This guide covers restaurants and night-spots from University Avenue down State Street, with a few on the far side of the Capitol Square. A printed version of this guide will be available in your registration packets.

Restaurants are organized by range of entrée prices, and alphabetically within price ranges. Bars and clubs are organized alphabetically. Description links are from The Daily Page, companion website to Madison's free weekly paper The Isthmus. When the establishment name is highlighted as well, the link goes to the establishment's own web page.

Average Dinner Entrée Prices Key
US $1-10 = $
US $10-15 = $$
US $15-25 = $$$
US $25-40 = $$$$

Restaurants

$ Amy's Café (Description)
414 W. Gilman St., 255-8172 (off State)
Mediterranean/American sandwiches, soup, salads.

$ Buraka (Description)
543 State St., 255-3646
African with an Ethiopian emphasis; vegetarian-friendly.

$ Dotty Dumpling's Dowry (Description)
317 N. Frances St. (off State)
Burgers, malts, chili, soups.

$ L'Etoile Market Café (Description)
25 N. Pinckney St., 251-0500 (on the Capitol Square)
Soup, sandwiches, croissants, pastries, coffee.
Note: Breakfast and lunch only!

$ Luther's French Quarter Café (Description)
1401 University Ave., 257-1184
Cajun and Creole, sandwiches and southwestern. Downstairs from Luther's Blues club.

$ Natt Spil (madison.com review)
211 King St. (off the Capitol Square)
New to the Madison scene, in a maroon building, no name on the exterior! Open 4:30pm to "very late." A short menu of pizza, sandwiches, other creations.

$ Peacemeal Vegetarian Restaurant (Description)
115 State St., 251-7687
Not only all-vegetarian, but all-vegan as well!

$ The Plaza Tavern (Description)
319 N. Henry St., 255-6592 (off State)
American: burgers, soup, sandwiches.

$-$$ Casa de Lara (Description)
341 State St., 251-7200
Mexican.

$-$$ Frida Mexican Grill (Description)
117 State St., 257-7742
Mexican.

$-$$ Gino's (Description)
540 State St., 257-9022
Stuffed pizza, Italian favorites, plus burgers.

$-$$ Himal Chuli (Description)
318 State St., 251-9225
Nepalese, vegetarian-friendly, cozy (tight) seating but the food is good! For slightly more upscale Nepalese fare, try Chautara right up the street.

$-$$ Husnu's (Description)
547 State St., 256-0900
Turkish and Italian (hey, they're both Mediterranean!) Vegetarian-friendly as well.

$-$$ Kabul Afghanistan & Mediterranean Restaurant (Description)
541 State St., 256-6322
Middle Eastern seafood, lamb, vegetarian and chicken dishes.

$-$$ Nick's Restaurant (Description)
226 State St., 255-5450
Greek: Spinach pie, gyros, vegetarian options.

$-$$ Restaurant Muramoto (Description)
106 King St., 260-2680
Pan-Asian with a Japanese (sushi) emphasis.

$-$$ Sunroom Cafe (Description)
638 State St., 255-1555
All-day upstairs café, serving Coffee, pastries, soup, pasta. Vegetarian-friendly as well.

$-$$ Tutto Pasta Trattoria & Cafe (Description)
305 State St. 294-1000
Pasta, pasta, and yet more pasta!

$-$$ Vientiane Palace (Description)
151 W. Gorham St., 255-2848 (off State)
Laotian and Thai.

$-$$ Wasabi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar (Description)
449 State St., 255-5020
As the name implies: Japanese, many varieties of sushi.

$$-$$$ Casbah (Description)
119 E. Main St., 255-2272
Mediterranean: falafel, hummus, kebabs, salad.

$$-$$$ Chautara (Description)
334 State St., 251-3626
Nepalese/Himalayan, vegetarian-friendly.

$$-$$$ Grand Lobby Restaurant (in the Orpheum Theatre) (Description)
216 State St., 255-2594
Weekday lunch, weekend brunch, and Friday fish-fry in an elegant theatre lobby.

$$-$$$ Luigi's Diner (Description)
102 King St., 257-0790 (on the Capitol Square)
Italian: pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salad.

$$-$$$ Madison Masala & Sheesha Lounge (Description)
227 State St., 287-1599
Pakistani-Indian, vegetarian-friendly.

$$-$$$ Ocean Grill (Description)
117 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 285-2582 (off the Capitol Square)
Focus on seafood.

$$$-$$$$ Blue Marlin (Description)
101 N. Hamilton St., 255-2255 (off the Capitol Square)
And still more seafood!

$$$-$$$$ Cafe Continental (Description)
108 King St., 251-4880 (off the Capitol Square)
Greek, Italian and French.

$$$-$$$$ Crescent City Grill (Description)
1401 University Ave., Madison, 663-4960
Creole and New Orleans cuisine, downstairs from Luther's Blues club.

$$$-$$$$ Harvest (Description)
21 N. Pinckney St., 255-6075 (on the Capitol Square)
Fancy "slow-food" with seasonal specialties.

$$$-$$$$ Kennedy Manor Restaurant and Bar (Description)
1 Langdon St. 256-5556 (corner of Wisconsin Ave. and Langdon)
French and American specialties; live jazz Thursday and Friday nights.

$$$-$$$$ Nadia's Restaurant and Grapevine Lounge (Description)
508 State St., 257-1740
French Provençal cuisine.

$$$-$$$$ Restaurant Magnus (Description)
120 E. Wilson St., 258-8787 (off the Capitol Square)
South American.

$$$-$$$$ Tornado Club (Description)
116 S. Hamilton St., 256-3570 (off the Capitol Square)
Classic Midwestern supper club with a focus on steaks.

$$$$ L'Etoile (Description)
25 N. Pinckney St., 251-0500 (on the Capitol Square)
If you're looking for a big splurge, this may be it. Nationally-recognized restaurant under the direction of chef Odessa Piper, with American and French cuisine starring locally-grown ingredients.

Bars and Clubs

Amy's Café (Description)
414 W. Gilman St., 255-8172

Angelic Brewing Company (Description)
322 W. Johnson St., 257-2707

Argus Food and Spirits (Description)
123 E. Main St., 256-4141

Cardinal Bar & Dance Club
418 E. Wilson St., 251-0080
Featuring electronic music Wednesdays, Latin music Thursdays, and 1980s on Friday.

Casbah (Description)
119 E. Main St., 255-2272

Club Majestic (Description)
115 King St., 251-2582
House music.

CueNique Billiards
317 W. Gorham (off State), 251-1134

Genna's Cocktail Lounge
105 W. Main St., 255-4770

Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company (Description)
123 E. Doty St., 284-0000

Karaoke Kid
614 University Ave., 251-2900

King Club
114 King St.

Luther's Blues
1401 University Ave., 257-1184
Live music, national & regional acts, right here on campus.

Madison's (Description)
119 King St., 229-0900

Maduro
117 E. Main St., 294-9371
Cigar bar.

Nadia's (Restaurant and) Grapevine Lounge (Description)
508 State St., 257-1740

Natt Spil (madison.com review)
211 King St. (off the Capitol Square)
New to the Madison scene; open "very late" with music by DJ.

Nick's Restaurant Bar (Description)
226 State St., 255-5450

Opus Lounge (Description)
116 King St., 441-6787

Plaza Tavern (Description)
319 N. Henry St., 255-6592

Restaurant Magnus (Description)
120 E. Wilson St., 258-8787
Live music 7 nights a week.

Tornado Club (Description)
116 S. Hamilton St., 256-3570

The Wisconsin Union Rathskeller and Terrace
800 Langdon St., 265-3000

Web Content created by by Joanne Juhnke, Data Program and Library Service in January, 2003. Used with permission. Original page here.

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