Nau-Ti-Gal
5360 Westport Rd, Madison, WI, 53704
Nau-Ti-Gal Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Madison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5360 Westport Rd
Madison, WI, 53704 - Phone (608) 246-3130
- Website https://www.nautigal.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : No
Categories
Burgers
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Elizabeth S.
I would not recommend this place for a Wisconsin Fish Fry. There are plenty of other places with better food, service and that are cleaner. Not the best restaurant in town that I've been to. A disappointment.
(1)Brian H.
Summer brunches at this restuarant can be really hit or miss. Specifically, the outdoor seating can make brunch unbearable. We went on a hot humid August morning, and our brunch was full of flies and mosquitoes. The humidity wasn't any better. The outdoor seating did allow an interesting view of boaters coming up the Yahara, parking, and eating. As for the food, it was a pretty standard brunch, nothing special. Lots of pastries and cakes, but nothing spectacular. Also, hit this place once for a snack and got some gator-bites, which were deep fried alligator. Nothing special, just real chewy deep fried meat.
(1)Chelsea W.
Was at nautical tonight. My boyfriend and I come almost every week. If you are up for a fun time and great service come while Jessie is working. What a refreshing personality. He is so nice and is always happy to serve you. He is attentive and great to talk to. We usually show up for cocktails, tonight we had nachos and they were delicious.
(5)Kyara M.
Expensive food considering the poor quality. Went here for restaurant week and wasn't too keen on their menu for the special occasion and order off the regular menu. I settled for their (I believe) orange popcorn shrimp as an app. For $9, all I got was salty and overly drenched with sauce a small specs of shrimp. Absolutely NOT worth $9. They need to rethink their $$$ on this or fix the recipe. For my entree, I order the crispy chicken sandwich. My sandwich was dry and nearly overcooked. At least it was thoroughly cooked considering I burned the roof of my mouth once I bit into it. The kicker for me was their being an upcharge for fries... Pathetic. Any place that charges you extra $ for subbing fries instead of something like coleslaw is not for me. What a rip off. My boyfriend did order from the Restaurant Week menu. He had the surf and turf being lobster tail and a steak. The TINIEST steak and lobster tail I've ever seen. Considering it cost $30, you better cook to impress. This place is a total rip off. You'd be better going to Red Lobster for seafood. Also, fix up the place. The decor is awful!
(1)Elizabeth R.
Hmm, well let's just say, if there was a zero, I would give them a zero. I was really excited to try this place because I have heard such good things about their food. First, it is a generously set buffet. However, half of the food looks inedible. The ala carte area seemed like something you can not mess up. Bacon, sausage, turkey, mashed potatoes and eggs continental. I have NO idea what eggs continental means. There were no scrambled eggs but this off casserole of egg. It was weird and I have no idea what was in it. There was no description. The bacon was greasy and the sausages tasted old. The weird part? The turkey was all shaped the same. It looked like they were processed pieces of meat. The omelette bar was nice. It was your usual sort. The clam chowder looked old. VERY grey. I did not even attempt. The breakfast potatoes were old, cold and over seasoned. The salad bar was STRANGE. There was not a single simple salad. Everything was a unique salad type. While I commend their creativity, sometimes it is nice to have a plain greens salad. The highlight is the dessert bar. There is cake, bars and a make your ice cream station.
(1)Brooks R.
Asked for my steak medium and it came raw. The mushrooms tasted like they're cooked in dirt.
(2)Jesse B.
Whether it is drinks inside or outside at the bar, Nau-ti-gal is the fun spot to be. The brunch is delicious and so are the burgers and sandwich choices. Friday a draw in hungry fish fry patrons bit don't sweat it, the fish fry is available everyday not just Friday. In the summer you can pull your boat up.
(5)Alex M.
Five stars for summer spot, admittedly I only enjoyed the shrimp boil and an ice cold - band playing and spot make it automatically a great spot - restaurant appeared lively and full
(4)Katie C.
Super good fish fry, amazing clam chowder, good service and can't forget about the cookie dough! Yummm.
(5)Jon C.
I can't say whether this place is convenient or not, only that it took a while from the hotel which really depends on where your hotel is. They say it's by the water, but I feel it's not close enough to the water as I can barely see it. There appears to be a bike trail nearby as I saw lots of bicyclists grab a drink here, the patio seems nice to grab a drink at. I hear this place has quite the history and they have a few restaurants in the area. The vibe inside is very dark and very different tan the outside, which still feels old but at least it's outside. The coconut shrimp is large, but tasted a little undercooked. The chowder which I was told is heart comes in this cup that looks quite nice and it is hearty indeed. A little bit thick but it has good amount of seafood in it. And when the food came out, there were pieces of it missing like sauces, salad in one case, fries in another. You really gotta come out at once, especially when it's the sauce advertised that it comes with! They have a good amount of beer on tap, and plenty of craft selection. I really liked their selection, seems well thought out with a good mixture of different kins. The service, they were nice but there are few points missing. They took almost 30 minutes before our drink order was taken. We had to go get our own menus. They seemed severely understaffed and could use a bit more education on the items. I know you have history, but I think they gotta get their act in gear.
(2)Michelle D.
I had one of those Madison Original's coupons for the Nau-Ti-Gal burning in my pocket so I went last night with my good friend. This is the first time I have been there. I was interested in the Happy Hour but I wanted to sit outside due to the beautiful summer afternoon. Our super cute waiter Jack was uber polite and enthusiastic about his service. I ordered a Spotted Cow while I waited for my pal to come. Plastic Chairs, cutesy menus, and Nautical Themes cover the patio. My friend and I both ordered the Fish Fry, W had the fries and I ordered mixed veggies. W ordered the clam chowder too. I got a taste of it and it is good. I would get that on a colder day. When the plates came out, I was shocked to see half of my dinner sized plate covered in veggies. Green Beans, Broccoli, Summer Squash, Red Peppers! Not the corn, peas, and carrots, I was think I was going to get. I was so pleased and excited. All the veggies were cooked so well. I ate a good chunk of them but I had to eat some of my fish, too. The batter was good on the white fish. I ended up taking the left over veggies home with me because they were too good to leave behind. The price was right and the service was good. I cannot wait to explore more of the menu.
(4)Pita F.
After my first review, the General Manager personally emailed me and wanted to know the specifics so they can improve. She also gave me cert for full amount of our dinner. I was impressed. We went back yesterday, and was very happy with the service (they did not know who we were until we paid) and the food. I will continue to go there for food in the future. I highly recommend them for restaurants in Madison.
(5)KT C.
We decided to go to Nau-ti-gal for restaurant week because they had a Key West themed dinner set and we were married in Key West exactly three months prior. We decided to make reservations since we figured it would be busy. When we called we were told the only opening they had was for 7:45 on a Thursday night. I thought that was odd but we booked it anyway. We showed up around 7:15 for our reservation. Figured we could get a drink and maybe the table would be ready early. When we arrived, we noticed many tables available for inside dining. We gave them our name for the reservation and immediately the woman told us "No, we don't have your reservation." We were shocked but told them to put us on a wait list to sit outdoors for dining. We were told it would be about a half hour. She also preceded to tell us we probably called the wrong number and made reservation at the Mariner. We sat at the outside bar and ordered drinks. We thought we had made reservations so we decided to call the number we called the day before to cancel the reservation if we had indeed made them at the mariner. When my husband called the host at Natuigal answered. Nope! we had called the correct number and yes, you didn't keep our reservation. We had barely gotten our drinks when we were buzzed for our table. I went back to the hostess and told her we were buzzed. She then told me to walk outside and find a staff member who would seat me. What?!?!? isn't that the entire job description of the hostess? to seat you? I walked outside and tried to find someone, who I had never met, to seat me. I found a bunch of servers and a woman who seemed "managerial". I told her I was buzzed and I was to find someone to seat me. She was extremely rude and asked "where is my buzzer, and how many people?" She rudely walked us to a table. Then we had the either most stoned or clueless waiter I've ever come across. SLOW and HORRIBLE. We each ordered off the restaurant week menu. HORRIBLE food. Shrimp extremely overcooked. Grouper with crab from a CAN. Come on! Side of vegetable was clearly a frozen vegetable mix. It's summer, get some fresh vegetables! Clam chowder was watery and not as tasty. We've had it at Captn Bills so we know how good it can be. not worth the $25. Would only go back for drinks to sit outside and listen to the band. If I ever go back.
(1)Angi B.
Was grossed out on Sunday brunch. I think the food is horribly average. Nice to boat to for drinks
(2)Ted T.
Nau-Ti-Gal is close to home. This is our second visit in as many months. Both visits, the food has been delicious. Hospitality has been gracious. Tonight Bobby was our server, he did a nice job but seemed a little overwhelmed with the number of tables he had. I had the Wisconsin fish fry - I love that Nautigal serves this Wisconsin famous, fish fry dinner all the time not just on Friday nights. Our table dined on shark bites for appetizers - always excellent; house salad with a bowl of the famous Captain Bill's Chowder (always excellent), Baby Walleye sandwich, and coconut shrimp - all were delicious and equally enjoyed. The ladies tried Long Island Iced teas and a Key Lime Martini - an Old Fashioned and tap beers were also served - sorry to say, the cocktails were misses - almost like the bartender was mixing by reading a recipe...this was a Saturday evening and they were not real busy. Not sure, maybe an "off" night at the bar. None-the-less we enjoyed our visit, as we always enjoy the Von Ruetenberg's establishments. Nautigal is probably more fun in the summer as they are located on the Yahara River and mouth of Lake Mendota - but they serve great food all year round. Give them a visit, I'd like to hear what you think.
(4)Sallie Jo C.
This is near our house, so we like to pop in. The outdoor seating is great in summer, and the tropical menu is fun on a cold, winter day. Food is okay. Nothing I particularly crave between visits, but it is nicer than most waterfront joints where you can park a boat. I do enjoy the house salad. Strangely, it comes with a little side cup of chocolate chip cookie dough. I don't know why they include this, especially since cookie dough contains raw egg (I'm surprised there isn't some code they are violating), but I happen to love chocolate chip cookie dough and I can't wait to eat it with my salad. I tried something different tonight: curry chickpea and lentil stew. It was pretty good! I can't stand cilantro and was able to order the entree without it. My husband had a massive cheeseburger, which he loved. I can attest the fries were great as well. They leave some skin on and use a lot of salt. Yum. Now for the reasons this is a two star review instead of higher: The outdoor seating process is a complete cluster. If you enter the front door at the hostess stand and ask for an outside table, they tell you to go outside to be seated. OK, no problem. We'll go outside. Outside, we were told all tables were full and to go INSIDE to get a pager from the hostess. We saw open tables near the outdoor bar and asked if we could eat at those tables. The waitress said those were first come, first serve, and we could eat dinner there. She was very friendly about it, "Yes, they'll give you menus there and take care of you, but you just have to order from the bartender because there is no table service." We were good with that and grabbed a table. I went to the bar for menus and I was told we could only order appetizers in the bar section. I explained the waitress had just told us we could order off the full menu. Bartender's response: "Oh, was that the one in the orange shirt?" Me: "No, it was someone in a blue shirt." I'm not sure why that mattered but should not have been the response. Bartender says we have to go inside for a pager to get a table. By this time more customers are ahead of us in line. On a Saturday night, every place we'd visit with patio seating would be busy, so we decided to get a pager and wait. I get a pager from the inside hostess stand. I will skip writing about the conversation between the hostess and the waitresses since this review is getting long. However, I will note the person who had just told me we could order off the full menu at the outdoor bar was there and I told her we had just learned we had to get a regular table to order from the full menu. Her reply, "Oh, sorry, I forgot." We then go back to the outside bar to wait for the pager to buzz. Surprisingly, it only took about 10 minutes for a table to become available. I go back to the outdoor hostess stand, walking by one of the three open tables we'll be seated at, and the waitress tells me I have to take my pager back inside before she will seat me. I just about lost my mind at this point!!! I keep my head cool and level, despite my frustration. I walk BACK into and through the restaurant to drop off the pager. The hostess says thanks and tells me to go back outside and find a waitress to seat us. Restaurant Manager: if you read this review, please fix this process! All the burden of finding a table is on your customers. Hire a real hostess for outside and either give her a stack of pagers or have her commit to memory who is on the wait list. I cannot believe how disorganized this was. The Nau-ti-Gal owners have owned restaurants in Madison for decades. This is rookie performance.
(2)I R.
A lovely spot in the summer with sub-par service. My husband and I have been to the Nau-Ti-Gal numerous times. We love the clam chowder (also available at Captain Bill's and Mariners Inn). Though the chowder did hit the spot tonight, the service certainly didn't. First, we followed the rules and went in to ask for a table outside - the hostess went to check if the table where she was going to seat us was ready, but came back and said that someone just walked up and sat at the table she was going to put us and there would be a 20-30 min wait. Um, why don't you politely say to the people who sat at the table designated for us to move or wait, but they won't do that as it may offend the customers (um, we're customers!). So we went outside and low and behold we see an available table so asked a near by waitress if we can sit there and she said sure - no wait needed. For dinner we ordered the chowder and since they don't serve any rolls with it we ordered some pretzels and specified to the waiter these were to go with the soups. I also ordered a fish sandwich and since you can request it in a wrap I asked for that. Instead of getting the soup first we got the soft pretzels and the sandwich and with a bun not in a wrap. After asking about the soups...they did arrive a short while later but after my corrected wrap sandwich. There were other little things with the service. And, though the food is good, the place seems to be staffed with high school kids with very poor training. We'll likely be back, but probably not until fall.
(3)Nina O.
That was a really frustrating experience. We've been here a couple times by boat because the location is great. I'm pretty sure our server was incompetent. There was a wait for service, a wait for food but apparently plates are in short supply because the server was clearing the table while we were still eating. That makes me nuts because it's rude. One of the meals was prepared incorrectly and had to be remade and it took forever. Sure they were a little busy when we got there but it was a ghost town by the time we escaped. The incorrect meal was not comped as I would have done had it been my call. That was weird. I'd suggest eating somewhere else but I wish it was better.
(2)Chico B.
Gone down hill big time I have gone to this restaurant many times in my life. In the 60's it was a tavern and bait shop that had boat rental. I had not been to the Nau-Ti-Gal for years, and when my daughter and her BF came up from FL for Christmas we decided to take them there as it is a unique location and I in the past the food was pretty good. Saturday 12/27/14 we got there at 6:30 and the place was dead, which I thought a little odd. My wife ordered the seafood salad, my daughter, her BF and I ordered the Prime Rib special of the night, each meal came with a cup of clam chowder. My wifes seafood salad consided of canned baby shrimp, and canned crab meat on lettuce and tomatoes. The Prime Rib was a dark red color which I later realized was a Sam's pre-cooked Prime, I've had before. Later that night I got a gut ache, which turned into several trips to the bathroom, my wife got it the next morning, I'm thinking it was the chowder. I won't be going back to the Nau-Ti-Gal and would not recommend to anyone else...
(1)Dave S.
We love this place as a local place to go. The nachos are awesome and the outside seating by the water is pretty cool. Would be 5 stars if there were more craft beer selections I'm an IPA fan so that makes my ratings tough if there aren't many IPAs on tap
(4)Jimmy F.
Had an incredible bowl of Clam Chowder -- holy crap it was good! They didn't cut any corners on this soup as it was rich as Donald Trump. I also had the Prime Rib -- which I've only once enjoyed out of the dozen times I've ordered it anywhere (I might as well stop ordering it) -- and it was nothing to crow about. A huge piece of meat made medium rare with minimal flavor and a large quantity of fat. However, the clam chowder was INCREDIBLE! WOW! Structurally, a great rectangular bar with cute nude brass mermaids set in it. Also, a nice salt water fish tank on display. Interestingly, the salads came with a small container of cookie dough. I don't get the gimmick, but my wife liked it.
(3)Peter Y.
It's a bit out of my way than I would have liked, but that's something I can deal with. The location is pretty nice, but watch out for outside seating + summer days. That's going to lead to a loooooooot of mosquito bites. Anyways, came here with a bunch of people for restaurant week, and got their 3-course meal deal. I got their clam chowder, surf & turf and brownie sundae. The clam chowder was very rich and creamy, with a ton of flavor. Definitely my favorite dish. The surf & turf was pretty good, though the waitress messed up our orders, and I ended up with medium well instead of medium rare. The steak was tough, but it was very tasty. The lobster was well seasoned and juicy, but the butter was a bit too oily for me. I also really enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes that came on the side. I didn't try too much of the sundae, since I was extremely full by the time it came to dessert, but from the few bites I've had; it was extremely rich and sweet. It was probably a bit too heavy for a dessert option, but oh well. The food was good and the location was ok, so why the 3 stars? Well, our service wasn't the greatest. I realize our waitress was new, but that's no excuse for messed orders and delayed service. One of my friends didn't get her drink until 20 minutes later. Buuut seeing as I'm a nice person, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and come back next time for a redemption meal :)
(3)Colleen D.
This joint earns an extra star from me because I could bring the dog. Food was okay. The baby walleye sandwich was dominated by the bread and I lost the taste of the fish. Cheese curds were very good but really, how can you screw up deep fried cheese? Not memorable and I sort of wished that I had waited to eat at the Madison Mallards baseball game.
(3)Elizabeth H.
Great location and nice staff. Regular food is pretty good, but their brunch is awesome!! Make sure to save room for the cookie dough!!
(4)Arthur S.
Grade: Pure Evil The blood or mysterious "red crust" on the beer bottles was a real bad sign...
(1)Matt W.
Eek! Methinks not indeed. I'm not one to throw out one star reviews lightly, but my recent dining experience at Nau-Ti-Gal really left me with no choice. It was the perfect storm of lackadaisical service, cheesy decor and a complete and utter lack of want by the kitchen. As I was dieting at the time, I decide to go with the seafood salad, since the restaurant has a nautical theme and the menu exclaimed the dish as the "Best seafood salad around!". A simple dish for a restaurant that proclaims the use of "fresh and local ingredients" on their website. What I received was a sad plate of wilted iceberg lettuce with a couple cherry tomatoes and some chunks of hard-boiled eggs tossed in. The seafood component of the meal was just as craptastic, an overdressed mix of tiny, canned shrimp and canned crab meat that the family cat won't touch. Just an utter fail from a kitchen that apparently takes no pride in what it serves. The only positive I can come up with is that I didn't wreck my diet that night as I barely touched my meal. My wife suffered a similar fate with her chicken salad. It had the same sorry looking greens topped with bland, overcooked strips of chicken breast meat. Again a simple dish that can be great with fresh, well prepared ingredients, but the kitchen failed to deliver. Service was sporadic for our group of 20 on a slow Thursday night at the restaurant. Wait times were long for both our drinks and food. Our server wasn't real helpful when looking for entree recommendations and I was disappointed that our server never checked in to see how our meals were. Our group as able to get separate checks, so there's a small positive. Cost for this forgettable experience was $35 for two salads, drinks and a mandatory tip. The waterfront location makes this restaurant a potential gem. It's too bad the owners have failed to capitalize on that potential.
(1)Blaire S.
Went for Sunday brunch. Edible items include bacon and funnel cake strips. Everything else appeared to have been purchased frozen from Sam's club.
(2)Max P.
Went for lunch and had the fish Fry. Great fish. Fast and friendly service. Did not give a 5 star review because we order two apps and they were out of both.
(4)Jim L.
Madison's boating and yachting community know this as a traditional old spot on the north shore of Lake Mendota east of Waunakee. Good fish fry and interesting decor.
(3)Sherry L.
The restaurant looks like a converted lakefront house, which offers a fantastic view of the docks in the area (it would have been awesome if it wasn't pouring during half of our meal). Our group of eight sat in the outdoor seating area under the awning, and was able to enjoy the warm weather and the view until the sun set (and the mosquitos started attacking). As part of the Restaurant Week deal, I ordered the clam chowder, the surf and turf, and the rocky road brownie sundae. The clam chowder was super rich and chock full of clams, but it was a little tooooo thick for my liking. Definitely felt a little like drinking gravy - as someone mentioned below. Still, I thought it was super cute that they served the chowder in a mug. Classic! As for the steak, I ordered it medium well, which got a few weird stares from my dining companions, but I like my meat cooked! The steak did end up being a little too tough and hard to chew, but at least it wasn't bleeding all over the place. Definitely nothing spectacular about the steak here though - I'd suggest ordering some sort of seafood instead. The lobster tail was phenomenal, and totally made up for the mediocrity of the steak. It was well-seasoned and tasted fresh, which, given the restaurant's location in the Midwest, was a nice surprise. The sundae was served super melted, which made it a lot less appetizing...It was also a little too heavy and too sweet to end the meal with. I ate a portion of the brownie, salvaged what I could of the ice cream, and sat back and waited for the check. Service was suuperrr slow and I don't think it was because it was only our waitress' first day on the job. The other servers didn't seem particularly accommodating either, and spent a lot of their time joking and messing around with each other. Our waitress gave us each $10 coupons at the end of our meal that we could use another time. I don't know if it was some sort of promotion that they were offering everyone or if it was her way of apologizing for the lackadaisical service. Who knows. For the $25 price tag, the starter/entree/dessert Restaurant Week combo was a great way to sample the menu. Now that I have though, I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Diane K.
Let's cut to the chase: food, drink, environment, band, and volleyball I loved my chicken stuffed seafood with hollandaise. Seafood salad was good but wasn't anything to write home about. There was a salmon salad someone ordered at the table, but it didn't come with a dressing and really could have used more flavor. The blueberry lemonade, which was $4, was a favorite of my friends. I tend not to like those flavors, but after three beers I enjoyed the contrast. The environment is worth the trip outside Madison. If you live on the water you can ride up on a boat. They have piers for guests. The band was really good for a Thursday. They have a sand volleyball court, so perhaps they have competitive leagues.
(4)Doug R.
Great location, very dated, friendly slow staff, awful food! All frozen or canned food here. Wife ordered a walleye sandwich...fish fillet from McDs is better. I ordered the seafood wrap with crab meat...how about no all inside was tuna and acidic watery mayo. Stay away....you've been warned!
(1)Laurie R.
Nauti-gal needs to get back to basics. Thoroughly clean the restaurant and focus on fresh, consistent, good quality food. The food is currently pretty nasty and not fresh at all. The atmosphere is pretty grungy, and the wait staff is surly. Not worth it. I won't be back.
(1)Jenny L.
I had a gift certificate for one free brunch so I went there with my mother (who happens to live across the street) one recent Sunday morning. There were very few people in the restaurant, probably because it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We were seated right away but it took a while for a server to come to our table. It really wasn't a big deal since it's a self-serve buffet after all, but we flagged down the manager because we had a question. Although the brunch is quite extensive, it is rather pricey at $16. Since my mother is a little older now, she doesn't eat a lot so we politely asked if she could just have a muffin or something small from the buffet and pay a reduced price instead of being charged for a full brunch. This manager (I didn't get her name) picked up the gift certificate and seemed perturbed by the very question! We heard an inaudible remark as she read it over, making it blatantly obvious she DID NOT want to accommodate this simple request. She reluctantly gave in and then walked away as if she was pissed that she agreed to it. Whatever her name, this so-called manager definitely does NOT belong in hospitality, much less in charge of a popular water-front restaurant! She only smiles when you are greeted, but otherwise has a general rough, hardened look to her. As I ate my meal, she made it a point to check our table to make sure my mother wasn't getting more that just a muffin as agreed-- (oh no!!) On top of that, they TAXED my FREE gift certificate! What a lousy way to treat your customers and such stingy business practices!
(2)Michelle H.
DO NOT EAT HERE!!! This was without question the worst meal that I have had at a restaurant. I can see going there for a drink as it has a pretty outdoor area, however the food is GARBAGE. We ordered the "customers favorite" Baby Walleye fish and iit was almost entirely breading with a little bit of tough and clearly frozen fish. The service was also terrible. We ordered salads, appatizers and entres and all were brought out at the same time. The waiter had to be reminded that a salad came with the dinner. When the meal ended, I had hardly eaten any of the food on my plate and not only did the waiter never ask if everything was okay, he didn't offer a doggy bag or ask if something was wrong with the food. Dinner for 2 was over $50 despite the fact that I could buy better fish in the frozen children's food section of a grocery store. DO NOT EAT HERE...IT WAS AWFUL!
(1)A D.
Location is 4 stars...the food and drink 1 star. One of the only places on the water in Madison (technically Westport) the location is great in the summer BUT.....the only reason this place stays in business is because of the location and because they close during the winter with the exception of weekends. The food is not good and over priced, the mixed drinks are weak. It is only worth going to drink beer and wine because you know what you are going to get. It is a real shame because the location is prime it just seems that they are relying on that and not the food or drinks
(1)Dave L.
Had Easter Brunch here today. We had a 1:45 Reservation and we arrived at 1:30. When we arrived I walked around to check out the buffet. This is not your normal buffet. It is set up in the bar and booths around the bar. We were seated in a small room and our server stopped and explained the Buffet and got our drink order. I ordered a Bloody Mary (more on that later). We went and got our plates off the booth seat (Really?) and ordered omelets from the Omelet bar. There were wonderful. My wife liked these French fry things that they had. The French Toast was good as well. The Prime Rib was too rare for our tastes and the Peel and Eat shrimp was peppery. Overall the food was good, but I am not sure we would go back for brunch. Pretty expensive at $26/person. Back to the Bloody Mary. I think it had a tablespoon of Celery salt and too much Worcestershire Sauce. I guess according to the server they make their own Bloody Mary mix. They can keep it if you ask me. I would have comped the drink as I informed the server that it was to my liking and I didn't drink that much of it, but that's just me. I should have returned it. IN her defense she did ask me if I wanted something else, but I am not sure if I would have had to pay for it or it would have been instead of? Overall an OK experience, but as stated before, I am not sure I would return for brunch.
(3)Beth P.
The fish is only ok. We went on a Sunday during brunch hours and the brunch looked ok, but it was far to expensive for what you appeared to get. The restaurant has a nice view, especially if you haven't been on this side of the lake.
(2)Kelly M.
this is a cozy cavernous neighborhood bar. A good "go-to" as far as I can tell. Service was good and I got the strong sense I was surrounded by locals. : ) We only had drinks, but it was just what we needed while we waited for our cocktail cruise to board.
(4)Gia P.
Stopped by to taste their Restaurant Week dinner. I had the salmon, my friend had the steak and lobster. Steak was a bit hard to chew and cut, but otherwise the food was great, staff was great, atmosphere was wonderful. Looking forward to going back for a shrimp boil!
(5)Joshua B.
We visited Nau-Ti-Gal on UW Madison graduation day as a celebration. We called ahead earlier in the week to confirm our party of roughly 12. They said no problem. We show up around noon? Sunday brunch is still going on, okay no worries.... Well they were closing after brunch so no lunch/dinner menu. We explained we intended on eating lunch. The waitress told us she would have to ask the cooks if this would be okay since they were going to close. She came back and told us that they said they could serve us. So we all ordered different entrees. I had a pasta, I can't remember the name for the life of me. It was pretty good, service was standard. I imagine this place is hopping in the summer considering it's location. I would go back.
(3)Mike M.
Went for the Sunday brunch. Wide assortment of items but quality lacking. Bacon and prime rib overcooked. Many items seemed to be out of the box and not home made. We questioned if it was clam chowder or sausage gravy. Don't ask what's in the eggs continental. Eggs Benedict were decent.
(1)Matt W.
Eek! Methinks not indeed. I'm not one to throw out one star reviews lightly, but my recent dining experience at Nau-Ti-Gal really left me with no choice. It was the perfect storm of lackadaisical service, cheesy decor and a complete and utter lack of want by the kitchen. As I was dieting at the time, I decide to go with the seafood salad, since the restaurant has a nautical theme and the menu exclaimed the dish as the "Best seafood salad around!". A simple dish for a restaurant that proclaims the use of "fresh and local ingredients" on their website. What I received was a sad plate of wilted iceberg lettuce with a couple cherry tomatoes and some chunks of hard-boiled eggs tossed in. The seafood component of the meal was just as craptastic, an overdressed mix of tiny, canned shrimp and canned crab meat that the family cat won't touch. Just an utter fail from a kitchen that apparently takes no pride in what it serves. The only positive I can come up with is that I didn't wreck my diet that night as I barely touched my meal. My wife suffered a similar fate with her chicken salad. It had the same sorry looking greens topped with bland, overcooked strips of chicken breast meat. Again a simple dish that can be great with fresh, well prepared ingredients, but the kitchen failed to deliver. Service was sporadic for our group of 20 on a slow Thursday night at the restaurant. Wait times were long for both our drinks and food. Our server wasn't real helpful when looking for entree recommendations and I was disappointed that our server never checked in to see how our meals were. Our group as able to get separate checks, so there's a small positive. Cost for this forgettable experience was $35 for two salads, drinks and a mandatory tip. The waterfront location makes this restaurant a potential gem. It's too bad the owners have failed to capitalize on that potential.
(1)Blaire S.
Went for Sunday brunch. Edible items include bacon and funnel cake strips. Everything else appeared to have been purchased frozen from Sam's club.
(2)Elizabeth S.
I would not recommend this place for a Wisconsin Fish Fry. There are plenty of other places with better food, service and that are cleaner. Not the best restaurant in town that I've been to. A disappointment.
(1)Chelsea W.
Was at nautical tonight. My boyfriend and I come almost every week. If you are up for a fun time and great service come while Jessie is working. What a refreshing personality. He is so nice and is always happy to serve you. He is attentive and great to talk to. We usually show up for cocktails, tonight we had nachos and they were delicious.
(5)Kyara M.
Expensive food considering the poor quality. Went here for restaurant week and wasn't too keen on their menu for the special occasion and order off the regular menu. I settled for their (I believe) orange popcorn shrimp as an app. For $9, all I got was salty and overly drenched with sauce a small specs of shrimp. Absolutely NOT worth $9. They need to rethink their $$$ on this or fix the recipe. For my entree, I order the crispy chicken sandwich. My sandwich was dry and nearly overcooked. At least it was thoroughly cooked considering I burned the roof of my mouth once I bit into it. The kicker for me was their being an upcharge for fries... Pathetic. Any place that charges you extra $ for subbing fries instead of something like coleslaw is not for me. What a rip off. My boyfriend did order from the Restaurant Week menu. He had the surf and turf being lobster tail and a steak. The TINIEST steak and lobster tail I've ever seen. Considering it cost $30, you better cook to impress. This place is a total rip off. You'd be better going to Red Lobster for seafood. Also, fix up the place. The decor is awful!
(1)Brian H.
Summer brunches at this restuarant can be really hit or miss. Specifically, the outdoor seating can make brunch unbearable. We went on a hot humid August morning, and our brunch was full of flies and mosquitoes. The humidity wasn't any better. The outdoor seating did allow an interesting view of boaters coming up the Yahara, parking, and eating. As for the food, it was a pretty standard brunch, nothing special. Lots of pastries and cakes, but nothing spectacular. Also, hit this place once for a snack and got some gator-bites, which were deep fried alligator. Nothing special, just real chewy deep fried meat.
(1)Elizabeth R.
Hmm, well let's just say, if there was a zero, I would give them a zero. I was really excited to try this place because I have heard such good things about their food. First, it is a generously set buffet. However, half of the food looks inedible. The ala carte area seemed like something you can not mess up. Bacon, sausage, turkey, mashed potatoes and eggs continental. I have NO idea what eggs continental means. There were no scrambled eggs but this off casserole of egg. It was weird and I have no idea what was in it. There was no description. The bacon was greasy and the sausages tasted old. The weird part? The turkey was all shaped the same. It looked like they were processed pieces of meat. The omelette bar was nice. It was your usual sort. The clam chowder looked old. VERY grey. I did not even attempt. The breakfast potatoes were old, cold and over seasoned. The salad bar was STRANGE. There was not a single simple salad. Everything was a unique salad type. While I commend their creativity, sometimes it is nice to have a plain greens salad. The highlight is the dessert bar. There is cake, bars and a make your ice cream station.
(1)Brooks R.
Asked for my steak medium and it came raw. The mushrooms tasted like they're cooked in dirt.
(2)Jesse B.
Whether it is drinks inside or outside at the bar, Nau-ti-gal is the fun spot to be. The brunch is delicious and so are the burgers and sandwich choices. Friday a draw in hungry fish fry patrons bit don't sweat it, the fish fry is available everyday not just Friday. In the summer you can pull your boat up.
(5)Alex M.
Five stars for summer spot, admittedly I only enjoyed the shrimp boil and an ice cold - band playing and spot make it automatically a great spot - restaurant appeared lively and full
(4)Jon C.
I can't say whether this place is convenient or not, only that it took a while from the hotel which really depends on where your hotel is. They say it's by the water, but I feel it's not close enough to the water as I can barely see it. There appears to be a bike trail nearby as I saw lots of bicyclists grab a drink here, the patio seems nice to grab a drink at. I hear this place has quite the history and they have a few restaurants in the area. The vibe inside is very dark and very different tan the outside, which still feels old but at least it's outside. The coconut shrimp is large, but tasted a little undercooked. The chowder which I was told is heart comes in this cup that looks quite nice and it is hearty indeed. A little bit thick but it has good amount of seafood in it. And when the food came out, there were pieces of it missing like sauces, salad in one case, fries in another. You really gotta come out at once, especially when it's the sauce advertised that it comes with! They have a good amount of beer on tap, and plenty of craft selection. I really liked their selection, seems well thought out with a good mixture of different kins. The service, they were nice but there are few points missing. They took almost 30 minutes before our drink order was taken. We had to go get our own menus. They seemed severely understaffed and could use a bit more education on the items. I know you have history, but I think they gotta get their act in gear.
(2)Michelle D.
I had one of those Madison Original's coupons for the Nau-Ti-Gal burning in my pocket so I went last night with my good friend. This is the first time I have been there. I was interested in the Happy Hour but I wanted to sit outside due to the beautiful summer afternoon. Our super cute waiter Jack was uber polite and enthusiastic about his service. I ordered a Spotted Cow while I waited for my pal to come. Plastic Chairs, cutesy menus, and Nautical Themes cover the patio. My friend and I both ordered the Fish Fry, W had the fries and I ordered mixed veggies. W ordered the clam chowder too. I got a taste of it and it is good. I would get that on a colder day. When the plates came out, I was shocked to see half of my dinner sized plate covered in veggies. Green Beans, Broccoli, Summer Squash, Red Peppers! Not the corn, peas, and carrots, I was think I was going to get. I was so pleased and excited. All the veggies were cooked so well. I ate a good chunk of them but I had to eat some of my fish, too. The batter was good on the white fish. I ended up taking the left over veggies home with me because they were too good to leave behind. The price was right and the service was good. I cannot wait to explore more of the menu.
(4)Pita F.
After my first review, the General Manager personally emailed me and wanted to know the specifics so they can improve. She also gave me cert for full amount of our dinner. I was impressed. We went back yesterday, and was very happy with the service (they did not know who we were until we paid) and the food. I will continue to go there for food in the future. I highly recommend them for restaurants in Madison.
(5)KT C.
We decided to go to Nau-ti-gal for restaurant week because they had a Key West themed dinner set and we were married in Key West exactly three months prior. We decided to make reservations since we figured it would be busy. When we called we were told the only opening they had was for 7:45 on a Thursday night. I thought that was odd but we booked it anyway. We showed up around 7:15 for our reservation. Figured we could get a drink and maybe the table would be ready early. When we arrived, we noticed many tables available for inside dining. We gave them our name for the reservation and immediately the woman told us "No, we don't have your reservation." We were shocked but told them to put us on a wait list to sit outdoors for dining. We were told it would be about a half hour. She also preceded to tell us we probably called the wrong number and made reservation at the Mariner. We sat at the outside bar and ordered drinks. We thought we had made reservations so we decided to call the number we called the day before to cancel the reservation if we had indeed made them at the mariner. When my husband called the host at Natuigal answered. Nope! we had called the correct number and yes, you didn't keep our reservation. We had barely gotten our drinks when we were buzzed for our table. I went back to the hostess and told her we were buzzed. She then told me to walk outside and find a staff member who would seat me. What?!?!? isn't that the entire job description of the hostess? to seat you? I walked outside and tried to find someone, who I had never met, to seat me. I found a bunch of servers and a woman who seemed "managerial". I told her I was buzzed and I was to find someone to seat me. She was extremely rude and asked "where is my buzzer, and how many people?" She rudely walked us to a table. Then we had the either most stoned or clueless waiter I've ever come across. SLOW and HORRIBLE. We each ordered off the restaurant week menu. HORRIBLE food. Shrimp extremely overcooked. Grouper with crab from a CAN. Come on! Side of vegetable was clearly a frozen vegetable mix. It's summer, get some fresh vegetables! Clam chowder was watery and not as tasty. We've had it at Captn Bills so we know how good it can be. not worth the $25. Would only go back for drinks to sit outside and listen to the band. If I ever go back.
(1)Katie C.
Super good fish fry, amazing clam chowder, good service and can't forget about the cookie dough! Yummm.
(5)Angi B.
Was grossed out on Sunday brunch. I think the food is horribly average. Nice to boat to for drinks
(2)Elizabeth H.
Great location and nice staff. Regular food is pretty good, but their brunch is awesome!! Make sure to save room for the cookie dough!!
(4)Arthur S.
Grade: Pure Evil The blood or mysterious "red crust" on the beer bottles was a real bad sign...
(1)Max P.
Went for lunch and had the fish Fry. Great fish. Fast and friendly service. Did not give a 5 star review because we order two apps and they were out of both.
(4)Jim L.
Madison's boating and yachting community know this as a traditional old spot on the north shore of Lake Mendota east of Waunakee. Good fish fry and interesting decor.
(3)Sallie Jo C.
This is near our house, so we like to pop in. The outdoor seating is great in summer, and the tropical menu is fun on a cold, winter day. Food is okay. Nothing I particularly crave between visits, but it is nicer than most waterfront joints where you can park a boat. I do enjoy the house salad. Strangely, it comes with a little side cup of chocolate chip cookie dough. I don't know why they include this, especially since cookie dough contains raw egg (I'm surprised there isn't some code they are violating), but I happen to love chocolate chip cookie dough and I can't wait to eat it with my salad. I tried something different tonight: curry chickpea and lentil stew. It was pretty good! I can't stand cilantro and was able to order the entree without it. My husband had a massive cheeseburger, which he loved. I can attest the fries were great as well. They leave some skin on and use a lot of salt. Yum. Now for the reasons this is a two star review instead of higher: The outdoor seating process is a complete cluster. If you enter the front door at the hostess stand and ask for an outside table, they tell you to go outside to be seated. OK, no problem. We'll go outside. Outside, we were told all tables were full and to go INSIDE to get a pager from the hostess. We saw open tables near the outdoor bar and asked if we could eat at those tables. The waitress said those were first come, first serve, and we could eat dinner there. She was very friendly about it, "Yes, they'll give you menus there and take care of you, but you just have to order from the bartender because there is no table service." We were good with that and grabbed a table. I went to the bar for menus and I was told we could only order appetizers in the bar section. I explained the waitress had just told us we could order off the full menu. Bartender's response: "Oh, was that the one in the orange shirt?" Me: "No, it was someone in a blue shirt." I'm not sure why that mattered but should not have been the response. Bartender says we have to go inside for a pager to get a table. By this time more customers are ahead of us in line. On a Saturday night, every place we'd visit with patio seating would be busy, so we decided to get a pager and wait. I get a pager from the inside hostess stand. I will skip writing about the conversation between the hostess and the waitresses since this review is getting long. However, I will note the person who had just told me we could order off the full menu at the outdoor bar was there and I told her we had just learned we had to get a regular table to order from the full menu. Her reply, "Oh, sorry, I forgot." We then go back to the outside bar to wait for the pager to buzz. Surprisingly, it only took about 10 minutes for a table to become available. I go back to the outdoor hostess stand, walking by one of the three open tables we'll be seated at, and the waitress tells me I have to take my pager back inside before she will seat me. I just about lost my mind at this point!!! I keep my head cool and level, despite my frustration. I walk BACK into and through the restaurant to drop off the pager. The hostess says thanks and tells me to go back outside and find a waitress to seat us. Restaurant Manager: if you read this review, please fix this process! All the burden of finding a table is on your customers. Hire a real hostess for outside and either give her a stack of pagers or have her commit to memory who is on the wait list. I cannot believe how disorganized this was. The Nau-ti-Gal owners have owned restaurants in Madison for decades. This is rookie performance.
(2)I R.
A lovely spot in the summer with sub-par service. My husband and I have been to the Nau-Ti-Gal numerous times. We love the clam chowder (also available at Captain Bill's and Mariners Inn). Though the chowder did hit the spot tonight, the service certainly didn't. First, we followed the rules and went in to ask for a table outside - the hostess went to check if the table where she was going to seat us was ready, but came back and said that someone just walked up and sat at the table she was going to put us and there would be a 20-30 min wait. Um, why don't you politely say to the people who sat at the table designated for us to move or wait, but they won't do that as it may offend the customers (um, we're customers!). So we went outside and low and behold we see an available table so asked a near by waitress if we can sit there and she said sure - no wait needed. For dinner we ordered the chowder and since they don't serve any rolls with it we ordered some pretzels and specified to the waiter these were to go with the soups. I also ordered a fish sandwich and since you can request it in a wrap I asked for that. Instead of getting the soup first we got the soft pretzels and the sandwich and with a bun not in a wrap. After asking about the soups...they did arrive a short while later but after my corrected wrap sandwich. There were other little things with the service. And, though the food is good, the place seems to be staffed with high school kids with very poor training. We'll likely be back, but probably not until fall.
(3)Nina O.
That was a really frustrating experience. We've been here a couple times by boat because the location is great. I'm pretty sure our server was incompetent. There was a wait for service, a wait for food but apparently plates are in short supply because the server was clearing the table while we were still eating. That makes me nuts because it's rude. One of the meals was prepared incorrectly and had to be remade and it took forever. Sure they were a little busy when we got there but it was a ghost town by the time we escaped. The incorrect meal was not comped as I would have done had it been my call. That was weird. I'd suggest eating somewhere else but I wish it was better.
(2)Chico B.
Gone down hill big time I have gone to this restaurant many times in my life. In the 60's it was a tavern and bait shop that had boat rental. I had not been to the Nau-Ti-Gal for years, and when my daughter and her BF came up from FL for Christmas we decided to take them there as it is a unique location and I in the past the food was pretty good. Saturday 12/27/14 we got there at 6:30 and the place was dead, which I thought a little odd. My wife ordered the seafood salad, my daughter, her BF and I ordered the Prime Rib special of the night, each meal came with a cup of clam chowder. My wifes seafood salad consided of canned baby shrimp, and canned crab meat on lettuce and tomatoes. The Prime Rib was a dark red color which I later realized was a Sam's pre-cooked Prime, I've had before. Later that night I got a gut ache, which turned into several trips to the bathroom, my wife got it the next morning, I'm thinking it was the chowder. I won't be going back to the Nau-Ti-Gal and would not recommend to anyone else...
(1)Dave S.
We love this place as a local place to go. The nachos are awesome and the outside seating by the water is pretty cool. Would be 5 stars if there were more craft beer selections I'm an IPA fan so that makes my ratings tough if there aren't many IPAs on tap
(4)Ted T.
Nau-Ti-Gal is close to home. This is our second visit in as many months. Both visits, the food has been delicious. Hospitality has been gracious. Tonight Bobby was our server, he did a nice job but seemed a little overwhelmed with the number of tables he had. I had the Wisconsin fish fry - I love that Nautigal serves this Wisconsin famous, fish fry dinner all the time not just on Friday nights. Our table dined on shark bites for appetizers - always excellent; house salad with a bowl of the famous Captain Bill's Chowder (always excellent), Baby Walleye sandwich, and coconut shrimp - all were delicious and equally enjoyed. The ladies tried Long Island Iced teas and a Key Lime Martini - an Old Fashioned and tap beers were also served - sorry to say, the cocktails were misses - almost like the bartender was mixing by reading a recipe...this was a Saturday evening and they were not real busy. Not sure, maybe an "off" night at the bar. None-the-less we enjoyed our visit, as we always enjoy the Von Ruetenberg's establishments. Nautigal is probably more fun in the summer as they are located on the Yahara River and mouth of Lake Mendota - but they serve great food all year round. Give them a visit, I'd like to hear what you think.
(4)Peter Y.
It's a bit out of my way than I would have liked, but that's something I can deal with. The location is pretty nice, but watch out for outside seating + summer days. That's going to lead to a loooooooot of mosquito bites. Anyways, came here with a bunch of people for restaurant week, and got their 3-course meal deal. I got their clam chowder, surf & turf and brownie sundae. The clam chowder was very rich and creamy, with a ton of flavor. Definitely my favorite dish. The surf & turf was pretty good, though the waitress messed up our orders, and I ended up with medium well instead of medium rare. The steak was tough, but it was very tasty. The lobster was well seasoned and juicy, but the butter was a bit too oily for me. I also really enjoyed the garlic mashed potatoes that came on the side. I didn't try too much of the sundae, since I was extremely full by the time it came to dessert, but from the few bites I've had; it was extremely rich and sweet. It was probably a bit too heavy for a dessert option, but oh well. The food was good and the location was ok, so why the 3 stars? Well, our service wasn't the greatest. I realize our waitress was new, but that's no excuse for messed orders and delayed service. One of my friends didn't get her drink until 20 minutes later. Buuut seeing as I'm a nice person, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and come back next time for a redemption meal :)
(3)A D.
Location is 4 stars...the food and drink 1 star. One of the only places on the water in Madison (technically Westport) the location is great in the summer BUT.....the only reason this place stays in business is because of the location and because they close during the winter with the exception of weekends. The food is not good and over priced, the mixed drinks are weak. It is only worth going to drink beer and wine because you know what you are going to get. It is a real shame because the location is prime it just seems that they are relying on that and not the food or drinks
(1)Sherry L.
The restaurant looks like a converted lakefront house, which offers a fantastic view of the docks in the area (it would have been awesome if it wasn't pouring during half of our meal). Our group of eight sat in the outdoor seating area under the awning, and was able to enjoy the warm weather and the view until the sun set (and the mosquitos started attacking). As part of the Restaurant Week deal, I ordered the clam chowder, the surf and turf, and the rocky road brownie sundae. The clam chowder was super rich and chock full of clams, but it was a little tooooo thick for my liking. Definitely felt a little like drinking gravy - as someone mentioned below. Still, I thought it was super cute that they served the chowder in a mug. Classic! As for the steak, I ordered it medium well, which got a few weird stares from my dining companions, but I like my meat cooked! The steak did end up being a little too tough and hard to chew, but at least it wasn't bleeding all over the place. Definitely nothing spectacular about the steak here though - I'd suggest ordering some sort of seafood instead. The lobster tail was phenomenal, and totally made up for the mediocrity of the steak. It was well-seasoned and tasted fresh, which, given the restaurant's location in the Midwest, was a nice surprise. The sundae was served super melted, which made it a lot less appetizing...It was also a little too heavy and too sweet to end the meal with. I ate a portion of the brownie, salvaged what I could of the ice cream, and sat back and waited for the check. Service was suuperrr slow and I don't think it was because it was only our waitress' first day on the job. The other servers didn't seem particularly accommodating either, and spent a lot of their time joking and messing around with each other. Our waitress gave us each $10 coupons at the end of our meal that we could use another time. I don't know if it was some sort of promotion that they were offering everyone or if it was her way of apologizing for the lackadaisical service. Who knows. For the $25 price tag, the starter/entree/dessert Restaurant Week combo was a great way to sample the menu. Now that I have though, I don't think I'll be back.
(3)Diane K.
Let's cut to the chase: food, drink, environment, band, and volleyball I loved my chicken stuffed seafood with hollandaise. Seafood salad was good but wasn't anything to write home about. There was a salmon salad someone ordered at the table, but it didn't come with a dressing and really could have used more flavor. The blueberry lemonade, which was $4, was a favorite of my friends. I tend not to like those flavors, but after three beers I enjoyed the contrast. The environment is worth the trip outside Madison. If you live on the water you can ride up on a boat. They have piers for guests. The band was really good for a Thursday. They have a sand volleyball court, so perhaps they have competitive leagues.
(4)Doug R.
Great location, very dated, friendly slow staff, awful food! All frozen or canned food here. Wife ordered a walleye sandwich...fish fillet from McDs is better. I ordered the seafood wrap with crab meat...how about no all inside was tuna and acidic watery mayo. Stay away....you've been warned!
(1)Laurie R.
Nauti-gal needs to get back to basics. Thoroughly clean the restaurant and focus on fresh, consistent, good quality food. The food is currently pretty nasty and not fresh at all. The atmosphere is pretty grungy, and the wait staff is surly. Not worth it. I won't be back.
(1)Jenny L.
I had a gift certificate for one free brunch so I went there with my mother (who happens to live across the street) one recent Sunday morning. There were very few people in the restaurant, probably because it was the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We were seated right away but it took a while for a server to come to our table. It really wasn't a big deal since it's a self-serve buffet after all, but we flagged down the manager because we had a question. Although the brunch is quite extensive, it is rather pricey at $16. Since my mother is a little older now, she doesn't eat a lot so we politely asked if she could just have a muffin or something small from the buffet and pay a reduced price instead of being charged for a full brunch. This manager (I didn't get her name) picked up the gift certificate and seemed perturbed by the very question! We heard an inaudible remark as she read it over, making it blatantly obvious she DID NOT want to accommodate this simple request. She reluctantly gave in and then walked away as if she was pissed that she agreed to it. Whatever her name, this so-called manager definitely does NOT belong in hospitality, much less in charge of a popular water-front restaurant! She only smiles when you are greeted, but otherwise has a general rough, hardened look to her. As I ate my meal, she made it a point to check our table to make sure my mother wasn't getting more that just a muffin as agreed-- (oh no!!) On top of that, they TAXED my FREE gift certificate! What a lousy way to treat your customers and such stingy business practices!
(2)Michelle H.
DO NOT EAT HERE!!! This was without question the worst meal that I have had at a restaurant. I can see going there for a drink as it has a pretty outdoor area, however the food is GARBAGE. We ordered the "customers favorite" Baby Walleye fish and iit was almost entirely breading with a little bit of tough and clearly frozen fish. The service was also terrible. We ordered salads, appatizers and entres and all were brought out at the same time. The waiter had to be reminded that a salad came with the dinner. When the meal ended, I had hardly eaten any of the food on my plate and not only did the waiter never ask if everything was okay, he didn't offer a doggy bag or ask if something was wrong with the food. Dinner for 2 was over $50 despite the fact that I could buy better fish in the frozen children's food section of a grocery store. DO NOT EAT HERE...IT WAS AWFUL!
(1)Jimmy F.
Had an incredible bowl of Clam Chowder -- holy crap it was good! They didn't cut any corners on this soup as it was rich as Donald Trump. I also had the Prime Rib -- which I've only once enjoyed out of the dozen times I've ordered it anywhere (I might as well stop ordering it) -- and it was nothing to crow about. A huge piece of meat made medium rare with minimal flavor and a large quantity of fat. However, the clam chowder was INCREDIBLE! WOW! Structurally, a great rectangular bar with cute nude brass mermaids set in it. Also, a nice salt water fish tank on display. Interestingly, the salads came with a small container of cookie dough. I don't get the gimmick, but my wife liked it.
(3)Colleen D.
This joint earns an extra star from me because I could bring the dog. Food was okay. The baby walleye sandwich was dominated by the bread and I lost the taste of the fish. Cheese curds were very good but really, how can you screw up deep fried cheese? Not memorable and I sort of wished that I had waited to eat at the Madison Mallards baseball game.
(3)Dave L.
Had Easter Brunch here today. We had a 1:45 Reservation and we arrived at 1:30. When we arrived I walked around to check out the buffet. This is not your normal buffet. It is set up in the bar and booths around the bar. We were seated in a small room and our server stopped and explained the Buffet and got our drink order. I ordered a Bloody Mary (more on that later). We went and got our plates off the booth seat (Really?) and ordered omelets from the Omelet bar. There were wonderful. My wife liked these French fry things that they had. The French Toast was good as well. The Prime Rib was too rare for our tastes and the Peel and Eat shrimp was peppery. Overall the food was good, but I am not sure we would go back for brunch. Pretty expensive at $26/person. Back to the Bloody Mary. I think it had a tablespoon of Celery salt and too much Worcestershire Sauce. I guess according to the server they make their own Bloody Mary mix. They can keep it if you ask me. I would have comped the drink as I informed the server that it was to my liking and I didn't drink that much of it, but that's just me. I should have returned it. IN her defense she did ask me if I wanted something else, but I am not sure if I would have had to pay for it or it would have been instead of? Overall an OK experience, but as stated before, I am not sure I would return for brunch.
(3)Beth P.
The fish is only ok. We went on a Sunday during brunch hours and the brunch looked ok, but it was far to expensive for what you appeared to get. The restaurant has a nice view, especially if you haven't been on this side of the lake.
(2)Kelly M.
this is a cozy cavernous neighborhood bar. A good "go-to" as far as I can tell. Service was good and I got the strong sense I was surrounded by locals. : ) We only had drinks, but it was just what we needed while we waited for our cocktail cruise to board.
(4)Gia P.
Stopped by to taste their Restaurant Week dinner. I had the salmon, my friend had the steak and lobster. Steak was a bit hard to chew and cut, but otherwise the food was great, staff was great, atmosphere was wonderful. Looking forward to going back for a shrimp boil!
(5)Joshua B.
We visited Nau-Ti-Gal on UW Madison graduation day as a celebration. We called ahead earlier in the week to confirm our party of roughly 12. They said no problem. We show up around noon? Sunday brunch is still going on, okay no worries.... Well they were closing after brunch so no lunch/dinner menu. We explained we intended on eating lunch. The waitress told us she would have to ask the cooks if this would be okay since they were going to close. She came back and told us that they said they could serve us. So we all ordered different entrees. I had a pasta, I can't remember the name for the life of me. It was pretty good, service was standard. I imagine this place is hopping in the summer considering it's location. I would go back.
(3)Mike M.
Went for the Sunday brunch. Wide assortment of items but quality lacking. Bacon and prime rib overcooked. Many items seemed to be out of the box and not home made. We questioned if it was clam chowder or sausage gravy. Don't ask what's in the eggs continental. Eggs Benedict were decent.
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