Cadre Restaurant

We went in with really high hopes since we had heard such great things about the place and wanted to see for ourselves! It has a fancy vibe for the price, but we found the food to be just okay. While we were a bit let down, we appreciated the experience. The service could improve, and the food didn’t quite meet our expectations. I felt like the food looked better than what it tasted. The cocktails were also okay. Would I put it in my top-of-restaurants list? No. Would I recommend it? No. However, I also wouldn't say it was a terrible experience. It was just meh, nothing crazy, and none of the dishes were unique and crazy good.

It's probably best not to think of this as anything other than a casual place, as the food is only average, the service is barely a notch above non-existent, and the atmosphere resembles the love child of a diner and a bar. My husband and I visited Cadre on the eve of 2/13/25 to celebrate my birthday; we were unimpressed and disappointed. The food was adequate. We had appetizers (Blood Orange Salad, Chickpea Panisse), entrees (Scallops on lentils, Duck Breast with tart cherries), and dessert (Crème Brûlée, Napoleon in Rags), as well as the sommelier suggested wine. The appetizers were the best, food-wise, of the night--flavorful and a good combination of taste and texture. The scallops left much to be desired. They needed more sear, were a bit tough, and overly salty. The flavors did not complement each other at all. The duck was better, with less discordant flavors than the scallops, but the dish was was more of a collection of individual flavors and textures (crisp mushrooms, limp spinach, smooth pureed sunchoke), which were fine on their own but did not contribute to a harmonious whole. Dessert was okay. The brandied crème brûlée tasted mostly of brandy. There was a crunchy layer of sugar on top, as crème brûlée requires, but it was rather thin and the accompaniments did not seem to add anything (other than dressing up the plate). The Napoleon was basically chocolate mousse with freshly diced mango. The puff pastry garnish was more akin to thin, salty cracker pieces and the two herb leaves on top didn't add much. It looked nice, but was basically a deconstructed mango chocolate mousse. The best part of the meal was the sommelier-suggested wine, a Pinot Meunier. It brought out the nuttiness of the salad and the cherries from the duck. Top-notch pairing despite the so-so food. Food presentation (how the food looked) was also great. The worst part of our visit was easily the service. (We made reservations well in advance, so it wasn't like a surprise visit.) Food was slow to come out. Our server barely interacted with us and, more importantly, was highly inattentive. She left our water glasses empty for quite a while and my husband had to explicitly ask for more water when she next visited, after which she brought out a water jug to set on our table (she didn't even pour to refill the glass while she was there). I don't think she even gave us her name, much less ask if we were celebrating anything, which would have been an easy conversation starter given that their Valentine's menu was out. We're believers in waitstaff being able to make a living wage, but if there was ever an argument for why tipping should be a thing, this was it; we would have been better off without a server, even if we had to wait to be called up to get our own food or use a drink dispenser. The automatic 20% service charge was just salt in the wound. The atmosphere was definitely more on the casual side. Most of the patrons we saw were dressed more casually (or just plain casual). If you're looking for a place to dress up and not feel out of place, this is not it. I was in a knee-length dress with a knit cardigan, black tights, and boots and I felt overdressed.... Parking was not great. There's a little lot to the side that was full when we arrived and full when we left. We parked on the street, which had space due to all the snow piled up there. All in all, if you're looking for a place to be forgotten about, unacknowledged, and for imitation eye candy that tastes bland (or maybe just for the bar), yeah, this is your place. If you're looking to celebrate a special occasion or to make (good) memories, look elsewhere. There are MANY better options with better food and service at this price point, and we'll be going to one of those for all our future celebrations.

Every aspect of my experience at Cadre was outstanding! I can’t stop thinking about several components of the meal and how expertly crafted they were. I truly can’t wait to eat there again! The service was phenomenal and it is refreshing to see a restaurant pay their staff a living wage by implementing a service fee. This staff and every restaurant staff deserves to be paid fairly for their hard work. Eat at Cadre!

The best thing I had were the frites and escargot and the toast that it came with.I didn’t care for the mignonette on the oysters or the broth the mussels were cooked in, too sweet, strange combination. The acoustics are bad. Our waitress was lovely, very attentive and friendly.

The first time experience was lovely. Both entree dished were delicious. As for desert, creme brûlée had some sort of liqueur in it which we didn’t care for as we excepted classic desert. The presentation was absolutely beautiful. The 20% service fee added by default set the experience a little on a wrong foot. While I understand the reason behind this approach, as a customer I rather pay higher dish prices. Transparency sometimes can be hurtful, as many reviews serve as prove. Otherwise, there is two hour parking lot on the same block, so parking was easy. The service was fine as well. Overall we enjoyed the menu offerings and the restaurant.

Went here with for dinner on a Saturday night and had a lovely time on the patio. The patio offers plenty of shade, and the nearby street isn't too busy with pedestrians or traffic noise to be distracting. The asparagus, escargot, and bread appetizers were quite good. The bread and asparagus especially were done especially well. Their walleye special was some of the best walleye I've had, and their fries are superb. Elijah, our server, was helpful, prompt, friendly, and otherwise added to the experience. Would recommend highly.

We had a great dinner at Cadre tonight. Shout out to a fantastic menu executed perfectly with wonderful presentation. Very nice cocktail menu featuring unique and classic cocktails. Our server was wonderful and took great care of us. We loved it.

Amazing Amazing. This food takes you places. It has soul and thought with a humble hearted concentration. Amazing family you never knew service. Probably great for events and quiet get aways. Thank you for the lovely experience for a Chicagoan. Made my time here!

I wanted to love Cadre but it just felt a bit flat for me! We were seated promptly and had very attentive service. The interior is pretty standard and had a sort of rustic Midwest vibe. It was not particularly full the night we were there but it seemed like it could get quite loud quickly. As far as food, the bread and butter were delicious! The citrus apple butter was a highlight for me, but I wish we had salt for the regular butter. The goat cheese curds were just okay - I felt the portions were small for the price and the breading wasn't that impressive. The hot honey was a great addition, but I still would have wanted some ranch for dipping. I really enjoyed my duck entree - it was very slightly overcooked but the sauces and veggies were delicious. Another member of our table had the cassoulet (the other menu special that night) and found it pretty flavorless, unfortunately. For dessert, I got the apple galette which was a bit dry and would have been much better paired with some ice cream, but my husband's chocolate cake was delicious! I'd probably give it another try but this wasn't a standout restaurant for me.

I stopped for a dinner on a week day. I beat the crowd by going early and got a seat right away. Beef bourguignon was my entree. The dish was flavorful. For dessert, I went with ricotta rhubarb strawberry pacojet. I guess pacojet means dessert made using Swiss made Pacojet machine. The dessert was good. It was less creamy than a normal ice cream, but more fruitty and smooth. A 20% service charge was added by default to the bill. I dont remember that being mentioned in the menu. Service was all good, so not a big deal.

When friends come to visit and I want to showcase one of my favorite dining spots in Madison, WI, Cadre Restaurant is always my top choice. The atmosphere, cuisine, and overall experience at Cadre never fail to impress. One of my favorite menu items is the château Blanc sliders, which I believe is the best burger in Madison. The staff at Cadre are exceptional and add to the enjoyment of the dining experience. I highly recommend Cadre Restaurant for a memorable dining experience in Madison

Beautiful, romantic atmosphere and excellent service. This French inspired restaurant is delicious. I recommend their cheese curds, creme brulee, and ravioles. I tried them for restaurant week in Madison and want to go back again.

Great dinner of small plates, and happy hour wine! Granted this was a Tuesday and early dinner so it's hard to tell what this would be with a packed house, but the service was attentive without being annoying. The food was delicious. We split several items like the beets, the salad, the oysters, and each was fresh and beautifully plated. The house wine was a cab for the red and a zippy dry German white. Quite delicious for trusting their house selection. We will return to try the changing menu.

My girlfriend and I went her for her birthday dinner and really enjoyed the food. We are younger, so the vibe was a little weird because it's mainly older people, however the ambiance and staff were very nice and we got a free dessert because they messed up one of our orders. Highly recommend for a date night or just want some good food

My experience at Cadre wasn't ideal, but I wouldn't discourage others from going. I came in with a large group (8 people) without a reservation, and we told them it was okay if they didn't have any tables considering we didn't make a reservation. They told us we were welcome to sit at the bar, so we did. We were then rushed through our entire meal. Some of our food came out earlier than the rest of our group, so we were waiting for everyone to get their food when the bartender and server told us (passive-aggressively) "You're so kind to wait, but you should really start eating". Reluctantly, we all started eating and continued to hear the servers talk about our group, thinking that we couldn't hear them. The second we took our last bites we were handed our checks and rushed out of the restaurant. I felt we were very polite, and perhaps they just wanted us gone because we were taking up a lot of the bar space. We did not feel welcome here at all. Our food however, was pretty good. My sandwich was delightful, with prosciutto, radish, and admittedly, a cheese I can't remember the name of right now, but the flavors mixed wonderfully. I would gladly recommend eating here if our service wasn't so rude.

Cadre was a lovely place tucked away on University. I had the roast chicken quarter from their special menu and found it to be such a well-balanced meal & hearty portion size. The price felt appropriate too. Would recommend, and will definitely be back to try other menu items.

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Madison. The food is fresh, packed with flavor, and presentation is always 10/10. We ordered the camomile infused martini, beef carpaccio, cheese curds, bread & butter, and gateau basque. Our favorite of the night was the gateau basque - it was crunchy on the outside with a creamy pumpkin flavored inside.

This restaurant is located on the west side of Madison, conveniently across the street from UW's hospital, med, and vet school. During my walk to vet school I found myself passing by this place quite a bit and wanted to check it out! I thought this would be a more casual spot due to its smaller size, but I was mistaken. We stopped by for a couple quick appetizers and I got the vibe after walking in and taking a look at their menu that Cadre is versatile and offers a more fine dining experience. Although, you could come here and eat at their bar or in the outdoor patio and keep it casual with a few of their bar snacks like we did! Cadre would be a perfect spot for date night with dinner and drinks! They offer a variety of french cuisine as well as wine and craft cocktails. I had heard good things about their Chevre Cheese Curds and was dying to try them (goat cheese is my fav)! They were definitely on the sweeter side which can be a bit of a surprise if you're expecting more of a classic Wisconsin fried cheese curd, but I still thoroughly enjoyed them. We also ordered the frites and aoli to split. This was a huge serving of fries; definitely large enough to keep a group full. One thing that I really appreciate about Cadre is that they are constantly updating their menu to match what is available locally in order to keep their ingredients fresh! I will be returning to Cadre at some point to try out some of their dinner options and drinks; will update my review then!

Every aspect of my experience at Cadre was outstanding! I can't stop thinking about several components of the meal and how expertly crafted they were. I truly can't wait to eat there again! The service was phenomenal and it is refreshing to see a restaurant pay their staff a living wage by implementing a service fee. This staff and every restaurant staff deserves to be paid fairly for their hard work. Eat at Cadre!

Overall notes - the service was AMAZING, the food was very good! Nothing that necessarily blew us away but I always love a restaurant using local ingredients. We went at 5pm on a Saturday so it seemed to be before the busy rush. Megan our server was extremely attentive, and the wine sommelier was also great. The house cab was delicious and we got it corked so we could take it home which is always a plus. I cannot say enough about the moules frites - the portion was HUGE, definitely enough for two people. The ramp carbonara was also delicious - my only note is the smoked beets just tasted a bit like liquid smoke to me. The gateau basque was so light and a great end to the meal. The menu is limited but it's very French - forward and I honestly appreciated it. We will be back!

Delicious food and cute atmosphere. On the upscale side without feeling pretentious. Perfect for date night.

Wonderful. That's it in a nutshell. I had escargot and mussels. The escargot was seasoned very delicately and it complemented the snails wonderfully. They were cooked perfectly, juicy and delicious. The mussels were fresh as well and also delicious. They were served in a white wine sauce. Oh- make sure you ask for bread to soak up some of that delicious sauce! We loved this place! It's great!

We went here for a lovely birthday dinner. We started at the bar with a couple of cocktails; the water lily (pictured) and the paper plane. Both drinks were on the sweeter side but still perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail. Appetizers were solid, although the oyster plate was arguably below average. My red snapper was fantastic, and the beef daube fell off the fork (perfect texture). Overall, very solid and delicious French fare with an American twist, definitely great for a special night out.

Having read the good reviews for this place and having spotted it last summer when we were dining outside at the tavern across the street we made reservations for a Friday night. Just a heads up to leave enough time to find parking since you will likely have to park a few blocks away on a residential side street. We got there before six and were able to take advantage of their happy hour prices. The $6 glass of house wine was a good deal. But let me back up. Our waiter, Gabe, was a real gem. He steered us to good choices all night and his laid back and warm personality really made the dining experience memorable. Ok back to the wine - he steered us to that night's house red which was very nice (we even snuck in another glass just after the hh time passed). The French influenced menu is pretty small so you may want to take a look before making a reservation. We started with their version of cheese curds made with goat cheese in a cayenne and honey drizzle. They were excellent. For our main we both ordered the bouef bourguignon - it was tender with a deep rich sauce and amazingly smooth potatoes. Delicious. Usually we skip dessert but we tried what we called a deconstructed creme brûlée (see the picture) that was very good with cherries, angostura bitter's meringue, and a cherry gelato. It was a different presentation. A delightful evening - we will return.

Highly recommend Cadre restaurant for a high-end dining experience with authentic Alsatian flavors in a fun atmosphere. We met up here last night for a girl's dinner and Cadre did not disappoint. Our server was a gem - super friendly and attentive. The sommelier was extremely knowledgeable and led us through a flavor journey of French wines, recommending delightful wines that perfectly complimented each course. We shared appetizers, small plates, large plates and desserts and all had different favorites, including the buttery escargot, beautiful oysters with a blood orange mignonette, to-die-for beef bourguignon, and a brown butter ravioli that makes me want to go back to cadre tonight for more. Grab your friends and go to Cadre for a beautiful evening of flavorful French cuisine! Also, kudos to Cadre for ensuring their staff is well taken care of with the service charge. It makes sense to take care of the people that take care of us!

Our first visit to Cadre since 2019. It seems to have gone downhill a bit (as have many restaurants post-Covid - a tough business). The service was fine, but the menu is quite limited and the food was blah. Softshell crab totally tasteless. Gave it a 3 in 2019; would have given it a 2 this time, but dropped that to a 1 because the check arrived with a "PLEASE READ" card attached that said, "Please note that the dine-in service charge includes a 20% mandatory service charge to ensure every employee earns a living wage. Any additional tips to your server are optional." I have two problems with that. First, the diner is not advised of the charge in advance, so that an informed decision can be made. And second, the responsibility for paying a living wage rests with the employer, not the customer.

First, consider this a 3.5 review. We arrived about 30 min early for our reservation and although there were only 4 tables seated we were asked to wait at the bar (?) because they were 'so booked this evening.' Although I don't have a problem having a drink at the bar before dinner I simply found this perplexing. After we finished a drink we were show to a table - place still maybe half full (scratches head). Our server was absolutely wonderful: attentive and helpful in all the right ways. We shared the pumpkin white bean soup and the "restorative" broth and loved both. We each had the beet goat cheese salad and that was fantastic. I ordered the Beef Bourguignon and my friend the bouillabaisse. Both were perfect comfort foods for a cold and slippery, sloppy evening. Being a cold and slippery sloppy evening with freezing rain on the sidewalks be aware parking for Cadre can be a real challenge. I'm looking forward to my next dinner at Cadre.

For entrees we had the lamb and arrabiata. The lamb was tender, and the pomegranate had a great texture and sweetness that balanced great with the lamb. The lamb, unfortunately was mostly bone but the meat that was there was great. The arrabiata was effectively a pappardelle with a very light sauce and a variety of vegetables. The noodle itself was delicious and incredibly fresh with great texture. Overall the meal was great, and we had great service as well!

Went to Cadre for a cute girls night with some fellow foodies and it was perfect! The vibe inside is so lovely! The restaurant is dimly lit and has an elegant feel to it. We sat at a table but the bar and outdoor seating were really nice to. Is love to go back and sit outside but it was way to hot when we went. The staff is super friendly and helpful. They sat us right away and the waiter was quick and efficient. Our waiter had a very calming presence and was good about checking back with us to see if we wanted any more food or drinks. We ordered several small plates to share so that we could try a bit of everything. Everything was delicious and super high quality. My favorites were definitely the cheese curds, bread, the cheese plate, The chef here is phenomenal! I ordered the honeysuckle cocktail which was good also. The perfect cocktail for a girls night! After our small plates, the chef brought out a bunch of ice cream for us to try. I was in heaven! They brought out sweet corn, dark chocolate, pineapple with toasted coconut, blueberry, and rhubarb with pie crust crumble. They were all soo good but my favorites were the dark chocolate and sweet corn. Thank you so much to Cadre for a delicious night! I will definitely be back. :)

Fabulous French Cuisine Got a chance to explore @cadremadison as part of the #ecfoodiemeetup and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Ordered from the prix fixe menu. Dinner started with Amuse bouche which is more like a cold soup to wake up your palate. For the first course I got the Salade Nicose , second courses was Bouillabaisse (seafood) and the third course was Verinne (dessert.) The plating of each of the dishes was beautiful and the food was fresh and cooked to perfection. The staff was so friendly and accommodating and took time to explain the dishes to Excellent service and delicious food. Go check out @cadremadison !

Unique menu with well prepared dishes. Extensive spirit and wine list. Make sure to also check the bar menu for snacks. I loved the sliders and the crispy fries.

Wonderful date night spot. Plates were not as small as we expected - 2 starters, and 2 shared plates were plenty for us. Extensive wine list and unique cocktails. Service was very prompt but never felt rushed even though we were there 2 hours. Will definitely return! Allow a little extra time for parking, you may need to find a side street spot at busier times.

The food was excellent and the server was good. However, they add a 20% "service charge " and then were 'suggested' to give the server an additional tip. This is really pretentious and it really left a bad taste. Will not be going back

French inspired. Excellent wine recommendations and interesting menu. Able to sit out on patio on a loving evening. Perfect spot.

Cadre is a must for happy hour or dinner. Chef Evan has creates a delightful French inspired representation of Wisconsin farm fresh ingredients. His goat cheese curds are inspiring! Bar manager Colton creates cool cocktails while simultaneously having new rotations of draft beer and wine.

A beautiful, aesthetic date night spot. The dishes are so well plated, very photogenic, and delicious!! I expected bigger portion sizes in the entree, but there was less substance than expected, so appetizers are definitely necessary for this spot. The wine menu is great, and the outdoor seating is very cute. I recommend!

This was going to be a 4 star last night, but we both woke up with achey bellies at 3am and the only thing we ate together was dinner. Unfortunately we cannot isolate which meal made us feel unwell. We discussed our 3am sleep disturbances. Both had upset stomachs our two meals were: I ordered: the full amuse, appetizer, entrée, and dessert. The beans are off the menu today, the Monkfish Chowder which I do not have a photo of is off the menu today, the seared salmon roulade was okay it was served with {very dry eggplant and Thai basil pesto}, on red chard and tarbais beans. Dessert was Summer Verrine with blueberry & shiso gelée , whipped kirsch and white chocolate mousse, Marcona almonds, tuille and violas. YUM! He ordered: 7oz Manhattan strip, heirloom tomato au buerre, duck fat frites, beef demi-glace, sauce bearnaise. Quite a bit of fat, I chewed for a long time. Our stomach aches were a not so friendly reminder why I try to cook all meals from home most days. :,(

I came in for brunch and it did not disappoint! I was definitely eating with my eyes. The space has so much natural lighting with the bar as the focal point of the space. Food came out fast and staff was knowledgeable about the menu. I enjoyed everything we ordered and would recommend this brunch spot (plus plenty of street parking around!). Lemon ricotta pancakes - the pancakes were crepe size and super light like a cloud. Perfect amount of lemon/ricotta so you only slightly puckered your lips from the sourness. Fruits & mascarpone - the mascarpone is a nice, denser twist to the classic fruit/oats/yogurt. Was pretty sweet, I believe the mascarpone was vanilla flavor and in combination with the honey drizzle and the fruit. Serving size was a little on the smaller size. Blue mont omelette - very delicious and lots of various elements of taste for a really nice bite! The savory omelette with the salty bacon and cheese, then smacked with the crunch and juiciness of apple pieces was amazing! Everything blended so well. Highly recommend. Fries (side) - they were perfectly fried. Thin and crunchy as I prefer. The aioli had a lighter taste (close to mayo), but mix with the classic ketchup was winner winner.

This place is too pricy for the food. however, fine dining in Madison is always meh Trout was tasty.

Great food! Great service! Great people! What more can you ask for? The beef carpaccio is Devine. The oysters were fresh and tasty. Cary (the bartender) was very attentive and friendly. #TheBestofMadison! See you soon friends.

Cadre is becoming a new favorite in my Sunday brunch rotation. Their patio is super cute for the warmer days! On my last visit, my dining companion and I started out with some oysters they had on special. I've never had oysters for breakfast, and these were so good! They topped them with a special medley of peppers and corn, along with mignonette on the side. For the main course I had steak and eggs, made to your liking. The steak was cooked medium rare as I requested & eggs sunny side up. The potatoes were amazing and completely unlike any other I've tried before. I usually find breakfast potatoes pretty basic- often times they seem dried out as if sitting in a pan for hours under a heat lamp. These potatoes were cut unusually small, full of flavor and cooked to perfection! So good. The cheese curds were such a delight that we ordered a second. Definitely some of the best in town... Our server was super nice and even sent us complimentary sorbet at the end of our meal, ending on a perfectly sweet note. 10/10 would recommend.

Wow! Anything less than than 5 stars doesn't understand what the chef is doing or appreciate good food! Excellent service!!

Great experience! Cons: the oysters although fresh and sweet, were masked by the relish. I really miss the bloody Mary's from the last establishment-it was Smokey!! This Bloody Mary however, was still delicious and not a boring run of the mill. Full of flavor! Pros: everything. It was all good!! I don't think you could make a poor choice here, honestly. Pro tip: If you order the quinoa bowl, be sure to cut up all the toppings and mix it into the top half of the quinoa before eating. It's a lot of quinoa, and the flavor burst is all in the toppings. I will return and I will order a ton of other goodies!!

Came for the weekend from the west coast to visit my son who is a student in Madison. He chose Cadre from Yelp as one of the restaurants we should dine at (wanted him to pick places he would not be able to afford on his own as a college student!) Ended up being a great decision!! Very innovative appetizers, small plates and entrees. We shared 2 very good cocktails, the oysters (SO good), the bone broth/bread, sourdough and butters (rivals our own sf sourdough), the beef bourginon, the mussels (we live directly at the ocean source and have never received such a generous portion- I could not eat these all so he had to finish them along w his beef!), and 2 yummy flavors of house made ice cream for dessert/ YUM. After 28 yrs of family visit Wisconsin restaurant meals this was the best I have had! Looking forward to coming back when we visit next time! You made this mom/son visit even more special, Cadre!

My favorite place, quality and tasty food. Love the ambience and great service. A gem!

We had such a wonderful time getting dinner here. I loved the atmosphere and staff. Everyone was so nice! We got so many meals, so brace yourself! The chateau blanc: love the name. It's an elevated white castle sandwich. It was the reason we heard about cadre and wanted to give the restaurant a try. It was our favorite meal. Every bite was so satisfying and wonderfully flavored. It melts in your mouth. The bun was perfect: soft and fluffy but held firm at the same time. The caramelized onions were the perfect touch. The sandwich is located on the very last page of the drink menu, FYI! It is not an easy find. Bouillabesse: such a cozy dish. Perfect for the colder weather. I really enjoyed it because it wasn't too salty. I loved the combination of all the seafood in a rich tomato base. Beef boirgineon: meat was tender and beautifully placed with colorful vegetables. Loved the mushrooms on it too. I enjoyed it! Dumplings: we had the vegetable and meat. I love textures of homemade dumplings. Dumplings are a food of love, so it felt really warm eating these Dumplings. Loved it! Curds: it was chevre goat cheese curd and I loved the honey taste through the curd. It was so unique. Definitely unforgettable. Fermented strawberry ice cream: uhm, wow. This ice cream was so underrated. So rich in strawberries. It felt so decadent. Loved it. Chocolate tart: rich chocolate flavor with a nice shortbread butter crust. The chocolate was smooth. We can't wait to go back.

Really nice ambiance. Stopped here for happy hour for drinks. Bartender was nice and responsive. Drinks were great. Nice high ceilings and people were spread out, COVID-wise.

We live down the street from Cadre but hadn't yet gotten here. I booked us a table for Valentine's Day and upon arriving opted to sit at the bar which felt intimate in itself. The two bartenders were great - attentive and conversational but also left us to our food as well. We tried the cheese plate, bread, mussels, and beef bourginon. The cheese plate was delicious and the homemade crackers they make are SOOO good. The homemade bread was piping hot with two types of fresh butter that melted right in. Both the main dishes had great flavors. We will definitely be back for happy hour, to try more bar food and specials and look forward to the changing seasonal menu too. Don't sleep ok Cadre.

We went during the lunch hour and I was so excited to try the food here since it's close to me and just rebranded from being Oliver's Public House! I ordered a smoked whitefish salad sandwich with a side of frites (as recommended by our waitress). The menu was definitely on the smaller side, but with that, I perhaps had heightened expectations. When the food came out, the croissant was buttery and toasted, and the smoked whitefish salad inside was good. It felt like a more refined cousin of a tuna salad sandwich; I couldn't really taste the smokiness of a smoked whitefish. My favorite part was the delightfully crispy frites and the pickles on the side; I loved how much flavor the pickles had and only wish I could've had a few more as a bit of a palette cleanser between bites. Service was good; our waitress was kind and attentive. The restaurant itself was more empty than full during the lunch hour, and our food came out in reasonable time. Would I go out of my way to come back for a special occasion? Not necessarily, but due to its proximity and combination of cocktails, frites/aioli, and pickles, I will be.

I came here for dinner on a weeknight. First time here since it replaced the former Oliver's Public House. Great news! The food is much, much better. The short summary is that the food is great, and gets closer to the finer dining type of dish style without looking like something that should be hung in an art museum. Expect great flavor, not troughs of food. Let's start with atmosphere. It is definitely not too loud. It's a lively, but definitely not tavern lively. The lighting is good, and it feels overall relaxed. Among the patrons, you will find young, old, and every age group in between. I could see how people may see a mismatch between food quality and lack of white table cloths, but it wasn't so stark. The service was great. Attentive, but not too attentive. Your glass of water will stay full without making you feel like you're under NSA surveillance or receiving water drip torture. Next, the main attraction. Food. Appetizer: fried goat chèvre cheese curds. Fantastic. The cheese was delicious, glazed with honey on the outside. I did without the blue cheese, but I'm sure it would have been great with. Main course: I got the beef bourguignon, because French restaurant. Along with a side of Brussels sprouts. The beef bourguignon was interesting and flavorful. It was far lighter than the usual dish you imagine - the one where sometimes it looks like the chef forgot to stop pouring red wine in. What this one lacks in richness, it makes up for in flavor mixed in with the mushrooms and vegetables. The Brussels sprouts were tasty, but could have done with slightly less breading - definitely more casserole-esque than the usual roasted sprout side. Easily could have been a nice appetizer. Kudos to the chef and kitchen. The appetizer and entree had an intentionality to them which reflect a high degree of quality and culinary skill. Bravo! I will definitely be back.

Went here for the first time for a group dinner. The menu has been updated since the last photo of the menu was taken. Service was spectacular & food was good. Had seasonal items on the menu. Would recommend if you enjoy French food.

Great restaurant, Happy Hour so fun, Service top notch and Food always delicious! French influenced ambiance makes for comfortable atmosphere. Love Cadre!

The food was fantastic. The bar accommodated a request for something out of the ordinary. Great selection of spirits. Service was good and we had a very nice meal. My only disappointment was the 20% service charge added at the end of the meal. I do not have any issues with tipping for service or having it added. I do feel very strongly that is should be disclosed clearly in advance of ordering.

Went for Mother's Day brunch. Nice set of selections on a prix fixe menu. Food and service were excellent.

The food was excellent and the atmosphere was also great - we had the soup special, carpaccio, escargot, and chèvre cheese curds. Every dish was outstanding and also quite filling for small plates because of the richness. Looking forward to going again!

First...the food and cocktails are crazy good. So much care is put into every detail. Re: COVID -- This was our first time dining indoors since March, and despite our initial trepidation, we were so comfortable during the entire meal. The interior has a bunch of natural nooks, so it's easy to feel isolated from other folks dining. They've clearly put a lot of thought around spacing. I also love how we always see the same staff there every visit. Their team are all professionals (not a bunch of irresponsible over-exposed college kids) and provide such great, personalized service. We don't see ourselves dining indoors hardly at all during the pandemic, but when we do I'll never think twice about spending a night at Cadre.

We were in town visiting and went to dinner here on a friends recommendation! Boy am I glad that we did! I normally veer away from French food but everything on this menu that I had was delicious and inviting! Thanks absolutely delicious! Absolutely delicious and the service absolutely amazing!! I don't get to Madison quite often but the next time this Chicago girl does I'll definitely die in here again!!