Nitty Gritty

Nitty Gritty is a restaurant known as Madison's Official Birthday Place, a title it has held since the 1985 reformatting of the original 1968 restaurant. The Gritty Burger, six ounces of ground chuck under a sour cream based sauce on a honey wheat bun, is the signature item, alongside crispy white cheddar cheese curds, a seasonal snack menu, brunch and cocktails.

The Middleton location sits in the Stonefield Glen shopping center and opened in 2002 as the west side branch of the downtown restaurant. Birthday celebrations can be pre-arranged or walk-in, and the birthday bell, birthday board and birthday balloon are part of the tradition. Takeout and delivery are available through online ordering, and the restaurant hosts private events and sells gift cards.