Tavernakaya,

27 East Main Street, Madison, WI 53703

"Lovely evening at Tavernakaya. It's one of our "go to" places. On a Friday evening, they were able to seat us immediately . Service was impeccable. Food was great."

"Veggie spring rolls were to die for. I'm also a big fan of the AAC roll and the mango mochi ice cream. The tofu buns and veggie tempura rolls were good, but I felt like they were missing some kind of wow factor. I also had the green tea and coffee mochi ice cream. The green tea was a smidge too heavy on the "green tea" for me. I'm not a coffee person, but I tried the mochi and I can attest that you will love it if you're a coffee fan. Their hot sauce visually looks like tomato sauce, which I thought was interesting (it tasted great too). Service was fantastic. I'd definitely come back."

"Excellent atmosphere and some of the best ramen I've had in the Madison area. Excited to try their sushi next time, which also looked incredible. The atmosphere is excellent for a moderately informal date or special occasion, or just grabbing a bit with friends. Cocktails were creative and delicious."

"Sushi roll was decent, but the fried rice was bland and watery. Lacks garlic, ginger, and proper seasoning. A few bites in and I noticed that my plate was extremely dirty and had scum caked on the side and middle of the plate where my food was. Major turn off and I could no longer eat my food. The manager kindly removed the rice from my bill, but I can’t help but wonder about their cleaning standards and practices. Will not return."

"Tavernakaya is as fresh and authentic Japanese one can get in Madison. The best seats are up front with views of the Capitol Square. The location is stellar as well as seating options with high and low top tables. The service and staff here are friendly and very knowledgeable of the menu items. Appetizers, bowls, rolls and soups are well thought and organized for easy ordering. We came in at open and had the best service. Our order took less than ten minutes and was well presented. The cuts of fish were tasty and delightful. Must try the Salmon poke bowl with added spice. The Pork buns and Unagi sashimi were the table favorites with plenty of bites to share. The spicy tuna roll, popcorn chicken and Yellowtail tuna sashimi made a run for our top spot. This is a great lunch, date or dinner spot with great sound and kitchen prep. times. Tavernakaya gets a Bonus star for having New Glarus Spotted Cow on draft. Definitely a place to eat and take in the square. We'll return soon to Tavernakaya for Happy Hour."