Bavaria Family Restaurant

Update: Bavaria Family Restaurant has changed its name to Sofra Family Bistro.

In a word: More Rotarian than Bavarian cuisine.

The specs: #0025
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; reviews at Judy's Book, Ruppert Food Blog, Isthmus.

JM ate the grilled chicken, cheddar, and bacon sandwich with cream of potato soup.
Nichole ate the sun dried tomato crusted salmon special with a salad and complimentary tapioca pudding.
The bill was $20, or $10/person, plus tip.
JM gave Bavaria Family Restaurant a B-; Nichole gave Bavaria Family Restaurant a B.

Latest Bavaria Family Restaurant news and reviews

This is one of those family-run, senior-friendly places of which the Milwaukee area in particular has a surfeit. (We've encountered one other during the course of this project so far.) Wine-in-a-box, cheap meal specials, your choice of vanilla ice cream, tapioca or chocolate pudding for dessert with purchase of a dinner. In this genre, it excels, but the only thing really Bavarian about it is the slightly longer beer list and the spaetzle on the menu (which we didn't try).

JM's sandwich was kind of dry and not very memorable. Nichole's fancy salmon special came in a good spinach sauce, but the side dishes were plain, consisting of tired-looking boiled potatoes and baby carrots. It seems like a kid-friendly place, if you're into that sort of thing, and the service was good.

Incidentally, check the hours before you go. We tried to go to Bavaria Family Restaurant for dinner on a Sunday. Good thing we called first. After about seven rings, a gruff "Hello?"
Nichole: Hello, is this the Bavaria Family Restaurant?
McGruff: Moment...[muffled noises]
McGruff #2: Hello?
Nichole: Hello, is this the Bavaria Family Restaurant?
McGruff #2: Yes.
Nichole: Could you please tell me your hours today?
McGruff #2: We close three.

But they get bonus points for donating to Middleton Public Library's renovation.

Comments

[middletonian]

While the food can sometimes be average, I do enjoy their breakfast. My family and I go every Sunday. It's reasonably priced and you get what you ask for.
As a side note, they make a lot of their items from scratch -- soups, Albanian sausage, etc.
And they're super friendly -- like extended family.

[nichole]

Funny, I was just thinking about Bavaria Family Restaurant the other day. I'm in search of a certain sandwich called the Monte Cristo, once ubiquitous on the menus of family restaurants like Copper Top, etc. But health-consciousness seems to have helped it fall from favor. Anyone know where in Madison or the area a Monte Cristo can be found?

[kat]

I love me a good Monte Cristo. Brasserie V (which I finally experienced last night - OhMahGah) does a croque monsieur, but I have yet to try it - I was too busy inhaling baked goat cheese and steak frites.

[Spike]

Nichole - it's a bit of a diner-y dive, but the Parkway Restaurant off of Fish Hatchery Rd has a Monte Cristo, I believe.

[nichole]

That seems eminently likely - thanks!

[Carolyn]

RE: Monte Cristos - If you can tolerate the birthday song, the Nitty Gritty has an excellent one. Second place goes to the Pancake Cafe.

[nichole]

I found one, in Milwaukee where the hunting is easier.

[Annie]

I have to say Bavaria is my favorite place for breakfast in Madison...the french toast is amazing and they have the best butter. Note, they just changed their name to Sofra, and they have a new dinner menu now, but the same breakfast and lunch.

[BiBi]

My husband and I took our niece there for an early dinner this summer. She's 3 1/2 and had this to say about Bavaria Family Restaurant, "Isn't this a wonderful neighborhood?"
The appeal to the younger crowd is insane here. Also she really enjoyed her quesadilla.