The Waypoint Public House

This place gets almost a failing grade from me. The servers are very friendly and nice. The food was far worst than my home cooked meals. My burger was cold and lacked flavor. The only other thing this place has going for it is the location. Get it together Wayside!

I came to Waypoint Public House for brunch a few weeks ago and it was great. fresh and delicious! I however got take out for lunch with my coworkers this week and not as impressive. I ordered the brie burger with brie. raspberry preserves.prosciutto and arugula AND they forgot the raspberry and prosciutto so it was just a brie cheeseburger :-(I contacted letting them know of this by email and never got a response back unfortunately.

First experience was great! Just finished a birthday week brunch with my family and really enjoyed the «Pink Lemonade» drink and «Steak and Eggs» meal. Our server was pleasant and really knowledgeable of the menu. Definitely a place to return to!

With a less than impressive view Waypoint Public House is a nice place for dinner and cocktails. The bar is large and plenty of room to accommodate their happy hour crowd. The craft cocktail list is not stellar, but bartenders do offer a decent seasonal variety on the drinks. Well I do enjoy the beer list, it changes in frequently. Regarding the food, it’s pretty much standard gastro pub fare. Not quite bar food but not quite spectacular either. Now, with that being said, I am going to back track a bit and say that this is probably hands down the best place in Monona.

First visit to the Waypoint Public House. Excellent food, great beer & drink selections. Family style tables, great atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. The Garden Pesto Sandwich was excellent. Homemade Pesto, grilled zucchini, tomato, and goat cheese… Served on grilled multi grain Batch House bread. Hearty, flavorful without being greasy. Served with choice of fries, kettle chips or house salad. The fries are excellent. This is a great place to go with it group, or just stop by for lunch.
The only critique/​suggestion that I would offer, would that they add better signage to help identify and direct patrons to the entrance… Had I not been meeting a group that had been here before, I may have just left… And that my friends, would have been a shame… ;)

Overall, I loved my food and we had great service. I really wanted Waypoint to be 5 stars because of its gastropub feel, but it missed the mark on a few things that made it seem tacky.
We went for brunch on Sunday and were happy to score a high-​top table near the bar to watch some tennis that was on the TV. The space is inviting and overlooks the water, with the beltline in the background. They have an outdoor seating area that I would imagine is pretty cozy in the summer.
The bar area is cute in some ways (the actual bar itself, wooden chairs that look artisan) and unorganized in others (3 different kinds of high top chairs, drinks in huge Coca Cola tumblers). For bigger events and weekend nights, I bet this place brings in a fun crowd.
Our waitress, Tia, was excellent and around just enough without smothering us. She also helped us decide on our entrees, Huevos Rancheros for me and French Toast for my friend. The Huevos were great! I got the salsa on the side because it said it was spicy, but I ended up using the whole cup. Most entrees come with a salad or potatoes and the salads are quite big with a really tasty champagne dressing. They also have some interesting entrees for brunch like Walleye and Eggs.
Overall, we had a pretty great breakfast and I would try it again for dinner (hopefully sitting outside). I think this place could be a real gem with a few cosmetic changes.

I’ve visited Waypoint twice. Our first time was good. No complaints. The second time we didn’t even make it to the food. My wife and I were enjoying a date night, stopped in for dinner. We were seated promptly and then our waitress got our waters immediately. Unfortunately we never saw her again after over 20 minutes of waiting we just walked out. They were not even busy so I have no idea what happened. Very disappointed. A one star experience the second visit and a four star experience the first visit equals out to a Two.

Been there several times for drinks after work. Great bar — bartenders are top flight — can get rather noisy but good overall buzz. Had some apps last night and the shredded pork quesadillas were terrific! More like a meal so share!

We’ve been here twice now, and my whole family agrees this is a nice, independent addition to Monona’s restaurant scene.
We’ve tried the pulled pork sandwich, and the walleye sandwich, and both were really awesome, and huge. The second time we stopped in on a Friday before heading to a show and we all got fish fries, two cod and one walleye. And all three of us agreed they were the best fish fries we’ve had in the Madison area for a long time, and I’m a south side of Milwaukee fish fry snob.
The beer list is very well curated, with a lot of variety and constantly rotating taps. They’re also doing featured breweries which is fun. I encourage you to take advantage of their sampling policy, I’ve found some awesome beers this way.
The space is really well done, very urban but also well blended with the waterfront surroundings. The only thing I’d love to change is the view of the Beltline. Ah well, can’t have it all.
Try it, you’ll enjoy it, an excellent interpretation of upscale bar food with an amazing bar.
But I’ll warn you, the sign is easy to spot off of Broadway in Monona, but it’s not obvious that the restaurant is on the other side of the building, on the water, so once in the parking lot you have to wind your way down along the Treysta, right by the water’s edge. Lovely walk. Hope they offer a place for kayakers to moor in the summer.

Stopped in here for what we though was going to be lunch while out and about around the East Side. When we arrived, we learned they were only serving brunch (it was Sunday around 1 PM). After deciding that was okay, we sat at the bar to watch the Viking/​Seahawks game that was going on.
For my meal, I had the Pink Lemonade (Tito’s vodka and pink lemonade) and the Huevos Rancheros. I was not a fan of the black bean pico, but that’s because I’m not a fan of beans in general. The rest of the meal was spot on. The brunch potatoes are superb, especially if you like your brunch with a kick. They were crispy, cheesy and spicy-​yum!
Husband had the french toast with pecans and maple syrup. He liked it, but it didn’t seem to be anything spectacular to me. He’s not an egg fan, so that was pretty much the only thing on the menu that didn’t have eggs. I do wish they had a slightly expanded brunch menu, or at least served lunch as well so ‘picky’ people had options.
Their beer menu and liquor selection is expansive. They have drinks for every taste.
I loved the décor as well; their bar is what I’d like in my basement some day!
I’ll be back, I’m hoping to check out the after-​work menu sometime with a co-​worker!

I’ve been to Waypoint Public House (WPH) several times now and while I have some minor gripes, I have no problem recommending the place for a drink (or two) and a meal. I’m a fan of the generally well-​prepared meals, the cordial service and I appreciate a new local option for waterfront dining.
While WPH is easy to spot from the Beltline, it is rather inconspicuous when attempting to access the restaurant from West Broadway. It also is a long walk from the parking lot to the back of the building complex that houses WPH. It’s not bad when the weather is pleasant, but less enjoyable during inclement weather.
When you enter the restaurant, the ginormous three sided bar immediately catches your eye. In addition to the 30 craft beers on tap, the bar also features an extensive selection of Scotch, bourbon, rum, rye and scotch. The interior features a mix of rustic looking woods and more modern looking stainless steel. The interior can get extremely loud when the place fills up due to the concrete floor that does little to absorb the sound. There also is an outdoor seating area along the edge of the Yahara River, though that view is somewhat dominated by the bridge spanning Mud Lake.
I’ve encountered efficient and generally friendly service during my various visits to WPH. Orders are taken in a timely manner, wait times for the food are minimal and the check is always delivered as the meal is winding down. My only service gripe is the host stand, which rarely seems to be occupied. I’ve encountered times where I waited over five minutes for the host to come and escort me to a table.
The menu offers a variety of appetizer, burgers, sandwiches and a handful of entrees. The hand breaded cheese curds tasted fresh, but were a tad greasy. The poutine was just OK, I enjoyed the robust gravy, but I was less enthused with the generic yellow mustard added to the beef tenderloin. The tenderloin was well prepared, but to portions were too large to comfortably chew.
I’ve had better success with the sandwich menu. WPH gets a big thumbs up for using bread from Batch Bakehouse, so the bread component is always spot on. For those that need gluten free sandwich options, WPH offers Silly Yak gluten free bread for a $ 2 upcharge. All sandwiches come with a choice of French fries, house kettle chips, coleslaw, or tossed greens.
The Hot Italian Sandwich (pancetta, prosciutto, pepperoni, salami, Swiss, tomato, pickled onion, pepperoncini, Italian dressing, Batch baguette) was a treat to eat. The kitchen up a wonderful sear on the meat and the added pepper provided a delightful crunch. My kitchen also deserves props for obtaining that perfect balance between the bread and the contents.
During another visit, I ordered the grilled cheese with sautéed mushrooms and spinach. The deeply browned bread offered a pleasing crunch with every bite. With a plethora of cheeses available in the heart of America’s Dairyland, I thought the use of a plain Jane American and Pepper jack cheese were an odd choice. Fortunately, the sautéed mushrooms saved the day, providing a mouthful of flavor in every bite. The sandwich also benefited from the rustic roasted vegetable soup that accompanied my meal and served as a fantastic dipping sauce. The chunky soup featured a dash of heat and balanced flavors.
Despite some minor flaws, WPH is another fine addition to the Madison dining scene. While I don’t get there as often as I would like, I have always come away from my visits satisfied with the pub food and the efficient service.

Friday night fish fry
Clam chowder was tasty, but too peppery, solid clam chunks (largest ever) with potatoes and carrots. Fried cod was tasty and cooked perfect. French fries were thin and great. Others with me enjoyed the sweet potato fries and the baked cod. The beer sampling was nice, quite a variety.

Review as a restaurant not a bar. I really wanted to love the tenderloin poutine, but the gravy was odd and the steak precooked. But the really offputting part, was just how damn salty the dish was overall.
Branch has been better and I especially like the breakfast steak with aoili potatoes and chimichurri sauce.

I’d heard good things about Waypoint from several friends. So on a recent sunny Friday afternoon, I found myself sitting at an outside table, taking in a spectacular view of the south Beltline. (Yes, that was sarcasm. There really is nothing to see here.)
I started with what was billed as a rhubarb Collins. It was a nice drink, but there was no discernible rhubarb. Does the drink actually contain rhubarb? If not (rhubarb is out of season in September), either don’t call it that — or take it off the menu. It was disappointing.
I followed my friends’ recommendations on the food — tenderloin poutine and the Friday walleye special. Now, I’m a bit of a poutine slut, so it’s hard to go wrong there. The base (fries, gravy and cheese) was great, the tenderloin on top, less so. It was a generous portion, but the slices were unevenly cooked (some rare, some well done). And the smoke! I know it’s grilled, but I am not a fan of such heavy char. They could back off a bit on that and have a better dish. Also, please serve this with a steak knife. Just sayin’.
The fried walleye, on the other hand, was unreservedly excellent. The beer batter was super crisp and nicely seasoned, the fish was nicely cooked, and the fries were matchsticks of perfection. I would order this again in a heartbeat.
The outdoor seating experience was nice (the «view» is what it is), but would be enhanced by coming up with some better shade options. We were okay at our table, but others weren’t. Maybe some larger — or adjustable — umbrellas? And put them on all tables.
Kudos to our server (Joe) for his friendly and efficient service.
If it were possible, I’d probably give Waypoint 3 ½ stars. A couple of small, easily remedied misfires, but I would definitely eat here again.

I’ve been to Waypoint a number of times now. We live in McFarland and it is nice to know that we don’t have to travel downtown every time we want a yummy dinner. McFarland is great place to live but the food options are pretty minimal unless you want fast food or a super club atmosphere. Waypoint is just a short 5 minute drive for us and the reason we frequent so often.
The food is always fantastic and the beer selection is great. I’ve tried half the menu and never had a complaint. The patio is also great for those nice fall/​summer Wisconsin days.
The only issue I have is the service can lead you to desire more. Like I said, we’ve been there at least 8 times now and at least half of those times the servers and or bartenders are not as friendly or quick as you’d hope for. No one should have to sit at the bar for over five minutes before they get served with both bartenders walking by multiple times. Especially when the bar is only half full! You could at least stop by and say, ‘hey folks, I will be back in a few minutes here is a menu to look at while you wait.‘
If they can get the servers to be more attentive this place would definitely deserve 5 stars.

Went for dinner last night.
I had the tenderloin poutine, hubby had the hot Italian sandwich. Sammie was good, but the tenderloin poutine was absolutely outstanding! I would have a hard time ordering anything else, now that I’ve had this. But, we do want to go back, to try some of their other items. Hubby and I both agree, that they probably have an outstanding burger. Only one way to find out!
I very much like the fact that they are sourcing from local places.
We were quite pleased with the final bill as well. Very reasonable.
Can’t wait to return!

I’ve been in Madison for four days and we’ve been here twice, so there must be something good about it.
The first time was convenience. We arrived fairly late from MSN and needed a beer after one of those annoying travel days. They stop serving dinner at 10pm, but they have a fairly decent late-​night food menu that they serve until closing. The beer list is excellent, and the bartender was helpful in selecting a brew that would help us forget the travel disasters we had already encountered. They have a nice selection with a good variety of breweries and types.
We ordered the nachos, cheese curds, and deviled eggs. While the deviled eggs were delicious and the cheese curds were pretty good, the nachos were terrible. I might not go so far as to say the worst nachos I’ve ever had, but definitely in the running. However, it really was my mistake for ordering nachos so far from Mexico.
The second time we came back with a friend and had the deviled egg sandwich, burger, and ABLT. All were really tasty, the fries were crispy, and everything tasted fresh and delicious. Our waitress was super friendly and willing to deal with several special requests and substitutions (and everything came out right!).
I’m only here for a few more days and I try not to duplicate restaurants while traveling, but I can’t promise anything.

Had a late night dinner there last Friday. We arrived about 9pm and asked to be seated outside. We waiting for at least five minutes and saw several servers before one came over. I was about to go back to the host stand to ask when she did. Her name was Andrea and she really saved this review. She said that we weren’t assigned to her but she saw us sitting there and wanted to make sure we were taken care of. We told her we appreciated it. My fiancé ordered a bourbon on the rocks and I had their specialty rum punch. It was pretty good but I can’t say I’d order it again.
We ordered the pub chips and quesadilla appetizers. They were delicious and left us too full to get any more food. I’d warn that you should not get the pub chips if you are not a garlic fan but we are so enjoyed them.
I would definitely go back for the food and the atmosphere. I think they will definitely do well and offer something different in the monona area.

Going to be a tad generous with the initial review, because I like the space and I like the concept of it. Stopped-​in for an afternoon beverage on a Monday, around mid-​day.
— A bit difficult to see from Broadway (looks like signage is on order)
— Parking lot entry is torn-​up/​non-​existent (new construction + construction taking place at next door park, so I totally understand it; just don’t take your Viper or other low-​slung sports car (note to self: must get a low-​slung sports car))
+ Large, open, airy space. Great mix of materials — corrugated steel, wood, cement, stone. I *really* like the look and feel of the space.
+ Huge bar with a ton of good seating
+ Plenty of tables and booths; doesn’t feel crowded or cramped at all
+ Televisions are placed strategically to allow for background watching without being overbearing
+ Patio area looks super nice
— Construction next door was too loud (heavy implement) to enjoy the patio mid-​day. Guessing this will quickly change after the park is completed. Again — not anything that Waypoint can control.
+ LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the tap list. I could’ve drunk the entire list, had time, money, and metabolism allowed for it… 30+ taps, all of which are interesting and are sure to appeal to everyone.
+ Great idea to post «coming soon» on the tap list — super helpful
+ Friendly, helpful bartender. Super patient, answered questions, assisted, and was enjoyable to hang out with.
+ Reasonable prices
+ Food menu looks interesting; I’ll return during mealtime to sample a few things. Beet salad sounded awesome.
I can’t wait for the neighboring construction to wrap-​up so that I can fully/​truly enjoy the space as intended. Go — give it a try.

First impression of Waypoint is somewhat mixed.
Just finding the actual restaurant is a bit of a chore. You can’t even see the establishment from the parking lot, having to walk all the way down a sidewalk. I understand that they wanted the outdoor seating area by the water. I get it. It also gets nice visibility from the Beltline. But by getting that gorgeous view of traffic buzzing down the Beltline, it definitely made things a bit awkward.
Otherwise the interior is quite nice, with the exception of some questionable design choices. That painted plywood with art tacked to it is, well, tacky. There is hardwood everywhere in this place, and those benches are awesome. I also like the lighting. The bar is gigantic! The outdoor seating is fine, but the view of the Beltline isn’t ideal. Positioning the restaurant near the parking lot with a quieter outdoor area would have made more sense.
The food we tried was very greasy. I also feel like everything was over-​charred. A greasy burger that’s been charred to death isn’t exactly the awesomest. A requested medium-​rare Brie Burger was pretty overcooked. My Sautéed Mushroom Sandwich was very greasy, and that bread was simply burnt. It had a good mushroom flavor going on, but nothing else. Instead of brie, goat cheese would work better. The mushroom sandwich was just okay, and I’m not hurrying back for another.
You do get a side with your meal. If you choose fries, you get a quite generous portion. The prices were fair.
Service was okay. The server tried really hard, but seemed a little unexperienced. Slight mistake with giving my companion regular fries, when he ordered sweet potato fries.
They do have a good beer list, and that bar looks well-​stocked.
The bathrooms are nice, but small considering how large this restaurant is.
The dinner menu seems safe and uninspired, but has the standards people want. The brunch menu looks pretty good, and I’ll probably check that out in the near future.