We haven't lived in Madison very long so recommendations and reviews are helpful. My wife enjoys a good filet. When I asked my coworkers, I received a couple personal recommendations for the Mariner's Inn. Plus the Yelp reviews had some positive comments. So I made a reservation to celebrate my wife's birthday. I even called the restaurant and made a personal reservation and told her that it was a birthday dinner.
The decor is pretty tired and the place is a bit crowded. For good food, I can get by that.
I don't know if the wait staff was short on purpose or not, but it was 25 minutes before our order was taken and another 40 minutes to get our meals.
The filet was far less than average. It had a vinegary undertaste to it. The "legendary" hash browns had way too much onion in them. The walleye was "ok.". The highlight was the cheesecake with cherries. It was an excellent cheesecake.
We had club sodas to drink. The waitress never even offered refills.
And, the birthday? Nothing. Nada. Nary a mention. Will we return? Nope. For the price, there are far too many options than to take a second chance here.