Madison Restaurants
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Sugar River Pizza Company
Price: Moderate•Pizzeria•4.9(489)Made from scratch pizza and hometown comfort food are the focus of this family-run restaurant. Come join us for an evening among friends.Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro
Price: Expensive•Farm-to-table•4.9(983)Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro is located on the banks of the Sugar River in Paoli, WI. The Schoolhouse was built in 1864 and was converted into a restaurant in 2008. We pride ourselves in supporting local vendors and ingredients to bring you the best quality dishes.
Enjoy a meal in our beautiful bistro or on the deck/patio as weather permits. We have a great selection of wine, cocktails, and carry a variety of domestic and craft beers.
The Schoolhouse is also a great venue for small events - micro weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, baby showers, and any other celebrations!
The Mariner's Inn
Price: Moderate•American•4.8(1,857)When Bill and Betty Von Rutenberg opened The Mariner’s Inn in 1966, they set out to provide a steak and seafood dining experience like none other. Mouth watering, delicious steaks aged to perfection and an assortment of seafood from lobster to the famous Friday Fish Fry.
Bill and Betty’s sons, Bill, Jack, and Robert, along with their crew, now carry on the tradition of outstanding hospitality of von Rutenberg Ventures. Waterfront dining on the patio and a sunset over the marina make dinner at Mariner’s an evening to remember. We offer five options for dining. Dine-in, expanded outdoor seating, carryout, curbside, and dockside. Try our monthly summer Lobster Boil. You can now enjoy the lobster boils by dine-in or takeout! Advance reservations required.
To make a reservation that is larger then 8 people please call us.Ruth's Chris Steak House - Middleton
Price: Very Expensive•Steakhouse•4.7(1,188)One day call-in advanced reservation is required for Wine Dinners, all guests must order from Wine Dinner Menu, no substitutions.
For reservations on holidays, 20% GRATUITY WILL BE ADDED TO ALL CHECKS
For parties of 6 or more, please call the restaurant and ask to speak with a manager.
For parties of 5 or more, gratuity of 18% will be included.
***Separate Checks will not be accepted for parties of 9 or more***
Ruths Chris Steak House serves the finest aged, corn-fed USDA Prime beef. Broiled in a trademark 1,800° oven & served on a plate heated to 500 degrees, your steak is presented sizzling hot at your table.
Additionally, the menu includes select fresh seafood & other meat entrees. A variety of fresh-cooked vegetables, including seven kinds of potatoes, salads, homemade desserts & an extensive selection of over 100 domestic & imported wines complete your dining experience.
Ruths Chris never fails to please
Otto's Restaurant and Bar - Madison
Price: Expensive•Mediterranean•4.7(1,670)A locally owned Madison favorite, Otto's is set in a beautifully restored 1870s stone farm house with two dining levels. The menu features creative, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, fresh seafood, Certified Angus Beef steaks and more. A friendly lower-level bar serves classic cocktails and fine wines, and half-price appetizers from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday – Friday. Outdoor dining and live jazz are featured on the deck Spring through Fall, weather permitting. Otto's is also open the first Monday of each month (excluding holidays) in the Spring and Summer when live music is being performed. Main level dining area is wheelchair accessible. Online reservations are available for the dining rooms only, bar and deck table reservations should be made via telephone. Reservations are recommended for dining in the bar, outdoors, and inside for parties of 6 or more. In the event your party is unable to attend, please contact us by phone to cancel your reservation.Buck & Honey's - Monona
Price: Moderate•Contemporary American•4.8(1,491)At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's. We're locally owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare made from scratch with only the freshest available ingredients.… Great pastas, tender steaks, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out the extensive wine list, craft cocktails and beer selections. Join us for live entertainment and special events. Located on the Yahara River in Monona, featuring 23 boat slips for boat parking and dock side carry out.
Summer months include patio seating, that is first come first serve, and non-reservable.
The Statehouse
Price: Expensive•Contemporary American•4.5(1,204)Join us at our signature restaurant, The Statehouse, or simply stop in to catch the sunset over Lake Mendota while enjoying a cocktail at the bar. Located at the corner of Langdon and Wisconsin, you’ll be comfortable in our inviting dining room and regaled by gorgeous views of the lake and surrounding area. Our beautiful restaurant serves regionally sourced, Modern Midwestern Cuisine. Augie's Tavern offers classic cocktails with new twists, an extensive wine list, and of course, the best Wisconsin craft beers.Rare Steakhouse
Price: Expensive•Steakhouse•4.6(1,988)Dining and libations on Capitol Square with an incredible view of the Capitol, Rare combines craft cocktails, in-house dry aged steaks and attentive service in an unabashedly old-school steak house setting. Madison's downtown steakhouse features specialty cuts dry aged in-house, like the Rib Cap and the Delmonico as well as offering more traditional cuts like our filet and our rib eye. Rare is also one of the only purveyors of A5 Wagyu in Madison.
Complimenting our steaks and entrees is a specialty cocktail list and an extensive wine list with everything from wines for a big celebration to a weekday dinner.
If you're just looking for a drink after work, Rare offers discounted cocktails, wines and snacks at happy hour.
Outdoor dining in Wisconsin
See what locals rave about in Madison
From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
- AAlibabaWisconsin •2 reviews4.0Dined 3 days agofood was great. server was good. manager was great. view of capital was excellent. maitre d' was a dud, never even said thank you when we left.More infoEno Vino DowntownPrice: Expensive• Bistro• Madison•4.7
- OTOpenTable DinerWisconsin •2 reviews5.0Dined 4 days agoWe loved Basil! Made my brothers bday experience super fun! Thanks!More infoLucillePrice: Expensive• Pizzeria• Madison•4.4
- LleighGreater Boston •2 reviews4.0Dined 5 days agoGreat drink, great burger…liked the deviled eggs, did not love!More infoMerchantPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Madison•4.3
- BBonedoc79VIPChicago / Illinois •13 reviews5.0Dined 6 days agoFabulous meal in a really fun setting. Our server was delightful. Food was really over the top great and not just typical steakhouse fare. It what I would call cheap but I feel like we very much received what we paid for. The plating of the dishes was really well done as well. Very thoughtfully put together.More infoDraper Brother's ChophousePrice: Very Expensive• Steakhouse• Madison•4.5
- TTomVIPNew York City •17 reviews5.0Dined on 5 Mar 2025Always a treat to return to Rare! Decided to treat the kid & his girlfriend for his birthday. The surrounding are best described as "early Scorsese" or dark lighting with burgundy leather banquet seating. Cool vibes. Waitstaff, mostly college age, all in formal attire. Classy. Y'know? Greeted warmly & professionally by our server, Ashton, who informed us about the foie gras special & took our drink orders. My shaken Hendricks martini with a twist was delivered shortly thereafter & scratched the itch! Ashton then took our order of sweet chili shrimp with lime, the foie gras special with roasted apple, Caesar salad, bone in ribeye, New York strip, brussel sprouts and creamed spinach. The ribeye was cooked perfectly & tender. The NY strip was medium (mid rare was the target temp) and was swiftly refired and served. Shockingly fast too! Delicious. The sides were excellent as well. Somehow he had room for dessert. He ordered the bananas foster (made table side & always a fun show) & the espresso creme brûlée. Ashton kindly served a super smooth chocolate mouse cake square with graham crust topped with whipped cream and a candle. Nice. Just a lovely night all around. If you're craving steak & professional service in an old school setting...I suggest a reservation at Rare!More infoRare SteakhousePrice: Expensive• Steakhouse• Madison•4.6
Restaurant experiences trending in Wisconsin
Get inspired by our collections of the top restaurants in Madison
Discover Madison
Wisconsin's capital surrounds most of Lake Mendota and the nearby suburbs. Whether you're taking a stroll by the water in summer or ice skating downtown during the cooler months, make sure you take a break to try a kringle. Wisconsin is one of only a few states to declare a state pastry, and this delightful Danish dessert is worth the acclaim. If you're looking for a full meal rather than just dessert, head downtown to see a selection of the most popular restaurants. The square around the Capitol is home to a dozen cozy pubs and steakhouses, so you can enjoy an Irish draft beer or classic burger. For those who prefer Asian food, there is a wide array of Thai, Chinese, and Japanese fare to enjoy here as well.
Frequently asked questions
Child friendly restaurants in Madison include The Mariner's Inn, Sugar River Pizza Company and Buck & Honey's - Monona
Explore OpenTable
- Madison East Shopping Center
- Monona Terrace Community And Convention Cent
- State Street
- Shorewood Shopping Center
- Capitol Square
- The Edgewater
- Kohl Center
- Lake Farm County Park
- Burrows Park
- Oak Street Park
- Orton Park
- Allen Centennial Gardens
- Library Mall
- Overture Center for the Arts
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- Wisconsin Veteran's Museum
- Madison Civic Center
- Brittingham Park
- Winnequah Park
- Nerdahl Park