Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar now open
By MadisonDining.com on Oct 26, 2006 in New Restaurants
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
750 N. Midvale Blvd.
608-233-9550
The latest steakhouse chain has now opened in Madison, by Hilldale Mall. We’ll be reviewing it in the upcoming weeks to determine whether or not Madison really needs yet another chain.
Weigh in on the “does Madison really need another chain” debate by adding to the comments below
Madison already has too many chains. We don’t need another one, no matter how good it may be.
yeah, how long until starbucks is madisons’ best coffeeshop/ house? its already #2! i guess we need less chains but also less chainminded people or mental midgets. for example, “oh! i’m not familiar with that place and haven’t heard anything from my small group of people i call friends, so let’s not go in.” too many people think that chain restaurants must be doing something right and all they are doing is underpaying their uninsured workers and getting all their ‘supplies’ from SYSCO. and i do know that starbucks provides benefits. but do me a favor, get some friends together and bike to Fleming’s. ask them where their bike racks are and see the looks you get (if you get in) wearing your rain gear and messed up hair from a helmet and the light on your bag still blinking. at least this place is far enough off the isthmus so that when it fails, a renovation or demolition wont affect traffic.
It is unfortunate that some Madisonians are so blindly centric, close minded and prejudiced to an establishment being born outside of Madison as to preclude their ability to judge a restaraunt by its food and service merits. And never, ever in the history of restaraunts has a review of a culinary establishment included the bike rack section. Only in Madison…..
In all fairness, I have not dined at Fleming’s, but did, however, want to chime in on the “chain debate”. When a restaraunt or any other type of business is owned by an individual or family, it inherently instills pride in ownership. This sense of pride has tremendous power as to the feelings of worth in a community. Additionally, the personality of the owners shine through and the originality of the food and ambiance create a unique dining experience. When a non-chain business succeeds, the benefits are reaped by not only the owners, but the owner’s family, possibly for generations to come. Absolutely none of the above is true for a chain restaraunt/business. Yes, the chain’s CEO’s family reap the benefits, but never the cook. If it makes me blindly centric and prejudiced to enjoy unique (and more often than not, better tasting) food from people that I know in the community, so be it. The chain fad has stripped us from any sense of adventure, like going to a place we haven’t been subjected to with hours of commercials and billboards will somehow challenge our sensibility of what is “normal”. Come on, people. The Olive Garden??? Gross.