50 Best American Restaurants near Waunakee

“The Thai chicken bowl is amazing!!! I’ve gotten it 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Great outdoor seating area too! There was even live music tonight. Great atmosphere and food!“

“The prime rib was as good as you get to night. It was a real high quality piece of beef cooked to perfection. I'll be back.“

“Sadly, this particular Culver’s either changed their fish fry breading recipe or they don’t fry it correctly. The last 2 fish fries I purchased tasted terrible.“

“Went to the Famous Walleye Breakfast today with a warm welcome from April. I came in for Breakfast but with the atmosphere fun & outgoing we stayed for the rest of the afternoon. Service was 5 star 🌟. I highly recommend the second Sunday of every month & the special appearance of April.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

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

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

“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.“

“awesome cheese curds and everything else!!!“

“We've eaten here several times and it's terrific! It's off the beaten path in the middle of a residential block near the intersection of University and Parmenter in Middleton. Good food, big portions, friendly crew. They probably have something you'll like . . .☺️“

“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.“

“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 👌“

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

“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!“

“C’s Restaurant and Bakery is your friendly neighborhood breakfast, lunch and bakery diner. The food is great, fairly priced and the bakery is to die for! The Wait Staff is just a pleasure to be around. If you haven’t been here yet, don’t wait any longer. Go now!“

“I visited for my first time last night. Service was excellent, attentive but not overly so, and the food was on point. There are some great things happening in that kitchen—everything was delicious! Thanks for a memorable meal and a fabulous first impression!👏🏽“

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

“Culvers is fast food done right and the Deforest location is one of the best. Clean despite heavy use. Well staffed so orders are taken quickly and brought to one's table. The custard is excellent. Easy access when headed north to my cabin in north central Wisconsin. I will return again and again.“

“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 food. wings, burgers, pizza. Has won Best of Madison. Wonderful atmosphere. Highly recommend.“

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

“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.“

“Always consistently good food and great customer service!“

“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.“

“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 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!!“

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

“great food, and even greater people“

“Great service after the late Badger game! Burgers were delicious and manager staff were so friendly! Thanks to the kitchen crew for making those last two burgers of the night! �“

“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!“

“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!!“

“excellent food friendly service!“

“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!“

“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.“

“Great service! Friendly staff! Wonderful food! Neat and clean environment! Awesome prices!“

“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. 😋“

“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!!“