As far as Chinese food goes, this is the best in Madison, which is why it gets 5 stars. The only other comparable location is Ichiban Szechuan, and that restaurant is more oily and less flavorful.
The style here is mostly from southern China--most dishes are spicy, and there are very few vegetarian options (though the vegetarian options are delicious as well).
One thing to note is that their 'hotpot' dishes aren't what you'd expect of 'huo guo'. These are mostly dry dishes kept heated over a flame. Worth a try if you're curious.
They have 'Americanized' menu items which tend to be a little too sweet. I would recommend getting anything with a Chinese name next to it.
Items I usually get:
Mapo Tofu
Spicy twice cooked fish
Cumin lamb
Hot and sour soup
The service is usually fast, but can be slow on busier days.