Canteen

Name: Canteen
Address: 111 S Hamilton St, madison, WI, United States, 53703
Telephone: (608) 285-5703
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5

179 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary Mexican

Top Tags:

Please visit our website for up-to-date safety precautions, including our customer and employee face covering policies. Thank you!

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 18, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 21 times today

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm
Sat, Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm
Phone number
(608) 285-5703
Website
http://canteentaco.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Jason Van Ommeren
Catering
If you’d like to arrange a catering delivery, have a special request, or would like to place an order please call at 608.285.5703, email Arle at amontes@foodfightinc.com, or fill out ou https://canteentaco.com/catering/
Private party facilities
We’re great for group events because we’re open to doing just about any kind of awesome you have in mind. We can do taco & nacho bars, tray-passed apps and tacos, or plated entrees. Book us for casual events, business dinners, birthday and holiday parties, and rehearsal/welcome dinners. Let’s pa
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (855) 403-8723

Location
111 S Hamilton St madison, WI 53703
Neighborhood
Madison
Parking details
https://uli.com/parking122 W. Doty Street Madison, WI 53703This underground ramp includes five floors of convenient and secured underground parking with direct access to the Capitol Square. Weekday Hourly Rate : $1.00 per 20 min./$20.00 max Weekday Evenings (after 4pm) : $3.00 flat fee Weekend : $5.00 flat fee
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Pick up Window and Patio Dining: Order at Canteen's Pick-Up Window and dine on the patio Enjoy tacos in a safe and socially distanced al fresco atmosphere. We are not seating inside the restaurant currently. How to Order: Place your order in advance – online or over the phone (608.285.5703) – and pick up your food from our handy pick-up window located on the S. Carroll St. side of the building. You can also place your food order in person at the window. Social Distance waiting spots are marked 6-feet apart on the ground to ensure social distancing while you' re in line. Even better if you wear a mask while you' re in line, ordering, and/or picking up your food. If it's raining, we won't set up our outdoor seating, but the pick-up window will still be open for ordering and carryout. We also offer delivery and car curbside carryout every day. Patio Rules: Outdoor tables available on a first come, first serve basis for parties of 6 or less. Please do not move or combine tables. All food and beverages will be served in/on disposables. Please clear your table when you' re done, using the trash bins located on our patio. We will wipe down and disinfect the tables and chairs between customers. Restrooms are available to our customers, but we request that you wear a mask when you' re indoors for the safety of our staff. Please use the 6-foot distanced markers if there's a line to use the restroom

Tacos by the Twos

2 tacos per order. All lunch tacos are served on 4.5" white corn tortillas unless otherwise noted. Flour tortilla subbed upon request. Sub local Tortilleria Zepeda corn tortillas +$1. Add an scrambled egg to any taco +$1

Carnitas$7.00
mango-habanero sauce, queso fresco, onion, cilantro
Pork Belly$7.50
guajillo chile sauce, cotija, onion, cilantro
Chicken Pastor$7.00
ranchero, salsa verde, pineapple, onion, cilantro
Picadillo Ground Beef$7.00
cheddar, lettuce, crema, pico de gallo
Barbacoa Beef Brisket$8.50
arbol chile salsa, green cabbage, toasted seeds, crema, onion, cilantro
Fish$7.50
tecate beer-battered or grilled cod, pickled morita crema, green cabbage, citrus salsa, cilantro
Fried Cauliflower$6.50
tecate-battered cauliflower, guajillo chile sauce, crema, tomatillo-radish-red onion slaw, cilantro

Griddled Burritos

Skip the tortilla and make any burrito bowl-style, just ask

Classic$10.00
Mexican rice, refried black beans, avocado, chihuahua cheese, cilantro, salsa verde, creamy poblano sauce choice of picadillo ground beef, chicken, carnitas, or fried cauliflower
Baja$10.00
cabbage slaw, citrus vinaigrette, avocado, pico de gallo, chile-lime aioli choice of chicken, carnitas, grilled fish, fried fish, or fried cauliflower
Smother Your Burrito$1.50
smother your burrito with guajillo chile sauce or roasted green chile and tomatillo cream sauce

Mas

Enchiladas$11.00
chicken, roasted green chile and tomatillo cream sauce, cotija, crema, sesame seed, scallion, radish, side of Mexican rice
Chopped Taco Salad$9.00
romaine, pico de gallo, blackened corn salsa, black bean, radish, scallion, shredded cheddar, cilantro, corn tortilla chips, avocado green goddess dressing

Snacks & Sides

Duritos$1.00
puffed wheat wagon wheels, chile, lime, tajín spice
Tres Salsas & Chips$4.50
salsa verde, salsa ranchero, arbol chile
Guacamole & Chips$7.50
avocado, cilantro, onion, lime, jalapeño, cotija
Refried Black Beans$3.00
queso fresco, scallion
Escabeche$3.00
house pickled vegetables

Dessert

Churros$4.50
with chocolate sauce

What 179 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.2Service
4.5Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Wisconsin
Late Night Find
Madison
Healthy
Madison
Hot Spot
Madison
Great for Lunch
Madison
Neighborhood Gem
Madison
Vibrant Bar Scene
Madison
Most Booked

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T
Tacotits
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best barbacoa tacos around!!! 2nd anniversary lunch with my wife and they comped our churros which were sooo good! The real star was the flan. Oh my god I’ll never forget that flan.
L
Lafery
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall3food4service2ambience5
The space is great, although a bit loud. They were busy, and our server noted they were understaffed for the evening (which is totally understandable). We didn't see our server much, and the wait between ordering drinks and ordering food was very long, which, added to the kitchen being backed up, made for a long wait. We were given a discount, which was nice of them. I think we may have just been there on a tough night, and the food was good, but could have used more attention/earlier communication from our server.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience4
Good was delish! Definitely try their Mexican street corn! It's a nice small Mexican eating spot!
GB
GBBB
Milwaukee
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2022
overall3food3service2ambience4
Our reservation was for 6pm on a Saturday. As soon as we were seated at the table, we were told by the host and then by the server that there was another reservation for the table at 7:30pm and that we would need to be done with our dinner by that time. We had been planning for a leisurely dinner after a long week, but certainly understood that they were busy on a Saturday night. However, with every course we ordered, we were reminded again by whoever happened to be by the table that we had to exit by 7:30pm. It was busy and the service was slow, which would not have been a problem except that we were on a deadline with constant reminders that we were going to have to be out the door by 7:30pm. We ordered a second round of drinks in the middle of service (with plenty of time to make it to the deadline), but they didn’t arrive until about the time we received our check. The host came over for what must have been the 4th or 5th time that night to remind us the table had another reservation at 7:30pm and we had to chug down the margaritas to make the exit. I understand it was busy and that the staff was under pressure to turn tables, however, it would be a good idea in future to open up more tables for reservations on a weekend evening, or space the reservations out in order to accommodate for service that might be slow.
SA
SarahA
Milwaukee
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 26, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Was running a little late and we called and they were very polite and appreciated a heads up. We got a drink, app, and main all very delish! Can't go wrong with their tacos. Great place to stop in before a show, or before a night out on the town.
E
Elena
Des Moines
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 18, 2022
overall2food2service1ambience3
It took 40 minutes after placing our order to receive our 4 vegetarian tacos. The table next to us arrived after we placed our order and received two courses before we received our order. When the table next to us got their tacos/burritos we asked our server “are our tacos coming?” And she grunted “well yeah!” And then immediately brought out our food, which were at that point completely cold. We did not complain as she dropped them off and ran. I ate them, because at that point I had drank half pitcher of margarita and I needed to eat. At this point we had to flag our server down for everything, another margarita, more water, dessert, a box, and then the check. She clearly was not trained or was stretched too thin. And also, did the kitchen not recognize that this food was not being ran? Did they not care? was there a manager there? So disappointed.
AH
AllisonH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
This place is a gem! The vibe was incredible. The food was amazing!! I would definitely recommend & can’t wait to go again myself!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2022
overall3food5service3ambience4
We frequent there a lot and Last night was not your best night. I know late night happy hour can become overwhelming but you seemed short staffed. After 20 minutes of waiting we had to pull aside a staff member to get us even water. Minimal time spent at tables. Our food also took quite a bit of time but the tacos are always great! Just probably an off night and we will still be back!
AP
AtotheP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
great spot, great food & service was awesome too! will be back but this time will indulge in a margarita!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 8, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
Canteen is my favorite Mexican food in Madison. The tacos and burritos are particularly excellent, and if you want the best (and strongest) margarita you’ve ever had, you have to go with the frozen strawberry!
D
Delodelo
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 27, 2022
overall2food2service2ambience4
Mediocre food and terrible service. I won't be back.
LL
LorieL
Milwaukee
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Late lunch during happy hour. Tacos were excellent and so were the margaritas.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience2
Loud with annoying college kids. Can they stay on state street and not ruin the rest of the city.
SG
SuperG
Chicago
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 25, 2022
overall3food3service1ambience3
the service needs a improvement urgently, we were waiting for a request like 10 minutes, only when we stand up to leave the server comes to ask if we need something else. no bueno.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and good for families!
o
ohsocraftygirl
Milwaukee
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 18, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience3
Our server was awesome - food was great ... just got noisey after nine making it hard to talk but overall - I'll be back as soon I can get there. I am craving the brussel sprout tacos!
g
gilby
Milwaukee
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 17, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Great food options at a reasonable price. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful in choosing our meals.
A
Anonymous
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on February 6, 2022
overall1food3service1ambience3
Our waiter did not have good service. We were frequently left waiting. We had made this reservation for 6:15, and after about an hour and fifteen minutes we were told we had to leave because someone else was coming in for their reservation—meanwhile other people near us were there when we initially got there. Canteen was recommended to me because of the food, which was good, but I will not go again because of how terrible the service was.
K
Kali
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 6, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food with good vegetarian and vegan options! The staff was kind and flexible and the food was delicious
A
Alan
Oklahoma City
13 reviews
4.0
13 reviews
Dined on January 29, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience4
Staff were wonderful and courteous. Food was well prepared and tasty. Friday night meant it was very loud and busy.
BR
BethR
Milwaukee
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on January 23, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Great neighborhood restaurant vibe. The food is authentic, great style and taste. You must have the horchata ....soooooo good!
MN
MelissaN
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great, delicious tacos and margs! Super cool decor and vibe
F
Fred
Milwaukee
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 22, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
terrific value great experience
KC
KC00
Milwaukee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Love this place! Food, service, atmosphere - all always amazing
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 9, 2021
overall4food4service5ambience5
The service was outstanding! Our server was patient and very responsive. The food is delicious and the ambience is welcoming for all ages.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 5, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was amazing! Best margaritas in Madison!
a
anonymous
Milwaukee
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 4, 2021
overall4food4service1ambience2
staff threatened to give my reserved table away because we were five minutes late, but then when we did sit down they didnt come over to take our order for almost 15 minutes anyway
M
Marie
Monterrey
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 27, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Super deals for happy hour and GREAT service by our waiter!
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 21, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Enjoyed happy hour pricing on tacos and margaritas. Both were great. Service was just spot on. We’ll be back!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hawaii
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great meal. Loved the street corn and spicy margaritas.
B
Burgerman
Chicago
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2021
overall4food4service4ambience4
Margaritas are very weak. Had a pitcher between two and didn't even fell warm and fuzzy...bad deal!
RL
RyanL
Milwaukee
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
I've eaten at Canteen multiple times. Always good food. Great service this most recent time, which can be rare these days with short staffs, etc. We got nachos for the table, very nice size... Big enough that I ended up splitting a burrito with my wife for our entrée. We were too full for any dessert after.
NM
NoelM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 7, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was delicious, we really enjoyed everything we had. Casual, but modern & energetic vibe. Late night happy hour was a huge plus! Margs were yummy.
DB
DaleB
Milwaukee
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding food, service, and atmosphere; highly recommend!
LD
LisaD
Milwaukee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 30, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our first time to Canteen, and everything was delicious. Our group of six enjoyed a wide variety of street tacos and a pitcher of margaritas. Our server was knowledgeable and had excellent recommendations. We'll be back :)
OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 17, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was lovely, I brought my kids and they were super accommodating and delivered yummy kid friendly food, I relaxed and enjoyed my delicious meal, the wait staff didn’t hover, they weren’t pushy, it was just very cheerful and easy going, we all left happy. I’m going back next week!
J
Jenny
Philadelphia
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
My husband and I had dinner before the Madison Symphony. Not our first time, certainly not our last time. Baja and classic burritos in a bowl were excellent - just the right amount each for 1 person. And, a true delight to get something not fried.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 11, 2021
overall4food5service5ambience4
Good was delicious
SL
ScottL
Las Vegas
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 8, 2021
overall3food4service3ambience3
The food was good but not over the top. Server was nice snd pleasant . We waited awhile for our order to be taken. . There was someone who was attended to before us and we were seated before them.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Nick is the best! Oh and the tacos and margaritas are always fantastic too!

FAQs

Canteen is rated 4.5 stars by 179 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 18, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 21 times today

111 S Hamilton St madison, WI 53703

Additional information

Neighborhood
Madison
Hours of operation
Mon–Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm
Sat, Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Contemporary Mexican
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
https://uli.com/parking122 W. Doty Street Madison, WI 53703This underground ramp includes five floors of convenient and secured underground parking with direct access to the Capitol Square. Weekday Hourly Rate : $1.00 per 20 min./$20.00 max Weekday Evenings (after 4pm) : $3.00 flat fee Weekend : $5.00 flat fee
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Jason Van Ommeren
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://canteentaco.com/
Phone number
(608) 285-5703
Catering
If you’d like to arrange a catering delivery, have a special request, or would like to place an order please call at 608.285.5703, email Arle at amontes@foodfightinc.com, or fill out ou https://canteentaco.com/catering/
Private party facilities
We’re great for group events because we’re open to doing just about any kind of awesome you have in mind. We can do taco & nacho bars, tray-passed apps and tacos, or plated entrees. Book us for casual events, business dinners, birthday and holiday parties, and rehearsal/welcome dinners. Let’s pa
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (855) 403-8723

Canteen

Make a reservation

Private dining

Additional information

Churros

Fried Cauliflower

Carnitas

Tacos by the Twos

Carnitas$7.00

Pork Belly$7.50

Chicken Pastor$7.00

Picadillo Ground Beef$7.00

Barbacoa Beef Brisket$8.50

Fish$7.50

Fried Cauliflower$6.50

Griddled Burritos

Classic$10.00

Baja$10.00

Smother Your Burrito$1.50

Mas

Enchiladas$11.00

Chopped Taco Salad$9.00

Snacks & Sides

Duritos$1.00

Tres Salsas & Chips$4.50

Guacamole & Chips$7.50

Refried Black Beans$3.00

Escabeche$3.00

Dessert

Churros$4.50

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

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FAQs

How is Canteen restaurant rated?

Is Canteen currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information