The Thirsty Goat

This place is super dog friendly and we love to come here! The patio is open year round as long as you want to brace the weather with your pup! They have a fire pit and plenty of tables to dine at! The patio is pretty spacious, which we really enjoy. Favorite drink, half blueberry wheat ale half mango cart with easy blueberries! Favorite meal, fish tacos!

We had tacos. Fish and brisket tacos. They were both amazing. We also had their potato skins. The server was very good, she even double checked a few things for us.

We ordered a burger and smoked turkey sandwich for pickup, and I added the special instructions "No Onions please, allergy". The fries were soggy, the sandwiches were fine, not great and, get this, the side salad had Red Onion slices in it! It was a separate package so I threw it away safely, but I see no reason to return! Tried it, and will go someplace better next time.

Visited on a recent football Sunday and had some delicious Zombie Dusts on tap at the bar before we ordered their famous fried chicken dinner! Possibly the best fried chicken dinner in the area. They make it fresh, a 20 minute wait as they broast it. Four meaty pieces with two sides (recommended the mashed potatoes and gravy with the spicy corn). Knocking it out of the park. Everything we’ve tried at the Goat has been delicious.

Came in to use our pub pass and have some food. Everything was tasty and enjoyable. Caitlin M. Was our server and she was friendly and helpful! We will definitely be back. Love that they have lots of tap options, too!

This was my first trip to the Thirsty Goat. I tried the wing, and they were the largest chicken wings I had ever had. They were smoked, and the flavor was amazing. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, from the waitresses to bartenders. I will be back and try some other food to see if everything is as good as the wings. This place receives a 5 STAR rating from me, and I recommend anyone to come and enjoy this establishment.

We placed an order we thought would make in time before kitchen closed but it was late and the order was not able to be made, we weren't upset just asked for a refund for food that wasn't cooked and that we wouldn't be able to pick up the next day. We still even wanted to stay for a drink. Bartender lady with dark hair and glasses was rude and huffy and puffy about it not sure why bc the food wasn't cooked or anything. Since she was having an attitude we got drinks from the other bartender and Skylar who was great and really the only reason I am giving more than 1 star. He was super kind and after being at the hospital for days supporting my mother after brain surgery we really appreciated how nice he was. Thanks a TON for the kindness Skylar !

Love this place so much! I started coming here fairly regularly in January and am sad to be leaving it behind when I move. The staff is a lot of fun to be around (Caitlin is the best!) and I’ve never really had a problem with the service. Really good bloody Marys! Aw yeah! And the food is so good too! I would get buffalo wings with bleu cheese almost every time. They bring me joy and are some of the best wings I’ve ever had. Also highly recommend the burnt ends, the Gouda bites, the smokehouse salad, and the kbasa, but honestly pretty much everything on the menu is worth it. There’s also a karaoke night every Saturday that’s lots of fun! They do a good job of prioritizing newcomers and they don’t take bribes from college kids like the karaoke bar downtown. I’ve brought most of my friends here at one point or another and they all love it!

We were out on the west side of Madison for an appointment, and though it was early for dinner, my husband was starving, as he hadn't eaten all day, so we stopped at a restaurant nearby, The Thirsty Goat. We stood at the front waiting to be seated, but then saw a sign to seat yourself. We decided to eat at the bar, as that was where everyone was sitting at the time. We were told it was happy hour, so we enjoyed a few beers on tap, and ordered an appetizer before deciding what we wanted for dinner. The appetizer we ordered was onion rings, which came out piping hot, and had a delicious Cajun ranch sauce. They were nice and crisp, and not greasy. For dinner, my husband ordered a Wisco Burger, consisted of beer cheese sauce, bacon fried onions and jalapenos, with fries. I ordered the Brie Burger, which had brie cheese, fig jam, arugula and sautéed onions with fries. The fries were nice and crispy. We both ordered our burgers medium rare, but my husband's burger was more medium rare, then mine. My burger was just very slightly pink, which made my burger dry. My husband thought his burger was good. We both agreed that they were greasy burgers, as evidenced by the grease on your hands, multiple napkins used, and soaking into the paper underneath. My brie burger was good, however, the brie ended up making the burger a bit pungent, which took the enjoyment out of it a bit. It's all a matter about taste, and whether you like older brie, or younger brie. The inside bar area was quaint, and the bar area full. There were multiple TVs on with sports channels on, but no sound. The staff was very nice. The front area was cutely decorated with an Easter theme. The only thing I might add, is though we were there for happy hour, we didn't get the discounted amount for the beers we drank, on our bill, and didn't notice it until later. Also note they add an extra fee for using a credit card, but it seems a lot of restaurants are doing this nowadays. We might go back to taste their smokehouse specialties and fish, when we are in the area again.

I found my new favorite drink served cold for a warm summer day, blueberry lemon gin-jito. Yum!

Surprisingly great food in an unassuming location! I wish I lived closer. We tried the Mac and cheese bake, pork slider, and bluegill. Mac and cheese was AMAZING. This may be my new favorite Mac and cheese in the area. The cavatappi noodles were a great complement to the different cheeses and it was baked perfectly. The side salad was OK, I would have preferred fries because the salad was a little overdressed. Another highlight was the sweet potato fries that came with the pork sandwich. Overall fun vibe and we liked the large space. It seemed like they have karaoke and trivia some nights too. Was not super busy for a Saturday night. Service was a little disappointing. We originally visited because we wanted to use a free drink coupon. Our server didn't seem like they wanted us to use it, understandably if it was a hassle. Also, When we got our bill for a party of 5 we noticed there was a service charge for a party of 6+. We notified our server who took it off, but it seemed purposefully added. Regardless, I would definitely come back for the great food!

My husband and I were just there. I ordered the fish tacos that are to come with your choice of two sides. Hillary, our server didn't ask what I wanted so I thought maybe it was decided for me. No sides showed up. So then we thought the guacamole was the two sides, no such luck charged an additional $3.99. Complete bull.

Four of us had lunch there and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. Sat outside under an awning. Steph was a wonderful server and the bar keep made solid Bloodies. The food came in good time and we all enjoyed the wide range of food items though the baguette was less than impressive. Could have used more jam and seasoning. Personally my sliders were spot on with tangy bbq sauce and I can't wait to go back and try something different.

The place we were supposed to meet our son and daughter in law was closed and this was close by so we tried it. The service was awful I had to ask other servers to help us. Thos there is not a lot of vegan choices my daughter in law chose the Big Burrito and she likes it. My son and husband like there's brisket, ribs and pork. I like ribs that fall off the bone these were not. My brisket was very very fatty and my baked potatoes skin was so salty I couldn't eat it which was okay because it was as hard as a rock. I will not be going back

I had a decent experience at the Thirsty Goat. We (me and one other person) got sat immediately mid day on a Sunday. Service was good for a place like this. Food was just fine, expensive for what it is. The restaurant is dark, good for a late night watching the game and drinking with greasy food but not for a mid afternoon meal.

Was a great place for food and beer during a weekday. The service was great. Very friendly people and knowledgeable of the menu. The sliders were fun to try various flavors on the menu & the have a great beer selection! Definitely a great place to go.

I have been eating here for 6 years Barbecue is very good The seasonal salad which I have been ordering for years, is 1/3 the size it used to be! I don't get it. Lettuce is not that expensive

I'm shocked at these bad reviews! We've eaten here for years- this place never misses. Great vibes and always feels good to support an awesome (dog friendly) local spot. Cheers!

So, the server was nice and provided good service. But, our table was underneath a very dusty ceiling and dust kept falling on us/our table. Also, the food was not very good for how much it cost. One of us ordered the "adult" root beer float and the first one had no alcohol. Our server had the bartender make a new one, which did contain alcohol this time, but looked nothing like the photo in the menu. Small and disappointing. Prices of everything were way high for what it was.

Overpriced and overhyped. This bar certainly has lost its way over the last few years. It used to be a great neighborhood bar... Now, poor service and a resemblance of just another chain bar. Which is quite unfortunate as it has excellent potential.

High prices for the blandest food I've had in awhile. Kitchen must have been running low on cheese because I barely got more than a sprinkle on each potato skin. Bartender completely inattentive and spent more time worrying about the TV channels than making drinks. As I sit and right this, I've been empty for over 10 min and it's not even busy. This establishment is obviously not concerned with repeat business. Disappointing.

Came to Madison for a meeting with other floor covering dealers and they played golf today. We came out after the golf and we all met at the thirsty goat for dinner. We were the guest of Sergenian floors thought this was a great place and they were correct I ordered a melody salad, which was terrific. My wife got the Capri salad which she loved and finished And they ordered different things from chicken to sandwiches and there were no complaints. The waitress was Johnny on the spot brought everybody drinks repeatedly I might add and everybody was happy with what they ordered us eating so I have only good things to say about this place and if I ever came back here, I would go there again.

Great staff and atmosphere. It was a Badger game day on a sunday and the place was mostly filled. My spouse and I ordered the 3-meat platter. I was satisfied with the porition and how well we were able to share this. Only critique would be that the pork ribs and the bisket were a bit dry. The pulled pork was good and our sides (mac and fries) were great. Love me some beerbattered fries. My wife was a bit disappointed but would be glad to go back and change her mind.

While visiting our little cousin who plays Badger football, we came across this wonderful restaurant. We have the fried cheese curds, caprese salad, shrimp cocktail and smokehouse trio. Everything was absolutely delicious. But what made our dine in experience even better was the AMAZING customer service we received from Jenny. Jenny was not our waitress but she interacted with everyone and made sure everyone was good. We will definitely return whenever we come back to visit. Thank you Jenny.

We decided to order in last night and boy, did we hit gold with The Thirsty Goat. We are new to Fitchburg and haven't explored restaurants in person, but based on last night's order, this is our new place to splurge because damn. Let me break it down. On our menu: the fries, pretzel bites, the goat cheese salad, loaded mac n cheese with pulled pork, the meat sampler platter with side salad, the brownie and the bread pudding. The fries were cooked to perfection -- crispy but not crunchy and not greasy or weighted down. The pretzel bites were a little bit hard, but the cheese sauce they came with made this a non-issue. The goat cheese salad was, hands down, the best salad I've ever eaten. It is a testament to a restaurant's excellence when they make something as basic as a salad into a fine cuisine. The goat cheese was a warm patty? It was cooked as like a little patty that you had to break up over the salad, which was fresh, full of strawberries and incredible croutons. I don't like croutons, but these were not ordinary croutons. The dressing was amazing -- not overly oily and not heavy either. Just perfect. The meat platter and Mac n Cheese with pulled pork were both excellent as well. Their pulled pork is nothing short of immaculate, I highly recommend getting at least one item with the pulled pork. I would tell you about the short ribs, but my husband ate them immediately, groaning about how delicious they were. The desserts were also great -- again, brownies and bread pudding are not exotic cuisine, but The Thirsty Goat makes the most amazing bread pudding I've ever eaten. Outstanding. The takeaway here is that you should eat here or order from them. The prices are medium-range, but the food is worth it. I look forward to visiting in-person in the future!

Walked in and were immediately greeted by a hostess. The hostess sat us and our waitress came over right away to get drinks. We waited quite awhile for her to come back to actually take our dinner order. I ordered blackened salmon, sweet potato fries, and cornbread with a glass of Prosecco. My salmon was amazing. My friend had the fish and chips and said there was too much breading. My other friend had the baked bluegill and she said it tasted "dirty" similar to catfish. The restaurant was cold though due to all the windows so bundle up if you're a freezy cat like me.

Stumbled upon this place while being at a nearby guitar shop. The drinks and food are fantastic! Hillary, the bartender, makes the best drinks and has the best suggestions. Check it out!

This is a nice place to have a drink late at night. The prices for the drinks are pretty reasonable. I sat at the bar with a friend just to chat. I wasn't in the mood for a big meal so I decided on some nachos. I read the ingredients and I didn't like the sound of BBQ sauce on my nachos but the bartender said that I had to try it on the nachos or I wasn't going to like it. He also said that they are a different type of nachos and he wasn't wrong. I wasn't a fan! I got the nachos is good time and the dish was hot but the flavors were awful. The BBQ sauce okay but mixed with the cheese and all the other items on top was just a mess of flavors. The chicken was dry and the chips tasted more like pita chip which I hate. The chips didn't even hold the items. I think if they just stuck with a regular style of nachos with real nacho chip this would have been a winner. Other than that this place was nice.

My group's neighborhood hangout, they also have good food. Their burnt ends are a particular favorite, that come in a generously sized portion, crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, glazed with a tangy and slightly spicy sauce. Their fish tacos are good too. They have lots of seating and there hasn't been a wait on any of my visits. Lots of TVs, a good spot to catch a game.

Stopped for a beer and cheese curds on Saturday afternoon. The bartender was very attentive with a great attitude. The beer selection was great and cheese where plentiful and tasty.

Great draft selection, craft cocktails. Friendly, attentive service TVs everywhere for sports viewing. Excellent food, smoked meats are the best. Patio pond side that has a doggo friendly area and outdoor dining as well.

I have held two employee going away parties here and they are very accommodating. You can reserve a side room for 20-30 people without a minimum. We had a server that came back and forth to grab drinks and food orders. I love coming here for a working lunch and just get their amazing goat cheese potato skins. So yummy.

Food has always been good. Last night 6 of us had a couple of beers and an appetizer on the outdoor patio When we received our bill, they added a "surcharge" line item for tables of 6 or more plus an open line item for tip with a suggestion of at least 18% tip. We asked about the surcharge and were informed that it was for the waitstaff and bartenders. At a 20% tip thats 38% on top of beers and a $24 half order of nachos. We wont be back!

Great service. Bar tender made a great old fashioned. Walleye 6 ounce great for me. Served with drawn butter. Spouse had bluegill. Hot, crispy and crunchy. Fries great. Nice crunch too. Lots of sides to choose from. Were from Illinois but need to return.

This is the best BBQ that I've had since having it down South. The brisket in the south was a bit better but the pork and kielbasa here was phenomenal! They also make a really tasty Bloody Mary :) The Service was speedy and friendly. Next time we're in the area we'd definitely come back and scarf down that kielbasa. Only think that could make this better is hush puppies and buttermilk pie.

Food was greasy . Very very oily . Not tasty . The service provided us wrong item and over charged us . Service was bad. Too much salty . For any type of sauce you have to pay extra. Lots of tricks to utilize there hidden costs . Not worth it .

We dropped in for a late night bite to eat and a couple of drinks. The chicken soup was savory and delicious, just like grandmama used to make. Awesome craft cocktails too. Reasonable prices, a fun staff, and a very lively atmosphere.

Stopped by for a quick dinner and tried the seasonal "mocktail", the Christmas Spritz. Finally a non- alcoholic beverage that doesn't taste like a kid's drink! Delicious apple cider base with whole spice and fresh herbs. Nice way to ring in the holidays.

First off don't go there if you're in a rush, the service is SLOW! The deep fried cheese curds were very good as an appetizer. The main course however left something to be desired. The meat was clearly cooked apart from the spices and sauce and both mixed and delivered to the table. As a result the meat was tasteless while the sauce was good, but not a good mix while you're masticating.

Good barbeque, excellent and expansive tap menu, good cheese curds, reasonable prices, good service. Definitely not the best of everything but difficult to find faults with anything here. I think the brisket could have been a bit more tender if I had to find a fault but I think you'll probably be happy here.

Mystic ode and I with a 13 and 11 year old went to dinner tonight. The fried Gouda mac and cheese bites were amazing and the kids liked the pretzel bites with cheese. I had a great burger and the beer selection is pretty good. It wasn't overly busy but service seemed a bit slow but we weren't in a hurry so not a big deal. I'd definitely go back.

The food is rather expensive, and just OK. The kettle chips are greasy. Soggy fries. They serve lots of smoked dishes, but I'm not sure where they actually do the smoking. The decor is a little too rustic for me, kind of cheap looking. I was most dissatisfied with the fact that they included a 20% service charge without my knowledge. A customer would have to check every item on the bill to see a 20% charged for service! Imagine not seeing their service charge, and adding your own tip. If you were generous, you could be adding a 40% tip. This may not be illegal, but it's certainly unethical.

Never again Very fatty burnt ends Mea brisket dinner Chewy chocolate chunks in the bottom of our drinks-gross No question the blender was broken No manager

Finally ventured to the Thirsty Goat for a late breakfast this weekend. I've only been to the Goat once before for dinner and man the ribs were the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T). I've heard a lot about their lunch from friends and gave it a go! Our previous service at the goat is was awesome, but this weekend we had a server who waited ten minutes to greet us, it wasn't very busy at all. We asked for the breakfast menu, which also took him awhile to get. We got coffees and smokehouse skillets. The pulled pork was delicious, well presented, but the entree itself wasn't very hot. Our server seemed somewhat lackadaisical. I love the food and atmosphere, but this time was just an overall odd experience. Don't worry Thirsty Goat, we will be back.

Clean place, awesome service from our server Delaney. The bloody mary was to die for & they had a great selection of beer. The only disappointing thing was we asked for our burgers Medium but they came out well done. We would definitely come back.

Was looking forward to this place based in Yelp reviews. Service was terrible. Had to flag down or go find the waitstaff who went out of the way to avoid doing even the basics. They were out of 4 of the first selections of beer/cider requested. The food was really fatty or dry. The house chips just taste like oil. Left hungry. Won't be back.

Folks, it's a BBQ place. Those complaining about the French dip are missing the point. The BBQ is smoked on site and is very well done. House sauces are tasty as well. The people who work here seem really upset they are there. You are a chore they need to check off the list apparently. They're not rude or anything, but each visit they just seem put off by the audacity of my desire for some burnt ends and a beer. Come for the meat and beer. Don't expect an intimate ambiance or servers who want to be there.

This is the very best Madison restaurant for dining in or carry-out. I ordered 10 meals for our business Holiday dinner and each meal was perfect! Hot, delicious, cooked to perfection, and had great portions on each. Their extensive menu ensures the right food for each person. Lots to choose from! Every time we eat there or take it to-go, we are always so impressed at the consistency. We have ALWAYS had great meals from the Thirsty Goat. Plus, when our family gets together, they have large rooms to accommodate a group comfortably. Conveniently located, too, right on Cahill Main. Thirsty Goat is a definite WIN-WIN!

There were 7 of us out for a birthday celebration. The birthday boy chose the Thirsty Goat for its solid food. It's always fresh and tasty. No matter what you order! Sometimes the service is spotty. This visit it was problematic. After being seated we were told someone would be with us shortly. Shortly turned into waiting and waiting. Finally a trip to the reception desk had to be made. A manager was dispatched to our table. She took our drink orders and then disappeared. No drinks were delivered. We reached out again for service. Finally the drink order was filled and delivered except for the one that wasn't. We had to go to the bar and request again the drink that hadn't been delivered. Except then the drink sat at the end of the bar and someone from our group had to go retrieve it. We noticed on the menu a message stating that parties of 6 or more would have a 22% service charge added to the bill. We all took that to mean on one check. It was not. It was added to each and every check from the table. When the wait staff came around with our checks we were told that the 22% charges were for the staff and did not include her tip. These types of practices are becoming all too common and are unacceptable. Sadly because the service was so weak and the automatic service charge was in place none of us left more than a 10% tip on top of the 22% charge. Update: I need to correct this review. After thinking back it occurred to me that I had 2 visits that was in my review. One visit involved the 22% service charge. A different visit involved the poor service and drink issues. Sorry to all for any confusion this caused!!

Have been eating here for years and always enjoyed it. Went back in person for the first time since I switched to takeout during the pandemic. Food was still great, but I was really disappointed that they now restrict you to one barbecue sauce flavor per order rather than having bottles with the four flavors on the table, even for large orders like the 3 meat sampler. Honestly trying the different sauces is my favorite part of going to a barbecue place. I probably won't go back.

I use to live down the road from this restaurant and we would come a lot! I love the variety of food, the patio area and the beer selection. Very friendly staff!

Both times we have come here it was phenomenal, great food, and great service! Enjoy the wide menu options and beer options!

I have been here many times. The last visit for my son's 21st birthday was super disappointing. They have increased food prices quite a bit. Service was bad even though there were several folks just chatting by the entrance. Ambiance was average. They charged us automatically 25 % gratuity, over $55 for 6 people. Not going there again.

Great food. Fun atmosphere. The Broasted Chicken was amazing. The brisket fries were awesome. Pulled pork was very good and the corn bread was some of the best that I have ever had.

Went to thirsty goat at 1:30 pm on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch. Seated ourselves in the dining room (as the sign at host stand suggested). There were three other small tables as well as two folks at the bar. Sat at the table for about 10 minutes without anyone coming up to the table to greet us. We left without speaking to a single employee, despite there being a bartender and two servers upon walking into the restaurant. Left 2 stars as we have been here before and the food is good. The service was just disappointing

The interior of this place is very nice, but that's it! I had one of the worst lunches I have ever had. I don't think a dog could digest there food.plus a extremely long wait for the meal!

Checked out The Thirsty Goat for their Sunday brunch. Nothing plain about the brunch menu. Nearly all dishes included a signature bbq meat of some kind. I had the brisket Benedict. Lots of tender beef brisket atop an English muffin, then topped with perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.... delicious! Unfortunately, the cubed potatoes served with my Benedict weren't hot enough, and seemed to be of frozen origin. My fruit cup was a lovely, fresh combination of grapes, blueberries and one strawberry. My mate enjoyed his waffle covered with scrambled eggs, brisket, onions and cheese. His only complaint was the shredded cheese on top should have been melted. Our waiter was a fine multi-tasker and friendly. They really do a great job of bringing BBQ and breakfast together!