50 Best American Restaurants in Madison

“The spicy salmon and prickly pear margarita were amazing!“

“They had a glitch with their online order; let me order Prime Rib on a day that they did not serve; when I arrived to pickup, they had no online order for me, even though I received a confirmation. They prepared another steak meal - but it was excellent!! Great flavor!! When ordering online, may want to double check they received the order.“

“I wish I had taken this photos of the food before I dug in. Delicious chilequiles, and even better ranchos huervos. The food is extremely fresh and flavorful. It's a unique take on something I've seen in every form, but they get it right with little surprises in every bite. Do yourself a favor and get the orange juice. The fresh sweetness really helps stabilize the slight spice and heaviness of the food.“

“Good food and great service. What’s not to like?“

“We had an amazing experience at DelecTable on Friday. All 11 courses were interesting and perfectly executed. A great meal and a lot of fun.“

“Love the charming European Grand Cafe vibes. An abundance of outdoor seating is available. Our server was very attentive and had great recommendations for drinks and food. One of the smoothest bloodys I have had. Food was absolutely delicious! What a great spot for brunch and enjoying a view of Madison.“

“We had breakfast on a Sunday morning and it was a busy place. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Food came out in a very timely manner and was delicious. It was great amount of food for the price. Atmosphere was welcoming. Glad we found it!“

“Best burger I have had in LONG time. All the stars. Thank you!“

“Took my daughter to this 60’s inspired cocktail style restaurant, to celebrate her birthday. We both agree that the overall vibe was sensational. The staff was amazing with our waitress being kind and courteous, as well as prompt with service. The menu is rather eclectic with various options, so there is something for everyone. The design of the place is thoughtful with the music matching the vibe. I am excited to see what the future holds for Lola's!“

“Delicious food, good drinks, and a great service. One of my favorite places for Sunday brunch. Highly recommend!“

“My favorite go to when I’m in town! Drinks and eats are the best!“

“Needed someplace to eat while waiting for my wedding to happen in Madison. Settle down was close by I walked there. I was not disappointed, the special which was I think all the chicken butter burger was phasing and the soup was as well. Reasonable price Add to my places to eat when in town list“

“We were visiting Madison for a business trip. Kelly at Morgan's shoes suggested we go here for oysters. We had the most amazing dinner, oysters on the half shell and wrapped it up with an unbelievably good coffee and date ice cream 😋 Our experience was so good we decided to go back a second night! Oysters and dinner were fantastic! Too full for dessert Such a beautiful location, great service and delicious food. Highly recommend 👌“

“It took a lot of waiting and hoping to get a reservation, but it was so worth it. The chef and team are wonderful, warm and charismatic. The servers are knowledgeable and welcoming. The food was incredible and the camaraderie of sharing a table with others was a joy in connection and commiseration, as we were all painfully full by the end. I’ve never had so much fun throughout a meal. We can’t hardly wait to go back.“

“Best breakfast buffet for a hotel. Not free though. Nice workers. Nice decor. Inside the Doubletree Hotel so very convenient.“

“Ive been going to the Bonfyre for years and I really love the place. For the past year it has been infested with gnats or fruit flies or whatever they are. . You cant take a sip or a bite without waving them away. Its annoying as hell and gross. Its not a one time thing, I go there often and its not getting better. This afternoon I stopped in for a couple of beers and some calamari appetizer. I love their calamari! I used to, today I got a massive plate of breaded bread. And swatted flies away the entire time. I'm not giving up on Bonfyre but if they cant fix the bug problem soon I'm done. I stopped by Badger Tavern before going to Bonfyre, the parking lot was packed as was the entire street so went to Bonfyre. Bonfyre was pretty empty. The atmosphere at Bonfyre should and could be a 5 star...get rid of your bug problem!“

“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 simple (sandwich, salads, burger and a few other options) but tasty. The staff is friendly and makes sure yi ur experience is good, and the decor is nice. Bonus point for the nice selection of whisky and spirits, great for a restaurant. Also, during happy hour a few items are very fairly priced. Went twice, loved it both times, and will come back again. Thank you for the hard work!“

“I want to recognize the outstanding service of Chrisi! Second day at her work and she has given us the best service ever from all the time we've been here to eat! Her attitude was amazing, always smiling, recommending deserts despite being busy! Food was delicious but BRAVO for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!! La Brioche is lucky to have her as part of the staff!!!!! Thank you again for making our brunch so bright!!“

“Top burger place in all of Madison! Get the Hanks double, such fast service you will barely be able to sit down at the Musky Bar before it's ready in all its greasy glory. Great sauce makes this a three to four napkin burger. Hits the spot when you have a Hankerin' for the best! Get the pickles on the side, delicious and you get even more! I will be back again and again.“

“Heard from friend's that the Friday Fish Fry was worth checking out, and they were right. I had a platter with two pieces of cod, one piece of walleye and one piece of perch. The entree included a small helping of fries, a small serving of coleslaw and tartar sauce, plus a choice of potato, so I chose the homemade potato chips. My companion had the two piece cod dinner. Our dinner also included complimentary warm bread and butter. I particularly liked the chips and the flavor of the perch. We each had a drink so the meal came out to about $40 before tip. Neither of us left feeling hungry. Highly recommended.“

“Been too long. Pesto chicken flatbread (and the service) was awesome. Great lunch spot!“

“Been there a few times and their staff have always been super nice. Place is relatively new and very clean. Honestly my go to place for some comfort food in Madison!“

“Great pizza and nice ambiance as usual. What made our evening even better were the warm smile and friendly personality of our waitress Mel! She nicely engaged in joking conversation, went above and beyond to accommodate our special request, and frequently checked in to make sure we had everything we needed. Outstanding food and service — we’ll definitely be coming back!“

“Excellent soup and salad bar“

“Had a tater tot appetizer with guacamole and the side bar burger. Brad had the loner burger that was not a lone. It was a lot to eat so will be having some of this for lunch tomorrow. Yummy!!“

“Best Madison dive bar, hands down!“

“Great view of the Capitol, but the food holds its own. I had a burger that was juicy and well-balanced, with crisp fries that didn’t disappoint. Lively but not chaotic, easygoing service, and a menu that hits comfort without feeling basic.“

“Really exceptional bowl of chirashi. You have to look a bit to find this on their menu but it's there...just a bit buried. That's not really a surprise as I consider chirashi to be the hidden secret on a quality sushi places' menu. No exception this time!

Everything was nice and fresh plus the assortment was great! I enjoyed being able to note the differences between 3 different varieties of tuna. I really enjoyed the pairing of the salmon roe with the snapper and found the salmon to be melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Seared albacore was really tasty as well. Best bite of the night? The big eye tuna. I generally prefer bluefin but had both side-by-side and enjoyed the big eye piece more.

Rice under the lettuce threw me a little but I guess that was the chef's attempt to segment the dish a bit. I tossed the lettuce aside and enjoyed the balance of the dish, including the assortment of vegetables as well.

Chirashi is a great way to go if you're really just interested in the fish. The tables around me were heavily laden with trays and platters full of rolls that just oozed ingredients all over. I'm a bit more of a purist and really enjoyed the chirashi but I would guess their rolls are pretty fantastic as well, if that's your thing.“

“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. :)“

“Great menu options. The service was very fast and friendly. The food was very good.“

“We always enjoy going to Dave and Busters. Our favorite games are there. The manager is very nice. It's a bit pricey but worth for a good date night!! The food is good!!! The drinks are good too!!“

“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.“

“Had a great dinner on a Saturday night. Dined at a late seating and staff was very friendly and welcoming. Dishes were great, the deviled eggs were a great starter for our table and the entrees were big portions with a lot going on (on a good way). The farm to table and seasonal ingredients really accompanied the main proteins. I had schnitzel which was great. Others had the massive ribeye for 2 and boullabaisse and everyone enjoyed their meals.
Would done here again next time we visit Madison.“

“The food is decent, and they sometimes have events like trivia nights or live music. Additionally, the bowling alley and game room is great fun for a group hangout. However, they sometimes have limited options for the items on their menu, and usually if you arrive at 7pm or later, they only serve drinks and appetizers (fries, cheese curds, etc.).“

“I usually love bear and bottle but my food and service were just bad today I’ve had this server before and they just aren’t attentive Had to go to bar for my second drink Normally food is very good but taco dip has huge chunks of cream cheese Server left my food at edge of table for more that fifteen minutes which attracted flies I love the open air aspect of this spot bit of your food is left for that long…. Flies come to you. I will only eat at the bar from now on. Bar service is amazing“

“We ate here last year for Valentine’s Day! Amazing ambiance and food. Highly recommended to all 10 out of 10 stars“

“NOT recommending Madison Mineral Point Road location. Husband ordered a mushroom Swiss burger. Got home, and it was a melt sandwich, overcooked and greasy. Not an option to return to get the burger he ordered. He waited forever the first time. Not calling either. It isn't worth the time and effort. Even if he had ordered this melt sandwich, I would still say it was greasy and overcooked. Sorry to all the good locations. Have never had a complaint about Culver's previously.“

“Great drinks and a very nice view of Madison, Wisconsin... Awesome!!! The upstairs patio is open for business.“

“perfect for any occasion, family friendly, beer on tap, staff always nice and great atmosphere“

“Great friendly staff in an awesome atmosphere to enjoy any games. great food as well.“

“The beers and the gumbo were great!“

“I had just got off work & stopped by Culver’s on my way home to get something to-go. I was putting stuff away in my backpack & Lynette was incredibly nice & told me I could’ve did that on the counter instead of the floor. I was about to leave without a frozen custard, but she reminded me & offered to make me one fresh rather than me getting it out the freezer since she said they’ve been there from the time she made them at 9am. The custard tasted great along with the rest of my food“

“Parking: Lots of spots but they keep pretty busy.

Kid-friendliness: There's nice tables to eat ice cream outside and plenty of space on the inside

Wheelchair accessibility: Should be able to roll right on in for a burger and fries and Frozen Custard too.“

“Best BBQ around amazing staff as well. You will always have my business HIGHLY recommend“

“b don’t ever do Google reviews, but my fiancé took me here for Valentine’s Day and we got a charcuterie board, appetizer, a salad, bread with butter as well as our entrées and dessert with a bottle of wine for only $100. I got the sirloin steak and out of all places that I’ve had steak this has been the best one 10 out of 10. fefinitely recommend coming with your boo next time for Valentines or just for a date because the food was so good😍😩“

“Thank you Lily and Tip Top for hosting some weary travelers with amazing food and a dog friendly patio. We had the best food, and the patio was like an oasis, beautiful!“

“Our son just moved to Madison so we’re looking for local places to frequent, Slice’s is definitely on the list! Delicious food, friendly staff, good prices. Did the Friday fish fry and it was fantastic.“

“We attended a family birthday gathering of about 28 people. Check this place out! Friendly great service with awesome food menu & bar. I highly recommend!“

“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!“