Great Dane Pub
2980 Cahill Main, Fitchburg, WI, 53711
Great Dane Pub Menu
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Address :
2980 Cahill Main
Fitchburg, WI, 53711 - Phone (608) 442-9000
- Website https://www.greatdanepub.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Honesty H.
The Great Dane is definitely a place to check out in Madison (with multiple locations). They offer excellent options that you probably won't find elsewhere. The low country shrimp/andouille sausage/ham and cheddar grits is amazing! I also love their fried plantains! I've only had one entree that I didn't care for, the grilled cheese sandwich. However, they were more than happy to bring me a different dish. The two downfalls of their restaurant are that they can be very busy and the atmosphere very loud (people and music). Otherwise, definitely check it out for some great American and internationally-inspired food.
(4)Aaron Jae M.
I had such a great time here! We were a party of 8 and they sat us almost immediately for sunday brunch. They have a huge all you can eat, self service, brunch buffet that does not lack in quality. It included such food items as: mashed potatoes, shrimp, waffles, bacon, sausage links, fresh fruit, a carvery, salad, cakes, pancakes, and much more. They were also serving their late night pub menu which we ordered a few apps and burgers off of. Their cheese curds were tasty but were not really cheese curds, they were more of mozzarella sticks in the shape of balls. The burgers were tasty and came with some cool toppings but I thought the bun could have been more dense and flavorful. The two best parts of this establishment for me was the games (I played billiards and shuffle board) and the service. Juliette was my server and she was absolutely amazing. She is incredibly sweet and made sure we had everything we needed to fully enjoy our dining experience. She even split up our bill for us which I know is a pain to do especially for a large party.
(5)Heather B.
Great burgers, great beers. Never disappointed. & if you get a chance to try their black & tan cheddar burger . And if you're a mustard fan you must try their pilsner mustard. Ask for a side... You'll want to dip your fries in it! Believe it or not, root beer isn't very good there-too syrupy with no root beer "bite".
(4)L M.
We were visiting from out of town. Sent our son back the hotel to feed the dog. Couldn't put our name in for a table til he got there so waited an hour for a table. Margaritas suck.
(1)Penny N.
This review is more for our server than the restaurant. I don't know her name, but she had a mocha colored complexion, shoulder length wavy/curly dark brown hair, and honey colored eyes. Maybe around 23-27. We went in for Friday night fish fry after a gallery reception at my work and needless to say, she was perfect. She was fast and got us refills with out even asking. She was attentive, but not too much. But on top of being a good server, she was incredibly nice and very real. A great smile and clearly very good at her job. As a server I know some tables make I hard to be natural, but she was effortless. I don't know her name, but please let this lady know she was incredible. Just for being natural and attentive.
(5)Rob R.
There's so many things to love about all the Great Danes. The size, style, beers and menus. I want to make this place work, want to love the food and service I keep giving another chance but now I'm done. All my general comments refer to visits at the Cottage Grove location on Jupiter as well as this one in Fitchburg. First of all, clean the bathrooms. I don't want to feel like I'm at a campground latrine. I've gone when it's not busy and watched the hostess, bartenders, servers and managers having a bit of downtime, and yet the bathrooms aren't touched for hours at a time. Once at the Cottage Grove location I pointed this out to the bartender, that it's dead and workers aren't busy and the bathroom has been dirty for hours. His response, "There's an outside service we hire to clean up every night after close.... It's not as if this is like any fast food restaurant that has a schedule for checking the bathrooms periodically throughout the night." He said this with a straight face, with no awareness that he was actually making a case that Taco Bell has higher standards. Anyways I've never seen a clean bathroom. What other hygiene shortcuts are being taken where the customers can't see them? Service at the bar. Once my beer seemed flatter and a bit cloudier than I wanted. Maybe my expectations were wrong for that beer? I asked the bartender. He agreed that the lager I was drinking should be more fizzy and clear, and explained that if it's from the end of an old barrel, the last pull could come out like that. I told him I ordered that style because I wanted a beer that was light, clear and crisp. He nodded in agreement, then left me hanging. Basically, letting me know, "sorry the beer we served you was old, stale and flat. Too bad so sad. Ciao." Great job! I've always found the server staff to be excellent. Not always perfect. At my last visit in Fburg my server had that annoying habit of squatting down to get at eye level with us. Would you like to slide into our booth and spoon a bit, too? Sorry, we ain't cool like that. Stand up and do your JOB. The menu looks amazing but he food rarely lives up. A few positive points first. The pilsner cheddar sauce on the Black and Tan burger is representative of what this place is all about: upgraded pub food with their unique twist. Bratwurst is good. When hot the pub fries are very simple but excellent. The produce for their salads is really fresh, and the recipes for their salads have well balanced flavors and are surprisingly satisfying. One of my favorite things about their menu is that you can order smaller bargain plates if the usual dinner is just too big. It's called the Pub Picnic section and you can get half of any sandwich with a couple small sides for $10 or less, for example, and other nicely sized listings. Now the bad... RED ALERT: AVOID THE SHREDDED PORK AT ALL COSTS. This is not the tender, juicy, flavorful carnitas you're hoping for. I have no reason to doubt that it is derived from some sort of swine species. All the fat, flavor, juice and anything 'pork' about it is processed and cooked out of it, leaving tough dry, fibrous, meat-like threads soaked with water and then whatever mediocre bbq sauce. I asked for my burger to be medium rare it came out blood raw. For the rest of the day I couldn't shake the memory of that mushy, raw meat mouth feel. The fries on that plate were cold. The restaurant was dead at that time and every time the kitchen door swung open there appeared to be no shortage of kitchen staff. The ahi is grocery-store-sushi grade fish, bland and limp, with an overly thick and powerful crust and a sear that goes way too deep. One of the big problems I've consistently have no matter when I visit either location is getting all the food out in an orderly fashion, all ingredients fresh and hot. For example, it could take a long time to get an appetizer and then moments later out comes the entrees. Or the entrees don't come out all together. Or one food item will have signs that it was prepared long ago (burnt, cold, microwaved, etc) while another item on the same plate will be too hot to eat. I always enter optimistic and hopeful. I'm not overly picky or looking for a fight. I just want a clean environment, good service and good food. Again, servers: great job; bartenders hit or miss; managers alternate between running around putting out fires or standing around looking lost. The kitchen is a disaster. One final good note: management is always very responsive and willing to own the issues and make an offer to satisfy disappointed customers. I don't want to get comped items or coupons for a next visit, I just want things to go right. Any establishment can have a bad day and one of my pet peeves is encountering service staff or managers that are more concerned about going into cya mode or blaming others. In this respect they do a great job. But in the end it's just empty potential
(1)Kelsi B.
I really really want to give this place more than 2 stars because I have been to other locations and liked them quite a bit. And truthfully the food was quite good. However the service was severely, SEVERELY lacking. Positives: Like I said, food was good. Drinks were brought promptly, etc. etc. Negatives: Our waitress. She said she was new, so maybe the blame should ultimately be placed on the management for lack of adequate training. First off, we had a table of 7 and she said for tables of 8 or more they don't do separate checks. So when we repeated that we only had 7 at our table, she still gave us attitude about having to split checks. I know it's a pain in the butt but no one in our party had cash.... Then she forgot a few of our drinks. They were brought promptly but when you forget a few, and also forget the waters we ordered and never come back to check on us again until you bring our food out, we may have a problem. So 2 people we were with went about 20 minutes without drinks while the rest of us were sipping our beer and wine (and missing our waters.) When we went to order our food, a guy we were with asked what came on his sandwich and she replied "well you can read can't you?" Um. Ok. Then our food came out. We ate it, liked it, and then sat there for about a half hour after we had all finished eating. We were upstairs and there was almost nobody else up there so I'm not sure why it took so long for her to come back and pick up our plates (or ask us if we wanted more drinks?) She finally came back and we asked for the checks, she brought them and we paid. And then sat there again for about a half hour. At this point we were all super frustrated. It took a bartender to realize how long we'd been sitting there and he finally came and took care of our checks. UGH. All in all, I love there food and that they cater so well to us gluten free folk. But I probably won't be back to this location for a while.
(2)Danny M.
I've been hitting up the GDP for years. Always great beer and pretty solid food. The calamari is awesome! The Nakoma nachos and the beer bread are other favorites. For the entree, burgers are the way to go. I've found that when I try to get a more unique dish, like the tandoori chicken or drunken jerk, I end up disappointed. They used to have a beer can chicken, which was super good... I really wish they would bring that back!
(4)Alex G.
A local favorite of mine This is a great place to grab a drink after work, or to meet friends. an interesting crowd... but good food, nice waiting staff and a pool tables!
(5)Caitlin J.
Went here on a whim as it was next door to my hotel.. But holy crap was it a lucky score. French onion soup.. Amazing. Club.. To die for. Unlike any club you could imagine. Definitely recommend!
(5)William R.
We came here with no expectations as we have been to other locations in Madison, but wow... we really enjoyed ourselves here. First off, we noticed a TON of families here with their kids. For us, that is a good sign. Secondly, the beer selection was pretty nice and I was able to find a few beers that I could really enjoy. Third, the food was outstanding!! The portion sizes were just right and so darn tasty!! Our daughter enjoyed her grilled cheese sandwich and fries. We liked it so much we had take out from there the next day. Although the food was good we questioned the containers they put the food in. The previous day we took leftovers back to the hotel and they gave us a nice sturdy paper/cardboard based packaging. For the carry out they put the food in flimsy clear plastic containers best suited for salads, not hot meals. Regardless of that hiccup with the carry out (I only hope it was anyway!), we will definitiely go back if we are in the area.
(4)Steve A.
We had a group of 23 (20 adults, 2 kids, 1 stuffed Grumpy Cat) come in for lunch and it went as well as it possibly could. They were ready for us with a dedicated waitress who was remarkably prompt and accurate for a party that large, and she even split our checks! (Shhh, they're not supposed to do that for large parties.) The Stone of Scone Scottish Ale is so good, I didn't even think about trying their other beers. The selection here is a bit smaller than their other locations, but you'll find something you like. I also like the atmosphere here - it's clean and simple, rustic without being campy, with plenty of wood. Cheese curds again win my heart. They are very large with thick but crispy, lightly fried batter. Unfortunately, they're $9, which is quite a bit more than anywhere else I tried ($5 is probably par, so this is double bogey).To maximize my cheese intake while in Wisconsin, I grabbed the mac 'n' cheese, which came with a pretzel roll and a wedge of cheddar. The wedge was disappointingly small but I enjoyed the roll and there was plenty of mac to go around. If I was thinking about deducting a star for price, the food quality rounds it right back up.
(5)Brandon S.
Always up for a good pint of Great Dane beer. However, I haven't been to this location in a couple years. I was looking forward to trying it again. Last night, I met a good friend for after-work drinks. I started with the Black Earth Porter (which is always a personal favorite) at the downstairs bar. When my friend arrived, we moved upstairs since the space was lacking with the happy hour crowd. Next drink choice was a brandy old-fashioned sweet, and it was just what I expected. We finished up the night with pints of Oatmeal Stout. We had not ordered food but I have eaten at other Great Dane locations around town and hadn't ever been disappointed. The service was impeccable. When I had first arrived, despite the downstairs bar being impressively packed for a Tuesday night, I was greeted by the bartender and reassured that she would get my order shortly. The bartenders were equally attentive when we moved upstairs. The space is large and accommodating but still has the rich, dark wood that is indicative of that warm pub atmosphere. This location will always be an option when in the area for a drink or dinner. I've also heard they have a pretty amazing weekend brunch.
(4)Allie K.
Great Dane is a great place to gather with friends for some decent beer and amazing apps. The decor is open and promotes groups using the space, and the service is typically pretty fantastic. Their only downfall is that the menu is a bit hit or miss. The WISCONSIN Mac and cheese is great, the burgers were surprisingly average. They also have a DJ on Friday nights, which is awesome if you want to find a "club" experience in Fitchburg, but rather annoying if you are just trying to have drinks with friends. Overall decent, but there's probably better places in Madison.
(4)Jae M.
This updated review is really for when I hosted my finance's birthday on a busy Saturday night with about 20 guests. Kari, the event manager, was always so prompt to respond to my endless e-mails full of questions about what can/can't be done. I have to say that although I acted like a total control freak throughout the planning process, the execution was so smooth that I didn't worry a single thing throughout the night of the event. First off, the staff was amazing: attentive and friendly, but wasn't in everyone's face. They were great enough to provide us with a separate cake table along with plates, forks, and a knife without me having to ask. Everyone paid for their own meals and appeared satisfied with the food and service. The bartender was also great with serving us along with the rest of the restaurant/bar patrons. Everyone was amazing at their jobs and we were all impressed. I'm glad I chose this place to host an event. I will definitely consider them again in the future without hesitation.
(5)Katelyn B.
I guess you could say we made the mistake of going at a time they offered Sunday brunch which none of us wanted. We had to order off the section of a menu I like to call only eat this when your drunk. While tasty the food sat in my stomach all afternoon like a sack of bricks. We three opted to order a few "fun" items and share. I chose the poutine (so effing good), another mate ordered a cheese burger (average gastro burger imo), and a plate of boneless wings with hot buffalo (pretty darn good but way over priced as per usual). All in all tasty indulgences that were worth the tummy ache of poor nutrition. Maybe next time we will try the brunch buffet.
(3)Marissa B.
We stopped in for brunch on our way back home from the Dells after searching for good brunch spots along our route and reading the many positive Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed! The items offered on the brunch were diverse, amazing, and so fresh. I was highly impressed with the quality of the salad bar and the seafood options that were available to pair it with. My group enjoyed the typical breakfast fare of eggs, potatoes, french toast sticks, eggs benedict and bacon as well as the non-traditional taco/nacho station and oysters. The pastries were great as well! We were too full to try them, but the desserts offered looked delicious - ice cream, cookies, cake, pies! We had a nice table outside, which was perfect for the hot, sunny day.
(5)Justin B.
This won't be one of my normal long reviews. Tonight just short and sweet. The beer is very good and they have a decent selection. The cheese curds are just like everyone says, simply amazing. The main course how ever was super impressive. I ordered the German sausages and they were very good but the sides were not so impressive and took away from the main dish. The ambiance is nice; I can see myself coming back and trying one of the burgers I hear others raving about.
(4)Jeff L.
Service is great Beer selection and quality of beer is wonderful Food is ok. Breakfast buffet is wonderful!!
(3)Caroline C.
I was here for a business trip and decided to try the local pubs around town. The Great Dane has a great vibe when you walk in. It looks like an old school pub, but very clean and classy. I would suggest to go here for the beer, the food isn't anything to write home about. My party ordered the poutine fries. The fries were fresh and the gravy wasn't too bad. I ordered a burger, which wasn't particularly memorable. The service was okay. Our waitress was polite, but not particularly attentive or warm.
(3)Kelly F.
Good food and service. I have sampled much of the menu and everything has been pretty good. We always end up bringing friends and family here when they are in town. There's a wide variety of food selections to choose from, so it's easy to please everyone. It's a good place for big groups. In the summer, the outdoor patio and bar is really nice. This is also a great place to watch a game. There is a big projector screen, and there are lots of TVs upstairs.
(4)Tom Y.
Tried the Great Dane on a whim, was not disappointed. They've got a nice selection of beers (which, if I understand correctly, is all brewed in-house) and I had the Stout. Good beer. Had the brat & pretzel burger with fries. Enjoyed said burger greatly. Service was good, attentive without being overbearing. Only thing that was unusual (to me) is they wanted a credit card up front to run a tab for a beer and sandwich. Not sure if that's a regular thing for this area or not, so it's not factored into my review, just mentioned. Nice ambiance. Will be back.
(4)Zannie L.
The Great Dane was a place I could count on to enjoy spending time with friends. Last night they had a DJ who played house music, yet, there is no dance floor. The music was so loud we couldn't have a conversation. It appeared to be an issue for other patrons as two-thirds of the population left by 11:00 pm. We soon took our business to another "ale house" where we could spend time together, creating laughs and memories instead of shouting at each other while our eardrums suffered damage from the volume of the music. That said, the servers and bartenders were very nice and quite attentive and the food was pretty good. If we wanted to go "clubbing" we would have chosen to go to a club, with a dance floor. I recommend that this facility figure out its brand, atmosphere, and the clientele they serve and what will continue to draw that crowd. Last night wasn't it.
(1)Jonathan E.
This is a family favorite - I live about 800 miles away, but we always make sure to stop by when we're in town. We've had the Sunday brunch, and been over for regular dinners a few times too. Brunch - don't miss it. Jamaican jerk - This was a while ago, and they rotate their menu, but if you see it, GET IT. Our most recent trip was with 4 adults, a 3 & 1/2 year old, and a 1 year old. They were happy to heat up water to do a bottle, and got food out for the kids while we were still trying to decide what to get. My wife had a salad, I had fish fry with fries, my sister had chicken with shrimp, sausage, and some sauce, and my brother in law had a burger of some variety. The kids had dino chickens, and fish like me. We all loved our choices (and each other's :) ), and the waitress was great. This place focuses on having great food and great service - and my brother in law said the beers were good too.
(5)Jeremy V.
Im giving this great dane a 1 star. If I could give it no stars I would. One star is to good for this place. If you like awful over priced food and waiters who try to boost their tip by raising your bill by pushing apps and deserts that your not interested in instead of just being good servers then the Great Dane is for you. I have reluctantly eaten at this particular Great Dane atleast 5 times. Not because I've wanted too (not since the first visit anyway) but because the people I'm with have no idea what good food is and always insist it's so good! My last visit was on a Saturday around 3. The restaurant was almost empty as it usually is and they're was 3 of us. So of course they give us the worst table in the restaurant. Which in any restraunt is as with this one is any table right in front of the servers station or closest table to the bathrooms. In this case it was the server station. There was a whole row of tables open next to the windows that we could have been seated at, granted the view isn't great as it just over looks a parking lot but hey I rather look out at the parking lot then having to watch the servers stand around. Anyway on to the food. I ordered the Texarkana Burger Seven-ounces of choice beef broiled to perfection topped with sharp cheddar, BBQ sauce, Applewood bacon, haystack onions, and chipotle cream cheese. That's what it said on the menu anyway. $10.75 Now for an extra dollar I could upgrade my burger for an all natural grass fed beef so naturally I did. I should add here that the atmosphere here is nothing special either. It's dark kind of dreary. Oh and the table was sticky. My burger arrives I got the fries as my side. Fries were nothing special obviously frozen probably from cisco. The burger was the real star here. I can't stress enough how terrible it was! The bun was dry and tasted old like it had been sitting out for a week. The haystack onions were completely tasteless. The cheese? I didn't even notice the cheese actually. Processed garbage. The bacon? Tasted old n fake. My grass-fed beef tasted nothing like grass-fed beef. Tasted more like the worst lowest ground beef you can buy but worse. Absolutely no seasoning! It was bland and tasteless. Felt like I was eating a tennis shoe. It probably was hands down the worst most expensive burger I've ever had. The rest of my parties food was just as bad. And this is not an isolated incident. It's always thus bad. I've never had a good meal here. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from this place. I'm completely baffled by the numerous 4 and 5 star reviews for this place? My only guess is that these reviewers have either never had a good meal in their life or are drunk when they are eating here?
(1)Angeline N.
Came here with my SO and our friend that was visiting. I have never been here although I live just around the block, so we decided to finally try it. We came on a game day so it was packed at the bar area and around it. We did have to wait a bit to get seated because it was the dinner rush, but once we did our waitress was very courteous. I can't remember specifically which burger I ordered for the life of me, but it came with a creamy sauce that was to die for. My SO ordered a bacon burger and both of them were great, no complaints here. The only downside is that the food took a while to come out and I had finished more than half my drink by the time it arrived. Our waitress was also rushing around so much that I never got a drink refill until I was done with my burger.
(4)D. M.
If you live in or around Madison you'll end up eating in a Great Dane a couple of times a year like it or not. It's kind of a default restaurant for many people. Maybe the beer is so good that people just have to go there... but the food is at best average. I wouldn't make a special point of going to this or any of the other GD locations because I'm local and there are so many better options .... unless it's for their Sunday brunch which is better than most.
(3)Jeb B.
The brunch here is really good! 15 dollars gets you lots of choices from biscuits and gravy to omelets to ice cream. Service was good and they removed plates and filled drinks regularly. It would have gotten 5 stars but some of the food was cold on the buffet line. Also, they don't take discover.
(4)Jada K.
Great place for a sit down meal.... And eating outdoors was fun .... Wisconsin was great
(4)Rebecca L.
A great place to hang out, especially after an Ultimate Frisbee game. They have a menu that's printed like a newsletter because it changes every season, I'm told. All of the things on the menu are what you might find at a typical pub: meatloaf, burgers, cheese curds, sandwiches, salads, fries, etc. I recommend the fish tacos, which are under 'Appetizers' for some reason. They're not quite the same as fish tacos you might have in Austin or California, but for Wisconsin they are alright. Beware the mango habanero sauce though. It will kick your ass. Each plate comes with three tacos and additional tacos are $2.50 each. A taco is comprised of a piece of fried cod (whitefish?) topped with pico de gallo and lettuce with a "touch of mayonnaise." And there's a wedge of lime, chipotle BBQ sauce (weird, right?? Who eats their taco with BBQ sauce?) and the aforementioned mango habanero sauce. They also have a delicious looking buffalo chicken mac & cheese which I might try on a future, post-Frisbee game visit. A few notes about The Great Dane: if you want separate checks, you have to let the server know in advance. Also, they bring the check(s) all at once. [Edit: don't get the New Mexico Green Chili. It is nothing close to what the menu description says. 1) there are no chunks of tender pork, just chunks of dry, tasteless chicken and beef. 2) I did not find any sour cream or green chilis. I am disappoint.]
(3)Phyllis G.
Absolutely fantastic. Everything. I had oatmeal stout, bean and ham soup, and fish fry (haddock!). Simply superb.
(5)Rob C.
I just went there for lunch today and had a heat-seeker's dream, the curry noodle bowl. All I can say is WOW! Great flavor in the curry soup and every ingredient sang from the pickled onions to the crispy fried noodles. It was so spicy sweat was rolling down my big rosy cheeks. I pledge allegiance to Thai coconut curry noodle bowl, you got me a food win! I paired it with the Texas Speed Bump IPA, 'twas a solid brew for the undertaking.
(5)Jennifer H.
Don't come here for the food. The beer is ok, standard Wisconsin bar alcohol selection. The servers are not too attentive.
(2)Steve T.
The craft beer here is excellent. We enjoyed the scotch ale and a light lager, both of which were smooth, creamy perfection. Food is good but...come here to drink.
(4)Ed L.
I was recommended this place by friends whom lived in Fitchburg, WI and it was relatively nearby. I was staying in the Sheraton Madison that was off the Hwy 12-14 aka the Beltway, so it was quick and easy to get into Fitchburg without much of anything major at all. My friend's husband says that it's really popular and I just gotta try it, so off we went. Located in the Hatchery Hill shopping plaza on Fish Hatchery Road in Fitchburg, the Great Dane Pub is very much like a Buffalo Wild Wings type of restaurant. Loud and plenty of televisions for the masses who come here for good food and liquor. We were seated quickly and that was good. We got a booth and quickly ordered. I guess my hosts knew what they wanted. It was my first time I have tried cheese curds from Wisconsin, but it tasted like hot cheese sticks you may have seen from Pizza Hut, just made into balls and from Wisconsin cheese. I was not impressed, but it was good. I ordered the $17 Argentinian steak that night, which came with a cheese soup thingy and a scoop of mashed potatoes. I ordered the steak medium, but it looked like the steak was grilled and somewhat dry, but still moist. Guess this is not a real steakhouse, so I just wanted real meat. The steak turned out ok, could be better. The garlic mash hit the spot and the cheesy soup thing was pretty good too. Not sure if that meal costed $17, but it certainly did. I opted out of any alcohol with my meal, since we ended up going to Michael's Frozen Yogurt for dessert, which was cool and desired. The overall service was decent and good, so that was promising. The ambiance was loud and forgettable. I had a good time with my Wisconsin Fitchburg friends that night, so my overall experience was good. The prices was on par with the restaurants/bars I have been to, most notably Chili's and Buffalo Wild Wings. They take major credit cards and cash, so that's a plus. Tip generously if the server was great. I know I did. Support local! B
(4)Kevin S.
Sunday buffet is excellent. Kinda pricey but good food. Not a fan of their beers but decent drinks. Also had a small work event here and everything ran smoothly! Family friendly for Sunday/lunch/dinner
(4)Neal C.
The vibe at Great Dane is really laid back and fun. The shuffleboard on the second floor, the lighting, and the taps at some tables all make this feel like a classic Madison brewpub. The drinks were pretty good, solid selection. Food was better than expected. We stopped in mainly thinking it would be a solid pub with overpriced and bland food but the selections were very diverse, the prices reasonable, and the service fast. The meatloaf was great, as was the Great Dane Burger and Pork buns. I'd avoid the cheese curds, despite their being an area staple. Great Dane's are not nearly as good as, say, the old fashioned. Almost look like they came from a bag. The pretzel bread; however, is excellent. It's almost a mix between a cake-bread dessert and a salty pretzel. Served with delicious honey butter!
(4)Scott P.
Had dinner at the bar and the two bartenders had great personalities and were very attentive even while being very busy. The beer is excellent as was the fish and chips. Going back tonight to try the burger which looked freakin awesome! Update- Went back and had the Texarkana Burger and it was as good as it looked!
(5)Joel C.
I was in the Madison area recently and in need of some good craft beer - so based off some suggestions, we decided to check out The Great Dane. We showed up on a Saturday around lunchtime and the restaurant was about half-full. I contemplated a few different menu options (there are many), but finally settled on the buffalo chicken mac and cheese. Positives: -They brew their own beer! I was only able to try the Crop Circle Wheat, but wished I had time to try them all. -Awesome menu with a wide selection and some regional items. I passed on the brats and mash, but will have to get them next time. Negatives: -Parking was slim in the back of the restaurant, we ended up parking on the street next to a nearby apartment building. I guess there was parking in the front as well, but I didn't see how much room was available. -Prices are a tad high for food, but their craft beer prices are great. A fun local place to grab some food and brews in Madison - I certainly wouldn't mind stopping again to try some more of their beer.
(4)Andy J.
Long overdue...but here it is folks. Great beer all brewed in house. Great burgers, you can't go wrong with the original Dane burger (my favorite) and some beer bread with honey butter, YUM! Great atmosphere, pool tables, darts, shuffleboards upstairs and dining area downstairs. Their Sunday brunch is one of the best in the area. On my last visit, I went with the fish fry which I was not impressed with. You can find better in the area. I also tried a new item on the menu, poutine which my French Canadian friends are also raving about. The poutine was delicious! Overall, a great place for a casual dining experience with great beer and burgers.
(4)Steve L.
I have been to this location at least a dozen times... yet I've never written a review? Hmm - let's fix that, shall we? I really like this location. There's plenty of parking, either in the ramp, or in the open lots located both above and below the Dane's main entrance (if you park below, you can hit-up the Cold Stone Creamery on your way back to the car - just sayin'). This Dane resembles the original location on Doty street - it consists of multiple levels, and has a ton of dark, heavy wood. The large, open bar area located on the first floor is comfy and inviting. Grab a seat at the bar, or ask to be seated in one of the high-backed booths; either way, you'll enjoy the views. The upstairs area has recently been renovated - it now features high, button-back booths and a new seating arrangement. High walls have been removed, and the shuffleboard table has been moved to a new location. The upstairs is a great venue for hosting celebrations of all sorts - from work parties to birthday parties, this is one of my go-to places. The upstairs also features new "serve yourself taps" at certain booth tables. There's a cluster of 4 taps, each of which is fitted with a digital meter. The meter keeps track of how many pints of brew you consume - fill it as you wish, and pay your tab when done. It's genius! I've always enjoyed the food here - from the wonderful soft pretzels to the fish tacos (watch out for that habanero salsa!) to the meatloaf or chicken pot pie - it's all very solid stuff. This location features one of my favorite Dane brews - the Oatmeal Stout. I don't believe you can find it at other locations, which is a shame, because it's awesome. They also offer food specials; on one occasion we tried some new nachos, and boy howdy, were they good (and massive). So massive in fact, that our entire table cancelled our entree orders as we were too full from the plate/mound of chippy and cheesy goodness. Service has always been excellent, especially this past Sunday when I hit their infamous brunch. Our server was cheery, friendly, and on-top of things. Coffee cups never went dry; water glasses were always filled, and plates were cleared in a timely manner. And man - that brunch. Wow! I'm convinced it's Madison's best brunch buffet. There's staples like scrambled eggs (which were fluffy and excellent), bacon, sausage, malted waffles, and omelette station and english muffins. There are also goodies like roasted turkey breast (thick cut, tender, and delish), beef tips, salmon, poached eggs, and a salsa/nacho station... it's all excellent. Oh - finally, there's an outdoor seating area for those nicer days. It's a patio located to the side of the main entrance, and features a covered bar and plenty of seating. The view isn't great, but it's always nice to sit outside with a brew and some good food. Long story short - this location is excellent. You won't be disappointed.
(4)Mark R.
I figured it was time for an update...to report on the consistently high quality of service, food, and ambiance delivered by the folks here. My most frequent form of visit is to treat myself to an occasional work lunch, usually eaten in the bar area, and do some reading. I have always received friendly, warm, and attentive service from the folks. It's a really nice refreshing escape from a stressful workday....my menu/food selections vary but, some of my favorites are the Tuna Rolls, green chili, spicy peanut stew, Reuben, or the fallafal. But, be still my beating heart...I've ignored the menu too long...and failed to notice/forgot about the meatloaf....until..... and it was SO YUMMY on such a cold day....a very generous slab of meatloaf, first baked, then heated on the grill....a generous serving or baby red mashed potatoes, green beans, and a mountain of onion strings....who knew you could get all four food groups in such a delicious package...meat, vegetable, carbs, and deep fried :) HUGE portion....I have left overs hint: If you do come in a group, at lunch time, expect to wait, especially on Thursday or Friday....come a little earlier, and consider sitting in the bar. Also, check the upstairs bad...it's a little different but, same great menu and service!
(5)Jeff M.
I've mistakenly walked into the Great Dane downtown Madison once before, I've eaten at the Great Dane on Midvale, and now I've enjoyed their brew at their location in Fitchburg. I still need to stop in to the one on the Eastside (and technically the one in Wausau - but let's be honest, I'm not driving 2 hours to see it) before I can say with all of my confidence that the Fitchburg location is the best one. Sure, now that I've had a great experience here, I need to give the other locations just as much attention to make a clear decision. But as it stands, this is a great bar. Dining downstairs and fun upstairs. Not saying you can't (or shouldn't) enjoy a good time downstairs, but the shuffleboard is located upstairs for a reason! Plus two pool tables and plenty of comfy booths surrounding the activity. This place is a keeper and I can't wait to come back with a large group and self-serve with the tappers at the booths. That just sounds like a big kid party to me! I have never seen tappers outside of the bar before, and I wonder why there aren't more establishments doing it?! I am a sucker for a good, flavorful dark beer these days (my taste-buds have gotten more sophisticated, what can I say). I had a few of their Oatmeal Stouts, and I enjoyed it, though it had a little bit of that unwanted 'burnt' flavor that so many complain about. It wasn't overpowering, but it existed - and without an alternative, I was stuck. Oh well. I'm not a smoker, but I thought it was important to note that they do have a patio section available year round for those that indulge to go out and get their nicotine on. The patio area looks like it would be a lot of fun come summer time, I shall return when the snow is gone and the locals are wearing shorts again! Though, I expect to return much sooner as well!
(4)Onotse I.
I love the Great Dane! The man and I come here often for brunch and it never disappoints. For $15 you get a really great spread of food that ranges from fried fish and shrimp, to waffles and an array of desserts. Everything is really fresh and delicious. They even have an omelet and prime rib bar that the man always partakes in. Outside of their brunch, I've tried their peanut stew which is so good I can't even put words to it! The man loves their wings and he claims they may be some of the best wings in Madison. I recently tried this rice dish they have that is wrapped in banana leaves and served with fried plantain that again was just wonderful. And though they do not have popular beers brands, because they brew their own, their selection of beer is expansive and good. The service whether for the brunch or any other meal is always stand out! The servers are always polite, friendly, and attentive. At times we visit on weekend nights and have found that this is a great place to watch the game or chill with a large group of people. The most surprising thing about this place is that it seems like such a unique place but has several locations. Despite that though this place is great and has easily become one of my favorite places to eat in Madison.
(4)Steven S.
Absolutely terrible. Rude hostess set the tone. Waitress was too busy texting on her phone to bother for refills. Cold fries to cold with the wrong sandwich but waitress never came back to check on us. What a waste of $84.
(1)John C.
Excellent choice of craft beers. Always very good pub grub. These restaurants gained a reputation of offering good service and food and have expanded with more locations.
(4)Madison W.
Good food for the most part, with a few issues I have eaten at this location a lot, mostly because it is very close to my apartment. If you stick with burgers, cheese curds, wings, fries, and beer, this place is fine. The only problem I have with the burgers is that they are consistently overcooked. Each of the six burgers I have ordered here on separate visits came out WELL done (no pink and rather dry), although I ordered medium. I am not too picky about my burgers, so I didn't complain. I will say that I have never had this problem at the downtown location--that location always cooks it exactly medium. I had a similar problem with the steak salad. I ordered it once to-go, and it was rare (blood on the lettuce). I assumed this was their standard, so a few weeks later I tried it again in the restaurant and asked for it medium. This, too, arrived rare. The waitress agreed it was not medium and offered to cook it further. Unfortunately when it came back it was a tough, charred mess. I ended up splitting my husband's meal. I've had less-than-perfect experiences with other items. I recently ordered a wrap and it was so loosely wrapped that when I picked it up everything fell out. Also, instead of cutting the wrap cleanly in half they appeared to tear it, giving each end largely uneven, jagged lines and making it awkward to bite into. Also, parts of the flour tortilla were dry and crunchy, as if it had been sitting out a while. I wasn't a fan of their soups or pasta either (seemed very salty). My advice if you go here: Order the boneless wings with Asian barbeque sauce. It comes with a blue cheese ranch dipping sauce that is very good. I have never had a bad beer here, but my personal favorite is Crop Circle Wheat. If you do order a burger, I would suggest ordering it a level rarer than you normally would.
(3)Nina O.
There are a lot of things to like about the Great Dane in Fitchburg- like other GDs, the menu is varied and you can find some gems there. At the Fitchburg location, if you are seated upstairs during a slow time, it can feel a bit like outer Siberia, but when it's busy, it's not a bad place to sit. There is a regulation size shuffleboard table and a couple of billiards tables as well, and while I've not been there late in the evening, I could imagine easily spending some time hanging out with friends here. hmm...
(4)Jeff S.
We were seated immediately on a relatively busy afternoon. Our food came quickly and the main reason I have for writing this review is to say how incredibly pleased I was with the smoked beef brisket guajillo. I was expecting it to be good, but I wasn't expecting it to be so incredibly delicious. The beef was braised to perfection and was smothered in a savory adobo-like sauce. Rounding out the plate was a nice side of sweet potato tots that were also awesome, and 2 johnny cakes stuffed with sharp cheddar and covered with a roasted corn salsa. Finally, you get a generous side of Great Dane's Wisconsin mac and cheese. I recommend taking some of the sauce over the beef and mixing it in with the mac. This, my friends, was an incredible meal. The best I've had in recent memory and given how unique, inventive, and flavorful this dish is, it was a bargain at $14. Bravo, Great Dane!
(5)Bobb S.
Yes, it pains me to write this but it has been a long time coming. I have been a life long fan of the 'Dane" and have basically grew up with it...starting in college when it first opened in 1994. It was always a place you could count on for outstanding beers and very solid food. Unfortunately, this is no more. The beers, once different and unique, are now pedestrian at best. The Scotch Ale no longer has the flavor and finish that it used to. The specials are "special" in name alone. One can only conclude that cheaper ingredients and the large growth has caught up to them. Same can be said about the food. Always a big fan of the calamari with banana peppers, the appetizer now is overbreaded, overcooked, and lacks flavor. The same can't be said about the Texarkana burger. Piled high with bacon, onion straws and slathered with BBQ sauce, the burger was juicy and flavorful. A small highlight in an otherwise gloomy night. For a visual perspective, the Fitchburg location is appealing and comfortable. The dark wood in the bar and high ceilings make it welcoming. I will say the dining room feels more like a Dennys that a brewpub however. In 1994, the Dane was something new and different on the Madison restaurant scene. Craft brews were still new and the concept of a brewpub was as well. They did well establishing themselves and now it appears they are content to rest on their laurels. With restaurants/bars/gastropubs sprinkled all throughout Madison that serve better beer and better fare, the Dane best wake up and improve or just locate in other cities (like Wausau) where the competition isn't as fierce.
(2)Kevin T.
My wife and I joke that I think the only times we eat at the Great Dane is when we have company from out of town. When we think about a good local place to take our friends and family, this is the first place that comes to mind. That's for a good reason. It's probably the best representation of the Madison culture you can find out in the "suburbs". Microbrew, good food, good atmosphere. You won't leave disappointed. I still haven't found a menu item I don't like. My wife loves the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese (do we just call it Mac and Cheese here?). I'm a fan of the "Big 10 veggie burrito" and their buffalo burger, while a little dry because it's so lean, comes with enough of a sauce that it makes up for it. Ever try their Sunday brunch? Good heavens. I was in a food coma for the rest of the day. Everything is so good, and so filling. Just remember to get there as soon as they open, or else you'll end up with a long wait for a table. Oh yes, the beer. My wife loves the Crop Circle Wheat, which blows the name brands like Blue Moon out of the water. I'm a fan of the Peck's Pilsner and the Devil's Lake Red Lager.. The Red Lager is on par with what you'd get from a Killians. The Landmark Lite is just that, light. Like Miller Lite light. If that's your thing, that's cool. But why would you come to a microbrew for a Lite beer? I've never left disappointed, and neither have our out-of-town friends.
(4)Amanda K.
I stopped here while on a trip to Wisconsin. The food was absolutely delicious! The black and tan brownie was well worth the calories; I could not believe how amazingly good it was. I may drive the two hours from where I'm working to visit this restaurant again before heading back home....it's that good
(4)Colin U.
FOR SOME REASON SOME OF THE REVIEWS ON YELP GOT MIXED UP SO THE ONE I WROTE FOR THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION IS INCORRECT BUT THIS FITCHBURG LOCATION IS SPECTACULAR!!! This is such an amazing place and Unique to the Fitchburg area. Out of the 4 Great Danes in Madison, I think this one is by far the best. It just seems to have more character and life to it. It is really warm when you walk in like you have been a customer for years and the staff treats you just the same. They have an unbelievable knack for crafting beers which are delicious and plentiful. They have a gorgeous balcony with a huge grill and of course taps within a 5ft reach. It is gated to keep those pesky kids out and the drunken fun in! The Great Dane Fitchburg is always so well kept; it's clean and shiny like it had just opened for the first time. Their food is amazing as well! I have had countless items off the menu so there is no one thing that I like more over another. The seats are massive and envelope you and make you feel like your curled up in a big LazyBoy chair while you eat. Don't forget all the massive TV's to watch the games on! Now the 1 coolest thing about this location? Barry Alvarez people! Yeah! He is here on Thursday nights! Anyways, this location has the feeling of class, a warm Fitchburg feeling and really nice people. Especially the staff!
(5)Jody P.
A perfect place to gorge on a plethora of deep fried appetizers. I just moved back here from Massachusetts and had a HUGE hankering for some unhealthy grub. It was fed well here. Order the cheese curds (A-, could be gooey-er), giant pretzel (b+, put the butter on the pretzel. Mustards are interesting but not great. I was looking forward to a cheese or honey mustard and had neither), and poutine (c+/b-, little cheese, novelty dill curds melted on top but not near enough cheese to fulfill the ratio. We also had to flip the dish upside down in order to get gravy everywhere). However, it was all fulfilling. The service was speedy. The rootbeer and ginger ale brewed fresh and refills so fast your head will spin.
(3)Sherry C.
Ok lunch, I guess, not really a chain gang kind of person. I know they have great beer and if you want to play pool this could be a good spot for you...
(3)Joan H.
Went for the Friday fish fry and opted to sit outside which was nice. Three of us drinks which came lightning fast, then ordered fish and waited and waited and waited. We also noticed most of the other tables had people looking like they too were wondering where the heck there dinner was. When our dinners did come out, they were brought by servers, not our waitress. The food wasn't warm, it was cool. Fish should be piping hot and it was apparent this had been sitting for a long time to get this cool. In defense of our waitress, she was working really a lot of tables and I'm not sure if it was her job to deliver the food. When she asked how our dinner was and we told her it was cold (duh) she asked what she could do. Well really, what could she do since we sure weren't going to wait another 40 min. for another meal. She did take off our drinks - two root beers and a beer and while that was appreciated, it didn't make up for the lateness and cold presentation of our food. There are so many great places to get a hot, tasty Friday fish that I would avoid the Dane. By the way, the 2 eating next to us said their soup was also cold which they sent back and had to wait 10 min to get it returned to their table hot. We used to come here frequently and had noticed a decline in the food and service but this time they blew it and I doubt we will be back.
(2)Pauline J.
Best Sunday brunch around, despite the price! I tend to prefer the Hilldale location for any other meal though.
(5)Amanda C.
This is one of my favorite Great Dane locations. I have been here a number of times. The service and food is consistently some of the best in Madison. They also have some of the best cheese curds in the state. The beer here isn't my favorite, but they usually have at least one or two good beers on tap. The bartenders are pretty good too, so mixed drinks are always an option when the beer selection isn't at its best.
(4)Jim G.
Food pretty good Beer not so much
(3)Seth M.
A Madison staple! Beer brewed on site, a large menu of of a mix of traditional pub fare and American. Sometimes the wait gets long as it is one of the more popular restaurants in town, but it is worth every minute!
(5)