Dotty Dumpling's Dowry

Dotty Dumpling's Dowry gets recommended to me constantly when I ask about Madison burgers, right up there with Settle Down. I finally got over to Frances Street to see what the hype was about.

It has those classic campus bar vibes, a huge burger menu, and the kind of parking situation where you should give yourself a few extra minutes.

The Lowdown

• City: Madison, WI
• Address: 317 N Frances St, Madison, WI 53703
• Phone: (608) 259-0000
• Website: dottydumplingsdowry.com
• Hours: Closed Mon; Tue-Sat 11am - 10pm; Sun 11am - 4pm

What I ordered

I got the Heart Throb, their spicy burger with pepper jack, smoked bacon, and that green Heart Throb sauce on a sesame bun. Regular fries on the side. At the time it was around $16, the most expensive burger I'd reviewed so far. The Melting Pot is another signature option, with English garlic sauce, but that one's for next time.

My thoughts on the food

The burger was cooked exactly how I asked and really good. That green Heart Throb sauce is awesome and does a lot of the work. The patty itself could use more seasoning, which I end up saying about a lot of Madison burgers. Still, I get why people recommend it.

Fries were fine. There wasn't a Cajun option, just regular, and I would've liked a little seasoning on them too. This wasn't my number one burger off the first bites, but it was a solid meal in a fun bar.

The verdict

Dotty's is worth a visit if you're hunting a Madison burger. The Heart Throb sauce is the reason to order this one, and with so many burgers on the menu I'll be back to try more.