Best breakfast in Albany NY with friendly customer service. No wonder the line too get in was insane but well worth the wait. Our breakfast omelette were perfect and moist. Nothing like a tasty omelette in the morning that was made with love. read more

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Yummy yummy It would be cool if they had something that was a vegan version or non dairy just for some of us read more

I had some friends in from out of town and we wanted somewhere for breakfast that had local appeal and was close enough we could get back home before the next set of guests were expected to arrive. Someone mentioned IHOP and I knew they were not getting the point and I needed to intervene. I have known about Cafe Madison for a long time. Walked passed it all the time when I was a regular at Mahar's. I had friends who lived in the apartment upstairs for quite some time too. And in all that time I had never stepped in the door. I decided now was the time to change that and see what they had to offer. When we arrived the gentleman who greeted us was concerned about seating. One of my guests was 6'6" and has been described as "midwest big". We were told the booths were likely to be a problem. After allowing him to try one out anyway, it was pretty clear it was not going to be pleasant. It is hard to fault a restaurant for this scenario and I was pretty entertained by having new material to bust my friend's chops with all weekend long. I asked about the outdoor seating and everyone agreed it was probably a better alternative. The weather was nearly perfect and it was early enough that traffic did not drown out our conversation so it ended up working out well. I saw Eggs Benedict on the menu and it is my standard for judging breakfast dining. I apparently did not read the description of the meal because I was surprised at how different it was from traditional fare. Tomato and spinach definitely caught me off guard, but in looking back it was indeed on the menu so I can only blame myself. The meal was definitely good, but not traditional. My wife had the Bayou omelet and was very pleased with it. With a little hot sauce it was probably the best omelet I have tasted in a long time. She was really impressed with the waitstaff's knowledge of gluten free options on the menu. While the menu itself is not labeled the staff really knew what they were talking about and made it comfortable for my wife to select something she would not regret. Our friends had the Madison burger and the salmon burger, both of which were enjoyed but were not something they were raving about. Overall we had a very nice experience and I am glad I finally walked inside after so many years. read more

Soooooo.... I'm super happy that they have a decently extensive vegan menu and their vegan breakfast burritos are delicious... That being said, pretty horrifying to find a GIANT CHUNK OF HAM in my salsa meant to go on said vegan burrito. Contacted the restaurant via their website immediately after the "incident" but never heard back. Not gonna lie, I will still probably eat there again because vegan brunch is pretty limited in Albany, but somebody in their kitchen needs to seriously work on their cross-contamination problem. Super gross. I'd give five stars if this hadn't happened but I'm giving two because HOW DO YOU DROP GIANT HUNKS OF MEAT INTO A VEGAN ORDER?! read more

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

You know the service is terrible when you are certain you could walk out without paying and no one would notice. Not that I would ever do that but the thought crossed my mind as we waited an inordinate amount of time to get our check on Sunday. For brunch I got the cajun grilled chicken sandwich. It was neither cajun nor grilled. It was a a tiny chicken breast sprinkled with paprika. FAIL. Portions were skimpy, service was bad, vibe was lazy, interior was dark and drab, the food was completely uninspired. Not really sure what the rave reviews about this place are all about. Come to Boston people, we will brunch you right. read more

It had been many years since I had been here, but I always held extremely fond memories of the place and of the raspberry oatmeal pancakes in particular. I knew that they don't take reservations, so I volunteered to show up early for our group of 10 and get on the list. I was impressed that it only took a half-hour to actually get seated. That seemed to be about the same for smaller groups as well. 10 is a really large group for that place. I feel like the ideal group would be 4-6 people. The service was wonderful. Our large group warranted multiple waitstaff, who started at either end of the table and met in the middle. They did this for taking our orders, refilling our coffee and bringing our food, and it meant that no one had to wait for too long for anything. I went in knowing that I wanted the (amazing) raspberry oatmeal pancakes, but feeling like it wasn't fair to order the *exact same thing* at every other Lame-Ass Breakfast, so I wound up ordering the pancakes in addition to my standard two eggs - over hard, home fries and toast (they have wonderful breads there, so I went with a house bread over a standard English Muffin, and who would fault me that). It was a lot of food. Way too much, in fact. The eggs were cooked perfectly, but the home fries were not fantastic. They were cut inconsistently and some pieces were way too think and not quite as done as i would have liked. They weren't cooked to a crisp outer coat and I wound up mostly abandoning them. I think I'll eschew them on my next trip. The raspberry pancakes were exquisite as always. What really put them over the edge for me was the exceptional service. They really know what they're doing. I never felt intruded upon, I also never felt neglected. I don't think that any of our group ever wanted for coffee refills, which was really nice. I'll definitely be back, even if it means showing up a half-hour early and connecting to Albany Free Net to get an internet connection to pass the time while I wait. read more

++ home fries breakfast all day service inexpensive bacon + cinnamon raisin french toast with maple syrup eggs? (I didn't have them, my mother did, but she seemed to like them) I'm not really sure if we got free coffee, we got offered right away - pretty packed around 11am I think I got crop dusted by one of the waitresses read more

I love Café Madison, it's probably my favorite brunch place. The downside is that it clearly is everyone else's favorite spot too! So anticipate a decent wait (20 minutes average, in my experience) or get there early. The food is fantastic and they're always rotating out a long list of specials (that are normally themed, which is cute). The staff is always pleasant too. This is one of my favorite places to take visitors to Albany if they're around for brunch. When my mom visited, she liked the bread they make so much she bought a loaf. Highly recommend! read more

A reliably cute place for an great cup of coffee and a tasty breakfast. When one visits upstate New York from San Francisco, one usually steels oneself for a week of culinary simplification; wings in place of duck confit in a mango reduction, pizza instead of Ethiopian takeout, hash browns instead of tofu scramble. But at Madison's End, there is some snazzed up pancake fusion, some vegetarian options (!), and some cute yet elevated decor. Screw you, snob! Albany rules!!! read more

This is absolutely one of my favorite brunch spots. I've never been disappointed and anything I've ordered has always been delicious. They can get busy, so be prepared if you go during peak times, but the wait is worth it. read more

One of the coolest diners I've ever been to. Awesome service, great drinks and awesome music. Turns out to be a bit expensive- but definitely worth it. read more

I've been to Cafe Madison for brunch and dinner. For brunch I had the Bayou Omelette which was okay, but not spectacular. It was the raspberry oatmeal pancakes that I sampled from my boyfriend's plate that knocked me over the edge. The bread was also pretty good. Obviously not enough to give it 4 stars, HOWEVER...then I went there for dinner. Dinner was a whole nother ball game. Excellent service, excellent food, overall great experience. We started with the cheese board, which was very enjoyable (a bit pricey). I had the French Kiss (they cooked the filet minon perfectly - they heard me when I asked for my steak as rare as it gets). They did not mention that french fries would come with the filet...I would have chosen something else. But the accompanying vegetables were prepared extremely well. It could have just been that it was the end of the night and the restraunt was empty, but the service was really great. I'd give Cafe Madison a 4.5 if possible, but I do have to take into consideration that my brunch was not spectacular. read more

I went here with my girlfriend and her parents for brunch on a recent Sunday morning. We expected a wait, but it wasn't bad, about 20 minutes. Once inside we were seated, and ordered coffee/juice/etc. The tables were a little close together. Nothing too serious, especially for brunch. But for dinner, I would have liked more space. The menu was pretty solid all around, with some interesting specials. I opted for the Mediterranean omelet. A real nice feature was that they made it with egg-whites at no extra cost. My girlfriend and her mom both had the raspberry pancakes, and her dad go the seafood Florentine omelet. The service was fast. My omelet was good, but not great. For starters, I felt like there wasn't enough egg in it. It wasn't necessarily falling apart, but there could have been more holding it together. The wheat toast that I got did taste fresh. I tried my girlfriends pancakes. These were on the money. If we go back, I'm definitely getting them. read more

I came here from NYC for lunch, while arriving here for a conference. It was 11:30 am on a Wednesday and they were still serving breakfast, which was cool. I had a slamming salmon salad, which was well portioned and solid. My colleague had these raspberry pancakes, which were straight up awesome. It was filled with cinnamon flavor with a graham cracker or oat flavor. Really good. Service was fine. We ate outside, which was nice. read more

Cafe Madison is one of Albany's most popular weekend brunch destinations, but they also boast a busy breakfast/lunch crowd during the week, with no fine line in between, as lunch is served from 730 to 2:00 as is breakfast. Way cool. I've been there many times over the years, coasting along with name changes and fires and rehabs to the space. I even enjoyed a few dinners there while they piloted chef driven evening meals. The food is good, sometimes great, and the breads are always excellent. There's lots to choose from. On my latest visit I really enjoyed the Honey Dill Salmon sandwich ($11) - a nice big thick boneless (yeah!) piece of grilled salmon topped with a tomato cuke relish on lightly toasted dill onion bread. At first bite I found it a bit dry - it needed some tartar sauce - but this was quickly provided by our server. The salad of the day, at most a large mouthful of coleslaw, tasted like it had been sitting for a couple of days, which was too bad. The place is attractive but I find it small and uncomfortable. Well, it IS small. Really small. And noisy. The bar takes over a huge chunk of floorspace on level one (I'm not sure that it IS a bar unless you rent the space for an evening event because there is no mention of beer or wine service). Level two is like 10 degrees hotter and really feels cramped. The booths upstairs are also pretty uncomfortable. That said, Cafe Madison offers up good honest food, no surprises, practiced and customer tested. The service is always friendly but it can be a little slow. It feels like a cool place to be. Worth the well-known wait for a table. read more

On our way through NY state we stopped in Albany to grab a bite to eat. Based on reviews we chose this place. Now I don't wanna slam the restaurant because they didn't do anything wrong or right it just was. That's it. Just exists. Food was mediocre. Service was mediocre. This would have been fine had I expected that, however, it seems the raving reviews were written by friends only hence the bias love of this place. There's no way some random person could have come here and said this place deserves more than 3 stars at the most. Regardless, if you want a mediocre meal in a mediocre place you've found the restaurant. It won't knock your socks off but it won't be gross. read more

Definitely great comfort breakfast! Frugal with the napkins ... Lol. Some omelettes are tastier than others. But the homemade bread is to die for! Definitely come eat here but don't come if you are in a hurry, you will wait for a table. Bon apetito ! read more

Cafe Madison - Potatoes yum! Chunks of garlic make it! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

We started our 30th anniversary here, where the bride took the Moms and bridesmaids on wedding day. Lynn had her usual - raspberry oatmeal pancakes - and I enjoyed a Chesapeake Bay version of eggs Benedict (poached eggs on top of crab cakes covered with Hollandaise and a homemade hot sauce. We shared some Irish bacon too! Staff is always great and this will always be a favorite stop. read more

Cafe Madison - Here's the yummy breakfast from our review of Cafe Madison. So good!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Albany, New York

If you want am amazing breakfast, this place is worth the morning rush wait. Great omelette - more filling than egg! Breakfast potatoes and selection of homemade breads. Raspberry oatmeal pancakes are to die for. Good selection of herbal teas. read more

It wasn't a bad brunch but definitely a place I wouldn't wait around for again. The great reviews lured us in and we were a bit disappointed. The drinks were very good, strong enough but the food left a bit to be desired. I got the eggs Benedict and my friend got french toast. As I said both of us felt the food was alright not that great. Would I go back ? If it's the only place available with no wait time on the weekend - For sure. If not .. I'll keep it moving. read more

Conveniently located near the Amtrak/Megabus station, Cafe Madison is a go-to breakfast spot. I came here on a Friday morning to celebrate a special birthday. I did my yelp research and found this. Apparently, I did not do enough research because I did not know what the go-to dish was. If you want to know, Yelpers highly recommend the raspberry oatmeal pancakes. As my friend scurried to the bathroom, I kindly asked our server to bring out something special for his birthday after we finished our meals. I was afraid he would not remember. (+1 star for remembering) We ordered the eggs benedict and three raspberry oatmeal pancakes. I personally liked the eggs benedict more than the pancakes. The pancakes were good but not as stellar as yelped. Two were enough for me. Later, I see in the distance, a brownie with a lit candle on top. It was time for the birthday boy to blow out the candle and make a wish. We were much too full so we packed one pancake and a half finished brownie for later. read more

We stumbled upon this little adorable cafe after a doctors visit and I was floored by the food, service and ambiance. They have something for everyone from the meat eaters to the vegans. Even if you are not a vegan, try the grilled PB&J !!!! It's amazing and worth every sweet messy bite. I also had the cafe Madison which is a croissant battered in French toast batter and served with eggs and bacon, sausage etc. I will certainly be returning for brunch and lunch. read more

I went here for brunch around 1 the other day when a friend was in town. Our food was absolutely delicious and for once, there was no wait. I had an omelet that came with fresh chopped herbs, parmesan, tomatoes, basil, pine nuts and zucchini. It was really quite good, and large too. Scott had the farmhouse omelet, which was hearty and tasty. Dan stuck with his favorite, the corned beef hash breakfast. We sat outside and it was very pleasant. The woman next to us was even allowed to bring her corgi with her, with made me happy to see. Our service was great too, but I have to disclose that the waitress was a good friend of ours, so that probably makes me a little biased. read more

I'm excited that Cafe Madison offers vegan options! They seem to have added the vegan options about 2-3 years ago to accommodate demand and lifestyle trends (per the manager I spoke with last month). They've got a small fully-vegan menu featuring items like vegan french toast and a vegan breakfast sandwich (featuring Berben & Wolff's seitan). The few times I've been I've found the vegan options to be just okay, but it's really nice to have more places to go out to eat in the capital region. It's definitely worth checking out! read more

Holy yumness! We stopped in because of the reviews - and they were right! We stopped by on a Sunday around 9, 930am and while there was no wait, there weren't many available seats - so get here early! We ordered the Raspberry and Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes (an order of 3!), Avocado Omelet w home fries and Cinnamon toast, and French Toast. The pancakes and omelet were AMAZING!!!! The home fries were crispy and fantastic. The French toast was meh, nothing special. There is an order called Mama Mia French toast that is made with PB &J and chocolate, which we are dying to try next! The service was good and attentive without being overbearing. Oh, and unlimited coffee refills! read more

Snooty male waitress every time I go. Most over rated breakfast spot in area. Hopefully they don't screw up the point like they did this place. Got rid of frittatas, best thing in menu. You wait forever and then the service is shit. Go to iron gate, get a good meal with friendly people. read more

Visiting Albany from the New York City area and have been so impressed by this amazing brunch spot. Every dish we had was special. The eggs Benedict and Crab cake eggs Benedict were both perfect. The raspberry pancakes were so good and so unique, and the decadent specialty items were worth every bite. Service was on point despite the tight fit and crowds waiting to be seated. It was a long wait but the online/text wait list made it manageable. Came back every day of our trip and can't wait for our next time in Albany. read more

Easily the best brunch in town. Only downside is the insane wait time and no way to make a reservation. Still totally worth it.

I'm with Daniel B on this one. The food is creative and well thought out, but the service is terrible. (I wonder if we had the same server?) The busboy was more attentive than our server, who ran around like a headless chicken trying to look busy. She didn't refill our coffee, and after giving us our food, she didn't check on us. And she only had one other table! We had to ask the busboy for ketchup and syrup. This place could potentially be a 4.5, but I am also taking off for inconsistency. The first time I went, the potatoes were so salty I could hardly feel my tongue after 2 bites. I hope it was an oversight, because I would hate to think that the chef tasted that and sent it out anyway. read more

Delicious! After hearing three magical words: "raspberry oatmeal pancakes", I'd been hankering to visit this place for breakfast for a while. I brought my husband and father in law along, with the strict instructions that at least one of us had to try it. Between us we had the R-O pancakes, fried oatmeal (yes, fried!), homemade cinnamon raisin toast (all their bread is homemade), eggs & sausages, and a wonderful crepe special that was full of fruit and came with creme fraiche or a chocolate sauce (I got both!). Everything was wonderful, and the maple syrup was real, which is definitely on my must-have list. Service was pleasant and efficient, and we were lucky to get a table quickly but I imagine this is not often the case as they don't take reservations. At 10:30 the place was packed with people waiting out the door. They get a star removed for their coffee and condiments. Their coffee is pretty meh, and I'm disappointed that such a quality place didn't have raw sugar. They also had the standard little jam packets that are really 99% high fructose corn syrup - I think this place would benefit from having real fruit preserves with their toast. All in all though, I am excited to go back for a Sunday brunch since the food really is fantastic. I think I enjoyed them even more than New World Bistro's brunch, which I did not expect. And the raspberry oatmeal pancakes *are* magical. read more

We tried this little gem on our way to buffalo ny. We had been driving since 5:30 am from Boston and we needed food. The food was so good and it's kid friendly place. Thanks and see you on our way back home read more

If you stay in Albany you should have breakfast at this place! They have so many options I couldn't help take some food to go:)

Madison Cafe is always my first choice for Breakfast or Brunch in Albany. My husband and I frequently visit. We enjoy their regular menu items but ALWAYS look out for their specials. Every season they offer seasonal menu items and drinks. We have never been disappointed in anything we have tried. Service is fast, food is fresh and drinks are always so good. My only suggestion would be to reserve a table ahead of time as there is often a wait. I frequently blog about our favorite places and have written one on Madison Cafe. If you are interested in reading a more detailed review you can find it at https://mylifewithgabrielle.blog/2018/04/16/madison-cafe/ read more

Pretty much a total letdown. Hour wait for a table. Rude/tired/frustrated staff and unfriendly/rude/smoking in my face and baby's face patrons. If you are the hostess you don't tell someone who wants a table "ugh well we are SUPER busy so it will be like at least 30-45 minutes" like you wish we would go away. It's a GOOD thing to be busy; look around at all the 'Business Closed' signs and remember what 'not busy' gets you. Flattop grill was broken so they were out of nearly anything on the menu we would order. Didn't find this out till we were seated. FAIL. Forgot to bring forks to the table. Forgot a side of toast. Side of sausage patties was ONE patty. Frittata was a hot mess. Benny was also a hot mess. Oatmeal Raspberry Pancakes, while good, were certainly not 'To DIE for' like other reviewers have mentioned. EDIT: highchair was both dirty and the belt was broken. FIX YOUR BROKEN HIGH CHAIRS. I'm perhaps being particularly harsh because breakfast is our favorite meal and we dine out for dinner almost every night on the road but only once a week for bfast, so this was our one shot and a complete buzzkill. read more

Talk about great service. I gotta tell you I just finished parking my truck outside, and the waiter came over to inform me that I couldn't park there. The very small notice on the pole, which was unreadable I guess stated that. I was very happy he took the time to tell me saving me a ticket. His great serve continued as he was my waiter. He made a few recommendations and I went with his favorite crab bino. Beyond tasty. Loved the potato's. Coffee was refilled almost immediately. All servers chipped in. Beyond friendly staff. What a enjoyable breakfast. Loved the different menu choices. Will go back to try lunch, but definitely return for breakfast! A special Thanks to Josh!! read more

O MY WORD... This place was ridiculously good! It was reasonably priced and so the food was so amazing that I almost died! Their Crab Cake Benedict's & Raspberry Oatmeal pancakes were out of this world. If by chance this doesn't interest you, may I recommend another breakfast place in town? It's called Denny's, they are mediocre at best, I hope you choose your breakfast spot responsibly. read more

The raspberry oatmeal pancakes are to die for!! The french toast is also very good. Apparently the NY Giants frequent here (during training at UAlbany) and the raspberry pancakes are a hit with them! Tip: Sunday brunch gets crowded; if you don't want to wait get a seat at the bar. read more

Whenever I go to Albany, everyone tells me I need to try Cafe Madison. You need to get there really early since they do not take reservations and it gets packed. We sat outside on a chilly day so the food was a little cold, but still good. The menu at the time was based on Ron Burgundy (from Anchorman) so I ordered the Ron Burgundy Bene and it was so good! Definitely a place to try. read more

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

The wait for brunch is always insane--get there early. Once you're in, this place is the COZIEST--nice drinks, good coffee, wonderful service. If you're in the booths upstairs, you feel nice and isolated and if you're at the bar downstairs, the bartenders are friendly and chatty--they never make you feel like you're in the way (even though they're busting their butts to get drinks out). The food--the raspberry pancakes will change your life. Prices aren't outrageous and I highly recommend adding bacon to your order. read more

Pricey for what you get. Had to wait for part of order they forgot until food was cold, no apologies. Slow on coffee refill. Food was overly salty. Don't get all the hype. read more