Hamilton’s On The Square

We walked in with a large table of 7 on a Monday night and were treated to a marvelous meal. I had the filet mignonette with Bokchoy and mushrooms. Wonderful! Great flavor and very tender. Waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. Everyone loved their meal!

I had the most delicious Cuban sandwich in all the land last night at Hamilton’s! If you love the pork shoulder dish then you most definitely will love the Cuban.
The sandwich held well together with all the amazing flavours. I could of had ten of these Cubans in one sitting! I highly recommend this sandwich off of their Lunch or Late Night Menu!
Thanks Josh and Adam for the recommendation and making my tummy sing in joy! It truly was a labour of love! I wish I took a picture but I ate it all :)
Très bien!

Went to this restaurant on a Wednesday night. I was hoping to order off their late night menu, but I arrived a bit too early (late night is served 11 pm-​1 am). I had a long day at work and was looking forward to treating myself. I started off with the Peter Rabbit cocktail. The pickled carrots are a creative garnish, and the basil with lemon was refreshing. The bartender suggested I should start off with a cup of the shrimp and andouille gumbo. Gumbo is something new to me, and I’m glad I tried it! It started off with a mild kick, which got spicier with each bite. You gotta love andouille sausage! I ordered the Grilled Sea Trout, and was blown away. The simplicity that this dish offered was admirable, yet the depth of flavor was profound. The sea trout was served over a bed of perfectly cooked spaghetti squash and braised kale. It was a light dish that left me more than satisfied. The food I had ordered so far, at this point, led me to order TWO desserts (I was treating myself after all). I tried their ice cream flavor of the day which was a creamy coconut and lemongrass combo. Heavenly and rich. I also ordered the cheesecake with apricots. This wasn’t as sweet and had more of a tangy/​sour note. I’m glad I chose this place as my treat. I was impressed with all the food I ordered. Everything from presentation, flavor, and execution. I will be back very soon!

Hey you… yeah you… I got a hot tip for you…
If you’re looking for some of the best sandwiches in Madison, Hamilton’s on the Square is where you need to plant your derrière.
Alright, that wasn’t as dramatic as «Blue Horseshoe Loves Anacott Steel», but you get my drift.
I’ve made couple of lunchtime excursions to Hamilton’s and left extremely impressed both times with the food, the venue and the service. The only thing that shocks me was how empty the place was for its criminally underrated lunch service.
Given the small stature of the dining area, Hamilton’s lunch time anonymity may be to my benefit. When the weather prohibits the restaurant from utilizing its outside seating with a killer view of the Capitol Square, there’s just room for about a couple dozen diners in the intimate dining area. The interior of the restaurant features rustic stone behind the bar, abundant use of dark mahogany woodwork and understated geometric tiles. The distressed metal light fixtures augment the cozy vibe of the interior. Given all of the hard surfaces, it doesn’t take much of a crowd for the noise level to escalate. During my most recent visit, the clamor in the restaurant from a party of six made things a bit unnerving. Expect difficulties conversing when a full house converges on Hamilton’s.
During both my visits, Josh, the owner of Hamilton’s, was performing all of the front of house duties. He always enthusiastically runs through all of the specials and provides tips on his favorite items on the regular menu. Despite being a one-​man show, service during my forays has been superlative: attentive, personable and prompt.
During my first visit, I ordered the $ 11 duck confit sandwich (caramelized onions, smoked provolone cheese, duck jus on a rustic baguette) and the quinoa salad. Every component of my meal was spot on. It featured some of the best caramelized onions I’ve had in Madison, their sweetness paired masterfully with the slightly salty, umami-​rich jus. The crusty fresh baguette provided texture and a surprising amount of flavor. The delicate smokiness of the provolone played well with the perfectly cooked duck breast. It was easily one of the best sandwiches I’ve consumed during the past year.
During my second visit, I elected to go with the Cuban sandwich after Josh indicated the chef wanted to make this a signature dish on Hamilton’s lunch menu. The kitchen took a quality or quantity approach, which his appreciated in the era of super-​sized lunch portions. Again, the bread choice was spot on, which spent the perfect amount of time in the press to create a buttery-​rich, crunchy exterior. The deep roasted pork also was fantastic, fork tender and satisfyingly savory. The pickle added wonderful crunch and brightness. There were pockets of dryness — a more consistent application of mustard would easily remedy that problem. Overall, I loved my sammie, it’s the best Cuban I’ve had in Madison so far. (If That BBQ Joint steps up its mustard game, it might be able to challenge for that title.)
The only beef I’ve had with my food at Hamilton’s were with my roasted red potatoes. While generally well-​prepared and perfectly seasoned, several potatoes gave off an acrid, bitter aftertaste due to some rosemary that spent far too much time under the broiler. Not cool, not cool.
Other random thoughts and musings:
* No Wi-Fi…ugh.
* I’m a fan of their jazz-​laden background music playlist.
* Street parking downtown can be hit or miss. It seems like the worse the weather, the more likely the only available parking spots will be on the far side of the Square.
* There are a surprising number of tempting dessert options, which always seems to be the case when you’re dieting.
Go to Hamilton’s…now. When it becomes crowded and über-​popular, you can tell everyone you know that you were a regular long before it became the «It» lunchtime spot.

‘Twas a few nights before Christmas, we walked through the square,
when our stomachs were rumbling and needed some care.
We had plans for dinner, just needed a snack,
Perhaps some libations, I never oppose to that.
Then what to our wondering eyes should appear,
but a lovely little shop filled with cheeses & beer.
We shared a cheese board filled with dairy & meats,
I’m not going to lie, we were digging these eats.
Service wasn’t amazing, but it got the job done,
And it sure did not have, any effect on our fun.
Drinks were strong, I recommend the Hot Apple Cider,
No doubt this warm beverage made me a bit wider.
And then just like that, it was time for us to be on our way,
We left slightly more tipsy to move on with our day.
We proclaimed to the world as we walked out of sight,
«Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!»

I have not dined out for New Year in a very long time. We chose Hamilton’s for an intimate early dinner. Knowing later would be crowed. It was nice. There were only 4 other couples and a few people at the bar. The «New Years Menu» for $ 95 was a surprise. Not mentioned when reservations made.
The service was outstanding.
Food good not great. The price was outrageous considering the bite size portions.
Where they failed… once the bill was paid we were asked to finish our wine at the bar! We questioned why… We needed to prepare for the next seating!!! The tables were empty and maybe 15 people at the bar!
I was in food serve for many years, I dine out 3 – 4 times a week… NEVER been asked to move to the bar!!! Not the best experience!
Deal Breaker

Summary: A good choice for a night out downtown, slightly upscale but more relaxed and casual than its neighbors
Pros:
— a menu that does rotate appropriately with the season/​availability of ingredients, offers both your standards and also things for more adventurous diners
— reasonable pricing (around $ 15 – 20 for an entrée– with drinks, look to spend ~$ 50 or less for a dinner for 2)
— great service, a knowledgeable bartender and a chef who is clearly passionate about cooking, they both seemed genuinely happy to be there
— interesting lighting and the small footprint of the restaurant make for a nice ambiance
Cons:
— portion sizes should be larger for the price per entrée

I came back for drinks and everything was excellent. Tasty, creative drinks and fabulous service! I want to try the food again but this most definitely will be a regular spot for cocktails.

To die for! The lobster bisque will bring you to your knees. Stellar service. I’m digging the ambience.

Daaaaannnggg this place is great. The bf and I wandered in Friday night after attending MMoCA nights (courtesy of Unilocal!Thanks Unilocal!). We were strolling around the square feeling a little uninspired over the usual places. Hamilton’s caught my attention out of the corner of my eye-​the exposed stone and cool lanterns over the bar made me think «this is a place I want to sit inside of.» We walked over and saw a few open tables and assumed there would be a wait-​those open tables must be for reservations, we figured. Nope, we were seated right away and were able to score a table at the window. The one seat had a gorgeous view of the Capitol.
I was surprised to see the poor reviews regarding service. Both the host and our server were extremely friendly and prompt. Our server was one of the best and most friendly I’ve had in awhile. We ordered drinks rather quickly-​very nice list of cocktails with a few unusual selections-​and our server came back a few minutes later to let us know there would be a small wait because a bunch of people had just sat down at the bar. No problem and thanks for letting us know!
The drinks were great. I had the rum sour which was delightfully refreshing. One of those drinks that tastes like vacation in a glass. The bf had the Manhattan which was quite strong but enjoyable. For dinner I had the ricotta gnudi. And wow, just wow. The gnudi were outstanding and the broth was perfect-​not an overwhelming squash flavor at all. The broth was so delicious I would have licked the bowl clean if this was socially acceptable. Alas, it is not. Luckily this dish is served with a spoon so I was able to scrape up as much as possible.
I’m new to Madison but those who aren’t would know Hamilton’s is in the previous space which was the Blue Marlin. In a nod to the past occupant, the special Saturday night was a shrimp diablo. My dining companion had that and wow, it was also excellent. Five decent sized shrimp along with some crazy delicious sausage crumbles in a cream Sriracha sauce with penne. Yum yum yum. It was exceptional. We were both pleasantly surprised at how amazing our food was. We will be back for sure.
The space is really more of a 4 star space and the food really outshines the ambiance. I loved the exposed stone walls and lanterns (it reminded me a little of Chicago’s Violet Hour) but the other wall is a little odd and the music doesn’t seem to quite go with the feel of the place. It wasn’t loud at all as other reviewers have written.

Waited 20 minutes over our estimated time. Wait staff awkwardly hovered while also not being speedy with taking orders nor delivering food. Most of the entrees came on small plates but were still over 25 $.
Overall not impressed.

I have been to Hamilton’s several times now for cocktails and sometimes dessert with friends. We often make it our last stop after a night out downtown as we all head back to our respective places on the East Side. The last time I went there, I had a juniper cocktail (literally tastes like juniper berries) and apple cake with house-​made cinnamon ice cream. My friends had the pumpkin cheesecake with roasted pecans. When my friend couldn’t decide on a drink from their menu, the bartender made a bright pink off menu cocktail that was delicious. The server said they had come up with it in-​house during a slow night.
Overall, great location, food, alcohol selection, décor, and background music. Super fresh ingredients and lots of house-​made stuff. This is definitely a foodie restaurant: portions are small, ingredients are fresh, and attention to detail is high.
The staff are very attentive and genuine, and conversations with them have left me with the impression that they really care about Madison and fostering a vibrant local restaurant scene here. Hamilton’s opened recently, and I often see it relatively empty. I wish more people would frequent Hamilton’s cuz I think it’s a neat – if pricey – little place, but at the same time, I kind of like getting the personalized attention that comes with being one of only a handful of groups there at a time. Stop in and give it a go!

I really like this place. The staff are super friendly and attentive, and very knowledgeable on drinks, etc.
We only had an appetizer and drinks while we were there, but it was excellent (some kind of lovely mushroom thingie – fantastic!).
I’m looking forward to going back for a full meal.

Pros: cute atmosphere, plays great music
Aside from that the food was okay. We ordered the cheese plate, which we didn’t love. There was nothing special about it. They did have an octopus on the menu that was very good though! I also ordered an old fashioned there that came out way too sweet and sour. I did get a drink with basil and gin – can’t remember the name, but it was on their menu and that came out amazing. Overall, mixed feelings about this place. They have a couple of good items on the menu, but they can definitely improve!

I went here for my birthday for lunch and I was really impressed with everything. The atmosphere was cozy, rustic and romantic.
I had the Smoked Pork Shoulder sandwich and it was gorgeous. The apple-​cabbage slaw topped with arugula was a perfect compliment to the pork along with and the amazing bread it was served on. I had a side of greens that came dressed and if I would change anything, I would have preferred to add the dressing myself (that’s my own little issue). Otherwise everything thing was spot on and I cannot wait to go back and try the duck.
As for a drink, I would recommend The Jean Luc Colombo Rose.
I parked on the street in one hour parking and ended up staying for three hours, the $ 25 parking ticket was totally worth it.
The owner was there working and he was very engaging in all aspects including serving food. My waitress/​bartender was super friendly and sweet as well.

Stopped in a couple of weeks ago as we were on a little restaurant app/​drink crawl. I had no idea Blue Marlin closed and there was a new spot on the square. I suggest more signage or some marketing because we nearly missed it and walked right by, and nobody still seems to be aware a great place opened up!
The signature cocktail that the bartender made us was delightful and the small plates we ordered were fantastic. Everything was well-​prices. Staff was friendly. The place has a very «cool» but still intimate and cozy feel.
Love the redesign– elegant and on trend but understated. A good place for a date or or small group dinner, or a cocktail (or two… or more).

4 weeks post opening, Hamilton’s struggled on a few fronts. When we first walked in, the host stand was unattended and we had to wait for a waitress to seat us. When the host did appear, he was wearing a buffalo plaid flannel and flip flops. Not the best first impression.
The table we were seated at was missing one place setting and flatware that was only corrected after we requested it after our first course was delivered. Service was slow overall. Food, on the most past, suffered from a lack of seasoning. When we requested salt for the beef tartare, we were told that another table also asked for salt and that the kitchen was too busy. When we pressed, we were then told there is a disagreement between chef and owner regarding salt at the tables. We pressed again and salt was finally delivered.
Hamilton’s offers small plates as well as a few larger. My girlfriend and I ordered:
The aforementioned beef tartare
Little Gem salad
Grilled Octopus
Duck Breast
Beyond the lack of seasoning, we thought the dishes were good but not great. The beef tartare has small pieces of croutons mixed in but needed something with more crunch to be served along side of it. The salad was on the verge of being overdressed. We thought the grilled octopus was excellent, perfectly charred and tender. However, I feel it didn’t mesh well with the potato salad served alongside. The duck was cooked to order (medium rare) but the shiitake purée was overpowered by the honey that was also listed on the menu.
Definitely a bumpy experience for us and will need to wait it out for awhile to see how other reviewers fare.

Hamilton’s is a nice addition to this side of the square, replacing the blue marlin.
They didn’t change the décor much, it’s still dimly lit and relaxing. You can also sit outside when it’s still nice out…
Moving on to the foods. They are also trying to do a small/​big plate thing where you can order several small dishes and a big one to share, or well, however you like.
Their portions are nice and very reasonably priced. Very interesting choice of ingredients. We tried the chanterelle mushrooms, grilled octopus and duck breast. Decent food and good selection of cocktails… If they switch up their menu every now and then, I will definitely become a regular! (Well, in a reasonable time frame)

Just opened on ⁸⁄₄. The décor is fun. They give you cucumber water which is delicious. I ordered a Peter Rabbit, a Pimms cup plus basil and a pickle carrot. The carrot was really tasty.
For dinner we started with the beef tartar it was okay but a little too strong in flavor. The sweet corn with brown butter was fresh and light. For large plates we ordered the octopus. My husband thought it was cooked perfectly. I couldn’t bring myself to eat something with tentacles. The duck had a cherry sauce. The duck was not quite as tender as I had hoped but still had good flavor.
The service was quite good and the waitress was attentive and fun. I think Hamilton’s has great potential and I am looking forward to trying it again.

Small plates on the square – with potential.
We arrived on the official opening day, and it showed, as staff were a bit confused about staff roles («Who’s seating the guests?») and a modest delay in receiving our orders. The snafus were tempered by the clear enthusiasm and pride from the staff in opening day, so I expect these issues will resolve quickly.
Both the beverage menu and the food menu had a small selection of choices. Strong emphasis on local purveyors, although the menu itself didn’t make this clear.
Ricotta gnudi with fried lacinato kale: we enjoyed the pillowy ricotta dumplings with of crunchy kale leaves and cheese shavings .
Charred sweet corn clusters with chanterelle mushroom and savory brown butter topping – mushrooms added umami to the sweet corn, which was a great choice to enjoy a seasonal vegetable, and the topping (brown butter powder?) added additional texture, but not much taste. An additional savory sauce to the sauce already included would have made it even better.
For drinks, the Peter Rabbit (with Pimm’s of course!) arrived with a carrot garnish. The drinks arrived a little later than I would expect, but again, I think this is a first day of service thing. The cocktail was nicely balanced and mixed with fresh ingredients. Until writing this, I didn’t make the connection between carrot and rabbit.
The restaurant interior is very cozy and intimate, especially with the exposed stone walls and the building is a historical landmark (check the sign on the outside of the building). I’m confident that Hamilton’s will smooth out any first day snafus and continue options inspired by local farmers and producers.