Brunch at the Turn Key was outstanding! The chef recommended the Hamborghini, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not big on ham, but this was succulent. The perfectly poached eggs and the creamy mornay sauce were superb, and the tarragon biscuit was the best biscuit I ever had! The breakfast potatoes were crispy and well-seasoned. And the new mini-doughnuts are to die for, especially the cream-filled ones. Complements to the chef! With the unique and classy but comfortable atmosphere and the excellent service, we left feeling impressed, satisfied and happy. read more

I don't really fuck with Yelp like a bunch of you other Anton Ego nerds but turn keys menu deserves some love. I've been there twice in a the last two week's randomly and they do not miss! The pork chop, steak, curds, carrots, fried green tomato toast and the 2 pasta dishes were all hella good. I have yet to have a bite a food where I wasn't looking around puzzled like "wait what!?" In the best way possible. Ambiance is fancy but not haha. I think you'd feel comfortable wearing whatever. read more

Turn Key Madison - Charred Carrots - New American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Food was very good and portion sizes were surprisingly large. Our server was attentive and patient while we waited for the other half of our party to arrive and was able to answer our multiple questions about the building and business in addition to the menu items. We were too full to try dessert but I definitely want to try the lard ice cream! read more

See all

The food here was , especially during brunch. The donuts were amazing. Try the hamborghini with the homemade sausage for a delicious eggs Benedict. The coffee and tea was a rip off- $5 for plain drip coffee and $4 for green tea is a joke. So pass on the drinks and enjoy the food bc you won't be disappointed. read more

They were out of quite a few of their "all time favorites " on the menu. We had 8:45pm reservations. We chosen from a limited number of available options and we were totally impressed! The food was excellent! We will come earlier next time! read more

This was my second visit to Turn Key and it was as good as the first. The service is always attentive and friendly, and the food is outstanding. We had several starters which were all amazing ( definitely try the cheese puppies, the blistered broccoli, and the crispy Brussels sprouts). The entrees we had were delicious - the whitefish, the pull tab steak, the gnocchi, the another good idea burger...honestly, all were excellent. The drink/food menus are inside actual books, which is pretty clever and with some of the books, entertaining. If you haven't been, I highly recommend the Turn Key. read more

The food was amazing! A few of us got steak and a few got the pork chops and both were delicious. We also did the charred carrot appetizer and fried cheese curds which were good too. However, it was an hour and 15 minutes between when we sat down and when we finally got our meals. The other tables around us had a similar experience too. We had to ask several times and the server was highly unpleasant and honestly sassy. It's a cool supper club but honestly overpriced for how terrible their service is. read more

First off our waiter was awesome, the fries and aioli, good and so were the drinks. After that all down hill. $2 extra for 3 pieces of lettuce instead of a bun... what? The burger was charred and tasted like leather. The ranch for the cheese curds had too much dill (we are in Wisco, why add the dill?). Fries don't come with your burger or brat, that's $4 extra. The pork chop was very bland and the gnocchi was small enough for a child to possibly eat. All in all, over priced for something away from downtown . read more

Great bar, chill atmosphere, attentive bartenders. Enjoyed the food. Great for a date:)

Awesome new spot on East Wash. The cocktail menu alone is rave-review worthy. There's something for everyone on that list, and my group of six had trouble deciding what to we wanted to try the most. My personal favorite was the smooth and fresh Sage, Lies and Videotapes. For appetizers, we shared the Mushaboom Fries and the Charred Carrots. The fries were hot and addicting. The mushroom cheddar dust makes the fries extra special and throws you back to the experience of licking cheeto or dorito dust off your fingers as a kid, but in a more adult-friendly flavor profile. The carrots were crunchy and sweet, pairing well with their bed of spicy macadamia nut butter (we suggest dipping some fries into the leftover butter). The star of the night for me was their Turn Key Gnocchi. Our table ordered 3 of these, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the rich curry sauce that covered the pillowy gnocchi and flaky sprouts. This rich, warm dish is just what I needed on this freezing Wisconsin evening. I loved it so much I took half home to share with my foodie relatives. read more

Tonight was my first visit to this restaurant and everything was incredible - the food, the service, and the ambience. For just having opened, it was running like a well oiled machine. You can tell how much the staff cares and enjoys working there. We sat outside on the patio and listened to great low key music throughout our meal. Love how easy it is to drive or bike to this location with plenty of parking for both. We enjoyed a variety of unique appetizers and could have been satisfied with just those alone! For our main course, we ordered the steak, fish, squash gnocchi, and burger. Everyone was so happy with their meals. And the variety of drinks. Can't wait to go back and can see doing so for a variety of occasions. This is the perfect establishment for this historic Madison building. read more

This place is so amazing...I ordered half of the menu and came back for the second half the next day (also placed an order to take home for mom) read more

Sat outside on a cool-ish night. The staff was attentive and friendly. The food was good. The gnocchi was tasty but portion was small... cereal bowl size. The strip steak, had by another at our table, was noted as being good. Hubby had the burger and it was nicely done... smash burger. Drinks were relatively small. Double Tito was served in a tall thin Tom Collins glass, had to ask for olives. Manhattans served in small champagne glass. Carafe of house wine was also served in a small container. All in all, a good experience for a newly opened establishment. NOTE: No diet white sodas. Menus were a hit, tucked inside of books! read more

So many great flavors in a beautiful space. Service was wonderful too! We got the Trout Roll, Beet Flatbread, Roasted Carrots and Fries. The mushroom fries are a must! read more

Turn Key Madison - Trout Roll and Beet Flatbread - New American Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

I was very interested in trying out this new restaurant after viewing its interesting menu. It's located in an old historic brick building right on east Washington. It used to be Pascal's and Fyfe's corner bistro before that and a farm manufacturing building way back in the day. The building really is spectacular inside and out. Inside the lighting is low but warm and I loved how they had plants hanging up in the corners and at the bar. The bar is big with a lot of sitting. We sat at a table next to the bar. Our server was very good and made sure we had everything we needed. First off we started out with a couple of cocktails. I had the East Wash karate lessons and my friend had the Paris Texas martini. Both cocktails were very tasty:) I was a little disappointed that my drink wasn't filled up all the way, especially when you are paying for specialty drinks. Next we ordered some cheese puffers. A mixed of cheese curds and hush puppies. I am a Wisconsin girl and used to cheese curd breading so I didn't care too much for it. It tastes too deep fried. Then we got smashed fingerlings. Those were delicious. They were nice and crisp with good seasoning. It came with an aioli sauce that was very fitting. Next we ordered the good hearted salad and charred carrots. The charred carrots were fantastic! I highly recommend them. I couldn't get enough of them and the sauce was so good. I never had anything like it, two thumbs up! For the final plate we shared the ideal burger. Two smashed patties with pickles and coleslaw. It was very good but a tiny burger. read more

See all

My husband & I like to go out for dinner & cocktails at least once a week. We wanted to try someplace new, so we decided on Turn Key. We arrived at 7 for our 7:30 reservation & sat at the bar for a cocktail. They stick their menus inside old books, which I adored. We excitedly ordered Dueling Grandma Lamps & Friday, Saturday, Sunday...neither of which we liked. My husband sent his back. We had a total of 7 cocktails throughout the evening, so it's fair to say we gave them a shot. A few were passable (Old-Fashioned, Bloody Mary), but none of them were good or balanced. I would go as far as to say, these are the worst craft cocktails in Madison. This surprised me as we love Oz by Oz (same owners). Restaurants we enjoy cocktails (& excellent food) at include: Merchant, Lucille, Heritage Tavern, Sal's, Mint Mark, Fairchild, the list is long as we are spoiled for choice in this city. If you want to go out & just eat (& grab a beer), Turn Key is a great option for you. The food was fantastic. We had the Charred Carrots & Cheese Puppies to start. The carrots were flawless, I'd bring my vegan best friend here for these. The cheese puppies were genius...these are in my top 3 curds in town...although they could have brought us a basket 1/2 the size they did. There was not nearly enough dipping sauce to cover the monster portion they serve, which was entirely too much for 2 people, but of course we ate every single one. Our main meals were also delicious...Fish Fry & Pull Tab Steak. The breading on the fish was light & pillowy & the mushaboom fries were the best riff on McDonald's fries you'll ever have. Both the tarter & slaw were good, not great, versions. Their herb biscuit was tasty & could have only been improved had it been served with a pat of butter. My husband's steak came perfectly rare, as ordered. The Char Siu glaze, normally found on pork, along with the ginger/lemongrass aioli were both ideas I'm going to try at home. We cook excellent local steaks ourselves & don't often order them out...we were beyond thrilled to have tried this fabulous version. If this review was just for food, 5/5. Cocktails, 1/5. We might try Turn Key for brunch, but I doubt we'd come back for dinner unless they drastically improve their drink offerings. read more

See all

Turn key has a rotating menu that plays on key menu items. The gnocchi never disappoints, though you can't go wrong with any of it.

Was there for Sunday brunch. Everyone enjoyed their food., but portions were small. I had the chimichuri steak, which was a little tough, but cooked and seasoned well. The doughnuts were a nice treat. Bloody Mary was very basic. Service was was very good. Would go back again, but probably not for brunch. read more

Overpriced entree. I order the rainbow trout dinner for $31. The food was tasty, BUT the single trout fillet was only 5 X 3 inches with only ~1/8 inch thick fillet. There was not even ONE tablespoon of meat! For this price, there should have been two-three fillets (I am from Boston and expected more). After dinner, I was still hungry and drove to Culvers for a better dinner of pot roast. read more

First night having dinner here and was super impressed by the food, service, and vibe. Decor is an eclectic twist on Wisconsin Supper Club Kitsch. Food is gastropub-creative and a good mix of light vs rich options. The appetizer charred carrots and tomatoes on toast were winners. The steak main with smashed fingerling potatoes was perfectly cooked and delicious. Cocktails were excellent. Service was friendly and attentive; just enough attention but not too much. Will definitely return. read more

So pleasant , and was great for outdoor puppy friendly seating. Great food and very sweet staff.

Love Turn Key - great service and great food! Such cool and unique vibes and ambiance at this restaurant! SO many unique touches and details too like their menus and cocktails. Food was amazing, we had Cheese Puppies, Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, Turn Key Gnocchi with sweet corn and zucchini, and Pull Tab Steak! It was so delicious and the staff was incredibly kind. read more

Unique choices in a fun atmosphere. Excellent service. A bit pricey but worth the experience. Will go again.

We used Turn Key's upstairs event space for our wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and it was literally perfect. The space is really nicely decorated with lots of seating and tables, and was big enough to do both the actual rehearsal and the dinner right after. There's a dedicated bar in the room, and service was really quick and nice. But the main thing was the food which we received SO many compliments on - it really blew our guests away, we were really happy with everything. We worked with Reese to coordinate everything, he was really helpful and friendly too. It was an overall wonderful experience - highly recommend! read more

Oh my gosh this place was amazing! The cocktails were delicious and interesting. Even though there were only 4 entrees, we had two and saw the other two at nearby tables and they all looked incredible. The pork and trout were delicious and the steak we saw was genuinely rare! The wine was good and very reasonably priced. But BEST of all was the chocolate chip cookie and lard ice cream. OK I admit - I had mine, 1/4 of my husband's and then got a cookie to go. It was almost gone by the time we got home. The service was terrific - Ellie was wonderful. We will definitely be going back! read more

My husband, new baby, and I dined at The Turn Key on a hopping Friday evening. We haven't gotten out much since our new baby's arrival and all of the staff at The Turn Key really made our experience wonderful and special. From the warm and friendly greeting upon arrival to the incredible service shown by every staff person we encountered, The Turn Key staff are top notch! Now let's talk about the food... AMAZING! We started with the carrots, which were out of this world. We were told that the vegetable changes depending on availability and what's in season. I'm so glad we were able to try this creative dish, but it leaves me wanting to come back and try whatever the chef comes up with next! For main entrees, we had the curry gnocchi and the steak. Both dishes were excellent. We finished the meal with the very unique (& highly recommended) corn pudding pie. I would go back just for another piece of that delectable dessert! The Turn Key is a fabulous new addition to the Madison dining scene and has certainly earned a spot on my "Madison favorites" list! read more