Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar – Spotlight
Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar
750 N. Midvale Blvd.
Madison, WI 53705
608-233-9550
Madison has a new upscale steakhouse that easily competes with the established area establishments. Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar, located in the Sentry parking lot in Hilldale Mall opened recently, to large crowds and good preliminary reviews.
Madison Dining Online checked out Fleming’s on a recent Friday evening. Reservations were nearly impossible to come by, but by agreeing to dine early (5:30), we were put on the reservation list.
The first thing that we noticed was that Flemings has valet parking. We can’t be sure, but we debated whether or not this is the only valet parking in Madison, and came to the conclusion that it may well be. We were early enough that we did not need to partake in that service, however, finding a convenient spot near the entrance.
The second thing that we noticed was the decor of the restaurant. Dimly lit and elegantly designed, the atmosphere was pleasant, quiet, and again upscale. Upscale is a word that we will use often in this Spotlight.
And the third thing we noticed were the wonderful homemade potato chips being served at the bar. Arriving early for our reservations, we opted to have a drink at the bar to scope it out. Fleming’s barstaff was pleasant and friendly, serving up the chips along with the drinks. Extra points were earned by providing blue cheese stuffed olives to go along with the vodka martini that was ordered.
Shortly after being seated for dinner, the waitstaff brought a relish tray to the table. Yes, I’ll say it again… it was an upscale relish tray, with crisp breads and various butters. The menu was extensive, with selection to appeal to all. Main entrees with sold ala carte, with appetizers, salads, soups and side dished available for purchase.
Our party of three started with the Artisan Cheese selection, a nice serving of assorted cheeses and fresh fruit. We moved on to salads, ordering both the classic caesar salad and the mozzerella and tomato salad. The caesar salads had a good, garlicy dressing, while the tomato salad was presented with slices of fresh mozzerella and cherry tomatoes. This salad will probably be better in season.
Entrees ordered included the bone-in New York Strip, the bone-in ribeye, and the large tenderloin filet. The steaks were excellent, cooked as ordered and served on very hot dishes. These steaks easily compete with, and sometimes best, the steaks available at the more elite Madison steakhouses.
Side dishes ordered included the sauteed mushrooms and the mashed potatoes with gorgonzola compound butter. The potatoes were extremely flavorful and interesting. A side dish of interest which was not ordered was the chipotle cheddar macaroni and cheese.
The wine list was interesting and affordable, which tends to be a challenge for other elite Madison steakhouses.
Too full to even think about dessert after the meal, we ended the evening sated and very satisfied with the food, the atmosphere and the top-notch service.
Flemings Steakhouse is not for the faint of wallet. This was easily one of the most expensive dinners that we’ve ordered in Madison. But we don’t believe that Flemings is attempting to attract those concerned with cost. Their appeal is towards those who appreciate an upscale dining experience without concern for the tab.
So, does Madison really need another chain restaurant? In this case, we’ll say yes. While we will not turn our backs on locally owned Madison steakhouses, there is definitely a place for Flemings in our area. If nothing else, it will raise the bar of competition, which will benefit local diners.
Thank you for the very nice review of our restaurant. We are very proud and excited to be in Madison. I do hope during your next visit that you save room for one of our incredible desserts, which like everything else, is made fresh, in-house, daily. Thanks again from all of us at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar!
Skip Fox, President
Beware of visiting Flemings mid-week. They are entirely overstaffed and we found ourselves interrupted numerous times. Good service is one thing, but our waiter hovered over us as we ate. Despite the overzealous staff we enjoyed the food, even if it was cleared away before we were finished. This is Not the place to go if you are looking for a quiet evening alone.
Went on a Saturday night. The resaurant is very dim. Hard to read the menus. Some people at the next table were using flashlights. The steaks were very salty and were med to med well when we ordered med rare. We had the Cesear salad and the mushroom and the Fleming potatoes which were all great. The Cheesecake and the Key lime torte were also great as was the homeade whipped cream. The waitress and the service was the best I have ever had.
I have been to Fleming’s twice now since it opened and both times had amazing service and amazing food! From the black napkin (for my black outfit) to the chilled salad fork, scrumptious steak cooked to order, wonderful grilled asparagus, desserts to write home about and warm, cozy atmosphere…. I can’t wait to return! This restaurant is a welcome addition to Madison’s already wonderful restaurant line-up!!!
Big Box Steakhouse. No hope to compete with other up-scale Madison restaurants. Food was good, but waitstaff was pompous. Trying too hard to be elegant with valet parking and an overpriced menu, however were playing loud hip hop background music. Not impressed and will not return.
Agree with the previous poster. Waitstaff pompous. Valet parking in Madison? Should have had the valet boys remove the grocery carts from the lot. It loses a little mystique when you have to pick your way through the grocery carts on Sat nite. I really didnt get the point of the choice of a black or white napkin. Nice wine selection, pretty decor. Caesar salad was limp and pale yellow greens. Nice though that they split the salads for the 2 of us. His large filet was generous, tasty and cooked MR the way he likes it. My small filet was a mishapen piece of meat cooked unevenly from well done to MR the way I ordered it. I chose not to complain since we were guests of another couple. I prefer Mortons in Cgo or Nadias on State street where we have had unbelievable steaks.
I think this is by far the best place for a steak in Madison. Everything was awesome, and we eat out a lot! 5 stars from us. Keep up the great work.
Pompous staff! My wife and I stopped in on an impulse, and were overwhelmed by the unwanted attention when we requested to simply look over a menu prior to making our decision to sample or visit the Tornado Club downtown. We were not impressed. We’ll give the place about 18 months before folding. This is Madison, not NY or Chicago. Cut the BS.
Save yourself the money and go to the Tornado Room for steak. The food was mediocre at best, and you get NOTHING with your meal- no side dishes. It was the biggest waste of money that I have spent on food for a long time. The server never came back to our table and when she FINALLY gave us our check she had overcharged us by nearly $100, which we received no apologizes for.
Anyone who thinks the Tornado Room is better must be one of thier emplyees. Great food and service. You get what you pay for here
I have been to Flemings three times. Twice for drinks and appetizer and once for dinner. Dinner was excellent – steak was cooked to perfection and everything was delicious. Prices were high but this is for service too. However, drinks were overpriced. I usually just drink a simple red wine. They were all expensive. It would be nice if they had some selection for someone who wants the atmosphere but cannot afford the overpriced drinks.
Flemings, I’ve eaten at most of them, but prefer the Palm over all … you can find my caricature on most of their walls. Flemings will do just fine in Madison, where better can you rely on your customers to point out your every fault and tell you how to run your business.
FOOD AND SERVICE WERE BOTH WONDERFUL,I DO AGREE WINE WAS WAY OVER-PRICED. THE STAFF WAS WONDERFUL,WE HAD A YOUNG LADY(STUDENT FROM FLORDIA) SHE WAS VERY INFORMED ON THE MENU AND GAVE US WONDERFUL SERVICE.
First of all, our filet /scallop mixed grill (we shared) was perfectly cooked and very tasty. And the opener of raw veggies and two flavored cheeses w. toasts, was yummy. But… many annoyances: decor seemed rather generic, wineglasses were ridiculously big, they forgot to bring our water (was it because we just ordered tap water?), the “sauteed” spinach was raw spinach coated with warm oil, the mashed potatoes were just too rich, and the black napkin seemed silly. Valet service in a supermarket parking lot? Come on, folks. And the high prices! This is Madison, not Chicago. I’d rather go to a local steakhouse a little more grounded in reality.
We recently dined at Flemings on a Friday evening. We found the decor to be wonderful – just as you would see in a classic steakhouse in Chicago. The staff was superb — food was wonderful — we had the Calamari as an appetizer along with salmon bruschetta — both were quite good. 2 out of the 4 of us had the mixed grill…while the others both and steak, and one added a lobster tail. The lobster tail was quite large, and was very good! Our mixed grill of filet, salmon, and bacon wrapped scallop was all prepared as we liked and was fantastic. The wine selection is amazing — and paired as it should be with the correct sized glass. We all found it quite nice (because were were wearing black) that they offered the black napkins! While it is pricey at Flemings — we found it to be worth it to celebrate that special occassion or to just treat yourself to great food, wine, and atmosphere. Will definately be going back.
Flemings was not worth the high prices. My bet is they only last a year in this city.
I have eaten twice now at Flemings and must say both experiences were amazing. Not only was the service phenomonal (as a previous trainer and waitress, I respect good training and this place has it!) the steak was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and I loved the ambiance. After moving here a year ago from the Twin Cities, this is one of the first restaurants in Madison that had the “wow factor”. Keep up the good work!
As I read these reviews, I see there are several posts on not understanding why having the choice to use a black napkin is a good thing. Let me tell you it is
I cannot tell you how many times I have been to restaurants wearing black pants (or similar dark colors) and by the time I stand up to leave I’m left with white lint (from the white napkins) all over my black pants. I would much rather be leaving the restaurant with dessert instead of lint.
Fantastic food & service! Been there four times. Wife loves the black napkin. Chocolate Lava Cake (?) is amazing. Only once was my steak not to my liking and they fixed it immediately. We’ve been to all of the steak houses in town and they’re the best in my opinion (We like Fitch’s as well), even though I agree with some of the criticisms above, they’re not anything I would deem worthy of not trying this place out.
Not overly impressed with Flemming’s food, and the service was a little over the top. I agree that if you go mid-week, it will probably be a little overkill. When the staff wasn’t at the table, I constantly felt them looking at us. As soon as we made eye contact…there they were. Glad they were attentive, but it was a little creepy for me. My dinner was the special for the evening. A fillet topped with crabmeat and bearnaise sauce served with grilled asparagus. Very rich, but wonderful and perfectly cooked. My boyfriend ordered the bone in NY strip and was not impressed at all. His steak was grissly and lacked in flavor. His original choice was $10.00 less, but the waitress talked him into this “much better” steak. This is the same thing that happened with the wine. We both ordered one of the cheaper selections, when the waitress insisted (and that is not an overstatement) on a different wine. The wine ended up being $15.00 per glass more than what we originally ordered and wasn’t anything spectacular. We are much happier at locally owned, long history restaurants like the Avenue Bar and the Esquire. Probably won’t be going back to Flemming’s.
This is in response to all of you bitter, cheap, madison folks. If you want a cheap dinner with overcooked, low quality steaks, then go ahead and eat somewhere else. I think that people here are so used to not getting quality service and food that they feel uncomfortable when they do. When I don’t have money to spend, I go somewhere less expensive, rather than sipping water and sharing salads at a steakhouse. In my experience, if by chance something with your dinner is not correct (steak temp, overattentive waiter) all you have to do is politely tell someone and poof! problem solved. Waiters are actually people too, just tell them how you want your night to go. If you are afraid to vocalise your thoughts, you will not get what you want in a restaurant, but in life as well. So bitter madison people, next time you go out to eat, read the menu outside of the restaurant first, there are prices and everything posted, and if it is not what you want, go elsewhere! I, personally love the place and I think most of the negative reviews out there are because people are in a restaurant they don’t want to be in in the first place. You need to experience everything with an open mind!
I have a lifetime experience of fine dining in this country, and this place didn’t measure up. The drinks, chips at the bar, and bar staff were excellent. The dining area is dark; the open view kitchen is noisy and a distraction to your dining, with too many waitstaff milling around. The appetizers were excellent, the entrees were average, with no presentation to the food, and served on plain white plates. The waitstaff were robotic in their responses, and put off if you asked for something. I don’t mind spending this kind of money for a good meal, but I left wishing that I had gone to the Edgewater or the Madison Club, where the dining experience is worth the money spent.
Ate there after a Badger game. I too seek out fine dining and travel throughout the USA. However,….this is a Big Box restaurant. The alacart menu was expensive. I ordered a side of broccoli for $7.95…..when I noticed that it never came……the waitress delivered it just before dessert! I told her it was too late…..she asked if I wanted a doggie bag! Heck no, I did not want to pay $7.95 and then take broccoli home! Yuk!! The local restaurants have nothing to fear if this is their competition. The black napkins were nice (white linen napkins leave lint on black pants). In my opinion……the only people that will truly like this restaurant are those that have not travelled much. Won’t go back.
This is like the tgi fridays of Prime Steakhouses. Cheesy martini and drink menu. Try 20 really good glasses of wine instead of a 100 so so wines. Too overstaffed hire less and let people make money.
If you think a red Wisconsin sweatshirt is dressing up then you probably wont like this place, or find it completely unnecessary. If you find value in quality and service, chances are you will love it. I think it is great to have choices like Flemings in Madison. Just because most of the people in this city are cheap, doesn’t mean we don’t deserve nice restaurants.
My wife and I ate at Flemings on two separate occasions. The first was in the dining room around spring ’07. Recently we tried it again but this time ate at the bar. The experience in the bar was far better than the dining room with respect to service, atmosphere and noise level. We find it very over priced for the lack of imagination applied to the presentation of the food and the choices. We won’t be back and recommend our friends to steer clear.
Our first visit to Fleming’s locked us in; and, my husband and I continue to be fans. We’ve even brought our out of town guests there to dine on numerous occasions because we feel Fleming’s has what it takes to impress and satisfy our loved ones. The atmosphere is soothing and the staff is so gracious. We’ve always felt welcomed and satisfied. On one visit when my drink was not exactly to taste the bartender tried to get exactly what I wanted and did not give up until I was happy. The food is amazing. My mouth waters just thinking about the chipotle cheddar mac and cheese and the chocolate lava cake, which are two of my must haves every time we go. My husband loves to try everything and has always gone home very full and very happy. Incomparison to other locals, Fleming’s beats the competitors in style, taste, and staff. And as far as price goes, Fleming’s is a little pricey but you pay for what you get.
I’ve been there 3 times and have found the food to be excellent every time. Waitstaff very attentive. I did not find them overbearing or hovering as some have stated. I have not been impressed with the bar area nor the bar staff, particularly one female who appeared to be new. Personally the bar area at Ruth’s Chris is larger, friendlier bartenders and more comfortable.
Way too much money for boring comfort food. If I pay that much for an entree I expect it to excite me. I can do anything they do in my own kitchen with ease. Fleming’s is a far cry from “fine-dining.” It’s just an expensive steakhouse.
My wife and I have given Flemings two chances and will not be back. Although salmon good and appetizers good, my strip was so-so. The dining room is too dark and so are the restrooms. Waiters and waitresses are very nice and gracious. Did not particularly like the bar area. Bartender acted like she was doing us a favor by serving us. All in all, it was good, but not worth the price and did not live up the the hype.
I’ve been to Fleming’s a few times now. It’s pricey, no doubt, but the food and service has always been outstanding. I’m suprised to here Dave said the strip was so-so, because I’ve always had the bone-in strip and have been blown away every time. At 43 bucks, I guess, you should be blown away. I’d recommend it strongly for a special occasion, and without a doubt it’s the best steak in Madison. People that say that Delmonico’s measures up are CRAZY
I am originally from Wisconsin, but now live in Phoenix AZ, and have traveled the world thanks to the U.S. Air Force. I have eaten in some of the nicest restaurants in England, Germany, France and Italy. Flemings is a beautiful restaurant with perfect prices for the food and service you receive. I have seen MUCH priceier places. The problems with putting one in Madison is that SOME people from my home state are more accustomed to buffet style eating or places that serve a 105 oz steak with all the fixins for $25. Anyone who complains about the prices, personalized service or vallet parking are obviously one of the above mentioned, and should probably refrain from attending any other upscale or cultured establishment that comes to madison.