This place was very cute! I went there with some of my friends for brunch and the menu offers a nice variety choices (many of which are vegetarian friendly) with large portion sizes. The ambiance is very cute and it's also very COVID friendly. Highly recommend this place! read more

Best breakfast I have probably ever had in Albany. We had to wait a good half hour to be seated, but it was worth it. Not sure if they take reservations. Service was quick and friendly once seated. Prices are very reasonable and the options are great. I got the super breakfast with raspberry oatmeal pancakes. OMG these are some of the best pancakes. Don't sleep on these. It also comes with2 eggs, meat, homefries, toast, juice, and coffee. What else could you want? read more

I call this place a "vortex of happiness". The food is the best, the waiters are genuinely happy to be there and help and everyone eating there loves it. No, none of the words like "everyone" and "best" are exaggerations. It's all true. The whole place is so cute. There's a lovely patio are to sit on in the warmer months and there's almost a bird's nest feel to upper seating level. I've never been when it hasn't been very busy but I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes or so. I never complain because I know the food in store for me is delish! I've only had the eggs benedict with Irish bacon and avocado. I'm adventurous with my food but this combination is too good for me to not get each time. However, people I've been with have raved about the raspberry oatmeal pancakes, the tofu scrambles and pretty much anything they've ever gotten. The home fries that come along with the main dishes are also so tasty. I've enjoyed their bloody Cesar's and their different kinds of mimosas as well. This place is lacking nothing and has everything! read more

Brunch! This place does it right. We stopped by on Easter weekend with three people and only waited about a half hour. The hosts and servers all seemed to be in good moods and eager to greet and seat us. Always appreciated. Now for the food. Somebody at the table must order the raspberry oatmeal pancakes. Must. Like, these things are little cakes that fell from heaven and landed on my plate in Albany. What are the chances? Filled with fresh raspberries and buttermilk soaked oats. Also real maple syrup. Now that we've settled that... We also ordered two specials: the "Hippity Hop Frittata" and the "Funny Bunny Pancakes" Their tea selection was also impressive. I opted for some African-spiced option that the server did not seem to know much about. For some reason his unsureness swayed me to make this selection. With two floors of seating, a patio that I imagine is quite lovely during warmer months, and a bright decor, I was quite impressed. Oh! And if it's a nice day, you might as well take a stroll in Washington Park afterward to work off all that gluttony you just partook in. read more

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Cafe Madison is good if you want to have a quick breakfast. It's not entirely memorable, but it is so far away from the decay of downtown Albany that it almost seems like it is in another city altogether. I can definitely see this restaurant on bright sunny day with lots of costumers chatting away in the outside seating area. The area is not that big mind you, but it does seem like a pleasant place to eat, sit, and people watch. But then again this area doesn't see that much foot traffic. The city of Albany has foiled my nice ideas again! The food is alright. They make a decent eggs benedict and omelet. Those two thing aren't too hard to make. Biscuit, some greens, and a poached egg with hollandaise sauce. Voila! Eggs benedict. Come here if you are in Albany, but don't dawdle. Nothing to dawdle over. read more

Cafe Madison - Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

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Been here a few times in the last 6 months. Taken multiple family and friends for weekend brunches when they've been visiting. Great place: love their seasonal cocktails and various mimosas! The French toast stacker is absurd and my favorite. Have tried maybe half the dishes on the menu now and can't wait to try the rest. read more

Staff is really not nice! Food okay would be better with a better waitress and overall staff! Girl seating and waiting was nasty.

We're regulars at Cafe Madison, absolutely love the staff, and are huge fans of their weekend specials! Today we had the Triple B Pancakes (three pancakes filled with blueberries, bacon bits, and maple butter) and they were spectacular!! So delicious! They should definitely be made a regular item on the everyday menu!! read more

We loved Cafe Madison. The perfect neighborhood breakfast cafe. Sat outside on a beautiful Saturday morning. Only waited a couple minutes for table. Staff was very attentive and friendly. Menu was awesome including The Weeknd specials menu. The Ultimate Bloody Merry and the Ham 'n Eggs Beni were just what the Dr. ordered for the morning after a wedding. Compliments to the chef and mixologist for developing such deliciously creative menus of both food and spirits. Can't wait to visit again next time we pass thru Albany. read more

Cafe Madison - Weekend Specials Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

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I will be generous and give four stars. The food is definitely pretty good. However, they really need to improve how they serve their customers. No reservations? Seriously? An hour wait? Seriously? We put our names in prepared to wait for an hour and went for a little 25 minute walk. When we got back, we discover they have already called our name. Seriously? We then had to wait another 35 minutes for a table. The raspberry oatmeal pancakes are pretty damn tasty. Not sure they are worth waiting an hour for, but they are damn tasty. My mushroom omlette was decent. It could have used more mushrooms and more cheese. The coffee was fine and the service was okay. I would love to come back here for the food (especially those raspberry oatmeal pancakes), but I think I'd look into other locations in the area because the wait is just ridiculous. It's also obnoxious that they apparently have no real sense of the wait, because had we not gone for a walk, we could have been seated in 25 minutes when they had quoted us an hour. They accept Discover card. read more

To be honest I've never been a huge fan of Brunch, minus the alcohol, or breakfast in general. It doesn't carry well for leftovers and I don't really like mixing times of the day. I eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch food for lunch, dinner for dinner but always have time for a little dessert. I digress, my boyfriend ordered the french toast stacker and it was ALOT of food. It is 100% a shareable meal or made for sumo wrestlers. It's 3 pieces of thick bread with eggs in between and a side of potatoes and bacon all covered in syrup. The potatoes were slightly hard and were not a favorite. There's cinnamon butter to top things off and that's delicious. I've been here for brunch before and I've never had a bad meal. It's cute inside and out but theres usually a wait on weekends. Overall, it's a great place for brunch. read more

Cafe Madison - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Warning: no reservations for weekend brunch, 40-60minute wait. Tried the seasonal special catchingly named The GREAT Pumpkin Stuffed French Toast. What it ended up being was thigh-high bread with a little bit of spread between the slices. A little disappointing given the creative name and mouth-watering description. A plus on the service- bussers and waitresses were timed in/out perfectly without rushing us or intruding. The narrow interior is perfectly decorated and maximizes the seats. Great for groups up to 4. Think I need to go back for their classics (red raspberry oatmeal pancakes and omelets) and brunch cocktails (wow is there an endless list!). read more

Cafe Madison - Brunch menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Looking for a breakfast place while my daughter took a test nearby. Food was great and service was outstanding!!! Bonus....full bar and bloody with breakfast!! Awesome place ! read more

First time I have ever been disappointed with a meal. New chef, kitchen staff? Everything was salty, and just not put together like I'm use to. Hopefully its only a fluke. read more

Decent atmosphere and reasonable prices even though the quality of the food has decreased a bit over the years.

They have a big menu but taste is really poor, store ambiance is not bad, if you don't want to eat something, it's good for sitting.

Amazing in every aspect. Food quality is great and prices are affordable. Service is great too - good vibes. read more

While visiting my sister in Albany we found this adorable cafe on yelp. We were craving a homemade breakfast and boy did this place deliver. The service was fantastic (the assistant manager took care of us) and the decor was very inviting, warm & cozy. They followed CDC covid rules and regulations making us feel safe. The coffee kept coming and the food was fresh & delicious. I have a gluten allergy and was relieved to know they offer gluten free options. My sister, who is very picky, is already making plans to return. The experience we had left us wanting more. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

I love this place! This is my go to brunch spot. I recommend a table outside in nice weather. The inside is nice as well but there's just something pleasant about sitting outside in the tree shade and watching the passerby's while you sip your morning coffee. The wait staff is very accommodating. I tried to be adventurous with some vegan and vegetarian options but if your not used to it, I recommend on sticking with your basic favorites. read more

That egg yolk you see in the picture without its eggwhite, completely goddamn raw. I'm all for runny yolks in an eggs benedict, but when the egg is so raw and slimy then it's just disgusting. Their home fries were also really bad and dry. Super disappointed considering how high of reviews this place gets. I got this with corn beef hash, cost me 15$ total when I've gotten the same meal at multiple other places and it would only cost me 10$. Definitely not planning to come back here. read more

Cafe Madison - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Stopped by here during brunch time on a Saturday. It was very busy and packed. There is outdoor seating. It has a nice and comfortable setting. The servers were nice and prompt. We were told there was a 30 minute wait for a table of 2 but decided to take the last 2 seats available at the bar instead. Service was kind of on the slow side maybe because it was a busy day. They have a full alcohol bar for morning buzzies! Andddd those raspberry pancakes were awesome. read more

Cafe Madison - Raspberry pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

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Awesome brunch but expect to wait quite a while. Weekend wait can be over an hour long! I always order the super breakfast. I love the raspberry oatmeal pancakes and the oat nut toast. Highly recommend! read more

This was a random, on a whim breakfast before our 2+ hour drive home. I easily made the reservation via Yelp before we left the hotel, as it was showing a roughly 25-45 minute wait. It being one of the top rated breakfast spots and with a wait like that, I knew it had to be something special. And man, I was right! Service was great and food was spectacular. The dill onion bread... OMG it's pure heaven! He had the French Toast Stacker, I had the Seafood Florentine Omelet and a bloody Mary (virgin) and we "shared" the Banana Fofana French Toast only because bananas Foster is my FAVORITE! Everything we had was delicious. That's about all I have to say! Try this place if you never have. You won't be disappointed. read more

Cafe Madison - Banana fofano french toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Oh man. So I haven't been here very many times, but each time this place gets better and better for me. Be prepared to wait a while. This place is a hot spot. But sometimes places like this are worth it. Try it out. I have to say, these guys make the best Eggs Benedict in the area. Also, they really know how to do home fries. A small detail, but important. read more

Cafe Madison - Best Eggs Benedict I've had in the area. And a great Belgian Waffle. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Stopped here on my at to Albany International Airport and I'm so glad I did. Food was fantastic. I had the vegan French toast with fruit and a side of home fries. Very generous portions and the staff was wonderful. I highly recommend Cafe Maddison if you're in the area. read more

When we arrived, there were already delicious menu items crossed out because they were all out of them. I got mint chocolate crepes which turned out to be so bad, that I couldn't eat them. The sauce was awful, there was nothing chocolatey about it, it was just an overpowering minty white sauce. I couldn't eat the dish (at all), and when the waitress asked how the food was and if I wanted my dish wrapped up, I said I really didn't like the crepes because the flavor seemed very off to me, and I didn't want it wrapped. I left the entire thing on the plate and was surprised they didn't offer to take it off of the bill. My boyfriend enjoyed his breakfast, he had beef hash with 2 eggs, potatoes and toast. It was very tasty. Perhaps if my crepe wasn't so bad, and the best looking menu items weren't already crossed off when we got there (mind you, it wasn't the end of the day), I would give more stars. read more

This place seems well-reviewed relative to Albany standard, so I'll stick to a personal breadcrumb-trail account of our recent lunch. The menu is decent in that it's pub food plus some stabs at New American. There are veggie options, done up in the everything-is-comfort-food style I am coming to expect from the area. The crepes were more sort of like burritos stuffed with grilled veggies and were a bit bland. I had the portobello eggplant sandwich, which had a yummy tangy sauce/spread on it, but was somewhat bizarrely served on buttered grilled bread that must be called what it was: Texas toast. The butter did overwhelm the sandwich. Green salad was a standard salad-in-a-box baby greens mix, which is a step up over the diner iceberg salad but wasn't quite what we expected. They had a butternut squash bisque on special the day I went, which was really fabulous - nice and nutty and while heavy (every bisque I've tried around here has been on the heavy side) was very nicely concocted overall. Coffee was decent. The service was good (passed my coffee refill test). The interior is kind of chummy and intimate, on the quiet side, an old-fashioned pub-bar layout with the bar opposite a single row of small booths and some more tables tucked in a loft in the rear, but it is showing real signs of wear (dirty floors, ripped upholstery on the seats) and the place definitely needs some sprucing up. It's not quite grungy enough and weird to have the character of a loveable dive, so it just feels dirty. We'll give it a friendly four stars for now, given it was a pleasant lunch if not that remarkable, and on the promise of return visits to try out the breakfast(s). Now, on to try Cafe Unger!! Maybe that one will be neater. read more

Breakfast or lunch it is always delicious. Most recently we thought the service was good but it can be hit or miss. Expect a 20 - 40 min wait on the weekends and they do not allow you to put your name on the list if you call ahead. Small bar area for cocktails or memosas. Can't wait to go back and share the experience with friends. Outside dining is available. read more

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It's rare for me to give four stars to a restaurant that I likely won't come back to. The reason for the four stars is the great food and service for fair prices. For $50, including tip and tax, my fiancee and I had a great meal consisting of breakfast entree, drinks and dessert. The crabcakes were delicious, the caprese omelet was one of the best omelettes that I've ever had, the coconut chocolate late could have been dessert in and of itself, and the berry crepe was much larger than I anticipated, and the perfect taste and texture. The only disappointing part of the meal was the irish soda bread, and my only point of reference is Katie Reilly's irish soda bread that I buy at Shoprite. With such a great meal, it's disappointing that it was an hour wait, and from discussing with their regulars, this is pretty typical. They do not accept reservations, and they do not have pagers. They also do not serve drinks to those that are waiting for a table. Standing around for an hour, waiting for a table, is really not my idea of a good time. Especially when it's the first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. It was even more frustrating seeing empty tables both inside and out, as we stood and waited. I really hope they fix this, as I would like to taste more of what their menu has to offer. read more

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This was an absolutely fantastic brunch. I highly recommend it. The food was so delicious that it's almost hard to describe. The fries -- I'm telling you, you'll want a full plate or more of those bad boys. I ordered the breakfast burger. My girlfriend, who's a vegetarian, was jealous. She wanted the same flavors, but couldn't eat the meat. Her solution? Swap the burger and bacon with their maple seitan, which she saw elsewhere on the menus. They accommodated, and we were both in love with our orders. She got home fries as a side. I had French fries. Me want more. But I'm too stuffed. The cocktails were also memorable. Sarah's Bloody Mary, The Ultimate, was so great. So tasty. My Irish Coffee was good, but being more of a Bourbon guy, I have to stick with the assessment of "good". It was also a quirky place with lots of colors and great design. Worth a visit. No, it's worth many, many visits. read more

Cafe Madison is always solid. Love their pancakes, egg sandwich, breakfast burrito. Great cocktails and draft beer as well. It's really convenient to be able to wait for your table at "The Pour House" next door too! They always have a great selection of craft beer on tap!! Coffee too if that's your preference. We've been going for years and can't recommend them enough. read more

Great ambience. Great coffee and bloody Mary's. Homemade bread was delicious, smoked Salmon and cream cheese omelet was delicious. Service was amazing. I ordered the crab cake Beni and unfortunately it fell short. It was real crab, which I appreciate but it had quite a bit of shell and I also had a egg shell in my meal. I wouldn't order it again. We also ordered the croissant French toast which was delicious, I will definitely get that again. Over of a good experience and I will definitely go back again. read more

The Cafe is absolutely beautiful!!! The prices are perfect!!! Extremely polite!!! Howeve, the service was absolutely horrible. At down waited 10 minutes for the server to come take our order. I was looking at the server talking to coworkers about nothing related to work. She finally came over to take our order and say to us sorry she was making a drink for customer when she wasn't. She was very short with us. If it wasn't for her I would have given the Cafe a 5 star. Yup! That will be the last time I go back... read more

The Madison Plate is an exclusive dish at Cafe Madison. The cinnamon batter-dipped croissant and the cheese sauce are the stars of the dish! I recommend ordering with cornedbeef hash. Use the yelp app waitlist so you don't have to wait to be seated! read more

Cafe Madison - Madison Plate with chorizo and poached eggs. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Heard about how great their breakfast is while hiking in the Adirondacks. Since I was staying in Albany with hiking buddies we bee lined here the day after an epic hike. At 8 am on Sunday the place was packed. Luckily scored a patio table to enjoy a nitro cold brew and no humidity! Happy Sunday!! Great menu with options for those who like a sweet or savory breakfast. Didn't have the much discussed oatmeal pancakes. Instead opted for the new Star Trek movie inspired special: Spock Benny. Yup. Poached eggs over bed of spinach in a shrimp and chorizo sauce. Accompanied by a side of turkey assuage. Hit the spot. Only downside... Sunday Morning service aka slow. Plus side.. He was adorable. Cute sunglasses, great faux hawk and tatts. Will come back. Ps they have a full line of boozy breakfast beverages. read more

Cafe Madison - Spock Benny and a nitro - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

Creative cocktails, themed specials, homemade bread, delicious Vegan menu & so much more. Cafe Madison is my go to brunch spot. The omelettes are delicious. You can substitute tofu for eggs in any of them to make them vegan. Service is attentive and quick. The waitstaff never disappoints. The vegan burger is my favorite on the menu. It's made with Berben & Wolff's seitan, which is the best (and possibly the only) in the cap district. It's a must try. They have delicious cold brew & nitro cold brew that is highly recommended. Do the online waitlist or you will wait forever. read more

Can I just say "Yum"?!?! Everything is delicious. I can't wait to see how it is when they expand into the space next door. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Good food good prices. Got seen right away no waiting. Got a nice street view. It has a very pleasant decor

The food was great and our server Chris was super sweet and welcoming!! Had a great time and I will definitely be back!! The waffle and omelette were to die for!!! read more

My husband and I live about four blocks from Cafe Madison, but hadn't tried it for dinner since they remodeled and changed the name from Madison End. With my mother watching our 1 month old baby, we decided to give it a try since it was so close. We started with the calamari. It was tender, but quite oily. It was served with a strange tomato-basil concoction completely covering the top of the calamari. It was vaguely ratatouille in texture, and somewhere between cold and room temperature. It had a good flavor, but would have been better if the basil and tomatoes had been chopped first, then served on the side. We had to move a giant pile of this stuff off of the calamari before eating. For for our entrees, I had the cassoulet with a side of fried string beans (more on these later) and my husband had the strip steak. My husband ordered his steak medium rare, and it came medium rare. The meat was tender and the cut was well marbled without being too fatty. The sauce it was served with was nicely sweet, tangy, and well balanced. He reported that it was expertly prepared and delicious. The presentation, however, was a bit ... odd. Served with "pommes frites" and vegetables, the sparse offering of grilled veggies was positioned next to the steak, and then the whole plate was covered in herbed french fries. The frites were a nice accompaniment to the steak, and when they soaked up some of the sauce were positively delicious. I'm puzzled, however, by the need of the chef to hide her dishes under mounds of tertiary ingredients. My cassoulet was tasty and well prepared, with one exception. There was a chicken leg dropped atop the casserole that was overcooked and entirely too greasy on the bottom. It appeared that a batch of these chicken legs (I should mentioned that the top half of the chicken leg was well seasoned with crisp skin and quite good) had been cooked in some other container, then perhaps left in a warming oven to be dropped on top of the cassoulet as a strange meat-garnish. So ... the beans. When I ordered "fried green beans" my husband and I joked that maybe they would show up breaded and deep fried. My husband said, "well, they'll probably be sauteed or something ... pan fried. Who knows, maybe it''l be string bean tempura or something." Or something, indeed. It was, as dreaded, deep fried, breaded, green beans. I don't know what else to say other than: avoid this. The service was acceptable. The food came out somewhat more slowly than we would have liked, but our sense of time may have been somewhat skewed since we were new parents out for dinner alone for the first time sans baby. The only unfortunate service event was the bartender, who filled our water glasses quite obviously not 30 seconds after a harried smoke-break outside. Seriously ... go outside and have a smoke, but pop a mint or hit some binaca or something before leaning over the tables. My husband used to smoke, and he says, "Yeah, even smokers hate that smell." Overall, it was a good dinner at a reasonable price. Beers, dinner, appetizer, and an after dinner liquor with tax and tip came to $97. Given the prime location to our house, we'll go back for some future no-baby evenings. read more

Cafe Madison - Yes, these are beans - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York