Madeline's might pretend to be a bit more than it is: a continental restaurant of fine dining. Tables are properly set in white table cloth and napkins. Dinner music was easy to listen to and the volume was just enough to easily hear a table mate. Servers were all dressed in black and were appropriately pleasant in demeanor and in appearance. Service was generally very attentive and appropriate. There was one minor lapse when a server cleared more sets of my table than I gave him permission to clear, but that was not a major issue for me. I give Madeline's only three stars because of the quality of the food. The food wasn't bad. It just wasn't particularly good. I had a glass of house Chardonnay, the stuffed chicken breast entree with green beans, carrots, and scalloped potatoes with onion. Bread with herbed butter was given. For dessert, I had the creme brûlée. The pre-meal bread was the most disappointing offering of my dinner. It was insipid white bread in the shape of a baguette and sliced on the bias. The crust had no crunch and was not as brown as it should have been. The house Chardonnay was the style that inclines toward the stark and oaky. I prefer soft and buttery Chardonnays, but that's just a matter of taste. The green beans and carrots were served barely warmed on the plate. They were both hardly cooked: a style enjoyed by many, but not my favorite. The beans were very fresh-tasting. The carrots were in the form of slices on the bias from very large, tough carrots. I would have preferred that either the carrots had been tender baby carrots or that the large tough carrot slices had been cooked long enough to tenderize them. Carrots cooked long enough will caramelize into a sweet tender treat. The scalloped potatoes with onion were very good. The stuffed chicken breast was ok, but it was drier than it should have been. Creme Brûlées come in various styles from eggy, to creamy to pudding-like. This one was not eggy but leaned toward a creamy pudding. I wish it had had a bit more vanilla. Portion sizes were all appropriate. My dinner came to around $64 without tip. In summary, if you want a restaurant that is perfect for a great conversation with table mates in a "proper" atmosphere, Madeline's does a great job. But there are restaurants in town with better food. July, 2025 read more

The best of Cambria for dinner. I started with a glass of wine. The father of the owner greeted and seated me. What a treat. I had the duck which was done to perfection, juicy and so much great flavor. This is an exceptional place even if it was located in Manhattan NY. Here in Cambria it is a super star. Always an excellent place to celebrate or just have a great evening. My best to Malorie. Anything you order will be exceptional. In my travels around the world I would rate this one of the best for many reasons. Enjoy read more

Came in this evening to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom and husband. We made a reservation for 5:30pm the night before. Highly recommend making reservation. The ambiance is cozy and warm. Tables are close together but the space is small so they did well with the spacing. We were very impressed with the wine list. I ordered a Gruner and my mom a Rose. Both were great. We started with an appetizer of scallops which my husband and mom said were delicious. I had the soup special of potato/leek and my husband got the Madaline salad. I did not care for the soup so my mom ate it and enjoyed it. My husband's salad looked good and he really liked it. Our main meals were Filet Mignon, the stuffed chicken breast and the seafood gumbo. My husband really liked the gumbo...spicy but not too hot with flavor. My mom's chicken was really good, I wish I had gotten that. I had the filet mignon which was ok. It was not cooked correctly and had no flavor. The waitress did offer to send it back but we had already waited a while for the food so I did not want to wait. We ordered desserts...chocolate cake, lime/raspberry pie and the apple tart. They were delicious except for the chocolate cake...again, not much flavor. We ordered coffee with dessert and it was really good. I did not need sugar as it was very smooth and just lovely. All in all it was ok for me and good for my husband and mom. We did receive a comp dessert for my steak issue which was very nice. I would like to suggest providing actual soup spoons with the soup and gumbo...it would elevate the experience a bit. I do not know that I would return but if I did I would order a different meal for sure and get a glass of Gruner...not easy to find. I feel like the prices were definitely in line with the quality...fair and reasonable. I would have given a three star but my mom and husband said they think a four star fit for them so majority ruled read more

Everything was perfect here. The food was amazing, the service was spectacular and even the atmosphere was lovely. I would definitely recommend this place read more

Madeline's was recommended and it was much appreciated. The restaurant is cozy and has a great vibe as you enter. We enjoyed a great lunch and our server was fabulous! My friends had the hamburgers and I had the mushroom soup with salad. It was delish and we topped it off with a raspberry lime pie that was yummy !!! The next time I'm in town, I'll be back. If you go for dinner, be sure to make a reservation!!! Thank you Madeline's!! read more

Being the only fine dining place in town, you probably either need a reservation or walk-in early to snap a seat. I thought the food was okay, they do have many decent choices for wine. Also, service may be a bit lacking. The front reception worker and water worker were fine, but our server was only attending to my boyfriend's needs. When he checked up on us, he did not look at me, did not speak to me, towards the end while he already almost turned away, I had to verbally get his attention and ask him to get me some parmesan for my pasta. He may have been a bit surprised that I spoke? lol read more

See all

After a beautiful drive up from Los Angeles, we had a lovely dinner at this charming, intimate spot. Cozy, warm, decorated with landscape and portait paintings, it has a very romantic feel. Service was excellent and the food was very good. My wife would have liked a couple more mussels in the appetizer she ordered as a main course (even if it came at a slightly higher price) and we both would have enjoyed a little more goat cheese on the bruschetta, but my steak and the apple pie dessert was excellent. Without those minor caveats we would have given the meal that final star. However, we can give five stars to Giovanni, who served us some very nice cabernet at the Madeline's wine bar on the beach before we headed to dinner. He was charming, attentive and a delight to spend time with. And that sunset was pretty spectacular, too! read more

We didn't have a reservation. We weren't awfully hungry so we decided to sit at the bar and have a glass of wine and share a couple of dishes We started with the eggplant bruschetta. If you love eggplant like I do this is a must order. Delightful. Pet peeve, we got our glasses of wine after the appetizer, never happy about that. But our server was apologetic. Not her fault but I'm sure they were short staffed. Then we shared a shrimp creole which the server so thoughtfully plated in 2 plates at no charge which was very nice of her. Now that was delicious!! For dessert we had the chocolate cake. That to me was just okay. Nice that it was flourless though. Highly recommend this place. Food was very good. read more

See all

I dropped in here a few years ago randomly. The meal was excellent in every way. Since I was passing through Cambria, I thought I would see if it was as good as I remember. It wasn't. It was much better. Few things are as good as we remember them, Madeline's is an exception and the food, service,and ambience here are exceptional! I could not recommend this place more highly! read more

Driving up the coast, we stopped in with our pup and had a wonderful dining experience at this restaurant! The food was absolutely excellent--everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful from the moment I walked in. Our waitress, Natalie, was especially attentive and considerate, making sure we had everything we needed and offering great recommendations. It's clear that customer service is a top priority here. If we were local we'd definitely be coming back soon! Our pup, Little Foot, enjoyed her filet mignon. Plenty of options of wine. read more

Madeline's - Little Foot dining. - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

Truly fabulous! Visited for our 19th wedding anniversary dinner and we're so glad we did. From start to finish, just a lovely experience. Look forward to returning when we're back in Cambria! read more

See all

Went here for dinner for my Mom's bday. I had the halibut (special of the day) and my Mom had the filet mignon. The vegetables were cooked carrots and green beans. I heard the hostess say carrots, beans, and squash but we were missing the squash lol. I've eaten in some nice restaurants...I expected decent/good food. What I got? It looked like we licked our plates clean! We didn't!! Meat cooked perfectly, fish was seared just right. Garlic mashed potatoes were amazing. Even got dessert and coffee! Dry Riesling was great with my fish. Only two small points - our waitress/service staff was nice but didn't really help me decide between the 5 entrees I was considering! I was super happy with the fish though. Hostess said they'd check on us? Nope, which btw I didn't mind. There was another service staff /waitress there that was very engaged with the food and wines that people were asking about. Again, for what we ate and paid, I'm not put off at all by these small things and i definitely didn't leave a subpar tip. read more

We went here FINALLY after year of coming to Cambria and being told that Madeline's was a great place for dinner Let me start by saying that Brooke was an EXCELLENT server she made the dining experience even better But the food!! If I could give it more than 5 stars I totally would Good luck to you Brooke, you rock and so does Madeline's read more

Best French restaurant I've ever experienced and I spent a summer living and attending the American University in Paris. The mussels were beyond compare. The raspberry sorbet was delicious with fresh raspberries. Our server Natalie was lovely. The ambiance was delightful. read more

Madeline's - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

See all

Madeline's Restaurant & Wine Cellar in Cambria provides a warm atmosphere, cozy hospitality, and polished service. The restaurant serves homemade French/American cuisine as well as an array of international flavors made from farmers' market fresh ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, but you can expect to find fresh seafood, locally sourced meats, and vegetarian dishes. Our meal started with some bread and cheese. The bread was soft and easy to break. The cheese was not the easiest to spread, but it was delicious. My friend and I split one serving of their daily special soup (tomato basil soup). The soup was a bit watered down but very flavorful. My friend tried their Louisiana seafood gumbo. Seafood was fresh, but the gumbo was a bit salty. The portion size was decent. I got their Lamb Sirloin. Lamb was cooked nicely, but it was mostly bland because the chimichuri sauce was very watered down and barely stayed on the meat. Mashed potatoes were okay; a bit chunky and not as creamy. The service was fast. Our server was very good and attentive. If you are in the Cambria area, then it's worth checking out this place. read more

See all

Definitely wanted to update my review because we recently had dinner here and I must say...my experience gets better and better! Tried the short rib pasta and my companion tried the sea bass. They were both sooooo delicious! And the wine! Ohhhh it was delicious and as always the staff is always prepared with wine suggestions. Check out my pictures and see what dinner was like! read more

See all

I had a meal at Madeline's in Cambria last night. I had the Gumbo dish and experienced food poisoning later. To say the least it was a difficult experience. Even though any establishment can have an off night, there is no excuse for serving spoiled or mishandled food. This shows poor organization and training as well as stretching the boundaries of what is appropriate to serve a paying customer. This place is a must avoid for the future. read more

This review is not for Madeline's restaurant but for their pop-up at the Cambria Shores Inn. We visited last night (Thursday) for their wine tasting and food experience, and it was fantastic. Ivan was a one-man show--bartender, chef, and host--all in one. His warmth, professionalism, and deep knowledge of wine and food was outstanding. My husband and I were incredibly impressed. Despite the place being packed, Ivan effortlessly managed everything, making it seem seamless. He is a natural in hospitality. The prosciutto flatbread was especially delicious. We enjoyed our visit so much that we returned tonight (Friday). Unfortunately, Ivan wasn't there and it was completely different experience. A young woman was working tonight, and unlike Ivan, she did not acknowledge anyone. Instead, she was preoccupied with chatting with her hippie friend in the corner--ignoring guests while giving away free wine to the friend. People were visibly confused, unsure of who was actually working, as she kept her back to the customers and treated the evening as if she were a guest rather than a server. After having an exceptional experience on Thursday and happily spending a significant amount, we left on Friday after just one glass of wine. It was disappointing to see such a stark contrast in service. I truly hope the owner sees this review and ensures proper training--one disengaged employee can easily damage a business's reputation. read more

Food was AMAZING! The ambiance is nice and service was great even though the server forgot my sprite he acknowledged it at the end of the meal and apologized and didn't charge us for it. Highly recommend read more

Service was marvelous. Giovanni was our knowledgeable server. He recommended the choice of wine and ale. Have eaten dinner at this restaurant previously with favorable fare. Lunch this time was 50-50. Croque monsieur sandwich was good. Charcuterie board was uninspired. But we will return without doubt. read more

The food was good but nothing spectacular. It was very cute and cozy, there was someone ever reading at her table eating a meal at dinner which was sweet. The service was spectacular! Haven't tried many other places in Cambria but this one is probably near the top! read more

We went here for lunch on the recommendation of friends and enjoyed amazing food. Best food I've had in Cambria in awhile actually. You come here for the food & wine, not the view. This is a small place, no frills. Feels like Europe, just like there service is unhurried, verging on slow, at least when we were there at lunch. But the food is worth the wait. This will be a must stop during Cambria visits. read more

This was our first time trying this place. It is small so you need to call ahead and make a reservation. The gumbo and octopus were very good but the filet was out of this world. They were so attentive that they noticed I wasn't thrilled with the Belgium Golden Ale and took it off of the bill. My wife had Madeline's Cabernet which was very good. Nice place. Nice atmosphere. Great staff and very good food. read more

See all

Excellent service & food!! Husband loved it for Father's Day!! We went for lunch but we will try you for dinner soon. Our waitress was lovely!! read more

Madeline's - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

See all

Madeline's is one of our one of our favorite stops in Cambria. We do bring our own rare and old wine and that is very welcomed here. We started with the duck confi and mushroom tart. Just delicious. The octopus on squid ink quinoa brilliant. Entrees: venison chops tender, delicate and full of flavor, stuffed chicken was a hit, tender and flavorful, halibut perfectly executed, braised short ribs delicious. Service was excellent. Overall another great experience. Madeline's is a must stop in Cambria read more

What a fabulous experience! The food was so outstanding talked to the owner and he was so warm and informative about the history absolutely going back read more

Love the atmosphere of Madeline's. It quaint and professional and perfect for a romantic date night but also a nicer family dinner night. We got the pheasant appetizer with the cream puff pastry which was delicious. My sister got the butternut squash soup and personally that was my all time favorite. Perfect for the fall season. The duck breast was so yummy but my favorite on the table was the short rib pasta. The meat was so tender and the pasta was cooked to perfection. The service was on top of everything plus very knowledgeable about their pairings. We will come back next year. read more

Madeline's - Short rib papperdelle - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

See all

My better half made reservations at this sweet neighborhood spot for the first dinner seating... we were welcomed by three different hosts which made us feel quite special. Gio was our main host and he made sure we were in good shape. Kudos for that. Big bummer on the poblano soup being recommended and being sold out as we were really looking forward to that. Mushroom soup was nice, creamy and flavorful but still.... our main courses were the Poitrine de Poulet Farcie and Polenta Madeline which were both delicious, flavorful and paired very well with the Alban Voignier from nearby Arroyo Grande ... we learned to know the winery through local friends. One thing, plates were pretty small but that's the new normal I'd guess. Key lime pie as dessert which was Gio's (and other staff members') favorite. I agree. Overall a very nice experience, wish I could give 4.5 star instead of 4.... if the poblano soup would have been there, probably a 5. read more

See all

Madeline's restaurant is located on Main Street in Cambria. We've eaten here before when vacationing in Cambria. My husband and I shared the Madeline's salad. Delicious. I ordered the filet mignon which came with mashed potatoes and veggies. The steak was tough and overcooked. I returned it. The server immediately brought a replacement which was very good. My husband had the braised short ribs over pasta. Delicious. The wine was excellent. For wine tasting I recommend you try Madeline's on Moonstone located at the Cambria Shores Inn. Very relaxing overlooking the ocean. read more

See all

Madeline's is one of the best restaurants on the entire central coast from Santa Barbara to Big Sur. 1: Food Quality The food was absolutely amazing. The kids meal was a gourmet treat that even the poshest of adults would have enjoyed. I myself tried the steak frites and it was so tender, juicy, and full of flavor with perfect portions. The soup of the day was a delight. 2: The Service As someone that was a fine diner server for several years I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of service here. The server was timely, polite, friendly, and attentive to detail. On top of that they were the definition of class. My wife ordered a hamburger and they were actually out of hamburger meat. We would have been perfectly happy choosing something else but they offered to replace it with filet mignon at no additional cost. If that isn't great customer service I don't know what is! 3: Price Point At one of my other favorite restaurants I usually end up spending $100 or more for myself, my wife, and my child. Here I spent $70 not including my típ. The portions matched perfectly and for the quality of food this is one of the best deals on the coast. They also had an excellent wine selection! I recommend the Madeline's cab! In conclusion this restaurant can go head to head with any of the best restaurants from Santa Barbara to Big Sur and beyond. I highly recommend stopping here. read more

Madeline's - Kids chicken - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

Madeline's never disappoints! Chef David is creative and uses locally sourced ingredients to present amazing meals.

Popped in unplanned for a charcuterie plate, a bottle of delicious vino, and a slice of gluten free Belgian chocolate truffle mousse cake, DIVINE! Cody was amazing accepting us 30 minutes before closing the lunch service. Every single item we ate was scrumptious!!! Fancy restaurant surrounded by precious wine varieties of every kind. We ended up purchasing another of the bottle we had consumed to go!! Cody is absolutely the epitome of hospitality and a wealth of knowledge regarding fine dining and wine . He educated some at the table the reasoning behind pouring etiquette without a single ounce of pretense. read more

See all

Four stars on Yelp says "good," but honestly, Madeline's was VERY GOOD. I just wouldn't call it "excellent." To me, excellent is perfection or as close to it as possible, and this was just a bit shy of that. I really enjoyed this meal, but here's why only the 4 stars..... 1) We had the diver scallops as one of our appetizers (that we shared). They had no appreciable flavor, somewhat lackluster. At a minimum, the beurre blanc sauce should have added something to the flavor, or perhaps, the scallops should have been been browned/sauteed in butter a bit more. It was disappointing and honestly, the reason for 1 star being removed. 2) I'm not really marking down for this, but as an aside, the menu was a little too small, and while we found something to eat, it just would have been nice to have a few more additions to choose from. I think the problem was that of the 8 items offered, I wouldn't ever order 5 of them... just not my cup 'o tea. My husband and I chose the fresh fish, which was salmon, and it was fabulous, but I like having a little more choice than what was offered. I want to be clear, though, we loved our meal. First of all, we requested a "fruit forward" red wine, and they brought us a Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was perfect. One would rarely, if ever, think of cabs as being fruit forward, but this one was, and it was light, too. Wonderful glass of wine, and they knew exactly what we wanted. I always appreciate that. The other appetizer we ordered was the Spanish Octopus, which was "slow cooked" with roasted tomato, saffron, paprika, garlic, and lemon. The menu stated it was to be over a "crispy risotto cake," but there was nothing crispy at the bottom. It was more like a "stuffing" texture, and it was very tasty. I didn't care what it was or wasn't. All the flavors tasted good, and there was lots of flavor. It was delicious. As stated above, for our entree, we had ordered the fresh fish, which was salmon from Morro Bay. VERY nicely prepared with a nice, light sauce on top. I have no idea what the sauce was, but the fish and the sauce had great flavor, and it was served with rice, green beans and a few cooked carrot slices. Delicious !!! We didn't order any dessert because we were full and also, we didn't find anything on their menu that enticed us that much. I would definitely return to this restaurant because they obviously know how to prepare food well. They just need to rethink their scallops prep and perhaps tweak their menu, but those are just my opinions. Small outdoor dining area, yet tables well spaced. Grateful it was there because we won't dine indoors during these Covid times. read more

See all

A delightful dining option in Cambria's West Village. The French-inspired food is delicious.... We had stuffed chicken breast and sea bass - - both were amazing. The key lime pie for dessert was heavenly. Service was friendly and attentive and the ambiance is cozy. Can't wait to come back! read more

Madeline's - Key lime pie. - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

Quick Summary Fantastic food and great value. Ambiance was great as well. Food- 5 stars I was surprised by how delicious the food was, especially since I glanced into the kitchen and noticed how small it was Spanish octopus- we were slightly surprised by how it was prepared. the dish was delicious, but the octopus had more of a crispy texture (Versus the standard grilled octopus) Stuffed quail- delicious and juicy as well. Some parts of the quail were slightly dry, but it probably was because I was taking pictures of our dishes Soup of the day- this was such a rich and delicious soup. Probably my favorite of the day Beef stroganoff- this was the special of the day. The short rib was so tender and the sauce was so rich and delicious. would order again Service- 4 stars The servers were attentive and accommodating. One of the servers seemed a bit slow and new, so deducted it by 1 star. It didn't mess with our dining experience at all, but it was a bit off Parking There's plenty of parking in the downtown area, but may need to walk a bit since the outdoor tables are blocking a few spots Bottom Line Great food, great weather, and great ambiance. Will be coming back! read more

Well the food was fantastic! Our server Natalie was totally inattentive. We got more service from other servers than her. I never got my water refilled. Had to almost beg for another glass of wine for my wife. We were on the path to the kitchen so she passed us at the least twenty times. We were there December 30 2024. Maybe some remedial training might help her? read more

We had dinner on Christmas Day. The restaurant has a warm & inviting atmosphere. Exactly how I like to dine. The bread & butter to start was perfection. The Cabernet I ordered was very good but at $16 a glass, too pricey for me for a California pour. Maybe put a less fancy glass in the menu for the less fancy wine drinkers at $9 or $10 a glass? They had a delicious butternut squash soup which was thrilling because I'd been wanting it since November. I love that Madeline's steered away from the typical tomato or chicken soup everyone always offers & gives us a nice seasonal soup! Hooray! We all ordered the stuffed chicken breast and my husband said his was delicious but unfortunately mine was tough and dry. Too bad because I can see how good it would've been when cooked properly. The chicken came with delicious au gratin potatoes and carrots. All in all a great experience. I'd go back for another try on the chicken or maybe a steak next time. Very friendly staff to boot! Cheers! read more

See all

The food was exquisite! We were there for lunch & everything we ordered was delicious! The scallops are a must have, and they had a nice wine selection as well. We will be back again soon! read more

Absolutely delicious! Cozy and romantic ambiance. Delightful and efficient wait staff. It's hard to say which was better, the presentation of the food or the food itself. This restaurant really stands out in a town with many wonderful restaurants. I will definitely come back anytime I am in the area. read more

See all

This is long overdue. This hidden gem was the BEST romantic location, with the most respect paid to each flavor and ingredient used to create a magnificent dining experience. I booked a 5 pm reservation to celebrate our anniversary, and from the moment we walked in, it was a 5-star special greeting with a "welcome back" warmth that was unexpected and palatable since it was our first time there. Legitimitaly, I'm speechless and cannot give the chef enough credit for what he did with venison (a special of the day), and the presentation and pure decadence of this dish made me tear up. My wife had scallops that were equally amazing and raved about my meal. I'm not a chef, but the biggest fan ever and can't wait to get back again. Thank you for making our experience and day simply amazing. read more