tempest Oyster Bar has quickly become one of my favorite spots in Madison, and I can't recommend it enough. From the moment you step inside, the atmosphere is perfectly sophisticated yet welcoming, with a classy, nautical vibe that feels upscale without being stuffy. The historic building (with its cool backstory) adds a unique charm, and whether you're at the bar, in the Boat Room, or on the patio during happy hour, it just feels special. The drinks are top-notch. Their cocktail menu is creative and well-executed think perfectly balanced classics and inventive options that pair beautifully with seafood. The wine and beer selection is solid too, with plenty of crisp whites that complement the menu. But the real stars are the oysters and crab legs. The oysters are incredibly fresh (they boast daily shipments), briny, and perfectly shucked some of the best I've had anywhere. We ordered a mix from the raw bar and couldn't stop. The crab legs? Outstanding huge, sweet, and steamed to perfection, with just the right amount of seasoning so the natural flavor shines through. Paired with their drawn butter, it was pure indulgence. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, the portions generous, and everything felt thoughtfully prepared. If you're craving excellent seafood in a great setting, make a reservation at Tempest you won't be disappointed! read more

Very solid lobster rolls! Friendly service. Cool decor, warm romantic ambiance. My husband and I enjoyed our late dinner at Tempest! We tried the special beef tartare appetizer which admittedly was a little one-note and salty. I can't really blame them for that though because I'm the one who ordered beef at a seafood restaurant. The star of the show was the lobster roll which was doused in butter. I like a little more mayo but the caper aioli which came on the side with the fries was a good addition. The lobster was plenteous, succulent, sweet, and buttery. The pickapeppa remoulade was delicious to dip the fries in - the fries were perfectly done too. I would skip the scalloped potato side - it was bland. We will definitely be back for the lobster roll! read more

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Unfortunately I had to give this restaurant two stars although the oysters were absolutely amazing because my meal was not very good. I ordered the shrimp and grits which also included pork belly. The pork belly was pure fat with no pork. The grits were more of a cream than actual grits. The scalloped potatoes tasted like milk. It was expensive and the food i ordered was not worth it. They also ran out of bread and the service was slow. read more

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Made a reservation for 5pm and was able to catch Happy Hour. $2 oysters were a great deal. They were very fresh and it was nice to be able to try the many options. Oysters Rockefeller had a nice crunch from the toppings. For main dish, we got the New York Strip with mashed potatoes. Wasn't sure if a non seafood dish would be good, the steak was cooked perfectly and had amazing flavor! I would come back for the steak. Service was good and the waiter was attentive. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Oysters - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Continues to miss the mark from a service perspective. They just always take forever! However, this time the food was a little better. The lobster roll was great! The steak was overcooked, but decent overall. It's a good date night spot, but it can get very loud. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Had our anniversary dinner at this location Because it is always phenomenal. Perfect for special moments. The staff is very friendly and attentive. It has a very classy ambience to it. The shrimp cocktail is phenomenal, the horseradish cream is something that my husband can't have because it has dairy in it. However, the shrimp cocktail sauce has plenty of horseradish so you don't even need the cream if you're dairy free. The Summer love oysters were phenomenal! And you can never go wrong with the pear upside down cake. read more

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First time visiting and will be back. Staff was very nice and personable. I just came for a cocktail and couple appetizers. Everything was fantastic. read more

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This place was so fab. To be so honest, my boyfriend and I were pretty drunk of their cocktails so our memory isn't super sharp, but we do recall the food being great. We started with oysters and the smoke stack. The oysters were so fresh and the smoke stack was a very cool concept. My boyfriend got a warm lobster roll to eat and loved it. I got the bucatini pasta, which was very flavorful. Would highly recommend! read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Smoke Stack, Oysters - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is one of my favorite spots for happy hour that have discount oysters which they have a great selection of. There cocktails are wonderful and really good food! Definitely suggest the boat read more

Tempest is the most underrated restaurant in Madison. Steak, crab, oysters, and drinks are all phenomenal. Service is always friendly, prompt, and we have a great experience every time we are here. read more

Okay, Madison. If you're looking for a cute date night spot with some class and seafood for days, this is the place for you. Double up with some HH deals from 4-6pm on weekdays and you're golden. HH extends to the main dining room too so if you want to make a rezzie you can still take advantage. I would definitely recommend getting some oysters, which are $2 each and the scallop which was cooked perfectly with some lovely bacon and brown butter. You also can't forget the $10 cocktails. They're delish and I promise will top your night off perfectly. I would pass on the conch fritters as they were a little mushy and not as crispy as they could have been. For entrees we shared the table bread haha but also a large clam chowder which was rich, savory, and had plenty of clams. We also got a lobster roll that had plenty of butter on the side, large chunks of lobster that was perfectly poached nestled in a crusty brioche bread piece. I do have to say, the fries that came with the lobster roll might be the best in Madison. It's like the Belgium recipe and the old brasserie v kind! Anyways, service is superb and the food comes out fast! So take your friends, coworkers and loved ones here for a nice night out with some seafood. We walked away at about $50 bucks each, were full and felt like it was a nice treat. Happy eating! read more

Had a great time - the service was great and the food was amazing. The ambience was good. Will definitely go back the next time in Madison. read more

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Had a very nice meal at Tempest last night with my co-workers. Two of us had a black cod that was excellent. It was served in a broth with garnished vegetables. The interior was very interesting with a large old wooden boat in the entry way. And the service was great. read more

Went to Tempest for the happy hour and dinner. Started with the oysters - did 4 different varieties- and we all thought they were the best oysters we've had. They were served with a vignette, horseradish and cocktail sauce. We also had some of their house cocktails - Aniker and Sadie the Goat. Both refreshing. For dinner my friends had the fish and chips, shrimp and grits and I had the Bucatini. Everyone finished their plate. Savannah was our server who was great with her suggestions and made out time very enjoyable. The restaurant is beautifully decorated- seeing the life size driftwood boat in the first room was a surprise and the bar is beautiful. Can't wait to come back read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Bucatini - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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My family had a long day of driving so we thought a stay in Madison would be a good idea. After an evening of the kids swimming at the hotel pool, I looked up restaurants nearby that had Oysters. After a short drive over we were able to walk in at a pretty late hour and thankfully seated without a wait. We felt self conscious being out so late with younger kids, but the staff was nothing but hospitable. We ordered a few local beers and the kids had kiddie cocktails. The kids shared a shrimp cocktail, which they loved. My wife and I shared some fresh oysters from the West coast and the oysters Rockefeller. Both were solid and the order of fries we had hit the spot. We would love to return one day. read more

My partner and I love coming here. Great seafood at a reasonable price. The ambiance is cool - elevated but still laid back. The happy hour deals are worth checking out! read more

I stopped by for happy hour on a weekday evening. I got a bar seat right away. This is probably the best happy hour in the town. I would say $2 oyester is the star. One need to order 6 minimum. And there are 12 kinds of oyesters to pick from. I don't know a single kind of oyester, so asked the chef to pick for me. Oyester rockefeller was another item I went for. It was oyester plus some toping. I went for a scallop for $6, and it was literally one scallop. it had good flavor too. Conch fritter was my other item. I went for a couple of awnikers. It had a nice jalapeno spicy touch. read more

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Loved it here. The Happy Hour is a great value. We will be back. Good cocktails too.

my partner and i have been to tempest three times and had a nice experience 2/3 times with the food and mixed drinks being delicious, unfortunately going graduation weekend has left a literal sour taste in our mouths, hence the 2 stars. for those curious, the previous great experiences are why i made a reservation for graduation night after my partner completed his graduate degree. two people of our party of 5 showed up 10 minutes before the reservation and were told to wait at the bar while the table was being cleared. the remaining 3 showed 5 minutes after the original reservation time and were told that the reserved table had been given away but they would figure something out and 15 minutes later we were all seated. while the oysters and drinks came quickly, it took nearly an hour and a half after ordering and several waitstaff telling us that our food was on the way before the entrees were actually served about room temp. after dinner, we were promised coffee that they could not deliver on and were served a nearly inedible desert because it overcooked and bitter. and at the end of it all, we were refunded the desert that we could not finish but were otherwise were charged a full bill despite the unreal wait times given the cost of dining at tempest. we found out at the end of the night our original table was apparently given to billy crystal, which is hilarious but does not pay the full priced bill for the unfortunately lackluster service. read more

My coworkers took me here for my birthday and it was absolutely phenomenal. One of my favorite restaurants in Madison! The decor inside of the restaurant is incredible. Our waitress Nicole was phenomenal and she was able to accommodate my requests and modifications for my food. I had the scallop appetizer with the bourbon glazed apples which was delicious . My entree was the shrimp, scallops, and grits in the white wine sauce and that may have been one of the best dishes I have ever had in my lifetime. Absolutely recommend this place for any celebration! read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Shrimp, Scallops, & Grits - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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We enjoyed the ambiance and the oysters. The shrimp cocktail was delicious too. My husband had the yellowtail and it was ok, nothing great. I had the lobster roll and it wasn't spectacular. The butter poached (mostly end of claw meat) was chewy. The flavor was good but the texture left me craving that tender meat you often get. When I booked the reservation I mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary. We ended up with a small table scrunched between other tables. We were hoping we'd get a nice corner table away from the hustle. Our server had no idea we were there for a celebration. However, once she asked what brought us to their restaurant and I told her she did comp us a dessert. Which was very thoughtful and generous. read more

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The staff is the best hands down. The service is consistent every time. I'm obsessed with their happy hour but will also stop by at any hour because it is that GOOD! The best Espresso Martini in Madison. Jazz night every other Thursday?! 100/10 will recommend! Scott, KJ, Kevin, Cherry, Chloe, Chip, Isaac! All the above! read more

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Made reservations for this spot after doing some yelp research. I loved their menu and was excited to check it out with our family. Our party of four was seated quickly after arrival. The restaurant is beautiful and had a coastal vibe which fit perfectly. I loved the boat in the middle of the room. Our group ordered different drinks: beer, wine and cocktails. Word of warning- drinks are strong! We appreciate a heavy handed pour but use caution. We started with oysters and shrimp cocktail. Both were very good and were on our list of top foods we enjoyed that weekend. Oysters were clean, fresh, and briny. Perfect. For mains, our group picked the lobster roll, pork chop, shrimp po boy, and seafood pasta. All delicious. My lobster was perfectly cooked and served with the most delicious aioli. My one negative I want to mention was noise level. We were in a large room and voices carried easily. I understand there isn't much that can be done about this- but it's something to consider when planning a night out. We would definitely return to the tempest when in Madison again. read more

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Food and drinks are great - the waitress was SO rude the entire time which was upsetting, and not like our previous experiences. We got drinks, apps, a full meal, and dessert. She never came to check on us, rolled her eyes when we asked her not to take our french fries, and rolled her eyes when I ordered another drink. It was like our time was up and she wanted us out. Very bizarre, but we would still go back! read more

Visited here for a 5pm happy hour cocktail and dinner with friends and it did not disappoint! We took advantage of the special priced drinks and food options which run from 4-6pm...highly recommend! The shrimp cocktail was fabulous - and I am one picky shrimp eater. So fresh & delicious, and the combination of the cocktail sauce & horseradish sauce was perfect. We actually ordered a second round they were so good. Pan seared Scallops are a must! Great size, and cooked to perfection. Tender & very flavorful. Happy hour is a great chance to try them at a discounted price! I do not like oysters in general, however the table ordered multiple rounds because they were so fresh & delicious. I was very excited to find Broiled Ono fish on the menu, as I haven't had it in years! Omg it is AMAZING! The hazelnut pesto and lime aioli also gave it a vibrant flavor and the crispy leeks on top were a great addition to all of the textures. The boys ordered the Lobster rolls and both said it was delicious with a good sized portion of lobster. I snagged a few of my husband's fresh cut fries and couldn't believe how tasty they were...I will definitely be ordering those as a side next time! The only item we ordered & not a fan favorite of were the pan roasted brussel sprouts. I was thinking they would have a little more crisp to the edges, but there was nothing crispy about them. They at least had a good cooked-crunch texture and good flavor, but I will skip next time. We were celebrating my and a friend's birthday at our visit and our server graciously gave us dessert as a treat! The flourless chocolate cake was rich and topped with fresh berries and homemade cream; the key lime pie...omg the key lime pie!!! It was the best I've had - ever. Gold metal lol. We also had a couple dessert drinks, HIGHLY recommend the espresso martini - another best I've ever had! Have to also call out our server Scott - he was great!! He had great recommendations and was on the ball. He made our dinner a very pleasant experience :) We will 100% be going back in the future! Best seafood restaurant I've been to in Madison! A+ read more

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CANNOT believe it took me so long to try this place!! Started out with happy hour wine. $7 seems a little high for a house wine happy hour but it was delicious regardless. Then ordered a dozen oysters and tried a couple east and couple west coast oysters. ALL were fantastic! The complimentary madison sourdough was AMAZING. On to the entrees, I had the lobster roll with asparagus. BOTH were incredible. The asparagus was huge for not being in season locally yet. Well seasoned. The lobster roll, as you can tell from the picture, was OVERFLOWING with meat. Definitely get your moneys worth!! Overall, I was so pleased by the whole meal. They were fully booked on reservations so it would have been cool to eat in the bar area, hopefully next time! It's well decorated and has lots of natural light in the front room. TRY THIS PLACE NOW!! read more

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I happened to have a work event in the area and found myself stopping in for a taste of East coast oysters as someone from the West coast. After asking for their customer-favorite raw oysters, I was told it was a split half between the Summer Love and the Acadian Pearl. I sat at the bar and the bartender was glad to make me his favorite summer mocktail (a drink with cucumber and a pink hue), it was very refreshing. I ended up ordering 3 (normally to try one alone/with lemon, one with the mignonette sauce, and one with the cocktail sauce and horseradish) of the Summer Love oysters, 3 of the Acadian Pearl, and 3 raw clams. My favorite was hands down the Summer Love oysters which was a pleasant surprise. I had never tried raw clams and they were a bit too briny for my preference. Sitting at the bar also meant I had no wait for seating. The ambiance was chill and perfect for a date night. I also ran into a couple who shared what it was like living in Madison, Wisconsin and overall had a great time. If I found myself in town again, I would definitely come back! read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - summer love oysters, acadian pearl oysters, raw clams, and a mocktail (cucumber) - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Cool ambiance with a boat inside the bar..... really tasty food and great service! We'll definitely be back!

Cute Oyster diner. Love the variety of oysters they offer. We had reserved for dinner online and wasn't aware that happy hour was only for the bar. Our waitress was kind enough to give us happy hour drinks and appetizer specials. The entress were delicious. However, the pasta was a bit too al dente. We ordered all the oysters to try and west coast was our favorite. The east coast was just a bit too salty for our pallets. Service was great. Staff was amazing. read more

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Good food. Great drinks. Pricey. They lost my reservation . Got us a table in the bar. Service was very good.

Do not underestimate the power of a expertly-shucked oyster. The happy hour here is phenomenal. Tempest offers a quality selection of fresh oysters for $2 each, without any sand/shell scraps mixed in to ruin the experience. Plus, they bring out a little basket of Madison Sourdough and butter, which is a great starter. Outside of the oyster offerings, we also really enjoyed the drinks (favorite cocktail: The Awniker) & the smoke stack. We tried the oyster po'boy as well, but the bread-to-filling ratio was a little bread-heavy so I would probably recommend trying other entrees instead. Overall, an awesome experience, especially for happy hour (weekdays only). Grab a reservation if you can! read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Awniker - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Fine dining. Still felt a bit more expensive than it should be. Expected more local fish options. When asking for recommendations, the server said to try the swordfish. My dining partner did. I had the rainbow trout. These are refined dishes, not Wisconsin portions. If very hungry be sure to order more than a main. Enjoyable and clean experience. Good food. Make a reservation. read more

I got engaged here! Been twice, my favorite place for a special occasion. Love the towers, find their specials really great. Sadly typically bad luck with the service. read more

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I try to dine at the tempest every two months, such a splendid menu, I usually go for the New York strip,which is 16 ounces, with the roasted Brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes, I also enjoy the 16 ounce double cut pork chop with roasted apples and brandy sauce? So good! read more

Upon entrance of the residence modified to be a restaurant you will see a cool old boat; however you will also smell something like a fish market that could throw you. We went ahead with ordering the conch fritters which we decent. My wife ordered the sea bass which had a lot of dark meat with a very fishy overtone. I had the swordfish which was ok lots of sauce. My daughter had the lobster roll which they liked. FYI both my wife and daughter had digestion issues this morning. I think if you have seafood there it should be during the week or at least close to their delivery day since they are probably not turning a lot of seafood. read more

not a bad spot for seafood in madison!!!! happy hour here is daily from 4-6 and it's a great deal. we got $2 oysters, $6 conch fritters and a discounted price on the scallops as well. also $10 cocktails!! really enjoyed the wianno oyster but all were delicious. my favorite appetizer by far was the scallops. it's seared in brandy and brown sugar with bacon bits - which lended to the perfect sweetness in every bite. conch fritters were alright, could be crispier imo. bread was good (though i wish it was toasted more and warmed) and the butter had flaky salt pieces embedded into it. we ordered the clam chowder, lobster roll and brussels sprouts for our entree. lobster roll was surprisingly good, the aioli was smeared along the bottom but the pairing with the butter made it overall pretty tasty (obvi can't compare to lobsters in maine but who can??). fries were perfect as well. clam chowder was creamy but i can't really remember getting much of a bite of the clams?? maybe i wasn't paying enough attention. but the brussels sprouts were incredibly mid and maybe even undercooked. wish it had more of that vinaigrette taste. service was great though and i liked that the ambiance gave upscale seafood restaurant vibes, kind of as if you were on a fancy cruise ship or something lmao read more

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I came here with a group to celebrate a friend's birthday. Decor was fun, maximalist, and nautical. Our server was a lot of fun. We ordered mussels oysters rockefeller, and oysters on a half shell as appetizers. The oysters on the half shell were the best I have ever had. The mussels were very tasty. I ordered the Bucatini. It was very flavorful although I questioned having such a thin sauce with an al dente bucatini -- the sauce was inclined to splatter while you were eating. A thinner pasta may have worked better. Each of the seafood elements in the dish were great. I would order it again. My friends ordered the Ono and the jerk Mahi Mahi. Both were fantastic. The preparation of the mahi mahi was unique and incredible. Brussel sprouts weren't great. I found it a little odd that they didn't offer a dessert for my buddy's birthday. Upon my prompting, they brought of coffee shots instead, which were easily the best coffee shots I've ever had. Overall, it was a great experience and I am excited to return. read more

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We had a party of seven for happy hour and the host was gracious to let us sit in the "clam" booth! Our party enjoyed the scallops, shrimp, oysters and a variety of different drinks! It was definitely a happening place for a Friday and it was amazing service from Amy! read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Oysters Rockefeller and shrimp cocktail - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Very great food that didn't disappoint. Have a large menu with options for everyone. Many east and west coast oysters to choose from (as well as some tower options). New York strip was very good (and the fries), as well as the tuna. Everyone enjoyed their meals and the server was very friendly. Restaurant gets a little loud but great vibes generally. Restaurant is laid out in a way that makes it feel much more private / intimate with your group. read more

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This is hands-down our favorite date night spot in Madison, and we've tried just about every other restaurant downtown but none meet the service and quality of Tempest. Food: Everything on the happy hour menu is delicious! We love the oysters, shrimp (they're huge!), and scallops. Some of the best scallops I've ever had. And the variety of West Coast and easy cost oysters is amazing. Their Caesar salad is also the best we've had in Madison, we order it every time. We haven't had many of the set entrees because we typically order off of the specials menu. On Friday we got a crab soup which had SO much crab it was insane. The only downside was that the crab was cold so the soup cooled off too fast. We also ordered the other special which was a lemon and almond crusted fish that was spectacular. You get extra lemons with most dishes but the fish dish definitely doesn't need any more! Drinks: we always use the happy hour deals to get either red wine, beer, or cocktails. My favorite cocktail is the Awniker and my partner's is the Jib. He also loves the painkiller on tap so that one usually comes after happy hour since it is so reasonably priced. Photo attached of our end-of-meal coffee which was SO good and strong not like other restaurants' mass-produced coffee. Service: spectacular, always. Servers are so hospitable and well-mannered. I love their relaxing demeanor in such a potentially high-stress environment. They also come around often enough to resolve any issues, which we rarely have, but not so often to be suffocating. Final thoughts: book a reservation for happy hour 4-6 M-F! Sitting in the boat room is always fun otherwise I like the bar counter. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin