37 Responses to “ 1855 Saloon Grill Opens in Cottage Grove ”

1. Cooper Jan 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

   Great resturant, great atmosphere, Great food at respectable prices.

2. Drakon Jan 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

   We went down to have some pizza at 8:00 o’clock on a Sunday night only to be turned away. They said they stopped serving at 8 despite the fact everything they publish says 8:30 and 1/2 hour later for pizza. Kinda a bust if you ask me. Do yourself a favor and call ahead to see what the mood of the manager is and how long they will be serving for on the particular night you wish to eat here!

3. cghovie Jan 30th, 2008 at 9:55 am

   It seems to be a very popular place. The service was a bit sub-par as it took almost 2 hours to have dinner on a Friday night and we waited almost 40 minutes after getting our food before seeing our server again then almost 20 minutes to pay. The food was OK at best, too many sauces and stuffing for my tastes, I would prefer a menu where everything isn’t stuffed with what they claim to be “Prosciutto” but is really Canadian bacon. The “Fresh Salmon” wasn’t, nor did it seem to be “wild.” What’s up with serving fried things on everything?

4. sandy Feb 2nd, 2008 at 11:27 am

   The brie and bruschetta was divine. It’s hard to fine flavorful tomatoes this time of year. I also treated myself to a Cosmopolitan that was perfect. My son’s burger/fries was “fine” but “not as good as the Koffee Cup in Stoughton. The pizza sounds good, but I’m afraid to try it because the one I had at TRU (same owners) was terrible. Two friends dined Thursday on my recommendation and had the chicken pizza that they said was good and agreed the Brie was perfect. There Cosmo’s were not good and very weak and they complained and had a beer instead. With maturation and attention to details, 1855 has great potential, especially since there is NOTHING else in the area.

5. CGDiner Feb 4th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

   Friday was our first time to 1855 and we were impressed with the atmosphere — very comfortable, but roomy, too. Drinks were good, but not too impressed with the food, especially since it was not hot (none of ours was). Two of us had the Halibut which was more breading than fish and my sweet potato fries were tasty but barely warm. One of us had the brick oven pizza…again, tasty but not hot. Not sure if the problem is inexperienced wait staff not getting the food to the table fast enough or what. With the large crowd it was difficult to get waiters attention and we decided to just eat some & take the rest home to warm up. Maybe next time I’ll just try a burger on a less crowded night.

6. Nicole Feb 4th, 2008 at 9:40 pm

   We went on a Friday for lunch; found the staff to be competent, and the food delicious. I had the reuben and my guest had the open faced prime rib sandwich. Portions were large, well seasoned and visually appealing.

7. Wanda Feb 5th, 2008 at 8:54 pm

   I have not yet ate here, but every time i have driven by the place is packed to the max.. cars line the streets to go here.. I just think everyone needs to give it a chance, I am not from the area but from what I seen its better than nothing.. I wish them well…

8. Susan Feb 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

   Went out for a girls night on Saturday and found it packed at 7:40pm. We were told it was a 2 hour wait. We decided to have drinks and wait. The pomegranite martini was wonderful and priced well. We only had to wait one hour and 10 minutes. I think others got tired of waiting and left. I had the stuffed pork chops wrapped in bacon, very good. The sweet potato fries were cold. The wait staff was very attentive. We really enjoyed our night out. Give it some time and I think they will work out the bugs. Cottage Grove needs a good place to eat and it is no-smoking!

9. Janet Feb 12th, 2008 at 7:52 pm

   Congradulations to 1855. Love it !!!
   Great Food, Great friendly bar, good prices.
   Cottage Grove should be proud

10. Susan Feb 16th, 2008 at 10:40 am

    I have to say I was excited to hear of 1855’s opening. My husband and I live on the far east side of Madison and are always excited to find great, locally-owned restaurants and bars on this side of the Isthmus (did the east side really need a Texas Roadhouse???) Anyway, we were sorely disappointed in the food and service at 1855. The atmosphere is fantastic! I especially love the large framed pictures that have captions on Cottage Grove’s history. We arrived around 7:30 on a Friday night and were told it was a 50 minute wait for a table–no real surprise to us and we were fine with that (I always feel a wait is a great excuse to check out the bar and have a cocktail!). I had the house red wine, which was great, and my husband had a Kettle One and tonic, which was well-made. We were seated right around 50 minutes later and we ordered the stuffed onion rings as an appetizer. My husband ordered the fried halibut and I had the baked trout. The onion rings looked and tasted as though they came right out of the freezer, into the deep frier and onto a plate. The breading on the fried halibut tasted pre-made and processed. The baked trout was okay. As far as services goes, our server was excellent. However, there seemed to be excess staff everywhere. I couldn’t figure out what they were supposed to be doing (they kept just standing around the host stands???). I sincerely hope 1855 improves its menu and quality of food. While we were not impressed on our 1st visit, we just might try 1855 again in the hopes of inspiring more local east side restaurants!

11. Patron Feb 17th, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    We have been there twice and the food is very good and nice to have in Cottage Grove. Some of the staff is very slow moving. They also have no greeter you when you enter the building, like you would expect. You are suppose to intuitively know to follow a boardwalk floor that I wouldn’t have noticed at all; if they wouldn’t of told me after waiting for several minutes. I think their plan is to have you walk through the bar area on your way but they leave that for you to figure out. My neighbor is a regular and at 9:30 at night they told him he had to pay for his meal and drinks cash or check only as the system was down. That is fine but if you don’t carry cash like most people I know $90.00 is a tall order. Again, the food was good the place is nice, it just seemed like the parents were gone for the evening and the kids where running it.

12. Chris Mar 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 am

    We live in Cottage Grove, and are so pleased to have the 1855 here. We have been there 5 times, and have always had excellent food. A few things they do need to address: 1) Hostess/Reception area, of the 5 times we have been there…we have been directed to a different hostess area to be seated 3 of the 5 times. They need to pick one, and stick with it. 2) Staff, there seems to be enough staff here, however I don’t know if they fully know what to do. You can look around at any time and see a group of 5-6 young kids standing around talking to each other. I think the young staff needs some supervision and training, as they are not the friendliest bunch either. I hope these kinks get worked out as it is a nice addition to the community.

13. Trudy Mar 7th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    I just had lunch at 1855 with a friend and it was wonderful!!!Our great waitress Carol suggested the artichoke/spinach dip for an appetizer that was fabulous and we had a protebella sandwich and fresh garden salad and everything tasted great! I am planning on taking another friend there next week!

14. Sarah Mar 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am

    The restaurant itself is very nice inside and out. Only been there once and first impressions are hard to take out of ones mind. The steak had no flavor and was cold along with the rest of the meal. Cold also was our waitress Megan who never smiled the entire time she waited on us. Unfriendly people should not work with the public.

    It’s really too bad, had such high hopes for the place.

15. DT Mar 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am

    We were customers of Tru but this is much better. Food is great and the staff was friendly. Very busy on weekends but there are not any decent places in the area to go so I would expect that. The prices are great and I would highly recommend it to anyone. We took a friend who used to be a chef and who appreciates fine food. Although I would not consider this “fine food” it is just a grill but he commented that the Sat. night Prime was some of the best he has ever had!

16. Deana Mar 16th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Nice place for the area. Food was ok but service was less than acceptable. Waitress was very friendly but did not have a clue what she was doing. Food prices are ok but we feel that $5.25 for a cocktail is a bit pricey.

17. JK Mar 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    I was there yesterday and have to agree. The food was good and the waitress was friendly. It was early afternoon and there were only 3 people other than my friend and I — being served by other waitstaff. None the less, our appetizer was served with the meal (no idea why). Halfway through the meal, I’d finished my soda and she asked if I’d like a fresh one. I said yes. Never did get it, but 15 minutes later she came with our check and asked if I’d like a fresh soda. I said no. I had my credit card ready when she returned with our take home container, but she just looked at it and walked away with the seasoning containers. We waited a few minutes and when she didn’t return we just put down some money to cover the check and left a tip (many people would not have!).
    Inspite of that, I would definitely eat there again. I’ve been before when it was a bit busier and everything was great.

18. cv Mar 27th, 2008 at 1:45 pm

    MY FRIEND WENT THERE AND SHE SAID FOOD WAS GOOD AND THE CAPTAIN AND COKE WAS EVEN BETTER!!! I WANT TO TRY IT SOOOON!!!

19. lodidave Mar 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    Is this the same place that takes down employees and clients in the same stride? I’d hate to work for someone that embarrasses his own staff and belittles customers in front of others, what a clown.

20. Tyler Mar 30th, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    The busboys are all amazing and hard working. One could almost say they are legendary.

21. Judy Apr 5th, 2008 at 9:28 pm

    We have been there several times. It is always busy, but have been pleased with the food and service except for one time. This is not the place to go for a Friday fish fry! Also, I agree with some other comments regarding all the kids standing around the hostess stand. However, we found the wait staff and bartenders to be very good. This restaurant is a great addition to the community

22. jrizzo Apr 6th, 2008 at 12:41 am

    food is very good at good prices…wait staff sometimes gets overwhelmed with large parties..otherwise very personable. They try hard but can’t deliver the service of a top notch establishment….at least with large groups(8 or more) Some of the steaks are a little small although they are priced well; most steaks are around $20. Again they are small but good quality and tasty…very nice atmosphere and good drinks. Couldn’t decide what to order because they have a very good array of meals on the menu..but I have been there about 5 times and every time it is good. Its definitely not a top notch steakhouse though….but for a nice night out can’t beat it definitely a thumbs up!!!

23. CG Apr 10th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

    I love the food at 1855 i was there had good service good drinks and GREAT food… i think all the other bloggers went on a bad day.. they deserve better than what people are writing i love everything and the people there are nice!!

24. Barb Apr 16th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

    My husband and I frequent the 1855 Saloon several times a month. The staff has always been friendly, quick to fill our order and deliver in a timely fashion. The food has never disappointed and we have had appetizers, lunch and dinner items during the week and on weekends. Prices on the drinks are a little high, but the food prices are reasonable. I highly recommend the 1855 for the food and atmosphere!

25. Rachel Apr 17th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    I went to 1855 with a group of co workers for lunch. Our group totaled 12 people. We had a young male server who was very nice and did a good job with all the orders and requests. We had an appetizer that all of us shared and there was still some left over, and trust me we are not small eaters! Each of us really liked our food. The food portions were quite large and many of us took some home with us. The prices were very reasonable. We all enjoyed ourselves so much we decided we would come back next month for our team outing!

26. Betsy Apr 18th, 2008 at 10:20 am

    I just wanted to put my 2 cents worth in about 1855 in Cottage Grove. What a great place. I can understand someone being gunshy about returning after having a bad experience, believe me. However, after going there, I hope that the people that had bad or so-so experiences will give it another chance.

    We went with a group last night (5 of us-Thursday) and got seated right away although I can see that the weekends would be VERY busy at this place. However, if you really want to go and don’t want to wait, treat yourself to a weeknight there. The food and drinks were good, the pasta in garlic sauce was divine. The staff is younger, that’s true, but very friendly to us. We had to wait a little while for someone to come and take our orders, but we cut her some slack as this was 6:00ish and she was there since early morning.

    It is a nice place but I would make a suggestion: no matter when you want to go, MAKE A RESERVATION, just in case. It’s very obvious to me after being there just once so far, that 1855 is going to be a popular place.

27. goldie May 16th, 2008 at 8:39 pm

    Had lunch there on a friday…food was good and fresh but waitress was not so good!!

28. Marjorie May 18th, 2008 at 10:50 am

    Have eaten lunch there 4 times and have had good service and great food.

29. Deb May 26th, 2008 at 9:00 pm

    Went because we were told the food was terrific. While the food was average the service left something to be desired. The waitress needs training in customer service. She had a bad attitude and we waited 2 1/2 hours for a mediocre burger and fries.

30. Lynn Jun 4th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    One thing I don’t understand is that the people that run the 1855 in Cottage Grove, Tru Tavern in Cambridge, and now the Countri Tavern in Stoughton, all have the SAME menu! These towns are all within 20 miles of each other — they really need to differentiate between these locations and offer something a little different!! There is no need to go to all of these restaurants…if you have eaten at one — you will know what they offer at all — PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE change your menus!!!

31. Amy Jun 5th, 2008 at 12:11 am

    I have dined there weekly since its opening in December. I have zero complaints, it is a very well managed restaurant. The bar portion of the establishment is superb!! A great assortment of beer and booze and outstanding knowledge and service by all of the bar staff. Paul is my favorite bartender now!! He seems to have a great grasp on maintaining a well organized routine and I highly recommend trying his chocolate martini!

32. Stacy Jun 14th, 2008 at 12:29 pm

    Service here is awful — you will get friendlier service at McDonalds! From the hostess to the wait staff - it is all around bad. Really need some customer service training.

33. Dee Jun 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    We live really close to 1855–have gone there lots. Now, at first we thought it was pretty great—but!! now the food is not the greatest and we went there just this last night–Guess what!! NEW MENU!! HIGHER Prices!! Now, the “fall off the bone” ribs
    sure didn’t fall off, rather tough, and my husband had the steak which used to be really good–besides uping the price I think about $4 –not like it was when they opened the place up. Way to go guys!! I HAVE had their pizzas and like them and the Reuben sandwich is great.The manager that we have gotten to know “Owen” is the greatest!! Not downing the whole place, as we will go there, but not too happy they already have upped the prices.

34. Dan Jun 20th, 2008 at 5:58 pm

    We have visited the saloon 1855 in search of a new Friday fish fry and the food is fabulous! The fish is a good price and everything tastes so good!

35. Nancy Aug 7th, 2008 at 4:27 pm

    We had reservations for a 50th wedding ann. for the private room on 8-17-2008. Called on 8-6-2008 to confirm the reservations. Were told the room has been booked to someone else. Were offered to have our group in the public part of the restaurant. NO THANKS. Poor management!!!

36. David Sep 7th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    Live in Cottage Grove and was excited to see a new restaurant. Quite the contrary though as this place is a total disappointment. The food is fairly good but not always hot. The service on the other hand, as stated in many other reviews is awful. Have often waited for longer than stated periods of time. Have had half of the party’s food deliverd while the other half waited 15 minutes. Do not plan on returning and would not recommend to any new interested diners!

37. tom Nov 16th, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    Live in Madison and frequent offten the place is getting better and better each time. New place and more and more kinks getting worked out each time. Food is awsome with huge portions get ready to eat a lot. Parking seems to be a problem on a busy night. Also the wait can be super long. I would recommend

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