Buck & Badger

1 star actually equals zero stars. By far the worst service, kitchen staff I have ever witnessed. 45 minutes later our burgers arrived. Ordered 5 burgers, not one burger was correct. Three separate trips back to the kitchen to fix the burgers and guess what? Still wrong on everyone one!!! Paid for the drinks we had and walked out. I’m sorry but how hard is it to dress a burger reading off of a order slip??? Ou and by the way there were still empty tables so no excuse for being «busy»! Will not ever ever go back.

I’m more confused than anything. I used to walk by this place all the time and see people eating these huge plates of what looked like pretty heavy foods – big platters heaped with sides. I also see reviews that mentioning things that at least sound interesting: boar burgers, whitefish hoagies, etc.
When I went today I was kind of surprised to see an incredibly limited and boring menu – some burgers, chicken sandwiches, fried apps– and food that was served in red plastic baskets with no sides or garnishes (or the pickle listed on the menu).
The food was ok. We ordered burgers and chicken sandwiches. None were very large or particularly tasty; sautéed mushrooms were burnt and the «large» side of fries was ludicrously undersized and overpriced. What we ate would be decent in a dive bar, but seemed underwhelming in a place where they clearly spent so much money and effort on décor.
Service was friendly but extremely slow. Despite the overpriced fries, the total damage ($ 37 for four) was pretty low. I can’t imagine going back, though, nor can I understand the appeal of this place.

This place is just not good. They recently «updated» their menu which I think means they just cut it in half. The food here is not very good, the selection is tiny, and in my experience, we’ve had to send back food about 40% of the time (wrong orders, cold wings, undercooked burgers).
This place gets one star for serving alcohol, and one star for having a fireplace. And that’s about it.

Hoped this place would have been better but alas it was a pretty big let down. Service was on the awful side. I got my beer but the wife didn’t get her drink until we asked twice. They said they would comp it but then, they didn’t. Ordered a small onion ring but charged us for a large. The onion rings were brought out 10 minutes before our sandwiches arrived. It just went on and on.
And the food was just meh. Nothing to write home about.

Food took a very long time to come out. Friend and I ordered burgers. Orders were mixed up and the fries were cold. The burgers themselves were dry, not much flavor, with soggy piece of lettuce. Order a burger at five guys that’s way better and cheaper. Told us they normally serve cookies but the chef burnt them all… Service was okay. Will not be coming back.

I’ve given this place three chances in the past two years, and every time was a complete disappointment.
The first visit was with my wife and a friend, and probably the «best» experience of the three. Several beers listed were out of rotation, and still being listed on the specials board outside. The service was overall slow and inattentive. I ordered the brat, instead I was given a french dip. I figured I wouldn’t be back anyways, so I left a decent tip and went on my way.
Second visit is similar with the service being even slower. We were at the restaurant for around two and a half hours. Our table’s drinks were brought out when we were just about done with the appetizer. The fries that came with my meal seemed as though they had been sitting in a fridge for several days. At the end, there was no acknowledgement of error, so I left a lesser tip.
Our third and final time was a spectacle of failure. It took 15 minutes for a server to recognize our presence. Another 15 minutes pass and my wife’s drink arrives, but my drink is not on tap anymore. My next drink choice does not arrive till after the appetizer again. Upon receiving our food, (burgers both ordered medium) mine is served well done, and my wife’s is mostly medium rare, with a small section appearing like it hadn’t touched the grill. Shortly after our food came, we find that the table behind us, who had been there since we sat down, still had not received their orders.
After three experiences like mine, I will never recommend this place to anyone. Quite frankly, it’s impressive that they’re still drawing a crowd of any sort.

Food here is always excellent. Place is very up northy. The Boar Burger is definitely one of the best out there, and the apple cider glazed carrots are delicious. If you’re up for something a bit different, definitely try this place!

1 star for ok drink deals (got a pitcher for less than $ 10 of good beer)
Food is not so good– the french fries tasted like they were from a big old bag of frozen fries
Worst of all: this place seems like a cheap attempt to pander to Wiscsonsin and Madison: the Wisconsin and «up north» feel comes off as cheap and half-a$$ed.

Walking by on a foggy and drizzly Monday night, and the beautiful, roaring fire caught our eyes. My beautiful date and I went in, and were seated pretty quickly. Bill took care of us, and was super friendly. Turns out he was manager that evening. He gave us options for specials, and we got a couple glasses of (really tasty!) wine. I got a Pinot and she got a Riesling. They had run out of the sweet potato au gratin side dish her and I both wanted, and although they clearly made a good effort to find substitutions, we gladly chose to get side salads instead. The dressing for those had this smokey, bacon vinaigrette dressing that was perhaps the best dressing I’ve ever had (no joke). Main dish was the roasted chicken and carrots that really tasted perfect. My date and I continued great conversation after our food was done, and Bill surprised us by bringing complimentary hot toddy’s (which were also amazing). We continued to talk sitting by that fireplace sipping our drinks, but what we didn’t realize until later was that nobody else was there but us, and they were technically closed. He never asked us to leave or anything, but instead brought us drinks for free. A+!

We went for dinner with a group of friends on a Thursday night — first mistake. Thursday is trivia night and they actually ask you to keep the table talk down so people can hear the trivia questions.
I ordered pumpkin bisque and it was so thick it was like mashed potatoes. It was so over spiced with Alspice or clove that it was inedible.
My husband ordered the chicken pot pie and got a chicken sandwich. The waitress took it back and said it would be a few minutes and we gave up after a half an hour and still no pot pie so we left.
The only reason it is getting one star is that I can’t give it none.
Our friends weren’t really happy either.

Took 40 minutes for our order. For a burger & salad. Salad was a bowl of spinach and endive with a couple diced tomatoes. Can you skimp any more?! Oh wait, yes you can. You have to buy the salad dressing separate. Tack on $.50. Cookies were a nice touch but rather insulting when they’re just shy of burned. Could have used them for hockey pucks. Speakers were so loud my seat vibrated. Don’t even think about having a conversation. All in all not a good experience. Won’t be back and I don’t recommend it for you. Plenty of other great restaurants in the area. I’ll be sticking with The Old Fashioned from now on. Get your act together, Bucks.

Popped in here on a Thursday night to take advantage of some trivia (they also offer it on Tuesdays). The leader is really great and makes it a lot of fun. The bar itself is really well-​decorated, maintaining the theme of a lodge without being too kitschy.
There isn’t a lot of seating in the bar, so if you want to have a seat and a table for your game, make sure you arrive early. It’s literally a packed house. But, given that, the bartender does an excellent job of managing the crowd and getting beers to guests in rapid time. The beer selection is good, with a ton of local beers (24 on tap) that rotate regularly.
We didn’t eat, so I can’t comment on the food, but if nothing else, stop in to take advantage of trivia and maybe win yourself some free beer!

Atmosphere: I LOVE the theme of this place. Cozy Northwoods lodge. Lots of pine, huge fireplaces, camo t-​shirts for the wait staff. Feels cozy and comforting.
Drinks: Pretty good specials any day of the week. Wednesday is $ 4 Moscow Mules. Beer specials every day. What sounds like a good happy hour price.‘
Food: Not terrible. Pricing is pretty okay for what you get. I’m a fan of the cheese fritters, the grilled cheese fondue and the fish sandwich. All of those dishes are $ 9 or less and it’s good portions for that price. However. You are a Wisconsin restaurant. I shouldn’t have to ask for tartar with my fish and I really don’t think that should be an up-​charge. But the fish was really tasty with the red pepper aioli and tartar together. Not a fan of the potato salad. It was a literal formed scoop of it on my plate. Didn’t look appetizing, didn’t taste appetizing. Fries are good, but I’m not happy that they are a $ 2 up-​charge to get with a sandwich or burger. Should just come with. They aren’t $ 2 extra good. The donuts are good, but didn’t seem to be quite cooked all the way through. Cheese fritters are huge and always worth it.
Service: I’ve only ever gone during trivia nights, so I don’t know if that has something to do with it, but I think I’ve only been there once where the service has been good. Most of the time, we’re waiting for long periods for either our drinks, our bill, or for the waitress to check on us.
Overall, I want to like this place. Northwoods lodge, twist on comfort food. But I think you’re trying to be just a little too classy for what you are. Something just feels off and if it wasn’t for trivia nights, I probably would have never eaten here.

Buck and Badger, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to like a bar/​restaurant as much as you. I’ve given you multiple chances now, and you have only gotten worse. You’re like perfect match on Tinder. You sound incredible, look incredible, but when we meet I find out you’re 45, unemployed, and living with mom.
My friends and I have been frequenting Buck & Badger for Geeks Who Drink trivia. Honestly, if they didn’t host pub trivia I would never go here.
+ Decent beer and cocktail selection
+ Has trivia
— Poor wine selection
— Food is underwhelming and overpriced
— Poor «snack» food selection for a bar that hosts trivia
— Service is slow, unreliable, and rude
The bar has 24 rotating taps so if you enjoy a good brew, you can’t really go wrong. The selection was diverse too for those with particular taste in beer. On Thursdays you can nab a Moose Drool for $ 3, not a bad deal. Good luck, getting more than one due to service issues.
I was disappointed by the selection of appetizers, considering we arrived around 8 pm just for drinks, a snack, and trivia. For a pub that hosts trivia two nights a week, the appetizer/​snack selection was lacking. We ordered both the cheese curds and bacon cheddar fries. The cheese curds were actually cheese fritters, and there were only 6 on the plate. I was disappointed by the number served in the order, and the sauce tasted like a simple dressing out of a bottle.
The bacon cheddar fries (not pictured) had a little too much salt on them between all of the ingredients and seasoning on top of it. They definitely could have used more acid to balance the flavor out. The cheese was shredded and melted on top. By the time it had reached the table, the cheese was cool and crusty. It’s also worth noting that the bacon cheddar fries are not on the menu. We put in a special request for them. The normal fries are $ 3.50, and we were charged $ 9.50 for this special request. I don’t think we ate $ 6 worth of bacon and cheese…
So far my run in with the service at Buck & Badger has been outrageous and beyond acceptable. On our first visit, the server decided start an argument with us when over hearing our conversation about Spotted Cow, and claimed it was a Hefeweizen. I don’t care that the server believes the beer is something that it isn’t, but she got very snippy when I was discussing it with the table and called it a cream ale. That same night, we specifically asked for ketchup twice and it never showed up over a 2 hour period.
On a subsequent visit, everyone placed their first drink order and a water pitcher with cups was left at the table. The server never came back to ask how things were or to ask about a second round. We were there for trivia, that means at least 2.5 hours sitting. I had to flag her down to get a 2^nd Moose Drool. Eventually the server showed up when 2 full rounds of trivia remain and tries to talk to us while trivia questions are actively being asked. I ask her to come back, and she comes back in 5 minutes with the checks for some reason. One person at the table asked for another drink, and she leaves half the checks on the table. The drink never showed up and about 30 minutes later a different server comes by with the rest of the checks and a small plate of burnt cookies.
I don’t even know what to say. I want to love this bar. In no way were we rude to the servers, but the service was just abysmal. Other reviewers seem to have had similar experiences too.
Sorry Buck & Badger, we could have had something really special together. You have broken my heart.

I’ve been to Buck & Badger a couple of times, first a year or two ago for trivia and dinner and then most recently as part of a Big Buck Safari bar crawl. Both times were quite enjoyable.
On my most recent visit the bar started out pretty empty [holiday weekend + Madison Marathon = weird night downtown], but that worked to our advantage as we had free reign over the game and plenty of room to spread out while waiting for our individual turns. For the Big Buck nerds out there, the screen has a good response, just make sure to choose the controller on the left.
For the rest of you normal folks who probably go to bars for things like the drinks and ambience, get ready to revel in a glossy-​magazine version of Northwoods glory. The interior is made to look like a log cabin, with a great choice of blonde wood to keep it bright and clean looking. There are plenty of taxidermied animals, my favorite probably being the bear head to the right of the entryway bar that wears an antlered hat.
Service is fairly quick and the bar offers everything from cheap cans to shot paddles to a tap line of the bar’s very own MobCraft brew. Everything is far too pretty and nice to actually remind you of being up north, but it’s still a nice little spot in the heart of Madison.

Visiting Madison for the first time and my husband and I were looking for a quick bite near our hotel when we got in. Stopped by this place since we heard they have trivia on Thursday nights, and had a great time.
It was a little loud since the game was on — and the Badgers won, go Badgers! — so I doubt it’s that loud on a regular basis. The food was delicious, environment was fun and relaxed, and their beer selection was excellent. Especially for people looking to try Wisconsin beer. I mean, how can you go wrong with Spotted Cow?
Trivia was great as well. Our server was a little slow, but again with the game on so I don’t blame him. Had a great time our first night in town.

I love coming here when it’s warm and drinking a Bloody Mary or 5 and people-​watching. It’s within eyeshot of capital square, and when the farmer’s market is going on you have a GREAT view of everything and everyone. Service is good, apps are good, and the Bloodies come with the most charming little beer chasers. Come on a Saturday in the spring, sit outside, get day-​drunk, and watch the Madisonians do their thang.

I’ve been here twice, both times on Trivia night on Thursday. Geeks Who Drink is a very fun group, I always have a blast. My choice of beer: Moose Drool. Yum, and only $ 3 on Thursday. I’m a little biased because I love stout and Dark Ales, so drink with discretion.
Service is amazing. So on top of their game, and constantly replenished us with beer when I asked. They’re also pretty nice, which is always a plus.
The space is too small for the events they advertise! Definitely not enough space to hold many groups of people who aren’t willing to share chairs. On any other night if you’re coming in and out, the place is more than accommodating; but on a busy night when people are trying to sit, eat, and socialize? No.
Overall, very willing to come back to be impressed. The fries didn’t impress me, so I’m hoping to come back for a meal.

I like the food here. I like sitting outside when it’s nice out and sitting inside for the cozy cabin interior during winter. I like coming here at night and grabbing a drink to waive my cover for the piano bar. I like the convenience of this place.
Sure, the food isn’t the best or most unique in Madison, but it’s bar food. I think Buck & Badger is at least 3.5 stars and will give the benefit of the doubt since we can’t do half stars on Unilocal

Trivia tuesday!!! What a fun time testing our trivia skills, enjoy a couple of appetizers, and beer. They have a good selection of beer on draft abd I believe have bottle beer too. Definitely support local wisconsin beer!
Our bartender was super friendly, he even bring us cookies during trivia.