Palette Bar and Grill

A very fine experience!

We really enjoyed the appetizers, soup and drinks. Specifically the lobster bites, mushrooms and maple bacon. The main course was a mixed bag. My steak was prepared perfectly. Others felt they were over cooked or over seasoned. The theme of the restaurant and hotel with the Mautz paint decor was cool. I’m glad to see the old buildings being repurposed. Overall, it was a very pleasant first dinner.

Food and service was excellent. Nice variety on the menu. Only complaint is they didn’t bring us bread until we asked after seeing other tables receiving it.

The food was presented beautifully and tasted fantastic. Loved the tribute to Mautz Paint through the restaurant’s decor. The Server was kind, but the service was slow and he was forgetful. Maybe he just needs more time on the job. Staffing level seemed fine for an early dinner on a slow Tuesday night.

Great menu! Wonderful service!

Food and service were outstanding. The bar area is fantastic. Bar stools are the best in class. Outdoor patio is very nice.
I didn't care for the main restaurant layout-More like a diner of dining hall than a upscale restaurant. Restrooms are a little hike. The layout of those two areas are not ideal in my opinion. Need a restroom closer to the bar area.
Would absolutely come back for more.

Pallet’s menu is clearly that of a steak house. The person in our party who ordered in that vein god a good steak, baked potato and wedge salad. Others in our party who strayed from the straight up steak house fare did poorly. In particular the steakhouse staple of creamed spinach was well below par. Steer clear of the crab legs as well.

Pallet has the feel of a restaurant that has not quite gotten on its feet. The service had an amateur feel, but was friendly if awkward. I would open some of the valet parking to self parking, but that is a quibble at worst.

I really want this place to succeed. great neighborhood, cool atmosphere. Service is very poor. I went back a second time, hoping it would have improved. I felt like I was there to serve the staff, rather than the staff wanting to serve my table.

Super food! Great Value!

A very nice atmosphere with attractive decor. The food was quite good and the service was excellent. A pleasant dining experience all around.

My only real complaint was the pace of the service. We hadn't even gotten a sip of our cocktail in and the app was delivered. As soon as the App was done my salad was there. We were looking for a nice evening away from the kids and the pace almost made it seem that there was another reservation after ours. Food was great, and the decor etc were awesome. Comping the valet parking would have been nice since we dined during an event at breeze stevens field there was no street parking.

Our party of four all enjoyed our dinner at the Pallette Bar and Grill; the food was scrumptious and the service superb. The imaginative decor paid homage to the original Mautz Paint Co. With planned subtle references. The seating was very comfortable as well. The wait staff worked concert with each other to provide an even flow of service. Our only problem was the noise level, I wouldn’t describe it as”energetic” but rather overwhelming as we had to yell over the table to be heard! We will return again as I am sure it is to be a permanent fixture on East Washington Ave.

We just love Pallet! The staff are wonderful and very accommodating. The food is delicious and consistent each time we have been there. Would recommend to everyone! Only criticism is the drink prices are higher than I expected for Madison.

Very very loud.

Lobster Mac n cheese was very small for a shareable side and only had 1 small piece of lobster in it. Fries were not cooked through all the way, soggy, and stuck together. Burger was overcooked. The scallops were good but not worth the money ($30) as you only receive 3 medium sized scallops over a small portion of risotto.

Overall, the food seemed very expensive for what we ended up getting; not a good value. This also seems to be a restaurant for the older crowd, as it was hard to spot anyone under 35.

On the plus side, our waiter was very nice and attentive.

This is a new restaurant in a renovated paint factory that has been repurposed as a hotel. Ate on a Monday night and, while diners were sparse, our dinners were very good. Will return.

Service was slow and not knowledgeable, chef wasn't accommodating to dietary restrictions. Good luck succeeding in downtown Madison when you have zero vegan options or ability to make them even.

This was my first time visiting and I will be back. Food and service were both great.

We had reservations for a large group that eventually whittled down to a date night. It was our first time at Palette and didn’t know what to expect - the open seating was nice but unobtrusive, but the service and food were a fantastic surprise. We’ll be back!

We will definitely be back. Love the whole "paint" theme. Very creative. Food was creative a delicious.
The cocktails we also fun and creative. Have to come back to try the others.

We picked Palette to kick off the Madison Burger Week and were not disappointed, though our burgers provided two meals for each of us. It's a beautiful bar and dining area with adequate outside seating for Madison. A pleasant evening that we are looking forward to repeating. The menu is varied and should provide something for everyone.

Service was beyond excellent. We were running late due to Ride the Drive reroute. We tried to call, but no answer. Restaurant called us at 11:05 to confirm we were still coming and held the kitchen open for us. Server—young male, blond hair—was genuinely pleasant and delightful. Food was tasty, but missing something. Overall great experience.

Absolutely amazing from the must have again mushroom appetizers to the scallops with risotto! Heard there is a lobster risotto sometimes and will be back for that. Also had a tenderloin that was cooked perfectly with the French onion soup which was also very good. Can’t wait to go back for more.

very welcoming

It was a fun evening which created good memories of delicious food. The Mango Lobster Bites over slaw were delicious as an appetizer. The tenderloin with mushroom and onion demi-glace was perfectly cooked, very tender, and I enjoyed every bite along with the stuffed potato and wonderful creamy spinach. The chicken was very well flavored and served over cheesy hashed potatoes, which made the dish. And though we didn't have room for dessert, we took home a slice of the chocolate torte to enjoy the next day. It was perfect -- not too sweet and very chocolaty. Good decision. A nice wine list provided a lovely sparkling rose. The staff was attentive and friendly, superb service. A most enjoyable time.

The drinks specials were good but maybe a bit light on the alcohol. The food was good but they mixed up the doneness level on the steaks so the wrong person got rare and 2 of the items on the mahi-mahi dish were too salty (even for a salt lover). Overall the food was overpriced. The ambiance is great as is the play on "palette" and the link to the buildings old purpose - paint. It's a beautiful, sunny, playful interior though even if it is not a great bargain.

We loved the food and the service was fantastic. Definitely will be coming back.

Great breakfast!

Food was good, but the restaurants was freezing! Service was Great once they acknowledged us at the table, which took about 10 minutes. Overall good experience. I think I would come back and try other things.

We arrived at and used the valet service. It was quick and enjoyable with great customer service from there on.
The hotel lobby is decorated wonderfully and the hostess area is just around the corner from the front desk.
We were seated promptly and the waiter with excellent and engaging.
The palette drink menu is perfectly inline with the theme of the Mautz building.
We ordered a Life’s a Beach, A Gloss and a Keep your Gin up.
The Life’s a beach is like adult Hawaiian Punch. Very good but could be dangerous. The Gloss is like a Brandy martini with a sugar coating on the rim. So yummy I wish is was bigger!
The Keep you gin up is a upscale Tanqueray and tonic.

We all shared the Lobster Bites appetizer. We each enjoyed the zip in the shredded carrot vegetable last under the lobster pieces. Mango sauce was on each side for dipping in. Very nice light appetizer.
Our dinner order was:
Large Scallops over risotto
Sockeye salmon
Steak with 2 jumbo shrimp over risotto mixed with asparagus, this was tonight’s chefs special.
Crock of French onion soup with a over the rainbow salad.

All entrees were wonderful and were an appropriate serving size.
I spoke with the manager twice as he was very engaging!
The risotto was beyond yummy!
The salmon was prepared medium rare with a mango sauce which my 17 year old daughter thoroughly enjoyed.
The French onion soup was so so good presented in a crock with just the right amount of onions.

The bathroom are all the way through the hotel lobby and up 5 or 6 stairs and then down a hallway.
The lobby and common areas are decorated wonderfully with pictures of important locals such as Georgia O’Keefe and Frank Lloyd Wright.
We also loved the turntable with a basket of records to play in an area off from the elevators with large high-back couches.
The overall feel of the hotel and restaurant was a place you could lounge for hours.
*Remember to either pay your server or the hostess $6 for valet. I did not and had come back inside to.

Incredible food and atmosphere! I recommend the crab cakes and seared scallops with risotto. Thanks for a wonderful evening!! Drink menu was unique! Try the Gingersnap cocktail!

We loved the decor and style of the restaurant and hotel that Palette is located in. Food was very good. Service was great. Prices of appetizers were a little high for what we got, but overall will definitely be returning to try more dishes!

Really conflicted on how to review this restaurant. The waiter was terrible and that overshadowed the experience. Took our drink order and then we didn't see a thing for over 15 minutes. We sat there with our menus waiting and waiting for someone to come back. Finally a manager came over to take our drink order just as the drinks arrived (huh?). He took our food order as well. Finished the meal and then here we were waiting again for plates to be cleared. After sitting too long we begged for our check and left.

Two of us liked our meals (Mahi was excellent and paired with a spicy chutney and the Chicken) and one was totally disappointed (special steak with shrimp arrived cold). Wine list was ok. They have a lot of cocktails to choose, but not our thing.

Parking was $12 valet at the restaurant and there was no off street parking to be found with a concert and a Soccer game in the vicinity.

Will we go back? Not sure.

Our food was delicious. It was our servers first dinner service and that was apparent. Overall, an awesome place.

Amazing flavors! Food was fantastic!

Enjoyed a nice meal in Madison -- thrilled to see so much activity on East Washington Avenue! The ambiance was spot-on for the former Mautz Paint company, the menu was not overwhelming but offered plenty of options for all palates. Cocktail menu was fun as well! Go. You will be happy you did!

Very tasty and appetizing food, well served, with excellent decor and vibe. Handy to East Washington and near the lobby of Hotel Indigo.

Really good food and drink but inexperienced server needed some guidance for service level to meet price.

Nice atmosphere, good drinks, really good food and a great value.

Our table shared the mushrooms and fresh cut fries as apps. They were good. The cocktails were about what you would expect from this type of establishment. Good but small.

I had the ribeye and peas au gratin and french onion soup. All were good. Our waiter was very attentive although very nervous. Give him a few more weeks and I am sure he will be great.

Palette Bar and Grill was an amazing place for a work dinner. It was quiet, the customers were spaced out well and our waiter, even though you could see his nerves, was so tentative and wanting to make sure we had everything we wanted and not interrupt us at the same time. I am confident he will do great as he grows into the position. The food was amazing, I had the salmon and it was seasoned so well and nice and flakey. My other guests had the steak and it looked absolutely awesome. Overall, we had only good things to say!