Old Fashioned was the first restaurant I visited when I moved to Madison - and after a year of touring all of the tastiness that this city has to offer - Old Fashioned is still my favorite.
Maybe it's the cheese curds, which are hands-down my favorite curds on the isthmus. That paprika dipping sauce is pure YUM.
Maybe it's the atmosphere. Old Fashioned is always bustling - making for a heck of wait for a Friday/Saturday dinner - but it's a worthwhile wait. Old Fashioned has this sort of "laidback energy" I've come to associate with the city.
Maybe it's the food. From the Mac and Cheese to the Fish Fry and for every burger and brunch item in between, the food is just good. All of it. All the time.
Maybe it's the drinks. My first time at Old Fashioned, the bartender let us sample a whole flight of local microbrews. This is where my love affair with Lake Louie's Scotch Ale began.
But maybe I like Old Fashioned so much because it's the kind of place I can take out-of-town guests for a slice of the Madison experience. Or at least my Madison experience: Good food. Good people. Good drinks. And most importantly, good cheese.