On occasion before a Badgers basketball or hockey game at the Kohl Center, I would stop in at the Badgerland Bar & Grill inside the nearby Doubletree Hotel. The food was good enough for a pre-game meal, but not memorable enough for a non-game day visit.
Bistro 525, which replaced Badgerland earlier this year, aims to change that. It has upgraded the food and drink menus as well as the interior, which has a much more contemporary look (meaning, no more sports bar-look).
As in most hotel restaurants, the relatively small menu here has a lot of the staples, which I did try. For example, you can find both 14″ pizzas ($15-$18) and flatbread. I went with the latter, one topped with BBQ chicken ($14) along with cheddar jack cheese and red onion. On the spectrum of thickness for flatbread, this was about the thinnest, with almost a cracker-like crust. It was plenty cheesy and had the right amount of diced chicken and sauce, making for a satisfying dish.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Bistro Burger ($18) is that it is thick, and fortunately, it’s nice and juicy on the inside. I thought the wagyu beef, along with the caramelized shallots, was delicious. However, the thick slab of Hook’s five-year cheddar, which is one of my favorite cheeses, overpowered the burger. The cheese should have been thinner–or dare I say it, removed altogether–since the burger by itself was that good.
For lighter fare, I recommend the sliders ($10). They are packed with roasted pork shoulder, which was a tad dry (not by much) but helped with the delicious horseradish mousse. The Hawaiian bun, which is lightly grilled for some crispiness, provides some sweetness.
Bistro 525 also has an assortment of breakfast sandwiches, which I didn’t try, and a few entrees, including the requisite fish fry. I ordered the braised short ribs ($24). Unfortunately, the two chunks of beef were under-braised, meaning it was tough. I did enjoy the savory stout au jus, and I needed it badly for the accompanying mashed cauliflower that was super bland.
Bistro 525 is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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See more photos in our Bistro 525 Flickr album
