The Wise Restaurant Bar Red - Madison

This was the worst restaurant I have been to in Madison by far. I went there with son for Mother’s Day brunch and was completely underwhelmed by the buffet. I am a vegetarian and asked if the potatoes au gratin had meat and was told no. When I got to my table I saw bacon bits do I asked the waitress if there was meat in there. She said she didn’t know but asked the chef who confirmed that no there was no meat. Upon further inspection I saw bacon bits so I told her to show the chef. He then admitted that yes there was bacon in there. Besides that the bathrooms were filthy as well as the carpet in the main room. Do not go here for any reason. We ended up paying a price fixed of $54 for eating barely anything decent. We went to the diner next door and had a really good brunch instead.

We dined here because it was one of the few places we could get a reservation on Graduation weekend. We were able to increase our reservation to four but not to five. When we arrived, we were informed that only a prix fixe menu was available for $50. Since the restaurant is described as a casual/bar atmosphere, I had assumed that one member of our party could eat lightly. We were told they had called everyone to inform about the menu. I didn’t receive a call. I had included a guest for whom this meal would’ve been cost prohibitive. We negotiated that one person in the party could order just a salad. We decided to stay at the restaurant ONLY because we knew at 6:15 on a Saturday we’d have to wait somewhere else. As it turned out—the restaurant was mostly empty. Clearly they could’ve accommodated our extra person if they had come. THEY NEEDED TO INFORM US OF THE SPECIAL MENU IN ADVANCE! The food was very good but probably more than we wanted to eat. And this is Madison—not Chicago—$50 is more than average.

It turned out to be an event menu with very few choices, all bad. the drinks were served in paper cups. the online menu did not say that it would not be served regular menu.

We wanted to go before football. we were identified at the door of the hotel. not the bar, we got bracelets. we then went to the restaurant and was told that they did not make reservations. that they would not honor those we had done. they served only one buffet that doesn't sound like something special, and we would have to eat in a back. we have taken a look and have not said thank you. the gale at the stand of the hostess was rude and disrespectful. later we heard from natives that their service is very slow and eating is not so great. if they don't take reservations, then they won't let them be made. pity because it's a great location. Instead we went with a ennedict to the game and ate a hot dog two hours later.

Well, I don't think the bartender knew what was an old fashion, and good that we drink tickets. there was no place to look for a reservation and not how we needed one, now it is somehow obvious why we were the only two to eat. the cheese curds were good, which made me hope for the main course. it was as if who made the ravioli court was paid by the amount of salt used. the burger we had was pretty good, which is why the evaluation not only got one star. the waitress gave us ours before I had eaten the half of my food, but it is not as if she had other tables I could wait for. Overall, if the thema was literary, nothing except the equipment there was gone, and it was obvious that everything was hurried or not thought through.