The Underground Butcher
811 Williamson St, Madison, WI, 53703
The Underground Butcher 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 :
811 Williamson St
Madison, WI, 53703 - Phone (608) 338-3421
- Website https://undergroundbutcher.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Randy B.
Very, very rare for me to do a review on yelp, but really have to for this business. One of my favorite over all businesses in the city. You don't get service like this much of anywhere else, and the quality of their products is second to none. Also very open to specialty orders. With deer season coming, getting ready for some home sausage making, and they're very helpful with getting me specialty items such as the casings and fatback. Doing their own butchering, they're also very open to special cuts if you give them notice. Great selection of local and regional as well as international cheeses and house made charcuterie. Support this business! You will not regret it.
(5)Ariel W.
Open 11-7 daily, Sat 10-7 What they got going on: -Salami & whole muscle cures -Butcher case featuring beef, lamb, poultry, goat, pork and occasionally other meats like rabbit. -Fresh sausages -Fine Cheeses -Sandwiches daily from 11-3. ($6-8) (vegetarian option(s)) -Wine & beer -Jams, pasta, pickled items, olives, bread, sauces -cutting broads, aprons, bags, jars, pans -bicycle delivery Basically they are great for cheese & meats boards, wine parties, lunch, fresh meats cut to your liking. Don't hesitate to ask the staff any question. Their super nice and have a bounty of information on the cheese and meats they love to share. Sometimes you never know what new you will find there. Now I love all thing spicy. The other day I bought Mazi Piri Piri sauce that caught my eye. A authentic portuguese hot sauce that has whiskey among other things in it. Thats made in NJ. Let me tell you it makes a killer Bloody Mary. More info on it at mazi401.com . A great addition to my collection of hot sauces
(5)Ariana M.
Best shop in town for meats that are from reputable farmers. Also they have some of the best sandwiches in town. You should expect to wait a bit for your sandwich but it is well with it. Also the have a fabulous selection of rotating beverages, condiments and sweets.
(5)Kyle Z.
Why wouldn't Madison have a foodie/hipster butcher shop? Artisan cheeses, cured meats and sausages, and a small selection of beer and wine. Did I mention their grab and go sandwiches are delicious?
(5)Melody M.
Great sandwiches and selections of hand-crafted beers and root beers/ginger beers. Also, this place sells small nosh like handmade crostini and side-salads, pickles and spreads. It's the real deal deli if I've ever seen one. I had the ham and cheese sandwich, which sounds sort of plain...but which was topped with an eggplant and relish dressing that set the whole thing off. The ham was absolutely fantastic...none of this watery packaged mess you get at most delis. Treat yourself to a real sandwich on real, hearty breads and get to this shop asap.
(5)Matt G.
Exceptional quality charcuterie, also just a fun place to browse. An ambitious curing program and of course high quality fresh cuts too. A small but hand-picked assortment of artisan cheeses, also a small assortment of coffee, wine, beer, and books. The staff were very friendly and helpful with our questions. I've been seeking out their 'Nduja whenever I can find it, and it's always a big hit. Highly recommended place, can't wait to return on my next Madison visit.
(5)Jacob M.
Not too bad. We came for the brisket meal for 4, but they ran out of slaw and cornbread, so we ended up getting the 1 lb of brisket and a pint of beans. The meat had a great taste at first, then after a few bites it felt like the flavor disappeared. The beans were really salty for some reason. Nothing to write home about. The place itself is intriguing. So next time we go, when we're not starving, we might take a look around a little more and see what else we could try.
(3)Nate O.
This place is the bomb! Amazing meats, sandwiches, wine, olives, and sweet treats! The staff is very helpful, outgoing and more then willing to brainstorm party plans with you:) Starting to feel nerdy as I'm there just about every other day;)
(5)Neal C.
Great selection, very friendly service, and fresh meats! Hadn't been here before yesterday, but I will definitely be back. Also, they serve sandwiches from 11-3, and breakfast sandwiches on Saturday/Sunday from 9-12. Go for the brisket!
(4)Rahul S.
First and foremost, let's get this out of the way: the brisket is terrible. Absolutely horrendous. Not worth your time or your money. I watched their video, and in spite of them using an electric cabinet smoker, and then finishing the brisket sous vide, I decided to give them a shot; maybe they were on to something. No, they are not. The brisket is, as I have already said, terrible. The first sign you get of the lack of quality is when you look at how it was sliced: uneven thickness. The second sign is it needs a knife to cut. Good brisket is cut with a fork, not a knife. Now, admittedly, I started by comparing the brisket with the holy grail of all brisket: Franklin BBQ. That is unfair. So is comparing it to any of the other great smoked brisket: La Barbecue, Louie Mueller's, The Salt Lick, or anything of that caliber. Let's avoid that. In fact, let's avoid the brisket all together. Bad. Terrible. Never eat that again. Instead, drive 1200 miles south on the I-35. There's no good smoked brisket in Wisconsin. Let's stop pretending otherwise. Let's end on a positive note: their cured sausages. These are actually quite good. I got the chorizo and the finochionna. The finochionna has a great taste, with just the right mix of fat and pepper. The chorizo has great flavor. Highly recommend. I'd go back for that. I also want to try their fresh cuts and their fresh sausages.
(2)Dennis R.
All about quality My brother and I came in last month after checking out the last outdoor day of the farmers market. I can't imagine coming here and not doing serious damage to your wallet because everything looks so good. The employees are awesome too, very knowledgeable and willing to help. We bought 3 kinds of fresh sausage, 2 kinds of hard sausage, their last Denver steak, and split a fresh sandwich which was excellent. I highly recommend getting some Ghost Peperone, SO good and a little spicy.
(5)Alexandra G.
What can I say, other than, "I'm always impressed by the people and products I find here." Let's start with the basics: meat. Sausages from sec to salumi are the perfect go-to snack for any occasion and you won't feel bad picking a few up for a gift either. I've stopped hitting up my grocery store butcher entirely. I know that any cut of meat I get here will be more flavorful, rasied closer to home, and handled with more care than anywhere else in town. It doesn't hurt that there's always a selection of other goodies to taste and take home with you as well. Oh! What goodies they have! Local beers, craft spirits (so excited to find Leatherbee outside of Chicago), and great wines. I'm never without beverages for guests that drop in. Plus cookies (try the homemade Oreos), crackers, or the occasional cheese knife either means I'm never without a treat for myself either. Do yourself a favor and make these guys part of your local shopping routine. You'll be glad you did.
(5)Jillian S.
A great selection of cheese and meats with knowledgable staff that'll let you nibble on a few to see if they tickle your fancy. They've also got a nice, decently priced wine selection, as well as a solid selection of gift-y items if you need something in a pinch. Update:: excellent breakfast sandwiches on the weekend! The only thing in town that comes close to matching (and might even pose a threat to?) 4 & 20 Café in this respect.
(4)S T.
I was on the way out of Maddison but I was not going to miss this place. The place is very cool upon first walking into and a lot to take in all at first. The place has old school coolers with meats and cheeses, see my pictures. There was a nice little chalk board explaining the cheese and sausage samples. The main meat cooler was a carnivores dream. The staff was very nice and explained that the sausage sample was not offered that often. The place has an assortment of food related items that you will never find in a big box store. Men were working with meat in the back area while I was there. I grabbed a muffuletta sandwich to sample the hot items. It was very good by the way. The ciabatta bread was soft and light. There was a nice amount of meat and cheese, see my picture. The sausage sample was morrpolse which is made in house. The sausage was very good and had a nice smoke flavor. This is a must try when in Maddison and a sandwich to go will not disappoint.
(5)Ka L.
If you need a place for fresh meats or sausages, here is the place to go! look no further!! The most friendly, knowledgeable and resourceful butchers I know. This place is a paradise for gourmet and local ingredients. Sandwiches are also amazing, I love their cured meats and cheese special sandwich. Always hits the spot for me! Also available are rare meats like rabbit, lamb, venison and duck - just call ahead to make sure they have stock. I really enjoyed the burger patty with bacon they made, very juicy and flavorful!!! I've also noticed they carry a great selection of wine and liquors. And my favorite? Duck eggs from a local farm. Yay, I haven't seen any elsewhere yet! Finally, to top it all off, they have. Started making their own desserts. The. Macaroons look amazinggggggg. Definitely stop by if you would like to get some good and fresh ingredients!
(5)Samantha S.
I was really excited to try a sandwich from this place. I think I got what was called the Thai Beef Sandwich. The ingredients seemed fine but maybe there was just too much of one in particular? My sandwich was extremely salty and soggy. Like salt shaker dumped on it, salty. A real disappointment. The shop itself is cute and worth checking out. I wish maybe the would put a table with two chairs in there so people who want to eat their sandwich in bad weather can. I had to eat mine in the rain. :( Since people seem to love this place I'm willing to give it another try. I'll update once I have tried another sandwich!
(3)Scott G.
The mufaletta I enjoyed was one delicious greasy concoction. The size of the sandwich is not huge but there is a good amount of meat and because of the grease it will fill you up, no prob. Don't be afraid of it.... It was way good with the olive salad immersing the sandwich with its salty goodness. Oh it reminds me of the various tempting food passages described in the food memoir Blood, Bones, and Butter. I also tried three cured meats: the tuscan (ok but not quite to my liking - pork based), the saucisson sec (better than the tuscan - pork based), and a beef/pork stick (my favorite) that is perfect to eat as your walking. The place is fun to walk into though it is a little pricier as one would expect. Give it a go, splurge a little on a special day and try a cured meat or sandwich or a fresh slice of meat to cook up back home.
(4)Meghan H.
I love these guys!!!! It wasn't until I had heartily polished off my sandwich in the park across the street that I realized I lost my bus pass. Freaking out, I helplessly paced up and down Willy Street in search of my lifeline to no avail. I luckily decided to check my phone because I had received a very kind email from Underground Butcher saying they had my bus pass :) I musta dropped it while ordering, but thank goodness my email was on the back, and thank goodnesssss these guys are awesome and emailed me so promptly! Now as far as food quality. They know their stuff. My sandwich was delicious. From the crusty-chewy bread to the thinly sliced meat and the cheese o course. All super good. Great people, great food. Great spot.
(4)Ice T.
This place is great. I can't attest to their butchering, but I can say that their sandwiches are delicious, especially considering that they cost less than $10. They also have a multitude of unique house-made condiments, spreads, sweets, crackers, and the like.
(5)Kylee R.
The best in the business. So knowledgable and accommodating. It may sound strange but they have the best fresh eggs around.
(5)Corey D.
Two years and 200 trips since my first review, it's time for an update! (I'm sure I haven't been 200 times in the last two years, but it sure feels like it.) As you know from my previous review I think their breakfast sausage is something dreams are made of. It's a ground pork sausage mixed with whatever they're feeling at the time, and on my last trip it was tart apple. Awesome. But in addition to both the butchered items and cured meats, The Underground Butcher has upped their provisions game, now offering a wealth of pickled items, crackers, olives, candied pecans, assorted cookies, a small selection of vegetables, bread, crackers and alcohol. And what's more, most of the specialty items they sell, like macarons, butter cookies and quince paste to name a few, are prepared in Underground's kitchen. You can't do all your shopping here, but if you have five people coming over for some wine time and conversation, it's the best spot on Madison's east side to snag some snackables. And when you add the 8 or so varieties of cured meats and endless cheese options, the place is perfect for assembling a charcuterie board that will make people claim your king of light bites. And if you're not certain what meats to pair with what cheeses and what companions to serve alongside... ask! The fine folks behind the counter are more than willing to give you some guidance, and also have great wine pairing suggestions too. Also worth mentioning is their fine line-up of sandwiches although I can't speak to any of them other than the Breakfast Sandwich, which I've scarfed more times than I care to admit. A fried egg, breakfast sausage, arugula, cranberry mustard and an onion & 'nduja vinaigrette pile high on a slice of focaccia, though I sub in a demi baguette which holds up better and is easier to hold on to. In the summertime they'd benefit from a few seats outside to devour this monster of a sammie, because it's highly unlikely you'll be able to avoid taking a taste before you get it home.
(5)Liz B.
The Underground Food Collective just opened another food venue in Madison! The Underground Butcher is in a prime location on Willie Street. They offer different specialty sandwiches daily...this would be a good place to pop in for lunch. They also have a case filled with cheeses, cured meats from Underground Meats, and other meats from local farms. It looks like they will also offer food-oriented classes. Since they just opened, the offerings were slim, but hopefully with time they will offer a wider variety of meats, cheese, and other fine foods in the near future.
(3)Bethany K.
I'm likely not Underground Butcher's primary target market - I don't eat meat. Just the same, I find myself at Underground because they sell wine, olives, fancy snacks, Madison Sourdough demi baguettes, and basically everything I want when I'm having friends over for a drink. The store employees know their products and can talk intelligently about what to select and why. This should be a given, but when it comes to Madison and wine, it places Underground in a very select groups of shops. I stopped in yesterday for a glass of wine and a demi baguette and my table red cost $11.99 and the baguette $1.50. The store carries a fair proportion of wines in the $12 to $15 price point as well as more expensive wines. This is currently my go-to place to pick up a bottle of wine if I'm not on the Square. And fancy little treats to go alongside if I want to splurge. Note: There's currently nowhere to park your bike, so look for bike parking somewhere down the block or across the street, or you'll end up locking your bike to someone's stair railing.
(4)Lance W.
I recommend their coarsely ground beef for its texture. The beef is from a local pastured herd and "almost" organic, I was told. The sandwiches near the register remind me of what Pepe our cook at the hostel in Madrid packed us for the train on day trips to the hinterlands ("bocadillos- nada mas") Some continental gourmet treats for vegetarians also. The coarsely ground Dijon mustard (Maille brand) is a favorite extravagance of mine. My friend from Naples, normally a light eater, can not resist gorging on their authentic Parmigiano reggiano.. Expensive, but worth a stop by just to see what you get in the Euro Zone.
(5)Steve L.
Great shop. Such a cool concept - perfectly executed. + Awesome selection of quality cured meats (ask for a sample!) + Nice selection of local cheeses (ask for a sample!) + Great butcher counter - all cuts made in-house (ask for details/recommendations!) + Cool housewares and goodies (I really want the Falcon enamelware) + Nice compliments of brews, wines, and other goodies + Easy check-out + Helpful staff + Sammies looked yummy!!! Wish I hadn't waited so long to check-out this place. Scored some awesome cured meats and a really nice mobay cheese. Yum.
(5)Narek S.
Excellent, friendly and professional service every time. Very affordable given the level of customization and variety of cuts. Will keep coming back.
(5)Carol P.
I purchased two items on my first visit--some merquez sausage links and a small pork shoulder roast. The sausages, made with lamb and pork, were well spiced with a bit of a kick, and cooked up beautifully. Paired with Moroccan white beans, they were delicious. The pork shoulder was seasoned with a rub and slowly cooked to tender perfection in a clay pot (on another night)! The fat on both meats rendered beautifully and the taste and texture of the cooked products justified the premium price. The gentleman at the butcher counter was friendly and helpful. While I briefly perused what appeared to be a well edited selection of wines, cheeses, olives and so on, I did not linger long enough to form much of an opinion of other offerings. I look forward to buying some poultry items on my next visit and highly recommend the sausage and pork shoulder.
(4)Nicky S.
My husband and I stopped in on our little tour of southern wisconsin. We had seen the shop featured on Wisconsin Foodie. Bought an assortment of sausages for snacking and some fresh links to grill once we got home. Honestly, the best thing we had was the bratwurst. Simply the best brat I have ever eaten. Great texture, juicy with tons of flavor. We would make this our regular butcher if we lived in town. We'll try a sandwich next time we come through.
(5)Tom Q.
Underground has launched yet another venture. I stopped in yesterday, opening day, to check it out. They are currently offering a well-curated selection of cheeses (lots of bloomy rinds at the moment), a rotating selection of fresh meats (chicken, pork, lamb and beef) and sausages, cured meats and daily lunch specials. There are some other things for purchase, but like Liz B said, the pickings are slim. I chatted with one of the collective owners for a bit and learned that they are waiting on a license from the USDA to offer canned goods such as pickles and jams as well as a license to sell beer and wine. They also are very willing to work with the customer for custom meat orders because they're butchering whole animals. As far as I know, that is pretty unique to the downtown/near east side. Even without the full smattering of offerings, the store seems very promising. The meat prices are reasonable (certainly cheaper than Whole Foods and about the same as Willy Co-op), the selection - though small - is well thought out, and Underground makes some tasty eats. I will definitely be back soon and again when everything is up and running. Go check it out!
(4)Shanda W.
The Underground Butcher is part of the Underground Food Collective here in town. I love pretty much everything that Underground Food Collective does. The Underground Butcher is great. It has very high quality products from (mostly) local vendors. Their cheese selection is incredible and they will patiently let you sample several in the search of the perfect pairing (I know from experience). Their selection of meats are not for the faint of heart. You will find entire pig heads here. I haven't yet tried their sandwiches, but would like to. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is twofold. The prices on some of their items are quite high. Also, I recently bought some delicious looking sausage here, went straight home and cooked them, but they came out bone dry. It was really disappointing, but I do think it could be partially my fault, as I might have cooked them too long.
(4)Bobb S.
Sorry to burst any spelunker's bubbles but this butcher shop is not subterranean. Another venture by the Underground Food Collective, this place is a carnivore's dream. You gotta respect a place that still butchers onsite. You won't find any prepackaged cuts here. Along with their meats, UB does an amazing job with charcuterie. If you go, you must grab some 'nduja-a heavily spiced spreadable sausage made with pork as well as pork fat. Yes, it is pricey but it is great on anything and knowing the name alone will make you a Scrabble master.
(4)Mo B.
Hands down, the best sandwiches in town - and you can call ahead to order and it'll be ready when you pick it up. Current fave - their pastrami sandwich, complete w/ 2 types of amazing mustard, pickled onion and cornichons. Needless to say, also the best meat in town, as well. I love the old-world care and craft that they inhabit here. To me, it is so worth the price to have this stellar level of quality.
(5)John S.
The best Thanksgiving turkey ever! Used your wet brine. Perfectly roasted! Thank you Underground and Nami Moon Farms! Your work elevates my cooking beyond compare! Thank you!
(5)Jim S.
Love the selection, staff and gourmet food options. Local and upscale food accents the great wine, meat and cheese selections. Purchased the Wednesday special brisket -- perfectly seasoned, but my 1 lb. portion was loaded with extraneous fat. I guess I am used to Texas brisket where the fat is cooked away. It was delicious but I would have liked it a lot more if I had at least 3/4 lb. of brisket and not so much beef fat! Bought eggs and loved them. Desserts just ok -- good options, but have had better. Tons of potential and off to a great start -- will be back.
(4)Katie B.
There is a lot to love in this little store and will soon be even more, with talk of an upstairs bar to follow in the upcoming year. The store is very attractive with a very knowledgeable staff. Buying meat in this store is definitely an experience. Would you like a pork chop? Sure! How thick would you like it? *hold up your fingers to give a width* Alright then! (cue giant hand saw) It was quite the experience seeing this friendly, trendy, man saw through some pork with such gusto. We explained how we are new to the whole "meat culture" cooking thing and he offered to salt the meat for us and tell us how to prepare it. We followed instructions to a T and it was the best pork chop we had ever had. To get your "fix" it's pretty easy. They have some small cured sausages for only $3.99 and it's enough to share with a friend when added to a make your own cheese plate (not advertised but rather invented by me). There's also pickled items, olives, specialty pasta and rice, condiments, sides for a cheese plate, and some other handy farmer's market items. Basically, you can come here and purchase everything you'd need to put on a heck of a dinner. We came back for the brats, the sausage, the cured sausage, and sampled some cheeses. While the price meats (pun!) the quality, it's not someplace I could afford to buy things at all the time. It's a treat. A treat I wish I could afford more often. While some things are definitely affordable and comparable to Whole Foods (bacon for $7.99/pound, steaks for $14/pound), some things I found to be a bit too pricey for me ($9-10/lb for brats ). That all said, it was the best brat/sausage I've ever had in my life. The $16/lb for prime rib was just the ticket and so melt-in-your-mouth-y! The owners of the store love what they do and they seem to only hire people as passionate as they are. You can ask anyone in the store about items and they can tell you everything about it. These people care and love what they do. It's definitely worth the stop and if you're debating whether to go out for dinner or not, do what we now do: go to Underground Deli, get some fine cuts, and cook them at home. You won't regret it and it will give you a memorable experience for sure.
(5)Demony Z.
Let's get this party started. It's been my good fortune to have a few opportunities to drop in on Madison this past year, marvelling at the miracle of the farmer's market with its 20,000 people genially all walking in the same direction and had great dinners and drinks at Nostrano, Merchant and Graze and great meats and cheeses from Fromagination. A friend more familiar with the scene than me learned I was heading through again and alerted me that The Underground Food Collective had just opened a butcher shop and it sounded fabulous. It's fabulous. I stopped in last night and assembled a hotel room charcuterie plate for the ages - soft and bursting-with-fresh-fennel-flavor Finocchiona (sorry for the alliteration), Culatello (!) - lush and sweet with a just-right note of Funk, a 16 month Gouda and a country baguette as good as any I've ever had. The meat case was laden with sausage, poultry and beautiful cuts that made me wish my hotel would let me into the kitchen. Wanted to make it back on my way back to Chicago today for a housemade Hot Dog with Kimchi and to load up on fresh sausage but couldn't quite swing it. The owners are recent Chicago transplants who were probably eager to ply their trade in a supportive state and a city free of both Aldermen and abundant extra regulations. Their pickled product - displayed but not able to be sold - looked equally fantastic and the space is raw, gorgeous and not overly-styled. They are Good Kids. If you're fortunate enough to live in Madison go support them. I'll be back, with a cooler. Also check out the Collective's social media and videos. Funny, sincere, useful - Good stuff. Fight the Good Fight.
(5)J. M.
Just ate the BEST fried bologna sandwich I've ever had in my LIFE!
(5)Lindsay G.
I was highly disappointed in underground butcher. If you're only looking for cured meats or nice cheeses its great. But there is absolutely no information about the butcher on their website. ( both me and my husband had to back to google and search for just the butcher part) and don't think this is a butcher. Butchers are people who are literally cutting your meat off the whole animal. That's what I was expecting and was severely disappointed. We wanted to get some steaks and what was in the butcher case was a small selection and it looked disgusting. It looks dry and crusty and disgusting. Not to mention there is no sign out front except for a tiny chalkboard. Plus the staff wasnt super friendly or anything. basically my husband andni stoo there awkwardly in silence as we waited for our sandwiches. Also our sandwiches were just okay. The bread had huge air pockets in it and was basically had a burnt crust...it was not good bread for sandwich making. My husbands pastrami was undercooked to where he didnt want to finish his sandwich....it was a disappointing experience overall...don't think I'll go back unless I need cured meats.
(2)Steven L.
Excellent meat. Excellent cheese. Friendly and knowledgeable staff to guide you through it all. This is a place with a clear focus on what it wants to be, and it succeeds! I highly recommend asking for help and advice as the folks here really know their stuff. My personal favorite was the goat sausage, but the extra thick bacon sliced to order was a close second.
(5)Molly S.
This is my new favorite place in the world! I love their sandwiches. If they have the smoked whitefish, get it. The menu changes frequently but everything I've tried has been great. I love being able to get local meat that isn't frozen. I love the Farmers Market or the co-op but sometimes that takes some planning. The random snacks they make are awesome as well. I've tried and loved their chicharones, crostini, and homemade cookies resembling an Oreo. I love how they now have local veggies and the cheese selection is great. My fiancé and I have been trying their sausages and loving all of them. I like the smoked hot dogs and the Oso brat the best so far. My fiancé loves the goat Harissa. The summer sausage is the best around! Also, be sure to pick up some duck eggs if available. We recently made a mean open face sandwich with a Madison sourdough Demi baguette, smoked hot dog, Parmesan cheese, and duck egg! Epic!
(5)