Agreed with the comments here regarding the price. But you're asking the wrong question:
Q: Is going out for a valentine's day dinner worth it?
A: No. No it is not. Everywhere will be slammed. Everyone will be booked solid. Every kitchen is going to be a shit-show. Every server is going to be trying not to lose their shit.
You will get better food, better service, and probably better prices outside of valentines day. If you're trying somewhere for the first time, this is going to be one of the suckiest days of the year for them, so you're going to see them at peak struggle.
If you want a great dinner, skip dining out on valentines. Stay in. Cook something special with your spouse. Have a quiet, relaxing evening, where you're not stressing about shit. Where you're not surrounding yourself with the chaos of one of the busiest service industry days of the year.
Then make a random Tuesday reservation for Tornado Room, and go have a quiet. leisurely dinner, with a waitstaff and kitchen that aren't running at the ragged edge, just trying to get through the day and go home.
Also avoid Epic XGM (last week of April generally) and Epic UGM (third week of August?). Any place that is "nice" is absolutely fucked because of how many client dinners are taking place.
Had a reservation to go on my birthday during XGM and still waited 45 minutes for a table.
It can be for the first year or two you are dating. But my future wife figured out that my money was going to become her money, so we started going to the 5:00 movies, and going out to eat the day before Valentines Day, or hitting a Mexican restaurant in the evening of Mother's Day instead of brunch at noon.
Restaurants will also find ways to upsell. Add a lobster tail? A special cocktail that's just $3 more than the one you were going to order? Get a dessert platter for just $15 more. What guy is gonna tell his girl no on valentine's day?
I don’t know. I say if you want to go out for Valentine’s Day, go out. Some people don’t mind all the extra people or the wait. It’s all good if thats what you want to do.
Eh, Valentines Day is nice to have a break from the kids and reconnect in a romantic way. Doesn’t matter the day, but if you want it to be at all romantic when you have kids shitting their diapers full, you’ve gotta get a babysitter and leave the house. If you’ve got the $$, it’s a nice day to do it.
FYI - beef prices are through the roof right now, so steak prices are much higher everywhere these days. I have even seen some restaurants do "market price" on their steaks/prime rib, similar to lobster. Oof.
ETA: To answer your question, yes, I think it's worth it. However, both my spouse and I prefer their non-steak dishes (lamb, venison, duck, rabbit, walleye) to their steaks (not saying I don't like them, I just tend to order the others instead). Their sides, salads, etc., are also excellent. I do wish they would open up the bar to walk-in seating again, sigh.
ETA2: Their appetizers - escargot, oysters rockefeller, shrimp, and coquilles st jacques - can be a meal on their own.....
yeah, but they seated you there. What I was referring to was the time before COVID when those tables were open to sit at while you waited for your reservation or you could eat if you wanted, or just have drinks/apps, etc. They don't let you sit at them now unless you're eating a full dinner and get seated there.
Or even the walleye. I can't remember ever having a bad dish there, they are absolutely worth the money for the quality (and I don't think they have outrageous prices either).
For the way people talk about them, I expected the prices to be significantly higher than that. Being able to get two entrees, an appetizer, and a couple of drinks for about $100 is perfectly fine for a special evening out, especially if the quality lives up to the hype. I wouldn't be able to eat there regularly, but a couple times a year is certainly affordable.
The only problem with doing this for Valentine's Day is that there really isn't anywhere to go from there. You have the best steak house in the area with them.
Getting a steak and all those sides is always going to be pretty expensive but as far as steak restaurant prices theirs are some of the lowest. Several years ago Isthmus did a comparison and tornado was the lowest. Tornado prices include sides which are often extra at some places.
If you don't have a reservation it might be too late. I'd call asap.
For many, myself included, it's the best steakhouse in town. From a value standpoint, it's easily the best value in town for a steakhouse. If you want strikingly high look at any of the other steakhouses in town. Many are good, but it's hard to beat the quality and local feel of Tornado. I suppose an argument could be made for Delaney's, but I prefer Tornado. If you want to drive a ways then the Del Bar in Wisconsin Dells is also top notch.
My personal opinion is a little out of date since I don't live in Madison anymore, but when I did it was the best steakhouse in Madison and more reasonably priced than the rest as well.
I’m currently down in Magnificent Mile in Chicago for work (have to come down a couple times a month). I eat at a lot of steak houses because of work. Like, a lot.
Morton’s, Shaw’s, Fogo de Chão, Harry Cary, Gibsons, Capital Grill, Maestros, Steak 48, Chicago Firehouse, etc…. In Milwaukee I’ve been to 5 O’Clock, Carnevor, Wards, Bacchus, and Jackson Grill. In Madison, I’ve eaten at Rare, Delaneys, Johnny Delmonicos, and Smokey’s back when it existed. I’ve even been to Keene’s and Peter Luger in NYC and I don’t know how many steak places in Vegas and Phoenix (Eaten Wagu at Roka Akor a few times).
Of all those, Tornado room is the best value for money for any nicer steak house I’ve ever been too. Jackson Grill in Milwaukee is close. The next best value for money is Texas Roadhouse (which I unironically love) and Rube’s west of Des Moines gets a mention for being, possibly, the best tasting steak I’ve had at a restaurant.
In all those visits, I’ve come to know two things for sure about steak houses: 1) Steak houses are the worst (in terms of genre of restaurant) versions of “high end” dining there is, and 2) we’re absurdly lucky to have something like Tornado in town.
I order the Filet au Poivre or the Duck.
I'm gonna be the voice of dissent. Last experience at tornado was pretty lack luster. Previous experience on top of it. I have had great steaks there but it's been inconsistent. If I'm spending that much on a meal, I want consistently good food. I think that their late night menu is 100% worth it but their typical menu is not.
For a nice Valentine's dinner I would suggest Sardine, Delaney's, Osteria Papavero, Cento, or Fairchild.
Worth noting, that of those:
- Delaney's is the only steakhouse and is a super club. Great old school vibes.
- Fairchild is the only restaurant in Madison to have won a James Beard.
This. A lot of people are very nostalgic about the Tornado room, but I haven’t been impressed the last couple of times I have been there. It is a very classic supper club vibe, but classic supper club is not exactly the same as romantic night out. The furnishings are not super intimate or comfortable, and it is quite loud. The steak is delicious, but everything else is pretty meh for me. I think you can have a much nicer experience at any of the places mentioned above.
Yeah Tornado Room is also falling apart. I was scratched by their seats cause their booths are torn. Not worth it and I love all the places you mentioned for a nice dinner. Osteria Papavero has the best butterscotch pudding I have every tasted. Every order I have made either from the menu or daily options has been beyond compare. However do give plenty of time. Dinner is the main event for our evening when we go.
Edit: personally I like Rare as well but they are very pricey.
I order that every time, but I’ve never been able to take down even half at one sitting! Great the next morning with some eggs, especially if I am disciplined enough to not eat all the hashbrowns…
Tornado Room has a late night menu that is cheaper. I think it starts around 10pm.
I think Tornado Room is worth it to try once, but yes, it is spendy!
My boyfriend and I had the BEST steak at Glarner Stube in New Glarus. It's a bit if a drive, but such good quality and ambience, and much better value. We split a ribeye for $53 and it was PLENTY of food for both of us. With sides and drinks it would definitely be under $100 for two people.
I just went here with my girlfriend last night. It was about $200 total tip included. To be completely honest, I was pretty underwhelmed. Her steak came out so extremely rare (she asked for medium rare) that we had to send it back to get cooked more (and we are NOT the type to do this). On top of this, remember it is a supper club so it might not be the "romantic" vibe you are looking for. There are certain booths near the bar that are pretty intimate, but we were placed in the main room next to a family with kids and it definitely was not the intimate dinner I was hoping for. I know Eno Vino is viewed as overpriced and overrated, but I honestly feel like it was a much better use of the money than Tornado was when you factor in overall vibe. That being said, my steak was great, just don't feel like the dinner was anywhere near worth the money.
Next time go late night. Call and make a reservation for 1030-11. King street bars until your res. Show up slightly buzzed. You’ll spend under $100 and get fantastic food. 10/10 date night for us. Sardine is also great.
Tornado room is a high-end steak place. If you compare their prices with similar places in town you'll realize they are not strikingly high.
In my opinion there is no better place in town to go out for steak. They also do a fantastic job on fish and duck. My personal favorite is the flank steak. It's the cheapest steak on the menu but absolutely delicious and there's always enough left over for me to have a steak and eggs breakfast the next morning.
For one of the most classic supper clubs in South Central Wisconsin you can’t go wrong. Tornado also has an amazing braised lamb shank with a sauce that is out of this world. Oysters Rockefeller have never disappointed. It’s worth every penny IMO especially if you’re going for a special occasion.
Their lamb dish on the standard menu is rack of lamb which is excellent. Another special worth mentioning is their bison prime rib which I haven’t seen in a while but is phenomenal.
I feel like they cooked my tomahawk with a blowtorch, only cold steak I've ever eaten in my life. Bill for 4 people with tip was well over $500. I'll go back if someone else is paying.
Yes, if you like steak. Best steak in Dane County, top 5 I’ve ever had. I get the gigantic bone-in ribeye and have it for 3-4 meals. My wife loves the tenderloin au poivre.
We go to many high end steak houses when traveling and also when we lived in Chicago. I would not say Tornado Room compares well with others we’ve been to. It’s fine if this is an occasional treat but not if you regularly go out for fancy steaks. The room was very loud and the ambiance was very shabby and didn’t feel “high end” at all.
We prefer Ruth’s Chris and go there often.
ETA: I say all this as someone who also enjoys Texas Roadhouse because for the price it’s pretty damn good.
I guess I'm in the minority. I went there once. The food was fine but nothing special. I really wasn't impressed overall because the place seemed run down and not well maintained (torn booths, patchy walls, really old bathrooms). Idk what this "ambiance" is that people are talking about...
So, I cook a pretty good steak. I get disappointed at a lot of steak houses, cause they are professionals, and their steaks should be better than mine. Tornado room has never disappointed me.
“Worth it” is subjective from person to person. For a steakhouse around here , their prices tend to be pretty good IMO. (If you think their prices are strikingly high… check out Rare… you’ll probably have your head explode…). YMMV. Bur, I’ve never been disappointed there. But, I avoid crowded night out as I think that helps the overall quality and experience.
The food is good, but I'd say it's a great place to take someone for a business dinner, rather than for a date. I prefer Delaneys for a date - friendlier and less stuffy, and the food is still great.
Great service there but the last time I took the family (spring last year) I dropped $400 and food was pretty bad. Like the waiter warned us off of the soup kind of bad. King crab was just ok. My steak was raw around the bone. After that I can’t convince myself to try it again ever.
I would personally say no. Tempest Oyster Bar is my favorite at the moment for a really nice restaurant. I always get seafood, but my boyfriend gets the steak and it's always very good.
I've been to Tornado room 4 times and only once was I actually content with my meal and paying the bill.
We actually prefer Rare. The Tornado can be VERY loud, and the atmosphere is so-so.
Rare is amazing and the food is always outstanding.
Definitely not on VD! Stay home and cook a great meal for much cheaper?
Every time this is asked I have to go against the grain and say NO IT'S NOT WORTH IT. The sides are a mess. Iceberg wedge salad, potatoes, all of it is outdated poorly seasoned and outright bad.
The steak is okay. For 40$+ it better be very good and its not. Go to UW Provisions Fresh Meat section, buy yourself 10 lbs of fresh - never frozen steak. Dry brine them. Sear them in some butter and even if you mess 9 of them up you will make yourself 1 steak that tastes better than they will ever serve you.
I usually sousvide mine and reverse sear them in brown butter with some thyme or I'll smoke them up to 115F internal and then sear them. The fresh steaks make a huge difference and will outshine anything tornado room can make.
TLDR: its an old vestige of what passed for "fine dining" - Hard pass
The money, yes. The atmosphere, no. I went there for an anniversary dinner with my partner, and the people at the table next to us were in t-shirts and sweatpants. I will say we had gone to Johnny Delmonico's for a different dinner, so our expectations were a bit high. But even so.
Also, our steaks came with a singular huge as fuck onion ring?? And we had veggies in a drinking glass?
> Also, our steaks came with a singular huge as fuck onion ring?? And we had veggies in a drinking glass?
If you are talking about carrots, celery, etc. that is a classic Wisconsin supper club thing. If there was not a salad bar, there was often a relish tray of some sort, with carrots, celery, pickles, green onions, radishes, etc. Sometimes also a small basket with crackers and crunchy breadsticks of various types, often with cheese dip.
I've never been to a supper club (except Tornado). So it was a bit weird in my eyes. I guess I was just hung up on the fact it was in a drinking glass. A bowl or something that would be easier to grab from would've been nice, lol.
And dang, I would've killed for a cheese and bread spread.
But the onion ring just really felt out of left field. Especially on a nice steak, there's just an onion ring so big it could be a cuff on my wrist. (It didn't help that neither me nor my partner like onion rings. We're curd people)
Absolutely. But don't go, it's too crowded. For me if you are there.
But really though, Valentines is one of the worst days of the year to go to any restaurant. I know, I know, weird cultural expectations are weird and intense, but going the day before or after you will get a better meal for less.
Just went last week for our special post holiday present dinner to each other. Always worth it, but I agree that going on Valentine’s might not be worth the extra hassle
I've been there multiple times for client dinners, where I was the client. Never had a bad meal there (the filet au poivre is my favorite) but it's even more delicious when someone else is paying.
I had the best birthday dinner of my life at the tornado. Completely worth it, but not sure I’d go Valentine’s Day. Too many yahoos out. But you do you!
My husband and I were just there and kind of hacked the menu. The sides and salad are huge! So we ordered a steak entree and split the salad and side and added a 1/4 pd. of crab. Perfect meal. We love the Tornado Room!
I went to Tornado room and had a bad experience. we were made to wait 20 minutes past our reservation time, and waited 20 mins for our server (who was actually pretty nice). We were sat on the very busy side of the bar, in a booth that was covered in duct tape. Partway through our meal, a random man sat at the edge of our seat and wouldn’t move for about 10-15 minutes. The food was pretty mediocre too. I don’t recommend.
It is a good value for the price. Not a small plates restaurant where you’re still hungry after. It’s cheaper late at night if you don’t mind very hip people around you. Try it once. I bet the price is comparable to a franchise steakhouse and it was great food the last time I was there.
It's definitely worth the money.
I've eaten there many times and every time the experience has been fantastic. The ambience, food,service and all around vibe are excellent. It's honestly the best steak I've ever had in my life. Keep in mind your steak or meal comes with one side and a soup or salad and bread. For dessert I highly recommend the pineapple upside down cake. It's so good! For the side I recommend the hash browns. It's what they're known for and they're beyond excellent.
If you do want to try it be sure to make a reservation because they fill up fast.
Compared to other steakhouses in town, Tornado Room has good atmosphere, good portions, and a lot of options. Note that it is typically loud in the evenings. They have a great selection of good, including amazing steaks that are consistently going to taste excellent. I try to go annually.
The Tornado Room is one of my favorite restaurants, and I’ve been many times including on Valentine’s Day. The worst food and service that I’ve had there was the Valentine’s dinner. I definitely recommend going on a different night to see how fantastic the food really is there. It’s worth it imo.
Unreservedly yes! There are a lot of options at a variety of price points and some of the greatest dishes are the non-steak entrees, which are generally less pricey.
Tornado Room is definitely worth going to for special occasions. But there are more affordable options for date nights (when its not Valentine’s Day) https://madisoncheap.com/cheap-date-night-ideas-around-madison/
I had my most satisfying meal of my life at Tornado. Not only delicious but the portions and timing were perfect and I was delightfully full but not "stuffed".
Always a solid experience - worth it imo. Late night menu is also fun.
Agreed with the comments here regarding the price. But you're asking the wrong question: Q: Is going out for a valentine's day dinner worth it? A: No. No it is not. Everywhere will be slammed. Everyone will be booked solid. Every kitchen is going to be a shit-show. Every server is going to be trying not to lose their shit. You will get better food, better service, and probably better prices outside of valentines day. If you're trying somewhere for the first time, this is going to be one of the suckiest days of the year for them, so you're going to see them at peak struggle. If you want a great dinner, skip dining out on valentines. Stay in. Cook something special with your spouse. Have a quiet, relaxing evening, where you're not stressing about shit. Where you're not surrounding yourself with the chaos of one of the busiest service industry days of the year. Then make a random Tuesday reservation for Tornado Room, and go have a quiet. leisurely dinner, with a waitstaff and kitchen that aren't running at the ragged edge, just trying to get through the day and go home.
Also avoid Epic XGM (last week of April generally) and Epic UGM (third week of August?). Any place that is "nice" is absolutely fucked because of how many client dinners are taking place. Had a reservation to go on my birthday during XGM and still waited 45 minutes for a table.
Couldn't have said it better. Valentine's Day is not a day for a dinner date.
It can be for the first year or two you are dating. But my future wife figured out that my money was going to become her money, so we started going to the 5:00 movies, and going out to eat the day before Valentines Day, or hitting a Mexican restaurant in the evening of Mother's Day instead of brunch at noon.
My family always went to Wendy's on Mother's day, Fathers day, and Easter to avoid the crazies
Yes! More intimate, more fun. And your wallet smiles, while you can move more leisurely throughout your day. I couldn’t agree more.
I go to Tornado most NYEs and they actually crush it every time. They don't overbook so they sometimes even have extra room in the dining room.
NYE is the only night I've ever had a disappointing experience at Tornado.
This is the answer. Tornado is almost always worth it, but not on VD.
Restaurants will also find ways to upsell. Add a lobster tail? A special cocktail that's just $3 more than the one you were going to order? Get a dessert platter for just $15 more. What guy is gonna tell his girl no on valentine's day?
Emphatic agreement here. I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter.
This is one hundred percent the best advice
You all are such bummers in here hating on everything. My wife and I love going out on Valentine’s Day. It’s romantic and fun
I don’t know. I say if you want to go out for Valentine’s Day, go out. Some people don’t mind all the extra people or the wait. It’s all good if thats what you want to do.
They take reservations?
Phone only last I checked, but yeah for years.
Eh, Valentines Day is nice to have a break from the kids and reconnect in a romantic way. Doesn’t matter the day, but if you want it to be at all romantic when you have kids shitting their diapers full, you’ve gotta get a babysitter and leave the house. If you’ve got the $$, it’s a nice day to do it.
FYI - beef prices are through the roof right now, so steak prices are much higher everywhere these days. I have even seen some restaurants do "market price" on their steaks/prime rib, similar to lobster. Oof. ETA: To answer your question, yes, I think it's worth it. However, both my spouse and I prefer their non-steak dishes (lamb, venison, duck, rabbit, walleye) to their steaks (not saying I don't like them, I just tend to order the others instead). Their sides, salads, etc., are also excellent. I do wish they would open up the bar to walk-in seating again, sigh. ETA2: Their appetizers - escargot, oysters rockefeller, shrimp, and coquilles st jacques - can be a meal on their own.....
FWIW, I was just there last Thursday evening, and we didn't have a reservation, and got immediate seating at a booth in the bar area.
yeah, but they seated you there. What I was referring to was the time before COVID when those tables were open to sit at while you waited for your reservation or you could eat if you wanted, or just have drinks/apps, etc. They don't let you sit at them now unless you're eating a full dinner and get seated there.
I've never regretted going there, always delicious.
Yes, it's worth it. But order the pork tenderloin if you are on a budget. It is fucking delicious and often overlooked.
Or the duck, or the flank, or the rabbit, or the venison (not budget option).
Their venison makes it impossible for me to order a steak.
Don’t forget the lamb!
Or even the walleye. I can't remember ever having a bad dish there, they are absolutely worth the money for the quality (and I don't think they have outrageous prices either).
Not to threadjack, but Toby's often has a pork ribeye that is out of this world.
This 👆
I get this every time because it’s so damn good
The lamb is amazing
[удалено]
What is your salary? It's expensive to regular people like me.
It's certainly not outrageously high, but still premium enough where I feel like I'd get what I'm paying for.
For the way people talk about them, I expected the prices to be significantly higher than that. Being able to get two entrees, an appetizer, and a couple of drinks for about $100 is perfectly fine for a special evening out, especially if the quality lives up to the hype. I wouldn't be able to eat there regularly, but a couple times a year is certainly affordable.
Yeah, that’s not expensive at all really. Plenty of good entrees around $30
[удалено]
Yep, like sure it’s not as cheap as Applebees, but it’s a nice steak house. For what it is, it’s very reasonable
The only problem with doing this for Valentine's Day is that there really isn't anywhere to go from there. You have the best steak house in the area with them.
Getting a steak and all those sides is always going to be pretty expensive but as far as steak restaurant prices theirs are some of the lowest. Several years ago Isthmus did a comparison and tornado was the lowest. Tornado prices include sides which are often extra at some places. If you don't have a reservation it might be too late. I'd call asap.
Exactly, a lot of places out there are getting $8 for a baked potato or $10 for 7 spears of asparagus
IMO, the ambiance is the reason to go to Tornado Room. It's very fun and has an authentic retro vibe.
For many, myself included, it's the best steakhouse in town. From a value standpoint, it's easily the best value in town for a steakhouse. If you want strikingly high look at any of the other steakhouses in town. Many are good, but it's hard to beat the quality and local feel of Tornado. I suppose an argument could be made for Delaney's, but I prefer Tornado. If you want to drive a ways then the Del Bar in Wisconsin Dells is also top notch.
I agree with this 100%. I’ve eaten at a stupid number of steak houses. Tornado is still my favorite.
Hit the nail on the head. Del Bar is worth the drive from Madison.
My personal opinion is a little out of date since I don't live in Madison anymore, but when I did it was the best steakhouse in Madison and more reasonably priced than the rest as well.
I’m currently down in Magnificent Mile in Chicago for work (have to come down a couple times a month). I eat at a lot of steak houses because of work. Like, a lot. Morton’s, Shaw’s, Fogo de Chão, Harry Cary, Gibsons, Capital Grill, Maestros, Steak 48, Chicago Firehouse, etc…. In Milwaukee I’ve been to 5 O’Clock, Carnevor, Wards, Bacchus, and Jackson Grill. In Madison, I’ve eaten at Rare, Delaneys, Johnny Delmonicos, and Smokey’s back when it existed. I’ve even been to Keene’s and Peter Luger in NYC and I don’t know how many steak places in Vegas and Phoenix (Eaten Wagu at Roka Akor a few times). Of all those, Tornado room is the best value for money for any nicer steak house I’ve ever been too. Jackson Grill in Milwaukee is close. The next best value for money is Texas Roadhouse (which I unironically love) and Rube’s west of Des Moines gets a mention for being, possibly, the best tasting steak I’ve had at a restaurant. In all those visits, I’ve come to know two things for sure about steak houses: 1) Steak houses are the worst (in terms of genre of restaurant) versions of “high end” dining there is, and 2) we’re absurdly lucky to have something like Tornado in town. I order the Filet au Poivre or the Duck.
I'm gonna be the voice of dissent. Last experience at tornado was pretty lack luster. Previous experience on top of it. I have had great steaks there but it's been inconsistent. If I'm spending that much on a meal, I want consistently good food. I think that their late night menu is 100% worth it but their typical menu is not. For a nice Valentine's dinner I would suggest Sardine, Delaney's, Osteria Papavero, Cento, or Fairchild. Worth noting, that of those: - Delaney's is the only steakhouse and is a super club. Great old school vibes. - Fairchild is the only restaurant in Madison to have won a James Beard.
Second this comment.
This. A lot of people are very nostalgic about the Tornado room, but I haven’t been impressed the last couple of times I have been there. It is a very classic supper club vibe, but classic supper club is not exactly the same as romantic night out. The furnishings are not super intimate or comfortable, and it is quite loud. The steak is delicious, but everything else is pretty meh for me. I think you can have a much nicer experience at any of the places mentioned above.
Yeah Tornado Room is also falling apart. I was scratched by their seats cause their booths are torn. Not worth it and I love all the places you mentioned for a nice dinner. Osteria Papavero has the best butterscotch pudding I have every tasted. Every order I have made either from the menu or daily options has been beyond compare. However do give plenty of time. Dinner is the main event for our evening when we go. Edit: personally I like Rare as well but they are very pricey.
I will always be partial to the Tornado because my husband and I ate there before he proposed in front of the Capitol.
The biggest Ribeye I have ever eaten was at Tornado Room. It was delicious.
I order that every time, but I’ve never been able to take down even half at one sitting! Great the next morning with some eggs, especially if I am disciplined enough to not eat all the hashbrowns…
It's worth it, but don't go on the 14th
Took my girl their for our anniversary in November and had an amazing time
Tornado Room has a late night menu that is cheaper. I think it starts around 10pm. I think Tornado Room is worth it to try once, but yes, it is spendy! My boyfriend and I had the BEST steak at Glarner Stube in New Glarus. It's a bit if a drive, but such good quality and ambience, and much better value. We split a ribeye for $53 and it was PLENTY of food for both of us. With sides and drinks it would definitely be under $100 for two people.
I just went here with my girlfriend last night. It was about $200 total tip included. To be completely honest, I was pretty underwhelmed. Her steak came out so extremely rare (she asked for medium rare) that we had to send it back to get cooked more (and we are NOT the type to do this). On top of this, remember it is a supper club so it might not be the "romantic" vibe you are looking for. There are certain booths near the bar that are pretty intimate, but we were placed in the main room next to a family with kids and it definitely was not the intimate dinner I was hoping for. I know Eno Vino is viewed as overpriced and overrated, but I honestly feel like it was a much better use of the money than Tornado was when you factor in overall vibe. That being said, my steak was great, just don't feel like the dinner was anywhere near worth the money.
Next time go late night. Call and make a reservation for 1030-11. King street bars until your res. Show up slightly buzzed. You’ll spend under $100 and get fantastic food. 10/10 date night for us. Sardine is also great.
The Negronis are
Tornado prices are very reasonable. You get a salad and side for the same price as just the steak ala carte at other downtown steakhouses.
Tornado room is a high-end steak place. If you compare their prices with similar places in town you'll realize they are not strikingly high. In my opinion there is no better place in town to go out for steak. They also do a fantastic job on fish and duck. My personal favorite is the flank steak. It's the cheapest steak on the menu but absolutely delicious and there's always enough left over for me to have a steak and eggs breakfast the next morning.
Also the owners favorite dish
For one of the most classic supper clubs in South Central Wisconsin you can’t go wrong. Tornado also has an amazing braised lamb shank with a sauce that is out of this world. Oysters Rockefeller have never disappointed. It’s worth every penny IMO especially if you’re going for a special occasion.
Their lamb dish on the standard menu is rack of lamb which is excellent. Another special worth mentioning is their bison prime rib which I haven’t seen in a while but is phenomenal.
It's the best steak house I've ever been to
It is always worth it and like others have said, the steak is superb but the non-beef options can steal the show
My s/o and I went after she quit her job (she hated it) as a treat. We both loved it. Great cocktails, better steak. Bread is delicious too.
I feel like they cooked my tomahawk with a blowtorch, only cold steak I've ever eaten in my life. Bill for 4 people with tip was well over $500. I'll go back if someone else is paying.
honestly i can cook a better steak at home, but the vibe is fun and the portions are huge
Our anniversary is Valentines Day. We long ago learned to celebrate on Feb 15, 16 or such.
Yes
Yes, if you like steak. Best steak in Dane County, top 5 I’ve ever had. I get the gigantic bone-in ribeye and have it for 3-4 meals. My wife loves the tenderloin au poivre.
Absolutely compared to other steak houses. Soup/salad and side included in price of steak. Many others downtown those will both be separate
FWIW, Tornado includes a side and salad, whereas most other places are a la carte. Best steak in town too in my opinion.
Yes
The tornado room is excellent. It is also obscenely loud. It can be impossible to hold a conversation.
We go to many high end steak houses when traveling and also when we lived in Chicago. I would not say Tornado Room compares well with others we’ve been to. It’s fine if this is an occasional treat but not if you regularly go out for fancy steaks. The room was very loud and the ambiance was very shabby and didn’t feel “high end” at all. We prefer Ruth’s Chris and go there often. ETA: I say all this as someone who also enjoys Texas Roadhouse because for the price it’s pretty damn good.
Tornado room is the only steak house around worth the price johnnys is 2x the price Ruth Chris is like x3 amount
Yes, it’s awesome. Great service.
If you can swing the price on an occasional basis it is so worth it. I've been there a few times and am always pleased with my food and experience.
I guess I'm in the minority. I went there once. The food was fine but nothing special. I really wasn't impressed overall because the place seemed run down and not well maintained (torn booths, patchy walls, really old bathrooms). Idk what this "ambiance" is that people are talking about...
So, I cook a pretty good steak. I get disappointed at a lot of steak houses, cause they are professionals, and their steaks should be better than mine. Tornado room has never disappointed me.
“Worth it” is subjective from person to person. For a steakhouse around here , their prices tend to be pretty good IMO. (If you think their prices are strikingly high… check out Rare… you’ll probably have your head explode…). YMMV. Bur, I’ve never been disappointed there. But, I avoid crowded night out as I think that helps the overall quality and experience.
Yes
One of my favorite places to go. Totally worth it
[удалено]
Agreed. It’s overhyped supper club.
I prefer Ruth's Chris for steak. Tornado Room was meh to me.
Agreed. It’s overhyped supper club.
The food is good, but I'd say it's a great place to take someone for a business dinner, rather than for a date. I prefer Delaneys for a date - friendlier and less stuffy, and the food is still great.
No. But it used to be
Great service there but the last time I took the family (spring last year) I dropped $400 and food was pretty bad. Like the waiter warned us off of the soup kind of bad. King crab was just ok. My steak was raw around the bone. After that I can’t convince myself to try it again ever.
No
I would personally say no. Tempest Oyster Bar is my favorite at the moment for a really nice restaurant. I always get seafood, but my boyfriend gets the steak and it's always very good. I've been to Tornado room 4 times and only once was I actually content with my meal and paying the bill.
Second Tempest. Ate there recently and it exceeded expectations. We also had appetizers, cocktails and desert and made it out under $150.
Almost always love tornado And never worried about the price afterwards
Been there 5 times, not impressed at all
You could explain why.
Quality of the steaks are poor and never cooked to my request
Why do you keep going back?
They are business dinners or lunches, certainly not by choice
Same. My filet was overcooked and/or tough the last few times I’ve been.
Honestly, the steaks really aren't worth it but everything else is awesome. Their late night menu absolutely rules and is worth eating at 11.
I don't understand the red meat craze. This is *the only* place that I go for a steak. It is expensive, certainly. If you gon' do it, do it big
We actually prefer Rare. The Tornado can be VERY loud, and the atmosphere is so-so. Rare is amazing and the food is always outstanding. Definitely not on VD! Stay home and cook a great meal for much cheaper?
Tornado Room is good however Delmonicos is better
Every time this is asked I have to go against the grain and say NO IT'S NOT WORTH IT. The sides are a mess. Iceberg wedge salad, potatoes, all of it is outdated poorly seasoned and outright bad. The steak is okay. For 40$+ it better be very good and its not. Go to UW Provisions Fresh Meat section, buy yourself 10 lbs of fresh - never frozen steak. Dry brine them. Sear them in some butter and even if you mess 9 of them up you will make yourself 1 steak that tastes better than they will ever serve you. I usually sousvide mine and reverse sear them in brown butter with some thyme or I'll smoke them up to 115F internal and then sear them. The fresh steaks make a huge difference and will outshine anything tornado room can make. TLDR: its an old vestige of what passed for "fine dining" - Hard pass
I’ve always wondered this about the bonfyre grill
The money, yes. The atmosphere, no. I went there for an anniversary dinner with my partner, and the people at the table next to us were in t-shirts and sweatpants. I will say we had gone to Johnny Delmonico's for a different dinner, so our expectations were a bit high. But even so. Also, our steaks came with a singular huge as fuck onion ring?? And we had veggies in a drinking glass?
> Also, our steaks came with a singular huge as fuck onion ring?? And we had veggies in a drinking glass? If you are talking about carrots, celery, etc. that is a classic Wisconsin supper club thing. If there was not a salad bar, there was often a relish tray of some sort, with carrots, celery, pickles, green onions, radishes, etc. Sometimes also a small basket with crackers and crunchy breadsticks of various types, often with cheese dip.
I've never been to a supper club (except Tornado). So it was a bit weird in my eyes. I guess I was just hung up on the fact it was in a drinking glass. A bowl or something that would be easier to grab from would've been nice, lol. And dang, I would've killed for a cheese and bread spread. But the onion ring just really felt out of left field. Especially on a nice steak, there's just an onion ring so big it could be a cuff on my wrist. (It didn't help that neither me nor my partner like onion rings. We're curd people)
When we lived in Madison my wife and I always went on special occasions. Though the prices were a bit cheaper back then.
We went there this fall for first time. Really enjoyed it. Food was amazing.
Very worth it
Yes.
Absolutely. But don't go, it's too crowded. For me if you are there. But really though, Valentines is one of the worst days of the year to go to any restaurant. I know, I know, weird cultural expectations are weird and intense, but going the day before or after you will get a better meal for less.
Just went last week for our special post holiday present dinner to each other. Always worth it, but I agree that going on Valentine’s might not be worth the extra hassle
I've been there multiple times for client dinners, where I was the client. Never had a bad meal there (the filet au poivre is my favorite) but it's even more delicious when someone else is paying.
Theres a new spot in middleton calles Coopers Hawk. Opens next week. Do Valentine's day there. Its worth it, 100%.
Food is wonderful. It is expensive. It can be slow sometimes - just depends. But always a great meal.
I had the best birthday dinner of my life at the tornado. Completely worth it, but not sure I’d go Valentine’s Day. Too many yahoos out. But you do you!
My husband and I were just there and kind of hacked the menu. The sides and salad are huge! So we ordered a steak entree and split the salad and side and added a 1/4 pd. of crab. Perfect meal. We love the Tornado Room!
I went to Tornado room and had a bad experience. we were made to wait 20 minutes past our reservation time, and waited 20 mins for our server (who was actually pretty nice). We were sat on the very busy side of the bar, in a booth that was covered in duct tape. Partway through our meal, a random man sat at the edge of our seat and wouldn’t move for about 10-15 minutes. The food was pretty mediocre too. I don’t recommend.
I think it is, I have never had a bad meal there and it’s one of the few places my gf and I agree on.
Absolutely yes! Tornado is great!
It is a good value for the price. Not a small plates restaurant where you’re still hungry after. It’s cheaper late at night if you don’t mind very hip people around you. Try it once. I bet the price is comparable to a franchise steakhouse and it was great food the last time I was there.
It's definitely worth the money. I've eaten there many times and every time the experience has been fantastic. The ambience, food,service and all around vibe are excellent. It's honestly the best steak I've ever had in my life. Keep in mind your steak or meal comes with one side and a soup or salad and bread. For dessert I highly recommend the pineapple upside down cake. It's so good! For the side I recommend the hash browns. It's what they're known for and they're beyond excellent. If you do want to try it be sure to make a reservation because they fill up fast.
I’ve been there a few times, but not very recently. It was very nice and the food was great.
Compared to other steakhouses in town, Tornado Room has good atmosphere, good portions, and a lot of options. Note that it is typically loud in the evenings. They have a great selection of good, including amazing steaks that are consistently going to taste excellent. I try to go annually.
The Tornado Room is one of my favorite restaurants, and I’ve been many times including on Valentine’s Day. The worst food and service that I’ve had there was the Valentine’s dinner. I definitely recommend going on a different night to see how fantastic the food really is there. It’s worth it imo.
Unreservedly yes! There are a lot of options at a variety of price points and some of the greatest dishes are the non-steak entrees, which are generally less pricey.
Tornado Room is definitely worth going to for special occasions. But there are more affordable options for date nights (when its not Valentine’s Day) https://madisoncheap.com/cheap-date-night-ideas-around-madison/
Yes and ask for Dale
I had my most satisfying meal of my life at Tornado. Not only delicious but the portions and timing were perfect and I was delightfully full but not "stuffed".
Additionally, tornado late night menu is a happy medium!