UW-Madison Dining Halls: An Honest Review

Photo by Bryce Richter / UW-Madison

Among the many amenities provided by UW Housing is the world of dining halls. The dining halls serve as a feasting place for more than just residents living in the dorms, but all of the students and staff at UW- Madison as well. As the semester winds down, I’m able to look back and assess UW’s top student eateries. There are four major dining halls across campus. This review piece is here to provide honest feedback about my experiences at each one of them. I will organize each review into the following subgroups: cleanliness, food quality, and foot traffic.

Gordon’s

One of the most well-known dining halls on campus is the Gordon Avenue Market. Located on West Dayton Street, it is a hotspot for residents in the Southeast dorms. Gordon’s  is known to be one of the busier dining halls on campus, with students migrating to the second floor to find seating most days, especially around dinner time. Because of how busy the establishment can get, it is understandable that Gordon’s is not the cleanest dining hall, at least in my experience. Due to the heavy foot traffic, food stations clear out fast, meaning most meals are served hot and fresh as Gordon’s staff are constantly refilling food. This makes the food quality better than in slower dining halls, where food is more likely to sit out for longer periods of time as fewer student’s finish it off. Overall, Gordon’s is a great place for those looking for hot and ready food. However, depending on the time of day, be prepared to seek external seating, especially during the 5-7pm dinner rush.

Four Lakes

On the first floor of Dejope Residence Hall is the Four Lakes Market. This dining hall is popular among those living in the lakeshore dorms. Much like Gordon’s, Four Lakes is usually pretty busy during the lunch and dinner hours. One thing that sets it apart from Gordon’s, however, is the cleanliness of the establishment. From my experience, although Four Lakes has some heavy foot traffic, the staff have done a fairly decent job at making sure to keep each station clean, including the dishwashing area.  Another thing that differs  Four Lakes from Gordon’s is their food freshness, which ranks them above Gordon’s when it comes to food quality. Although Four Lakes can get busy, I would highly recommend it to those looking for a cleaner establishment. I would also recommend it to sushi lovers as they run a sushi station on occasion!

Rheta’s

Located just down Bascom in the bottom of the Chadbourne Residence Hall is Rheta’s Market. Rheta’s is a smaller establishment, typically attracting people in the Southeast area of campus. From my experience, it has never been swamped with people the way Gordon’s and Four Lakes usually are, making it a good place for people in search of a more quiet lunch or dinner spot. The food has also never disappointed me, even on slower days where one would not expect the food to be as fresh. Rheta’s is a great alternative for people on the Southeast part of campus to enjoy a more peaceful dinner, or even have a change of scenery from Gordon’s.

Liz’s Market

Liz’s Market is a small dining hall located in the Waters dormitory in the heart of campus.  Though it is not the cleanest dining hall of the four, it definitely beats Gordon’s and Four Lakes in terms of cleanliness. I have only been to Liz’s a handful of times, but when I have gone, the food has always been hot and ready, surpassing the quality of the other three dining halls. I have also never had a problem finding seating, since Liz’s is fairly secluded and typically occupied by Waters residents. Even when I went during the busy dinner hours, there were plenty of open seats, making Liz’s a great place to have a relaxing meal. It is also a convenient place for those just passing through and looking for a light breakfast or lunch to get them through the rest of their classes.  

Although each dining hall has their ups and downs, they are all great spaces to enjoy a nutritious meal and socialize with those around you. Whatever you are looking for in a UW Housing dining hall, whether it be cleanliness or quiet, there is a space l on campus that is tailored to everyone’s  needs.

This article was featured in our Spring 2023 issue, At the Badger Table.

Read the full edition on our publications page.