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Contemporary Coastal Cuisine - Amara, Madison, WI

Amara

4.4
4.4
397 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
Top Tags:
Amara is our take on contemporary coastal Italian cuisine featuring sharable small plates and bites, hand-crafted pastas, and entrées showcasing the bounty of Madison, Wisconsin. Our wine list features cutting edge Italian and Italian-inspired artisan wines farmed by hand and made with classical methods. Our bar showcases the art of Italian drinking including aperitifs, negronis, cocktails, and espresso. It all comes together to match our decor – light, beautiful, clean, relaxed, simple, energetic, and revitalizing…

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 55 times today
Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–9:00 pm Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (608) 716-7989
  • Website
    http://www.amaramadison.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Location
    670 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705
  • Neighborhood
    Madison
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Aperitivo Happy Hour!

    Multiple dates available
    Join us for Aperitivo Hour every day of the week from 2-6pm! Including wine, spritzi, and NA/ cocktail drink specials, in addition to spuntino and bruschetta food offerings! Please note our full dinner menu is available starting at 5pm. Please note that this does not qualify as a dinner reservation. Dinner reservations are available starting at 5pm! The Art of the Aperitivo: Derived from the Latin aperire, the tradition is meant “to open” the appetite before dining. We invite you to take this moment to unwind with a drink and a bite, reconnect with family and friends, and toast to health, rejuvenation, and the meal to come. Cheers!
    Aperitivo Happy Hour! Photo

What 397 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Madison

    Best Ambiance

  • Madison

    Innovative

  • Madison

    Healthy

  • Madison

    Hot spot

  • Madison

    Great for fine wines

  • Madison

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Madison

    Lively

  • Madison

    Most Booked

397 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really great restaurant! Our server Destiny really cared about our experience. She was great at getting us our order fast when we added something after our food had already came. She has very good attention to what we needed. Food was one of the best in Madison. We have many options here so great job at helping Madison stay great. We will be back!!! See y’all next time!

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  2. BenjaminC

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall4food5service3ambience5
    Food, drinks, and ambiance were all lovely. Our server seemed to be in a hurry to get us out.

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  3. MaryG

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall2food5service1ambience4
    The food was excellent, but the service was very poor especially for a Monday night. Took 20 minutes to get our drinks. We received only 3 of our 4 entrees and had to ask for silverware. By the time the 4th entree arrived, we had shared the 3 earlier ones and were ready to leave.

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  4. JessicaB

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food was amazing and server was very attentive and had good recommendations.

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  5. MayaS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our dinner at Amara was lovely! We went for our first time to celebrate an anniversary and the drinks, food, and service were all great. Our server, Taylor, was attentive, kind, and clearly knew what he was doing. Overall a great night!

    AmaraResponded 4 days ago

    Taylor is a true gem, thank you for this review Maya! We're so happy to hear we were able to help you celebrate such a special occasion. Congratulations!

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  6. CodyL

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great experience! Food was fantastic and fast. Drinks are unique and they don’t skimp. Overall wonderful and would go back infinite times.

    AmaraResponded 4 days ago

    Infinite times!? Man are we lucky to have guests like you. Thank you for your feedback, Cody!

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  7. ScottL

    Las Vegas

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 13, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    This was our first time to Amara. The atmosphere was very nice and noise level very tolerable. Our waitress Marie was over the top. She was very attentive, pleasant and kept us informed. We were there on a date night Wednesday.. Very affordable with great variety of choices .

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  8. RobertD

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Perfect spot for a date night. Everything was awesome. We will be back!

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  9. CSP57

    N. Ireland

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server, Gwen did an excellent job helping us find the right wine that pleased everyone’s palate. Our food was delicious and the presentation gorgeous. Service is prompt, helpful and friendly. A fun night was had!!

    AmaraResponded 4 days ago

    Thank you for letting us know! Gwen is an excellent member of the team, and we're thrilled to hear she was able to help find something for everyone at the table. We look forward to seeing you again, cheers!

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  10. MBG17

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a wonderful birthday celebration on the outdoor patio. Food was EXCELLENT, as was the service (Jacob & Marie). They were very friendly and knowledgeable. We had a variety of drinks and wine, apps and many shared plates. The gnocchi was the overall favorite. Cannot wait to come back!

    AmaraResponded 4 days ago

    Thank you so much for your feedback here! We're thrilled to hear your serving duo did right by you for your special occasion! We can't wait to serve you again (:

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  11. JeffH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The ambience is nice, with a modern vibe. The squid ink pasta was great. The staff were uniformly courteous and cheerful. Great!

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  12. Song41

    Milwaukee

    8 reviews

    1.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall1food2service4ambience4
    It was a disappointing experience for brunch. They don't really have a brunch menu, which you would expect at 10:30 on a Sunday. The food was all ok. Sandwiches were too hard to eat as sandwich. The elements didn't go together well: pieces falling out, bread was too thick, prochetta was not cut correctly for sandwich, etc. Shakshuka was watered down. The place seems nice and tried hard to be fancy, but fell short.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Dear Song41, thank you for your open and honest thoughts regarding your experience with our lunch offerings. We apologize that the breadth of the menu was not to your liking. Over the past few months, we've been adjusting our offerings during this time to attempt to best suit our guests and will certainly take this feedback with us into future conversations. Additionally, we are sorry to hear that your sandwiches were not up to our standards. We would love to connect with you about this via email, where a member of our management team can make this right. If you feel so inclined, please reach out to us via email so that we can take care of you! Thank you again, and we hope to chat with you soon.

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  13. CharlesM

    Orlando

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a wonderful dinner. The cocktails were great, good service, and we enjoyed the live jazz music.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Dear Charles, thank you so much for your kind words here! We hope to serve you again, cheers!

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food, small menu and our waiter was AMAZING!!!

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Thank you for your feedback! We're thrilled your server knocked it out of the park, and will pass this along to the team (:

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  15. Lucy

    Milwaukee

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall2food2service5ambience5
    I ordered hanger steak and it was rubbery and difficult to cut. I didn’t eat it. There was only one brand os scotch. We didn’t like the egg plant. We liked the broccoli, fingerling potatoes and lasagna skewers.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Hi Lucy, thanks for leaving your feedback here, as we're always looking for ways to improve our diners' experience. We are thrilled you enjoyed some of our contorni and lasagna skewers, but are sorry to hear you were not a fan of the steak and eggplant. We are always willing to replace dishes that guests' don't enjoy so that everyone ends up with something they loved! We would love a chance to do this for you on a future visit, and encourage you to reach out to us via email where one of our managers can connect with you right away.

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  16. baraboo

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience4
    The food was great, but the service was mediocre and the prices were probably 20% higher than I would expect. I would like to see more fish on the menu and more items with spicy heat. We looked at the desert menu, but everything seemed too heavy for a hot summer night. I liked the cocktail menu and would probably go back for that, though. Our server was inexperienced, which is fine, but he was hard to hear and a little socially awkward.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Dear baraboo - thank you for your review. We always aim to wow guests with fresh, quality ingredients and top-notch dishes, and apologize that you didn't feel our prices reflected this. On hot summer nights, we love to recommend either our sorbet or gelato for a light finish to your meal, and we hope to serve you again on an occasion where we can show you our true hospitality! Menu knowledge and training is also currently a high priority for our management staff, and we welcome all of this feedback which helps us continue to improve. Thank you for your visit, and we will be discussing all of these thoughts with our culinary and front of house teams.

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  17. JaneV

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I met my girlfriends at Amara and we had a great time on the patio. Our server Kennedy was attentive and helpful, the food and drinks were delicious, and we all loved it. The manager Chynna was friendly and helpful. Beautiful place with unique and tasty food and drinks and amazing service.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Thank you for your feedback, Jane! We agree, Kennedy and Chynna are a dream team. Cheers to girls night!

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  18. NikkiK

    Atlanta Metro

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Big city vibes in Madison. Everything we ordered was excellent.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    We so appreciate this review, Nikki, and hope that we are able to host you again in the future!

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  19. SusieQ

    Milwaukee

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on August 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Another lovely lunch at Amara. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was was the perfect backdrop for a lunch with old friends. Thanks to all for a great experience.

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  20. NormaE

    Milwaukee

    4 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 28, 2023

    overall3food3service2ambience4
    Daughter’s 30th birthday. Check was over $300 and we ordered two desserts. They did NOT comp a dessert for her. First place we have had this experience. What?! Nothing for the birthday girl??

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Dear Norma, we are so sorry to hear that we missed this opportunity to help you celebrate with your special guest! We never want to let our birthday diners leave having not received something from the house, and encourage you to reach out to us via email where one of our managers can rectify this immediately. Thank you for choosing Amara to celebrate this special occasion, and we hope to hear from you.

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  21. JessicaM

    Dallas

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on August 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Marie 100% made our experience above and beyond what we were expecting. The care she took with my food allergy is not one you see in many restaurants and it really allowed me to enjoy without worry. We will definitely be back!

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Thank you, Jessica! We agree, Marie is a standout server and we're lucky to have her on the team. We appreciate you taking the time to leave this feedback, and can't wait to host you again!

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  22. Jorvikman

    Milwaukee

    4 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall2food4service1ambience3
    We had to wait for every interaction; to place drinks order, to receive drinks, to order food, to receive food and when it came only five of six orders arrived; one of us did not receive food until staff were reminded and it arrived only after everyone else had finished eating.

    AmaraResponded on September 6, 2023

    Dear Jorvikman, thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're so sorry to hear that we did not live up to our hospitality standards during your visit. We will be following up with our service team regarding these details, as we are always working to improve! We would love to connect with you via email where one of our managers can make this right. Thank you, and we hope to hear from you soon!

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  23. CarriM

    Milwaukee

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was lovely. The service and food were very good and we will come back!

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  24. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    Food is great! However plates are small and overpriced.

    AmaraResponded on September 6, 2023

    Thank you for this feedback. We are glad you enjoyed your meal, though sorry to hear that you didn't feel it was worth the price. We always do our best to maintain fair prices while not sacrificing quality of ingredients and dishes, and would love to hear more about what we could have done better on your visit. We always welcome feedback in this vein via email. Thank you for your review, and we hope to host you again! Cheers!

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  25. LaurieM

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was a great find for us using Open Table! Amara was the entire package: great good, yummy cocktails, pleasant wait staff and a gorgeous evening to have dinner outside. We will return!

    AmaraResponded on September 6, 2023

    Thank you, Laurie! We're so happy that you enjoyed all aspects of your experience with us (: We can't wait to see you back!

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  26. ToddS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service, drinks and food were awesome...we'll be back!

    AmaraResponded on September 6, 2023

    Can't wait! Thank you Todd!

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    Tahoe

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing people, service, and food! My experience has consistently been great. Highly recommend this place.

    AmaraResponded on September 5, 2023

    Thank you for visiting us on multiple occasions! We're so glad you've experienced great hospitality with our amazing culinary team and staff. We hope to see you again soon!

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  28. Lyleb

    Milwaukee

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on August 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was great, as were the creative cocktails. I missed the pan sautéed lasagna and wish they brought that back as an entrée. Service was very good.

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  29. DDcc

    Chicago

    190 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    190 reviews

    Dined on August 21, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience4
    The space is gorgeous--such a difference from its last iteration. The tables are spaced so that diners are not on top of each other which is appreciated. Our waiter was attentive. We ordered wine and a charcuterie plate. A runner brought out the plate, but it would have been helpful for an explanation of what each item was. We had a pasta entree and a fish entree. The fish was excellent, and the pasta "okay." We struggled with occasional flying insects (door to patio is seemingly kept open). It's also a bit pricey. Glad we tried, but likely will not be back for a bit.

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello, and thank you for the review. We are sorry to hear that our staff did not run you through the antipasti plate when it was brought to your table, this is below our standard and will be discussing these comments with our staff. We hope you'll be willing to try us again in the future so that we might have the chance to leave a better impression.

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  30. OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food and the cocktails my group ordered were all out of this world good. Will be back soon!

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Thank you! We look forward to seeing you again soon.

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  31. CarolP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 18, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    It was a busy night and service was a little disjointed with getting drinks to the table. Outside that, everything else was enjoyable

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello Carol, and thank you for the review. We're glad to hear you enjoyed everything on you visit. We will discuss your comments with our team about the drink service so that we can sort out those details for your next visit! We look forward to seeing you back again soon.

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  32. OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food, good portion size, excellent wine selection. Our server was excellent and attentive.

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello and thank you for the kind review. We hope to see you back again soon!

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  33. KevinO

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 15, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience4
    Menu had a lot of things that needed explaining, wasn’t exactly sure what we were ordering. My wife had the sweet potato entre, she thought there was too much going on in the dish, it was edible but not worth the money. I had the pasta which was like gourmet Mac and cheese, it was edible but again not worth $29, needed some else with it. Also had some type of salad for a starter but not exceptional for $16

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello Kevin, and thank you for your review. We're sorry to hear that the food wasn't quite what you were expecting on your recent visit, and that our serving staff wasn't able to better point you in the right direction with dishes that would work for you. We hope you'll try us again in the future so that we have the opportunity to leave a more lasting impression.

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  34. MarkH

    Milwaukee

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on August 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Celebrated our 41st. anniversary; Marie and Destiny provided great service and the food was great. Jack went above and beyond in recognizing our special evening. We will return.

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello Mark, thank you for thinking of us to celebrate your special occasion, and for the kind review. We're happy to hear that so many members of our team left a great impression, and that you enjoyed your experience. We hope to see you back again soon.

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  35. GrahamB

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had the most wonderful evening here with Marie as our server. She went above and beyond to take care of us and really make my birthday special. We’ll definitely come back!

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Hello Graham, and thank you for the review, and for thinking of us for your celebration. We're happy to hear you enjoyed your visit and look forward to seeing you again soon!

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  36. LauraP

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on August 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Cool drinks, delicious pasta, live music, overall great vibe.

    AmaraResponded on August 23, 2023

    Thank you Laura! We hope to see you back again soon.

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  37. ChelseaG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food, and great service from all, including our waitress Marie. We had a party of 10 and food came out perfect. We also loved the cocktails.

    AmaraResponded on August 11, 2023

    Thank you Chelsea, we look forward to seeing you again soon.

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  38. Judala

    Los Angeles

    45 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    45 reviews

    Dined on August 5, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience4
    This fourth visit was disappointing, as brunch items were removed from menu, the lunch menu was reduced with no pasta options and quality of food had declined. A virtual ordering system and a reduction of staff totally changed the dining experience and cheapened the beautiful surroundings. Sadly, I won’t recommend Amara for lunch to friends.

    AmaraResponded on August 8, 2023

    Hello, and thank you for the review. We appreciate your understanding as we make adjustments to our lunch service. The menu now includes some exciting focaccia sandwich options, with more brunch options following soon. We are testing out the QR code system in order to provide more convenient, and timely service for those guests that have a time crunch. Please don't hesitate to ask your server to assist with an order, or reach out directly with any concerns.

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  39. Mfaradji

    New York Area

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on August 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    el restaurante es muy bonito y la comida es excelente Hay muchos moscos en la terraza, habría que ver como solucionarlo

    AmaraResponded on September 6, 2023

    Thank you for your kind review! Those dang flies certainly are pesky, and rest assured our staff is always brainstorming ways to minimize the impact of this on our guests' experience. We're thrilled the food and atmosphere was enjoyable to your group, thank you!

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  40. OpenTable Diner

    Milwaukee

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Awesome all around. Very impressed. Minimum characters met. Thanks

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily

FAQs

Amara is rated 4.4 stars by 397 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 55 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Amara

670 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Madison
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Thu 11:00 am–9:00 pm Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Mediterranean
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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