UW Memorial Union-Rathskeller

In a word: Sunsets and music (and, preferably, carry-ins).

The specs: #0696  
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; reviews at Yelp, Beer Advocate, Madison Fish Fry; official web site,

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JM ate the grilled ham and cheese, a Rice Krispie treat and two lemonades.
Nichole ate the Badger burger with a Gray's Rathskeller.
We took the chips home.
The bill was $19.25, or about $10/person, plus tip.
JM gave UW Memorial Union-Rathskeller a C; Nichole gave UW Memorial Union-Rathskeller a D+ (see our grading rubric).

We decided that UW Memorial Union was a chain (as presented on the List) and that we would only visit this location.  Besides, if you want to to know what we think of Lakefront on Langdon, you could have looked it up.

C'mon, nobody goes to the Rathskeller for food. The best part of our visit was that we made sure that the quintessential Madison Thing To Do, chill out on the Terrace, was included in the project before we finished the alphabet.

The bored grill staff inside were eager to make recommendations.

"This Badger Burger thing is new."

"What makes it a Badger Burger?"

"Well, it's actually not cow meat, it's organic badger meat."

Wah-wah!

(It's bacon and Swiss on a squishy bun.)

The ham and cheese sandwich was fine though there was more ham fiber found in some Buddig packets than in the actually pressed meat served hereto.

The Rathskeller ale, a custom Gray's amber, had a caramel flavor and color with very little hops, crispness, or carbonation. The Calypso lemonades were again excellent and it would be great to see them offered at more places around town.

The Terrace is great, but eat before you go.

Comments

[Brett]

Yeah, the food there is remarkably bad which is a shame. I think it would be a great location for a *slightly* more upscale tavern food/pub grub kinda joint.

[Steve]

Ahhh so this is why I never eat there. My subconscious does not fail me.

[Timmy]

'Remarkably bad' gets it exactly right. How could they drop the ball so bad on the food, knowing well how good the carts are right outside? Beers used to be really well priced--$6 PBR ruled--but now the Rathskeller is equally priced to everywhere else.

I will say this, during the summer they do perfectly fine brats and cob corn at the terrace stand. I've had them many times and have no complaints. Never ever eat inside though.