Favorite steak house in Madison. We go here for special occasions and it doesn't disappoint. Everything you get is tasty including the frog legs and wedge salad. I usually lean towards the walleye but everything is great. I always have left overs which I like and you don't leave hungry read more

See all

Excellent ambiance and always a treat when in Madison! Be sure to get the Scallop mash appetizer. Service is always too notch to boot.

My sister and I were in Madison for a couple of days. We were not having a particularly great day, and decided to walk across the street from our hotel to The Tornado Steak House. Oh my goodness was that a great idea. That place is on point. We got a table, and were greeted by JD, our waiter. Our bad day turned around immediately. He was just what we needed. We both had the Iceburg wedge salad, and the pan fried walleye. It was delicious. We each had a couple of cocktails, and ended our evening. I highly recommend this restaurant, and DJ as your waiter. Fantastic. read more

Update: Not surprisingly, I got a half-hearted response from someone named Dale at Tornado with a pointless photo of the menu circling their policy to charge an automatic gratuity for parties of 6 or more...which doesn't really matter seeing as there was only 2 people. More importantly there was no apology offered for this atrocious behavior whatsoever. I responded to this email and didn't get a response or a timely refund. Thank goodness for my credit card company. What is surprising though is that my original review was voted "funny" by someone named "Dale B." While I don't personally believe in coincidences, I do believe in professionalism and nothing about this experience has been remotely professional. It's no big surprise that servers are allowed to run amok and be openly racist when management is this poor in dealing with these kind of situations. read more

Tornado Steak House - Unprofessional or coincidence? You decide... - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Absolutely strange establishment. They're popular so reservations are needed but do they answer their phone ? No. Well obviously you can book online, right ? Guess again bub. read more

Great experience at a Madison classic. I've ordered takeout a few times before dining on their patio option. Despite all the circumstances, the service and food was as fantastic as it's always been. The tables are spread out, and feel safe being outside. The food was as good as always, everything was served extremely fast and used disposable menus. Be sure to keep supporting your favorite local businesses, I will make an effort to get patio dining or takeout again soon! read more

Tornado Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

I had heard nothing but great things about Tornado room so we were a little surprised. Service was good, but tables were too small and food was not worth the price. Our steaks were completely rare in the middle and not seasoned well at all. read more

Tornado Steak House - Scallops - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Came here for the late night menu. Steak sandwiches were gone by midnight, so def comekn the earlier side if you want that! I ended up getting the meunster burger and fries, along with a cocktail. Cocktails were pretty decent! Some of my friends were a little bit sweet. Burger was A+, the meat had a really good texture and the taste was definitely there! Melted cheese over the patty was soooo good. Fries were average. The texture was very good, crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. Only problem is that it was bland and not salted at all. I usually like my fries with a bit of preseasoning. Cool atmosphere! read more

Tornado Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

The pictures don't do this place justice. What a find! We came at 8pm on a busy Saturday night and sat at the bar. The bartenders were busy, but still took great care of us and the drinks were out of this world! We had the NY Strip steak Pittsburgh style and it was out of this world. Easily in the top 5 steaks I've ever had. It was BITTER cold out, but I'm hoping my daughter chooses to go to Wisco so we can come back to eat again. I'm dreaming of that meal... read more

I recently had dinner at Tornado steakhouse and was not impressed by the service. I went on a Tuesday night and sat at the bar. The restaurant appeared not to be busy. I ordered a steak and water. Overall, the food was fine. However, the food took entirely too long to prepare and was not worth the wait or price. When I asked the bartender why my food was taking so long he said there was a very large party being served. I was not impressed and will not be returning. read more

Ok for an in town supper club. Over crowded and poor service. Waited half hour before we got a drink. We were ready to just leave before our food finally came. Very popular but I don't see why read more

We have been here twice before but for the late night menu and if you want to try them that might be the best time to try them. We went here last weekend for our anniversary and I have to say it was a huge disappointment there was more fat in my steak than meat almost. We did have plans to go to the comedy club and had to get there otherwise I might have said something. In best I would say it is not worth all the hype. read more

The service at the bar was top notch. I had the NY Strip, hash browns and wedge salad which was prepared per my request. Definitely would recommend this top spot! read more

This is my Go-To downtown Madison fine dining establishment. The main dining room is so unexpectedly Northwoods Cabin feeling! It's like dining in a log cabin with no windows.....but in a good way! Went on a Sunday evening, when the daily special is herb chicken with dressing, potatoes, & green beans. It comes with bread, veggie/olive relish tray (in a glass) plus your choice of soup or salad. That's a huge amount of delicious food for a very reasonable price! After devouring a huge wedge salad, I could barely eat my chicken dinner. On the plus side: they neatly pack up your leftovers. My dining mate tried the pork tenderloin with cherry sauce. He said it was decent but not exciting. He started with the soup of the day: cream of wild mushroom with blue cheese...he enjoyed it. We were a little surprised both the soup & salads AND the two main meals took a bit too long to arrive. But the servers were very attentive and apologetic for the delays. read more

Tornado Steak House - Wedge salad - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Went here for a work dinner. Couple things about this place to know. You need reservations. I called a week ago and they were already booked from 5:45 to 7:45 (a week in advance!) We had 6 people but 2 ended up not being able to come. We walked over from the hotel, so I'm not sure what the parking is like. Also, it is fairly pricey. We ordered drinks and had the menu explained to us by our server. We would get a first course (soup or salad), then the main course (entree plus a side). They also brought out a relish glass (?) filled with celery, carrots, pickle, cucumber and radish kabob (somebody at the table asked for ranch for the relish and we were told they didn't have any) and a bread board that had a biscuit, a long breadstick, and a mini loaf of bread. We ordered the escargot and raw oysters. I didn't try the raw oysters but the escargot was delicious. Buttery and garlicky. I ordered the NY Strip and brussel sprouts with clam chowder. The Strip was cooked well and delicious. The brussel sprouts were cooked well, as well. The clam chowder was delicious and very creamy. The Whiskey Tango Foxtrot was a dangerous drink as it went down very smooth. A very good meal but definitely one of those "special occasions" places only for me. read more

Food was good. But restaurant was tired and run down. Had peeling paint and looked like it needed a little refresh

Bear in Madison. Hands down. I got the bone in rib-eye and it was fantastic: perfectly medium rare and juicy.

We were in town for the quilt show. For years we went to The Wonder Bar and loved it. Since it has closed we decided to try Tornado. We had a cozy corner for 5. Our server was so very nice. The salads were amazing and the steaks ( I had the filet au poivre) were so good. I can always tell a good steak place by how I feel after I ate. I will definitely be going back there. It was truly a treat for us. And we took some beautiful photos of the Capitol. read more

I came here with a group of four on a Saturday night, and we were first told that there were no more available seats since reservations had booked up the spots. But, as we lingered around deciding what to do, the server told us a party didn't show up so we could have their table, yay! I tried the French onion soup, cheese curds, and had a bit of the 8 oz steak. The French onion soup flavor was really good as were the cheese curds, but the steak was a bit dry and flavorless, not really that great. The giant onion ring on top of the steak was super battered and I couldn't finish it! Friendly service, waters kept being refilled, prices are a bit on the higher end. read more

Nothing spectacular. Solid supper club with fancy aged steakhouse prices... but the steak didn't match the price.

Usually there's a wait to be seated, but we were lucky enough to get a table in a reasonable amount of time. It's a shame that was all ruined by rude wait staff that gave us attitude after sitting and placing our order, talking down to us for any question we asked. "My pleasure", she said curtly. Well, we left pretty swiftly. read more

The Caesar salad was wilted. They sat us at a bar booth where the table is very low relative to the seat. Very uncomfortable eating position. My steak, which I requested as medium rare was burnt on the outside. Service was slow although the bus boys were very attentive with the water. read more

Nice atmosphere for a supper club. I loved the food and I buy the wine by the bottle!

Been there several times now. The first few times it was a 5 for sure and was outstanding. But this last time I was there the steak was WAY TOO salty, and I mean like 10 times too salty. The hash browns were the same saltiness too. I don't get it. I'm guessing I may go there again only cause the first times it was so good. But if it is bad the next time it will be eliminated from my list. We all make mistakes so I guess they do deserve a second chance. One thing to say is the service is always the best! read more

Had reservations with my son for 7pm on a Saturday evening. Arrived 10 minutes early and were told we had to wait and weren't allowed to go to bar for a drink. Waited patiently and sat a few minutes after 7. Service was awesome. Our main server and the attentive staff were on top of everything without being a bother. Wine list was super with many price options while not being over the top. The Coquilles St Jacques were fantastic and much better than I anticipated. The salads we simple but well executed. My son had the Strip which was perfectly medium rare AND about a 2" cut. Nicely done. My Steak Au Poivre was slightly over cooked, more towards medium than medium rare. Both had wonderful flavor and obviously great cuts. Was very busy and I can understand why. A Supper Club atmosphere with high end food and delivery. I can certainly recommend with confidence. read more

went here a while back for a birthday. the soup was great!! the crab legs were very good too, and the portions here are gen.er.ous. they have a great variety of steaks available and I can say that the bone in tenderloin was v good. my friends got the crab legs and the ny strip, and those seemed to be solid too!! I would actually probably pass on the French onion soup. or maybe that's not my type of soup lol read more

See all

The steaks are always good at this place. This old school steakhouse is a great experience. We had visitors from Switzerland over and took them to experience a classic Wisconsin steakhouse. They enjoyed the experience and the food. Drinks at the bar before were excellent, and the bartenders were very personable. The servers are always great. I recommend this place strongly. read more

Tornado is a good option for a fancy date night and some good steaks. While not as pricey as Rare, it has a good selection of steaks, superb service, and an eclectic ambiance. The portions are ginormous and definitely shareable, but also fantastic to warm up the next day. The highlight though is their $10 steak sandwiches for late night happy hour. If you don't want to pay the big bills, but want some late night food/steak, this is definitely the place to be. read more

Had another disappointing experience at Tornado tonight...on our wedding anniversary. We've had other good experiences but this is the 3rd bad experience. Unacceptable for this caliber of restaurant where the prices are extremely high. When we arrived the bartenders were not friendly. Then we were seated and ordered the Scallop appetizer ($23) only to find out they only provide 2 scallops vs 3 when we last had it. Not worth the price they charge. Then we waited a while for our soup. Then we waited a long time for our entree. I had to say something to the server wondering what was going on. The food arrived shortly after that, but by then we lost our appetite and were ready to be done. We took half of our entree's home and will probably never eat them. We will likely never go back. read more

I love Wisconsin supper clubs and walked to Tornado with great anticipation. Taking in the retro building and signage, it seemed perfect. However, I was surprised to walk into a very dark bar with little energy. Was I in Madison, Wisconsin? Using the flashlight on my phone, I was able to peruse the limited offerings of steak and seafood on the menu. We ordered breaded shrimp, New York Strip steak, hash browns and a baked potato. The shrimp had a thick beer batter that overwhelmed the poor shrimp. My steak was done Pittsburgh style, how I like it, but was very dry. The taste was good though. Our potatoes were okay, but nothing special. Cocktails were surprisingly weak and service was, well weird. Our first bartender was attentive enough, but not overly warm. He left, replaced by a young woman who was the epitome of a space cadet. She would ignore us while she conversed with other patrons at the bar. I had to be rather rude and interrupt her sociability, letting her know we were finished. She cleared our plates, and we asked about dessert. She mentioned a couple of items and walked away. We looked at each other, shrugged, and a few minutes later I got her attention and asked again about dessert. Without any eye contact, she yelled at her manager, "tell them about dessert." He kindly walked over, told us about dessert, and we ordered a couple of desserts to go. As I said, weird. Prices were fairly high. My steak was $39.00. Tornado turned out to be a great disappointment, and I doubt will shall return. read more

Tornado Steak House - New York Strip - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Just had my first experience at Tornado and boy was it a huge disappointment. My son and I had high expectations but were let down. We waited an hour for our orders to arrive. We were told that a party of 20 had ordered before us so that was the reason for the wait. Fine, I can wait for great food. Unfortunately the food was 180 degrees from great. My duck dish was mediocre at best and the accompanying "roasted" brussel sprouts were maybe blanched just this side of raw. My son's prime rib was poorly cooked. Such a huge disappointment. I'm going to give the kitchen the benefit of the doubt and blame the 20 top. I'm also, however, going to give the management team an F for booking such a large party and not preparing the kitchen to handle such a large order and putting out quality meals for the rest of us. read more

Food was delicious. I had the 8oz filet and it was perfectly cooked. The people I was with had the bison filet and raved about it.

Traditional intimate & attentive steak house seating and ambiance. Professional and timely service from an obviously well trained and professional staff. Most importantly excellent meals at reasonable prices for a 5 star location. read more

A local bartender recommended this place while in town for our anniversary. We didn't make a reservation but they got us in no problem and had a wonderful dinner. read more

Come for atmosphere not the steaks. A perennial favorite of mine the steaks are no longer what they once were. My last two meals here featured tough sinewy over seasoned steaks (T-bone and NY strip), greasy hash browns and spotty service. I know that's not much of a recommendation for this once great supper club but it's sadly the truth. I will however be back - just not for the steaks, but for the drinks, the vibe and memories gone by. read more

Tornado Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place harkens back to a '50's era steak house and bar where women wore gloves for an evening out and the men discussed the space race while watching the Kennedy Nixon debates. The Tornado is so dimly lit it takes a moment to adjust, even when entering at night. We sat at the bar for a late night burger. It was after midnight and our bartender from 2 blocks away told us to come here for a late night meal. They have a late night menu from 10am to 1am that is value oriented for the late night crowd. The bartender/server was professional in appearance and demeanor. I had a Smoked muenster burger with fried shallots and Russian dressing. Huge and juicy. Next time in Madison I want to start my night here and sample the regular menu - I will spend a few more dollars but if the burger is an indication, the steaks must be incredible. read more

Tornado Steak House - Smoked Muenster burger - Steakhouses Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Following is my personal, highly scientific "supper club" grading system - did the Tornado pass or fail??? Read on: Requirement 1 - vintage bar with lots of Naugahyde, tacky lighting and bartenders with the ability to make a good old-fashioned. PASS - all present and accounted for. Bonus points for the old-timey neon out front. Requirement 2 - relishes PASS - Tornado serves proper relishes (carrots, celery, olives, onions, radishes, etc) threaded on skewers in an iced glass. Like a bloody Mary, but without the tomato juice. Also present - a loaf of homemade bread, soft breadsticks and a biscuit. Yum. Requirement 3 - "classic" appetizers straight out of 1965 PASS - Oysters Rockerfeller? Check. Shrimp cocktail? Check. Escargots + frog legs too! My shrimp cocktail was a thing of beauty - huge, meaty, clean shrimp with spicy cocktail sauce. Requirement 4 - French onion soup that is mostly cheese and bread PASS - as a bonus the Tornado's version was not too salty. Delicious. Requirement 5 - enormous steaks, properly cooked PASS - my filet au polvre was the best steak I have EVER had. EVER. Buttery, tender and perfectly cooked - absolutely delicious. The Mister had a monster strip which had amazing flavor - maybe a seasoning of wine + shallots? Requirement 6 - "Experienced service" PASS - our waitress was clearly a veteran of the industry. She was fun and made sure we never lacked for anything. I really have no complaints about the Tornado - amazing food served in a classic atmosphere! read more

Wonderful bartenders , had a drink at the bar before dinner. Then had a nice booth for a romantic anniversary dinner , shared the nicely done 28 oz bone in rib-eye steak Our waiter was fantastic. And really went the extra mile Thanks for a great evening read more

Fantastic ambiance. Kaylie was a very delightful server and helpful with any questions we had. The frog legs were spot on as well as the French onion soup. The warm bread was nice and my filet was prepared well. My husband really loved his duck breast and the sauce that accompanied. We would make an effort to eat here again! read more

The late night menu is great. Once COVID blows over, try going after 10 p.m. and order the steak sandwich. It's cheap, and it's wonderful. Only reason I can't do 5/5 is because it is too busy. Sometimes, it just feels crowded / loud. Even at night. So if you can go on a random day, that's helpful (e.g., a Tuesday). read more