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The Old Fashioned
Categories: Nightlife Restaurants American (New) Restaurants German Restaurants Steakhouses Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Nightlife, American (New), German, Steakhouses, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
23 N Pinckney StMadison, WI 53703
(608) 310-4545
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 am
Sat 9 am - 2 am
Sun 9 am - 10 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Fri, Wed
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
302 reviews for The Old Fashioned
Review Highlights
"Cheese Curds are out of this world yummy."
(in 127 reviews)
"and don't forget Friday night Fish Fry."
(in 6 reviews)
"Their local beer selection was excellent."
(in 24 reviews)
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302 reviews in English
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Review from Steve G.
Madison, WI
1/20/2012
If you are looking for THE place for breakfast, look no further. The Old Fashioned serves up a delicious breakfast menu, where the only problem is choosing what you are going to order since everything looks so good. To put it simply: you cannot go wrong.
Come with your patience because this place fills up quickly and often times you may have to wait a short while (mostly only on weekends with nicer weather).
The Old Fashioned sits off of N. Pinckey Street, so grab a window seat to catch a great view of the magnificent Wisconsin State Capitol. Despite the crowds, there is a cozy, down home atmosphere inside. It is both a great place to bring the whole family or relax with a good book. -
Review from Bridget K.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2012
My family and I took a weekend trip to Madison from Chicago. It also happened to be a Saturday when the Badgers were playing basketball and hockey games. After spending the day at the basketball game and walking around Madison we were ready for a nice dinner.
We waited about an hour for a table of 6. We arrived around 6 so waited until 7. The one annoying thing is that you can't put your name in and walk away so we waited outside for a bit. When we were seated we ordered our food.
We got the cheese curds with the different dipping sauces for an appetizer. They were amazing! I got the Mac and Cheese...I mean when in Wisconsin. It was decent, but I've had better.
One of the highlights of our trip to The Old Fashioned besides the location and atmosphere was the draft root beer. I'm sure I'll visit again the next time I visit Madison, hopefully over the summer when it's warm. -
Review from Nicole H.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
We go to Madison about once a month for various Badger sporting events. Sometimes we do double-headers and have to find somewhere to kill some time between the two events.
Let me put in here that I was a little disappointed by Yelp Madison - the top 10 reviews are for bakeries and coffee houses, making it difficult to find what locals think is a great place to eat.
Anyway, we ended up choosing the Old Fashioned a few days in advance, so I spent some time looking at the menu online and was really looking forward to trying some of their food.
Because of the timing of the events, we got there about 4:30. The place was still pretty busy considering it was pre-dinner time. It's a good thing we got there at that time, since it was absolutely stuffed to the gills by the time we left at 6.
Despite having like 140 beers, they carry just one hard cider, which I think is a little ridiculous. But I ordered it. It wasn't very good.
So I perused the giant beer menu and went for an apple New Glarus I'd had elsewhere and loved. They were out of it. And before I could even go back to the menu, the waitress let me know they were out of 2 other fruit beers. However, the waitress suggested a beer on special that, based on the name, I'd never had tried, but it was quite good. So good on her for knowing the flavor profiles of what they had available.
Since it was early, I was still pretty stuffed from lunch and the meals there all looked huge. I knew from Yelp that the fried cheese curds were a must and I couldn't imagine how I'd handle a whole meal, so I decided to piece on together.
I ordered the curds for us to share, then ordered a side of the dill potato salad and a bowl of the beer cheese soup.
The curds were as advertised - spectacular. But everything else was a disappointment.
The beer cheese soup is clearly made with sharp cheddar - it had that good, sharp bite. But it was also incredibly gritty because hard cheese like that doesn't melt well. You could see the gritty pieces all over the spoon. It was just an unpleasant texture.
Also, because it was so sharp, it was kind of a lot - if you know what I mean. It needed some bread or a pretzel or .... something to break up the strong flavor. It came with a small packet of oyster crackers, but those just soaked up the soup and didn't accomplish anything.
And the dill potato salad didn't taste anything like dill. It was ok, but not great, but I as someone who loves dill, I was really looking forward to it so the lack of flavor really disappointed me.
So I think the food was probably pretty ok, but after reading the menu I was really looking forward to these things and they failed to meet my expectations.
The boyfriend, incidentally, had the Saturday night Prime Rib special and it was delicious. He ordered the "small" and the plate was huge, with a giant mound of onion strings, which I don't think he even touched, plus a baked potato and the Prime Rib. The Prime Rib was melt-in-your-mouth.
I wish my meal had lived up to the promise of one bite of his.
We were in the room off to the left of the hostess station and there is a long bar there. As the restaurant got more and more crowded, so did the bar and there just wasn't room for all those people. Folks were bumping into the back of the BFs chair and the servers couldn't even get through. -
Review from Tiffany S.
Destin, FL
2/5/2012
Food, service, drinks, it's all A+!!!
They have nightly specials that are great. Tuesday night is tacos,, the chicken is amazing -
Review from Rachel H.
1/16/2012
A gal like me would be found in a place called "The Old Fashioned." I'm a lover and collector of typewriters, Polaroid cameras, anything old and fogey-ish. Add in the Wisconsin culture, and I am sold.
This place screams 'Sconnie from the curds to the selection of local beers to the ability to add Braunschweiger or ring bologna to menu items. Pickled egg anyone? I didn't partake in any of these goodies, but I did get curds as well as sample several beers (go with the sampler glasses set in a little wooden Wisconsin). I also tried the Wisconsin style old fashioned with Korbel. It's sweeter than the traditional one, but I have a spot in my heart for it nonetheless. My sandwich was good, the curds were better.
This place is popular and does get crowded, but I do hope to brave those crowds on a repeat trip sooner rather than later. Hold the pickled eggs. -
Review from Nev D.
Madison, WI
1/15/2012
This is the place that heart-clogging, Wisconsin food dreams are made of. Cheese curds, bacon on anything and everything, braunschweiger!!!!!
I have a strong physical and emotional dependence on their house burger. It's like lunch and breakfast in the same bun. There's some stuff I've had bad experiences with (the pork sandwich mostly- it was bland and too meaty), but no hard feelings.
The drinks are good, but nothing to die for. It's a bar so it's loud, that's not something I take issue with. Karaoke there is generally pretty amusing and there are good drink specials.
If you want a good, heavy meal to knock you into a nap, this is the place. -
Review from Janel J.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2012
Weary from studying all day, searching for the truest of true Wisconsin experiences, my friends and I (self-aware pretentious visitors from Chicago) were lured to The Old Fashioned by tales of fried cheese curds, cheese, cream, burgers, more fried things, and bountiful Wisconsin natives. We waited for a bit over an hour for a table for 3 at 7PM on a Saturday night. It was worth it.
I'll never forget about my first bite into the burger I had. I could do nothing but exclaim, "This is the best burger I've ever had!" and promptly fall into a rapturous food coma. The bun is blissfully soft, but sturdy enough to keep the burger together, rather than deteriorate as some other hefty burgers are wont to.
The fried cheese curds are also delightfully squeaky - as we were promised - and were served with some kind of interesting sauce. My friend sampled the eponymous drink and was pleased. But, let's be honest, the burger stole the show. -
Review from Christine L.
Chicago, IL
1/19/2012
This bar was packed when my bf and I walked in! The wait was supposed to be 2 hours, but luckily, we were able to snag some seats by the bar fairly quickly.
We immediately ordered cheese curds and the cheese spread sampler (when in Wisconsin...) The cheese curds were like little fried pieces of crack! I still think about them every so often. And the cheese spread was equally appetizing. The beef jerky we later ordered came as a generous slice that covered half of the plate it came on. It was the perfect salty snack to go with our beer. The beer selection at this place is great and is bound to have something for everyone.
Big thumbs up to Madison after visiting this place! -
Review from Angelina C.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
Everything people say is true. Fresh fried cheese curds, a delectable lazy susan platter (cheese spread! pickled beets and green beans! Wisconsin red potato salad!), more cheese curds, friendly service and 2-for-1 drink speclals in the afternoon.
It was so, so good to be home. -
Review from April P.
Brookfield, IL
I came to Madison to visit my brother recently and this is where he took me. He said, 'we need to go to The Old Fashioned because it's December and they'll be serving their cherry bounce'
so I said, 'what is a cherry bounce?'
Apparently all year they soak cherries in separate jars of vodka, brandy and bourbon. Yummo!
We tried each kind. To be honest, they all just tasted like cherry pie to me - so no difference between the different alcohol mixes. But! They were all AMAZING! If you're in Madison in December at all, be sure to check this out. Delicious! Also, there's nothing like a seasonal special - especially when it's seasonal because it takes all year!
I had their mac and cheese to eat which was delicious. My brother and I also got a cheese plate (the no. 1) in advance, and that too was incredible. The staff was friendly and sweet.
Tip: on a Friday you have to get there probably before/at 5:00 if you want to get a table.Listed in: Tourism
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Review from Helen S.
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for a networking/informational dinner. We started with cheese curds because this was my first and only time in Wisconsin, and I heard that you can't visit without trying the cheese. We told the waitress to surprise us, so I don't know which ones she surprised us with, but they were decent. A girl in the group said that they were the best she has ever tried, but I don't really have a standard to compare this with so I have no clue.
I ordered the scandinavian style chicken dinner, which was a half chicken rubbed with cinnamon/cardamom/juniper, with mashed potatoes and stuffing on the side. Everything was decent but nothing about my meal stood out to me.
Lovely decorations -
Review from Dustin F.
12/10/2011
If you are a Madison visitor, this is a must stop before you go. After dinner a group of colleagues and I hit this bar to get, what else, an Old Fashioned Sweet and some CHEESE!!!! The waiter was awesome and the drinks were phenomenal. Here's where it got a bit fun - think a cross between Fear Factor and Fraternity Hazing. A senior leader at the company decided to test the meddle of the group and ordered the following (all out of a jar, mind you):
-Turkey Gizzard
-Pickled Egg
-Ham Hock
-Beef Jerkey
-15 Year old cheddar
-Weird other cheese
-Cheese curds
Well the beef jerkey, curds, and 15 year old cheddar were outstanding. As for my eating of the gizzard, hock, and others - let's just say this, I DESERVE A PROMOTION!
Definitely check this bar/restaurant out - good vibe, good drinks, and a good menu. -
Review from Tabitha T.
Champaign, IL
1/7/2012 3 photos
Came for a late lunch and left extremely happy. The cheese curds with tiger sauce were the best I've ever had. I loved the New England clam chowder, which I normally don't care for. The Old Fashioned burger is something I wish I could bring back home. It was perfectly seasoned, and the complement of the garlic sauce and yolk of the soft egg made me fall in love with this burger. A seat next to the window also provides an amazing view of the Capitol building.
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Review from Jeff L.
Morton, IL
1/23/2012
Great food and atmosphere. Ordering is interesting in that you write on card and pay at register. They missed our appetizers and as a result they paid for them!! Cheese curds are a must, even if you are healthy eater... The are so good they haunt you later. Great selection of Wisconsin beers.
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Review from Bryan C.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
Really, the cheese curds alone are worth a 5 star review. But everything else is just as good! I would say if you are in Madison you must stop what you are doing, run to this place and order some cheese curds and a beer, but it seems that everyone already knows that! It was packed when we first arrived from Chicago at 12:30 on a Saturday. We had to wait about 45 minutes for a two top, but when you get to sip on a frosty glass of the local Hopalicious brew while you're waiting, the time just flies by. So after devouring the basket of cheese curds (served with smoked paprika dipping sauce, thank you very much) in about 4 minutes, I moved on to ordering a flight of delicious craft brews which came out proudly displayed on a Wisconsin shaped tray. Lunch was an amazing sandwich that consisted of grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, zucchini and goat cheese piled on buttery, lightly toasted country bread. YUM. The service was exceptional. Our waiter made excellent beer suggestions and even wrote down the name of one so we could remember it after we left. We happened to be in Madison for a night and I'm glad someone recommended The Old Fashioned for lunch, however I would have no problem driving two hours from Chicago to hit this place up again sometime. It was worth the drive.
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Review from Jay E.
East Providence, RI
1/7/2012
Madison is an awesome city and the Old Fashioned is a local icon. Since we were in Wisconsin we decided that we had to sample the cheese curds and I am glad we did because they were awesome! Service was very friendly and fast despite being busy. Highly recommend.
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Review from Cheri W.
Austin, TX
12/24/2011
I really, really wanted to like this place, unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.
As usual, when visiting Madison, the hubby and I check Yelp for a cool place to chill, sample some local brew, and get away from the relatives.
As a native Wisconsinite, I was excited about getting some deep fried cheesecurds. I'd heard really good things about the curds here, but unfortunately, they let me down. They would have been outstanding if they'd been fried to a crisp. Unfortunately, they were soggy and blah.
Next, we tried the New England Clam Chowder (not very Wisconsin, but hey). I'm certain that it was straight out of a can. It was fine...if you like Campbell's, but we were hoping for something more fresh, and less bland.
At the suggestion of my brother, the hubby ordered a walleye sandwich and fries for his entree. I'm not a fish purveyor, so maybe this is typical, but it had no flavor. None. The fries were clearly not made onsite, and they too, were not done as much as they should have been.
I ordered the #40, a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon on Texas Toast and a side of onion strings. The grilled cheese was so good! It was gooey, the bacon crisp, and the toast was buttery. Score! The onion stings were not fried enough.
My hubby ordered a flight of beer to try the local offerings. The server told us that when ordering, you have to stick to one page, since the pages don't communicate. it's almost like you're ordering from a different establishment if you order from one page or the other. Weird. The hubby enjoyed the vast selection.
Our bill came to around $50. Normally I don't mind paying that much for a good meal, but I walked out feeling disappointed. If the soup had been fresh and the curds, fries, and strings had been done enough, this would have been a great meal.
The atmosphere was loud and crowded. We sat at a table that never should have been placed where it was. It was near a door so every time someone came in or left, we were blasted with WI winter air. Also, there was no flow for the servers or the other guests who were waiting so we were frequently bumped and had people breathing over us. Not cool. (I'm a huge fan of personal space.)
Like I said, I wanted to like this place. My sandwich was reasonably priced at around $7, but that and the beer selection are the only things I'd go back for. I have a feeling the next time we're in Madison, we'll be looking for a new place to try. -
Review from Dani B.
San Diego, CA
11/25/2011
Loved this place!!
Came back to Madison for Wisconsin fare, and that's exactly what I got.
Started the night off with well, an old fashioned; Wisconsin-style with Korbel. That's the way my parents drink em', so I thought I'd give the old stand by a try. It was most delicious! The drink was made well--very sweet and with real fruit. Yum!
Moved on to some local delicacies--a pickled turkey gizzard (not worth the chewing), and a PBR with a spicy pickled egg in it. They served that to me in a chalace, it was pretty wonderful and disgusting. Their local beer selection was excellent. We tried some local porters and IPAs. It was good they were representing Wi
The food was great! We had the deep fried cheese curds and onion stacks for apps. Then we shared the potato leek soup (soup of the day) and the trout. Both were very delicious.
Can't wait to come back! -
Review from Eric O.
Madison, WI
1/12/2012
I've never had a bad meal here. And while I wouldn't say I've had a mind-blowingly great meal here, everything I've had has been a well-executed, slightly-upscale take on the "supper club" food I grew up with.
Well, one exception on that "mind-blowing" thing - the fried cheese curds are amazing. It's a feat to elevate something as heavy as fried cheese to a crispy, transcendent little morsel, but they do an excellent job (and offer a wide variety of tasty dipping sauces. I prefer the smoked paprika).
Breakfast, lunch, dinner - always solid, always delicious. Breakfast/brunch here is a hidden gem - fresh scrambled eggs, house-cured smoked salmon, granola with Door county cherries, and other takes on brunchy classics make appearances, and there's even a few actual good options for vegetarians.
I've always had fresh ingredients, excellent preparation and seasoning, generous but not overwhelming portions. Oh, and they have one of the better Friday fish fries in town, especially the walleye. I've heard their Saturday prime rib is delicious, too, but I've never actually been able to get a table on a Saturday night to try it.
And therein lies the restaurant's main problem. The Old Fashioned is a victim of its own success. Even after the expansion into the old L'Etoile space, the restaurant is seemingly always uncomfortably crowded, loud, and the waits for a table are often unreasonably long. If you do choose to wait, you can either pack into the bar area, stand outside, or try to cram yourself into the tiny vestibule. It's not really something they can do terribly much about (although I do wish I didn't feel like I was running a gauntlet past the bar to get to the restrooms), but it is uncomfortable enough that when they say "it'll be about an hour wait for a table" I usually go elsewhere. -
Review from Jessica W.
Ann Arbor, MI
Yum. I wish there was an equivalent of The Old Fashioned in Ann Arbor, but perhaps it is best that there isn't, because my disposable income isn't as flexible as I'd like.
Their drink menu is massive. Out of the few I tried, I enjoyed the hard lemonade the most, though the raspberry beer wasn't bad either. I'm not huge on fried food, but the garlic cheese curds were sufficiently tasty. The pork shoulder sandwich probably wasn't the best choice for me, as I prefer salads, but it was also above average, as far as sandwiches go.
Not too shabby, Madison. -
Review from Hyesun K.
Laguna Beach, CA
11/8/2011
I would definitely stop by again when i'm back in wisconsin =)
i went there for lunch and it was getting really crowded. it was a neat restaurant that offers a TON of beer selection!!! the service was ok.
i ordered the Old Fashioned House Burger. Their burger was sooo big that i had to eat with fork and knife!!!! soft cooked egg oozing over thick slices of bacon and topped with fried onions.... it's a perfect combo!!! garlic sauce enhaced the whole experience... oh so good!!!! their bread was so yummy... oh gosh i'm drooling as i type this! i usually don't rave about hamburgers but i'm totally raving this one!!!!
Mmmmm... cheesecurds... that was the main attraction and i'm so glad i did~ i had to bring some back to California!!! it was quite tasty!!! it was a bit salty in my opinion, but loved the chewy inside!! almost reminded me of fried mozarella but with more flavor!! i wonder if i can make this at home =)
If you're in the area or driving through the capital, totally should stop by this place and try their food! -
Review from Brittney S.
Farmington, MI
1/6/2012
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Madison. I come here every time I'm in town. Such a nice up-scale twist on classic Wisconsin food. I love the cheese plate appetizers! They have great breakfast options and great salads. As a vegetarian I have lots of things to choose from here! Great bloody marys with lots of veggies and beer chaser! It can get very busy on weekend mornings during the summer since its right across from the farmers market. And it's a great night life spot too!
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Review from Loic C.
9/22/2011
I love cheese! I mean real cheese. I love beer! I mean good microbrews.
After taking the tour of the beautiful Wisconsin Capitol, we stumbled upon the menu of this great american classic restaurants. The menu is typical american bar food but... They use Wisconsin cheeses and serve tons of microbrews. The special on tap is so inexpensive! Just awesome. We wanted to try everything that add the combo Cheese + Beer so...
In winter, it is a great place to get your calories up after loosing them all in the cold.
We tried:
House-made fresh Wisconsin beer battered cheese curds: Great curds. The batter is crunchy and tasty. There are a little oily but you know it is fried food. Challenge achieved the dish had Cheese and Beer.
Wisconsin beer cheese soup garnished with popcorn: We just had to have it as it is a specialty of the region. It was heavy but really good. Challenge achieved the dish had Cheese and Beer. (Obviously)
The Old Fashioned House Burger: It is a grilled over fire and topped with fried onions, Bavaria's hickory-smoked bacon, aged Cheddar, garlic sauce and a soft-cooked egg on a buttered and toasted roll. It is a massive burger. I love eggs on burger! The meat was good, the cheese great. The flavors were bold and strong. The egg could have been a it better. Overall a great burger. So this dish did not have beer in it but we drank beers with it so it kind of counts.
Cheese and Beer for every course: Mission Accomplished.
In Wisconsin bars, you receive a card with 100 microbrews listed. You get a stamp every time you try a different beer. Too bad I was just visiting.Listed in: american classics, Burgers, Bars
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Review from Brendan F.
Madison, WI
11/5/2011
Never any better choice if you want a good Sconnie meal. The Old Fashioned is one of the things I miss most about Wisconsin after moving to New Orleans. HUGE tap beer selection, amazing fish fry, heavy, heavy food. Delicious, unique meals, made with local products whose origins are told right there on the menu.
The only tidbit I've learned that disappointed me slightly was that the fries are from bags in the freezer, but they are still delicious, especially when you add their Spanish paprika sauce. Still, gotta go with cheese curds from the Old Fashioned, right?
Some recommendations are:
Everything -
Review from Tyler G.
Boulder, CO
The old fashioned is aptly named. I was slightly upset that I went for lunch since I previously had my hopes on trying their old fashioned. I got the meatloaf sandwich on texas toast and upgraded to fried cheese curds for a side. I was thoroughly embarrassed that I could only eat about a third of the meal . . . . yeah its heavy stuff. Lunch was an interesting format; order at the bar and pay right away. Food came quick and people checked on us a few times.
Location: Great (literally next to the capitol and very accessible by about a million buses).
Feel: Old-world-wisco-pub with a touch of new world flair.
Staff: little interactions due to the lunch format, but everyone was nice.
Food: Portioning was super heavy and the meatloaf was basic. Food was good for what it was, although I had hopes for something a little more thought out. -
Review from Peter K.
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Old Fashioned is a great place for groups. They have a variety of sandwiches and daily specials that cater to whatever need you have. Our table ordered a side of cheese and crackers (came with three types of cheeses that were all fantastic), and a variety of sausage that came was also awesome. They make some very soft macaroni and cheese that is topped with bread crumbs. It comes in a mini boat style plate that comes with a large quantity of macaroni and cheese. Their prime rib sandwich is average (the meat is fairly tender but doesn't go too well with the bread and it also comes out extremely juicy which makes the bread a bit soggy).
They also have a wide range of drinks. Their hard apple cider shot is really good. It balances that cider taste with a slight bit of alcohol. -
Review from Greg w.
Madison, WI
11/6/2011
This is one of the best Madison restaurants. It's fairly cheap, got an outrageous beer selection, and has a few really excellent pub food choices. The burgers and curds....out of control.
The let downs? You're going to have to wait at least 30 minutes to be seated and they don't take reservations for small parties. But you can just spend that time drinking at the bar! -
Review from Christina H.
Manhattan, NY
Didn't live up to the review standards. Great sandwiches though
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Review from Lynn G.
Appleton, WI
10/23/2011
Love Love Love! If I eat here on a regular basis I will surely move up in dress sizes quickly!
Low key, warm, earthy, hardwood, laid back, and a friendly staff to greet you as you enter. Love the little lanterns, but I am a sucker for anything oriental or remotely close to it.
Our waitress was ready to take our orders right away, asked if we needed more time, and educated me on their sauce offerings.
The drink menu is gargantuan. Besides a plethora of beers and wines, you can build your own Old Fashioned, of course!
Cheese curds. The best I have had. Hands down. There are also high quality cheese plates available. Tonight, however, I was going for hardcore, no holds barred eating. When in Rome...
I very rarely eat red meat. Never in my home. The burger was perfect. Medium as I asked for, with bacon, egg, caramelized onions, oh my. I do not know if a Red Robin exists in Madtown. I am sure it does. Why on Earth would you set foot in that place when you can get one of the tastiest, high quality burgers you may just ever have in your life here? Well, at least in Wisconsin anyways. I opted to go with their seasoned potato salad instead of fries. Now, how did they know I was a fan of dill, hmm? Yummy!
No room for desert. I bet it is awesome.
In my Arnold voice, "I'll be baaaaackkk" -
Review from V P.
Madison, WI
10/7/2011
Best place in Madison if you eat there once a month. Not so great if you eat there every day.
Drinks are beyond amazing and priced beautifully in the Wisconsin fashion. Waitstaff is plentiful. Atmosphere is perfect.
Everything has cheese in it, and I mean it. I will go there for the rest of my life. -
Review from Lisa K.
11/22/2011
I was really happy that they quickly found a place for our group of ten or twelve ona Friday night, and the servers were really friendly. There was a pretty decent selection of beer, but I wasn't too into the "build your own old fashioned" concept, although drinks with a pickled egg or brussel sprouts were quite intriguing, as does the food, so maybe I just went the wrong direction.
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Review from Don Z.
7/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place gets great reviews so my wife suggested we go here for lunch.
We arrived by walking and it was already pretty busy around 11:45 on a Friday.
A host seated us at one of those booth/table combo seats in the front window area. We were handed menus and then asked if we had joined them for lunch before. When we answered "no", it was then that we found out that they do some kind of half-ass table service for lunch.
The customer is expected to read the menu, and remember the number of the sandwich. Then go up and stand in line by the bar cashier to order. Oh and if you want a beer from their extensive list, then you also need to remember that, but that list is not on the menu they handed you at the table. I saw a sign hanging with the list, but then a passing waitress noticed me reading it and handed me a beer menu saying that they weren't all listed on the sign. There are numbers next to the beers, but don't bother remembering those, because the cashier was confused by them, explaining that they change all the time.
So we eventually ordered and paid. (How do you determine a tip on a credit card when you haven't actually been served yet?)
My beer was handed to me at the bar. For some reason, my wife's chosen beer was not immediately available and we were told it would be delivered to the table. I wish mine had been as well.
The beers were served in ICE cold glasses. This is NOT a good thing. I had to wait forever for my beer to warm to drinking temperature.
So back at our table with a little number on a stick, we waited for our food. It came out promptly and we dug in. My turkey sandwich with onion strings was delicious. My wife also enjoyed her grilled cheese with Swiss and cheddar and peppers.
Because it was a "work" day at lunch time, we appeared to be the only ones drinking beer at any of the tables that I could see. Maybe the bizarre service style better accommodates the in and out lunch crowd.
After we finished our sandwiches, we sat and enjoyed our beer, but we felt no desire to extend our stay by going through the trouble of getting another beer.
Overall I wanted to like Old Fashioned. The food was very good and the beer selection was an impressive list of Wisconsin breweries, some of which I had never heard of before. Unfortunately, the service was so disappointing that it sullied my opinion of this place. I hope they are better at dinner time. -
Review from Corey S.
Madison, WI
9/19/2011
Beer & Sandwiches.
This was my first ever solo planned dining experience in Madison, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I walked in for a beer and a sandwich, and I got the best beer and sandwich of recent memory.
For Beer, I got a belgian blonde which the bartender recommended. After having that beer, the bartender brought me no less than 20 samples of other beers to try. All of the taps are from Wisconsin and the bartenders are super knowledgeable about them. So for beer 5 stars.
As far as sandwiches go, I went with the No. 38 which was a summer sausage sandwich and I also got sauerkraut on it. IT WAS MINDBLOWING. One of the best sandwiches I've had. A nice combination of mustard and kraut and sausage.
So if you're into beer and sandwiches, you should be into the old fashioned. -
Review from Amber M.
Chicago, IL
8/17/2011
Beer batter cheese curds. with tiger sauce. i don't know what tiger sauce is, but its delicious. The cheese curds are to die for. my husband, who is lactose intolerant, eats a dish each time we go by himself and believes it to be well worth the bonding time he later has with the bathroom (caused by his lactose intolerance and should not be taken as a fault of the cheese curds).
That being said, the rest of the food is A-OK, as is the space. Nothing special. Just salads with a bit too much dressing, sandwiches and fried fish-- all of which i've had better at other places.
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Review from Ryan C.
Madison, WI
9/7/2011
This place has NEVER disappointed me!
It's high quality, good old fashioned comfort food in an incredibly comfortable setting. No matter what you decide to order, you really can't go wrong, but if I were to recommend anything it would be the Beer-battered Walleye Sandwich, it is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Every bite has the perfect combination of flavors, I have no idea how they do it.
The cheese curds are also amazing and you must have an old fashioned. I prefer a brandy old fashioned sweet. -
Review from Thomas H.
WI
8/2/2011
I really want to like this place better. By the looks of the photos on here I think I just had a below average experience.
We went this July - knew it would be crowded and it was. No biggie, we were prepared to have a drink while we waited anyways and found two barstools open at the bar! I ordered the Brandy Slush - a past favorite of my wives. It wasn't mixed right - was way too sweet and didn't have the right mix - and the bartender was a bit of a jerk. No big deal, but probably won't get that again.
Saw a co-worker at the bar who told us they love love love the Cheese Curds here. My first mistake was not ordering any. I guess I wasn't in a fried cheese curd mood - plus I ended up ordering the Mac and Cheese with Ring Bologna and figured that would be enough cheese. Maybe it had to do with the fact that it was Summer and hot - but I did not enjoy the Mac and Cheese and Ring Bologna. The cheese sauce was not yummy or impressive and although the Ring Bologna may have been of good quality - it wasn't what I expected. Might have been better on a super cold wintery night. My wife got a sandwich and that looked much better.
Service was OK considering they were packed full and had a good waiting list. From the photos online and other dishes I saw around me, I think I'll give this place another try - but from this first visit I wasn't impressed. -
Review from Sarah P.
6/19/2011
Inspired by the traditions of Wisconsin taverns and supper clubs, The Old Fashioned was created to pay tribute to the foods and spirits that make Wisconsin famous.
They are open weekdays for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, dinner and late night.
They serve traditional local fare and during the summer they are literally at the doorstep of the huge farmers market that Madison has become famous for.
It is a great complement as Old Fashioned strives to use all locally purchased ingredients from the farms to our tables.
Everything here is fresh and tasty.
This is the perfect place to take guests from out of town and show them what Wisconsin food is all about. It is also an excellent place to go yourself, if you want to know about the traditional food favorites of the state you live in.Listed in: Madison Local
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Review from Esther K.
Chicago, IL
7/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great beer list. They make the best old fashioned cocktails. You have to order one when you eat here. Fried cheese curds with garlic sauce is the perfect snack when you stop in for drinks.
They are known for their burgers and rightfully so. I love the fried egg on it- even if it can get messy. Their fries are not my favorite..nothing special. -
Review from Jenny D.
Madison, WI
Updated - 9/9/2011
Went recently for breakfast on a Sunday. We were going to go to Sophia's and then Marigold, both were totally packed. Walked down to Old Fashioned and got seated right away.
Had one of the scramblers and it was awesome! My son had the belgian waffle from the kids menu, which came with a bowl of fruit. So good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/21/2010
I heart the Old Fashioned.
How can you not love a place that only has Wisconsin beers? (I'm… Read more »
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Review from Joseph H.
6/22/2011
If you ever make it to Madison, you gotta check out this spot. Right on the capital - if you can sit outside in the summertime, even better.
I will advise that this place is ALWAYS packed. If you think that you're going to walk up to this place during normal lunch and dinner hours and just get seated, your kidding yourself. That being said, they did just expand into the spot that L'Etoile used to be, so it's probably not as bad as it used to be.
Still, this place is RE-DIK-U-LUS. You can't beat the burger unless you head east to the Caribou. Melt in your mouth.
The bloody mary is also solid if your working on your hangover.
Outside of that, keep it up Madison. For a small city, the food joints can hang.
