I love everything about Tempest.
It's cozy, they have great food, and it might be the best happy hour in Madison. Did I mention the happy hour? It goes til 7 (the latest of the happy hours on the square) and features a lot of their items from the dinner menu at half-price.
My favorite favorite happy hour item is the Smoke Stack. It's a combo of fresh seafood including smoked salmon, caviar, trout, and whitefish. The conch fritters are also quite fabulous. We ordered the shrimp cocktail and the fish cakes; they were decent, but not our favorites.
Their drinks are decent too, although not quite the steal as the happy hour food. They have house wine for $6 and last time I was there, it was a NZ sauv blanc. Score!
The space is cozy with a different feel in each area. The dining room is intimate and dim. The front room is bright and friendly, while the bar is lively. I look forward to going to Tempest just to try out each room.
When every other happy hour on the square ends at 6, head here!