Settle Down Tavern

American restaurant · First Settlement

Settle Down Tavern

American restaurant · First Settlement

2

117 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703

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Settle Down Tavern by null
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Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null
Settle Down Tavern by null

Highlights

Smash burgers, cheese curds & cocktails in a lively tavern  

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117 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703 Get directions

settledownmadison.com
@settledowntavern

$20–30 · Menu

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117 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703 Get directions

+1 608 442 6335
settledownmadison.com
@settledowntavern

$20–30 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 12, 2025

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@eater

The Best Restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin | Eater Chicago

"The Settle Down is mostly a tavern in name only, though it did build its dive-from-scratch identity with earnestness and respect. The owners have a deep history with Wisconsin drinking culture and used that vibe to launch the Settle Down at the hardest possible moment, the summer of 2020. By the power of smash burgers, a rotating crop of decadent sandwiches, and some of the best fries in town, the Settle Down can’t be beat when you’re on Capitol Square but really want to be at the corner bar. Online ordering is available, and reservations can be made via Toast." - Kyle Nabilcy

https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-madison-wisconsin
View Postcard for Settle Down Tavern
@eater

Where to Eat in Madison, Wisconsin

"The Settle Down is mostly a tavern in name only, though it did build its dive-from-scratch identity with earnestness and respect. The owners have a deep history with Wisconsin drinking culture and used that vibe to launch the Settle Down at the hardest possible moment, summer of 2020. By the power of smash burgers, a rotating crop of decadent sandwiches, and some of the best fries in town, the Settle Down can’t be beat when you’re on Capitol Square but really want to be at the corner bar." - Kyle Nabilcy

https://chicago.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-madison-wisconsin-food-road-trip
View Postcard for Settle Down Tavern

Midwest Reviews

Google
Great spot! The cheese curds are some of the better ones in the downtown area - at least in the top 3! Came here for happy hour and were very pleased with everything.

David Ranney

Google
The Settle Down Tavern is a great little spot just off the square on Pinckney Street. They offer food along with a big selection of drinks. I went there for lunch on a Saturday and the first thing that caught my eye was the atrium. It's under a collection of skylights so you get a lot of natural light which is quite pleasant. The service was great. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table to open up, but it was easy enough to sit on the bench. I had the "Good Idea" which is a smash burger with pickles, grilled onions, cheese, and Settle Down's own sauce. It was perfectly done. I got that nice crunch you look for in a smash burger. The service was attentive without being overbearing. The prices are quite reasonable. If you're looking for a great smash burger, this place is a great choice.

Jon Boetel

Google
Cool downtown dinning!! We had a blast outside. Food was good too! Devils birds n pickle puppies are great lil flavor bombs between bites of ur Chopped cheese or yummy fried chicken sand. The chili on the uf da fries is fer real!!!

Daniela Samara

Google
Unacceptable behavior from some of their staff members. Me and my family went there to celebrate my birthday. It was 12 of us, all adults and a little girl. We requested to sit together outside. The waitress said we have to sit in separate tables which we did. One of the table was big enough for 6 people the rest of us were asked to sit in small separate tables. We asked if the small tables can be together. That was All we asked. The manager comes out and said we are not allowed to do that and after we said what is the reason she said because I said so. She told us we are not going to serve you, you can leave “ thank you” It was such a terrible feeling to get all my family to leave without being able to eat. I am in the restaurant business myself and I understand everything about customer service but this was the worse experience I had in the front of my family. I hope the owner will talk to the staff and make sure they behave appropriately with their customers without making them feel terrible.

Lindsey Minkus

Google
This is a must try, the food and drinks were delicious. The atmosphere was quant and comfortable. The service was awesome. This is a must try stop on your travels through Madison Wisconsin.

Bic Parker

Google
We enjoyed dining in the atrium. Tables were well spaced for comfortable conversation. The room was comfortable and airy. Our server was prompt, knowledgeable, and attentive without being pushy. We had smash burgers, the Good Idea, the Jalapeño Hot Rod, and the Big Fundamental. We shared a large order of fries. The menu has many unique offerings, such as Ghost Fries and the Greek Freak for the more adventurous palate. The bar features many themed cocktails, but as tea-totallers, we appreciated cans of Coke instead of watered-down fountain Pepsi.

Dennis Hood

Google
Very good burgers with interesting tasty sides. Some nice craft beers and cocktail specials. Cheese curds, deviled eggs and crispy fries are all recommended. A lively atmosphere, but not loud, so conversations can be had.

Angela Janis

Google
The smash burgers are delicious. Appropriately seasoned with salt and pepper. I HATE that their fries (which are good) are always under salted. And when you ask for salt, they give you a ramiken of flake salt. It's ridiculous. Season your fries or give me a salt shaker... I love deviled eggs and hush puppies but their take is... Not good. just give me the basics and would be better... The drinks aren't great. Their red squirrel old fashioned is just a bad take on a classic. That said, the smash burger keeps me coming back, while not ordering anything else.
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John H.

Yelp
Very cool spot! We were in search of a great representation of an "official" smashburger so this is what brought us to Settle Down. Had early dinner reservations and were running a couple min late due to the unanticipated road closure near by. When we finally got in and settled, the space is super cool: entryway of an older building of shops. There's a nice atrium enclosure of glass above so there is plenty of light. Some folks were walking in from the other entrance of the restaurant. It was a weekend so I would like to see how they operate during the day with the surrounding shops and businesses open and attending to customers. Our server was great! There was a special PB&J burger that I tried and loved! It was not overly sweet as the jelly they used was their in-house strawberry jam and in-house made peanut butter. It was delicious. We shared fries and curds. Everything about our meal was great. A couple of rounds of cocktails made the night very memorable and a good time.
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Bre H.

Yelp
Ambiance was 10/10 very beautiful, flowed well and felt open Service was pretty good asked waitress a couple times to get us more water and extra plates she may have just had a lot of other tables and forgot no biggie Food was pretty good, good portions and well made. Wish they had a bigger menu so we could eat more like the Americans we are ALLOWS DOGS!!!
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Sho R.

Yelp
I took out lunch from here. Good idea burger was my entree item. That was a nicely done flavorful smash burger. I could convert the burger into lunch basket for just $3 extra. So made it into a lunch basket. Ghost fries has a good spicy kick to it. The ginger beer they have has nice flavor to it. Defenitely go for ginger beer as the drink.
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Lindsay K.

Yelp
I never even realized Settle Down had moved into this place. A friend recommended checking it out and I'm very glad that we did. We grabbed a spot outside (they've mad an outdoor patio of the former street parking spots) so I don't know what the ambiance looks like inside, but outside was just fine. Not usually a cocktail person, but their beer list was underwhelming to me so figured I'd try the "Uecker? or Euchre?" since I liked everything in it. I prefer my cocktails without ice, and staff was very obliging. This was a delicious smoky cocktail balanced just right with the ginger beer. I'd order it again, and I don't usually say that about cocktails. I had the veggie burger (prit' near) and it certainly ranks among my favorites in the area. It had a slightly charred crunch to it on the outside that was unique and really gave it an interesting flavor. I would have preferred goat cheese over feta on the burger, but maybe that's just personal preference. I scarfed it down either way.
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Shannon A.

Yelp
The ambiance in the outdoor seating which is covered btw is so adorable. They had amazing food and the home made ranch sauce was to die for. Also try the celery lemonade you will thank me later!

Eddie E.

Yelp
All the fried foods were all over done, the cheese curd batter is bland and chalky, a simple ingredient was forgotten for me and all my friend's orders, the veggie burger for my niece was cooked hard as a dried putty, the "smash burgers" were all crushed a little too flat and lacked much flavor.. It's a good idea on paper but I'd recommend many other burger places in Madison, especially downtown. It was overall just pretty meh, and the simple French fries and cheese curds were just over done and basically all of it just ended up getting thrown away.. They're newer so maybe they need more time to get up to snuff with other bar food spots in Madtown. Take my advice and go to Tipsy Cow, MooYah, Cooper's, The Plaza, Irish Pub, Graze, Young Blood, or even Merchant which is right next door... These guys need to get a little better handle on their process!
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Steve V.

Yelp
Great food, drinks and great time! Fish fry and burgers were delicious. Jalen took great care of us! Thanks Jalen! Fun time for our group.
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Matthew Z.

Yelp
Everyone was beyond exceptional...arrived before the kitchen was open and they were kind enough to serve my mom and I. Foooooood is amazing as well as the service. Smash-burger deserves an award
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Suzie R.

Yelp
Cute little restaurant/bar. Stopped here on the way back to MN from Milwaukee. Their menu is very small with little options but they are very accommodating. I'm gfree and they went out of their way to make French fries prior to cross contamination since we were there first thing. I got the burger as well with a lettuce wrap. Burger was okay but wasn't as thick as I would've liked.
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Hector O.

Yelp
I went to this spot in October 2023. I still can't stop thinking about it. The service was great, the vibes/ambiance were vibing, and the food. Oof. So damn good. It's criminal to only have this in Madison. I need them here in Milwaukee. Told the waiter to let the cooks know how fantastic the food was. I love y'all lol.
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Cherise K.

Yelp
This place is soild! It's cute and in the summers a great place to hang out with friends, meet up for brunch, or a casual dinner. I wouldn't say that the food is exemplary. It takes a modern spin on a couple of classics and for me is just missing something. Mix that with the price, it's fine. I feel like they usual have tables available, which is why I'm inclined to go and their service is top notch. Everyone is super friendly and attentive.
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Rommel J.

Yelp
After hearing so much about this place and multiple visits to their sister restaurant we finally decided to visit. It was a warm day and we opted to sit inside. We walked inside to find a sign that said to check in with the host outside. When we went back outside to check in with the host, she instructed us to check in with the host inside. She was slightly puzzled when we told her about the sign, but got us menus and walked us back inside and seated us and brought us water. I appreciated that she took the initiative to find out what was happening and didn't just tell us to go back in and wait. We opted to sit at the bar in the Tavern, as opposed to a table in the atrium. The bar staff was very friendly and got our orders in right away. They answered our questions and also shared info about their cocktails as well as about the history of the restaurant. The food came out very fast! I ordered the lambwich which included slices of gyro meat, with arugula, feta, and harissa. The sandwich/burger was not very big but I thought the portion was perfect for a light lunch. This was complemented by a side of shoestring fries that came with a paprika mayo. The taste and quality were excellent. I was satiated but did not feel uncomfortably full at the end of the meal. For drinks I had the Settle Down Lager which is a nice crisp beer to enjoy on a hot day. I followed this with a cocktail named The Lion, The Spritz, and the Wardrobe which had rum, aperol, citrus, and bubbles. I typically don't like orange flavor things but this was very well balanced. If you are in downtown Madison it is definitely worth checking out. Great food, drinks, and a very friendly staff. We will be back!
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Gabriela D.

Yelp
Been here a few times. The service is quick and friendly. They have a good selection of drinks. The outdoor seating is nice and it's right near the capital.
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Jackie L.

Yelp
Everything I had was so good, after exploring the city in really cold weather I wanted something warm to drink, I ordered I made my toddy disappear and it was sooo tasty. Creamy, hint of mint, warm. I ordered the good idea burger lunch meal. It's a great deal, the burger itself was very tasty smash burger. House made pickles. Really cute place
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Ruth D.

Yelp
Super welcoming staff who are clearly having a good time at their jobs. We started at the bar for a delicious Bloody Mary (the house Bloody is concocted by someone who literally wrote the book) and some snacks. I can recommend the cheese balls, but I think we got a "bad" batch of the devil birds. I hear they are very good, but ours had surprisingly no flavor except bitter. Didn't even taste like eggs. Thankfully, those are only $3. My veggie burger was superb, the fries were super crispy, and the cheese puppies were heavenly. I also recommend the Moonsong!
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Cassandra S.

Yelp
The best part of this place is the burger - hands down. The burger itself is five stars, and I would give the ambiance give stars as well. The service was a bit slow - the waitress took a while to bring us the check after we had finished the food, and the other food ordered had its downfalls. The deviled eggs were straight up bad. I do not know what was on them to make them taste the way they did, but they were not good. Thankfully it was only $3 wasted. Sometimes less is more. The cheese curds were tasty, but there were way too many in an order. It would be nice if they included a smaller portion on the menu. That being said, I would go back multiple times for the burger alone.

Virginia T.

Yelp
Grabbed a take-out Good Idea Smashburger and fries on my way through town. So good!! Patties were perfect, flavor of the pickles was yummy. Not too many onions, just enough for good flavor! Fries were crispy and salty enough. Service was great and welcoming when I arrived. Took food to go, but the ambiance looked inviting when I picked up my food. Definitely recommend!
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Bryan P.

Yelp
I don't get it. I was in town on a business trip and was looking for a quick bite close to the office. The reviews here were glowing, so decided to give it a try. Ordered a hot dog and a beer, seemed easy enough. Beer was good, it was a local draft IPA. Hot dog was terrible. For $13 I expected a decent sized sausage or at least a full size hot dog. What I got was a thin, overcooked hot dog on a typical bun with a bunch of mayonnaise and a bit of cheese. The hot dog looked like it had been cooked a few days ago and had all the qualities of a "gas station" hot dog, but smaller. Why 3 stars? The bear was good, so a plus for that. And the service was really good, very friendly, quick and accommodating. Without the service, would have been a much more critical review.
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Aurora A.

Yelp
Can't believe it's taken me this long to try this place! I ordered an espresso martini that was one of the best I've had. Didn't look like a traditional one however the taste was exceptional. Ordered the potato and leek soup, it was incredible! My friends ordered smash burgers and said they were great. I also ordered fries and the aioli dip was fantastic. Overall very impressed with the service and food at this classic Wisconsin tavern.
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Rick R.

Yelp
Met a friend for lunch in Madison today. She suggested Settle Down Tavern because they had her favorite burger in Madison. We started with Deviled Eggs and Cheese Puppies, which were a cross between hush puppies and cheese curds. Both were great! Loved the cheese puppies, in particular! The burger lived up to the hype! Two patties smashed and cooked on the griddle, topped with cheese and pickles. It was awesome! The fries were simple and well-executed, frozen shoe string fries, fried and salted. I would eat here again!
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George W.

Yelp
It was hot in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, and we settled (lol) on this place for some needed drinks. Water to start with of course. The staff was pleasant and attentive, and we ordered their Red Squirrel Old Fashioned and their Moonsong. The drinks were well-crafted and were very tasty. We'll have to go back for food - it looked good, but with our large breakfast, we weren't hungry.
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LaRon C.

Yelp
Great food really tasty. Awesome staff! But Portion sizes are a bit too big. They could save money by cutting down the portions. Gordon Ramsey would not be pleased.
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Ronda D.

Yelp
Hours are changed... Open T, W, R 11:30-2pm ; F and Sat 11-2:30pm for lunch They also have Sunday brunch 10am -2:30pm Whole party ordered the smash burger. Nicely cooked- very tasty. Highly recommend. Pickles, cheese nicely melted... 2patties smashed just beautifully.... Really great flavor. Service wasn't the best- it was lunchtime- but some of our table had to get back to work... and we had to flag them down to order. The rest of us could stay and drink... Servers were friendly- and one ended up stepping up and did a nice job taking care of us in the end.
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Sarah F.

Yelp
Love this place!! I've gone a couple times and each time they've been super well-staffed so service is really quick. Food is great if you're in the mood for a burger. Plus the outdoor patio is a perfect hangout spot if you're on the square Check out their cheese puppies too. It's a cornbread cheese curd. Really tasty and one order is enough for a group
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Courtney T.

Yelp
I cannot say enough good things about this place. The "good idea" burger is incredible. So satisfying and not overly filling. This photo is of the veggie burger - which is also so flavorful and amazing! It's definitely our top burger in Madison! (Which means more coming from My husband -who orders a lot more burgers) The grasshopper drink is one of my favorite cocktails in the area. The food and interior are amazing but truly the staff and owners take the experience to the next level. I don't know that you will find more hospitality, kindness, & fun energy in one place (well..maybe at Oz by Oz which is owned by the same!)
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Jessica B.

Yelp
Wow! Great service and a fabulous old fashioned. Came too early for food but will definitely be back
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Tom D.

Yelp
My wife and I went out to go to a restaurant downtown for our first time since moving here. We decided on some trendy place. We found out the wait was an hour and a half long, so we immediately got the hell out of there and looked for something close. So we settled with Settle Down Tavern, and we were happy we did. The place is in a weird location. The seating is in a walkway in the middle of several bars and a coffee shop. Weird but it works out great. We were able to be seated right away even though the place had dozens of people in it. Our waitress was awesome and gave us some great recommendations. We ended up getting the fried cheese curds, the smash burger, the fish and chips, and the bacon broccoli. The price for all of it was excellent, and we ended up getting way too much damn food. The cheese curds were super tasty but so damn heavy. I could barely handle more than 5, but I kept on popping them back regardless. The smash burger came out sliced in half for us to share, and it was tasty. The fish and chips were solid although the fish could've used a bit more salt and pepper. The broccoli was in a vinegary coleslaw type dressing, and it was so damn good. The salty, meatiness of the bacon offset the vegetableyness of the broccoli really well. To top it off, we ended with the brownie sundae which was damn good. Perfect size to split between two. We didn't drink anything, but we still really enjoyed ourselves, the atmosphere, the great staff, and the food. If you want to get some drinks and some great food, this is definitely the spot.
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Chach D.

Yelp
Incredible burger. Get it. It's everything I wanted from a burger in Madison and then some. Lacing and beefy flavor abound. Great amount of seasoning and black pepper. Great drinks, great vibe. Chilled glasses for canned beer is a great touch. One of my favorite spots when traveling to Madison
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Robbie R.

Yelp
Did take out here. Really good smash burgers (think very thin patties) with good toppings and bun. Some claim 'best burger in Madison' although I think that's a rating I wouldn't be willing to give. Don't get me wrong, burger was very tasty but that is quite the claim. As a side, the ghost fries are also extremely delicious with the right amount of heat, but not overwhelming. Definitely worth checking out and adding to the rotation of burger/fry joints in Madison.
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Jody M.

Yelp
Great atmosphere, friendly staff, fab burgers. It's a cool place to hang. Lunch came quickly and was the perfect temperature.
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Jay B.

Yelp
Service- awesome. Ambiance- sitting in the atrium was really cool. Food- the cheese curd "puppies" were incredible but definitely a giant portion for 2-4 ppl. Smash burger- awesome. Can't wait to come back again and again and again
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Laura S.

Yelp
I stopped in with a group of 5 on a very busy Saturday afternoon. We were seating within 5 minutes on the outdoor patio. The server was very attentive bringing us a lot of water on the hot day. The veggie burger was flavorful and not dry. The mushrooms and shoots on top were a good addition! The bloody Mary's were good but a bit watered down possibly from ice melting outside.

Taylor F.

Yelp
Been here multiple times for drinks but hadn't tried their food yet. The Good Idea and fries were AMAZING!!
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Sarah C.

Yelp
Came here on a Friday night with a group of friends. When we were handed the menu we were a bit disappointed to see that most of he hot foods were apps or snack like foods. There were only a couple of meal options that you'd expect at a "tavern". All six of us opted for the only burger they had on the menu. I was hoping for the fish sandwich but the waitress said they had run out. It was a bit surprising that they only had one burger on the whole menu even though they call themselves a "tavern". The options were severely lacking. The burgers themselves were subpar. Someone in my group commented that they were comparable to Culvers burgers except with dry buns. Another person in my group received an entirely burnt bottom bun. The only thing they had going for them was the atmosphere. The restaurant ceiling is a skylight with string lights which was quite beautiful. The drinks were 50/50 amongst at the group. Half of the group enjoyed the drinks but the other half didn't. On another note the cheese curds are labeled as "curd puppies". The curds had a thin layer of crust on the outside, super light almost like a light onion ring crust. They're different from other curds just a heads up. If you like a thinner crust and lighter curd then you'd like these. I had high hopes coming in here as I had heard good things. However, I ended up being extremely disappointed in the lack of hot food meal sized options. I'm hoping that my experience here was due to a staff shortage and not the core character of the restaurant.
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JL S.

Yelp
Jim Dandy veggie burger and cocktails. Only wish the burger was larger. Overdose of ghost fries made for a satisfying lunch. Now get on down to the Settle Down.
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Jeff C.

Yelp
Great drinks, unique cheese curds, and awesome space! First time at settle down tavern and it was a great experience. They are know for their cocktails and they have a lot of options on the menu. I came on day one of their toddy specials and I decided to try one of them, the name is escaping me but it was so warm and toasty and just fantastic. I decided to follow up with one of their margaritas and it was fantastic! It was my first margarita flavored with almond and you may be saying "almond?! And margarita?! " it worked very well and I could probably have drunk 2-3 more to be honest. Food options here are limited but tasty! Definitely come here for the drinks and grab an appetizer or two!
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Eric W.

Yelp
(Last visited on 2/10/2021.) Working in Madison, WI for the week and I asked the locals where the best places to get some good food around here are and this place was thrown out numerous times. So here we are! Atmosphere/Appearance: Nestled right downtown near the Capitol Building is this gem. There is a some outdoor seating available, but since it's RIDICULOUSLY COLD most places close their outdoor sections, but not this place. Lol. Let me explain. This place hosts a challenge. Patrons who come and choose to eat outside IN THE FRIGID COLD get entered into a contest. Every time you have a meal... a drink.. or whatever outside you earn a point. So between a certain date and another date (check with the restaurant) you can rack up points to earn a grand prize. It's actually pretty clever. Inside is very... tavern-y? Lol. It fits the description perfectly. There are lots of different styles of décor all thrown together all in one restaurant and it works very well to give this place character. If you walk all the way through the restaurant there is even more seating in the atrium of the office building. It's a bit quieter out there, but I feel like you miss out on all the action! Service: Ryan was the owner/bartender and he took excellent care of us. It was a slow night so we really had a chance to chat with him. This place opened up SMACK DAB in the middle of the pandemic, but they were here and still kickin'! You gotta give them credit for that. He was awesome and made sure we had everything that we needed. Food: The menu is pretty basic and pretty bare. There weren't as many healthier options as what I expected, but... we're here so we gotta try something! The locals said this place was awesome! So I went with the Good Idea Burger. It's an hand-formed all-beef burger patty topped with house pickles, fried onions, butterkase cheese and Settle sauce. Oh my goodness. It was so delicious. It was melty, messy, cheesy, gooey and just everything you wanted in a comfort food. I paired the Good Idea Burger with a large order of their Ghost Fries. These are simply fries that are dusted with ghost chili peppers and other spices then served with a house-made bleu cheese. I had never had anything like this before and loved them! Great job guys! Value: My burger was only $9.00 which I fell is an excellent value! The large order of fries was $7.00, but I understand why. Ghost chilis aren't cheap. I did get some extra bleu cheese and it was only $1.00. Decent value at this place and you certainly don't have to break the bank. In conclusion, I really loved this place even though I was underwhelmed by the food choices. No matter, the food is fantastic and worth checking out. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel, "The Hungry Road" for more restaurant and car-related content! You can copy and paste the following link into your browser to be taken directly to the channel! Be sure to subscribe, like, comment and turn on notifications! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEZJPcprSoq00kgDLUb57yA
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Heather M.

Yelp
Arguably the best burger in Madison! This new restaurant with an establish feel is one of our new favorite. Their grand opening was a hit during a pandemic, and for rightful reason. This gem is located down down between two well trafficked restaurants, and yet manages to stand out. Their cocktail menu was impressive, yet loyal to their roots in Wisconsin. I had the Bloody Mary which was made with fresh tomato juice and served with a "Settle Down" chaser from Full Mile (also local). It was simple and delicious. My husband had the Red Squirrel, it was a twist on a traditional old fashioned which used brandy and bourbon. We shared the fries, that came with paprika Mayo, and cheese puppies. The Cheese Puppies stole the show, they are a traditional cheese curd mixed with a hush puppy. One bite in and I couldn't stop. Also worth mentioning, was their homemade ranch which perfectly complimented them. My husband and I shared their Fish Sandwhich, which was on special, and the Good Idea Burger. Both were delicious! The Fish Sandwhich was lightly battered and fried, served with homemade pickled jalapeños and lime coleslaw and peppadew relish. The Good Idea Burger (pictured) was topped with house pickles, fried onions, and butterkase cheese. Their menu includes plenty of gluten free and vegetarian options as well. They had a variety of seating options including several booths and bar seats, an indoor atrium, and outdoor seating. Service was exceptional. It was great to see the owners seats guests and making rounds. This is a must visit when in Madison!
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Lauren E.

Yelp
These burgers are amazing! They offer a smaller menu here, but what they do, they do well! Our most recent visit was for breakfast and we shared 2 different breakfast sandwiches (which they split for us!) and a couple of their house made beverages. We ordered the cheese curds and were impressed they were able to provide a new twist (cornmeal in the batter), while executing a proper Wisconsin fried cheese curd! We also ordered the ghost pepper French fries, they are "midwestern spicy" so order without abandon! Be sure to ask for extra sauce- ANY sauce! They are made in house and they are all incredible! Their ranch...OMG!! It's fantastic!!
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Dillon B.

Yelp
This was a great place for outdoor seating! The servers were attentive and friendly. The cheese curds were not that great. They had cornmeal breading which tasted strange on cheese curds. I had the special. It was a steak tip sandwich with arugula and raw red onions with a horseradish aioli. The steak was heavily peppered, but otherwise tasted fantastic. The fries were overly salty and the dip with them was not great. The highlight was the beer and drinks!
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Corbin B.

Yelp
Great tight menu of fun bar classics. Excellent service. Excellent vibe on the inside.
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Russel R.

Yelp
Excellent food and service. Start off with appetizers and then smash burgers. Best cheese curds and cauliflower anywhere
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Jim R.

Yelp
Talk about unfortunate timing, this craft cocktail bar located on Pinckney just off the square (itself becoming a kind of eat-street filled with some of our foodie favorites) opened in 2020. We stopped in for a drink on what would have been a football Saturday in early September on a glorious fall day. Due to COVID, much of the block had been cordoned off to create an European-style street dining area with bistro lights and well-spaced patio tables. All the masked servers were friendly and our group of 5 was seated right away. They've got a great list of craft cocktails and I enjoyed their riff on the old fashioned made with maple syrup. We also tried the cheese ball and crackers (little pretzel crackers) which was a tasty snack. They were pretty busy with a lot of outside tables. Hopefully they'll make it through the winter when it's not possible to do alfresco seat
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Allison H.

Yelp
Dog friendly patio, woohoo! Stopped by with some friends for dinner, and the wait staff are all very friendly and also attentive to dogs. They came by our table to check in on us and to make sure the water dish was full for the pup, which was very kind. Their food menu is very limited, at least on Saturdays, so we all ended up ordering the Good Idea burger along with cheese puppies, ghost fries, and devil birds. It did take a while for our food to arrive, 30+ mins. The food was seasoned pretty well, though the burger patties were extremely salty. Overall we had a good time!
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Jonathan B.

Yelp
You pretty much have to get a burger here. The burgers are two thin patties piled on one another. So it definitely changes the taste. In spite of this, the burger stays pretty juicy with the sauce they use. It's a good burger, but I wouldn't say like some people that it is the best burger around here. But it is still up there. We also ordered the fries, which were slightly crispy and the paprika Mayo was delicious. My wife ordered the smoked herring with crackers and that was pretty good. From the food perspective everything was good, not amazing. The indoor seating seems a little limited and cramped but there is plenty of outdoor seating utilized. It's a tavern so that's what it feels like inside.
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Mark L.

Yelp
I enjoyed my dining experience, the burger I had was very good and was the cocktail. I loved that they have several craft cocktails besides the standards, some with a fun twist. I do wish the food menu had a couple more selections to choose from.

Chris S.

Yelp
Amazing smash burger. A little too salty but probably why it tastes so good. Tried the chili fries...again amazing and very salty.
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Ericka B.

Yelp
Went here for a friend's birthday on a Tuesday night, and its clear that this is one of the trendy places to be in town. The outdoor seating was packed and the indoor was also pretty full. Our waitress was super friendly and the bussboys/girls were super efficient at getting tables clearly so that you had room. As a group we tried a bunch of the drinks and food. My friend and I ordered the Uecker? or Euchre? and the Juniper Lake mocktail. I will say that I really appreciate that this restaurant has mocktails as well as cocktails. The cocktail was like nothing we had ever tried before as it was super smoky, but generally pleasant. It was on the smaller side, but seemed to have quality ingredients. We're also really not sure what Uecker or Euchre had to do with it, but that may be beyond us. For food, we tried the cheeseball and Potter's pretzels, Betty's party mix, prit' near, ghost fries, cheese puppies, and the Carolina fried chicken sandwich, which is a Tuesday special. All of the options were pretty tasty. The Prit' Near was a very flavorful take on a veggie burger, but for some reason it did feel a bit greasy and a little small for the price. We were also kind of thrown off by the ghost fries as we were expecting them to be slightly spicy, but were really just very flavorful and went great with the blue cheese dip. The cheese puppies were very fun as you get cheesecurds and hush puppies all at once. This is such a great idea! The chicken sandwich was probably our favorite thing as the chicken was nice and juicy and the balance of it to the pickle and bun was pretty good. We could have used a little more sauce and were expecting it to be spicier. I really don't think I had much spice at all from it. Overall, we would say that the food is pretty good and the wait staff is super friendly and always on the move. The one down side is that its a little pricy for the size of food and drinks, but its definitely fun!
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Ella S.

Yelp
One of my favorite places in Madison that I'll be so sad to leave when I leave campus :( can't get over how nice the people are here, every time I go they make me feel like an old friend, and the food is of the same caliber. The good idea burger is so delish, and you haven't lived until you've tried the cheese puppies, cheese curds fried in hush puppy batter !! It's always a magic day at settle down ‍
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Bob S.

Yelp
This place is horrible. First of all the tables are in a large, noisy, high ceiling "hallway". People bumping into you and the door opening and closing all the time. The food was subpar for sure: hamburgers are better at Culvers than here, my wife potato soup was bitter and tasted like the top of the flat top grill and the French fries are out of a frozen bag right off the Sysco truck. Not returning or recommending.