Location: Madison
Top Restaurants in Madison
Indiana, United States Food Guide: 10 American food Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Madison
Find out what American restaurants to try in Madison. Madison is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. Its estimated population was 12,247 as of 2016. Over 55,000 people live within 15 miles of downtown Madison. Madison is the largest city along the Ohio River between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. Madison is one of the core cities of the Louisville-Elizabethtown-Madison metroplex, an area with a population of approximately 1.5 million. In 2006, the majority of Madison's downtown area was designated the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark in the United States—133 blocks of the downtown area is known as the Madison Historic Landmark District.
Things to do in Madison
10. The Courtyard Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By VickieD569
On a recent weekend stay in Madison, we stopped here for lunch on the recommendation from a shop keeper. The interior didnât have any charm, but being a beautiful day, we ate outdoors. Kudos to them for offering outdoor seating! We were waited on promptly by a sweet young lady, who was attentive during our visit. My husband ordered the fish sandwich and said it was delicious. I had the club sandwich and it was fantastic...not filled with deli meat, like most are. This had a slice of fresh ham, a piece of chicken, and freshly cooked bacon. Excellent! I would definitely recommend this place!
9. Shipley's Tavern
Overall Ratings
4 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By MrSimpleMan47150
Stopped here on a Saturday for lunch. Always enjoy sitting at the bar. Bartenders are always attentive and do a great job. Ordered the Shipley's burger. It is a wonderful burger. Highly recommend! This is always my first stop when in Madison. Looking forward to returning!
8. Off Broadway Taproom
Overall Ratings
4 based on 49 reviews
Reviewed By GoForTheExperience
Stopped in for dinner after we rode all day. The food was great. I tried the shrimp taco and the carnitas taco, along with chips, salsa, and guac. It was all very delicious and the beer was cold! Cute little area. We enjoyed sitting by the window and watching the action of Main St.
7. Harry's Stone Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By TboneTerror
In Madison on business and was taken to Harryâs. Not a large bar area, but very welcoming. We ate in Restaurant enjoying draft beer, wine and spirits. I had a sirloin and it was perfect. The atmosphere was very good and didnât miss any of my Celtics game.
6. Clifty Inn
Overall Ratings
4 based on 102 reviews
Reviewed By gingerlee13
My cousins and I had lunch at the Clifty Inn while visiting Madison. The lodge where the restaurant is located is very large with multiple spaces for events. They also have a very nice gift shop. As for our lunch, several in our group ordered the fried pork tenderloin sandwich and declared them delicious. I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich which was terrific. The restaurant had a lunch time buffet, but we preferred to order from the menu. The waitstaff were very nice and helpful, and we did not have to wait very long for our food. This was a great choice for our lunch.
5. Hinkle's Sandwich Shop
Overall Ratings
4 based on 280 reviews
Reviewed By GrandPenguins
We were in Madison during lunch hour and decided to try Hinkle;s. This is definitely a "homey" type place and was packed with locals. We sat at the counter not realizing they had tables in the storefront next door. We saw the gal cooking the burgers had many in process but the size was so small. Being hungry we each ordered 3. To give some idea of the size they only use half a slice of cheese on each. After we each had consumed 2 we gave up not able to consume the third. These burgers are really bigger than they look. The milkshakes were thick and made with a vanilla custard with syrup added for flavor. They must have 50 flavors.
4. Red Pepper Deli Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 120 reviews
Reviewed By Edward P
Very Good Sandwich. A Bit Overpriced. Nice selection of menu items and the sandwich was very good. BUT, a little overpriced for a half sandwich on a hoggie bun, a pickle slice and a small bag of chips. ($7.99} The building was very basic and a bit run down inside.
3. Key West Shrimp House Incorporated
Overall Ratings
4 based on 494 reviews
Reviewed By VickieD569
On a recent trip to Madison, we chose Key West to dine at on a Saturday evening. The reviews were good and the parking lot was filled...a good sign, youâd think! We got there around 8:30 and expected a wait as they donât take reservations and it was busy. Surprisingly, we only waited 10 minutes. Our waitress was friendly. Our disappointment started when we found out they were out of their seafood chowder. We had our hearts set in it, especially after reading the reviews! This is one of their popular items (based on reviews)...how do they run out of it? It is unacceptable to run out of food, no matter the time of day. We had to ask for our drinks, as our friendly waitress forgot about them. Because we couldnât get the seafood chowder, we opted for the onion bouillon that is included with the meal. Bouillon? What? Iâve never seen a place sell bouillon. And it wasnât even a pleasant tasting bouillon. At least add some sautéd onions in sherry...something to add flavor! After our trip to the salad bar, we waited 40 minutes for our food to arrive (the food was ordered 10 minutes prior to going to salad bar)! We were not the only people upset about the long wait. By this time it was near 9:30 and the crowd was thinning out. No excuse to have a 50 minute wait for food! On a positive note, the food was hot when it arrived and tasted good. The cocktail sauce, in a small plastic ramekin, had the appearance of being frozen, although it was zapped in the microwave and wasnât frozen, it wasnât smooth. After our friendly waitress gave us the bill, she never returned to take the money. Itâs a good thing we paid by cash and had the correct amount, or who knows how much longer we would had to wait. There was a male server at another nearby table who spoke very loud, and was giving away too much unnecessary information about the restaurant to the people he was serving. This was annoying! I normally donât give bad reviews, but I normally donât have such a disappointing dining experience.
2. Red Pepperoni
Overall Ratings
4 based on 265 reviews
Reviewed By brotherroy
This place is right on Main Street and easy to find. I had the parmesan chicken sandwich. Large portions hit the spot after a very hot morning of hiking at Clifty Falls State Park. Place was busy for lunch on a Friday but I always take that as a good sign.
1. Crystal & Jules
Overall Ratings
5 based on 308 reviews
We are an upscale dining restaurant in beautiful downtown Madison, IN. We offer many types of cuisine using only fresh ingredients. Try our Made from scratch, hand rolled pasta, or our best selling item, the Costa Rican New York Strip.
Reviewed By Rick47172
Wow factor is here. Small place reservations definitely required. Great food. Your problem will be the menu is so complete on one page you will have a problem deciding what to order. Duck was superb. Chicken with spinach was fantastic. Steak prepared was outstanding. Pasta with sausage and other ingredients was excellent. Try the shrimp and crab dip with hot bread chips was a dish to fight over with your friends. Good bourbon, great beer and coffee. Get a piece of cheesecake for dessert. Very reasonable priced. Owner Andy will check on your dinner after he cooks it. Fantastic service. Super Atmosphere. Make your reservations. We dine here often. Wow factor is here.
