Not inexpensive. But good seafood typically isn't. Â The oysters were excellent! Â Drinks were unique and well made (but how could you run out of dill vodka on a Saturday evening (early)?). The food overall was very very good. Â The service started out good but then completely broke down between the oysters and the salad course. Â Took FOREVER to get food out of the kitchen after the oysters. Not sure what happened there. Â But, I am willing to forgive if a one time glitch. The food and drinks more than made up for it. Terrific Caesar salad crispy cold and perfectly dressed. Â Warm lobster roll was delish and bountiful. Â Halibut main was very unique and perfectly cooked (not largest portion i've seen, but very very good).
Review Source:We came to this place to have a birthday dinner.
We had a great cocktail shrimp and fruits de mer as our appetizers. The latter came in a huge portion but so good.
Out tips: if you don't drink alcohol like us, they have the best Mexican coke- which is way better than any other coke I've ever had! Also, if you wanna save some money but still want to have some delicacy, the appetizer is more than enough.
Ps. We brought our main dishes home as we were still full from the appetizer.
Wow. Straight up some of the best, most unique cocktails I have ever had anywhere! So glad we stopped in for some before-dinner cocktails last weekend; we had an absolutely great experience.
Walked in right after they opened at 5:30 and told the first server we saw that we'd just be drinking. He led us into the bar and when we told him that we'd be joined by another couple, he suggested we sit in the seashell. You have to see it to appreciate it but basically one end of the bar area has been formed to resemble the inside of a shell-complete with a round 'pearl' light right in front of it. So unique and somehow not as tacky as you'd think. I doubt I would even have noticed it had the server not pointed it out.
Very cool bar area and dining area as well. Love the old boat sitting in the middle of the front room. It takes up a lot of space but really adds a lot to the atmosphere.
The cocktail menu will have you saying 'oooo that sounds good' with every entry. It was very hard to choose so I just started at the top. The jalapeño tequila drink first on the list was simply outstanding. The server was wonderful and made great suggestions. Never steered us wrong. All cocktails that everyone tried were excellent. Even the sake cilantro one was great and I wasn't so sure about it since sake's not normally my thing. Yum!
Someday I'll have to come and try the food!
Tempest took over the location of one of my favorite hang out place, Magness. My man and I used to hang out there for live music and I'm so glad Tempest has recently taken that up to in the fancy seaside bar of theirs!
I must say that Tempest is one of few places where seafood is fresh and great!! Most of the dishes are delicate and aesthetically designed.
Some of my favorite dishes are Carpetbagger - fresh oysters stuffed in a steak, making the steak so sweet, and yet not overcooking the steak!!! I also like the appetizers like the broiled oysters, scallops, fruit de mare. They recently had soft shelled crabs, probably the only place in town!!!!!
The venue is really big, so there's really spacious seating. But do call before heading over on the weekend.
However, there's only street parking. So best of luck! If you don't mind paying, it's on the same block as the parking garage by the Hilton!
What a great place! The remodel from when it was the Magnus is beautiful. The staff was super knowledgeable and nice. The happy hour seafood specials were great too. $2 huge shrimp, $4 scallops that were some of the best I've had, $1.50 oysters & more! I'm hungry again just writing about it. Â My mom & I had lobster for dinner & my dad had the carpetbagger steak. All awesome & prices are expensive, but reasonable for what you're getting. We all had specialty drinks that were very good too. The brussel sprouts were great too. The fish chowder was just mediocre. If you're a seafood lover, this restaurant is for you!
Review Source:I had the occasion to visit tho establishment for a post holiday get together. I honestly was not expecting much as good seafood is very difficult to find in mid-America.
I was very surprised and pleased with their raw oysters. Very great and of high quality. Their fried oysters were incredible, I can only assume that they are using the fresh oysters for these as well. The fried oysters melted in my mouth. The other items were also very good and they seem to be using quality ingredients.
While our group only had appetizers and drinks that evening, I would return for the oysters alone. I do intend to make a return visit sometime soon for dinner and shall hopefully have equally high praise then.
Doesn't everyone like a great "Happy Hour?"
My beautiful fiance and I stopped by for a Happy Hour with the United Way Rosenberry group and we had a great time. Neither of us had ever been here before and it was very nice. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the bar staff were attentive....and THE OYSTERS were the bomb!!!
They have fresh, fresh, seafood and the menu changes daily - not much for the vegetarian of the family but plenty for me :) Did I mention the fresh seafood and OYSTERS!
As we only stayed for a few drinks and oysters that is all that I can comment on at this time but I will definitely be back for the full meal sometime soon.
You can serve me terrible food.
You can mix me a crappy cocktail.
Your ambiance can fall flat.
You can even charge me more than I want to pay.
But take note Tempest (and really any other business in Madison and beyond) you can't be complacent. I mean you can, but I will not patronize your business nor will I recommend it.
When you turn the lights on, polish flatware and open your doors you are entering into an agreement with those that are coming to spend money that you want their business. But after 4 visits and an event that I unfortunately brought 28 people out for, you have done nothing to make me think you a. want my business, b. care to make money. So I have to ask... why show up to work?
Tonight was the last straw. My friend and I were sitting at the bar for ten minutes before someone came over not to ask us what we wanted to drink or to show us menus, but to stand there. To stand there and look at us blankly until we asked if happy hour was still going on. He said yes and lobbed the conversation back our way, didn't go over the happy hour specials of which there are many. I felt terrible for suggesting we grab light bites and drinks to this friend who had never been to Tempest.
*flash forward*
I'm not eating sugar right now and the brown sugar sauce that tops their scallops is entirely too sweet, so I asked for seared scallops with the bacon lardons that typically top the dish but not the sauce. I explained if the kitchen wasn't interested in accommodating my request and leaving the sauce out, I'd find something else. Surprise, the scallops came out with the cloyingly sweet sauce and this is how the next few moments went:
BARTENDER: Yeah, I said just the scallops and lardons, so maybe they can't separate the lardons from the sauce?
COREY: Ok, well I don't eat sugar, so I can't really eat these, there's no way to get just seared scallops, no sauce?
BARTENDER: I mean, that's what I asked for, so I guess they can't do it. Did you want these?
(I'm sort of fuming at this point)
COREY: No, I mean I can't do the sugar so....
BARTENDER: They'd be on the house.
GO TO THE KITCHEN AND SAY THESE CAME UP WRONG, CAN YOU SIMPLY SEAR SCALLOPS AND PUT BACON ON THEM? What's the challenge here?
*flash forward some more*
Drinks went empty, food was eaten, and it took forever to catch someone's eye to get refills or order more. Why? Because it was more important for a gaggle of servers to talk with the bartenders about what a proper wine pour looks like. I counted 5 at one point staring at the same glass of white wine, then repeating this behavior 15 and 25 minutes later. So detail oriented.
Last up, the gent that cases the joint, a manager I assume, does laps around the restaurant every time I've been there, but never asks how we're doing. And that's really the crux of my issue. I know full well a business can't be 100% "on" 100% of the time, we all have bad days. But when leadership at the top has no vested interest in how people spending hard earned money feel about their establishment, that trickles down, and I want no part of it.
There are plenty of restaurants in town that serve seafood by people who are interested in striking up conversation, making menu recommendations and righting wrongs that may occur when things go awry in the kitchen. I'll go to those places, a giant wooden boat and tea lights don't do it for me.
We came for NYEs. Â The oysters were fresh and tasty. The bartender even created a special oyster shooter at our request, delish! Â Wait staff was attentive and professional.
Scallop appetizer also very nice, cooked well with crisp apples and salty bacon.
Sturgeon was a small portion, still tasty with the fried egg and caviar, but not something to return for. Â 8 oz Tenderloin reminiscent of Tornado Room. Fried shrimp left little to be desired- overfried with cornstarch batter.
Overall, appetizers and oysters are the stars of the menu. Beer selection adequate, and we found cocktails to be creative and nice. Â We've not found fresher oysters in town. Happy to find a place like this in Madison!
After an incredible dinner at Tempest Oyster Bar, I finally have a favorite restaurant in Madison.
This was the best fish and seafood meal we have had in years.
We started with cocktail and the mussels, followed by salads ( the arugula and caesar) then had the tuna and flounder.
This is the place for fresh and yummy food.
A great basket of crusty bread and some vegetables were set on the table as soon as out drinks arrived. A nice touch that so many restaurants have forgotten.
Our waiter was wonderful.
The Friday night fish fry looked yummy as well.
What a treasure.
Our new go to place in Madison for friendly service and perfect food!
I decided to take my mom, visiting from DC, to Tempest for happy hour. It was a great choice! We sat at the bar for drinks and apps. I had an Ale Asylum brew (always a good choice), while my mom had a well-made martini. We made a meal out of the small plates: oysters, shrimp and the sublime smokestack. All the seafood was fresh, the oysters were excellent, shrimp were huge and well-prepared, and that smokestack was to die for!
The place was pretty quiet on a Monday evening. Talked to the manager, who was very friendly and interested in our input.
I look forward to going back! May even drag my husband in, now that I know they have meat dishes, too.
Wonderful little seafood treasure in downtown Madison. Â
The oysters were fresh, chilled, and came with an awesome house sauce to drizzle on top. Â So happy we have this in a city full of fried cheese curds and burgers.
Happy hour is def something you should hit up. Â The smoke snack is a tower of seafood goodness with layer after layer of wonderful fish. Â
Loved the scallop with pancetta. Â Meaty, perfectly cooked, I'm getting that again!
Service is a wee slow, so take your time eating and enjoy yourself! Â Don't be afraid to raise your hand and ask for what you need.
I've enjoyed 2 meals at tempest; the first was about 2 months ago and the second was last night. Both dinners far exceeded my expectations- which is perhaps why I'm giving them 5 stars. For what Madison has to offer, Tempest has managed to stand out. I had heard generally mixed reviews, so that I had 2 overwhelmingly positive experiences seemed significant and worth a yelp.
Night 1: Quiet night out with my significant other.
Night 2: Last minute group reservation; the criteria of our one female guest was "I wanna wear a dress." Â Tempest seems to be large enough that they can handle last minute larger reservations.
FOOD: 5 Stars. The tenderloin with beef bone marrow was perfectly done and prepared. The sturgeon and lobster were also impressive. We all enjoyed a variety of cocktails- and all were beautifully presented and tasty.
SERVICE: 5 Stars. Our servers from both nights were exceptional, appropriately educated on the menu, efficient, entertaining and knew when and how to give us space to make decisions or enjoy our meal.
AMBIENCE: 5 Stars.
Tempest will easily be on our list for a future group reservation.
We visited Tempest on a quiet Sunday evening. Â The redecorating from the previous warm tones of Magnus to the cool, watery blue interior is very attractive and they have opened up an interior wall that had blocked off a small, separate room in the previous incarnation. Â Very well done. Â Our waiter seemed to have a heck of a time keeping straight what order went to which diner even though we were his only table and there were only four of us. Â Yes, you're good-looking, son, but at some point you are going to have to learn a skill or two. Â The shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were huge and perfectly cooked. Â Not much heat evident from the horseradish in the shrimp sauce, even after stirring. Â The Fruits de Mer suffered from overly heavy breading. Â I had the fish and corn chowder, which was good but not exceptional, and the lobster roll. Â I liked the lobster roll a lot and didn't mind that it did not mirror every other lobster roll I had ever had. Â My husband had the skirt steak, which was overly salty. Â Our friends had the whitefish, which was excellent. Â We tried two desserts, a custard and a chocolate-caramel tart, both of which were outstanding. Â Overall I felt Tempest would have difficulty standing out in a crowded Madison restaurant market. Â There are too many great places to go here to use up limited time and money on a place that's not trying that hard.
Review Source:I have never had a bad time at this joint! Can be romantic or fun in large groups! Best happy hour for food/drinks. The raw oysters are great. The scallops are to die for and I'm a big fan of the smokestack... I have to say the last dinner I had there the sturgeon wasn't the greatest but I had had it before and it was really good so it may have been a fluke... can get pricey for dinner but the happy hour is a great deal! Specialty drinks do not disappoint! I really enjoy this place! Do NOT miss the oyster shots with various infused vodkas/tequila.
Review Source:I agree with Ariel W. all the way around. Great happy hour specials, especially in Madison where I have yet to find an awesome happy hour.
The smoke stack was amazing! Especially for $3, totally worth it. Order two! The oysters were good, many varieties available.
Service was extremely slow...perhaps they expected fewer patrons on a Tuesday night, but we sat with empty glasses for at least 20 minutes, waiting to order a second drink and food (first drink was ordered from the bar).
Nevertheless, I'll give the Tempest a second chance. If they expand their happy hour food offerings and hire a few more servers, this could be a regular go-to happy hour spot.
There is a huge wooden boat when you walk in! Wicked. Also loved the huge sea shell in the bar area. Now just needs a mermaid to be sitting in it.
If you want to get a taste of what they are like. I would recommending going during Happy Hour.
$1.50 Oysters : $2.00 Shrimp Cocktail : $2.00 Fish Cake : $2.00 Rockefeller : $2.50 Scallop : $3.00 Smoke Stack
$5.00 Specialty Cocktails : $3.50 Rail Cocktails : $1.00 off all taps
The rockefeller was o.k. But the smoke stack stole the show with layers of whitefish salad, lox, trout, caviar, and horseradish cream.
Serves was slow. Was in a group of 15-20 and only gave us one server and it seemed that she also had tables for dinners in the dining room too.
Drinks were not strong and too sweet for me. The Bosun's Whistle was a fun twist with dill vodka. I got no heat from the jalapeno tequila in the Awniker.
Didn't get dinner but may return when/if craving seafood. Always wanted to try soft shelled crab and they do have that when in season.
Came here with a couple of friends for a Yelp event, and got to meet some pretty cool people.
First off, the service was a bit slow. Then again, we had one waitress for a group of about 25 people, so that can be forgiven.
The cocktails all sound very delicious and fancy, but really, most of them tasted like low tier alcohol + juice mixers. However, they are quite alcoholic, so I guess it's a good deal if you're paying by alcohol content.
The food was delicious, and I got their happy hour specials of clams casino and fish cake. The fish cake was creamy and had a good balance of fish and patty. The clams casino was really juicy and the garlic gave it an extra kick.
I'll provide a more in-depth review next time once I've had more of their menu.
Hoorayy for my first yelp event ever! And a huge thanks to Tempest for hosting us. (:
My two cents:
Cocktails - sound good on paper, but I wasn't particularly impressed by my Batida or Tokyo Schooner. The bartenders pour with a heavy hand, so I still ended the night on quite a high note...but I guess I like my drinks tasting a little more like the mixers and a little less like the alcohol.
Scallop - 5 stars. Self-proclaimed pescatarian? Not anymore! I just ate all the bacon on top...and I don't feel guilty at all!
Oysters - Fresh, fishy, perfect. Gone way too quickly.
Bar service is slow, but prices are reasonable during happy hour. I do think I will be back eventually to try their full menu!
A friend recommended we visit Tempest after visiting here with his co-workers. He just raved about it, so he and his fiance and I and my husband decided to try it out last Friday.
The ambiance is wonderful and our waiter was nice at first. The drinks we had were superb and most of the seafood was beyond compare in Madison. However there were a few glaring mistakes that we just couldn't ignore, so I doubt that we will ever return to Tempest.
1 - I ordered the mussels as an appetizer and a few of them were still raw in the shells. Unfortunately I didn't find that out until I had already bit into one of them. The taste was so disgusting that I will be off mussels for awhile in general. Especially disappointing as there are several restaurants in Madison that do mussels well; I thought that a restaurant that touts its seafood would at least be able to cook them. I guess not. I didn't mention anything to the waiter; I hated to complain in front of the people my husband and I were with because they had talked up this restaurant so much.
2. My friend ordered a steak medium-well and it was served well-done. She sent it back and it arrived again medium-rare but by then she had cut into it and didn't want it to dry out if they "put it back on the grill" as the (uneducated) waiter had suggested. Pretty disappointing for a $30 steak, which, I might add, came with a size of mediocre fries and nothing else - no vegetables, no nothing.
3. Once my friend sent the steak back, the waiter had had it with us. He was nice up until then and the restaurant was not all that busy, but his attitude completely changed after she sent the steak back - which she was nice about and acknowledged that it was not the waiter's fault - but for some reason he took it personal. He had to be asked three times to bring her a drink, which he eventually brought at the end of the meal, when she no longer wanted it.
I'm really sad to report this about Tempest because the food was good - the Oysters Rockefeller were the second only to Louisianne's as far as oysters in Madison go. The fruits-de-mer were so amazing that we ordered a second plate. The ambiance was wonderful and my drink was super tasty. But for a high-priced meal, Tempest failed for reasons 1-2-3. In any other situation, I would have asked for a manager but again, I didn't want to offend the other couple we were with who had been talking up the restaurant for a couple weeks. I'm not sure what happened to Tempest in the couple weeks between their great experience and our terrible one, but we will not be giving it another chance.
If you like Seafood you have to add Tempest to your list. Â I had an exceptional experience trying Tempest for the first time. Â The Oysters were absolutely delicious. Â They offer a variety of Oysters From both the East and West Coast. Â They also have a selection of clams, mussels, and crab. Â Make sure to get one of the towers of hand picked oysters, clams, mussels, and crab by the chef. Â You will not be disappointed. Â I had the tuna for my main course and it was truly exceptional. Â I will definitely be back.
Review Source:I cannot believe I've never been to Tempest before, but I suppose my first visit is better late than never.
I arrived to Tempest at 7:00pm on a Thursday night and was confused a bit by the entryways... there were three entrances to choose from; from left-to-right they turned out to be: a service entrance for staff only, the dining room entrance/hostess stand, and the bar entrance. Â A label or two might help avoid confusion.
I was meeting someone at the bar, so I wandered to the far end of the long, butcher-block-topped, wine-bottle-based bar and grabbed a seat. Â A friendly bartender immediately approached and offered both drink and food menus. Â The tap selections are interesting and varied.
My guest arrived and we placed two orders - a Bell's Two Hearted Ale and a Hopdinger. Â After a few moments, we ordered the scallops appetizer (I wasn't brave enough to try an oyster... never had 'em before, and they still skeeve me a bit).
The Tempest is loud - those looking for a quiet, intimate evening should look elsewhere. Â There was a small-ish group of people hosting a farewell party in the bar, and while they weren't obnoxious by any means, the noise level was unreal. Â Echo, echo, echo.
The scallops were awesome, if not miniscule. Â We received two half-dollar-sized scallops, which tasted great but were hardly fulfilling. Â We decided to order entrees - seared yellowfin, salmon, and a side of asparagus.
After a refill of the brews and a lot of great conversation (albeit at nearly a shout), our main courses arrived. Â The tuna was excellent, as was the salmon. Â Both were perfectly cooked and extremely flavorful. Â The asparagus, on the other hand... it was, well, pathetic - matchstick thin, horribly overcooked, limp and definitely not worth $5.
We continued to sit at the bar and chat, and before we left, decided we had to sample the upside down pear cake. Â Within a few minutes, a massive upside down cake with an even more massive side of fresh whipped cream arrived. Â We dug-in and it was heavenly. Â Very well done. Â We ate about half of it and called it good.
Tempest = WIN
Food = 4 stars
Value = 3.5 stars
Service = 4.25 stars
MISC = 3 stars (noisy)
Despite the noise, I will definitely be back, and I may even try an oyster.
I was at Tempest with a group of friends the other night. We had a big meal -- oysters, two rounds of group appetizers, and entrees, with drinks. All and all it was a pretty lovely experience.
Oysters were great and tasted fresh and the steamed mussels were probably the best I've had in Madison. The seafood chowder was tasty. The mixed drinks were by in large tasty; I had a 'Windjammer' (pretty good) and my gf had a 'Tokyo Schooner' which was excellent. The service was friendly and knew the menu pretty well considering it changes daily.
I had the halibut for my main dish. The fish itself was disappointing -- it had been frozen so the kitchen insisted on cooking it well done, which gave it a tough texture and not much flavor. The vegetables with it, particularly the beets, were excellent.
Highlight of the night was the brussel sprouts -- they were amazing. With the caramelized onions, they almost tasted like candy.
I'll be going back, though mostly for their excellent veggies.
I had heard mixed reviews about Tempest, but I am happy to report that my dining experience did not disappoint. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and was wonderfully attentive. He really did not miss a beat.
As far as the food, one of my dining companions had a sampler of the oysters and rated them at some of the best he has ever had. The one complaint I have is that they do not have a scallop or shrimp entree on the menu, which is rather disappointing. I ended up doubling the scallop appetizer for my meal, but found it was a little too sweet for my liking (prepared with apples, brandy, brown sugar, and bacon.) The three others I was with all ordered steaks (two bone-ins and one tenderloin) and all enjoyed their entrees.
We had been on Lake Monona all day, so the nautical-themed atmosphere was fitting. I did not think Tempest was especially loud. It was perhaps louder than L'Toile or Muramoto, but certainly quieter than Great Dane or Old Fashioned. Perhaps that is a big noise level range, but I was surprised to read that other reviewers rated Tempest at 'Very Loud.'
Overall, I thought Tempest was great. They succeeded in having a nautical-themed seafood restaurant NOT feel like a Red Lobster and the food and service was outstanding. I will definitely be back.
I was at  Tempest on a Wednesday night with family. We were offered a seat in the bar for happy hour (since the specials don't apply in the dinning area) but passed it up because we wanted to enjoy a laid back seafood dinner in a more spacious seating area.
My first complaint applies to the service. Every staff member we encountered seemed bored with their job and our waitress especially seemed like her mind was always elsewhere. She forgot drinks and side dishes but did not take responsibility for the errors. She would claim that we actually forgot to order that side of fries (flipping through her notepad to check) until someone else had to speak up and vouch that they had heard the potato request. A smile was hard to come by to say the least about the staff.
My food was great, I had the yellowfin tuna steak. I had never had tuna steak before, so I was very nervous. It was crusted and delicious, I even ate the whole thing! The side dishes were fine, but spendy for one portion. My mother in-law also enjoyed her fish--trout, I believe.
The men, however, were disappointed in their dishes. The Blue Marlin was EXTREMELY tough and the steak had nothing special going on. The flavor and consistency were completely forgettable. The Brussels sprout side came out black and crusty. We tried to eat them but they tasted like they had fallen into a campfire pit, so my boyfriend tried to point it out to our robot of a waitress who responded, "oh really? They taste burnt? *(yeah... they are black and don't resemble a vegetable in the slightest)* I guess... I can have the cook start you a new dish...?" Sure. thanks. The new dish (of course) came out after we were all finished eating which she apparently didn't notice, or decided not to comment on. She just dropped of the new bowl and walked away without clearing any of our empty dishes. No offer to take the $6 side dish off the bill. In my years as a server... well nevermind, I think you know what I'm getting at.
We won't be back. I was actually surprised to see all the ultra positive reviews on here. Sounds like happy hour is the way to go at this place. I do appreciate that I had a good first experience with tuna steak! But Tempest is not worth the time, money, or attitudes from the employees. Adios.
I came here during happy hour... and WOW am I impressed. We had at least one thing off of the happy hour menu and it was all DELICIOUS. Scallops, oysters, and smoked fish were just like having smaller portions of whatever was on the menu that day. You could pack yourself full of gourmet seafood for less than $20. We got a little carried away with cocktails so our bill was a bit more than I expected... but sometimes you gotta go with your gut -- literally.
Who'd expect such great seafood in the middle of Madison?
We went for their oyster happy hour. Â It was early and pretty empty, but it's a great space. Â We sat at the bar--the bartender was low-key and professional and made some fantastic martinis. Â The oysters were well-priced and delicious.
Just one tiny little request-- it would be nice if they wrapped the lemons in cheesecloth like they do at Graze so that seeds wouldn't pop onto the oyster. Â That's a really tiny issue, though. Â We were very impressed.
This is a great restaurant pulling off the improbable: the service of high quality no-hint-of-fishiness seafood in our land-locked city. It's tough to even get decent whitefish in Madison sometimes, so their impeccable service of chilled raw oysters and clams is deserving of high praise and patronage. Our assorted seafood platter was easily as fresh as oysters I had this past summer off the Chesapeake Bay. They were also correctly shucked----all of the liquid was left in the shell, no grit, no cracking.
Fish chowder soup was very good with a decidedly homemade flavor and lots of fish. Lobster rolls were generous portions for $15 and served with excellent fries. However, the lobster itself was served straight without any butter or mayo dressing on rolls covered in aioli. It was good, but they'd be smart to baste the lobster just a little. That said, again, no hint of fishiness at all, just fresh seafood.
The pear upside-down cake with homemade carmel and whipped cream may be the best dessert in Madison. Expertly executed and nicely warmed, it was so big that it fed 5 happy people.
They also have the best happy hour in Madison. All of their appetizers are significantly less expensive and their quality cocktails are only $5. Make a point to try whatever oysters they have at $1.50 each--a great deal. "Smoke stacks" are also on good happy hour special and are basically smoked salmon, whitefish, and a few other notes such as caviar stacked on top of each other with house-made pickled vegetables. Very good.
Do note that for dinner you'll spend a good $35-50 per person for appetizer, entree, and drink, and possibly more depending on what you order. I think you can go to the bar and just order a sandwich for $10-15, which is doable for undergrads.
Had dinner with a largeish group on a Friday night recently. Â Place is just as loud as the Magnus was but it was bearable.
Ambiance was fun, sort of Red Lobster + Taste.
The food was mixed with price not correlating to quality. Â
Shrimp cocktail was excellent. Â
We got a few of each variety of oysters not being very experienced oyster eaters. Â All were pretty good, some quite good but every one of them had bits of shell all over the edge of the shell so most of them had grit mixed in even after wiping the shell off myself. Â Only have had oysters a few times (including at The Magnus) and they always seemed cleaner shucked than this time
For the main course I had the 15$ fish and chips thinking I'd be stuffed from the other stuff and not want anything too fancy. Â It turned out to be the best part of the meal, I have not had such good fish fry anywhere! Â Frites were nice and dark, fish perfect and breading flavorful but not too greasy/heavy.
My wife had the lobster roll which was pretty good though her frites where white and undercooked. Â Others in our party had the whole red snapper and it was excellent as well.
So in general I'd say check the place out, but maybe not for the oysters.
This whole place is different - Magnus is gone, and a delightful little oyster bar has taken its place. In the front, there is a boat. Not an image of a boat, but an actual boat. It's decor. It's kinda fun!
Magnus's old bar area has kept a little bit of its original majesty, and the main dining area is still separate. We were there late and they seated us in the bar zone at once. We ordered two dozen oysters. God I love oysters. It's what I'd probably request if I was going to be executed. No need for the little sauces but we ate them anyway. They were freaking great.
We also polished off a delicious chocolate dessert. Bonus points for having a sparkling chenin blanc on the wine list for $7 a glass. That was an easy choice! What's better than champagne and oysters? Delicious!
Our group of 7 arrived and were quickly seated with no reservations being made. Â We tried a couple of the seafood towers for appetizers. Â These were an assortment of raw clams, oysters, shrimp, etc. Â Overall, very delicious, though members of the party of preferences for the different types.
Three of us ordered the yellowfin tuna. Â We asked for rare but it came out more of a medium. Â Still, it tasted wonderful. Â The rest of the party seemed to enjoy their meals of salmon and crab legs. Â
The Tokyo Schooner was our drink of choice. Â A very easy to drink to have again and again.
For the Midwest, I thought they did an awesome job at serving fresh seafood for the price.
Fabulous!
Had some East Coast Oysters- Great! Â The little brown vinegary sauce that is served with them is so good. We saved it to dip bread and stuff in! ;) Â But don't wreck the oysters by adding the sauce- they are great alone. '
Also had the white fish cakes- yum!
I had the Marlin and tried the Halibut both excellent. Â
Everything was terrific. Â Can't wait to go back.
I have to say I am a bit disappointed my first review was filtered by Yelp, but I went back last night to Tempest, and have more good things to say about them.
We ate in the bar instead of the restaurant this time, and the noise level was actually quite manageable. Â I love lobster rolls (have lived on the East coast and have traveled to Boston and the New England area) and I was not disappointed with theirs.
I'm not sure if the recipe has changed since all of the bad reviews were written about it, but it was filled with perfectly cooked lobster meat. Â Delicious. Â It wasn't a traditional roll in the sense that it wasn't coated with mayonnaise and slopped on a hamburger bun (like street vendors in the New England area generally do) but it was very much like the high end lobster rolls I have gotten at places like Neptune Oyster Bar in Boston and the like. Â The lobster is served on a butter toasted hoagie with a nice dollop of mayonnaise on the bun. Â It was a perfect amount of fat, meat, and arugula. Â The fries were also quite good that came with it, and the dipping sauce was nummer. Â
I have to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the mussels. Â Unfortunately, I am comparing it to Sardine's mussels, and none can ever compare. Â The sauce was too salty and thick for my taste, Â but the mussels were tender and debearded very well, so they were yummy.
My friend got the fish and corn chowder, and we had to send it back. Â Sadly, it was quite bland and she pulled about 4 fishbones out before she gave up and signaled the bartender. Â Ah well, it was only a side, so I can't complain too much.
All in all a very tasty dinner : )
Went to Tempest earlier this week, looking forward to sampling the Lobster Roll. Unfortunately we were very disappointed! The lobster was chewy and overdone, and it was on a hoagie bun w/lettuce, mayo, and pickles?? I have never had a Lobster Roll like this one. I know we are in the midwest, but try to make it somewhat authentic....
The tuna appetizer was well done, as were the matchstick french fries. I will give this this restaurant another try, but definitely not order the Lobster Roll.
The food was pretty amazing if expensive. Â Everyone at our table enjoyed the oysters but the whole deep fried sea bass stole the show. Â Head and tail still on. Â I was impressed. Â
The space is cool and feels retro yet new. Â
The problem I had was the bartenders and the lack of music. Â On a Saturday night you'd think the bartenders would be in a good mood. Â They weren't and their attitudes took something away from what should have been a great bar scene. Â
Overall the food is great but they need to make the place have more 'vibe'. Â Its kind of stale even with the really cool decor (a boat inside!).
The owner painstakingly nailed hundreds of decorative metal spoons behind the bar & there's a giant wooden boat in the front room making most of the interior very cool (except for the clamshell in the wall).
The cocktails are simple, fresh, and delicious. I've had three of them and liked them all pretty well. Personal favorite is the Wheelhouse. Fairly solid beer selection too, including Schlitz.
Somehow I have an appetizer addiction, and Tempest helped fill my addiction. The seafood tower might not be worth the money - I'd just get oysters and clams a la cart. Last tower we got had some sketchy crab on the top which was a big turn off. The smoked fish platter is spot on -- you can't miss this. Also the scallop and clam apps are both very tasty.
Main courses have been nice also. Seems like the special is always pretty awesome. It's weird though - they seem to run out of things a little too often. Heads up: the lobster roll has lettuce inside of it, so make sure to get that removed. The sturgeon was okay - I think it's a personal thing. I also had the trout which was yummy.
Overall - I like this place. It's an innovative seafood restaurant in Madison with a refreshing interior.
I had a great meal for my boyfriend's birthday at Tempest Oyster Bar. Â We started with a selection of two of each of all the raw oysters and clams (we're addicts). Â They had terrific oysters that were pretty expertly shucked (only got a couple of small shell pieces, and I've never been anywhere that didn't have that) -- a great variety of briny to creamy. Â The clams were meh, but probably only because a raw clam seems a bit vulgar compared to the heavenly experience that is a raw oyster. Â I also had the arugula salad, which was delicious, huge (the more arugula, the better!) and well-dressed -- not too lemony, with tasty bits of chevre throughout.
My entree, the carpetbagger steak, was out of this world. Â Cooked perfectly (I asked for medium rare), in a "brown beer sauce" that I probably would have drunk out of a pint glass given the chance, it was stuffed with several --you guessed it -- OYSTERS!! Â I nearly died eating it, it was so good. Â I didn't even want to give a bite to my boyfriend and it was his birthday! Â Definitely in the top five things I've ever eaten in my life.
Dessert was also delicious: I had a blackberry-peach crumble (not too sweet), and my boyfriend had a chocolate mini-bundt cake with a candle in it! Â They also brought him shortbread cookies with whipped cream upon learning it was his birthday. Â All were very tasty.
Great service. Â Good wine list. Â The decor was kind of weirdly sterile-nautical (try the bar section if you want to look at pretty things), but I don't concern myself much with that, especially when the food is to die for!
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