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| - What to say?
I have been to the Great Dane possibly a hundred times in the nearly 10 years that I've lived in Madison, so I feel like I should review it.
Sidenote: I played Ulitmate Frisbee with MUFA for several summers, and we went there after our twice-weekly games for beer and dinner because they are the primary sponsor.
I've been to every location in Madison, except the one in the Dane County Airport, and I even visited the Great Dane in Wausau after a funeral. No matter the location, The Great Dane has always been a solid three start experience for me. It's not knock-your-socks-off amazing, but certainly not bad, and the food is pretty consistent. In fact, my biggest gripe with the Great Dane has more to do with their customer service and some of their policies than the food or beer itself.
First of all, their reservation policy sucks. They won't accept reservations unless you have a group of 8 people or more. Then, they won't seat you unless your entire group is present. They also don't make dining with a large group easy, as my next story will illustrate:
One time, my coworkers threw an informal going-away party for me at the Hilldale Great Dane. About 15 people from work showed up, and we all ordered food and drinks. It was a weeknight, and the restaurant was not excessively busy. At the end of the night, we had racked up quite a bill. The waitress refused to split our check for us. We only asked for it to be split 6 ways (by couple/family), so we weren't being unreasonable in our request. She refused.
Well, not surprisingly, none of us working stiffs was willing to pick up the entire $300+ tab for the group, so instead, we had to fumble around with the receipt and try to mark our names next to each item so it could be charged to the appropriate card. Some people, who only had cash, had to awkwardly ask for change. It was a huge hassle. I think she wouldn't split the bill so she could charge automatic gratuity...however, we would have actually tipped more than 18% had she been a good sport about it. Because of this incident, I have never gone back to the Great Dane with a large group. I would not recommend the Great Dane for any large group events, despite the fact that they have a lot of space.
However, if you're just looking for a nice family meal, then the Great Dane is probably a good bet. Almost all of the menu items are tasty, but I especially like their chicken wings appetizer (in Habanero Hellfire) and their New Mexican nachos. Their burgers leave a little to be desired compared to other places in Madison, but the fries are delicious, when they are served hot. Their beer is not great, but it's not terrible either. I don't have children, but the restaurants seem kid and family friendly (with the exception, perhaps, of their downtown locale).
The Great Dane's recent expansions throughout the region have left it feeling a little bit "Chotchski-esque" in my opinion, but it's still probably better than hitting up Applebees.
In general, I would recommend that the Great Dane become a bit more accommodating of its guests, and treat people as if they value their patronage, instead of acting like they resent having customers. I doubt the popularity of the Great Dane will last forever, and a restaurant can only get by on overpriced (albeit, still tasty) mediocre food and beer for so long...
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