Tavernakaya
| Address: | 27 E Main St, Madison, WI 53703, USA |
| Phone: | +1 608-286-1548 |
| Site: | tavernakaya.com |
| Rating: | 4.1 |
| Working: | Closed 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 11AM–2PM 9:30AM–2:30PM 9:30AM–2:30PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
KE
Keiki-Alexander Bailey
Sorry to report but Im from Osaka and one thing I have to say is that Id happen to like tradition when it specialist in making Okonomiyaki and Im a guy that loves to make Okonomiyaki and this place Okonomiyaki was missing some ingredients. I wasnt happy to serve that to my friend and she even agree that it wasnt as good as my Okonomiyaki. These Fusion restaurant can cause some confusion when understanding the ART of Japanese food and what Id mean by that is, The right way and education way to understand the real taste of Japanese food. This place I will never return back to and the servers are not professional and seem to be lost at time. Im a Photographer that travels quite a bit all the time and does eat tons of difference cultural meals and this place Tavernakaya is just like some other fusion place and I will quote this "Nice try, but not good enough" By the way over price for Okonomiyaki when you can get that same meal anywhere in the world for less then $9 U.S dollars. Would you like for me to name 20 places in 20 difference cities?
MA
Margaret Musgrave
I really wanted to like Tavernakaya. It looked so cool on the outside, with its chic decor and inside/outside experience. But oh my, the food was just not good (and weirdly expensive for what you got?) The noodles in the ramen were decent, but everything else about the ramen was simply mediocre. We also got the Okonomiyaki, and it was nothing like what we ate in Hiroshima earlier this year. It was oddly dense, and they used far too much Kewpie mayo, and the addition of the bonito flakes turned out badly. We also got a few of the skewers, the tsukune, and the lemon flavor was overwhelming to the point of being inedible (and also tasted like fish). I got a cup of tea, but by the time it arrived at the table it was over-steeped. Since none of the items we had received so far had been good (or edible), we decided just to leave. A thoroughly disheartening experience since we wanted to like it...but we definitely wont be coming back.
JU
Julia B
Not at all impressed. I was so excited to try it based on the reviews, but was very disappointed and felt ripped off. The togarashi fries with hangar steak were not worth the price at all (though, strangely, I dont see them on the menu anymore)--they seemed like regular sysco fries with the tiniest dusting of togarashi powder and a tiny portion of really chewy steak. If the steak was tenderloin or something fancy, I could maybe understand the price, but the dish was really uninspired for the 20-something dollars they charged. The okonomiyaki was probably the most disappointing--waaaay too much mayo, barely any cabbage, and a bizarre, dense, texture--it just did not taste good and we didnt even finish it. I did enjoy the scallop sushi and the Taiwanese fried chicken, though, but the overall experience does not make me want to come back.
RY
ryetrost
We went here for my wifes birthday. It was her choice of coarse. I heard the word "infusion" used to describe the place so it peaked my interest. I am not a Japanese food kind of guy. You know flying knives and all that. This was much different. Cool modern decor vibe great for a date night. I had the Nueskes Bacon & Egg. I mean this with the utmost respect when I say that this would be great hangover food. What I mean is great comfort food that warms the belly and fills you up with the melody of flavors. My wife, the birthday girl, had the Beef Curry Udon. Luckily she couldnt eat it all and it was my lunch the next day. Very tasty. I love curry. They have a neat bar area where we sat and enjoyed a larger than you would expect drink choice from beers, cocktail and wine.
ER
Erin Barry
I love Tavernakaya, but please note that I am reviewing all but their sushi, as I think the sushi is sub par for the Madison area (probably a 2 or 3 out of 5). 5 stars are for the friendly, attentive service and delicious food on the main menu. Most items are tapas style like a traditional Japanese izakaya. While not very Japanese, the General Tsos Cauliflower is amazing, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, so even a cauliflower hater would like it. The agedashi tofu is another favorite of mine. Its delicately breaded and fried and served in a flavorful dipping sauce. I also recommend the Curry Chicken Udon (not tapas), which is rich and flavorful, but not soupy like ramen. The cocktail selection is nice, if a bit on the sweeter side. Love coming here!
DO
Douglas Fraser
Excellent food. I lived in Japan for 4 months and this is by far the closest you can get to Japanese food in Madison. Sushi is very fresh and fish is of excellent quality, others in the Madison area simply pale in comparison. By FAR, the best chicken karaage I have had since being back in the US. The yakitori is also delicious and authentic. Only complaint I have is that table service is slightly slow and discombobulated during peak hours on the weekends, but this is to be expected with a new restaurant on the capital. Happy to see a legitimate (slightly Americanized) izakaya come to Madison! They even had one of my favorite the beers I had while in Japan, which was from the craft Biard Brewery!
JO
Jon Nichols II
Excellent service, beautiful food and interesting cocktails combine to make this one of the hottest new restaurant/bars in Madison. Their lunch specials are really great, and can give you a wonderful test-run before you go in a big group and pay the long price for a wonderful shared meal. You have traditional sushi on offer, as well as a bunch of dishes that veer toward the more Western end of Izakaya, including beautifully spiced French Fries (which dont actually go well with anything else on the menu). Try the General Tsos cauliflower. Its amazing. They also have a few special beers available, but the more interesting choices are only available bottled.
BR
Brad Swanson
Chinese restaurant pretending to be Japanese, as is commonly found in the midwest. However, that being said, the food, while not authentic, is absolutely delicious. The General Tsos Chicken is always good, and their sushi is fresh and tasty. The service leaves alot to be desired, as the waitstaff makes it feel like you are inconveniencing them by coming in, but the food makes up for it. Prices are normal to slightly high for the square.
LY
Lynne Morgan
I got their lunch salad and the dressing was delicious. But the rest of the salad was pathetic, particularly for the price! I added salmon and it was a tiny piece that was also a bit under cooked. The avocado was also sadly underrepresented! There are so many places to eat on the square, and Tavernakatya isnt (yet) a place I recommend. As a side note, they specialize in Ramen but they dont have any vegetarian broth.
JE
Jennifer Turner
We had been wanting to try Tavernakaya forever and finally got there on a rainy evening. The ramen was pretty tasty, and the beer selection was good. We got the traditional (vs spicy) and next time I would try the spicy. Added sirracha did help heat it up though. I look forward to trying a few other things on the menu- General Tsos chicken or cauliflower and sushi are on the agenda next time!
