food is 10/10. always get the smokestack. scott the bar manager is the best , all the staff is great. kevin is a great server to have.

We had dinner for our sons Birthday, their happy hour menu Rocks on both apps & cocktails. We had a delicious dinner & our service was Stellar!!! read more

Slow service. Mediocre food. Loud. No thank you we won't return. Lobster has brain mustard on it gross. Took a half hour to get dessert .

A friend recommended we visit Tempest after visiting here with his co-workers. He just raved about it, so he and his fiance and I and my husband decided to try it out last Friday. The ambiance is wonderful and our waiter was nice at first. The drinks we had were superb and most of the seafood was beyond compare in Madison. However there were a few glaring mistakes that we just couldn't ignore, so I doubt that we will ever return to Tempest. 1 - I ordered the mussels as an appetizer and a few of them were still raw in the shells. Unfortunately I didn't find that out until I had already bit into one of them. The taste was so disgusting that I will be off mussels for awhile in general. Especially disappointing as there are several restaurants in Madison that do mussels well; I thought that a restaurant that touts its seafood would at least be able to cook them. I guess not. I didn't mention anything to the waiter; I hated to complain in front of the people my husband and I were with because they had talked up this restaurant so much. 2. My friend ordered a steak medium-well and it was served well-done. She sent it back and it arrived again medium-rare but by then she had cut into it and didn't want it to dry out if they "put it back on the grill" as the (uneducated) waiter had suggested. Pretty disappointing for a $30 steak, which, I might add, came with a size of mediocre fries and nothing else - no vegetables, no nothing. 3. Once my friend sent the steak back, the waiter had had it with us. He was nice up until then and the restaurant was not all that busy, but his attitude completely changed after she sent the steak back - which she was nice about and acknowledged that it was not the waiter's fault - but for some reason he took it personal. He had to be asked three times to bring her a drink, which he eventually brought at the end of the meal, when she no longer wanted it. I'm really sad to report this about Tempest because the food was good - the Oysters Rockefeller were the second only to Louisianne's as far as oysters in Madison go. The fruits-de-mer were so amazing that we ordered a second plate. The ambiance was wonderful and my drink was super tasty. But for a high-priced meal, Tempest failed for reasons 1-2-3. In any other situation, I would have asked for a manager but again, I didn't want to offend the other couple we were with who had been talking up the restaurant for a couple weeks. I'm not sure what happened to Tempest in the couple weeks between their great experience and our terrible one, but we will not be giving it another chance. read more

There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING bad about this place. I love it. From the vibe, to the restaurant decor, to the food, everything was great. I loved the amount of detail and creativity they put into the restaurant. When you walk in there is this large wooden boat, which I've never seen in a restaurant! I came here for a wedding rehearsal dinner, which was a pretty decent size party, and the experience was great. There was a spread of oysters, cheeses, shrimp, mussels, fruit, calamari, salad, chicken, rice, and crackers. The starters were so good, there was nothing bad. I couldn't stop eating. The servers made sure we had drinks the entire night, and had something on our plate. After the starters, the servers came around with burgers, blue gill sandwich, and shrimp skewers! After the food, they then brought out key lime pie and some kind of dark chocolate pecan pie that was amazing. I truly enjoyed this place and highly recommend it!! read more

Oh Tempest. As a native New Englander, I miss seafood. Their fruits de mer is a delicious pile of fried seafood with shrimp, scallops, clams and other fried morsels. This is my favorite thing on the menu BC if I have three cocktails I can pretend I am back home. Do not, under any circumstances, order the lobster roll. Just don't do it. read more

I brought my girlfriend here for an early Valentine's Dinner on a Sunday. The dining room is very open but cozy all at once; it wasn't very busy, but there was enough of a crowd to provide a nice ambiance. I find it really awkward to be the only two in a dining room so some background noise is always nice. Service was outstanding. Our waiter was friendly and you could tell he was well versed in the art of fine dining. Their beer and wine list had something for everyone. I ordered beer, she ordered wine. They were of course very good... it's hard to find a bad drink in downtown Madison. I've also heard that their cocktail menu is creative and delicious though I did not order one. (Quick note: Everything here revolves around the sea. From the name and decor to the design of each dish. If you like seafood this is probably THE place to eat in Madison.) We shared a scallop plate as our appetizer. Two nice sized scallops, pan-fried with lardons and little diced apples. The brown sugar and brandy combo brought everything together. Tender and savory with the perfect sweetness to it. My favorite dish of the night. I then had a crab bisque. Quality stuff. The seafood here is just so good. I dipped a little bit of their homemade bread in it, and I don't regret the decision. For the main course she had the rainbow trout and I had the bucatini. Her plate was simple. Vegetables and a whole breaded trout. Simple, but the breading complemented the fish so well. Gave it a small crunch to each bite of light, airy fish. My plate had mussels and a scallop, and one giant shrimp all served with thick spaghetti noodles. I usually avoid spaghetti, but tasted as great as all the rest. Finally, for dessert we had an upside down pear cake (served warm) with homemade whipped cream. Again it was, like every other part of the evening, perfect. Especially with a cup of coffee. Final thought: Eat here! You will not regret it. read more

I stopped here for a drink and a bite at the bar before an event I was going to elsewhere. I was happy to see a Happy Hour. I had a nice German Pilsner for 4 dollars (a buck off) in a tall glass. I ordered four oysters and the conch fritters. Tempest does a good job bringing in good oysters. The Naked Cowboys were large and tasty. I had heard good things about them and they didn't disappoint! The Conch Fritters were good but fried maybe a little too long. They were a little on the darker side of golden. The sauce served with them saved the day. It was so good I was thinking of other things I would like to add the sauce too. The bartenders on duty were nice and attentive. I was brought a water just prior to my meal being served without even being asked. I was checked on and acknowledged the duration of my visit. I would like to try Happy Hour again...maybe a dinner too. read more

The food was good at first. Happy hour is a great deal! I had high hopes for this place when I arrived with my friend. We got here a half hour before our party of six and so headed to the bar for cocktails. The high sea is a good drink. Good atmosphere. Those are the only positives I have about this place. What made this place a two and borderline one star was the service. It was INCREDIBLY slow! Also-happy hour doesn't apply to the seated area-only the bar. I was shocked. It took an hour to get out our food... We asked for our check as soon as the food came because we were running late to our nine o clock trivia. (We sat at our table at 6:45 and ordered at 7:15/20). We got our food at 8:41-I checked the time. Absolutely unacceptable service here. Would not recommend it. Sardine is a much better place to get food and better service by far. And the guy mixed up our receipts. Horrible service. read more

Drank and dined in the bar only: Best warm lobster roll in Madison. I've tried the mussels, burger & chips, and cocktails. All are great. The bartender took great care to prepare the drinks and was very friendly to me and my wife. I highly recommend this place for seafood and drinks. read more

Wow! I took my fiancee here to celebrate. We have lived in Madison for a long time but have only recently started getting adventurous with all the great food available. The interior of the restaurant has a very cool nautical theme. We arrived early, at the very start of service, so we had the dining room to ourselves for at least a little while. Our server was very attentive, knowledgeable and kind. We tried a lot of new things and he was always willing to help out. We started with some cocktails--I had a very sweet whiskey drink and she had some kind of warm red wine. Neither one was probably something we would regularly order but very good nonetheless. We also had some oysters, obviously. It was our first time and the waiter did a good job of helping us pick them out. Very fresh and flavorful. We have been converted. We then moved onto our appetizer--steamed mussels in some kind of butter and wine sauce. Again, very good. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. My fiancee, who had never had them, was converted once again. For our entree, we both had the shrimp, scallops and grits. Very artfully presented, with pork belly and some kind of yummy sauce. I had a local Pale Ale with the dinner. We ended with a key lime pie. All in all it was an unforgettable meal. Service was great and food was great. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in Madison. read more

Fireworks in my mouth!! Holy moly I've never had anything so delish! Every bite of every plate was spectacular!!! The fish corn chowder was absolutely amazing. I highly highly recommend you check this place out when you're in Madison. It did not disappoint. Exceeding every expectation from other friends who recommended we try it! read more

Highly recommend! Post before hunting food for this year's restaurant week! Miss oysters and juicy steak there! read more

See all

Amazing food, amazing time! Great wait staff and very nice ambience. Had an amazing time, there was a live guitarist the evening I went. Food was amazing had the one level oyster platter plus the smoked sampler. The smoked sampler was amazing, salty smoked and fresh fish and crab. Had the blue marlin for entree which was excellent the lamb chops too were great! Overall great food great job will be back! read more

Intimate and low-lit space evocative of a hidden European cafe that only the locals know about. Great for a date night or small gathering of friends... noise can carry easily but otherwise a lovely place to spend a night out. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Dig in, it's happy hour. - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I just love this place! My husband and I enjoy eating here in the summer on their patio, it's a calm, romantic environment. Both times we went we ended up getting the Towers. Once with the snow crab and another time with the lobster. I absolutely love them, my husband thinks it's too much oysters (I didn't even know that possible). We recently found out they The reason I give only 4 stars is because of the Smoke Stack. We read such great reviews about the smoke stack and we were both really looking forward to it. We both thought it tasted like the fish meat was from a can, mixed with horse radish sauce. Perhaps the consistency? Not sure. But overall, I still absolutely love this place and would recommend it to anyone! read more

Went here for my 30th birthday and to say it was disappointing is an understatement. We made reservations for 7:30 on a Saturday. There was live music advertised. Our reservation wasn't ready when we arrived (on time). We were told to wait in the bar, which was already packed. Twenty minutes later we were seated in a cramped corner next to a window staring at a brick wall in an alley. The service was TERRIBLE! I ordered an appetizer for my dinner and somehow my husbands entree came out before mine. The server dropped it off anyway. The host/manager asked jokingly if another entree was coming. We pointed out that we were still waiting for mine and he laughed and walked off never to be seen again. We hoped he was checking on it but apparently not. My husband finished his meal and we were waiting another five minutes to get my entree, an appetizer mind you. The host came back and asked if we were enjoying the "third course" as he seemed to have forgot the blunder. No one even apologized! Not to mention the Live music we came for never happened! For the $160 spent for just the two of us I expect WAY better service a day LEAST an apology for the disaster. read more

As a 19 y.o., I can't speak to any of the booze options at this place, but I certainly can speak to everything else. Took my significant other here for her birthday, and we were both very pleased. Smoked sampler was out of this world. She is a very picky eater, and she raved about their salmon dish. I tried the rainbow trout, which was presented in an interesting fashion (head, skin, and tail included), but tasted fantastic. On that note, I would say I have a bone to pick, literally, as I found several in my fish. Our service was excellent and very quick, and to top things off, when our waitress learned it was my girlfriend's birthday, dessert was on the house! It was a wonderful experience. One of my favorite seafood places I've ever been to, and I LOVE my seafood. I understand what many said about poor lighting, but I would put my two cents in to say, it's not unusually dark... It was certainly dim, but for a dining room with not a lot of privacy and plenty of candles, I thought it was quite enjoyable... Dined 10/09/15 read more

Romantic and delicious! The pear upside down cake for my birthday was divine :) Food is wonderful and the service was great. I loved sitting in the bar area once when we came in for cocktails they had a small jazz/big band quartet playing that was fun to listen to. read more

What a great meal. The Oysters Rockefeller is a definate. We had the shrimp and grits, white fish cakes and rainbow trout. It was really good and a fun environment. The wait staff was pretty good but could have been a bit friendlier. They were very busy. read more

So, my boss wanted fish while we were in town. Fish. In Madison. I wanted cheese and beef, but that's because I'm a good midwestern gal. So together with my coworker, we came up with this place. I was skeptical at first because where I am from is not known for any sort of quality fish, and after having a big ole Mainer BF for a while now, my palate has become particular. BUT: the variety of dishes was impressive, all sorts of cuisines. I got the tuna with spinach and potatoes, and it was a large, fresh cut of the fish. Everyone loved their dishes. The coffee I got after dinner was this rich french press, I did not expect. It was so creamy I wanted to drink the entire pot myself. And our chocolate walnut desert was amazing. Service was good. The atmosphere was not really my jam, but it was fitting. read more

Came here with a couple of friends for a Yelp event, and got to meet some pretty cool people. First off, the service was a bit slow. Then again, we had one waitress for a group of about 25 people, so that can be forgiven. The cocktails all sound very delicious and fancy, but really, most of them tasted like low tier alcohol + juice mixers. However, they are quite alcoholic, so I guess it's a good deal if you're paying by alcohol content. The food was delicious, and I got their happy hour specials of clams casino and fish cake. The fish cake was creamy and had a good balance of fish and patty. The clams casino was really juicy and the garlic gave it an extra kick. I'll provide a more in-depth review next time once I've had more of their menu. read more

Some thoughts: It's dark, with little tea-light covered trees. Everything is champagne colored. It has a romantic ambiance, although many of the tables were groups of friends and not couples. Our waiter looked like Joaquin Phoenix, so that was pretty fun. The crusty homemade bread was excellent. Bring on those carbs. We ate a huge pile of oysters, from little baby ones to intimidating sea-monster-sized ones. The Smoke Stack was (a) stacked, obviously, and thus super trendy and fun and (b) full of flavors! So many flavors! Not for the faint of heart. I liked it. For dessert, I had pear upside down cake that looked like a brain and tasted awesome. Yum, brainzzzz! There's a big boat in the lobby. Why? Because boat. read more

Well done. We enjoyed our meal there last night. Our server was very knowledgeable and wanted us to enjoy our food. She helped us with our order to make sure it matched our tastes. The experience met our expectations for a real nice quiet dinner out. Thank you. read more

This place doesn't need another 5 Star review but here goes, this place is tucked away and doesn't look like much from the outside. In fact, it's above an escape room business. But once you walk thru the doors it becomes a quaint old world looking upscale restaurant w white linen table cloths and candles. It has a really cool vibe. It would be a great date night place or for a special occasion. About the food, you MUST get the mussels. Honestly, I'm still dreaming about the wine sauce they sit in. Everyone at our table loved them. Their Caesar salad was huge and wonderful. We split that among 3 of us. I got the lobster roll which was teeny tiny, but I wasn't surprised given how inexpensive it was. Swordfish was phenomenal. Steak Oscar was wonderful and had a mini lobster tail on it. When we go back I want to try the soft shell crab. This place and Eno Vino might be my 2 favorite restaurants in Madison. read more

I have to say I am a bit disappointed my first review was filtered by Yelp, but I went back last night to Tempest, and have more good things to say about them. We ate in the bar instead of the restaurant this time, and the noise level was actually quite manageable. I love lobster rolls (have lived on the East coast and have traveled to Boston and the New England area) and I was not disappointed with theirs. I'm not sure if the recipe has changed since all of the bad reviews were written about it, but it was filled with perfectly cooked lobster meat. Delicious. It wasn't a traditional roll in the sense that it wasn't coated with mayonnaise and slopped on a hamburger bun (like street vendors in the New England area generally do) but it was very much like the high end lobster rolls I have gotten at places like Neptune Oyster Bar in Boston and the like. The lobster is served on a butter toasted hoagie with a nice dollop of mayonnaise on the bun. It was a perfect amount of fat, meat, and arugula. The fries were also quite good that came with it, and the dipping sauce was nummer. I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the mussels. Unfortunately, I am comparing it to Sardine's mussels, and none can ever compare. The sauce was too salty and thick for my taste, but the mussels were tender and debearded very well, so they were yummy. My friend got the fish and corn chowder, and we had to send it back. Sadly, it was quite bland and she pulled about 4 fishbones out before she gave up and signaled the bartender. Ah well, it was only a side, so I can't complain too much. All in all a very tasty dinner : ) read more

This is one of the best seafood places in Madison. The ambiance is swanky but still relaxed and there's plenty of room at the bar. I've been a few times, once on NYE, once on a Tuesday, and once for restaurant week. All three times the food has been excellent, and I especially recommend the tower options, and soft shell crab when they have them! I would highly recommend making reservations for busy events or if you have a large party. Or, you can grab some grub at the bar! Cocktail menu is .... Different. Ended up with a jalapeño tequila because I skipped the jalapeño part so read the happy hour menu carefully! On that note, the servers I've had have always known which wine to pair with you dish. read more

The owner painstakingly nailed hundreds of decorative metal spoons behind the bar & there's a giant wooden boat in the front room making most of the interior very cool (except for the clamshell in the wall). The cocktails are simple, fresh, and delicious. I've had three of them and liked them all pretty well. Personal favorite is the Wheelhouse. Fairly solid beer selection too, including Schlitz. Somehow I have an appetizer addiction, and Tempest helped fill my addiction. The seafood tower might not be worth the money - I'd just get oysters and clams a la cart. Last tower we got had some sketchy crab on the top which was a big turn off. The smoked fish platter is spot on -- you can't miss this. Also the scallop and clam apps are both very tasty. Main courses have been nice also. Seems like the special is always pretty awesome. It's weird though - they seem to run out of things a little too often. Heads up: the lobster roll has lettuce inside of it, so make sure to get that removed. The sturgeon was okay - I think it's a personal thing. I also had the trout which was yummy. Overall - I like this place. It's an innovative seafood restaurant in Madison with a refreshing interior. read more

I agree with Ariel W. all the way around. Great happy hour specials, especially in Madison where I have yet to find an awesome happy hour. The smoke stack was amazing! Especially for $3, totally worth it. Order two! The oysters were good, many varieties available. Service was extremely slow...perhaps they expected fewer patrons on a Tuesday night, but we sat with empty glasses for at least 20 minutes, waiting to order a second drink and food (first drink was ordered from the bar). Nevertheless, I'll give the Tempest a second chance. If they expand their happy hour food offerings and hire a few more servers, this could be a regular go-to happy hour spot. read more

My mistake for ordering a dozen oysters in Wisconsin. I got the #2 tower and the shrimp were the best part. The crab legs were not very succulent and almost seemed like they had been frozen for too long; the meat was a little mushy. The oysters seemed OK going down, but I had terrible food poisoning later that night as my body rid itself of all of them. I love seafood so I will probably try it again, but next time I'll stay away from the oysters. Two stars because it has a great atmosphere. read more

Came here for Friday night fish fry based on a recommendation. They only had bluegill and not the perch today, plus cod as always. The bluegill was well seasoned and fried, but I was honestly very disappointed by how little fish there was. 6 small pieces for $16. The $18 cod that a dining companion got was 2 huge pieces that he said was the best batter he's had. We did get solid sourdough bread to start. I would go elsewhere for fish fry unless you don't eat much - I like having a lot of delicious fish. read more

A seafood and late night gem in Madison. They have live bands on the weekends and have an awesome great night menu starting at 10pm. The late night mussels are $9 and delicious. It's fun to visit in the winter because it has a cozy, warm feel inside. During warmer months they have seating on the cute outdoor patio. Great drink menu and lovely atmosphere, a wonderful date night location. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - Awniker martini with house infused jalapeño tequila. A band in the background playing in the "shell" - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

A couple of my co-workers and I are flight crew and we're in the Madison area for a layover. So we decided to check out this restaurant because we were in the mood for some oysters. We arrive and had no reservation which wasn't an issue for them. Now I will say that my co-workers and I do have more melanin than most people in this area because we are POC (African American/Latina). That shouldn't have been an issue but somehow I feel like it was for the host. He asked if we were ok with sitting outside. We saw the outdoor seating as we walked in and it looked really nice and seemed to have a good vibe, so we happily agreed because it was a nice day out. Unbeknownst to us, the area we thought we'd be seated wasn't it at all. The host lead us through the restaurant, in which we saw several open tables and very few customers. We walk to the back towards the kitchen and down a hallway out a back door to a table outside that looked like it was in an alleyway in the back of the restaurant. We were the only people out there and it just looked very unappealing. There were people who came in behind us, who happened to be white, that didn't have a reservation either and were sat inside the restaurant with everyone else. So when the waitress came out to us I asked how come we were sat out in the back alley behind the restaurant when there were plenty of tables open out front and inside or even at the bar for that matter. She couldn't really give me a straight answer and went back to talk to the host. She came back and moved us to a corner inside the restaurant that was still tucked away and separated from the other tables. Ultimately this made us feel very uncomfortable. We were going to leave but we ended up just staying there because we were hungry and were in the mood for oysters. I wish I could go back and change my mind and just leave but it'a whatever. Honestly I felt very discriminated against and I would not go back to this restaurant nor recommend it. read more

Has become a classic for me, I go several times a year. I have never been disappointed with any dish. Best oysters in the city, go during happy hour for better prices! Decor is A++, as is service. They occasionally host amazing live music events, I strongly recommend going to one! This is probably one of the best "fancy" date spots in Madison. read more

I came here during happy hour... and WOW am I impressed. We had at least one thing off of the happy hour menu and it was all DELICIOUS. Scallops, oysters, and smoked fish were just like having smaller portions of whatever was on the menu that day. You could pack yourself full of gourmet seafood for less than $20. We got a little carried away with cocktails so our bill was a bit more than I expected... but sometimes you gotta go with your gut -- literally. Who'd expect such great seafood in the middle of Madison? read more

My girlfriend and I went here on our 2nd anniversary and had an amazing experience. We started with some oysters, and being relatively new to the oyster eating world we didn't have much experience but they had a wide variety and useful explanations between the different types of oysters. I had an interesting pasta dish with generous amounts of lobster meat and my girlfriend had an excellent tuna dish. Overall great time and would highly recommend this place to all seafood lovers in Madison. read more

Doesn't everyone like a great "Happy Hour?" My beautiful fiance and I stopped by for a Happy Hour with the United Way Rosenberry group and we had a great time. Neither of us had ever been here before and it was very nice. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the bar staff were attentive....and THE OYSTERS were the bomb!!! They have fresh, fresh, seafood and the menu changes daily - not much for the vegetarian of the family but plenty for me :) Did I mention the fresh seafood and OYSTERS! As we only stayed for a few drinks and oysters that is all that I can comment on at this time but I will definitely be back for the full meal sometime soon. read more

Romantic environment! They were about to close but we only came for late night appetizer before we went to hit up other places. I, of course ordered oysters! SO. GOOD. The oysters were so fresh! I ordered the West Coast oysters because I heard they were more fresh and sweet. let's just say I could eat about ten of them! I also tried my first oyster shot here. SMOOTH is all I have to say. Our waiter was awesome so the overall service was A+. read more

Tempest Oyster Bar - West coast oysters - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

This place is the BITCH. That being said, it's expensive and you get what you pay for. The marlin main and the smokestack starter are the tits read more

Pretty Pricey, but sometimes you have to pay for true quality. This was an authentic fine dining experience in a somewhat casual setting. The scallop appetizer is a must- sautéed with brandy and brown sugar. Salmon with roasted beet glaze over potato pancakes was a winner- as was the herb tartar sauce. Double bone pork chops with mash potato infusion was delectable. Tuna Steak cooked to perfection. Dropped 300.00 for five people with drinks (several) but it was worth every penny. You must try this place out if in Madison. read more

See all