Freddy Valentine’s Public House

Such great consistency when eating here. From the food, to the service and atmosphere. The owners are always pleasant, home made desserts are To Die For! I have yet to try all the items on their menu, but each one I’ve had… DELISIOUS! Don’t miss out if you’re passing through this Great little town!

We went to House on the Rock and wanted lunch afterwards. We accidentally found this place. I saw the building and thought it was so beautiful and then saw that it was a restaurant. Once inside, the place was packed. The décor was splendid. We waited a good 15 minutes to get a seat. It was well worth the wait. I am always in search of the best burger. Since we are from the twin cities, there are many to choose from. The public burger beat them all in 2015. It was my fav for the whole year (I eat a LOT of burgers from greasy spoons to hoity toity). Juicy, perfectly cooked, flavorful grass-​fed beef. Fabulous local cheeses, soft grilled bun, great bacon. YUM! My wife had the grilled cheese. Triple decker, 3 kinds of local cheeses. It was the best she’s ever had. Two knock out plates! For 2 foodies that abhor mediocrity in dining, the Public hit a grand slam!

We were literally in the restaurant for no longer than 30 minutes from order to exit. The atmosphere was kind of cold, quiet and not terribly inviting. You couldn’t hear the music and it seemed that everyone was whispering to avoid hearing conversations at the tables that were all very closely spaced. We felt the wine was over priced and not great, and the old fashioned was not muddled. When we asked the waitress about muddling, she said, «We don’t do that unless you ask,» not picking up on the fact that we preferred a muddled old fashioned still. She suggested that we would have to order another to have it muddled.
We split a salad, which was decent — not overly delicious, but decent. We then split an entrée — pulled pork shoulder over creamy cheddar jalapeño polenta with some sort of fruit relish. It sounded amazing, but when it arrived at our table, the presentation was lacking, but I was hopeful that it tasted better than it looked. My first two bites were big hunks of slimy pork fat. It dug around to find some meat, which was fine, but definitely not anything special. When the waitress offered the ONE dessert on the menu, we ordered it. I thought she said it was $ 10, but thought that I either misunderstood, or else it would be well worth the $ 10 for the chocolate gâteau with two of the tiniest scoops of vanilla custard I had ever seen. Up until the dessert, I would have most likely given the place another chance, but after the $ 10 lamest dessert ever, we were so irritated that we decided we would not be returning.
We really had high hopes and had heard wonderful things about the restaurant, so it was highly disappointing. I’m hoping that a poached egg on top of the leftovers will improve the dish in the morning.

Great food (I had the tilapia and jambalaya… YES!) and food server (nice gal and attentive with food and drinks) but I was annoyed at the bar staff who seemed disinterested and inattentive. There was a special drink on the menu that we asked for and we were told they couldn’t do it because it was seasonal and it was no longer in the system. This is after we tipped $ 5 on our initial drink tab of $ 10. Kinda difficult to accept.
I recommend the place but skip the drink before dinner!

Great place with kind and quick staff. Lovely atmosphere. The reason for four stars is because I feel like the food selection could be larger. Everything I have ordered is good food, but nothing spectacular or rememberable. Will go back again, but not in a rush to do so.

We stopped for lunch on Thursday on our way for a fall color drive. We both had the fish sandwich and it was outstanding. The building is a joy to see (we are old building adaptive use fans). The service was good and the meal came quickly and was well presented. We both said that we will drive over from Madison just to eat here again.

Stopped by there yesterday for dinner — almost perfect… Loved the atmosphere here. My husband and I both agreed that the long wait time was due to lack of wait staff rather than delay in the kitchen. They could use at least one more waitress here. Salmon was technically cooked to perfection but could have used a little salt and pepper prior to being smothered with a wonderful sauce. We will be back — a little earlier in the evening.

I can speak for the rest of our Party of 4, this was a great experience! We were in a rush, noticeably in a hurry and HUNGRY… the host was very gracious and the service exceptional. Thank you also to the other patrons who, unlike our group, got lost and needed to get to the theater in time. The food was delicious. Atmosphere stellar. Hope to get out that way to spend a more relaxing evening at this place. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Zagat guide take notice.

As far as restaurants in Spring Green goes, this is fantastic. I wasn’t expecting the food to be this innovative in such a small town.
And really, it isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it sure is delicious. It’s pretty classic pub fare with some nice modern touches.
Came here for dinner before a show at the American Player’s Theater. The place was busy, we got the last open table in the restaurant. The building is beautiful, in an old bank, I particularly enjoyed the tiled floors in the bar area. Even with the restaurant being packed, the kitchen moved quickly.
I had the «Mad Fashion» which is essentially an old fashioned, with rum instead of brandy. Was a welcome twist on a Wisconsin classic.
As an appetizer, we got the sweet potato fries. They were crisp and light, with sea salt. Served with a garlic aioli that was enjoyable. If I was to provide one criticism of this place, it would be that the selection of apps should be expanded. There were only about 6 choices.
For the entrée, I had the Deuces burger. It was a ½lb beef patty with smoked brisket and smoked cheese (Gouda, I believe?) topped with fresh spring greens. The burger was cooked to perfection and I enjoyed the flavor that the brisket added to the burger. This probably ranks among the top 10 burgers I’ve had in my life.
My mom had the steak tacos which were delicious as well. Strip steak dusted with chili, served with a chipotle aioli and citrus slaw. There was pico de gallo on it as well, but they could have thrown a little bit more on the taco.
I really wasn’t expecting much with this restaurant. But, I was pleasantly surprised.

Great place on all counts. We enjoyed the space, with a table overlooking the kitchen (behind what was once the exterior windows of the bank).
Service was friendly and efficient. Our server was knowledgeable about the dinner and bar menus. Our food arrived impressively quick! Because we had an open view of the kitchen, we could see every delicious-​looking menu item being plated. After we tasted our burgers, we wanted to air high five the cooks, but they were dutifully at their work. ;)
The Public House burger (with bacon & white cheddar) was so good I didn’t need to add any condiments– even after ordering it without the horseradish sauce listed in the description. My top shelf margarita was good as well.
My husband got an old-​fashioned and the Double Deuce burger, medium-​rare, topped with a hearty portion of deliciously smoked & lightly sauced bbq brisket. He loved it. He actually said «Thank you for bringing me here» with a satisfied smile. The hand cut fries were fresh and crisp, and the side salad was a nice mix of fresh greens.
There is a small comfortable looking patio, which we would enjoy if we get to come back in the summer months.

This is a fun place! We love a restaurant with fresh food and unique options. Would love to go back :)

Super! Great! Awesome!!!
Very nicely prepared and fresh. The fries, both sweet potato and traditional, were fresh, not greasy and mmmmmm good!

We had a very satisfying dinner at Freddy Valentines in Spring Green after attending a play at American Players Theatre. The restaurant is in an old bank in downtown. There was a wait and the bar was busy, we waited very comfortably on the patio with a a bottle of Wollersheim winery Prairie Fume. Dinner was very good and the service attentive. We ate chicken wings w buffalo and barbecue sauces, my husband had the salad of the day with salmon, and I had a portobello mushroom wrap with chicken and a salad on the side. It was great! The salad dressings are homemade. We were very satisfied and would return with no hesitation. Thanks to the Unilocalers who guided us here with their reviews!

Fun time in the casual atmosphere at Freddy Valentine’s in Spring Green Wi — near Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright, House on the Rock, Art Fair, American Players Theatre and Governor Dodge State Park. Check out the architecture of the old bank building and the excellent restoration that includes many of the original bank features. Want reservations — the vault room is the only reservable table in the restaurant. Owners, David and Jeanane visited our table to say hi and answer our curiousities about the original State Bank of Spring Green and their energy to launch a restaurant tribute to David’s late father. I had the chicken club with a NightCall, smoked porter from Madson’s Karben4 and she dined on a perfectly presented Turkey Reuben with sweet potato fries and a glass of her favorite Seven Falls. Everything was delicious and Jeanane’s service was friendly and efficient as she bustled from behind the bar and table to table. It was a fun and filling visit. Stop by Freddy Valentine’s the next time you’re in the Spring Green — House on the Rock area, I think you’ll be glad you did

We were visiting the Spring Green area and stopped in at Freddy Valentine’s. Everything I read said that their Shepards Pie was the thing to order. It was a large meal, lots of mushrooms, gravy, and mashed potatoes on top & 2 pieces of toast. However I did not find any Beef in it… there should have been. I was extremely disappointed. I ate about half of it and could not eat anymore mushrooms. The waitress asked what was wrong and when I said there was no meat she just asked if I didn’t like mushrooms? My response was not my entire dinner. If you eat here try something else. The dinner salad was very tasty and a good size. A friend had the BBQ beef dinner and Had a big pile of Beef. We figured he had my beef too. The waitress did discount my Shepards pie 20%, but that still made it a $ 14 or $ 15 pile of mushrooms.

If you’re in Spring Green and hungry, this place is a must. The location (in an old bank building) is charming, the staff was great and the food is excellent. Fresh and reasonably priced. If this place was in my Chicago nieghborhood, I’d be a regular!

Outstanding Rueben. Great old bank building. Excellent service. Quality food from scratch at great pricing. Can you please move to my neighborhood!

We spent the night in Spring Green after visiting Taliesen. All the locals we asked for dinning recommendations said Freddy V’s, but it being in a small town with limited choices, I didn’t have high hopes.
I was wrong! The food and service were great! They pride themselves in local ingredients and it showed. I had a fabulous beef stew made with local beer, beef, and veggies. Incredibly savory broth and very tender beef and veggies. It was the nights special so you won’t find it on the regular menu. Peg had the Shepard’s Pie from the menu. It was a classic version and very tasty.
They have a great beer menu but if you go late in the tourist season like we did, you will find them thinning the herd. Well worth the stop!

Party of 6 for dinner after APT show about 6:30 pm on Saturday night. It was very busy but they did a great job getting us seated earlier than projected. Plus there are some fun little shops that you could poke your head into while waiting. Also have a nice bar area with a fantastic selection of drinks. Lots of great local brews on tap and a good cocktail drink menu. The blueberry sangria was excellent!
Tried the trout dip and nachos with chorizo for appetizers. Smoked trout dip was excellent but the nachos were just ok. Son had the black bean burger and loved it! Other highlights were the ribs and the Shepherd’s Pie although all of our food was great.
Overall a great night. Certainly «big city» quality dining experience in Spring Green! Will definitely be back again!

It was hard to get a good recommendation for dinner restaurants in iowa County. When I go to Wisconsin, its because I need a reprieve from Mexican food. Every couple weeks, I escape Chicago to America’s dairyland for mouthfuls of butter and cow.
Freddy Valentine’s had a high aggregate rating, and what I read and saw of the restaurant on the internet spoke of good choices. The menu highlights local ingredients, vegetables in season and beef from nearby. The beer list has many WIsconsin brews unavailable in Chicago.
When we arrived in Spring Green I was struck by the beauty of the town. We had just driven through rolling farmland past the House on the Rock, and here was a quaint downtown beside the Wisconsin River. I was very hungry.
My girlfriend got the summer burger, with the grass fed beef, medium rare. There were some excellent touches to that thing, on a pretzel bun. The beef was grilled perfectly and the juicy, earthy flavor spoke to the quality of the cow. I ate my girlfriend’s burger.
I also ate my entrée, grilled chicken with Southeast Asian essence combined with summer vegetables. The service was very good, and as the restaurant has taken over a bank building, the main dining room’s window look onto the kitchen’s pass.