The Mariner's Inn

4.6 (1894)

$30 and under

American

5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr, Madison, WI 53704

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Charming
Great for scenic views

When Bill and Betty Von Rutenberg opened The Mariner’s Inn in 1966, they set out to provide a steak and seafood dining experience like none other. Mouth watering, delicious steaks aged to perfection and an assortment of seafood from lobster to the famous Friday Fish Fry.
Bill and Betty’s sons, Bill, Jack, and Robert, along with their crew, now carry on the tradition of outstanding hospitality of von Rutenberg Ventures. Waterfront dining on the patio and a sunset over the marina make dinner at Mariner’s an evening to remember. We offer five options for dining. Dine-in, expanded outdoor seating, carryout, curbside, and dockside. Try our monthly summer Lobster Boil. You can now enjoy the lobster boils by dine-in or takeout! Advance reservations required.

To make a reservation that is larger then 8 people please call us.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

There’s more to explore

Discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Scan the QR code to discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Open app

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Happy Hour Tue–Fri 4:30 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
Phone number
(608) 246-3120
Website
http://marinersmadison.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Catering
We now cater off-site events. For outstanding food and memorable hospitality, please contact us in person at any of our restaurants or call/email us regarding your next event.
Private party facilities
We now can accommodate private groups. We have three private dining rooms as well as our beautiful outside waterfront lawn area available. Make your Mariner’s event even more unique by packaging it with a cruise on Betty Lou Cruises. Please ask the manager for details on how to make your next business, social or holiday gathering a memorable one.

Location
5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr, Madison, WI 53704
Neighborhood
Madison
Cross street
Westport Road
Parking details
None
Entertainment
Live music outdoors every Saturday from June - August
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Fish Fingers$14.99
Lightly breaded strips of delicate and delicious Basa, flash-fried and served with tartar sauce and lemon
Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms$16.98
Shrimp and crabmeat stuffing, glazed with Hollandaise
Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms$14.99
A blend of chevre cheese and spinach; finished with Hollandaise
Stuffed Mushroom Combo$15.99
Three Seafood Mushrooms and three Spinach Mushrooms
Shrimp Cocktail$14.99
Eight or sixteen scrumptious shrimp served with our house-made cocktail sauce
Cheese Curds$12.99
Lightly breaded, served with Parmesan peppercorn sauce
Calamari$15.99
Flash-fried to a light, crispy golden brown; served with creamy horseradish sauce

Lighter Fare

Served with starch or vegetable. Add soup or dinner salad for $5.99

Tenderloin Duet*$34.99
Two Tenderloin medallions topped with any of our delicious steak enhancers
Chicken Betty Lou$24.99
Chicken breast stuffed with wild rice and mushroom blend; set atop a bed of sautéed spinach, nestled in tomato and basil bruschetta then glazed with chardonnay cream sauce
Petite Salmon Fillet*$19.98
Vegetarian's Delight Pasta$22.99
Fettuccine from Madison's R.P.'s Pasta topped with a variety of seasonal vegetables, glazed with a delicate sauce made with vegetable stock, and garnished with Parmesan cheese
Fried Jumbo Shrimp Trio$21.99

Seafood

Served with house-made rolls, soup or salad, and vegetable or potato

Mariner's Shrimp$34.99
The famous deep-fried jumbo shrimp you just can't find anywhere else!
Ragin' Cajun Walleye$37.99
Broiled Canadian Walleye smothered with creamy Cajun sauce filled with shrimp
Salmon Florentine$31.99
Fresh salmon stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and mushrooms; then glazed with a light white wine dill cream sauce
- Plain Broiled Salmon* Available for$28.99
Surfin' Salmon$31.99
Salmon fillet deliciously enhanced with a honey-mustard glaze. Cooked and served on a cedar plank!
Canadian Walleye$29.99
A northwoods tradition broiled to perfection
Lobster Tails$59.99
Twin 6-oz. tails of succulent lobster, served with drawn butter
Sea Scallops$44.99
Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops nestled into a bed of angel hair pasta, topped with a Sauvignon Blanc-citrus cream sauce and sprinkled with tomato bruschetta

Steaks

Served with house made rolls, soup or salad, and vegetable or potato

New York Strip*$44.99
Bone-In Ribeye*$59.99
A feast for the eyes (and taste buds). Our crew calls it "The Cadillac"
Admiral's Tenderloin*$49.99
8-oz. filet topped with seared scallops, crab and Béarnaise sauce
Jesse's Top Sirloin*$37.99
Center cut Top Sirloin steak glazed with whiskey peppercorn sauce, drizzled with horseradish cream and topped with a crown of "haystack" onion rings
Porterhouse*$57.99
A bone-in Supper Club classic
Top Sirloin*$31.99
Tenderloin Filet*$39.99
6-oz. of awesome center-cut steer tenderloin
Tenderloin Combo Dinners$54.99
Pair the best with the best! Pair the following with our scrumptious 6-oz. Steer Tenderloin*
- Mariner's Shrimp$54.99
- Lobster Tail$64.99

Add These Delicious Items to Any Steak

All are gluten-free except. Jumbo Shimp & Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce

Lobster Tail$24.99
Jumbo Shrimp$14.99
Béarnaise Sauce$4.99
Béarnaise Sauce and Crabmeat$12.99
Sautéed Mushrooms$5.99
Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce$4.99

Side Dishes

Included with all entrees are house-made rolls, choice of soup or salad and choice of starch or vegetable. May be substituted at no additional cost or ordered as additional sides as noted

Betty Lou au Gratin Potatoes$7.99
Our legendary Mariner's hash browns made even more delicious by adding heavy cream and cheese. YUM!
World Famous Clam Chowder$7.99
The von Rutenberg family award-winning recipe!
Mariner's Dinner Salad$5.99
A classic Supper Club salad
Hash Browns$6.99
Served family style.
Steak Fries$4.99
Baked Potato$4.99
Green Beans$5.99

Friday Seafood Specials

All served with a choice of fries or baked potato; and cole slaw. Substitute other sides for only $3.99 each

Haddock Fish Fry$18.98
Broiled Haddock$19.98
Lake Perch$24.99
Lightly breaded, delicate and delicious!
Canandian Walleye Fish Fry$29.99
A Wisconsin tradition. A generous, lightly-breaded mouth-watering fillet

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Mariner's Inn.

4.6

(1894)

4.6Food
4.8Service
4.5Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

1,794 Reviews

L
Larry
Wisconsin5 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Have patronized this restaurant for more than 50 years. The food is always the finest quality and the service is excellent even on the busiest nights. We will miss it, but happy for the owners that they will gain family time after so many years of sacrifice for their customers.
Is this helpful?
l
lisa
Wisconsin1 review
5.0
Dined on August 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Too bad it's closing. Food was excellent. Great server
Is this helpful?
M
Mark
Washington DC10 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is a bit of a futile review as Mariners is closing at the end of August for good. I've gone there since the mid-80s and have enjoyed every visit. So sad to see them go!
Is this helpful?
S
Steven
Wisconsin1 review
5.0
Dined on August 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We will miss the Mariner’s very much. Thanks for everything.
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
Wisconsin2 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Phenomenal service Food was superb Godspeed to the entire team at Mariner's Waterfront Restaurant, as they come to the end of an era, this coming weekend
Is this helpful?
l
larry Gold
Wisconsin35 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always an awesome experience, Mariniers will be greatly missed. Thank you for all the memories over the decades
Is this helpful?
S
Sandi
Wisconsin1 review
5.0
Dined on August 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Four of us celebrated our wedding anniversaries and we had a wonderful dinner, excellent service, a wait of about 20 minuets and seated at a cozy table away from the crowd. Thank you Jack! Thank you Mariner's Inn for all the work you put into the restaurant all these years. We remember when your Mom got orders without a menu.
Is this helpful?
R
RENEE
Wisconsin4 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
You only have 8 days left to get in and enjoy this Madison iconic supper club before the 65 year family business retires! Totally worth it for food, service & waterfront ambiance!!!
Is this helpful?
L
Linda
Wisconsin2 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 20, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyed our last meal at Mariners before their closing.
Is this helpful?
J
Jack
Wisconsin3 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Mariners has been an essential restaurant for my wife and I - whenever we had anything to celebrate we’d be at Mariners especially on our wedding anniversary. We will miss you, Mariners!!
Is this helpful?

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Happy Hour Tue–Fri 4:30 pm–6:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–8:30 pm
Phone number
(608) 246-3120
Website
http://marinersmadison.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Catering
We now cater off-site events. For outstanding food and memorable hospitality, please contact us in person at any of our restaurants or call/email us regarding your next event.
Private party facilities
We now can accommodate private groups. We have three private dining rooms as well as our beautiful outside waterfront lawn area available. Make your Mariner’s event even more unique by packaging it with a cruise on Betty Lou Cruises. Please ask the manager for details on how to make your next business, social or holiday gathering a memorable one.

Location
5339 Lighthouse Bay Dr, Madison, WI 53704
Neighborhood
Madison
Cross street
Westport Road
Parking details
None
Entertainment
Live music outdoors every Saturday from June - August
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

The Mariner's Inn

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Appetizers

Fish Fingers$14.99

Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms$16.98

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms$14.99

Stuffed Mushroom Combo$15.99

Shrimp Cocktail$14.99

Cheese Curds$12.99

Calamari$15.99

Lighter Fare

Tenderloin Duet*$34.99

Chicken Betty Lou$24.99

Petite Salmon Fillet*$19.98

Vegetarian's Delight Pasta$22.99

Fried Jumbo Shrimp Trio$21.99

Seafood

Mariner's Shrimp$34.99

Ragin' Cajun Walleye$37.99

Salmon Florentine$31.99

Surfin' Salmon$31.99

Canadian Walleye$29.99

Lobster Tails$59.99

Sea Scallops$44.99

Steaks

New York Strip*$44.99

Bone-In Ribeye*$59.99

Admiral's Tenderloin*$49.99

Jesse's Top Sirloin*$37.99

Porterhouse*$57.99

Top Sirloin*$31.99

Tenderloin Filet*$39.99

Tenderloin Combo Dinners$54.99

Add These Delicious Items to Any Steak

Lobster Tail$24.99

Jumbo Shrimp$14.99

Béarnaise Sauce$4.99

Béarnaise Sauce and Crabmeat$12.99

Sautéed Mushrooms$5.99

Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce$4.99

Side Dishes

Betty Lou au Gratin Potatoes$7.99

World Famous Clam Chowder$7.99

Mariner's Dinner Salad$5.99

Hash Browns$6.99

Steak Fries$4.99

Baked Potato$4.99

Green Beans$5.99

Friday Seafood Specials

Haddock Fish Fry$18.98

Broiled Haddock$19.98

Lake Perch$24.99

Canandian Walleye Fish Fry$29.99

Additional information

Permanently Closed