River Oak Chophouse — Restaurant in Madison

I was looking forward to checking out River Oaks in downtown Madison. I’ve eaten at their sister restaurant in North Vernon and it was excellent, so I had pretty high expectations of River Oaks. Upon entering the restaurant, there were multiple empty tables. We were greeted by the hostess who began to take us to a back room. When we inquired about sitting towards the front of the restaurant, we were told that was not an option. Those were for people with reservations. We had reservations, scheduled our reservation over 3 weeks ago. So….not sure. The back room felt like an afterthought, overflow at best. It was stuffy and the tables were too close together. Our table on the day of the KY Derby. A large TV was hung on the wall but staff indicated the TV was broke and not operating. The restaurant just opened…..

The food, we ordered 2 sharables and ala carte steaks. One person ordered 12 oz filet cooked medium-well and his steak was more medium, all pink. Another person ordered the ribeye to be cooked to medium rare, which was good. Crispy on the outside, pink on the inside. I ordered a 12 oz filet cooked medium, my steak was raw on the inside. Not warm, it was cold and raw. I ate the outsides of it the filet as those were cooked more. No one came back to ask us how our food was until the end of the meal. At that point, I asked for a box. We ordered creamed corn which was great and cacio brussels which was nothing special. Some brussel sprouts were too hard, some were too mushy. There was a little bit of charred brussel leaves at the bottom of the bowl; those were really good. Needed more seasonings.

If River Oaks is trying to be a serious steakhouse, they need improve the experience. River Oaks prices the food like its a steakhouse; we spent $80/person (or $240 total). Other steakhouses with similar price points offer bread, salad, and have a much...

We had looked forward to trying this new restaurant because good food is hard to find in Madison and after our visit to River Oak Chophouse we're still looking. We started with the shrimp cocktail and the wings, the shrimp cocktail was lacking in overall flavor and the chutney which spoke of horseradish had zero horseradish flavor, the wings on the other hand were the one bright spot on the menu. My wife ordered the tagliatelle pasta which had a vodka broth with preserved lemon and mini scallops, mini shrimp and approximately five mussels the broth had very little flavor but had a ton of what tasted like a spicy creole seasoning which left it flat with flavor but overbearing with heat. I had the steak frites with duck fat herb fries and a grapefruit tarragon butter...the steak which was smothered in the buttered sauce, undercooked and very tough and the sauce tasted like a broken hollandaise sauce with too much lemon and very unappealing. The fries tasted like just your average garlic parm fries nothing special or memorable. We also tried the wedge salad and it neither had the crumbled gorgonzola cheese or the fried leeks, and the dressing though not a traditional dressing for a wedge wasn't bad. The one thing they did consistently was cook their steaks wrong, the table beside us had steaks one was under cooked and the other was almost burned at the stake, the waitress dropped all three steaks and didn't return until everyone had finished with their meals...... probably good call on her part because everyone agreed if she had returned all three steaks would have been sent back. The meal was $170.00 and was the most expensive colon cleansing that I've ever...

I had the pleasure of dining at River Oak Chophouse in Madison, Indiana, and it was an exceptional experience! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a rustic-chic decor that set the tone for a great meal.

Our server, Cody, was outstanding - attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. He helped us navigate the menu and made excellent recommendations. The food was outstanding - I had the steak, which was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth. The sides were equally impressive.

One thing to note is that they do charge an extra $5 for splitting a meal, which was a minor surprise. However, the generous portion size made it well worth the additional fee.

What really stood out, however, was the service. Cody checked in on us frequently, refilling drinks and ensuring everything was to our liking.

Overall, I would highly recommend River Oak Chophouse to anyone looking for a top-notch dining experience in Madison. The combination of great food, excellent service, and cozy atmosphere makes it a must-visit.

Pros:

Outstanding food quality Attentive and knowledgeable service (shoutout to Cody!) Cozy and inviting atmosphere Great selection of bourbon and cocktails

Cons:

$5 extra charge for splitting meals (but generous portion sizes make it worth it)

Tips:

Make a reservation, as this place can get busy. Don't skip the dessert - it's a game-changer! Ask for Cody for exceptional service. Be prepared for the extra $5 charge if...