Madison Restaurants
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Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro
Price: Expensive•Farm-to-table•4.9(995)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!Sugar River Pizza Company
Price: Moderate•Pizzeria•4.9(490)Made from scratch pizza and hometown comfort food are the focus of this family-run restaurant. Come join us for an evening among friends.
The Mariner's Inn
Price: Moderate•American•4.8(1,858)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•4.6(1,197)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
Buck & Honey's - Monona
Price: Moderate•Contemporary American•4.8(1,509)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.Samba Brazilian Grill
Price: Very Expensive•Brazilian Steakhouse•4.5(1,020)For those of you who are not current or former gauchos who roam the prairies of Brazil, you might need an explanation of our style of service. At the end on a long day of work tending to cattle and stock, Brazilian cowboys (Gauchos) and their families would prepare great feasts. They would skewer various meats, roast them over a fire pit and bring them to the table for carving. There would be a bounty of seasonal vegetables, stews and salads using fresh ingredients from the fruits of their labor.
The Statehouse
Price: Expensive•Contemporary American•4.6(1,217)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(1,989)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.
Liberty Station - Madison
Price: Moderate•Barbecue•4.7(581)Liberty Station - Madison offers BBQ and American comfort food in Madison.Bonfyre American Grille
Price: Moderate•Contemporary American•4.8(2,376)Bonfyre features Contemporary American Cuisine in an upscale-casual environment. In addition to our hand-cut, wood-fired steaks, guests can enjoy fresh seafood, rotisserie chicken, pastas, signature salads and so much more from our seasonally changing menu.
To complement the cuisine, Bonfyre’s bar features classic cocktails with a modern twist, creative new libations, domestic craft beer selections and a wine list consisting of 60 labels from both North and South America.
See what locals rave about in Madison
From verified diners like you
From verified diners like you
- MmitchVIPChicago / Illinois •6 reviews5.0Dined 2 days agoExcellent food and service! Can’t wait to come back. The Tomahawk was perfectly prepared.More infoDraper Brother's ChophousePrice: Very Expensive• Steakhouse• Madison•4.4
- EErikNew York City •2 reviews5.0Dined 6 days agoLucille never disappoints. My partner and I go regularly, and the staff is always incredibly thoughtful and accommodating of my hearing loss—seating us in spots where I can comfortably engage in conversation. Ally, the GM, even reached out before our last reservation to let me know about a planned special event and the expected increase in noise. I was aware of it and am grateful for the care she gave. As expected, everything turned out great. It’s also heartening to see them support good causes. And as always, the food is excellent - I’m a fiend for the steel pan pizza. Great food, great people, great atmosphere.More infoLucillePrice: Expensive• Pizzeria• Madison•4.5
- JJoshuaWisconsin •1 review5.0Dined on Apr 13, 2025Food was excellent. The steaks were on point. The sides were delicious. The staff were amazing. It was a lovely night celebrating a friend's birthday.More infoRare SteakhousePrice: Expensive• Steakhouse• Madison•4.6
- RRandyVIPWisconsin •18 reviews5.0Dined on Apr 9, 2025Fun dinner with friends. The service was excellent, food delicious and beautifully presented. The ambience was perfect for a night out with friends.More infoMerchantPrice: Expensive• Contemporary American• Madison•4.2
- CCourtneyNew York City •1 review5.0Dined on Apr 9, 2025Amazing as always! I come here every time I visit Madison.More infoEno Vino DowntownPrice: Expensive• Bistro• Madison•4.7
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 Sugar River Pizza Company, The Statehouse and Liberty Station - Madison
Explore OpenTable
- Sam Roth Park
- Heritage Heights Park
- Lake Mendota
- The Edgewater
- Madison Area Technical College
- Burrows Park
- Oak Street Park
- Morrison Park
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Capitol Square
- Overture Center for the Arts
- Frost Woods Park
- Elvehjem Park
- University Station Mall
- Capitol Square
- Edward Klief Park
- Camp Randall Stadium
- Library Mall
- Brigham Park
- Babcock Park