Smoky’s Steakhouse
3005 University Ave, Madison, WI, 53705
Smoky’s Steakhouse Menu
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Address :
3005 University Ave
Madison, WI, 53705 - Phone (608) 233-2120
- Website https://www.smokysclub.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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M M.
This is one of my absolute favorite steak houses. I have been to St. Elmo's in Indianapolis and this is on par. The steak is so good at Smoky's, its worth the trip. I don't give many 5 star reviews, but this one earned it. The hashbrowns are worth it by themselves.....
(5)Jessica F.
We made our trip to Smoky's on the recommendation of one of the nice staff at our hotel, who swore that this is where her family has eaten good steak for generations. Who am I to question the dining habits of Midwesterners? I found a description of the place in one of the Madison free magazines designed for tourists, which focused on independent restaurants, and it sounded like a fun dive, so we went. Now, a word of advice. Don't go out to dinner on a game day in the state capital when the Badgers have beaten Michigan State to a place that has been around since the Eisenhower administration, where grandfathers who are WU alums bring their grandkids after the game. Don't do it. This isn't a small place, but it was beyond packed when we got there, and we had to wait for close to an hour. Football photos and tacky christmas lights, whorehouse-red lighting and red naugahyde covering most surfaces might give you an idea of the ambience, described in the magazine I referred to above as "delightfully tacky". I don't know how delightful it was, but it was tacky. And crowded. And loud. And so we waited. We ordered drinks at the bar to while away the time. Peter ordered a local microbrew, and I was served the best Bloody Mary I ever had in my life, which comes standard with a small PBR chaser. Both drinks came to $8.50, which, to my NYC perspective, made it a hell of a deal. Get a load of what garnishes went into my drink: One celery stalk Two huge pimiento stuffed green olives Two pickled asparagus spears Three pickled string beans One garlic pickle spear Three pickled Brussel Sprouts Garnishes notwithstanding, it was really delicious. The garnishes just made it more so. As for the rest of the meal, there were highs and lows, heavier on the lows, and glimmers of what could indicate a good meal on a less busy day. All tables get a relish tray of radishes, carrot sticks and scallions. Not really sure why the scallions were there. The breadbasket was horrible. There were small melba toasts in it, thankfully, but other than being warm, the bread itself had zero to recommend it, other than being a place to put butter. Peter ordered a decent shrimp cocktail for $10. Entrees come with salad, soup and a veg or potato. We both ordered the special of the day, prime rib, with Peter opting for the King cut ($28) and me opting for the Queen ($22). I love prime rib, and was looking forward to it. Peter also ordered sides of sauteed onions and mushrooms ($3 each). The salad was fair, fresh, and not bad, but the dressings offered were pretty sweet and not very tasty. The signature dressing is French with Roquefort in it. DON'T try it. I did, and the salad went right back. The soup of the day was cream of chicken. Normally, that sets the alarm bells off in my head, but instead of a gluey starchy gloppy sludge, I got a well-balanced, soupy soup with delicious chunks of tender chicken and a chickeny base. The signature potato is a hash brown loaf of sorts which has a nice crispy outside but it basically bland and underseasoned shredded frozen potato underneath. Not terrible, but not worth eating. Now...for the prime rib. We ordered ours medium rare. The first dishes to come out looked gray. When we cut into ours, there was no pink apparent. One bite and we sent them back. Peter's second piece of meat was textbook medium rare, and the single largest piece of beef I have ever seen served to one person. He said it was delicious. Mine, on the other had, was virtually raw, full of fat and gristle, and was inedible. Sent it back again. The third time out, I was so annoyed that when I tried to cut into it and could not get my serrated steak knife through it, I gave up. That was three steaks I had been served, and not one was as ordered or edible. I'm not that demanding--I would have settled for an overcooked steak at that point, but it was not to be. As it was, the steak Peter had was very good, and on that note, I am giving Smoky's two stars. Several tables around us were also sending back meat, so I am assuming the kitchen was simply overwhelmed by the volume, although it isn't like this is the first football game day ever to come to Madison. Our server was excellent and patient, and the soup and cocktail both indicated that this might indeed be a serviceable restaurant when they have time to prepare the food properly. I don't know when I'll be in Madison again, but if I did go back and was taken to Smoky's, I will make sure not to go on a Saturday during football season.
(2)Mike A.
Kind of surprised with the negative reviews here, as I've had reliably good experiences with Smoky's. They serve very nice steaks and their prices are quite reasonable compared to your a la carte type steakhouses. A steak includes salad, soup and side all for one price. They don't exactly season the meat all that much so if you're looking for a salt crust on your sirloin then you will be disappointed, but I don't mind having to use the salt & pepper shakers a tad. You can always add salt, but there's no fixing too much of it. Besides, there's plenty of salt to be had in the hash brown, which is by far the best side dish option as long as you're not counting calories. Overall, a good option if you want a good steak with not a lot of fuss and a reasonable price compared to say, Tornado Club.
(4)Arthur S.
Grade: B- Excellent food. Poor food service. Expensive!
(4)Fida C.
I have been coming here for fifteen years, and try to return when I can now that I live far away. My parents, who still live in town, come about once a month and are treated like royalty by Reno and Martini Bob at the bar. The club has recently remodeled, so much of the old kitsch is gone, but it is also a cleaner, more modern space. The sweet, attentive servers are still there. These are excellent steak house steaks. There is fish and chicken for non-beef eaters, but not much for real vegetarians. The entrees come as part of a three course meal, including relish tray, soup, salad, and potato -- get the hashbrowns, the hashbrowns are excellent. I always have the same thing (new york strip, hasbrowns, soup, salad with french rocquefort dressing). It has always been excellent (maybe with one visit when it was just good). Consistent excellence for years and years is what Smoky's provides.
(5)You W.
It is impossible to imagine how this place is still in business. Possible my biggest dining disappointment ever. Ridiculous crummy tavern atmosphere. Food that I'd be disappointed to make for myself at home, and I'm not much of a cook. No conceivable reason to come here.
(1)Elizabeth H.
Yum! Old school steak house. Great filet & drinks!
(4)Tara D.
Not only is this the BEST steak I have ever had anywhere in the U.S., but Martini Bob is the greatest bartender ever! His 17-page martini list is amazing! Be sure to join Martini Bob's Martini Club for monthly drink specials. Absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place! Makes me want to fly home just for a steak!
(5)Jay G.
this place as awesome steaks drinks are good too but i dont drink any more so i go by food and this is worth the drive 1 hour form my place
(5)Brenda B.
There's something about a place when the staff have been there since the beginning. They could retire, but they don't want to. That says volumes. We had fish fry (cod) and it was one of the best I've had in Sconnie. It's not AYCE, which is fine by me (lest you add pounds). Thick cuts and not dry or greasy, perfectly cooked. Smoky's serves hands-down the best clam chowder I ever had and FANTASTIC hash browns. True to the classic supper club tradition, you get a fresh veggie "relish tray" with your dinner but the pickled beets are extra. I have never had the cottage cheese side, another classic relish tray component, cuz I'm not dieting. Here cc is mixed with chopped green onions and caraway--a great taste combination and makes it something to actually look forward to. There is a huge book of martinis and ice cream drinks made by master bar manager Martini Bob, who has his own web site listing all his fabulous concoctions. He's been with Smoky's 30 years and it shows, he's a true mixologist, an artist and a scientist, who has created, with his customers, a hundredvariations. We got the extra from the shaker in a small glass on both counts (martinis and ice cream drink). Since I was with 3 peeps we all shared several martinis for a taste-a-thon and I don't remember which ones we had--but Bob kept 'em coming and all were fantastic. Tho out of towners, we had to join the Martini Bob club too. Six stars.
(5)Matt B.
I'm not sure why anyone would bother eating in this place, when they clearly have the most awesome bar and bartender in the universe. The 90+ martini menu is unbelievable, and everybody is really friendly. The only downside is that it's so far out of downtown, but really, it prevents it from being overrun by DBs and...well, more DBs. Martini Bob is fantastic, the drinks are super-strong, and the atmosphere is a thousand times awesome. I haven't eaten here, and I don't plan on it; I just want to drink at the bar and watch the parade.
(5)Nic S.
Smokey's is a neat place to dine in an atmosphere where my parents would have enjoyed going out. The decor dates decades ago which is fun. I recall going to dinner with my parents and loved it. This time when I visited I had to pay the bill though and that's the difference. The martini menu at the bar is endless if you are looking for some neat stuff before dinner. We've been to smokey's a few times and each time I look to be wowed because everyone talks about it. I do like the Crudités and few if any places do that today. The bread is nice and you ARE served soup AND salad with your meal. Who else does that? The most recent time we were there we ordered a fillet and shrimp for one entree and pork chops for the other. When dining out I steer away from pork because I always want a good steak. At this outing we both thought the chops better than the steak. The fillet was a large diameter and flat and most places have a small diameter and thick leaving the center nice and pink. We ordered medium rare but got more of a medium. The flavor/seasoning was good and we had another meal left over for the next day. Dinner is pricey. With drinks and two meals don't expect to leave spending less than $100. On the other hand for what they provide, noted above I can see that the price provides good value. The servers were very nice and dressed in uniforms with the men almost old school tux like. This place had to be the classiest in Madison in its day. For us we enjoy it for the nostalgia.
(3)Tammy B.
This was our second visit to Smoky's last night, after a long period in between. The decor had been updated which is nice, however, that's about the only positive thing I have to report. When we got to the restaurant we were told there was a 15 Minute wait (sat night). So, we went to the bar. It was not busy..after 45 min upon approaching the hostess she said she had told us to just come back over when we were ready....odd that I had to give her my name for her list...she did not say anything like this to us. She stated she was "sorry for the communication error" and did nothing. The best thing about the meal was the salad (Roquefort dressing) and the modified cottage cheese. My steak was ordered medium rare and one side was so charred it was well done. Could have sent it back as others have stated but after an hour and 45 min, we had it. The meat was not seasoned and was bland. My husband has prepared steak MUCH better than this. If we wouldn't have had a gift certificate we would have left with the hostess oversight. We won't ever be back again and wouldn't recommend dining here to anyone. Too many other choices in Madison that are stellar compared to the service and quality of food we received.
(1)Corbett G.
I just paid $33 for an overcooked ribeye in a place with VFW-style decor. I won't be coming back.
(1)Elizabeth H.
Five stars for the martinis ALONE. The martini menu here is the most extensive I've ever seen. The best one I've had to date was a delicious chocolate raspberry martini. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. I haven't had a full dining experience here, but I've tried their bar food. It's yummy, especially if you're drunk, haha.
(5)Jeff L.
I eat at Smokey's Club once or twice a year. I've never had a bad meal. I've had a few meals that were average. In the fall and winter I go there often for martinis. Martini Bob and Reno are masters of the martinit. I personally like the James Bond martini and the Vesper martini (which is the original 007 martini as described in the novel "Casino Royale". I enjoy the bar as a nice place to enjoy a quiet drink with friends.
(4)Jennifer P.
Bacon bloody Mary martini! A must if you like bloody mary's...skip the food but you must try the martini!
(5)Sarah R.
I have never eaten at Smoky's. This is a review of Smoky's as a Martini Bar. As a martini bar, it is freaking awesome. There are 90 "Martinis" on the menu. They are all $10. What I love is that the charming and talented bartender, Bob, pours all the extra booze into a side glass for you. In short, these are stiff, well mixed, large martinis with top notch ingredients. Remember, Winston Churchill said, "Martinis are like breasts. One is not enough a three is too many." Please drink carefully! I've seen people make poor decisions after their second Smoky's martini, and I, personally feel that 3 martinis at Smoky's could land me in the hospital. I agree that the atmosphere is a little questionable for an expensive meal, but for martinis, it's great. Dark with unobtrusive music.
(5)Jason M.
Totally overpriced steak. You get a choice steak with strains of cartilage running through it at times. Go to Tornado if you want a steak.
(2)Dave J.
Poor quality food, bad service, high price, filthy bathrooms.
(1)Andrew L.
Was not impressed. Started out at the bar and had a good experience. It all went wrong once we got to our table. The waiter was horrible! Older gentleman, if I can even call him a gentleman, in his 50's, greater than six feet tall, and grey hair. Just nothing but a jerk and not helpful. It's one of those situations where you knew he looked at our crew and decided he wasn't going to be helpful. When I ordered there was a choice between broiled and fried walleye. I asked, "What do you recommend?" He said, "Well, one is broiled and one is fried." Yeah, I could tell that by the description, jackass. I was asking what was popular or suggested by the chef. That was the way the whole night went with this guy. If I managed that place and saw any of this he would be gone! The worst part is that I really don't know why we got that kind of treatment. Discrimination, I would guess. He seemed like he was trying to be helpful to the table next to us. Anyway, the steak needed salt! What?! I've never seasoned a steak at those prices before...never! I had to salt and pepper the steak. Trust me, you will cook a better steak than this at home unless you microwave it. The walleye, fried, was pretty awesome though. The clam chowder was also unique. If you go, check those things out. Otherwise, don't waste your time. It sad, too. The place looks so cool. Maybe just go have a drink. The only saving grace is that the waiter screwed up the bill so bad that nobody paid for drinks. For such a smart-ass, the guy wasn't the brightest on the block.
(2)Morris N.
Decor is a blast from the past. I can deal with that. Server and service was mediocre. I think it was some college kid looking to make a few bucks. For a $60/pp tab, I'd expect better. NY strip was bland. Again for the price paid, 30 something bucks, I've had better. OK, OK, I'd give some credit. Unlike other nice steak joints, this place didn't charge for sides. It was included. For that, I give them 2 stars!
(2)Marnie R.
I see a lot of talk about how expensive the food is. And it's not cheap. But what you should focus on is how much food you get for that $30. - An array of vegetables. Radishes, celery, onion and carrots. Throw a touch of salt on your plate and you'll take in some extra veggies for the day. - Basket of bread. Far more than two people need. - Salad- I recommend the ranch. I always try ranch when it's made in house. The salad isn't anything spectacular. Traditional with some cucumber, tomato and croutons. When topped with the house made ranch, it was simple and delicious. - Soup - I had to place it on the other side of the table to stop eating it because I was starting to get full at this point. - HUGE steaks. My significant other got the T-Bone and it was wonderful. I got the rib-eye and I should have ordered it a little less done. It was entirely my fault. It was still a good steak. - Choice of potato (among the choices, hash-browns from heaven, aka very crunchy on the outside) or vegetable of the day. We opted for the side of mushrooms and onions, which I highly recommend. (If you like those sort of things.) This dinner was classic. Our server was fantastic! I would go back just to see her again. What a sweet, hospitable woman who I could have sat at the bar with for ages. By the way, we went on a Thursday night and it was practically empty. I cannot wait to get back and try a bloody!
(4)Luke J.
Has a really old school supper club feel to it. Service was average. Decent beer selection, but two of the three times I've been there they were out of a few beers that were on the list. I don't want to sit there and be denied two or three times before I finally chose a beer they have. The food is good, but over-priced in my opinion. A steak will run you $30-35
(3)Joel M.
Tradition is the best word for this place. I've been going since I was able to eat. I always try and make it here when I visit Madison. Okay so maybe 1 or two of the stars is for nostalgia. Who knows. I like this place.
(5)Mat R.
I have to say, I don't get it. $30+ for bread, a mediocre salad, veggies, soup, horrible prawns, a poor baked potato and a half decent steak in Madison? There has got to be better steak for cheaper elsewhere... And table salt and table pepper? Sorry, but if you're trying to be serious about meat, you've in the least got to have some sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. The beer selection was OK, but you can get the same stuff elsewhere at places that have better food. I don't know... I've heard that supper clubs are big in the Midwest, and that this place offers a quintessential experience, but maybe I'm just too much of a urbanite-city boy-hipster to enjoy this.
(1)M S.
We made reservations for Smoky's for my wife's birthday. After sitting in the bar for 45 minutes and going back to the front desk 3 times I was ready to walk out and they finally seated us. The food was no better than Tornado 9who really seats you at the time you make a reservation) but the drinks and food are more expensive. I will not be returning to this "legendary" place - it is weak and there are definitely better options.
(1)Frank S.
I apologize to all the Mad City natives that rave about this place, but I don't get the fascination with this dingy little restaurant My filet was good, but not a t the level of Ruth's Chris or Flemings. I like real martinis (gin, dry, and cold). Again, Fleming's and Ruth's Chris are much better (Johnny's Italian Steakhouse still leads the pack). All in all, a decent joint, but absolutely not the best steakhouse in the Midwest that my web searches promised before I moved here five years ago, but thanks for trying.
(3)Debra B.
I am writing about the martinis in this post. We stopped here last night with another couple and AS ALWAYS get the best service from Master Mixologist Martini Bob!!! It's hard to pick from his extended list of martinis. So we just tell him what we would like and he knows EXACTLY what to whip up for us!!! Love this place, love the staff, the owners are awesome too, but especially LOVE Martini Bob. He has a list of martinis on his website at: martinibobs.com . Yum!
(5)Bill B.
On a friend's recommendation (and despite the deservedly mixed reviews here) I stopped in for dinner. I ordered the homemade pickled beets and the tenderloin open-face sandwich with hash browns. The bartender described the beets as being "on the sweet side" and he wasn't kidding. So my fault there. The tenderloin was about an inch thick and maybe five ounces. Sadly one half of it was overcooked while the other half was done about right. The meat itself was not one of the better pieces of beef I've had in Madison. The hash browns were the biggest disappointment though. I asked for them to be crispy. The edge and part of the bottom was charred (way beyond crispy!) while the insides were undercooked and slimy. I could've sent the food back I suppose but I didn't have any confidence the second try would be better and didn't want to spend another 30 minutes there. Service at the bar was reasonably attentive but I have had better meals elsewhere and won't be back. Smoky's might be a fun place to order a martini with friends but...
(2)Lulu S.
Another review of Smoky's bar since we did not eat the food: The drinks were amazing. Martini Bob, the mix-master, was friendly and warm and excited. He made me a "Halloweenie-tini" that consisted of pumpkin liqueur and black vodka that he floated on top. Another Halloween-inspired martini I tried had a graham cracker crust rim and vanilla and pumpkin flavors. Both drinks were wonderful and when there was leftover mix, he put it in a glass next to the martini. He also gave me a garnish - a chocolate eyeball filled with peanut butter. The banter was wonderful and the drinks were great. It was extremely dark and it was quite obviously an octogenarian's hangout but the decor was "delightfully tacky" (as Bob's card boasts) in a dark room/leather bar stool kind of a way. It was a fun spot to hit before we went to dinner and I would do it again if I wanted a great martini. I even managed to get a vodka coozie. No idea what I'll do with that... but it was hilarious. Definitely 4 stars for service and product.
(4)Veeder V.
Glorified supper club and not in a good way. I mean the food is ok but man, this place is expensive for what it is. Its a bit dirty, its uninspired food, its expensive, it feels old and tired and its expensive. Have I mentioned its not worth the price? Its a supper club serving steaks not a steak house that looks like a supper club... Go elsewhere for a steak experience. You'll pay about the same price.
(2)Roxanne R.
A great restaurant if you are a senior citizen who is not on a limited budget! We are not senior citizens and were not impressed. Walking into the restaurant it was dark and uninviting, my instinct has always said that if an eating establishment keeps it as dark as it was in Smoky's Club they are trying to hide how dirty the place is. We also found that we were the YOUNGEST people in the restaurant...me being in my early 30's and husband in his early 50's. They brought an array of veggies which reminded my husband of when he was a child and went out to eat, so they are keeping up that old school atmosphere. The bread basket was very pleasing with a nice variety and good flavors. Soup of the night was a clam chowder, good flavor but out of my entire cup of soup I got two tiny (tiny!) pieces of clam. We both ordered the broiled walleye, my husbands was perfect, mine was raw and had to be sent back and rebroiled...it was much better when it came back to me the second time, still nothing to jump up and down about, but good. Excellent portion sizes (aka, they did not skimp on the fillet size) As I stated in the beginning this is the perfect restaurant if you are a senior citizen with money to spare...if not, don't waste your time or money!
(2)Rebecca R.
Smoky's is a traditional Wisconsin Supper Club, but it's reputation may have outlasted the actual experience. My dinner mate and I both ordered the most expensive steak on the menu and it was not exceptional. In fact, half of mine was so grizzled that I took it home...& fed it to my dogs the next morning. I wish this local establishment the very best, but it will have to step up it's game to compete with Madison's emerging restaurants. Drinks at the bar were well made and strong; average wait time 45-60 minutes on Saturday night.
(1)