Welcome to The Old Fashioned, a trusted Restaurant in Madison, WI, known for great food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere. With a 4.50 rating from 4899 reviews, we’re proud to offer Fast service, Great beer selection, Great cocktails, Great coffee, Great dessert for every guest.
Popular Items
Frequently ordered and highly recommended items at The Old Fashioned
Our Story
Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.
Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Photos
A glimpse of our restaurant experience
Food & Drinks
Tuna Salad w/roasted red peppers, hard boiled eggs and leaf lettuce on toasted country bread
Sheboygan’s Grand Champion Miesfeld’s Market bratwurst with raw onions, pickles and Düsseldorf mustard on a buttered Highway Bakery hard roll
Wood-grilled and slow roasted pork shoulder, topped with pickle relish, Muenster cheese and smoked Spanish paprika sauce on Texas toast
Grilled eggplant, portabella mushroom, wood-roasted red pepper and zucchini, with LaClare Farms organic goat cheese and black olive tapenade on toasted country bread
Slow roasted and thick sliced corned beef, Wisconsin Swiss cheese with Thousand Island dressing, sauerkraut on pumpernickel rye
Featuring locally raised beef from Wells Farm in Rio, WI. Grilled rye bread, caramelized onion, beef patty, Swiss cheese, special sauce
Thinly sliced & seared beef tenderloin with sautéed mushrooms, onion and red pepper. Topped with tiger sauce and Wisconsin provolone cheese on Bolillo bun from Pan & Pan Bakery of Madison
Fried onions, Bavaria’s hickory smoked bacon, aged Cheddar, garlic sauce, soft-cooked egg on a buttered and toasted Classic hard roll from Grebe’s Bakery in West Allis
Grilled cheese sandwich with Swiss, aged Cheddar, wood-roasted red bell peppers and Bavaria Kitchen’s hickory smoked bacon on Texas toast
Wood-grilled chicken breast with Bavaria Kitchen’s hickory smoked bacon, melted Swiss, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise on toasted country bread
Fresh ground beef tenderloin simmered in house BBQ sauce and served on a Classic hard roll from Grebe’s Bakery West Allis, WI
Pepperjack cheese, jalapeño peppers, fried onions, Bavaria hickory smoked bacon, smoked paprika sauce on a buttered and toasted Classic hard roll from Grebe’s Bakery in West Allis
100% natural casing beef hot dog from Maplewood Meats of Green Bay, on a Clasen’s Bakery bun - add sauerkraut, raw onions, pickle relish, Düsseldorf mustard
Jim’s Blue Ribbon Summer Sausage topped with Düsseldorf mustard, shaved red onions, and Muenster cheese on toasted rye bread
Beer-battered walleye with shredded cabbage, shaved radish and house-made lemon-caper tartar sauce on toasted country bread
Shaved hickory-smoked turkey breast, Wisconsin Swiss cheese with Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut on pumpernickel rye
Shaved hickory-smoked turkey breast with tiger sauce, provolone cheese and leaf lettuce on toasted country bread
Sheboygan’s Grand Champion Miesfeld’s Market double bratwurst with raw onions, pickles and Düsseldorf mustard on a buttered Highway Bakery hard roll.
Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, raw onion on a buttered and toasted Classic hard roll from Grebe’s Bakery in West Allis
Featured on the Food Network and Voted #1 Curds in Wisconsin! They don’t get any fresher than this folks, no stabilizers or artificial ingredients. Just pure Wisconsin fresh curd from our local farming community. House-made fresh Wisconsin beer battered cheese curds
Thin and crispy warm potato chips with house-made onion dip
One dozen creamy Classic deviled eggs
Always prepared to order
Thinly sliced in crispy buttermilk batter
Wisconsin cheese curds mixed with matchstick fries and topped with sausage gravy
Warm 10 oz. Milwaukee Pretzel Co. Bavarian pretzel with Hot Honey mustard, creamy cheese dip and Schwartz’s sweet gherkin pickles
Garnished with popcorn
Garnished with popcorn
Our secret recipe Chili slow simmered beef and red beans served over spaghetti noodles. add shredded Cheddar, onion, and sour cream at no extra charge
Our secret recipe Chili slow simmered beef and red beans served over spaghetti noodles. Add shredded Cheddar, onion, and sour cream at no extra charge
Spinach and SarVecchio cheese with sliced hard-boiled egg, shaved red onion, sunflower seeds, croutons, deviled egg and hot bacon dressing
Plump Door County cherries, Buttermilk Blue cheese and toasted almonds tossed with mixed greens and brandy vinaigrette
Pickled baby beets and Salemville Gorgonzola with toasted walnuts, shaved red onion, mixed greens and creamy white wine vinaigrette
Iceberg wedge with carrots, red onions, Bavaria’s hickory smoked bacon, buttermilk blue cheese, croutons, French and blue cheese dressing
Grilled Norwegian salmon with Bavaria Kitchen’s hickory smoked bacon, cucumber, shaved red onion, deviled egg, mixed greens and tarragon vinaigrette
Mixed greens with brandy vinaigrette
Made fresh every Saturday morning and served warm. Sister to the classic morning bun, these spiced sugar buns are extra fancy with rich artisan croissant dough. Extra decadent with cinnamon, vanilla sugar, cardamon, nutmeg, and clove
Corn tortillas with salsa roja, crema, queso fresco and two sunny side up eggs
Corn Tortillas with re-fried beans, two sunny side up eggs, topped with salsa verde and rojo with queso blanco and rosemary potatoes
A toasted English muffin with grilled market vegetables. Topped with a sunny side up egg, whole grain mustard cream and rosemary potatoes
Two toasted English muffin with a Miesfeld’s Market bratwurst patty. Topped with a sunny side up egg, whole grain mustard cream and rosemary potatoes
A toasted English muffin with grilled market vegetables. Topped with a sunny side up egg, whole grain mustard cream and rosemary potatoes
Wood-grilled 4oz. tenderloin fillet with sautéed spinach and garlic on a toasted English muffin topped with a sunny side up egg*, whole grain mustard cream and rosemary potatoes
Crispy beer-battered walleye served w/sunny-side up eggs, rosemary potatoes, rye toast, tartar sauce
Corned beef hash served with sunny-side up eggs, rosemary potatoes and country toast
ood-grilled 8oz local pasture raised New York Strip served with rosemary potatoes, country toast, and two sunny side up eggs
Belgian-style waffle served with Wisconsin maple syrup, Grand Marnier whipped cream and powdered sugar
Lightly breaded local pasture raised beef tenderloin* served with sausage gravy, rosemary potatoes, country toast and two sunny side up eggs
Beer-battered cod, walleye & flour dusted lake perch with poppy seed coleslaw, matchstick fries, house-made lemon-caper tartar sauce and rye bread
Flour dusted lake perch with poppy seed coleslaw, matchstick fries, house-made lemon-caper tartar sauce and rye bread
Beer-battered cod, with poppy seed coleslaw, matchstick fries, house-made lemon-caper tartar sauce and rye bread
Beer-battered walleye with poppy seed coleslaw, matchstick fries, house-made lemon-caper tartar sauce and rye bread
Amelia shares with us the rich culture and her family recipes from the Temascalcingo region of Mexico. Enjoy this crispy walleye.
Amelia shares with us the rich culture and her family recipes from the Temascalcingo region of Mexico. Slow cooked pork the traditional way.
Amelia shares with us the rich culture and her family recipes from the Temascalcingo region of Mexico. Beef Birria slow cooked to perfection
Amelia shares with us the rich culture and her family recipes from the Temascalcingo region of Mexico.
Amelia shares with us the rich culture and her family recipes from the Temascalcingo region of Mexico. Choose from: Beef Birria, Pork Carnitas, Crispy Walleye or Vegetarian. Served with seasoned papas fritas
½ rack of slow roasted pork ribs and pulled pork. Served with a side of house BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pickles, Texas toast and matchstick fries
We start by salt curing and dry aging for 7 days to develop its rich flavor. Slow roasted prime rib served with mashed potatoes, seasonal market vegetables, Texas toasted, beef jus and tiger sauce. 30 oz.
We start by salt curing and dry aging for 7 days to develop its rich flavor. Slow roasted prime rib served with mashed potatoes, seasonal market vegetables, Texas toasted, beef jus and tiger sauce. 16 oz.
Creamy, rich and of course oozing with Wisconsin Cheddar & Parmesan cheeses
Original mac & cheese with Bavaria Kitchen’s hickory smoked bacon
Buttermilk biscuits covered in traditional chicken pot pie filling
Crispy Pork Schnitzel, lemon, Door County cherry-mustard sauce, German potato salad, braised caraway cabbage
Pan-seared beef tenderloin, nightly potato, seasonal market vegetable, Korbel brandy mushroom cream sauce
Lightly breaded beef tenderloin* served with house-made sausage gravy using Madison’s Fraboni’s Italian sausage and matchstick fries
Hear from our valued guests
The Old Fashioned is a true Madison staple. The food and service are consistently reliable, and it’s one of the best places to experience classic Midwestern comfort food. The cheese curds are some of the best in town—crispy, melty, and always satisfying. Portion sizes are generous, making it a great spot whether you're sharing with friends or looking for a hearty solo meal. It’s the kind of place that feels familiar, even on your first visit.
You walk in and immediately understand why this place has been full basically every night since it opened. Vintage photos, old Schlitz and Pabst neon signs, a taxidermied fish or two, and the whole thing smells faintly of good beer and fried cheese. The Old Fashioned sits right on Capitol Square and does not try to be anything other than what it is: the best possible version of a Wisconsin tavern.The cheese curds are as good as their reputation. Batter crisp without being thick, cheese pulling slow and warm, served with a tiger sauce horseradish dip that I immediately wanted on everything else. The Lazy Susan sharing board came next, a rotating spread of Wisconsin provisions like pickled beets, deviled eggs, summer sausage, and smoked lake trout that looks exactly like the inside of a very proud Wisconsin grandmother's refrigerator, which is entirely a compliment.Mains were a locally sourced walleye sandwich and a bratwurst from Bavaria Sausage Kitchen that my friend declared the platonic ideal of a Wisconsin brat. We each finished with a brandy Old Fashioned, sweet and properly made, no clever reinventions, just the actual drink Wisconsin has been drinking for over a century.Over fifty Wisconsin beers on tap, a back bar that earns every inch of its reputation, and service that moved well without anyone feeling rushed. We stayed two hours longer than planned.
Amazing food, good flavor. We had perch Friday special and a spicy burger with string onions. A little loud inside but didn't affect the service and flavors of the food.
The cheese curds and onion strings were fantastic. Great selection of beers and other alcoholic options. I enjoyed the old Fashioned burger although it was very messy to eat! My wife enjoyed the fried perch. She said the perch might have been even better had the onion strings breading been used as it was slightly more seasoned.
One of my favorite places. Amazing food, outstanding service (3 cheers for TJ the Bartender). A fun, warm & friendly old school supper club charm. The cheese curds with the Tiger sauce are simply the best in the world...a must have. You also can't beat the Door County Cherry Salad with a piece of salmon added on. Make sure to wash it down with Schlitz draft or a Brandy Old Fashion. Heaven on earth!
Really cool place to hold a venue upstairs... Definitely had great feedback regarding the food.. Our server had no problems setting up the room to our needs. However, was not attentive to our group.And we had to seek her out several times.. She was not very community or grateful at the end of the evening. It would have been a much better experience if we had a different server... it wasn't "horrible" because of her.... Just could have been a better experience!! It was a great building, a great space and we would come back again
I love coming here, always have such a great time! If you go for your birthday, you get “birthday pickles” which is literally a side of pickles with a candle on it…I would have much preferred a beer tho! Food is always spot on, generous portions and a great selection of beers to choose from. I tried the old fashioned with korbel cherry bounce and it was delicious and very sweet. We got the cheese curds, chicken and biscuits dinner and the hickory smoked bacon Mac and cheese.
A great place to get food near the Capitol! They don't take reservations, but it is a pretty big restaurant. We were able to get a table for 7 seated in less then 30 minutes on a Saturday evening. The drinks were good, would recommend the old fashioned! The cheese curds were also worth it!
Great local Madison food. - Poutine: this is a great dish, a combo of fries and cheese curds plus sauce. 4.6 stars - Grilled chicken sandwich. The grilled chicken patty was juicy and nicely seasoned. 4.7 stars - House burger. Beef patty was nicely grilled. 4.6 star - Tenderloin sandwich. The serving size was fairly massive. 4.5 stars - Patty melt. The onion rings ware very nice. 4.5 stars - Door county old fashioned. String cherry and ripe orange flavor. 4.7 stars The service was quick and excellent. I would rate this place 4.6 / 5.0 stars
Stopped by The Old Fashioned in Madison and loved it. The location right off the Capitol Square is perfect, and the atmosphere is classic Wisconsin—cozy, lively, and great for grabbing a drink and food. The cheese curds are a must-order—crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and totally live up to the hype. We also grabbed drinks at the bar and everything hit the spot. Great food, great drinks, great vibe. Would definitely come back next time I’m in Madison.
Common questions about The Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is located at 23 N Pinckney St #1, Madison, WI 53703, United States, Madison, WI, United States.
You can reach The Old Fashioned by calling +1 608-310-4545.
The Old Fashioned has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 based on 4899 customer reviews.
The Old Fashioned features the following accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible entrance, Wheelchair-accessible seating, Wheelchair-accessible toilet, Wheelchair-accessible car park.
The Old Fashioned features the following service options: Outdoor seating, Kerbside pickup, Delivery, On-site services, Takeaway, Dine-in.
The Old Fashioned features the following highlights: Fast service, Great beer selection, Great cocktails, Great coffee, Great dessert, Great wine list, Serves local specialty.
The Old Fashioned features the following popular for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Solo dining.
The Old Fashioned features the following offerings: Alcohol, Beer, Cocktails, Coffee, Comfort food, Happy-hour drinks, Happy-hour food, Late-night food, Private dining room, Quick bite, Small plates, Spirits, Vegan options, Wine.
The Old Fashioned features the following dining options: Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Seating, Table service.
The Old Fashioned features the following amenities: Bar on site, Restroom, Wi-Fi, Free Wi-Fi.
The Old Fashioned features the following atmosphere: Casual, Cozy, Historic, Trendy.
The Old Fashioned features the following crowd: Family friendly, Groups, Tourists, University students.
The Old Fashioned features the following planning: Usually a wait, Accepts reservations.
The Old Fashioned features the following payments: Credit cards, Debit cards.
The Old Fashioned features the following children: Good for kids, High chairs, Kids' menu.
The Old Fashioned features the following parking: Free street parking, Paid parking garage, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking, Somewhat difficult to find a space.
Business Features
We look forward to welcoming you. Make a reservation or stop by - walk-ins welcome!
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