Best burgers in Madison. Avoid ordering to-go but great for sitting down with a beer and some cheese curds.
Maytag blue cheese and bacon burger gets my vote for best overall burger in the state. The "melting pot" with their English garlic sauce is rich, silky, and delicious. Good onion rings, fries, and fried mac and cheese squares, though cheese curds have declined in recent years. They used to have the best curds in town too.
Burgers, when prepared correctly, are wonderful. The big detraction is that their buns are infamously crumbly and stale. I've had some of the most delicious meals in town here, though they need to change their buns and make sure burgers are cooked to the requested temperature every time. I'm also surprised but happy to say that I think Dotty's has the best salads in town. Generous fresh portions of roughage and veggies.
Service is basically a rotating menagerie of soon-to-be-fired UW students. To-go orders always come home wrong. If you go in looking to chill and not worried about service, especially during off hours, this one of the great places to sit down with a Spotted Cow and Wisconsin junk food. A great place for tourists to get a feel for Madison too.