Buck & Badger
115 State St, Madison, WI, 53703
Buck & Badger Menu
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Address :
115 State St
Madison, WI, 53703 - Phone (608) 230-7999
- Website https://www.buckandbadger.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
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 : Tue, Thu
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
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Simian S.
We went to Buck & Badger last night with friends for dinner (6pm on a Saturday night). When we arrived, there is a hostess stand right inside the front door with the usual "please wait to be seated" sign. So we waited.....and waited...and waited. No hostess appeared. Two groups of people came in behind us and joined the wait for the elusive hostess. The bar area was crowded and the bartenders definitely noticed the large crowd waiting to be seated, but made no move to summon a hostess. Finally, our friends texted us to let us know they were already at a table (they had asked the hostess to let us know, but since she had disappeared, we didn't get the message). So we went to sit down- I never saw the groups behind us come into the dining room, so I am guessing they got fed up waiting and left. Our waitress was very pleasant and friendly and brought us our drinks right away. As a previous poster mentioned, the beer came in cans, even though there is a full bar with plenty of beer on tap. Two of us ordered the bison burger, which was just ok- it was pretty small (the waitress said it was 1/3 lb, but it seemed smaller) and definitely NOT worth the $11 price, especially considering that sides are not included and cost extra. The regular french fries were pretty lackluster- maybe a step up from McDonald's fries, and the sweet potato fries were soggy. My fiance said the whitefish hoagie was nothing special and our friend who had the french fried cheese said it was not very good. There were some decent parts of the meal, our friends noted that the twice baked potato and french onion soup were delicious. At the end of the meal we were given a plate of chocolate chip cookies, which were ok, but they were basically just mass produced cookies that had been warmed in the microwave to make them seem fresh-baked. I would much rather they forget the cookies and just focus on serving better food. Overall, we felt like the food was bland and very overpriced, and while our waitress was ok, the service in general was pretty poor. We will not be going back.
(2)Kara D.
Atmosphere: I LOVE the theme of this place. Cozy Northwoods lodge. Lots of pine, huge fireplaces, camo t-shirts for the wait staff. Feels cozy and comforting. Drinks: Pretty good specials any day of the week. Wednesday is $4 Moscow Mules. Beer specials every day. What sounds like a good happy hour price.' Food: Not terrible. Pricing is pretty okay for what you get. I'm a fan of the cheese fritters, the grilled cheese fondue and the fish sandwich. All of those dishes are $9 or less and it's good portions for that price. However. You are a Wisconsin restaurant. I shouldn't have to ask for tartar with my fish and I really don't think that should be an up-charge. But the fish was really tasty with the red pepper aioli and tartar together. Not a fan of the potato salad. It was a literal formed scoop of it on my plate. Didn't look appetizing, didn't taste appetizing. Fries are good, but I'm not happy that they are a $2 up-charge to get with a sandwich or burger. Should just come with. They aren't $2 extra good. The donuts are good, but didn't seem to be quite cooked all the way through. Cheese fritters are huge and always worth it. Service: I've only ever gone during trivia nights, so I don't know if that has something to do with it, but I think I've only been there once where the service has been good. Most of the time, we're waiting for long periods for either our drinks, our bill, or for the waitress to check on us. Overall, I want to like this place. Northwoods lodge, twist on comfort food. But I think you're trying to be just a little too classy for what you are. Something just feels off and if it wasn't for trivia nights, I probably would have never eaten here.
(3)Brian M.
Good food but not a great value. A little pricey. I liked the bison burger and the sweet potato fries. But there are better options food-wise on State.
(3)Michael H.
Fairly new establishment that took over for the pizza place (Ian's) that moved to across the street. Feels like a huge sauna in here. They definitely put some money into the place. I did not eat here, so this review is really just to remind me to return next time for some grub!
(3)Peter Y.
Ok, well, let's get a few things out of the way first. This place isn't very big, so there's not much space to do anything. It's also kind of expensive when it comes to drinks around Madison. So why am I giving it four stars? Well, a drink purchase here can be used as the cover to get into the Ivory room, and the second, and much more important reason, is that they have shot skis. SHOOOOOOOOT SKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!!!!!!!!!
(4)Emigh C.
If your idea of 'comfort food' is overpriced, gummy, tasteless and fried carbs smothered in cheese and/or bacon, then by all means, help yourself to some diabetes in a bread bowl. I scoured the menu and couldn't find a damn thing that wasn't carb-based or slathered in meat or dairy. I'm not even vegan or vegetarian. I just don't like my food to sit like a rock at the bottom of my stomach for 6+ hours after I eat it. I've never wanted to stick my finger down my throat so long after eating half an entree, so thanks for getting me to try new things, Buck & Badger.
(1)Dan M.
Buck and Badger, I don't think I've ever wanted to like a bar/restaurant as much as you. I've given you multiple chances now, and you have only gotten worse. You're like perfect match on Tinder. You sound incredible, look incredible, but when we meet I find out you're 45, unemployed, and living with mom. My friends and I have been frequenting Buck & Badger for Geeks Who Drink trivia. Honestly, if they didn't host pub trivia I would never go here. + Decent beer and cocktail selection + Has trivia - Poor wine selection - Food is underwhelming and overpriced - Poor "snack" food selection for a bar that hosts trivia - Service is slow, unreliable, and rude The bar has 24 rotating taps so if you enjoy a good brew, you can't really go wrong. The selection was diverse too for those with particular taste in beer. On Thursdays you can nab a Moose Drool for $3, not a bad deal. Good luck, getting more than one due to service issues. I was disappointed by the selection of appetizers, considering we arrived around 8 pm just for drinks, a snack, and trivia. For a pub that hosts trivia two nights a week, the appetizer/snack selection was lacking. We ordered both the cheese curds and bacon cheddar fries. The cheese curds were actually cheese fritters, and there were only 6 on the plate. I was disappointed by the number served in the order, and the sauce tasted like a simple dressing out of a bottle. The bacon cheddar fries (not pictured) had a little too much salt on them between all of the ingredients and seasoning on top of it. They definitely could have used more acid to balance the flavor out. The cheese was shredded and melted on top. By the time it had reached the table, the cheese was cool and crusty. It's also worth noting that the bacon cheddar fries are not on the menu. We put in a special request for them. The normal fries are $3.50, and we were charged $9.50 for this special request. I don't think we ate $6 worth of bacon and cheese... So far my run in with the service at Buck & Badger has been outrageous and beyond acceptable. On our first visit, the server decided start an argument with us when over hearing our conversation about Spotted Cow, and claimed it was a Hefeweizen. I don't care that the server believes the beer is something that it isn't, but she got very snippy when I was discussing it with the table and called it a cream ale. That same night, we specifically asked for ketchup twice and it never showed up over a 2 hour period. On a subsequent visit, everyone placed their first drink order and a water pitcher with cups was left at the table. The server never came back to ask how things were or to ask about a second round. We were there for trivia, that means at least 2.5 hours sitting. I had to flag her down to get a 2nd Moose Drool. Eventually the server showed up when 2 full rounds of trivia remain and tries to talk to us while trivia questions are actively being asked. I ask her to come back, and she comes back in 5 minutes with the checks for some reason. One person at the table asked for another drink, and she leaves half the checks on the table. The drink never showed up and about 30 minutes later a different server comes by with the rest of the checks and a small plate of burnt cookies. I don't even know what to say. I want to love this bar. In no way were we rude to the servers, but the service was just abysmal. Other reviewers seem to have had similar experiences too. Sorry Buck & Badger, we could have had something really special together. You have broken my heart.
(2)Stacey L.
I've been to Buck & Badger a couple of times, first a year or two ago for trivia and dinner and then most recently as part of a Big Buck Safari bar crawl. Both times were quite enjoyable. On my most recent visit the bar started out pretty empty [holiday weekend + Madison Marathon = weird night downtown], but that worked to our advantage as we had free reign over the game and plenty of room to spread out while waiting for our individual turns. For the Big Buck nerds out there, the screen has a good response, just make sure to choose the controller on the left. For the rest of you normal folks who probably go to bars for things like the drinks and ambience, get ready to revel in a glossy-magazine version of Northwoods glory. The interior is made to look like a log cabin, with a great choice of blonde wood to keep it bright and clean looking. There are plenty of taxidermied animals, my favorite probably being the bear head to the right of the entryway bar that wears an antlered hat. Service is fairly quick and the bar offers everything from cheap cans to shot paddles to a tap line of the bar's very own MobCraft brew. Everything is far too pretty and nice to actually remind you of being up north, but it's still a nice little spot in the heart of Madison.
(4)William S.
Rolled out the red carpet for a hungry Ironman. Asked the hostess where I could get a big juicy steak and she called their sister restaurant and had one brought over to be cooked for me - cooked to perfection and presented with class. Great atmosphere sitting on State St. and friendly waitress made it an eating experience I won't forget!
(5)Ariana F.
I love coming here when it's warm and drinking a Bloody Mary or 5 and people-watching. It's within eyeshot of capital square, and when the farmer's market is going on you have a GREAT view of everything and everyone. Service is good, apps are good, and the Bloodies come with the most charming little beer chasers. Come on a Saturday in the spring, sit outside, get day-drunk, and watch the Madisonians do their thang.
(4)Andrea D.
Visiting Madison for the first time and my husband and I were looking for a quick bite near our hotel when we got in. Stopped by this place since we heard they have trivia on Thursday nights, and had a great time. It was a little loud since the game was on - and the Badgers won, go Badgers! - so I doubt it's that loud on a regular basis. The food was delicious, environment was fun and relaxed, and their beer selection was excellent. Especially for people looking to try Wisconsin beer. I mean, how can you go wrong with Spotted Cow? Trivia was great as well. Our server was a little slow, but again with the game on so I don't blame him. Had a great time our first night in town.
(4)Monica T.
Trivia tuesday!!! What a fun time testing our trivia skills, enjoy a couple of appetizers, and beer. They have a good selection of beer on draft abd I believe have bottle beer too. Definitely support local wisconsin beer! Our bartender was super friendly, he even bring us cookies during trivia.
(4)Esther Y.
I've been here twice, both times on Trivia night on Thursday. Geeks Who Drink is a very fun group, I always have a blast. My choice of beer: Moose Drool. Yum, and only $3 on Thursday. I'm a little biased because I love stout and Dark Ales, so drink with discretion. Service is amazing. So on top of their game, and constantly replenished us with beer when I asked. They're also pretty nice, which is always a plus. The space is too small for the events they advertise! Definitely not enough space to hold many groups of people who aren't willing to share chairs. On any other night if you're coming in and out, the place is more than accommodating; but on a busy night when people are trying to sit, eat, and socialize? No. Overall, very willing to come back to be impressed. The fries didn't impress me, so I'm hoping to come back for a meal.
(3)Sara M.
I like the food here. I like sitting outside when it's nice out and sitting inside for the cozy cabin interior during winter. I like coming here at night and grabbing a drink to waive my cover for the piano bar. I like the convenience of this place. Sure, the food isn't the best or most unique in Madison, but it's bar food. I think Buck & Badger is at least 3.5 stars and will give the benefit of the doubt since we can't do half stars on yelp!
(4)Marcie W.
I came here with a group of friends. The menu is small. I ordered a cheeseburger with fries. The burger was a bit small (too much bun) and was rather pink, although I had ordered it medium-well. The menu also stated that the sandwiches came with a side and a pickle, but the pickle turned out to be two small pickle slices. The fries were good, nothing special. My friends ordered the mac n cheese bake, which they seemed to enjoy, and a BLT, which seemed to be just ok. The service wasn't great. The waitress brought the wrong meal to one of us. I have a feeling she was new though, as she was flustered by some of our questions about menu/payment, so perhaps it isn't totally fair. I have heard this place is fun for trivia, but I probably wouldn't return for anything but to check that event out.
(2)David D.
I stopped by the Buck and Badger after work for a quick beer and an appetizer while waiting for friends. Their beer selection was pretty good. They had the beer that I prefer, so that was good. But the reason for my review is the bartender was a bit of a dick. He was wearing a cap bro-style (on backwards) and had this phony superior air about him. It was off-putting. Some people sat next to me and their first three beer requests the B & B did not have. The bartender gave them some pretty strong 'tude and said "You guys have to broaden your horizons." They handled it well but seemed slightly put off by it. The menu options were limited and the prices pretty high. They wanted $14 for their fish-fry special. In Madison, a good fish-fry is usually $10. Overall not impressed.
(2)Denise F.
Great service,food was tasty but you get charged 50 cents for a side of ranch. Coleslaw that comes with sandwiches standard is tasty-we also had sides of sweet potato fries and French fries. Husbands burger was average. Sandwiches a bit on messy side due to dressings. Great decor- Northwoods theme. Good beer selection. Tasty Bloody Mary with garnishes.
(3)Kelsi B.
My boyfriend's family and I were looking forward to trying this north woods themed restaurant and bar, as we are lovers of being up north and miss that feeling down here in Madison. I will say that this restaurant provided this ambiance and did it very tastefully. However, the food was severely lacking. We all ordered burgers and were surprised to see that the burgers didn't come with french fries, instead they came with coleslaw. This would have been acceptable if the coleslaw was any good. But it had zero flavor and was a huge disappointment. Also my boyfriend's mother ordered french fries and they came out stone cold and soggy, pretty gross actually. She told the waiter and he brought out a fresh hot order of fries, but they were still soggy. Our burgers were cooked perfectly and very delicious however. Service was decent, but nothing to write home about.
(3)Jason H.
Went for lunch today (12/6/12), and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I ordered the Wild Boar burger (whoa, I ate wild boar!), and, although the patty was quite small, I was full at the end of the meal. The flavor of the burger/toppings was really nice, and the fries were great. Be warned, though, that burgers come with a small side of coleslaw, but any other sides (fries, sweet potato fries, etc) cost extra. The guy I went with had the Bison Burger, and enjoyed it, though he did not like his sweet potato fries (they were "soggy"). It is a little pricey for lunch (approx. $20 if you get a burger with a side and drink), but at least you get a free warm chocolate-chip cookie at the end of your meal!!! +1 Also, I love that the place is so new that it still smells like fresh-cut wood! Yum!
(4)Derick D.
I read in the Madison magazine that this place has lamb, boar, and bison burgers so I wanted to try it out. I sat at the bar and ordered the moose beer on special. I was disappointed when I received a small menu and only saw beef burgers. So I decided to try the regular burger with goat cheese added. The burger came out a nice size, and the goat cheese on it was about an inch thick and covered the whole burger. I bit into it and was quite impressed. Nice and juicy, just the right amount of pink in it, and nice soft melty cheese. It went perfect with the beer. Definitely recommend, but would be better if they had what I initially came in for.
(4)Katie K.
I feel pretty let down by my two experiences at Buck & Badger. I've been for lunch and dinner. Both times, service was pretty slow, despite there not being many customers. I had the chicken pot pie ($13), which was served in a sort of upside down pyramid of a bowl... It looked large when it first came, but soon revealed itself to be shallow and a pretty sad portion for the price. It wasn' particularly flavorful either. My date had a burger, which he said was just ok. Went back a different day and had the grilled cheese with apples and fig spread. The apples turned out to be more like apple pie filling. Way too sweet! Also, $8 for a grilled cheese is quite steep, especially since you also have to pay extra to get a side of fries. I would love to love Buck & Badger, since I work a block away and they have a lovely fireplace. I can imagine having lunch there while reading a book by the fire. But I guess what it comes down to, is there are much higher quality and less expensive places to go in the area.
(2)Rob P.
Came here for lunch on a Thursday with some co-workers. We left with mixed feelings, most of us disappointed and won't be back. This place is pretty new. It opened in the space that Ian's Pizza moved out of. They spent quite a bit of work to completely redo the interior. They attempted to capture the up north feel, with lots of cedar wood and country decor. There was a gas fireplace in the middle of the dining room which I really liked. I got the whitefish hoagie. The menu said that all sandwiches were served with a side of sweet mustard cole slaw." Hmm...I don't remember tasting any mustard, or any sweetness, or anything all. It was weak, mostly watery cabbage with a touch of cream. My sandwich was okay. The red pepper aioli didn't stand out. I actually thought it was melted cheese until I reviewed the menu just now. There wasn't any tartar sauce served. The sides are kind of a rip; especially the traditional fries. They're a $3 add on and they could've easily been from the frozen section at Woodman's Foods. One of my co-workers got the Wild Boar Burger, fries, and a CAN of beer. His bill was $17 before tip. Seemed pretty steep for a lunch. It'd be different if any of the 3 items were standout, but they were lacking. One co-worker had the grilled cheese sandwich with fig jam & sliced apples. He was really happy with it. Out of our group of 5, he's the only one that said he'd come back.
(2)A K.
A friend recommended this place, so the other night while i was downtown I decided to check it out with a friend. We were there about 9:30pm and were seated immediately - we chose to have a seat inside. My friend ordered the steak sandwich and fries. He thought the sandwich was "fine." I ordered the "shoestring fries" which were just regular fries and were virtually tasteless; I didn't think they were good at all. I also ordered the French Fried Cheese, which were like mozzarella sticks but with Wisconsin cheddar. They were warm-ish and the cheese wasn't melty at all. Overall, I wasn't impressed and I don't plan to return.
(2)Patrick T.
I only came here for drinks. Their specials are inexpensive and pretty good. Save your receipt and you can use it instead of paying cover charge to enter ivory.
(3)Katie H.
The only thing special about this place is the outrageously expensive prices and uncomfortable chairs. Never going back again.
(1)April S.
Great bartenders but the food was ill prepared. I got the steak sandwich and ordered it medium and received it was pretty much rare with the bread covered in blood.
(2)Elizabeth R.
I went to the Buck and Badger over the weekend. Background info: I was there at ten on Saturday night. So it was a little busy but not crowded by any means. I was at a table of ten where each person was ordering a single item (i.e. beer, water or soda). Not too difficult? Well the waitress was rude, slow and inaccurate. I know ten is quite a bit but you are writing it down. She was not prompt in checking in on us nor was she accurate. I asked for my check and she said I owed for way more drinks. I was the first one to pay, so she could have figured it out. It took her ten minutes to come back to figure out she added too many items, after I told her exactly what was on my bill. I paid my bill, then I found out I was still overcharged for one of my drinks. I did not have the menu when I ordered but my friend caught an overcharge. She and I had the same items. Overall, very disappointed in the service. It is Saturday night get someone who can handle the pressure. I would go there again but I would hope for another server. Otherwise, the beer selection, wine selection and fun items (shot skis AND paddles) were impressive.
(3)Katie R.
went to b & b for trivia and dinner. ordered the beef stew and i think i got something straight out of a pinterest fail. it seemed like dinty more canned soup mixed with cheese spread and stored in a crock pot for a week. the server was inattentive and the venue was too loud and awkward for trivia. i sent back the "beef stew" and i ordered a spinach salad with spinach duck breast, walnuts,onions and feta, which was just alright.
(2)Rebecca L.
Although Buck and Badger has a whole section on their menu devoted to delicious looking meat burgers, I went against conventional wisdom and ordered their Veggie Burger. What the what?? I promise you it's good. The grilled portabella topped with grilled peppers and provolone cheese tastes almost like meat, if not better. Buck and Badger also has some really great cocktails (The One that Got Away, which is Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey with root beer, is tasty) as well as a large selection of beer. They also host Geeks Who Drink Trivia on Tuesdays.
(4)Shelley I.
Great Food!! Outdoor seating right on State Street. Adorable Wait Staff ! Have the Cheese Curd Fritters! Rockin!!
(5)Vickie M.
Food is great. Flank steak meatloaf is amazing. Duck breast is fabulous. Unfortunately service is not. Two of us ordered soup this evening one came out with a the main course. Couldn't even fit it all on the table. My meal on the other hand never made it out she totally didn't even bring it. This is 3rd time at his restaurant and service has been less than adequate. Probably will not be back too many choices of great restaurants on State Street.
(2)Hollywood S.
Horrible!!!! It took an hour for us to get our food!! No apology for the server! We will never go back!
(1)Bobb S.
I always get wary when a restaurant tries to hard to push a theme. In this case, Buck and Badger is supposed to resemble an "Up North" restaurant with a stuffed moosehead (fake me thinks) and a log cabin motif. Nevertheless, I thought to give it a whirl as we biked down State Street on one of the first nice days of Spring. The menu is typical American fare-wings, some salads, hamburgers made from the various animals (cow, boar, lamb, bison), and entrees. I opted for the Duck Salad (no tomatoes) while my 9 year old daughter went with the children's Mac and Cheese. The meal took a tad bit long to come out with our waiter coming out to inform us they made the salad with the tomatoes and were making me a new one. I was happy to hear that until the second attempt at the salad came out. Evidently, when I requested no tomatoes, the cook also thought Ihe/she should include any other vegetable-it was missing the red peppers, onions, and celery that the menu described While the duck was well prepared and the apple cider vinaigrette adding a nice acid to cut through the richness of the duck, the salad lacked anything crunchy and therefore was forgettable. My daughter's mac and cheese was generous in size and I appreciated the fact that the sauce was homemade and well balanced. Good but nothing to come back for. Buck and Badger would do better if it lessened the schtick around the Northwoods (really, the kid's menu item comes with an antler crown which basically guarantees a therapy visit or two when they get older from the humiliation), reduced the size of their menu, and focused on delivering well executed meals. While I would say that the restaurant won't be around long due to the amount of nearby competition (The Fountain, Coopers, etc), they probably will as the owner also owns the Capitol Tap Haus (yawn) and the Ivory Room (license to print money).
(3)Ron P.
The food is good and a great selection of beer. Friendly staff. The inside atmosphere is like a lodge.
(4)Danny G.
Move along folks there's nothing to see here! We went here for takeout during a jazz at 5 concert. The burger was huge and undercooked, it had a burger king like charcoal taste without the beef flavor. I ordered cheddar and they apologized for only having white cheddar! Ah this is Wisconsin..... The whitefish sandwich we ordered was good. The French fries here were unexplainably greasy and limp. The cole slaw was very vinegar tainted. Overall an unimaginative kitchen in a neighborhood brimming with great alternative choices.
(1)James C.
I wasn't blown away by this place. The food was decent but the restaurant setting was good leaning toward great. It has a great feel to it and definitely is trying to bring a Northwoods feel to Madison. This was a spur of the moment stop for dinner. This is a place I could see myself stopping in more for the bar than to sit down for dinner. Our waitress was great and it does have outside seating (however, I did not sit outside). For those who are looking for a good root beer on tap this place does have Sprechers. Overall it was a good experience.
(3)