50 Best American Restaurants near Cottage Grove

“Great place. Food is solid and decently priced. The one thing I don't appreciate is the constant changing of the menu. They used to have the best cheese curds in the Madison area, and then they changed suppliers, and now they are honestly pretty bad. Beside that great food, especially for a golf course.“

“One name, Gary. Gary was the gentleman that took my order and the counter along with about 5 other customers during my duration of waiting for my food. Gary was the nicest person I have ever encountered while ordering food. Gary went above and beyond with each customer including myself to make each transaction personable. It was a Thursday evening and fairly busy inside and out. Gary greeted each customer with a friendly face and would take it upon himself to take something off someone’s shirt or something they were wearing to start up a conversation. One particular customer was an elderly woman and her middle age son who was mentally challenged. She approached the counter alone but Gary asked for her son to come up too and to not be afraid that he wouldn’t hurt him. Carried on a conversation with him and his mother asking his name and just being in the moment with him while they placed their order that evening. You don’t see people like Gary often enough anymore in the world and it really touched my heart on how he interacted with every person that came to his register as of each person was special in their own way. I’m not one to come inside and order and wait for my food or to take time to do surveys, but this interaction is one I will not forget. We need more people like Gary. I tried doing this on the Survey but it limited me on Characters I could use. Hope this doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Thank you“

“The food was great & the cinnamon rolls were to die for!!! staff was excellent & very friendly!!! I will definitely recommend this place & will be returning very soon!“

“We live in Northern Wisconsin and ate here on a trip to visit family. The food was outstanding, the waitress Jacyln (not sure of spelling, sorry!) was very attentive and took care of us in a timely friendly fashion. The atmosphere is casual, which we like because we don't dress up much! We are so happy we found this place and will be sure to return next time we are in the area. OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND FOOD.“

“We - two did not know the area and wanted food that was not franchise food. We happened to be there Friday for fish fry and having in the past tried many many fish fries in Wisconsin this one was wonderful. We LOVED IT!“

“The appetizers were great and the server was amazingly friendly and attentive!“

“We met friends who were from out of town for lunch at Buck & Honey's on Sunday. They had never been there, so with my wife and me having been there before and very much impressed, we suggested it. What an incredible atmosphere, superb food quality and service that is so rare these days. We sure had a very memorable time and dining experience and will be coming back again very soon. Our guests could not stop raving about this place also. A shot out to our waitress Aliyah for such an outstanding job taking care of us. You sure are excellent at what you do and we thank you sincerely!“

“We went to Waypoint tonight (3 adults and 2 little kiddos). Our waitress (Katie) was so accommodating! All of our food was phenomenal- we will definitely be back!“

“A Sad Return to What Used to Be a Great Spot I first visited the Green Lantern about 10 years ago when I moved to the area, and back then, the food was genuinely enjoyable—good enough that it stuck in my mind all these years. So when my wife and I decided to revisit recently, we were hopeful for a nostalgic and satisfying meal. Unfortunately, what we got was far from it. My wife asked about the fish before ordering and was told it was frozen and cooked—not a great start. She went with a salad instead, which arrived looking tired and withered, like it had been sitting out all day. Limp lettuce and watery dressing don’t exactly make for an appetizing experience. I ordered the 1/2 rack of ribs, expecting at least a decent meal. What I got was a plate of disappointment. There was a pool of greasy brown fat dripping onto the plate, and when I took my first bite, I thought I had just hit a fatty patch. By the fifth bite, I realized—there was no meat, just chewy, rubbery fat slathered in BBQ sauce in an attempt to mask the poor quality. When I politely brought this to the waitress's attention, she relayed the message to the cook. The response? “Ribs are supposed to be fatty.” I’ve eaten hundreds of ribs in my life, and while a bit of marbling is expected, these were inedible. No meat, just fat. What was once a solid local spot has clearly lost its way. If you're looking for a place with quality food and pride in the kitchen, sadly, the Green Lantern is no longer it.“

“First time dining here. Great food and atmosphere. On a side note… To a beautiful lady. You were the beautiful woman dining—maybe with your mom—at “a restaurant by the river”. We locked eyes, shared a smile, and you held the door for me as we walked out. I wanted to introduce myself but got a little nervous. When you turned around after walking away, I knew I missed my chance. If you see this, I’d love a second one.“

“We stopped for a light lunch on our travels and it was very delicious. Great Staff, amazing food, and ice cold beverages!! We will be stopping on our way to and from the Badger games as it's right off the highway.“

“Rumchata French toast and the walleye and eggs“

“Great food and service! Very friendly atmosphere.“

“Best prime rib I’ve had in years waitress was awesome. I look forward to going back.“

“Our table ordered a mix of breakfast and lunch plates. All were delicious! The staff were very friendly. Seated quickly, got to order right away, and the food came fast. We all enjoyed watching them fuel up a plane and take off! Kids loved their paper planes too. ✈️ Plan to be back!“

“The food is always great but the service and warm welcome we get from our server Shana is what keeps us coming back all the time“

“Do you want a good burger in a great Wisconsin bar? Hank's has you covered. Their burgers are simple, straight to the point, and tasty. Also, the Potosi root beer is one of the most wonderful, rich root beers I've ever tried. They serve it ice cold like root beer deserves. We'll definitely eat here again when we're on this side of town!

Be aware that the seating fills up fast, so it's mostly bar seats or standing room.“

“The chicken and potatoes were delicious! The salad bar is amazing! Pizza is awesome and dessert cookie pizza is delicious!! Pizza ranch certainly is “all that” and then some“

“We stopped at this Madison WI Culvers on our way to Rockford today and our 16mo made friends walking around the restaurant after we ate. The manager was so nice to her, gave her 2 stuffies and meal cards for our next stop through! Thanks, Ana! We'll see you again in a few weeks. :)“

“We love bringing out of town friends to Sal's. We had the Valentine's menu and it was the best food we've had in years! Tameka was amazing and the food came out so quick. Clean plates all day!“

“Delicious AyCe salad bar and fish fry. We will definitely go back.“

“This is a grill located in the holiday inn at American center. The staff is friendly and drinks were good. They have a thin crust pizza and pitcher deal. Service was good and this is a convenient place to unwind if you don’t want to leave the hotel.“

“Visited Monks on Father's day great food a special mention of a young man Maddox, a hostess. He was respectful and friendly and it was a very enjoyable time“

“definitely better than your typical truckstop food (Denny's, Iron skillet) excellent food, freshly prepared and good service, clean and (pretty servers) awesome bakery, parking for semis“

“The beers and the gumbo were great!“

“We went here Friday night because the place we usually go was packed. What a great experience! The food was superb the potato salad and the salad bar was out of this world! The drinks were absolutely delicious. Everything was just excellent. The only negative it was dark and I couldn’t see the lake, completely our fault! I can’t wait to go again.“

“Parking lot and building was clean. Food looked good I got a butter burger w/ lettuce, mustard and pickle. Also, a cooler with mango and strawberry. The burger was good it just had lettuce on it that was slimy mixed with some good crunchy pieces“

“Great Culver’s
Conveniently located in McFarland and along a busy road US-51.
Team members are very friendly especially the cashiers.
The Butter burger and frozen custard I ordered was great in quality,taste and temperature.
The lobby/seating area/interior was very clean.
Will be back.“

“Great Culver’s
Located near a lot of major businesses on the northeast side of Sun prairie
Employees are friendly.
Interior of the restaurant is clean

The butterburger and frozen custard I ordered was also very good in quantity,taste,and temperature.

Also to mention I have never seen a Culver’s until now with TV pricing/images instead of Paper, cool addition but also was confusing at first.“

“We Decided to try today while out on a motorcycle ride. We Arrived and walked in and were immediately greeted by staff. The atmosphere was nice and friendly. The staff was friendly. We ordered our drinks and food. We got the Prime Rib Sandwich with onion rings and the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich with fries. Both of the sandwiches were amazing. Very tasty and juicy upon first bite to the Last bite with the right amount of meat and vegetables/mushrooms with it. The fries were just right...not to crispy. The onion rings were a tad overdone and really crispy. Overall the food and drinks were 10/10. We will be back.“

“I have been going here since I was little and now officially living in the neighborhood again, I would consider myself a regular! The food is such classic breakfast, diner food and it is always great and consistent every time. They also are always so efficient and fast! The food comes out hot every time and they always have your coffee filled. This family run business is one of the best breakfast spots in town!“

“Good food and customer service, but I really miss the old location with the outside dining.“

“What a great little hidden gem! Great drinks, gourmet food, amazing staff and we even got to meet the owner, Steve! Very friendly atmosphere. We will definitely be back!!“

“First time eating here and have to leave a review. We waited about 35 minutes since it was busy, but it was worth the wait! We ordered the pretzel with beer cheese and mustard, the beer cheese had a nice kick to it. Also ordered a single smash burger which was one of the best I’ve had and bun was really moist. Got the shroomer pizza to share and although it was thin it was still stretchy and very good, no complaints! We will be back“

“the best chicken wings around . period. mmmmmmm“

“We ordered take out from the Cottage Grove Rd location. Our food was hot and delicious! My phone call was answered by the owner himself and handled with courtesy. He accommodated by vegetarian diet with no issues.“

“Our class recently held our 50th high school reunion at this revnue! They did a fantastic job setting up the room and meeting our needs! We've held previous reunions here and will definitely come back again. Thanks to the owners and staff for making our MG reunion a great success!“

“Great classic Wisconsin custard stand food made fresh. Very consistent from location ro location. We like curdside delivery. Just pull into one of the labeled parking spots, download and order from the app, and in a few minutes they march the food right out to your car.“

“👩‍🦳I love the unlimited biscuits and gravy, and the unlimited corn muffins. The ambiance with the fire and the lanterns on the tables is delightful. It's also nice being able to shop and look around after or before dining. Highly recommend, especially if you're looking for old fashion experience. 💙💚“

“Great neighborhood tavern! Staffing changes have been made.“

“Noel, the manager, always takes great care of us. We've become regulars at the Monona Denny's, mornings and the odd breakfast late at night as well. Noel recognizes us, is warm, and always keeps the coffee pouring before we ever see the bottoms of our mugs. The entire team works like a well oiled machine, and they really put so much effort and pride into their work. It's what keeps us coming back, even more than the food itself!“

“Always a great experience!“

“We love the fish fry at Silver Eagle! The price is reasonable, always ready in 20 min or less and we love the beans, you get so much food!!“

“Great place for lunch or dinner. Always new specials & the staff is amazing.“

“Staff and other customers were really friendly! Food was good and they were kind and friendly to the kids. Very affordable!“

“The VFW Post 7591 on Cottage Grove Road is a great organization that has a lot of things going on. The general public is welcome and encourages to come in. They hall a big hall anyone can rent out for their personal or business events… if it’s not already booked. Some of the events they have are every Tuesday is Bingo night, Wednesday are either music in the front bar or Karaoke, Thursday nights are free Trivia night with prizes, Friday night fish fry followed by music in the main hall, etc. Their are many other special events so come on in for a cocktail and check it out.This is a very nice and friendly place to come and hang out.“

“Absolutely GEM of a place!! I truly can't say anything bad about this place!! Barb and Brian the owners put so much care into how guest are treated. Barb makes great daily lunch specials and Damien, Emily and Sammy are the bees knees 🤗 I can't get enough of them“

“Food was delicious and server was present! For 2 we paid $48 for a large breakfast with lemonade and coffee and very much so worth the price. Will definitely be going back! The only complaint is the building is very hot but the food was great!“

“Best bar in madison!! :) cheaper food n drinks! And the air conditioner works! Plus right there“

“Whenever we're in Madison area, we go there and LOVE EVERYTHING-THE FOOD AND SERVICE IS WONDERFUL!“