Tavernakaya

It was a lively active scene when we dropped in earlier this week. The restaurant is divided into a few sections-​bar, sushi bar, and tables. The menu is pretty diverse-​sushi, yakitori, noodles, salads, small and large plates. We ordered a few items and were not overly impressed. We started with edamame and two rolls-​tuna/​avocado and yellowtail. They were both fine. Hard to screw up edamame. The rolls were not well crafted and a few fell apart on the plate. We then moved on the pork gyoza, fried chicken buns, and the popcorn chicken. Of the three, the gyoza fared the best. The dumplings had a nice sear and the filling inside was flavorful. The bun, on the fried chicken bun, lacked the sponginess and softness that a good bun has. Flavorwise, it was just all right. The popcorn chicken was downright inedible. Upon her first bite, my girlfriend asked, «What am I eating». Was it skin? Was it meat? Was it an old leather shoe? Who knows but we did send it back and had it removed from our bill. Instead, we tried the three cup chicken. I thought it was good although the ginger should have been more prominent. At $ 14, I would question the value of the dish as well.
As a big fan of Umami, I would have thought the owners would have carried through the attention to detail and execution to this restaurant. After my first visit, it doesn’t appear to be the case.

We got seated right away, but at one of the strange elevated benches in the middle of the restaurant. Not the most pleasant for my back, but there was no open spot to move to at the time. That kind of seating concept seems strange to me, but then again, I’m not hip so maybe I don’t get it.
The okonomiyaki I thought was good, but I don’t have any other experience to compare it to. It was very thick (they gave me a steak knife to cut it with), had almost a potato-​y density to it. The miso ramen was meh, broth was decently flavorful but the noodles were way overcooked. Service, however, was excellent.
I saw signs in the (clean) bathroom that they have DJs at night which also seems odd to me. The space doesn’t conjure up a place conducive to music but see my «I’m not hip» comment above.
All in all, based on the prices and the A-​OK level of food satisfaction I probably won’t hurry back, but still wouldn’t mind trying it again sometime.

I was so excited to try Tavernakaya! I’m a big fan of izakayas and from the pictures I’d seen of the place, this was an interesting take on Asian fusion. I was especially keen on trying to the albacore ponzu, as there were beautiful pictures of it on Instagram!
The restaurant itself is beautiful. The aesthetics are pretty wonderful and it has a big-​city feel you won’t find in a lot of restaurants in Madison. I was impressed with now nice everything looked — and how packed the restaurant was early on a Thursday night.
We ordered the Satori to start, a yummy cocktail made of sake, pomegranate liqueur, orange juice, and cardamom syrup. Sweet and delish. We got the Albacore Ponzu — but they were out of albacore, so we got salmon instead. My dining companion loves salmon, so this was a good development for us! We also got the Korean Chicken Wings as a starter. The salmon was beautiful and delicious, but nothing special. The Korean Chicken Wings were sweet and did not have much «Korean» flavor to it.
Then, we both ordered a spicy miso ramen for dinner. I absolutely looooved that it was actually spicy, which is a rarity in Madison. But the spice overpowered any flavor and the broth ended up just tasting spicy and had minimal flavor.
Our server was very nice and attentive. She recovered well from a snafu with some dropped water glasses and made sure our water glasses were full the whole night. One thing that was problematic about the service: the placement of the tables near the windows was quite tight. That meant there was very little space between our table for two and the large party behind us. The waitstaff kept bumping into my chair and it became problematic, as there was no place for me to hang my purse (it kept getting bumped off the chair). The table behind us didn’t seem too thrilled about the arrangement and it seemed as if there was a better way to space out the seating so that the waitstaff didn’t have to squeeze through small spaces and the patrons could eat without smashing into one another.
Overall, I still think the Salmon Ponzu dish was beautifully plated — and the ambiance and décor are stellar. But the actual food itself and the issues with seating were enough to make me turn elsewhere for my Asian fusion meals.

My girlfriend and I loved our dinner at Tavernakaya!
We enjoyed great service despite how busy it was this particular Saturday night.
Our server did an excellent job providing descriptions and suggestions on the menu.
We ordered the Dragon Roll, Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken, and the Pork Gyoza to share.
Each dish had bold flavor, was served quickly, and was fairly priced.
I am originally from Madison, and I have dined at just about every restaurant downtown.
I highly suggest Tavernakya for an all around wonderful experience.
Tavernakaya is one of a kind, and provides a casual, yet intimate setting.
We will be returning as soon as possible!
FIVE STARS!

I have not eaten dinner at this place, but recently went to one of their late night events with DJ Boyfriend. Tavernakaya is a beautiful place and they have a great location. My friends and I were pretty impressed with the atmosphere and were looking forward to spending the night there.
Our moods quickly soured when we approached the bar for drinks. We were completely understanding that the place was extremely busy and that we’d have to wait to put in an order. However, their bartender continued to pass over us and instead served people who had not been waiting long. At first we thought it was just an honest mistake and he didn’t see us, so we were a bit more assertive and flagged him down. When he finally came over to us minutes later, he took our order and we thought we were all set. Next thing you know we notice him move on to other people and he never made our drinks.
We continued to stand there for at least another 10 minutes, repeatedly watching him serve other customers before us and completely ignoring us. We are still perplexed as tow hat we did to deserve this treatment, but needless to say, it put an extremely bad taste in our mouth.
Another friend of ours, who did manage to get a drink, let us taste his whiskey ginger. For a somewhat upscale looking place, we were all shocked that this was the absolute worst whiskey ginger we had ever tasted. We promptly left disappointed and confused.
I’d be willing to give it a second chance by visiting them during a less crazy night and try their dinner. But for now, I cannot give Tavernakaya more than 1 stars based on the poorest treatment I’ve ever received in Madison.

The design of the place is great with small izakaya style booth.
The cocktails were also good especially the Tokyo Mule.
But that’s it for the good reviews.
Unfortunately the menu is far from being Japanese. It mixes Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese altogether with American style food… which is weird considering the restaurant main theme.
As for the food itself, the maki were okay but the Udon noodles were not very tasty and well overcooked. I also ordered a medium/​rare steak which has at best medium and far from rare… and of course it cames with fries (good btw) but it is not what you expect in a Japanese style restaurant.
Overall not a very good experience!

Tavernakaya is a new and very modern Japanese Izakaya-​wanna-​be (personal guess from the name and the style of the place) on the square.
I have been there for dinner once but didn’t get a chance to write a review and now that I went there again for lunch, I decided to give my two cents.
Firstly, their lunch menu has a number of options, including Japanese inspired sandwiches/​burgers, ramen, sushi and maki combos and rice plates. However, I don’t think find their choices particularly special and worth trying. We ended up trying one of the ramen and some sushi combo.
The ramen was decent, the broth and the noodles are well done but the chasiu is lacking. The sushi was well okay, the quality of the sashimi is okay, however, the rice fell apart as soon as it was picked up. This should be looked at.
Also, I am not sure I understand why they include Taiwanese/​Chinese inspired dishes on the menu… Not sure what they are trying to focus/​sell as a restaurant. If it’s just another Asian fusion place, I guess I am not that bothered.

This place has promise, but they have a lot of kinks to work out. Service was very slow, and they completely forgot to bring out one of our dishes, despite 2 – 3 reminders. We finally gave up after almost 90 minutes waiting for a pork skewer. Burger and steak were ordered medium rare, they came out well done and medium (at best), respectively. Udon noodles fared similarly: definitely overlooked and having out in the kitchen too long. The hangar steak was okay, but well overpriced for the amount of steak (and I am happy to pay $$$ for a good steak). The burger was very tasty, and would probably be great if it was actually medium rare.
We shared several small plates with friends, and the pork buns and Korean fried chicken wings were pretty tasty. I’ll give it another shot, but the folks here have to get it together if they want to survive the competition in the booming downtown Madison restaurant scene.

I entered deeply skeptical of the idea — Asian fusion restaurants rarely do things well, as they emphasize style over substance and tend to be gimmicky. But now having actually tried it, I thoroughly withdraw my criticism. I have tried all the ramen place that I’m aware of (here, Umami, and the newly opened Ramen Kid), and of the three, I place this in highest esteem by a hair’s length.
For lunch, I had a bowl of their pork ramen with a miso soup base. I also had a chef’s choice of sashimi (7 pieces) and a cup of jasmine tea. The space itself is very pleasant. Large space, high ceiling, with the clean modernist aesthetic of other places on the Square like Graze. Now, the first crucial test — is the ramen broth savory? Yes! It’s miso-​based, not pork broth-​based, so it’s not so meaty as the tonkotsu that you might get at Ramen Kid and is instead more generally savory the way miso soup is. The pork slices were tender, and the ramen noodles were properly cooked (not soggy, but with texture and firmness). The sashimi was also really good. Maybe it’s because I haven’t had seafood for ages, but the sashimi tasted fantastic that day. If the fish had been frozen for some extent before, it isn’t apparent from the quality of the fish.
Five stars here doesn’t quite mean my usual five stars. Usually five stars for me means «good god this meal was divine». No, I won’t go so far as to order from here as my last meal, five stars merely that it is better than the other ramen places. And not by a huge margin — the ramen itself is on par with Ramen Kid, and it squeaks by because the ambiance and other accoutrements (especially their drink menu) of Tavernakaya makes it better. It’s also not the cheapest, so let that be a part of your calculations if you decide to come here. But as a whole, I must disagree with the majority and give Tavernakaya more credit than what my second-​hand impressions of the place first had me believe.

Tavernakaya is a new favorite for the food and atmosphere. It looks like it attracts great nightlife too, but I haven’t experienced that yet.
Some highlights include:
— Pork buns: another flavorful version available in Madison
— Take: I can’t get enough fish with rice ever. The California roll is the best I’ve had – and I’m totally against the idea of the Cali roll!
— TK Inferno Set: The scallop roll was surprisingly delicious. So sweet and simply complex.
— Korean Chicken Wings: Thick crispy outside with juicy inside and Korean vinegar wing sauce.
— Miso Ramen: Comfort in a bowl. The handmade noodles are excellent.
— Spiced Moscow Mule: Yaaasss!
— Seaweed Salad: I hesitate to put this on here, but it’s a nice, unique take on the standard seaweed salad.
Misses:
— Popcorn Chicken: Nice spice flavor, but they’re really dry and basic.
— Pork Belly Skewers: Awesome flavor! But two bites for $ 8??? NO!
— TK Bay: The scallops were wonderfully sweet, but this roll turned out mostly like cole slaw.
The service at Tavernakaya has been excellent! Boris and Trevor both rocked it when we were in. Enough good food and a great atmosphere to keep me coming back!

Went here for the first time tonight. Had pork buns, MC Hama roll, chicken wings and miso ramen. The pork buns were the one winner. The chicken wings were small, not very Korean and you could easily find them at Buffalo Wild Wings or any area bar. The MC Hama roll was supposed to feature jalapeño. We found none although the fish was fresh and supple. Finally the miso ramen was strangely sour. The noodles weren’t fully cooked and the pork slices were dry. For ramen, go to Umami. This just doesn’t cut it.
However we did have good service from our waitress Hannah. She gets two thumbs up.

The steak and fries were excellent, and we especially enjoyed the fries. One problem is that the steak was sliced for us, but not well enough that we could easily grab slices with our chopsticks. Pork belly skewer was not remarkable – couldn’t tell it was pork belly. I would order the crispy chicken wings again. I only sampled a bit of the miso ramen, which I would try again. Our table’s favorite item was surprisingly the fried rice. The rice simply had good wok flavor which can be rare and the bacon helped too.
One of the mixed drinks with herbs served in a martini glass was remarkably good, but now I can’t remember the name!
There were disruptions with the service. Runners took a drink and an small plate before they were finished (there was a little left, but they still should have asked).
Next time I will probably order an entrée rather than a lot of small plates, as I missed out on some of the entrees.

This place is definitely one of a kind in Madison– probably in all of Wisconsin. It’s modeled after street food places in Japan so there are meats on skewers and small bites. But there is also sushi and noodle dishes.
First thing, the vibe and décor is very hip but not overally trendy. Food is most important but its nice to eat in a beautifully appointed place sometimes. We were greeted right away by friendly hosts and seated at one of their few booths. They also have plenty of large open tables for bigger parties.
The menu was very manageable but diverse. I ordered beef curry udon. It was not what I expected– I thought it would be soupy but the curry was thick sauce on top of noodles. I loved it! Actually surprised with something for once. The curry was very subtle but all the flavors were there. The noodles were perfectly chewy. It was a very hearty dish with the beef, noodles and curry/​potatos so it was nice to have it be less soupy.
I also ordered a non-​fish sushi roll with fried kale. It was really yummy but a bit on the tiny side.
We also tried their fries which were sprinkled with a Japanese sesame seasoning. Fries stayed crispy and came with aioli dip.
Overall, this place has so much potential to bring new flavors and food to the Madison scene. I thought the prices were very reasonable– came out to about $ 40/​for two of us including one beer. It is located on the square next to Walgreens so super easy to find and great for date night or night out with friends. It is a buzzing, fun, kind of atmosphere or you can ask for one of their back booths for more intimacy.

The most positive aspect of this restaurant is the décor. The clean lines, high-​top wood tables, dark wood accents and other design elements are attractive, as is the view of the capital.
The food was okay. Many of the lunch items are fried, this is WI, I get that, but it isn’t very Japanese (or Chinese). I had sushi, my meal arrived 10−15+ minutes after my compatriots, which was a bit awkward. As a former service industry worker (and someone who eats at restaurants), I thought this was strange/​unprofessional.
Additionally, server forgot the miso that accompanies the meal – I was too sheepish at that point to ask for it. The sushi itself was unimpressive overall, but the eel/​tuna tasted fresh (I found myself longing for Muramoto’s lunch roll combo).
Overall, I like the idea of this place – it’s not really an izakaya (izakaya’s are more like Japanese tapas – you share plates, relatively inexpensive, etc.). This is more of a Japanese/​Chinese/​American fusion restaurant with Japanese décor and overpriced food. Maybe I should temper my expectations, I was hoping for a more traditional izakaya.
Positives: Togarashi spiced fries. Togarashi on anything is my favorite and the fries did not disappoint. My friends liked their lunches (tofu curry and cauliflower general tso’s – but again, both of these items are fried).
I will give it another chance and I hope they get their stuff together.

This is a tough one. I really wanted to give them a better rating.
I ordered the shrimp tempura udon noodle bowl. Noodles were very chewy. I sent it back and ordered the 3 cup Taiwanese Chicken instead. The chicken coating was gummy and the dark meat inside was very fatty. It arrived lukewarm as the replacement for my previous dish.
My daughter loved the chef’s choice sushi she ordered. It came with a California roll. The hub had veggie fried rice. He liked it because it was moist and not greasy. They shared Korean fried chicken wings, which they said were very, very good.
On a previous visit I did try the veggie bun with crispy tofu, and that is by far my favorite right now.
The atmosphere is mostly ahead of the food that I have tried so far. I’d probably come back to the veggie bun, but that’s about it.

We went on a Friday night. The waitress explained the restaurant as a fusion between Japanese and a Wisconsin tavern.
If 3.5 stars were an option that is what I would give them.
I ordered a Toyko Mule which had so much ginger I could barely drink it. We decided to split some dishes. First we ordered the gyoza. The pork dumplings were okay. They had a lot of fluid in them which made them virtually impossible to eat with chopsticks. I dropped one of mine on the table but ate it anyways. Next we ordered the TKO sushi roll. It had bacon, pineapple, avocado and seared tuna. It didn’t taste bad but with Muramoto around the corner you have to do better. Next up was a pork belly skewer. Dry and boring. Finally we got the Udon XO which was the best dish of the night. It was flavorful and tasted like great lo mein.
The service was pretty decent considering how new they are.
Worth a second try but they need to up their game if they are going to survive on the square.

My wife and I were venturing out on our first date since the birth of our daughter. So our expectations were a bit high and Tavernakya did not disappoint. It was their first Friday night since opening and there were some service related signs of being new. I think at least 3 dishes were brought to our table that we did not order, only to be immediately removed. But overall service was quick, attentive and friendly.
And the food, so good. We ordered the chicken wings, steak and beef noodles. All excellent and just the right amount for two hungry, sleep deprived and overly excited to be out of the house adults.

I wanted to love this experience because I was SO excited for Tavernakaya to open. Of course I had to go opening week, and perhaps due to that newness factor, I had the unfortunate experience of suffering through some definite issues that need fixing. First, positives– the space is strikingly beautiful, the menu had something for everyone, and our server was very sweet and attentive in the face of what was probably a really stressful night for her. My boyfriend declared his General Tso’s Chicken ($ 14) flawless, and my daughter went with the classic miso ramen, which was every bit as good as it is at Umami (Tavernakaya’s sister spot).
Now, the issues– the one thing everyone in our party was irritated by was that it was absolutely freezing in the restaurant. Most tables around us complained; we just kept our winter coats on. The glass doors which make up the front of the space, seemingly designed to give TK (as our server kept calling it) an inside/​out feel in warmer seasons, don’t shut all the way– or weren’t properly sealed– whatever the issue, a 32 degree breeze was drifting through the dining room the whole time. Secondly, when my friend ordered her sushi roll, we were warned that it would take some time. Our server said sushi was running 40 minutes to an hour wait. She ordered it anyway. Her roll (just one maki roll) did indeed take an hour, but to Tavernakaya’s credit, they did not charge her for it– which was a welcome and appropriate surprise.
I’ve been to several other izakaya style restaurants and totally love them– I especially like robata skewers and the shareable plate style menu– so I appreciate what Tavernakaya’s trying to do, but the skewers I ordered were both problematic. Shiitake mushrooms were bone dry and extremely salty– and $ 8 for 8 small mushrooms total (about 4 to a skewer). That portion at that price didn’t seem apace with the pork belly skewers, which were also $ 8 and probably twice the size, and accompanied with a fantastic spicy mustard. Alas, the pieces of pork belly– nearly all of them, all but one in fact– had tiny chunks of bone in them, which made it hard to enjoy, especially off a skewer. I ordered hot sake; it came out cold; I said I’d drink it anyway. Second hot sake also came out cold. Our poor server finally admitted they didn’t really have a «hot» sake– only «warm» and chilled. Timing and service aside from our main server was weird– over the course of the night, 3 other people dropped food and drinks at our table, and I do mean dropped. Everything came out separately (not a single plate came out at the same time) and was set on our table unceremoniously and silently (followed by the surly expediter abruptly turning away). After eating the two sets of skewers, I was still quite hungry, so figured I’d pony up for a large plate. I ordered the Miso Salmon ($ 19) which was described as broiled miso-​marinated salmon with bok choy. That’s exactly what it was. What it wasn’t: a «large plate.» I wouldn’t even call it a lunch portion. The salmon was okay– good flavor– but the bok choy was literally one stalk of baby bok choy, sliced in half, steamed to a slightly tough al dente with no sauce, butter, or seasoning to speak of. Quite bizarre– almost as though it had been microwaved. The salmon itself was about half the size I’d expect for that price. (or as my friend pointed out, about a third the size of Tempest’s entrée salmon– maybe 3 ounces?) It also came with a side of rice, which hadn’t been on the menu… I don’t eat rice so left that aside. Finally, my friend’s sushi roll ($ 17 for the T.K. Bay:
Scallop, cucumber & tempura crunch topped with wasabi shrimp salad) came out, which she said was alright, but definitely smaller (8 pieces) and less filling than cheaper rolls at Red or Muramoto.
I think there’s a TON of potential for Tavernakaya, but I hope they figure out portioning/​pricing /​staffing soon. Other friends who also saw fit to eat there in week one had better experiences ordering some of the more «standby» options like pork buns, dumplings, etc. It would be great to be able to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere and leave full and happy– I predict that once the kinks are worked out, I’ll be there all the time.

Amazing atmosphere and concept. What a beautiful and welcoming place. The menu is a delight, it doesn’t often happen that I come across this many options that I’d like to try.
Highlight for me was the ponzu steak with frites, incredibly tender and tasteful steak. Mushroom skewers were another highlight, with a delicate taste of their yakitori grill.
I was delighted to see that their amazing buns from Umami made it onto the menu. Prices are very fair.
Can’t wait to come back.

So, I’ve been stalking this place for months waiting for it to open. Seriously. And I’m so happy to see it finally open! What a gorgeous restaurant! And great food! I can tell already that they will be a wonderful addition to the Madison food scene.
First up, the atmosphere: It’s beautiful inside. It feels like a place you’d want to hang out. More tables than bar space, but that works considering their menu! Asian themed without being too in your face or stereotyping.
The drinks: I loved the Tokyo mule! Just the right amount of spice for me, with the fun choice of soju instead of vodka. I also got the mono no aware, which was good too, but perhaps a little too complex to have with dinner. Lots of good flavor layers. Andrew at the bar was very nice and checked in with me to make sure everything was good.
The food: Woo! All your favorites from Umami are here too! The classic pork buns, renamed the «o.g.» pork buns here, accurately, are still on point. I tried to get the new and different options though, so I left the awesome ramen for another day and sampled the korean spicy wings (split with another), the chicken bun (split), the sashimi, and the beef noodle soup. Amazingly, it didn’t end up being too much food… Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but definitely good for this trial experience!
The crispiness of wings was very good, but could have just a little more time in the marinade. The chicken bun was very yummy, but… I think I would choose the pork bun over it. How can you pass up those pork buns??? Definitely worth getting though, and now I’m considering a future where I just get buns for dinner… The sashimi was good, but a little expensive for my tastes. 6 pieces for $ 16 is a hefty price tag, even though they were fresh and good sized pieces. Finally, the beef noodle soup. Pretty good! Udon noodles, to me, aren’t exactly the right noodles to go with that soup (I prefer skinny noodles) but the broth was very good. I was hesitant since the menu mentioned some spices I don’t normally associate with beef noodle soup, but it was very well balanced!
The service: The one drawback to our experience. Not that this was bad service at all (but my friends also tell me I’m too nice about this sort of thing, so be your own judge)! Seems like they’ve just got some kinks to work out. Our group of six first got seated at the sushi bar. Okay, cool view, but kind of odd because then we couldn’t actually talk, so we requested to change to a table, which they were very nice about. The ordering was a bit hapazard – my side of the table ordered appetizers and the other side ordered their full meals, which we figured out after a little while and caught up on ordering, but that meant our food came out at weird times. There also was some confusion on what we ordered and who ordered what; one of my friends got served another table mates’ order and proceeded to eat it, thinking he misordered, and we only discovered the mixup when his original entrée showed up. Again, they were very nice about it and comped the meal of the poor guy without a dinner, but definitely unexpected!
First night jitters? Overall, TL;DR: we will be back! Good food, great atmosphere, they might just need a little time to settle into being open!