Heritage Tavern
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About
With 2016 James Beard Award finalist chef Daniel Fox at the helm, Heritage Tavern successfully marries American culinary traditions with dashes of global inspiration. Small plate options are delectable, and diners often enjoy trying more than one. Popular choices include the foraged mushroom gnocchi with pine nuts in a creamy brie sauce, salmon char siu with crispy pork belly and roasted squash Thai coconut soup. Larger plate entrées include pan-seared scallops with pickled ginger, chicken confit and cauliflower tortellini, and the hickory nut pesto soba noodles with poached eggs. Heritage Tavern also has an extensive cocktail list to complement its unique culinary offerings, such as the Hunker Down with Milagro silver, allspice dram, blood orange, cranberry and lime.
Heritage Tavern also has nightly happy hour specials and live jazz on Wednesdays.
The food was very mediocre and our service was subpar. They ran out of ketchup which seemed odd and didn't offer much to substitute.
They honored our reservation without any delay, that was appreciated. Upon being seated, it took 15 minutes to get water. It took 20 minutes to get our first cups of coffee which were only offered to be refilled once during our 95 minute stay. I ordered a cocktail and it took almost 25 minutes to arrive from seating and it was delivered by a bartender who wandered around the dining room a bit before finding me.
Our order was not taken until well after 35 minutes from our seating. Given the delays already experienced, we specifically asked that the "appetizers" (ham/cinammon roll & donuts) be brought out before the meals. Of course they came out at the same time, over an hour after being seated. One of our party ordered a side of rosti potatoes with her egg sandwich. It never arrived.
The bill was finally brought out about 95 minutes after being seated. We never had follow up to our entrees to check satisfaction or ask if we wanted desert, more cocktails, etc. We were frustrated enough that we told the waiter when he brought the bill that he had to take our cards right then and there, which fortunately he did.
The dining room was only 2/3 full. There was a large party on the other side, but it wasn't oppressively large. There was no sense of urgency or organization to our waiter's service methods, I often saw him backtrack and change directions.
I am all for a leisurely brunch. If we had been attended to during the time it would have been better, but waiting over an hour for food with an empty coffee cup and no more mimosa was no fun. We would have ordered more food and libations to make it a leisurely brunch experience, but we were never asked.
With that said, the food was fresh, delicious, inventive and amazing. The service soiled it and upset others in the party more than me. I may go back; they won't.
I ordered the scallops and they were not done correctly and they were very salty. I should have said something, but I did not want to be perceived as the complainer in our group so I said nothing. It was kind of difficult eating my dish, which I should have really sent back.
Wonderful evening adventure in Madison, outstanding dining experience, loud, but very enjoyable environment, divine dessert, expert staff.
I was at Heritage with 3 colleagues for a business dinner. The food was wonderful and was served in a relaxed and competent fashion. We asked our server for recommendations on the drinks as well as the food. All of her suggestions were spot on. I loved the bouillabaisse that I ordered.
While the whole meal was excellent from beginning to end, the desserts were the most amazing. We had the citrus meringue and the chocolate mousse cake.
Can't wait to have a reason to go back.
The Wagyu Beef Skirt Steak Frites & Eggs is amazing. Not only are the steak and frites delicious but the eggs are a special treat: They poach them, then roll them in crumbs (or panko?) and lightly fry them.
The service here is fantastic!
We've been to Heritage Tavern a number of times and never had anything less than spectacular. We love it.
Great Easter experience not a Brunch but a great breakfast!
Absolutely wonderful!! And the service was terrific!
A fantastic dining experience all around. Creative cocktails, food was fantastic, and service was great. Especially liked the tuna, pork belly, and seared fois gras appetizer! Highlight of our visit to Madison.
Wonderful food, service and experience overall.
Went here for a late Saturday morning Brunch. The food selections were awesome. Order the donuts with ganache to share. You'll love them. She had a bloody mary & I had a greyhound. The breakfast sandwich was very good.
I'm told this place is great for dinners too. When we get back to Madison we'll definitely be back!
Delicious food, great drinks, but our service was slow. The maître d' did comp the drinks, though.
We had a delicious meal. The pork belly/foie gras/tuna combo was unexpected and delicious as were the lemongrass-dusted mahi mahi and seared scallops. Can't wait to get back to indulge in the pork options. Service was appropriately attentive. Wish we hadn't been in a time crunch so we could try some desserts! It was noisy with the dining room half-full.
I came here to celebrate a special event and was not disappointed! The food is very fresh, unique, and delicious! I also love the decor and ambiance of the restaurant. Reservations can easily be made online, which is an added bonus. The only complaint was how often the server came to the table to ask questions, pick up/drop off dishes, etc. I found it to be slightly excessive/interrupting, but it is better having that then a non-attentive server! Overall great experience.
The one diner I brunched with ordered an omlette, which was a good sized portion with a nice salad on the side. The quality was good, and the portion was appropriate. The second diner I brunched with ordered the french toast, which was two generous sized pieces of bread with a VERY TINY side of fruit syrup. The syrup should have been more generously portioned and the dish completely lacked any sides. MY brunch portion -- the Salmon and blini -- was a JOKE!!! The dish really should have been labeled an appetizer: the blini were 4 or 5 quarter sized pancakes, served with a baby pickle, a few slices of carrot, and a knife smear of mustard and cheese. It was basically garnishes served with a small portion of smoked salmon. A total rip off at $16!!! Beware that not all the entrees on the brunch menu are really a meal!!!
Service was great. Brunch items were delicious. Loved the lobster scramble! Extra bonus for taking reservations.
The name does not do justice to the service and the food at the Heritage Tavern. Thinking burgers and a beer? Think again. Our food was interesting and cooked to perfection. Our server was really fantastic. And, the place was hopping! If you want a schnitzel -- this is your place.
And we were not in the room with the bar. We were very happy to be done and leave.
I've had dinner here a few times and the food and experience was truly fantastic. Our last dinner here was nice but I think the long wait affected our enthusiasm. Being seated next to the bar was a bit noisy for conversation as well. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable and made excellent pairing suggestions. I'm a bit of a service snob so I really appreciated this. Having worked in fine dining for a long time I know the kitchen can get backed up - the saving grace is acknowledgement. Perhaps it was just too busy but I hate feeling avoided because the food is taking too long. I just want an update, or if you really want a nice tip perhaps a little amuse or a glass of wine to break up the wait. Overall - no qualms whatsoever in recommending this place since I will be back I just felt it fell a bit below the lofty standards I have for the place.
Beautiful restaurant. Staff was knowlegable and very helpful. The menu is full of fantastic options as well as the nightly specials. Schnitzel was good, not great. A little over cooked. Beer selection was really unique. Deviled egg selection was unexpectantly disappointing.
Love Heritage, especially for weekend brunches. Dinner is nice and well-prepared but a little over-priced. For Valentine's Day, there was a fixed price menu, 4-courses for $75. It was all done well and as advertised. However, the small portions and mediocre dessert felt like not enough for the price. This is a common problem in Madison on holidays such as this.
Had brunch for the first time, really good!
The brunch met and exceeded my every expectation starting from the setting, craft cocktails, attentive service, and on to two wonderful entrees (lobster scramble and seafood cakes), finishing with coffee.
We went to Heritage for a night out with friends and had an awesome time. The cocktails are fantastic and unique, the food is delicious (faves were the bacon wrapped tempura cheese curds, squash soup and brandy float), and the ambiance is warm and hip. Our only complaint was that the entrees were really good, but not incredibly exceptional to be worth the price/ portion size; we ended up spending $150 per couple and could have snacked again about an hour after we left. It's still one of the best restaurants downtown, however, and the service is great at the bar and table.
I took my husband there for his birthday brunch. I love the feel of the restaurant. Very comfortable. We shared a cinnamon roll that was delicious, had a great Bloody Mary (they even provided my husband with a back other than a Miller product). Our omelet was delicious and our coffee never ran low. Thanks for a great brunch! We'll be back.
Everything about this place is everything good about Wisconsin. The charcuterie offerings are substantial and local. We tried the beet salad and the macadamia nut butter was a flavorful unique accent. The Thai soup was balanced and the added lobster put it over the top. I ordered the Bootlegger Manhatten and cocktail menu had unique offerings. The scallops were our entree and they were perfectly cooked and plated with crunch and color. I'd go back anytime. Great meal and perfect service. The pig plates were an adorable touch.
This is my go-to place to bring out-of-town visitors. My three favorites from the starter menu are the beet salad, the deviled eggs and the pork belly.
This restaurant was VERY NOISY - don't go if you want to have a conversation. We practically had to shout to be heard and our waitress had to speak individually to everyone at the table.
There was a longish wait for our food, not excessively long, but long. When the food arrived the "large plate" looked more like an appetizer. My steak was ordered medium rare and it arrived medium well. The flavor and quality was good.
The service was so so. Overall, a big disappointment.
Flawless. We had the best brunch we've ever had. I can't wait to go back.
We enjoyed our brunch very much. The bloody mary's were just right, not too spicy. The eggs benedict were superb. An excellent ham choice so much more tasty than Canadian bacon. The sauce was just the right amount, not so much to drown the real flavor and reason you order this dish. The only down side was the rosti. Pattys were too thick to get well browned and crisp enough. Overall, will definitely return...the menu looked like I needed to try more.
Suckling pig special was excellent, staff did an outstanding job, place was filled so a bit loud
I would recommend this restaurant any time of day. Beautiful interesting locally sourced menu items will delight you. Knowledgable, friendly, helpful servers are very professional and appealing. Interesting cuts and preparation of meats, but the seafood is dynamite too. The Thai squash soup was so good. Felt like ordering a second bowl. Pork belly and tuna small plate was delicious. Loved the char small plate too.
As always - the food was delicious. Must remind ourselves to ORDER LESS. One cheese, an appetizer and main course was too much food. The salad was gigantic - could have shared it.
But as always the service was impeccable. And we stopped after the theatre for a drink and had great service.
Excellent lighting, handled my reservation request great, great alcohol selection, food was 50/50 but the 50% I liked, I actually LOVED. Definitely want to try more items.
Thoroughly enjoyable dining experience during Restaurant Week: delicious food and pleasant service in a lively and attractive setting. That's what we look for when dining out.
The service was warm and genuine. The food was delicious and served all at the right temperatures. I had the roasted beet salad, pumpernickel crusted trout, and Caramel-Pecan Profiterole. My husband had the Lamb Tartare with Green Mustard Whipped Cream, Grilled Beef Sirloin & Tamarind Glazed Ox-Tail, and the Dark Chocolate Beet Cake. All were delicious. I loved the way the trout smelled and it was the best fish I have had in years.
My husband and I had a wonderful dinner at Heritage Tavern. We had the beet salad and lamb tartare for appetizers. We liked both but the lamb tartare was really excellent. Since pork is the speciality we had the pork trio. All three cuts were extremely good. The sausage might have been the best I have ever tasted. The pork culet was just a little over salted in one area but that was our only complaint of the evening and that was only for two bites. The beet ice cream and cake was fantastic. Watching the owner, Dan Fox, personally plate and garnish each plate showed the care that is given to very meal. The restaurant is a great choice for wonderful, innovative food.
I went to Heritage for restaurant week. Every item that came to our table was meticulously prepared and tasted fantastic. It was a wonderful value. I was with a person from the Chicago Suburbs and he was super impressed with the quality of the food for the price.
Went with mom and sisters for restaurant week. Heard the beet salad was to die for and did not disappoint. Good options and portions for restaurant week. Drinks were quite expensive at $11 each. The cheese curds looked awesome. Enjoyable experience.
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Heritage Tavern is rated 4.5 stars by 343 OpenTable diners.