle down tavern and it was a great experience. They are know for their cocktails and they have a lot of options on the menu. I came on day one of their toddy specials and I decided to try one of them, the name is escaping me but it was so warm and toasty and just fantastic. I decided to follow up with one of their margaritas and it was fantastic! It was my first margarita flavored with almond and you may be saying "almond?! And margarita?! " it worked very well and I could probably have drunk 2-3 more to be honest. Food options here are limited but tasty! Definitely come here for the drinks and grab an appetizer or two! read more

I stopped in with a group of 5 on a very busy Saturday afternoon. We were seating within 5 minutes on the outdoor patio. The server was very attentive bringing us a lot of water on the hot day. The veggie burger was flavorful and not dry. The mushrooms and shoots on top were a good addition! The bloody Mary's were good but a bit watered down possibly from ice melting outside. read more

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Last weekend I got to meet up with my college roomies (from 20 years ago) and relive old memories.... always a great time! We decided to check out a new restaurant near the capitol. We were able to put our name in and grab a couple drinks at the bar....on a Friday night around 8:30, the wait for a table was only about 15 minutes. It gave us a chance to check out the decor inside the restaurant which was super cute. I got the special Brandy Old Fashioned with was delicious... so I ordered another with my dinner. My friend got a specialty cocktail as well which was also really good. All the cocktail names were funny. I love how Pinckney Street was closed off for outdoor dining. Our table was super cute... the whole setup looked like a formal picnic in the middle of the street. Unfortunately, the Friday fish fry was totally sold out by the time we arrived. That was a bummer. I do think there were not many options on the menu and wish there had been more to choose from. I ordered the brat burger ( a burger made from brat meat) which was delicious. I also ordered the assorted pickled veggies which I really liked. The staff was friendly ad professional. All in all, a wonderful evening, but I do wish they had the special and that there were more menu items to choose from. read more

I really enjoyed my first visit in here. The space is wonderful. There is dining in the atrium and you are surrounded by plants and greenery and it's just a lovely sunny space. A+ for aesthetics. The food was good. I ordered the Croque Madaaamn Hashbrown. Presentation and concept were excellent. The menu description sounded great. The meal was plated very well and looked amazing upon delivery to the table. The first bite was... a bit surprising. The hashbrown itself was a thick cut chunk of potato that looked like it was deep fried. It *looked* delicious. While it wasn't terrible, it was incredibly salty. So salty. Like it was infused with brine or something. So so salty. Whatever though I love salt. Next component, the dijon. The dijon was very strong. It tasted like horseradish. I know the two are similar, but I could have sworn it was actually horseradish. While I don't mind dijon when done right and paired appropriately, I really don't care for horse raddish. The mornay sauce on the other hand, excellent. The egg? Cooked to absolute perfection! The coffee took a while to come out but it was very good when it did come. Our server was adorable and sweet and checked on us throughout the meal. I was wish 3 others when I was here. They each ordered a breakfast sandwich of some sort. While they all enjoyed their sammies, they all wanted more food when finished. Tip - order a side with your breakfast sandwich or leave a wee bit hungry still. Overall take away - I like this place. I will go back. I wish the hashbrowns weren't so salty. read more

I enjoyed my dining experience, the burger I had was very good and was the cocktail. I loved that they have several craft cocktails besides the standards, some with a fun twist. I do wish the food menu had a couple more selections to choose from. read more

Came here on a Friday night with a group of friends. When we were handed the menu we were a bit disappointed to see that most of he hot foods were apps or snack like foods. There were only a couple of meal options that you'd expect at a "tavern". All six of us opted for the only burger they had on the menu. I was hoping for the fish sandwich but the waitress said they had run out. It was a bit surprising that they only had one burger on the whole menu even though they call themselves a "tavern". The options were severely lacking. The burgers themselves were subpar. Someone in my group commented that they were comparable to Culvers burgers except with dry buns. Another person in my group received an entirely burnt bottom bun. The only thing they had going for them was the atmosphere. The restaurant ceiling is a skylight with string lights which was quite beautiful. The drinks were 50/50 amongst at the group. Half of the group enjoyed the drinks but the other half didn't. On another note the cheese curds are labeled as "curd puppies". The curds had a thin layer of crust on the outside, super light almost like a light onion ring crust. They're different from other curds just a heads up. If you like a thinner crust and lighter curd then you'd like these. I had high hopes coming in here as I had heard good things. However, I ended up being extremely disappointed in the lack of hot food meal sized options. I'm hoping that my experience here was due to a staff shortage and not the core character of the restaurant. read more

This place was a hidden gem after a day of traveling to Madison for the Great Taste beer festival. Our server, Lauren, was incredible. She made us feel right at home and pointed us in the right direction for the menu. We had our dog with us, and everyone was more than happy to have him on the patio. He was happy he got so much attention and treats. We started off with cheese puppies, devil birds, and pickled veggies. All three were 10/10. The devil birds are made with horseradish and have an awesome kick to them. The cheese pups are great. The dipping ranch is solid but not extraordinary. Our second wave was a veggie burger with the ghost fries. Loved the veggie burger! Even the bun was perfect. The ghost fries were a top notch add on with just a hint of spice. We can't wait to go back! read more

Service- awesome. Ambiance- sitting in the atrium was really cool. Food- the cheese curd "puppies" were incredible but definitely a giant portion for 2-4 ppl. Smash burger- awesome. Can't wait to come back again and again and again read more

Jim Dandy veggie burger and cocktails. Only wish the burger was larger. Overdose of ghost fries made for a satisfying lunch. Now get on down to the Settle Down. read more

Freaking RUDE! We were here for a business trip. We are from California... literally one of the rudest states in the US but this place takes the cake. We came in late from a flight around 10 on a Friday night desperately looking for somewhere to eat. This place had good reviews so we decided to check it out. WOW... super freaking RUDE. Not one person acknowledged us let alone took our order. Which BTW they have a VERY LIMITED CRAPY Menu!!! Don't freaking bother... they hate you! read more

Settle Down has the *best* burger I have ever had in Madison. Order the Good Idea Burger and you won't be disappointed. This weekend I tried something a bit different. The magic mushroom grain bowl. The oyster mushrooms were perfectly done, and best paired with their butternut squash miso spread. What a fun combo of flavors! Only critique was that it would have been better served warmer. read more

Settle Down Tavern - Magic Mushroom Bowl - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Had a hankering for some lunch time burgers and found this gem. We got the Prit' Near burger, a unique take on veggie burgers - light and crispy- and also got the Good Idea burger - smash styled burger with good flavors. Both were equally delicious, and not too heavy! We also got the ghost fries and hush puppies. Ghost fries were these perfect shoe string potato goodness with sprinkles of seasoning (read: flavorful, but not spicy). The cheese puppies were a fun take on Southern hush puppies remixed with cheese curds. read more

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Love this place! Incredibly friendly employees make for a fun and easy going vibe. Creative and inspired menu- stand out was the deviled eggs and the Good Idea burger . Veggie burger was also a real treat with lots of wonderful flavor combinations. Fries were good and I loved the mixed green salad. Simple and perfect. read more

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Love this place! They know who they are and what they're about & the strong sense of identity and community really comes through everywhere. Love the giant patio situation but now that we're vaccinated we sat inside for the first time & it's so cute! The bartender (Adrienne?) was so fun and attentive without being overbearing. All the pictures on the wall of the owners and their friends and family--so cute. Actually perfect smash burgers that come out as fast as a smash burger should: fast! And a great cocktail menu, I really liked The Mountains Are Calling, definitely a solid recommendation. We had some good toddy's when it was colder out a few weeks ago, too. When you know, you know. And I know I'll keep coming back here. read more

Been here multiple times for drinks but hadn't tried their food yet. The Good Idea and fries were AMAZING!! read more

Settle Down Tavern - The Good Idea w/ a side of fries - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Good food, but a small menu. More apps than dinner entrees. The fish was good and so were the cheese curds.

Ordering the Good Idea Burger is one of the best ideas I've had in a long time. The seasoning and unique texture, high quality cheese and bun, its ridiculously good. I am usually someone who says a burger is a burger, but this one is on another level. The staff is one of the friendliest out there too read more

I flat out love the Settle Down. My first visit was on the first warm day of the spring. The patio had opened up and it was my first sensation of things starting to open up after our long winter of COVID. I ordered a beer (an IPA from Young Blood Brewery, delicious) and soaked up the sun and atmosphere. I decided to keep things simple and ordered the special burger of the day. It. blew. my. mind. I wish I could tell you what was on it but I've had so many since I can't remember more that that it was a surprising blend of Asian flavors brought expertly to the smash version of our classic American dish. As mentioned, I have returned many times. The cocktails are excellent. I can't tell you much about the beers because I keep ordering the Young Blood IPA. Barely bitter. Citrusy with a light sweetness. On my return visits I have had the following: The mixed greens - cool and crisp with a great lemon tarragon dressing. The Cheeseball & Potter's Pretzels - absolutely perfect with my beer. The Devil Birds - a nice twist on the deviled eggs which I have reordered a few times and I will again. And finally, The Good Idea Burger - a perfectly executed smash burger. The Settle Down is doing everything right. read more

Stumbled here on a Friday night and got cocktails with my boyfriend. Their cocktails are creative and tasty. My boyfriend got a mezcal ginger beer drink and thought it was refreshing. I had a hot cocktail that had mezcal, rumchata and coffee brandy. It was a little too smoky and strong for my liking. I have come here to grab dinner before and did really enjoy the green juice cocktail and it was super tasty and apparently a popular choice here. Their seating in the alley is super cute and an enjoyable, open space. I would come here again for drinks. read more

Settle Down Tavern - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place is horrible. First of all the tables are in a large, noisy, high ceiling "hallway". People bumping into you and the door opening and closing all the time. The food was subpar for sure: hamburgers are better at Culvers than here, my wife potato soup was bitter and tasted like the top of the flat top grill and the French fries are out of a frozen bag right off the Sysco truck. Not returning or recommending. read more

This was a great place for outdoor seating! The servers were attentive and friendly. The cheese curds were not that great. They had cornmeal breading which tasted strange on cheese curds. I had the special. It was a steak tip sandwich with arugula and raw red onions with a horseradish aioli. The steak was heavily peppered, but otherwise tasted fantastic. The fries were overly salty and the dip with them was not great. The highlight was the beer and drinks! read more

Great tight menu of fun bar classics. Excellent service. Excellent vibe on the inside.

This place is amazing. Fantastic service (had the same waitress as last time) and tasty food. Go here! read more

Settle Down Tavern - There's Always Toddy in the Banana Stand - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Cute little spot for cocktails and a bite. Love the decor and the drinks were delicious. Chinook was awesome!

The ambiance is rustic and charming, the high ceilings allow for it to be quiet which is nice. The menu is limited but the food was very good; we ordered the original smash burgers, ghost pepper fries, and cheese curds. It was a little pricey in our opinion, but it was tasty and enjoyable nonetheless. The service was fantastic, food came out very quickly, and every staff member we saw was friendly and interacted with us in some way. read more

Arguably the best burger in Madison! This new restaurant with an establish feel is one of our new favorite. Their grand opening was a hit during a pandemic, and for rightful reason. This gem is located down down between two well trafficked restaurants, and yet manages to stand out. Their cocktail menu was impressive, yet loyal to their roots in Wisconsin. I had the Bloody Mary which was made with fresh tomato juice and served with a "Settle Down" chaser from Full Mile (also local). It was simple and delicious. My husband had the Red Squirrel, it was a twist on a traditional old fashioned which used brandy and bourbon. We shared the fries, that came with paprika Mayo, and cheese puppies. The Cheese Puppies stole the show, they are a traditional cheese curd mixed with a hush puppy. One bite in and I couldn't stop. Also worth mentioning, was their homemade ranch which perfectly complimented them. My husband and I shared their Fish Sandwhich, which was on special, and the Good Idea Burger. Both were delicious! The Fish Sandwhich was lightly battered and fried, served with homemade pickled jalapeños and lime coleslaw and peppadew relish. The Good Idea Burger (pictured) was topped with house pickles, fried onions, and butterkase cheese. Their menu includes plenty of gluten free and vegetarian options as well. They had a variety of seating options including several booths and bar seats, an indoor atrium, and outdoor seating. Service was exceptional. It was great to see the owners seats guests and making rounds. This is a must visit when in Madison! read more

G dang this place is tasty! It's January during covid and this bar is rockin heated outdoor seating! The street-level heaters are where it's at. They've also got their barkeeps crankin out warm cocktails for hearty midwesterners.y partner and I split Boyne the veggie burger and the "good idea" burger. Both were excellent and worth coming in for. The cheese puppies (the offspring of hush puppies and cheese curds) were mouth watering. Dogs were allowed/encouraged with treats and water on their "streatery". Service was above good, and made us feel very engaged and welcomed. The two minor dings is that the patio is not covered for those snow/rain events and the burgers are not automatically served with fries. Other than that, plan yourself a night of righteous cocktails and good food. read more

Settle Down Tavern - Call your mother! - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The best value in Madison. The place has a very special vibe to it. It pays homage to everything that makes eating and drinking in Wisconsin so special. The Burger is done to perfection. Probably a top 3 burger I've ever had. Highly recommend the ghost fries as well. They have a nice kick. A friend of mine tried their Veggie Burger and that was also outstanding. It's well superior to the Beyond and Impossible. The cocktails are all executed perfectly. I would recommend the Black Squirrel if you're looking for something boozy and the Serio for a delicious riff on a Margarita. The true star of Settledown are the people. The staff was insanely fun and welcoming. Give it a try! read more

Cute place downtown. Not crowded when we were there during the day and after lunch. Drinks are smallish as are the apps. Think tapas or at least whet we ordered. Flavors were good but maybe we didn't order the best things. Might be a good stop for a drink and app before dinner in some of the local places. read more

Can't believe I haven't reviewed SDT yet-shame on me! We stopped in the second night they were open and probably have been back almost every week since then so yes it is that good. Settle Down checks off all the boxes of a great tavern-atmosphere, people, cocktails, and food. While we have been eating/drink mostly outside, I love the small cozy nature of the space. I especially love the fact that the atrium is also set up to allow for social distancing and the footprint of the space. As others have noted, the burger is one of the best, if not the best, in Madison. It is exactly how a bar burger should be-great bun, hard seared patty with melted cheese, fried onions and an addicting sauce. Named the "Good Idea" on the menu, is is more like a great idea to order one. Finally, the cocktails are always on point. Brian, co-owner and an author of a book about cocktails, has a knack to make well balanced drinks for almost every preference. As the name states, this is a great place to "settle down" and enjoy one of my favorite places in Madison. read more

Settle Down is doing a fantastic job during the pandemic. The dining area is spacious, the servers are very aware of social distancing, and enforce mask wearing when folks aren't at tables. I ordered the veggie burger which is one of the best I've ever had. Some veggie burgers have a problem of being to mushy and just falling apart. This one had crispy edges and kept its form. The fries were perfectly seasoned, and the cheese puppies were phenomenal as well. read more

This place just never disappoints although to be fair I've only ever ordered the cheeseburger but it's AMAZING everytime

What a fabulous restaurant and bar. Lucia (such a nice server) recommended the twin valley campground drink and the burger. It is in the running for best in Madison. Will be back for great service and food. Hidden gem. read more

Had one of the best burgers, the Good Deal burger here and the staff is absolutely amazing. For a wine dive, it's quite lively and lives up to its name. read more

Settle Down Tavern - The Good Deal Burger - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I really like Settle Down. Let me start by saying that if I could give it a 4.5, I think that would be more appropriate. Why I am going with a 4 instead of a 5 on Yelp though, is because I thought it was slightly over-hyped. I say that because of all the super high reviews I've seen and it appearing on a "best burger" list in Madison. While they do have a really good burger, I don't think it's some super amazing awesome one. To give a little more context, I love burgers and try to hit all the main burger locations in town. This isn't a top 3 burger in the area in my opinion, but probably still like a top 6 or 5. So, it is a really good burger and one I will definitely go back for. I also love the location and space. Great service as well, and you can bring along your dog if sitting on the patio. That's a nice plus. I should also note, my wife tried the fish fry and thought that was pretty average. She didn't hate it by any means, but it was just fine in her words. I also tried it and agreed. Regardless of all that, Settle Down is definitely a nice spot and a place to try if you haven't yet. read more

Good cocktails. They've got a pretty cool setup essentially in an indoor hallway that they've dressed up very well. We waited a while for our drinks because they were slammed but everything tasted great read more

Settle Down Tavern - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

In Madison often, and finally ate at Settle Down. Very friendly, attentive service and quirky but nice "atrium" atmosphere inside between the restaurants, coffee shop, etc. Everything we ordered was terrific -- the cheese puppies, the Good Idea burger (messy and terrific), the grain bowl. We'll be back. read more