Review: I can't say enough good things about Common Pasta. Some of the best pasta I've ever had (both their mac and cheese and ragu), full stop, in somewhat generous portions with a $10 price tag. Absolutely delicious focaccia for a great price. The ONLY drawback about eating here is that it's only open weekdays for lunch, in the Capitol Square. If you can go, GO. You will not regret it.

Review: Going here feels like a Faustian bargain. Not in the sense that you're selling a part of your soul, but in the sense that in exchange for an absolutely dirt-cheap pile of pretty good food, you're taking about a week off of your lifespan. They offer a Panda Express-style instant service in which the food is already hot and available, and all you need to do is order it. But as a result, the quality of the food can vary pretty wildly depending on when you got it. If you go during a rush, however, the food doesn't have a chance to sit, and it will almost certainly be good. They offer actual imported Chinese drinks (I will drink kang shi fu green tea until the day I die), which is super nice, but every time I eat there, I can feel my arteries clogging. For a heaping container of food that's enough for the whole day for $10, though, that might be a sacrifice you're willing to make. (I know I am.)

Review: Apparently the best cheese curds in Wisconsin, and after going there, I have to say they haven't been proven wrong yet. Great varied selection of American classics, especially Wisconsin classics, for VERY cheap compared to all its sit-down competition. Seriously, I did not expect THAT much food from a $19 fish fry. So, great prices and great food. I can't ask for that much more.

Review: A lunch joint near the Capitol serving up sandwiches on weekdays only, Casetta has some of the best sandwiches I've ever had. For a reasonable price, you can get so many different delicious creations, including a rotating special (my favorite was DEFINITELY the Friday Cajun Cutlet sandwich). Their cookies with the flaky sea salt are acclaimed by basically everyone who's tried them, and I have to say I agree. They're some of the best cookies in town. I would watch out, though... they sell out of those cookies pretty early, so if you want one, you'll have to get lunch nice and early.

Review: Yet another noodle store that sells things I'm intimately familiar with. Having eaten at hundreds of noodle places in my life, this place definitely stood out as the top 10%. The hand-pulled noodles were exactly what I want in every noodle dish ever - they were amazing down my throat. The broth is very flavorful, and the other Chinese sides are authentic and killer. To top it off, the prices are very low - $11-13 for a reasonably sized bowl of noodles. I will definitely be back once I have a chance.

Review: Having eaten thousands of dumplings in my life, I was curious about what this State Street joint would bring to the table. They did not disappoint - with well-cooked, authentic, delicious dumplings, and good assorted Chinese food such as noodles, this is a great place for anyone craving some Chinese food or dumplings. This place definitely is authentic Chinese (trust me, I can tell) - the workers speak fluent Mandarin, and it seems to be run by a Chinese family (I think). The noodles are very nice and cooked well, and the scallion pancake was shockingly good for its price. The prices were quite reasonable, but maybe a tad high if you are looking for something cheap and easy (around $10 for 10 dumplings on the larger side). If cheap dumplings are what you're looking for instead, head on down to Paul's Pel'meni in the near vicinity.

Review: A hidden gem in the heart of downtown Madison. This restaurant was recommended to me by a local. It doesn't even have a sign at the front, and until recently, didn't even accept credit card to pay. This restaurant offers a relatively small menu, but each dish is delightful, even if the menu as a whole doesn't look like it makes any sense, with Chinese dim sum and wood-fired pizza. Their signature item is three cup chicken, and after eating it, I can confirm that this is for good reason. The food isn't overpriced - it's very reasonable, and I had a very fulfilling meal here. I can see why this place was recommended to me.

Review: The best sushi in Madison, full stop. Also expensive. The sashimi dinner had more sashimi than I'd ever seen before, and it was all obviously high quality. Seriously, go here if you want to splurge. Probably a 1000% better first date spot than whatever is going on at Tutto Pasta. Also, their non-sushi food was good, although there isn't much of it. If you don't want to eat sushi, don't come here.

Review: Poke It Up is a poke bowl stores near downtown, and to be honest, probably my favorite one I've had. They served an amazingly flavorful poke bowl with all the toppings I asked for, no fuss. The fish tasted very fresh, and the portion was nice and generous. They even provided green tea packets free of charge, letting me sip on a green tea on the cold walk back home. I don't think I've ever been so satisfied on a walk before.

Review: Near the center of downtown, Short Stack Eatery fills a craving I've had since coming here: a high-quality breakfast joint. After spending some time in Madison, it's quickly become my comfort pick for when I want to treat myself in the morning. They do a lot of things differently - they offer a blind special, which you order without being told what it is. Their food is high-quality, and I loved it when I went. They have a variety of novel, delicious breakfast options, although I wouldn't recommend their grapefruit juice (much more bitter than I was expecting). Their coffee is great - the hazelnut really hits in a good way. Their food was reasonably priced, and portions were reasonable, but there was a significant line outside even with how early I came. If you plan on going here, go here nice and early, or on a non-busy day (like Thursday). By the way: Their website claims that their breakfast potatoes sauce (Frank's RedHot and sour cream) is the best thing ever, and after I've had it, I have to agree. It really is just the greatest thing ever. If you go here, you NEED to try it.

Review: I was initially skeptical of its wide array of selections from global cuisine. From what I could tell, this restaurant seems to be run by an Indian family, although the cuisine they serve is not just from India. They offer a variety of Asian foods, including Thai dumplings, a variety of curries, and some other options. This is a very comfortable, small bistro type place, and they allow you to pick a spiciness level from 1-5 (I picked 3, and I'm generally pretty comfortable with spice, but I had to down a few glasses of water.) The food here is great value, comforting, and the atmosphere is very nice. Yet another hidden gem on State Street.

Review: Contrary to the name, they don't actually serve dumplings. This restaurant is a family-run local staple here, apparently. They rock traditional pub food, including burgers, fries, soups, fried apps, etc. (and since this is Wisconsin, don't forget the cheese curds!) Don't get me wrong though - this isn't some sort of bar with food stapled on. They make a mean burger. I thoroughly enjoyed their medium-cooked pub burger. It puts dining hall burgers to shame. While this place is a tad pricey for casual eating, that's to be expected. It's not your average fast-food burger joint, it's a sit-down family restaurant with the self-proclaimed "best burger in Madison". And to be honest... no burger in Madison for me has contested that title yet. Edit: Much later, even after trying many other Madison places, they might be right. Also, they've got super good coleslaw! It's small though. :(

Review: This place gets a lot of things right. A cheap combo option, a great lemon chicken rice soup, great pita sandwiches and plates. Their food tasted absolutely great. It has a very unique taste and flavor profile that is pretty authentic Mediterranean. Good hummus, good pitas. If you are craving Mediterranean food near State Street, you should definitely come here for a quick (and cheap!) bite to eat.

Review: This restaurant does one thing, and it does one thing very well. It sells pel'meni, a type of small Russian dumpling, with a variety of condiments applied (the "works"). You get a takeout box full of like 30 pel'meni (there were plenty), with some relatively flavorful seasonings on top, for $8. You can choose beef, potato, or mix pel'meni (mix means you get both beef and potato pel'meni mixed together, not pel'meni with a mix of potato and beef inside), and that's the full extent of the menu. I found the potato pel'meni a little bland, so I would recommend the beef order instead of potato or mix. I would recommend going here for some cheap, good food. Don't expect choices, though.

Review: A tucked-away little Mexican store atop the Kung Fu Tea on State Street (2nd floor), Sabores distinguishes itself from all the exemplary Mexican restaurants in Madison by being *fusion*. Before you run off, they actually do a pretty great job of being fusion. I've had a pretty wide variety of things on their menu, and I can say that they are competent at making every single one of them. Seriously, where else can you get tacos, burgers, and po'boys? They've got something for every mood. To top it off, they're very cheap. I really hope they survive, they seem to be newly opened (as of 2023) and business doesn't seem that fast.

Review: Located south of the CS building on Regent St, Jordan's is a pub with great food selection - more than your typical pub fare, though it does have all of that - and rotating daily specials ($6 for a grilled cheese and soup in this day and age is a little crazy). Good food, very nice portion sizes, and very good pricing. I really couldn't ask for much more from a sports bar.

Review: Absolutely delicious food that seems to be seasonal. Expect mostly entrees here, not following any specific cuisine, though their menu isn't that large. It's definitely a more upscale, expensive place, but if your parents are paying, this is a good spot to visit. Great views, too - smack in the middle of downtown. (I had their burger. It was pretty unique.)

Review: Madison really doesn't have a shortage of good Mexican food places, and this food truck is definitely up there with the rest of them. Located on State Street by the fountain usually, this place is serving up absolutely delicious birria tacos and lots of other Mexican mainstays. It's a bit pricey compared to some of the other foodtrucks, but seriously, the food is so good. Also, their rice and beans are some of the best I've ever had from any Mexican restaurant.

Review: A Madison classic. They're not close to downtown anymore, so you basically have to order delivery, but their pizza is very good, and their pasta and breadsticks are just average. Well, you can't really ask for much more from a regular pizza/pasta joint. Think Pizza Hut, but slightly better and local (and their pizzas are square).

Review: A quaint little ramen shop near the Capitol. Great atmosphere, and unequivocally the best ramen I've had in Madison. I've had a LOT of ramen, and this is definitely in the top 25% of ramen shops I've been to. If you're craving ramen and near the Capitol, this is the place to go. (And there's no shortage of choices!) Also, prices were reasonable but not exactly too cheap either.

Review: Right where the Subway under the State Street campus bookstore used to be, Eat the Best Pizza is a hidden gem that gives Ian's a run for its money. Every time I walk by, the pizza smells make my mouth water. It's open until 4AM every day, and not horrifically crowded like Conrad's Grill or Ian's Pizza tend to get on weekend nights (because not enough people know about it). It serves massive slices of thin-crust New York pizza that you might want to fold in half to eat. The pizza is delicious and ready quickly, the selection of slices is good (although not quite as varied as Ian's), and the prices are very reasonable. This place has stopped me from starving on multiple occasions when I was burning the midnight oil on assignments, and I could not be more grateful that it exists. Lives up to its name.

Review: A brunch place just east of the Capitol, Marigold Kitchen really came into its own with its breakfast options. Their breakfast burrito is quite unlike anything else I've ever had before - they put sweet potato in it, and because they crafted the flavors around it, it totally worked. In addition, their soup was delicious, and their sandwiches didn't miss. Prices are around what you'd expect for this kind of place - reasonable overall (around $13-15 per entree). If you want some brunch but you're a bit tired of just the usual eggs and bacon, you should head here.

Review: As far as Mexican food goes, it doesn't get more classic than this. A very cheap, cozy restaurant with high quantities of food at very low prices. The food is consistently great, albeit not anything high-class or anything like that. Delicious carnitas and chorizo are sometimes just what you need, though. $11 got me a large size chimichanga with a side of rice and beans. While I wasn't the biggest fan of some things on their menu, like I thought their sandwich bun was too hard, I left with a very full belly AND a very full wallet.

Review: THEY FORGOT MY CHIMICHURRI. Unforgivable. That aside, their food is some of the best Mexican once again that I've had, and cheap too. Seriously, what is with Madison and the absolutely ridiculous amount of cheap, good Mexican food? (I think I will say, though, this is a tier above A La Brasa and Los Gemelos (and a little bit more expensive). Their food has a slightly more refined and upscale taste to it.

Review: Good food, for cheap. Not as good as Morris Ramen, or Ramen Station further down south, but great location and prices (they even have a 10% cash discount). Side note, I'm a little peeved whenever any ramen restaurant doesn't heat up their marinated egg before they put it in the broth. Sometimes I bite into it and it's cold, which is just off-putting sometimes... Tangent aside, their portion sizes and prices are great, so if you're feeling down, and you don't want to overspend, this would be a great place for some comfort Japanese food (I can't get enough of Japanese curry).

Review: Poke Plus is a poke bowl store near the University side of State Street, and they do one thing: sell poke bowls. Their raw fish was decently fresh, and their poke bowl was tasty. They do one thing and they do it decently well - they sell reasonably-priced, delicious bowls of raw fish and other assorted vegetable goodness. I'm a huge salmon lover, and their salmon tasted fresh and amazing.

Review: An Italian place with a cozy atmosphere. I ordered duck fat lasagna, which was exquisite, and a garlic burger and fries, which was also really good. The food here definitely met my expectations. It's a shame that the price point is a bit high, especially when accounting for the tip. Otherwise, my experience here was quite enjoyable.

Review: A clearly family-run restaurant offering Nepalese cuisine. As this was my first foray into eating Nepalese food, I was unsure what to expect initially, but the food was great. Their selection was very unique, the dumplings / momo were delicious, and the "tarkari" (vegetable side that changes daily) was delicious. I think they did a really good job showcasing the individuality of Nepalese food. The only complaint I would have is that the food got a little pricey, given the normal portion sizes.

Review: A bit south of the typical State Street block of restaurants, Sushi Express is a nice, cozy little sushi joint. I really enjoyed the sushi here - the pricing seemed to actually be a bit lower than other sushi joints I've tried in the past, and the rolls were nice, fresh, and beautifully presented. This place is sure to satisfy any of your dinner sushi cravings.

Review: Located a bit closer to campus than other Mexican places I've tried, Los Gemelos is another classic Mexican joint which you go to for cheap food with enormous portion sizes. The food here was nothing to write home about, but it hits the spot when you're really, really hungry, and craving a deep fried burrito or some refried beans. Personally, though, I would recommend paying one of the other Mexican places in the close vicinity a visit instead (not to say this place wasn't good - the other places are just slightly better!)

Review: As good as it gets when it comes to fast food. The massive one on State Street is almost always busy at night, so prepare for quite the line (and wait) for those chicken fingers. Very well-breaded chicken fingers, reasonable prices, tasty sides and fries, and - the main reason most people go there - the sauce. Almost everything can be dipped in Cane's Sauce - chicken fingers, Texas toast, and fries. I find if I order the box combo, 1 cup of Cane's Sauce isn't enough. Luckily, you can order an extra for $0.29. If you have that fast food craving, but Taco Bell isn't doing it for you, go here (but expect a wait).

Review: An Irish pub near the Capitol, Coopers Tavern serves up some pretty dang good tavern fare. I really enjoyed the food, and the burger was really good, but substituting my burger side for soup was a horrible idea. They gave me a frankly insultingly small thimble of soup. Come on, man, I wanted a cup of soup, not three spoonfuls. Anyway, value was alright, and the food was very good.

Review: Maybe New York has ruined me, but the lox bagels with capers/tomatoes/everything are $14 and I paid $28 for a lox in Manhattan. Downright reasonable pricing in comparison. It was just as good, if not better. Delicious pastrami too. If you're craving a good lunch, and love bagels and bagel sandwiches of all kinds, come here (though, as expected, it's not open for dinner).

Review: This place is a cut above your typical Asian fusion place. The dishes here are more specialized towards authentic Chinese (especially Sichuan, obviously...) food, and taste like it. It reminds me a lot more of the restaurants I've visited while in China. The food is great, the portion sizes are correct, and overall, the leftovers I had the next day were very enjoyable. Portion size is nice and big, and price is nice and reasonable (though I wouldn't call it too cheap). I will say, though: Their food is very spicy, so if you can't handle spice, make sure to order things without spice.

Review: Teddywedgers isn't a restaurant in your traditional sense. They basically sell these "wedges" that you can take and eat, which are like... a hand pie? that you can hold and eat. They sell breakfast and entree options. These wedges are very delicious, with tons of flavor in the center, and they're super easy to heat and eat the next day if you have any left over. The price of the wedges was also very cheap. If you're looking for a quick takeaway meal, and want something nice and savory, look no further.

Review: Located in Union South, this is a pub food place, serving burgers and a variety of deep-fried things. Their Sett burger was really tasty, although their pickles were a bit squishy. They also had some pretty high-quality fried foods, like onion rings. Good value if you're a student and are paying using your Wiscard's meal plan, for when you can't stand another dining market meal. Also good value in general. Their variety is good, and I enjoyed their food more than Der Rath (although there isn't too much of a difference). If you're hungry while studying at Union South, this is certainly not a bad option.

Review: While yes, Kwik Trip is a convenience / somewhat-grocery store, their food is a cut above the competition - namely, Seven-Eleven. If you need hot food, NOW, and for cheap, go here instead of Seven-Eleven for sure. Though, there are probably better options on campus if you don't need it RIGHT NOW, just by nature of not being convenience store food. Also, they make their cookies exactly how I love them - chewy as all hell. Couldn't ask for more.

Review: Jimmy John's, but not Jimmy John's. They make very delicious subs, but it's the same as every other sub store out there (except Subway. Legends say scientists are still trying to determine if Subway meat is meat. Note: That is a joke... Subway, please don't sue me.) They also offer soups seasonally, and I bought 2 loaves of their leftover bread on the cheap and used it to make my own Italians. It was great. Anyway, if you want a nice long sub for a nice cheap price, go to one of Milio's locations and you'll be like "I Can't Believe It's Not Jimmy Johns!"

Review: I think I was the only one in there not drinking any sort of alcohol. What kind of weirdo goes to bars to not drink? I guess me, that's who. State Street Brats promised me brats and all manners of bar food, and boy did they deliver. The burger is nice and juicy, and they actually have a brat station, at which I acquired high quantities of sauerkraut to drown my brats in. The brats were delicious - not your typical brats for sure, which is to be expected at the price point of $7-8 per brat. All prices seemed reasonable for pub food. Either way, it's a sports bar. You probably shouldn't come here for the food specifically. (I mean, it's good... but why?)

Review: Located up a flight of stairs next to State Street, Yume Sushi is your run-of-the-mill sushi place. Offers bentos and rolls, both of which are delicious, and much more. Their fish is fresh, but that's to be expected. It wasn't particularly better than any other sushi place I've had in the past, but it's definitely enough to satisfy your craving for sushi. Prices are typical for a sushi joint, but what I enjoyed the most about this place was definitely the presentation. Sushi places seriously don't mess around when it comes to plating.

Review: The first thing I thought when I stepped foot inside is "Why on earth does this building need to be so long?". Long building aside, this place seems to be your general Asian fusion restaurant - with an absolutely enormous menu encompassing everything from ramen to baozi. The food tasted pretty good, but not remarkably good, as I generally find tends to be the case with places with massive menus. However, the most notable thing about this place was the enormous portion size and very good pricing. I spent $20 for easily 2 peoples' worth of food, and I couldn't finish it all. If your wallet is a bit tight and you're really hungry, but don't want Mexican, this is a great option.

Review: A nice, cozy restaurant with some Taiwanese street food. The food was very nice, and less Americanized than I was expecting. The food here is pretty quality, although a bit pricey (but not unreasonable). Also, the milk tea here is very nice. The base of the milk tea is as good as if not outright better than Kung Fu Tea, but the tapioca was slightly overcooked, making it too chewy. The second time I went, the tapioca was less overcooked but still slightly chewy. On average, honestly, I'd say the milk tea here is better than Kung Fu Tea's simply because of the consistently high-quality base, but it's also less consistent. Anyway, the rest of the food here is high-quality and good.

Review: A tried-and-true classic of UW-Madison, with 3 locations. Their mac-and-cheese pizza is supposedly very good, and when I went to try it, I found that to be true - they have excellent mac-and-cheese pizza. They have a lot of very creative pizza slices (vodka sauce and RAVIOLI?) that are a lot bigger than you first expect, and very filling. I eat a LOT, but 3 slices of those pizzas are enough to fill even me. The pricing is reasonable (single specialty slices are $4 apiece), and you can even build your own pizza. I'm warning you though - getting your own pizza is MASSIVE, and will probably feed at least 4-5 people. Their breadsticks I found to be a bit bland and lacking in garlic flavor, but they weren't bad by any means - especially with the sauce. All in all, a premier choice if you crave some fast, reasonably-priced pizza (especially at 2AM).

Review: A Japanese comfort food place in the middle of downtown. Walking in, it was a pretty nice place. Their ramen is pretty good, although the broth was a little too salty, even for me (and I love salt). The popcorn chicken is very unique and tastes pretty darn good. Pricing is quite reasonable, with $12-15 for a bowl of ramen, but the portion sizes aren't that big (so the pricing is actually maybe more expensive than it seems). I could probably put away two entrees no problem.

Review: Yet another place offering traditional American cuisine and alcohol in a pub setting. I had a burger and fish tacos, and honestly, I personally found the fish tacos a bit flavorless, but the burger was delicious and pretty special. The prices here are once again reasonable, although the appetizers can get a bit pricey. Overall, if you happen to be in the area and craving some good ol' American food, going here is definitely reasonable.

Review: Great atmosphere, decent food. This place serves typical pub food - burgers, fries, you know the drill. The food is good, typical American fare, but nothing too extraordinary. However, what truly sets this place apart is the atmosphere I felt when I set food inside. I walked in when they were doing trivia, and there were bookshelves lining the walls and a very cozy feeling. It was a great way to unwind, chill, and relax after I had just finished my finals. Food prices were also pretty typical for a bar. This is probably a place that will be better to come to when I can actually legally drink.

Review: Located right in Memorial Union, this is your average pub food place. Their Caesar salad's dressing was slightly off and too thick, and their fries were average. With the entrees on the menu, your results will vary - their signature burger was quite tasteless to me, but many of their other dishes were quite enjoyable. Their food was decent (and fairly cheap), don't get me wrong, and their Rathskeller sauce as pretty good, but it's nothing to write home about. If you're here, you should probably come for the beer and not the food. Honestly, come here if you're bored of dining hall food (you can pay with Wiscard). I wouldn't spend your other dollars here - just eat here if you have extra money on your Wiscard or you're on a dorm meal plan and can't stand the food at the dining hall anymore. (Edit: Thanks to UW-Madison, your meal plan doesn't work this way anymore. Thanks UW! Love you! I paid $50k a year in tuition for this!)

Review: Satisfying lunch combo. It tasted a little crummier than normal for Asian takeout, but it was still perfectly acceptable fried rice. If you're hungry, and running out of money, and you want to eat a lot, this is probably a good food truck.

Review: Decently priced burgers and thick-cut fries (that I personally find inferior to the fries of places like Five Guys) make this your average college town burger joint. Their menu is your regular burger joint menu, with a few specialty burgers of their own creation. I didn't get a particularly special vibe from the place, but it's not supposed to be special. It's just a reasonably-priced, stock burger joint. It's kind of hard to get that wrong.

Review: Your stock Italian food inside Memorial Union. It has a very simple, no-frills menu of pasta and pizza, and you can pay via Wiscard. It's definitely a cut above the dining markets in terms of quality. A pretty cheap option for some decent pasta or pizza, but definitely nothing to write home about. They only have one variety of noodle, but it's not a bad one, so I won't complain. They do one thing, and they do it decently well. (Edit: Now that the meal plan is all stupid, and doesn't just give you X dollars to use on food, you can't come here for food consistently anymore, which sucks. Should be a good use for your flex dollars though.)

Review: It's a stock university housing dining hall. It's just your high school cafeteria but slightly upgraded. It has a slightly larger selection than Rheta's, but overall, not that different. (The salad bar is pretty good.) I would go to Rheta's instead if I was planning on eating a lot, and if I didn't live in the dorms, I would just use Red Card and go somewhere else. A wide selection of decent food to get you through your day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Update: Gordon's is now also on all-you-care-to-eat. Same value as Rheta's now.

Update 2: I now have no idea what's going on with dining halls and meal plans. Whatever, it's not my problem anymore.

Review: It's a stock university housing dining hall. It's just your high school cafeteria but slightly upgraded. This is the best value dining hall on campus, because of the all-you-can-eat policy (for heavy eaters like me). Great value if you live in the dorms. A wide selection of decent food to get you through your day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Review: A Korean place situated near the Capitol building, right behind The Old-Fashioned and across from Gotham Bagels. A pretty cozy little joint, serving up Korean classics like bibimbap, tteokbokki (I love those rice cakes), and bulgogi. However, it was a lot pricier than I thought. I wouldn't order too much from here, even if their food was quite good.

Review: A fairly good Chinese restaurant. Their food was properly seasoned and they had a lot of non-Americanized options available. However, some of their food tasted a little too strong for my tastes, and their food was fairly pricey for what it's worth. Their Yangzhou fried rice was great, however - I love fried rice, and this one was particularly great.

Review: Not much of a grill. It's more of a Conrad's Fryer. This place is a staple of college campuses everywhere - the hangover food provider: open till 3AM, wickedly unhealthy, and best enjoyed in certain situations. They provide a variety of wraps with fried food inside (their signature is putting in tater tots, and I cannot disagree with that choice) and fried sides. If you're looking to be health-conscious, don't come here, but if you're drunk off your ass at 2AM or if you have an extreme case of the munchies, this isn't a bad option. Of course, deep-frying a bunch of stuff and putting it in a wrap is going to taste good if you're American, but you will probably feel guilty afterwards.

Review: Having been to a lot of other Strings Ramen locations in the past, I knew what to expect, but I was a little bit let down. For the ramen I ordered, the ramen noodles themselves seemed undercooked - like they had a bit too much chew to them. It's quite a shame that the noodles were not up to my standards, because everything else was delicious - especially the pork belly (as with all Strings Ramen locations). Pork belly truly is the greatest ramen topping, and the type they use is especially tender. Pricing was nothing out of the ordinary - around $15 for a good bowl of ramen. Maybe I'll visit again in the future and see if they get the noodles right.

Review: It's literally a Taco Bell... Their late night opening seems to be a little inconsistent, and their service is just alright. It's a Taco Bell. You go here when your wallet is empty, and tomorrow you will also find your bowels need to be emptied. (I think cantina means it can serve alcohol? I don't know why anyone is trying to drink alcohol at a Taco Bell of all places when State Street literally has so many bars, but you know what, it's not my problem.)

Review: This is a staple of college towns - the gyro store. They sell gyros and fries for the most part. I have no complaints whatsoever about their gyro meat - it's excellent. However, in my opinion, their tzatziki falls a bit flat - it's a bit too watery and bland, and unfortunately, the tzatziki is what usually makes or breaks the gyro. Eating these gyros, no matter how small, gets messy FAST, so don't even try to keep your hands clean. Their fries are run-of-the-mill - they're just fries. The store is also really pricey for a gyro place - $9 for the base gyros. They do the funny OPA thing when you order from them, though. Cool, I guess? If I was craving a gyro specifically, I'd come here - otherwise, there are better (and cheaper) options in Madison and near State Street, such as Mediterranean Cafe. Edit: Upon returning, the tzatziki had gotten better, but there still wasn't enough food for the money, especially for something as supposedly cheap as gyros.

Review: Apparently a great first-date spot on State Street, it's an Italian pasta joint. I found their food to be acceptably good and mostly authentic, but considerably overpriced. Their pasta is nice and al dente and their food is well seasoned, but the problem is I paid way too much for it. If you're going to come here, just order only one pasta dish, and if you're looking for something cheap and easy or are really hungry, this is definitely not the place. If you're out of ideas for first date places, this is not a bad choice, but honestly, the prices were too high for me to justify my visit.

Review: Great coffee place attached to the University Bookstore. I really enjoyed the coffee they made me. Coffee really has no business tasting that good. An upgrade over Starbucks in my opinion, albeit with a bit less of a developed menu. Value is pretty good too.

Review: Your token college milk tea/bubble/boba/whatever store. Kung Fu Teas appear at many college campuses. You will get consistently high-quality milk tea from Kung Fu Tea, and you also can't go wrong with the fruit teas (I like herbal jelly for those, although you might not). I personally recommend the oolong milk tea (with tapioca, of course) for beginners who are new to milk tea. The regular is a bit too sweet for me, so I find 70% sugar is the right amount for me. I can't pass up visiting this place whenever it's a hot day (or even when it's a cold day) whenever I pass by.

Review: Great tea shop located on State Street. Their tapioca is occasionally slightly undercooked, and in my opinion, slightly inferior to the tapioca of Kung Fu Tea, but their base milk tea is excellent. High quality milk tea, average pricing. They also do a lot of other drinks, like milk or coffee drinks. The store itself also has a pretty good atmosphere for studying, although it isn't very big.

Review: It's a Starbucks.

That being said, this Starbucks particularly seems pretty decent, with 2 floors for studying students. If you're looking for a place to study, this definitely works (assuming it's not full).