50 Best American Restaurants near Mcfarland

“Rumchata French toast and the walleye and eggs“

“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.“

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

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

“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.“

“I can’t say enough about the great service I’ve gotten at the bar, again the other day. Kayla, the shorter bartender, is full of personality and she has even started remembering what I usually drink when I come
In after work. I enjoy talking with her when she’s not busy taking care of others.“

“Madison’s was great. Good food and cool atmosphere, but our server, Lilah was the real highlight. She was super on top of things, genuinely nice, and knew the menu inside and out without being pushy. Definitely recommend dropping in and asking for her section.“

“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!“

“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?“

“Delicious meal… it was my second time there and both times the food has been delicious! We started with a very nice red wine to go with their short rib dinner (which was the best short rib meal I have ever had) and the salmon with the most delicious dill butter sauce. I really wish he would sell that butter for me to take home. Next time we will save room for dessert because the table next to us ordered the crème brûlée and it looked amazing.“

“Me and my family stopped by a day ago. The customer service was amazing. If I remember correctly, our server’s name was Trinity. He was very kind to my grandma . Also, the food was delicious, our server recommended I try the strawberry burrata which was amazing. I would stop by again. Five stars.“

“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!“

“Food was very good. Workers hustle and are friendly.“

“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!“

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

“I’ve been to RED several times, and it keeps me coming back. I really enjoy the modern atmosphere. The lighting, colors, and background music give it a relaxed lounge vibe without being too loud or distracting.

The service has always been excellent, and the food comes out surprisingly fast. The sashimi is fresh with a great selection of fish, and the presentation is beautiful. The miso soup was outstanding, and I always think that’s a good sign of a quality sushi restaurant.“

“Great food and service! Very friendly atmosphere.“

“We were in town for a show and swing in for their Tuesday chicken sandwich special. Probably one of the absolute best chicken sandwiches we’ve had. We planned on splitting a sandwich but after a minor mishap, chef ended up making us each a sandwich and my oh my it did not disappoint. Great service, fantastic craft cocktails and delicious food this place will be on our Madison list of places to frequent when in the area.“

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

“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!“

“TL;DR: Staff was awesome and so was the food, but the atmosphere was loud, and 1 of the 4 dishes I had was more miss than hit.

From the top:

Making and modifying my reservation online was super easy and straightforward. In fact, I chose this place over another recommendation from a local simply because I could make my reservation online.

The hostess was super friendly and welcoming, so right off the bat I felt at home. I had reserved a table, but since I was alone, I decided to sit at the bar.

The guys behind the bar were some of the most attentive and professional I’ve seen in the industry (I spent the first 8 years of my career working in hospitality). Big shout-out to Foster, Matt, and Chris!! Each was better than the last and made sure I always had anything I needed, which is impressive considering the bar and restaurant were packed for a while—it was a Saturday night.

The drinks felt generous and reasonably priced. I’ll admit I had more than a couple 😋

The food was great overall, with a few BUTS.

At times, it felt a little pretentious. I had 4 different dishes, and 3/4 tasted great, but some still gave me the impression that they were just trying to do too much. Simple things can be delicious too, and not everything needs to reinvent the wheel.

Ironically, my favorite dish happened to be the simplest. I would highly recommend the chef’s special double smash burger, which they serve until late. It was easily the crown jewel of the evening.

I did have the misfortune of trying the pork belly first. While the fat was well rendered, the meat itself was completely dried out. At the time I thought maybe it was just me, but I spent about 3 hours here, and at one point the person next to me ordered the same dish and wasn’t impressed either.

After that first dish, I was ready to dock a star on the food, especially since this isn’t exactly an “affordable” restaurant. But they turned it around with every dish afterward.

I do think it’s important to consider the people who won’t be here for hours trying multiple dishes. If the pork belly had been the only dish I ordered, I can’t imagine I would’ve walked out happy with the experience.

That being said, everything that came out afterward got better and better, with the double smash burger being the crown jewel of the evening. I’m glad I ended up staying and trying more dishes!!

Overall, I had an awesome experience. They have wonderful staff in the front of house, a beautiful venue, great drinks, and—if you stick to the basics—delicious food!

One last note: it was loud. Like, need-to-yell-at-each-other loud. It didn’t bother me personally, but I could see it being an annoyance for anyone trying to have a conversation, especially in a group larger than two.“

“I had such a wonderful visit here. The display case is packed with an incredible variety of fresh treats that look absolutely delicious.

I decided on a classic glazed donut paired with a coffee in a mug featuring the Fosdal Home Bakery logo. Everything was perfect and exactly what I needed to start my day. It is such a cozy spot to grab a bite. I cannot wait to come back again soon.“

“I've eaten all over the world, this is one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in my life. It's not fussy and rehearsed to the moment, instead down to earth, delicious and free flowing with a 90s hip hop soundtrack and laughter abounding. Run do not walk to this restaurant.“

“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!“

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

“We've been there for multiple brunches and dinners, and every meal is absolutely fantastic. Hard to go wrong with a friendly and professional staff, great food, and tasty cocktails. We'll be back again!“

“Great Culver’s! James at the register is amazing! Keep that team member for life!“

“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!“

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

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

“😍🌮🍔🥪🍟Tried a few things already and brought other people there. Everything has been good and the wait staff are awesome“

“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!“

“This was a great experience during restaurant week. The food was so good - my main dish was ahi tuna, but all 5 of us enjoyed our 3 course meals. The waitresses were very kind and the meal came quickly. It was a very quiet space for being so expansive.“

“This was a really neat hole-in-the-wall that is connected to the neighboring bar. You order at the counter and your food is delivered to you. The menu is on the small side, but everything I tried was quite good. Not much atmosphere for itself, but the bar it is connected to has tons of wisconsin dive bar atmosphere.“

“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!“

“Excellent soup and salad bar“

“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 absolutely love this place! Homemade everything! Our new discover in our new neighborhood and never disappointed!
The corned beef hash, chicken fried steak (not those Sysco discs) seriously wonderful food and the best wait staff ever!
Thank you for all the effort!“

“Tried your wings with teriyaki and hot garlic...loved it. My husband and I came once before and the staff was not as accommodating but this time we had the pleasure of meeting Gracie! She is definitely a keeper, a great asset to your establishment. Shout out to you Gracie, very friendly, accommodating and attentive.“

“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.“

“Grabbed a quick bite before event. Food was okay. Service was fine but bar can get busy which slowed things down. As it got busier seemed like hostess was losing track of which tables in bar area were actually open or not because you had to leave your table to go to the bar to order.“

“Went on a Wednesday afternoon, since I was on campus for work that day and wanted to try something new. They had the special of buffalo chicken wrap, grilled or crispy. It was SO good. I’ve been thinking of it since 😂! The had generous amounts of chicken on it, which is always nice. The service was excellent too. Definitely will be going back when I’m on campus again. 😋“

“how can you go wrong, awesome menu, lovely bartenders & great cooks... I'd be surprised if you have a bad thing to say here“

“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!!“

“I’m perpetually impressed with the quality of food at Dextie’s. The staff is like family. Incredibly professional, personable, and friendly.“

“Great Burgers“

“Best Madison dive bar, hands down!“