After living in Madison for several years, I finally made my way to Sardine's. The ambiance is very homey. It is upscale but isn't "In your face" fancy.
I was not impressed with our server. While I was there with a group of friends and we were chatting, we had to wave him down 45 minutes later to take our order. My wife and I shared the honey crips apple salad for an appetizer. I was disappointed with it. The fruit was fresh but it was doused in dressing and it made the greens soggy.
For my main meal, I had Pan Seared Arctic Char. The fish was cooked beautifully and seasoned well. The risotto had a good flavor to it.
For dessert, we shared the banana pudding. This also was a disappointment. Overall, the atmosphere was nice but the food was not impressive. The overall experience was also lessened by the poor service. Maybe a 2nd try will give me a different opinion.