Settle Down Tavern Menu (Update 2025)

Welcome to Settle Down Tavern, where culinary creativity meets a casual ambiance in the heart of Madison, WI. This delightful eatery specializes in a tempting array of burgers, sandwiches, and hearty bar bites that cater to all palates.

Highlights of the menu include the Good Idea Burger, featuring locally sourced beef and a unique house sauce, and the flavorful Greek Freak veggie option that can be made gluten-free. Don’t miss the D’JEET YET?, a mouthwatering hot dog topped with crispy onion straws and house beer cheese sauce. For health-conscious diners, the MAGIC Grain Bowl offers a vibrant mix of oat groats, crispy mushrooms, and whipped miso tofu.

Whether you're indulging in Fish Fry Fridays or enjoying happy hour specials, Settle Down Tavern promises a vibrant dining experience filled with local flavor and friendly service.

Late Nite Food

Late Nite Smash

$7.00

Utz CHIPS

$2.00

Lay's Regular (Large)

$3.50

Lay's BBQ (Large)

$3.50

Lay's Salt & Vinegar (Small)

$2.50

Lay's Queso Ridge (Small)

$2.50

6 Smash Burgers

$35.00

French Fries Reg

French fries. Gluten free! Do they need a description? They don't need a description. They need dipping sauce! Ours are served with ketchup and paprika mayo and free high fives.Allergies: Eggs, Nightshade (both in mayo)

$4.50

Ghost Fries Reg

Our regular French fries tossed in ghost pepper dust - spicy, yes, but not too intense. Think Flamin' Hot Chee-tos. Then think, I'm a champion.FYI - Served with our Blue Cheese Dip. If you would like ketchup please select to add.Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Nightshade

$5.50

French Fries Lg

Big time order of fries whooooooo! Ours are served with ketchup and paprika mayo and free high fives.Allergies: Eggs, Nightshade (both in mayo)

$9.00

Ghost Fries Lg

"Forget about the curveball, Ricky. Give 'em The Heater."FYI - Served with our Blue Cheese Dip. If you would like ketchup please select to add.Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Nightshade.

$10.00

IPA Pitcher

$20.00

Lager Pitcher

$20.00

Late Nite Drinks

D'JEET YET?

Chicken Dinner!

MONDAYS ONLY! Pasture raised chicken battered & fried and served with mashed potatoes, gravy, slaw, hot honey, and ranch dipping sauce.

$18.00

Good Idea (Beef)

Our House Burger! The one you have always been waiting for! Locally raised beef. House pickles. Fried onions. Butterkase cheese from Cedar Grove, WI. Settle Down Sauce. It's a Good Idea to have one - and having two is certainly not a bad idea!"A Good Idea always attracts other Good Ideas. Go Bucky!" -- Thomas EdisonAllergies: Allium, Dairy, Eggs, Gluten, Nightshade, Soy, Shellfish (worcestershire in Settle Sauce)

$12.00

The Fundamental

We're bringing it back to basics with this one y'all. Quarter pound patty made from 100% locally farmed beef. American cheese. Lettuce. Tomato. Onion. Pickles. Burger Sauce. The fundamentals never tasted better

$13.00

Jalapeño Hot Rod

Two beef patties smashed with raw onion, topped w/ jalapeño, American cheese, and burger sauce on a potato bun.

$12.00

Classic Chopped Cheese

Inspired by the NYC Original! 100% Locally Farmed Beef, American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Settle Sauce, Hero Roll

$14.00

GREEK FREAK (Veggie)

This is our house-made chickpea falafel patty fried to a crispy crust with a moist interior. Pickled tomato, cucumber, onion medley, shredded lettuce, and a garlic yogurt! A slam dunk of vegetarian flavors! P.S. - Vegan w/out the bun Garlic YogurtP.P.S. - Gluten-free w/out the bun. AND you can opt for a lettuce wrap.Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Gluten, Soy

$13.00

MAGIC Grain Bowl (GF - Veggie)

Oat Groats, Jammy Egg, Crispy Oyster Mushrooms, House Vegan Kimchi, Roasted Broccoli, Puffed Rice Noodles, Sesame Vinaigrette, Whipped Miso Tofu

$15.00

Wedge Salad

Iceberg lettuce, french and blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumble, thick cut bacon bits, jammy egg, cherry tomato, chives

$11.00

Hot Dog

Underground Meats 100% Beef Hot Dog, Ripper Style!

$8.00

Green & Gold Dog

Underground Meats All Beef Hot Dog, House Beer Cheese Sauce, Pickled Jalapeno, Crispy Onion Straws- YUM.

$12.00

Uff Da Dog

Underground Meats Beef Hot Dog, Beef 'n' Bean Chili, House Beer Cheese Sauce!

$13.00

Plain Cheeseburger (Beef)

Sometimes peeps don't want pickles, onions and delicious house sauce. So we're making this one easy on the peeps, cuz life is hard, and sometimes we need to enjoy the simple things. A simple, classic Cheeseburger, with nothing else on it. Beef Cheese Bun Fun.

$9.50

Kid's Cheeseburger (No Seasoning)

Plain smashed beef patty with no salt or pepper on the beef.

$9.50

Grilled Cheese

$6.50

Chicken Sando

TUESDAY SPECIAL! Alden Hills Farm (Walworth, WI) pasture-raised chicken. Buttermilk battered and tossed in a spicy buffalo breading. Served with blue cheese aioli, shredded carrots and house made pickles!!

$13.00

Meatball Hero

WEDNESDAY SPECIAL! Home-made all beef meatballs fried and topped with home-made marinara sauce and provolone cheese melted onto a toasted hoagie roll. Garnished with fresh parsley.

$13.00

Cuban Sandwich

$13.00

Fish Platter

FRIDAY FISH FRY!Big time fish time welcome to Wisconsin. Two delectable pieces of Settle Down Lager-battered and fried Atlantic Cod, tartare sauce, peppadew relish, pickled jalapeno and lime coleslaw ready to make it summer all year long. As Hamlet once said, "This above all - to thine own fish be true."

$19.00

LUNCH BASKET!

TUESDAY-FRIDAY LUNCH ONLYSandwich, fries and a beverage for only 15! Choose a sandwich and a beverage from the available options. Upgrade to ghost fries for 1.

$15.00

Fish Sandwich

FISH FRY FRIDAYS!Ahhh...welcome to Wisconsin. Settle Down Lager-battered and fried Atlantic Cod, tartar sauce, peppadew relish, pickled jalapeno and lime coleslaw on a pleasant potato bun. (Can be done without the bun!) As John Steinbeck once said, "I remembered not that I had been told Wisconsin is a lovely state, but the telling had not prepared me. It was a magic day."

$13.00

Cheese Puppies (Gs)

Cheese curds Hush Puppies Welcome to Settle Down Tavern Country, population: Meow. These puppies are here to rock your world. Deep-fried and tossed with smoked tomato powder, served with a side of ranch sauce. Dogs and Cats! Living together! Mass hysteria!!! Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Eggs, Nightshade, Soy

$11.00

Pickle Puppies

$5.00

French Fries Lg

Big time order of fries whooooooo! Ours are served with ketchup and paprika mayo and free high fives.Allergies: Eggs, Nightshade (both in mayo)

$9.00

French Fries Reg

French fries. Gluten free! Do they need a description? They don't need a description. They need dipping sauce! Ours are served with ketchup and paprika mayo and free high fives.Allergies: Eggs, Nightshade (both in mayo)

$4.50

Ghost Fries Lg

"Forget about the curveball, Ricky. Give 'em The Heater."FYI - Served with our Blue Cheese Dip. If you would like ketchup please select to add.Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Nightshade.

$10.00

Ghost Fries Reg

Our regular French fries tossed in ghost pepper dust - spicy, yes, but not too intense. Think Flamin' Hot Chee-tos. Then think, I'm a champion.FYI - Served with our Blue Cheese Dip. If you would like ketchup please select to add.Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Nightshade

$5.50

Uff Da Fries Small

$6.50

Uff Da Fries Lg

$12.00

Chili (Cup)

$4.00

Chili (Bowl)

$7.00

Mixed Greens

The freshest, healthiest, tastiest mixed greens under the moon. Coming to us from Lovefood Farms, 25 miles from Madison on Pleasant Hill Road. Ours are served with a lemon tarragon vinaigrette and will always just call to say they love you, and will always just call to say how much they care.

$5.00

Devil Birds

These Devil Birds come to you courtesy of Bryant Family Farms! This jammy egg is served with our fluffy mustard and is topped with crispy paprika panko.

$4.00

Pickled Medley

One friendly round of house pickles, served with assorted market vegetables. Always a surprise. Stop. Hammer Time.Allergies: Allium, Nightshade

$5.00

Calabrian Ghost Pepper Pickle Spears

$5.00

Garlic Dill Pickle Spears

$5.00

Betty's Party Mix

Do you like Chex Mix? (I know right? Who doesn't?!) This is a classic homemade family mix, created by Joslyn's Grandma Betty. Crispex, pretzels, peanuts, cheerios, and rye crisps, baked in a buttery mix of worcestershire and other spices. Spoiler alert: Addictive!!!

$5.00

Buffalo Chicken Fries

$13.00

GO'WAN GET IN THERE

HOUSE SAUCES

Beer Cheese

House made Beer Cheese Sauce - Made with our House Lager!

$3.00

Settle Sauce

The house special sauce! A secret-recipe mix of tomato jam, J-1 sauce (our version of A-1), and mayo. Allergies: Allium, Eggs, Nightshades

$1.00

Smoked Paprika Mayo

Smoked sweet paprika with homemade mayo and seasoning. As tasty as clapping your hands to a Neil Diamond song.Allergies: Eggs, Nightshade

$1.00

The Ranch

The one and only Ranch for the cattle wrassler in all of us. Sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, garlic, leeks and seasoning. Giddy-up!Allergies: Allium, Dairy, Eggs

$1.00

Blue Cheese Dip

We're not saying you're going to tell everyone and their cousins that this is the best blue cheese dip around, but we're not not saying we would be the first to recommend saying that to everyone. And their cousins. Allergies: Dairy

$1.00

Fluffy Mustard

We take mustard made with mustard powder and horseradish and fluff it up with spice for the whole fam damily. Save some for grandpa!Allergies: Dairy, Eggs"Life is a gift, and the moments are always a little better with Settle Down's Fluffy Mustard." -- Julia Child

$1.00

Burger Sauce

$1.00

Chocolate Chip Cookie

$3.00

DESSERT? (Yes!)

REFRESHMENTS

Coke

Not many people know this, but Coke was founded in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia.

$4.00

Diet Coke

Diet Coke was unveiled on July 8th, 1982 and quickly became the best-selling diet soda of all time. "I drink a lot of Diet Coke and belch. And I have been known to use the "F-word." -- Helena Bonham Carter

$4.00

7-Up

Is it more lemon? Or more lime?Either way, 7-Up is here to stay.One of our favorite 7-Up slogans:"You Like It...It Likes You!"

$4.00

A&W Rootbeer

$4.00

Squirt (Grapefruit Soda)

$4.00

Ginger Beer

$4.50

Lagunitas Hopwater

$6.00

Cranberry Juice

"Cranberry Juice. Ahhhh...." Just say it out loud. You'll feel better!Little Known: Wisconsin produces more cranberries than the rest of the United States. Antioxidants for the win!

$4.00

Gassac Rosé 2020 (Btl)

$28.00

WINE (Not?) (Takeout Only)

BEER / CIDER (Takeout Only)

Foggy Geezer Hazy IPA (Can)

A super fruity and dank Warpigs hazy IPA, forged in collaboration between Three Floyds and Mikkeler. Oh Si!

$6.00

High Life 12 Oz. BTL

$4.00

3 Sheeps Fresh Coast Pale Ale (Can)

$6.00

Guinness (Pint)

$7.00

United States Of Cocktails Book (Signed Copy)

BRAND NEW!! Written by Settle Down's own Brian Bartels! Equal parts recipe collection, travelogue, historical miscellany, bartender's manual, and guide to the nation's best watering holes, THE UNITED STATES OF COCKTAILS is a celebration of the cocktail culture of every state in America. Signed copies available!

$25.00

Bloody Mary Book (Signed Copy)

A signed copy of The Bloody Mary book from Reedsburg, WI, native Brian Bartels. Nominated for an IACP Award and featuring fun facts, Bloody Mary history, hosting a party technique, and over 50 recipes. One fan: "This book is the best book ever! I don't know who raised this kid, but gold stars to you!" -- Lynn Bartels (aka Brian's Mom)

$20.00

SHOP