Bunky's

Update: Bunky's just does catering now.

In a word: Not to be missed!

The specs: #0052
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; reviews at Dane101, Isthmus, Post, 77 Square, Isthmus again, official web site; moving announcement,

Latest Bunky's news and reviews

JM ate the penne primavera and an Izzo lemonade.
Nichole ate the tilapia special with a pear Izzo.
We split 2/3 of a slice of Chocolate Eruption cake and took the last third home.
JM and Nichole both gave Bunky's an A (see our grading rubric).

Step away from the computer and make plans to go to Bunky's now. It is wonderful. Warm and inviting inside, with a kind of shabby chic look, very nice staff, and a suitable menu, Bunky's is our favorite place since Bahn Thai. Must be the neighborhood.

Smooth lentil soup made a great starter with warm garlic bread. Nichole's tilapia was served on a bed of orange-spiced couscous and inscrutably delicious vegetables. The fish veritably melted in the mouth, and the contrasting textures of the side dishes were delightful.

JM's food was plentiful and flavorful with enough marinara sauce to hide any scary vegetables. The spices worked well and JM even got to sneak a little bread into the sauce to dip (his favorite).

Good. Grief. Chocolate. Eruption. We chose it from a dessert menu that also offered such rewards as carrot cake, tiramisu, and others too numerous to recall. Though we can't be sure, we think we got the best in show. The server called it simply "chocolate mousse cake," but when we saw it, it became obvious why it deserves a fancy name. A foundation of chocolate flour cake heroically hoists rich chocolate mousse several inches over the plate. It looks as if the mousse itself has recently devoured whole chunks of - we kid you not - cheesecake, and the whole shebang is topped with caramel and almond topping. Bunky's coffee is top notch as well.

We're not kidding - check it out as soon as you can.

Comments

[Lola]

You guys are way too kind. While our server was friendly, I found the food inoffensive and unimaginative. It would be an OK place to have a sandwich if I were in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't make a special trip for the food. I also found it mildly irritating that I had to search for the paper towel holder in the ladies room amongst all the "shabby chic" artifacts.

[Foodie]

I am permanently in love with Bunky's. The Bunky's Pasta is light and tasty, the seafood pasta is fantastic and the soups are wonderful. We're going to try the rustic spaghetti on a board with friends.

[socodru]

It will never cease to amaze me the red-to-violet comparison of the same resturant. I've been here twice, being in my neighborhood and, trust me, I wanted to love it, and both times had mediocre to bad service and slightly better than good to olive garden both times. maybe both times it was my mood or the fact I had to wait in the bar across the street and give my cell phone # for my name to come up on the "wait list", but I was really rubbed both times.

[Kristin]

Even ~3 years later ... I also wanted to love it. But I will never go back. I brought my mom and sister there for lunch one day (my sister needs gluten free food) and I have never been so embarrassed of all the places we could have gone. They sat us in the dark, back corner next to a christmas tree (keep in mind it was a sunny day when the store was empty in April). The service was slow. The food was borderline mediocre, Bob Marley CD's were on shuffle way too loud, and the decor was way too over the top!!! Sorry Bunky's but I give you a C.

[Price]

I've heard a lot about Bunky's and have been curious to try it and see if all the hype is justified. My girlfriend and I were in the neighborhood and we decided to get dinner there on a friday night.

The ambience was nice and I liked the overall look of the place. It was an intersection between formal and casual dining. The service was okay. The waiter was courteous and seemed knowledgable about the menu items.

The food though was ordinary at best. Both my g/f and I got pasta dishes. Needless to say, $13.95 for a pasta dish was priced way too high and quite frankly not very filling. The lentil soup, however, was extremely tasty but again, not filling. Even the bread that was provided with our meal was underwhelming. Overall, a dinner for 2, with a glass of wine and tip came out to $40 which I felt was way too expensive for the quantity of food that was provided. Items there were priced much too high as well.

Not sure, I see a lot of strong reviews about this place but I am not quite sure why A lot like the movie Raising Arizona that everyone says is great but then you watch it and wonder how everyone arrived at such a conclusion.

I'll give Bunky's these grades:

Ambience A-
Service B+
Affordability C+
Quality of meal C+/B-

Overall: B-/C+ range

[Very Disappointed]

GLUTEN-FREE COMES AT A HIGH COST (both money and humiliation)! -

When we politely asked for a substitute for the pita bread because of allergies to gluten (ie. cucumber slices, carrot sticks, tomato wedges or ANYTHING to dip in the hummus and baba ganough), the owner made a scene (talking loudly in front of a lot of other customers), saying how expensive vegetables were, that our request was outrageous, and the only way they would substitute veggies for pita bread is if we paid an extra $2.00!!! We're never going back to Bunky's and we've talked several of our friends into having group meetings at OTHER, friendlier restaurants in the area.

[Teresa]

Dear Dissapointed! I'm the owner of Bunky's cafe and I until today have not heard of such a event happening at Bunky's! I have talked to all my staff and even looked through months of tickets for this $2.00 charge! First of all, we have GF bread available at no additional cost for all our GF customers. My staff is fully trained with GF menu. Once again if a charge for $2.00 is going to make you not return to Bunky's (If it even happened) then I think you have deeper issues! Since your commenting of all the websites. Get some guts, call me directly! I would love to invite you back to Bunky's. We serve Happy GF people each day.

[Jane]

I, too, have friends that are GF and we have eaten at Bunky's. Each time, we have been well-taken care of and there were no problems with substitution and checking on ingredients.

[Timmy]

Pasta is a bit overpriced but in general this place owns up to its reputation as a Madison institution. Fun food and atmosphere.

[Phillip]

I enjoy pasta, but usually when I get it at any restaurant its a bit of a let down. In my experience it just doesn't tend to be better enough than homemade pasta to be worth it.

[Flucassian]

Nice atmosphere, ok waitstaff, average food. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

[Rhonda]

As part of the GF community; I was very happy with Buncky's. I was happy with the food & they made the GF dinner NOT an event. I did not have to explain about GF and was at ease that what I was being served was indeed GF. Somewhat pricey; however the peace of mind, and good food was worth it. Will be dining there again & again.

[J-sizz]

I've been there three times and each time the service and food were excellent. I was blown away the first time I went there by the owner, who after learning we were first time customers, provided us with a free sampler of dips and an education about the food and history of Bunky's. I have never experienced someone so nice and friendly in my 31 years of going to restaurants and doubt I ever will again.