Doug G.
Yelp
We ended up at Craftsman Table & Tap in effort to avoid the post-marathon crowds in Madison, however it seems everyone else had the same idea. Even with that, the wait was only about 20 minutes, and the hostess was friendly and kept us updated as we waited.
Once we got sat, our server came our way, got us started with a drink order and then disappeared for a while. She came back around and we tossed in cocktail and appetizer order. Our cheese curds made it to the table within 5 minutes, while our cocktails took around 20. We ordered our mains shortly after our appetizer hit the table and our meals were delivered with our cocktails, which was a tad annoying, but not the end of the world. Our server acknowledged, which was nice of her.
To start, the cheese curds were delicious. Light, airy, filled with just enough cheddar cheese and paired well with the ranch. I went with the plain pancakes and sausage, while my buddy went with the brunch burger and potatoes. The pancakes were excellent. Light, fluffy and with a perfect crispy edge from the griddle. The sausage was a bit overcooked, but nothing terrible. My pals burger was tasty, but again overcooked. It was ordered medium, and came out close to well. The potatoes however were crispy and well seasoned, very tasty!
It seemed like the bar and servers were disconnected from the kitchen. The kitchen was on point with timing and preparation, however the wait staff and bar were super delayed and not in sync. Again, our server was super sweet, but service was off.
Price was another concern, while the food was good and the drinks were decent, we paid $76 for an appetizer, two brunch plates and two cocktails. Quality did not match price here unfortunately.
Parking is another pain point, while they are located in a shopping plaza, there is not much direct access parking near the actual restaurant. We parked near the grocery story, which was only across the street, but the tiny lot outside the doors of this place got backed up really quick. Nothing they can do about it now, but it can be hassle when busy.
Overall, our visit and experience was just okay. We wouldn't go out of our way to visit or avoid in the future.