Mariners Inn
5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr, Madison, WI, 53704
Mariners Inn Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr
Madison, WI, 53704 - Phone (608) 246-3120
- Website https://www.marinersmadison.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Chazz B.
This is one of those places straight out of the 70s, when people went out to eat for special occasions and expected to pay a lot. I recommend the fried shrimp. Definitely the best I have had in recent memory. Service was excellent. Clam chowder is good, but they are not fooling anyone with the store-bought croutons.
(3)Amber V.
I am not impressed at all. For food we ordered calamari as an appetizer (pretty good but it was a little fishy ), clam chowder (I thought it was good but my fiancé would have preferred it a little creamier), petite salmon and asparagus (the salmon was overcooked and the asparagus did not taste fresh), caijun walleye (good but would have preferred the sauce to be thicker ), walleye fishfry (very bland) and the caijun tenderloin (the best meal out of the 4) for the price I definitely don't feel it was worth it. As far as service. .. they had a girl who has only been there 2 months taking care of almost all of the tables. She didn't come check on how our meal was until we were done eating. I also asked if they had bbq sauce so I could dip my fries but she forgot. Also, at one point we were without water for probably 10 minutes. Then when we wanted to go we had to wait a while to get our bill and at this point there was probably only 3 tables of people. Will not be going back.
(2)Taylor W.
We went here for restaurant week 2015, thinking we'd have a good experience like we did during restaurant week 2014. However, the scallop and filet combo this year was AWFUL. The scallops were tiny and rubbery, and the meat was thin, chewy, and had terrible flavor. We couldn't even finish our meals. The service wasn't much better. We will not be back.
(1)L N.
The broiled haddock was very good, seafood stuffed mushrooms are outstanding, very good brandy old fashioned. It's obviously a popular Friday destination so make reservations or be content to mill around the bar for a bit. Nice atmosphere that can work as a casual or dressier night out, right on the water. Will be going back!
(5)Amy T.
Wonderful food. Excellent stuffed mushrooms. Steaks were delicious. Warm rolls were fabulous. Everything was excellent. Highly recommend.
(5)Daniele B.
Went here for Mothers Day brunch instead of Nautigal because we needed an early reservation.... We really love Nautigal and enjoy going for brunch any Sunday so we figured Mariners Inn would be just as great. First off, we checked in at the front desk and they ignored us and didn't seat us for 20 minutes (seating people who got there after us while ignoring us)... The seating area is super crowded and people were always in the way. The food.... Seriously nothing to write home about. Some of the same items we love at Nautigal were dry and nasty at Mariners Inn. We payed $28 a person for a limited variety of mediocre food... Not impressed!! The outside is cute though lol
(2)Ben B.
Ask for the lobster cream sauce. You will return just for it. The fried shrimp is crazy good, too.
(5)Michael S.
Legendary hashbrowns... Good, but not legendary. World famous clam chowder... Very good. Loved how it was really thick and creamy, but world famous... Not sure about that... I don't know... This place is nice, but with the limited menu for graduation and prom weekend, not sure if the 'best stuff' they put on their limited menu was that great. Don't get me wrong... food was good, but just not worth the price. Service was fine, but nothing stands out about this place.
(3)Chad L.
I find myself making a reservation for four or more at least twice a year at Mariner's Inn. The von Reutenbergs continue to set a very high standard in the realm of supper club dining, and are, arguably, the best establishment to patronize for dinner during Madison Magazine's Restaurant Week. Their clam chowder is very good: creamy, seasoned and perfect for dipping their house rolls into! The surf (petite lobster tail) and turf (7oz top sirloin, I think) have never disappointed us. The steaks have always come prepared to the proper requested doneness. They had a new entree this time, Filet of Romance (or something named similarly), that my wife and father-in-law had. Basically a petite filet of tenderloin topped with a Rosemary skewer of broiled quarter-sized sea scallops and sauce béarnaise. Though I'm not super crazy about tarragon, I thought that it was a well-composed dish, and the steak was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Desserts are classics at Mariner's: Betty Lou's cherry cheesecake, a decadent chocolate mouse, and key lime pie (because why not have something tropical to take your mind ever so briefly away from WI's winter?). All were good!
(5)Bruce K.
Lovely location, especially dining outside. However the service and food quality have gone to pot. Mediocre stuffed shrimp, steak, duck, key lime pie. Clam chowder and basa were very good. One dinner order was the wrong dish. An unfortunate decline for a Madison tradition.
(2)Jesse B.
If you had one word and one word only to describe Mariner's Inn; that word would be SWANKY! Yup, I'm a fan. I mean who doesn't like to belly up to one of the most beautiful bars in the midwest for a hand muddled Korbel old fashion while you get treated like royalty? That is exactly what we did before our delicious meal at the Mariners.The vibe is truly an old school classy lounge and restaurant with meticulous service. We both started off the jumbo fried shrimp. Jumbo is an understatement. The shrimp were huge and succulent with a nice golden crispy breading on them. We each ordered a porterhouse steak and lobster tail. The lobster was cooked perfectly as well as our medium rare steaks. We could immediately tell that the selection of beef was of high quality. Our salads were even of high quality too. Very nice crisp bite to the lettuce and chilled plates. The rolls were assorted and served warm with butter. We had so much food that we both felt like we over indulged. But hey, when you are going to splurg go for the best. One of the best dinners we ever had in a while. Another note was that our server, Doug, was extremely knowledgable and attentive. You don't find that type of delicate service at many steak houses anymore which makes giving Mariners only 5 stars unfair. Based on service alone the rating should be 10 stars.
(5)Barney C.
Went there for restaurant week. Clam chowder and key lime pie were great. Lobster was rubbery and didn't taste fresh. Sirloin was well done despite ordering it medium-well. I am saying it was dry as a day old biscuit. Glad we were there for a deal. I would have been livid if I'd paid full price for that meal. Now I can just say, I'll never go again. Our waitress was rushed despite the dining room being empty. When we arrived at 7 we had to wait ten minutes for the hostess to arrive. We were not greeted when we entered nor when we left. Parking lot was icy and dangerous. Coat room was storage for wayward things and in shambles. On the plus side the ambiance was nice and the location is beautiful. On an extra picky note Lake Louie warped speed scotch ale was $5.25 a glass which is pretty steep for Madison standards. Compare this to the six pack price which even at gas stations is $9.99. Not going back again.
(2)Greg G.
My wife and I decided to go to Mariners Inn for our 31st wedding anniversary. We had heard good things about it so we thought we would give it a try. The atmosphere was nice, but felt a bit "old school" supper club. The service was mediocre, our waitress was friendly but unattentive. Steak and Seafood are the predominant menu selections. As a vegetarian, I was happy to see at least one menu selection available. Local RP's Pasta in a Alfredo sauce with fresh vegetables... Sounds great... Was very disappointing. Flavorless sauce with whole cherry tomatoes a few peppers and a diced stalk of asparagus. Didn't really come together as a dish... My wife had the petite tenderloin with scallops, crab and a bernise sauce served with asparagus spears. She also had the augruatine potatoes. She thought the tenderloin was delicious, as were the augruatine potatoes. The scallops were served skewered on a sprig of rosemary that gave the scallops an unpleasant after taste, and the crab meat, was OK, but almost nonexistent on the dish. Our overall experience was like that of my dinner... Rather bland and disappointing.
(2)Yolanda G.
I do not understand the low reviews. Everything was fantastic from the moment we arrived. We were seated immediately with no reservations. The host seated us in a room where my small child was able to explore. The Clam Chowder was super tasty.The steak size portion is beyond decent. The Macadamia Encrusted Grouper is PHENOMENAL. The mango salsa that goes with it is fantastic. The service was great too. Our waiter was well versed in local beers and helped us select a great one. The location is beautiful too. A must go to!
(5)Ashley H.
Disappointed. Some restaurants establish themselves and then never try to maintain standards when they achieve a clientele. Our party was seated over 30 minutes after our reservation time. Bread served with our meal comes with a variety of bread types but they all tasted the same. I tasted the ceviche and the clam chowder, which were good, but not memorable. Surf&turf, cheesecake with strawberries, all "pretty good" but the food and atmosphere are not on par with the prices.
(2)Lonnie M.
I have never been disappointed! Tonight was amazing. The food was excellent. Steaks cooked perfectly. Their menue has changed with the times with many healthy choices and lower prices. I love the warm, relaxing atmosphere. We were seated by the fireplace it is my favorite place to go to celebrate special occasions. It gets five stars from me.
(5)Pauline J.
The food here is really hit or miss, but when you get a hit it's the most delicious thing ever. The best thing here? The clam chowder for sure. I've come here just for a bowl of it. The restaurant is ok. I don't really like sitting inside and the chairs outside are terribly uncomfortable. Aside from the chairs, sitting outside, listening to live performances (the ones I've heard were really good), and enjoying the scenery while it rained was quite a pleasant experience. I don't like the servers I have here. They usually don't seem to know what they're doing. I really prefer their menu during restaurant week. I'll try to stop by here next time I see them up for the event. Otherwise I'm going to stick with the occasional visit for the chowder.
(4)Jason P.
My fiancé and I went for dinner during restaurant week. When we got in they were running 20 min late on seating their reservations, but that's forgivable because they were packed. Once we got to our table, it hadn't been set yet which lead to the hostess all but throwing plates at us. Our server was nice enough but the service was nothing to write home about. The decor is rustic but very dated, the food ended up echoing the decor. Her shrimp cocktail was a mound of 3 shrimp... The cook on the steak was a good temp but inconsistent threw out. Our lobsters were poorly presented but were decent. But there were no sides on the dish what so ever, some meat and some lobster, that's it. Our deserts were okay, but didn't make up for a disappointing dinner out. Did I mention we didn't get our wine until we were half way threw our dinner? We won't be headed back which is disappointing, we were looking forward to our dinner all week. Oh well, live and learn.
(2)Dawn O.
Husband was going to take me to a pricy French restaurant for date night. I didn't like the menu choices so I made a reservation at Mariner's Inn. I've heard soooo many rave reviews, and how fabulous the seafood is. We were extremely disappointed. First, the decor is very dated and dirty. The wait staff was pleasant. Appetizer was the stuffed seafood mushrooms and they were better then they looked. However, my steak and lobster was way over priced, had no taste almost like it wasn't seasoned at all and the "famous" hash browns sat in a pool of grease. We will not be back and unless they revamp the whole place, chef included I don't see how the will stay open.
(2)Nate S.
Pleasantly surprised. There were a few recent reviews posted regarding restaurant week which had me concerned. Staff was attentive even with a a full house. Food came out quick and accurate. The mixed green salad was on the sweet side between the dried berries, candied nuts and maple balsamic; no complaints but definitely not the healthiest salad. I also tried my wife's clam chowder and regret not ordering which says a lot because I very much dislike clam chowder. This soup was creamy and had the perfect amount of clam flavor without being too pungent. The surf and turf came out hot, too hot to touch and the food stayed hot until finished due to it being served on a hot plate. I had the surf and turf and this entree surpassed plenty of similar courses I have had at other establishments, just not much finesse with the plating. Dessert was the cheesecake and the tart door county cherries made the dish. Washrooms were clean; furniture could use a refresh and the Christmas decor needs to go. Great experience and will be back.
(5)Angelina I.
This review is for Sunday brunch, so not necessarily best opportunity to get to know a restaurant but I can confirm I probably won't return. Someone's heavy hand with the liquor (sherry perhaps?) in the bisque absolutely ruined the dish & the meal to be honest. Lots of food on the buffet but most of it mediocre or just plain awful. No standouts. Whoever configured the omelet station to have people lining up in front of the door entrance is clueless. The desserts felt like warehouse bought & cut up quantity over quality fare. I would have given only 2 stars but the service was very friendly- younger guys prob students- and polite.
(3)Stacey O.
Ok, I think everyone as some sort of love for mariner's.. for me, it was the place for my first date with my husband! We went last night, and I was SOOO disappointed. I can't remember the last time I had such AWFUL service.... the waitress had an attitude... was slow and absent for MOST of our meal, where her coworkers must have seen this as they were tending to us. The food was as usual.. great... but this kind of service will def make me think twice about coming back for a $70 meal.- as well as my last trip here was similar. So sad because I always loved it here...
(2)Lyndsy S.
I Just Love this place on Lake Mendota and have been coming here for over 30 years, especially for Romantic Special Occasions with my Late Husband that introduced me to it. You can't go wrong with anything that you order here! I just love their hash browns too. This is a Big Favorite with all my friends & relatives too & the Owners are just Wonderful. Service is superb here. Perfect setting & did I mention that we rented a boat skip here for years?! Move noticed quite the crowd will even travel here via there boats during the sumner & they are very accommating with their boat slips for their customers. I do miss Betty a lot & it's really special they have their Betty Lou Boats named after her. I haven't gone on these yet as we usually have our own boat but we see what they load up on these for the patrons & it looks scrumptious with always a long line up of people to get on these. What else can I say; as every experience here has been memorable! Just Love the place & will continue to go here for the rest of my life! Everyone should go out there & try it out. Scrumptious food & wonderful service, so you can't go wrong here!
(5)Tarrah F.
This review is for restaurant week. The service could use some improvement but we will give them the benefit of the doubt since they were extremely busy and the decor could use an update but overall we had a pleasant experience. The clam chowder was to die for, my hubby said it was the best he had ever had. The salad was really good, mixed greens, dried cranberries, spicy roasted pecans and a lite maple dressing. The shrimp cocktail left something to be desired. It was three shrimp thrown on a plate with cocktail sauce that needed more horseradish. All of our meals were really good and the steaks cooked to perfection. It was kind of weird there was no potato served with the meal and nothing offered to add to it. I heard the server at the table next to us offer it to his table ($1.50 for a baked potato, $3.99 for hash browns or asparagus). Maybe our server just for got since she was so busy. To top it all of the desserts were amazing. My hubby had the key lime pie (his favorite) the rest of us indulged in the decedent chocolate cake, Oh my goodness amazing!
(5)L B.
Great Sunday brunch! Made reservations online for Mother's Day, which was super easy ..great seafood, service and atmosphere!
(5)Summer D.
This is where we go anytime we want a romantic dinner. Excellent food, atmosphere, and service. The staff remember us and we are always treated like honored guests, not just customers. We visited Mariner's Inn for the first time over six years ago, and we have shared anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine's Days here ever since. The few times we've strayed to other noted Madison restaurants (Tornado Room, Ocean Grill, Ovations), we've been sorely disappointed - we always get the best steak, seafood, and service at Mariner's. The best item on the menu (and what we order 99% of the time) is the Cold Water Lobster Tail - either paired with steak or alone. Tender, flavorful, perfectly prepared and easy to remove from the shell. Steaks are likewise expertly cooked precisely to order, either plain or with a selection of toppings such as blue cheese or crab. Of the other entrees, of note are the scallops (gigantic) and the king crab legs (excellent when available). As another reviewer noted, the clam chowder is quite good - a step up from most restaurants who offer it as a sort of default pre-entree flller. The side dishes in general are not only tasty but generously-sized. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a retired sea captain's mansion. Lots of lovely dark polished wood, nautical designs and art, crackling fireplaces, and a spreading view of the lake just outside. The tables are big enough to avoid juggling plates, but small enough to be cozy and romantic. Tables are spaced well, so you don't feel like you're sitting in the lap of the party at the next table. The staff at Mariner's is a mix of old hands/family and fresh faces. I admit we've found one or two of the young staff less professional, but everyone has to start somewhere and the management is always friendly and helpful even to the point of obsequiousness. I have never had a problem they couldn't resolve instantly. As with any good restaurant, you get the service you deserve - we make reservations, dress up (better than "Wisconsin Formal"), behave with sophistication, and tip appropriately. If you plan to show up in a t-shirt, chattering on your cellphone, and expect the best seat in the house, try Quaker Steak and Lube.
(5)Paul C.
I took my wife, daughter and son in law there for a celebration. We wanted a place where we could have a drink and appi outside, then move indoors for a nice meal. That all happened. The tables outside were old and dirty so that kind of turned me off a bit. But the host was so very gracious and the apps pretty good. We had the seafood stuffed mushrooms and onion rings, both were very good. Inside we had a nice view of the bay and the service was good. I had the steak and seafood, which was excellent. The asparagas was soggy. My wife had the macadamia grouper. Good but over breaded. The prime rib was just ok.The key lime pie was bad. All around the food was OK but over priced, when all things are considered. The place is outdated, and borderline dirty. They are going for the long time family place look and I get that but they still need to freshen the place up. Our table was varnished in the 60's and hasn't been redone since. I felt sticky so I pulled my fingernail across it thinking it was food but it was the varnish and finish coming off. It was OK, but for the price there are so many better places in Madison. I doubt we would go back for dinner. Maybe an appi on the deck on a nice day. I would say they are trying to be a 4/5 star place based on the price, but fall short. 3 stars at best.
(3)A D.
The fish fry on Friday is ok. Everything else is very over priced for what it is. I have been 3 times in the last couple of years but haven't been back after the last time because the service was bad. My wife and I felt like we were ignored. The waitress did not tell us about any specials which was annoying because after we had ordered we heard her explaining them to the next table and they sounded like something we would have considered. After finishing our meal we were not asked if we wanted desert or anything else she just put the check on the table and said whenever your ready. As I said the fish fry is pretty decent and somewhat reasonably priced if you are going there any other night I can think of much better places to spend $70+ dollars on a meal for 2.
(2)Benson H.
When you go to the Mariner's Inn you just have to know that it is in many ways the same restaurant that it was back in 1975 when I used to go there with my family on Thursday nights. Back then, you got your iceberg lettuce salad under bright-red "French" dressing or blue-cheese dressing, ate one of the best pan-fried steaks next to a baked potato, and had excellent pie for dessert. The essentials have not changed, and neither has the decoration. And there is a good reason they have not changed. The food, while not fancy, is delicious. I have rated this three stars for the pricing (it is 5 to 7 dollars too high per entree) but the taste is quite fine.
(3)Heather C.
We go to Mariners once a year because we always get a gift certificate for this establishment. There are some very good aspects and some not so nice aspects to this restaurant. MAKE A RESERVATION They say you don't need a reservation, but if you don't want to be treated like you're second class you had better make a friggin' reservation. We went there once without a reservation because the dummy on the phone told us we didn't need one. So imagine our surprise when we showed up and the host looked utterly taken aback when we said we didn't have a reservation. After fumbling through some papers on his little wooden podium, he advised us that it would be a 45 minute wait for a table, (even though there were no other people waiting and we could see several empty tables) and in the mean time we could wonder around the restaurant and look at their decor. What?!?! It was like six different kinds of retarded. The food itself was pretty good. I had stuffed lobster tails, and my dining partner had steak. But it was the clam chowder served before the main course that launched me into orbit. Who would have thought here in the middle of the country, far away from the ocean, one could find the most excellent clam chowder ever to be made?!?! It's true people. The clam chowder is worth standing around for 45 minutes looking at retarded nautical decor. They do have a bar, but who cares. They have a decent menu but who cares. GET THE CLAM CHOWDER or all is lost.
(4)mark c.
went here with another couple for restaurant week. the place was fairly busy. we waited for 45 mins and were seated. we had a reservation, but that didn't seem to affect the folks seating tables. we got to our table outside wand waited another half hour just to see our waitress. we noticed everyone around us was complaining about the slow service. we ordered drinks and about another half hour later we ordered our food. my lobster was overcooked and stringy and my steak was mediocre at best. all in all my visit to the mariner's inn was terrible.
(1)Katie C.
We dined at the Mariners Inn last night (a Friday night) with a group of 10 people. Between all of us, we sampled a large number of their appetizers, entrees, and even drinks. The group I dined with are very particular about food, drink, and service and all of us were very pleased! Steaks and fish were cooked to perfection and everything was delicious - they have a good Friday fish selection, too. The staff was exceptionally attentive and friendly. The owner even came out to ask how everything was. Really could not have asked for a better experience. If you are looking for a traditional steak and seafood restaurant in a quiet and cozy atmosphere, then look no further. I would recommend this restaurant for both large groups and for an intimate evening out.
(5)