Service was fantastic, we ordered the mussel appetizer and the flavor was there but they were over cooked. Then our meal came, my husband ordered shrimp Katherine with "Jumbo shrimp", it came out a bowl of tasteless Alfredo with 6 medium overcooked shrimp. Shrimp the size of a nickel. My order was the linguine Julia and the shrimp again were way over cooked and the scallops were hard as rocks and the Alfredo tastes like it had bad seafood sitting in it for hours and they slapped it on a plate. When we expressed our displeasure the manager was rude and unwilling to listen. They did take it off our bill in the end which was the bare minimum. It was our first time there and we will not be going back. Don't eat here unless you like tasteless food and rude management read more

Seafood bisque and salad was a perfect lunch. Restaurant was very clean and the wait staff were quick and efficient.

I would give it a half a star if I could... not sure if they were overwhelmed from the Christmas event, but we went for dinner last Friday after seeing a very good rating on here and had such a miserable experience that we won't go back... the service and food were both mediocre at best... everyone's pasta was WAY over sauced... the salad was swimming in dressing as well... and our waitress seemed either disoriented or overwhelmed...? our drinks were empty for half the time we were there and one member of the table went without a drink until the salads came.... For the price one would expect much better... extremely unimpressed. read more

Really good selection of food!! Will be back to try some more!! The liver and pasta dish was fire!!

Overall a poor experience, especially for $70. Service was prompt but unfriendly - the waitress was hurried and didn't respond to any attempt at conversation. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't very good, either. My salad was heavily overdressed. We were additionally frustrated because, based on the waitress's comments, we thought the salads were complimentary with the meal. They cost us an additional $12. My pasta left something to be desired as well. I ordered the lobster ravioli - there was not much flavor and I found part of a shrimp shell in my food. It was also absolutely swimming in a thin, flavorless sauce. I like to end on a positive note, and I will say the stuffed mushrooms were delicious. read more

I have always enjoyed Madison's. My first visit was when I was 13 or so, a friend of mine and I rode our bikes 3 miles uptown to get some fancy french vanilla ice cream. I have never been here other than for lunch. My coworkers and I visit this place a few times a month and really enjoy it. The only complaint I have is that they brought the dipping oil out before we ate half the bread. Their combination salad is my favorite but it is very simple. They make their own dressing (and sell it also). Very often I order the zucchini sticks appetizer and I also ask for marinara saure, it's my favorite. read more

Madison's Cafe - Italian Near Me - Jefferson City, Missouri

Pleasant and apologetic server couldn't overcome cold bread, canned ingredients and microwaved fare. While the dishes were flavorful, taste couldn't overcome mediocre experience. Avoid the basement restrooms, filthy! read more

Hubby and I had the salad and soup lunch special. The salads were good; however, the soup was served lukewarm. The price was reasonable - $7.50 for unlimited soup and salad or $7.50 for soup and salad (seems like a misprint, but that's what the menu said). Probably will go back though because it is a favorite of my brother's family. I will be sure to post again if my opinion changes. read more

Recently the Original owner sold the restaurant and the new owners are making changes but they are not for the better, I frequented Madisons for 40+ years and last night was seated in the rear room of the restaurant (they were not busy enough to warrant that as many other tables in the main area were available) a waitress came back into the room 3 times to check the other couple yet didn't acknowledge my existence so I walked out after 15 minute of not even being acknowledged. I told Sandy the front of house manager when I left that it was most disrespect as a customer I had in all the years going there and she did apologize profusely and said most of the wait staff is new which to me means the seasoned veteran servers have left since Rob retired. I treat servers with respect and tip well generally 25% as single man I know I take up space that a higher ticket multiple person higher tip table would so I try to compensate. Now I may give them another shot in 2-3 months if I see decent reviews but I'm not holding my breath and it is a shame as I have loved the food here for year but last night when I really wanted their food on my Birthday didn't get it because of incompetent waitstaff. read more

Seafood pasta was absolutely heart attack status. My wife definitely enjoyed the food and the staff were pretty nice and prompt.

1/14/2021 at 8:00pm This was My First time visiting this restaurant, I was greeted as soon as I walked in and was instantly seated. All of the staff I talked to was very nice and treated me well, my waitress regularly checked on me, and asked about any concerns about the food. That being said.... It almost seems as if the chef has lost there passion for food. I first ordered an appetizer which was mozzarella cheese sticks. It came out of the kitchen within one minute, which was very fast. Although the marinara dipping sauce was good, it seemed almost as if the cheese sticks were microwaved and were rubbery. The special for the night was salmon with a home made honey glaze. This came with salad and squash. The salad was bland and tasted as if there was some sort of grit all over it and made my mouth felt like I was eating chalk. This was there house salad. Then the salmon and squash came out and look very appetizing on the plate.... But only to be another disappointment. The glaze was so overbearing it was all you could taste and it ruined the Fish and came out cold. The squash wasn't as bad but it also came out cold. Nothing I ate tonight was warm. Finally I ordered a crème brûlée for dessert. This was The best part of the meal. I hope the chef takes this and improves. Do better Madison's. read more

Madison's Cafe - crème brûlée - Italian Near Me - Jefferson City, Missouri

The only place downtown that has such versatile and mouthwatering choices, all prepared to please even the most gourmet palate. JC is fortunate to have this fine restaurant to enjoy. Just wish the management would start using cloth napkins. read more

Our meal was great. My husband had the lunch special lasagna. Very delicious. The salad was very tasty. I had the meatball sandwich. Delicious. The bread basket was also good. Great service. read more

We checked in at desk. Two people. Sept 27, Friday. There before 7pm. Told them we would be at the bar. Everyone there and others that came to the bar, all got seated and food. We went to desk to check and our name had been marked off! Owner seated us quickly. Downhill from there. Tried to pay for drinks and salad when owner came to counter with our partial meals. We refused. He said no charge and we left. 44th Anniversary dinner in the books! Never again read more

Complete disappointment. I was in town for the weekend and my boyfriend and I decided to try Madison's Cafe. We had heard good things so we came in around 6:45. I am currently sitting at our table at 7:45 with no appetizer (gave up on that 30 minutes ago) and no entrees. Our waitress had said the kitchen was "holding orders" yet other tables were getting their food. We ordered the lasagna and a burger, nothing extravagant. The table next to us had to send his steak back, another table was missing their sides. Sitting back and observing, this place is a complete mess. I cannot even leave a food review because we still haven't received it. We never got our food. We left. The waitress apologized, told us there was a bad "vibe" tonight and to come back another time, but not on a Friday night (Who says that?). We will not return. read more

We came in tonight with a younger crowd for a birthday party for a friend. Even while waiting on people to show up, being semi-loud (in the back) CINDY catered to us 1,000%! The entire night everyone was complementing Cindy and how great she was doing for us. I'm sure we were difficult but she never stoped being 100% with us. Personally thank you Cindy. 2nd part the food was amazing. Appetizers were great, food was amazing. But we wont forget Cindy! 10/10 read more

Better show up early, this place is known for dinner, and their combo salad. Gluten-free options as well. Very historic and the staff is suited just for you. You'll find it hard to pick something and your best bet is to drop your finger on the menu. It's all good. Just be sure to be wearing comfy shoes for the standing wait you might endure! read more

Been here a handful of times for various events and occasions. Service was always a little supbar, took absolutely forever to get our food (I'm hoping this was due to larger group size), and the food is decent. There is typically always a wait, as it is really popular- so definitely recommend a reservation. The inside is extremely dated, although the location is good and there's a patio. Really like the salads but overall I didn't feel like there was anything to write home about here. read more

Wow! What a gem in the heart of Missouri. My steak was cooked perfectly. Great service. You just got to get to know the owner. Love the beard. read more

Consistently good! The service is always good and the salads are the best in town. I had a filet and it was cooked perfectly. I also love the location - there is so much to see and do within walking distance. read more

Disappointing. We've always liked Madison's, but we had out-of-town guests and the usually outstanding Combination Salad was full of brown, slimy lettuce and not appetizing. Entrees were fine, but the salad was embarrassing especially since we hyped up the quality of food prior to visiting. Remember that every visit is a chance to impress or diminish your reputation! read more

Giving this place three stars because the food was decent. Waitress left a lot to be desired. She was defensive and sarcastic, I was definitely not a fan. My mother-in-law chose this place, but I am unlikely to return. read more

I was in Jefferson City a couple weeks ago on business and stopped in with a couple friends at Madison's Cafe for dinner. The Space: The restaurant is located very near the State Capitol and its beautiful grounds. There is a good amount of outdoor seating. The interior has a pub-like atmosphere with darker wood trim and booths. The Food: Madison's Cafe has a very large menu that consists of tried and true dishes like sandwiches, pastas, and steaks. I ordered the Cajun Penne Pasta, which comes with fresh vegetables in a creamy sauce for about $13. I was able to add chicken to the dish for an extra couple of dollars. The food, when it arrived, was presented in a very unpretentious and simple manner that might be pleasing to some, but sort of reminded me of a meal that I'd quickly dish up at home as opposed to a nice meal out at a restaurant. The dish itself was dominated by the creamy cajun sauce, which made it a very one note dish to me. The pasta, vegetables, and chicken all blended in to one another without much textural variety. It needed more variation in texture and depth of flavor. Overall, the dish felt like something that I could have made myself at home rather than something that I had to pay $15+ for at a restaurant. The Service: Our waitress was an exceedingly nice middle-aged woman. She was very polite to us and treated us kindly, although her approach to waiting tables reminded me much more of a server at a short-order diner than waitstaff at a restaurant that--at least at first glance--appears to be going for a bistro vibe. For instance, she called all of us "darlin'" and "honey," and unnecessarily apologized for how our food had not yet arrived when we ourselves thought the food pacing was incredibly prompt and actually a bit too fast/rushed. It gave the meal a more hurried feeling than it needed. Summary: The atmosphere is nice and there are plenty of unthreatening dishes to choose from, but the rushed service and the so-so food means that if I'm back in Jeff City, I'll probably try out a different restaurant rather than return to Madison's Cafe. read more

Amazing food and service. The Caesar salad is one of the best and the filet on the hot Rick is incredible!!

I would gladly bestow Madison's with half a star if it was an option. As mentioned this place has been hyped up as one of Jeff City's best. Which only goes to show you how low standards are in these parts. The price to quality ratio at this dark, damp and musty excuse for a restaurant needs some work, as does most of the menu. Clueless servers unable to pronounce certain items on the menu round off the quaint ambiance at this Jeff City stand-by. The only reason this place deserves any merit is because of their outdoor seating. The alfresco option allows you to grab an expensive beer and do some people watching, and avoid the musty smell indoors. read more

First time we went there was back in July, was decent but found it overpriced for the portion sizes. Plus they charged .75 for each shrimp in a bowl of pasta! We are out of towners and had yet to find a decent restaurant but they were the best that we had found. Went back again last night and were very disappointed, how on earth do you charge $5 for a tiny side salad. Most places offer that with the meal but they charge extra for it. Why?! Hubby got the Cajun pasta and said it was very overwhelming with all the seasoning. Took away from the veggies and meat. I got the jalapeno pasta and just have to say what jalapeno? Seriously that was the most lackluster dish I have ever had, no flavor at all just a mess of cream with some pepper in it. The kids meals were only a penny so that was nice but even then I don't believe we will ever be back while here. Keep trying Madison's! read more

I had a less than impressive experience at Madison's tonight. Food: Perhaps my mistake was not ordering pasta, which appeared to be more of the featured speciality. Instead, I ordered from the main dinner entrée dishes, the bone-in pork chop. I was very disappointed. The meal comes with a salad, followed by the pork chop, mashed potatoes, and "fresh"asparagus. I ordered the combination salad. The salad, comprised of less than appealing iceberg lettuce (at least 1-2 days past its prime and browning), one peppercinni, and one olive with creamy Italian dressing. The menu stated the salad also had tomato, red onion, and shredded cheese, but I did not receive any of these. My coworkers order the house salad and it appeared to fresher so that might be a better option. Of the entree plate, the mashed potatoes were the highlight- real potatoes, visually and tastefully appealing. The pork chop came dry, over-cooked, tough and under-seasoned. Thankfully I could manage to eat it with the request of Heinz 57. The asparagus was something I could not eat as the spears were awfully bitter. By the yellowing of the base of the spears, my guess is they were just past their prime, which that or overlooking causes asparagus to be bitter. Needless to say, the meal was a disappointment and not worth half of the price I payed. Atmosphere/environment: Mediocre. There were classy elements at play which I think was the main intention for the restaurant. However, the overall dark, dingy and dated interior of the establishment took away from the hopes of classy finer dinning. Further, plastic water glasses and dirty menus (huge, clumsy books- the waitress even called them textbooks- with pages marred by water wrinkles, food stains, and mine even had crayon markings) didn't do much to indicate class nor cleanliness. Service: Okay. Our waitress was friendly and had a good attitude considering the conditions she had to work with. I did not complain about my meal to her as she was clearly not the one responsible for it. read more

Very nice little place downtown. This is an upscale place that you will pay more to get. My salad was so worth the price. It was fresh and had some most amazing tatse. The bread was a little tough like it had been nuked too long. Overall a good place. read more

Madison's Cafe - Nice little cafe. - Italian Near Me - Jefferson City, Missouri

Pretty much the only things this place is good for is the pasta and the fried chicken sandwiches. First of all, the dingy interior needs an immediate makeover. The dingy grout in the mosaic floor tile matches the dingy carpet, which both pair nicely with the worthless reprints on the walls. The back room is a torture chamber of the senses: harsh spotlights that highlight simultaneously the worst aesthetic aspects of food and dinner companions alike. I nearly voluntarily threw myself down the stairs behind my table (with no barrier for kids/elderly, btw) on purpose, just to escape the horror and tension of being civil while not complaining vocally about the terrible everything. Until this place gets a remodel or redecoration, it is a stinky dump. The carpets' scent is not as obvious as the disgusting odor emanating from the Applebee's dining area, but I suggest it is the same source, that is, old carpet that has not been up-kept. I just changed this to 2-stars because I feel I was too harsh. read more

Lunch for two excellent!!! Food 5 Service 5 Cleanliness 5 Went here for a late lunch so it was fairly empty. Sometimes not great for a restaurant, but this one was great! Food - We ordered a House salad, Toasted Ravioli, Linguine Julia. The salad is really interesting. My boyfriend said it was slightly wilted, so I knew what to expect, but I hadn't had it before. It was really good. Wilted lettuce has a different texture, but it was really really good. Personally I would ask for the dressing to be on the side as it was really heavy for my taste, but the dressing itself was really good tasting. The toasted ravioli was SO delicious! Very savory and rich, the marinara was clean and fresh, good balance. The linguine Julia.. I was skeptical as many places do not cook scallops or shrimp properly. Glad I tried it... scallops, shrimp and noodles were all on point, NOT overcooked at all!!! The garlic sauce was perfectly creamy, not starchy or gooey, just a perfect white wine cream sauce. LOVED it! Thank you Madison's! Perfect food for a lovely mid week lunch date! Service - It wasn't busy, but our server didn't hover, but she was very attentive and accommodating. Cleanliness - I did not use the facilities here, but the restaurant was VERY clean! We walked into the back and checked out the bar and event room, classy, elegant but not pretentious. read more

FANTASTIC FOOD AND SERVICE! We got the chateaubriand for two and it was perfectly cooked with the most delicious garlic butter and seasonal vegetables and delicious pastas. Not to mention the salads! Definitely a great value for your money! And Sue was the sweetest server I have ever encountered. She made excellent recommendations and was very attentive. We will definitely be back! read more

I enjoyed the service of the team. From the time you enter the restaurant until you leave. The Heart of the Palm is one of my favorite salads. Pricing is up there so be ready. But would not dissuade recommending as a place to dine read more

One of my absolute faves in JCMO. I love their Italian salad, and their lasagna is my favorite, ever! I don't know what the creamy sauce is in there, but it ROCKS. read more

Madison's Cafe is a staple of the Jefferson City food scene. Focused on Italian cuisine, they have a long list of pastas at an affordable price. Up until yesterday, the Chicken Jalapeño Pasta has always been my favorite. It had a creamy rich spicy sauce before, but now the sauce seems to be more tomato based which the friend I was with found to be better than before (she had also had it the previous way) but I preferred the original. A couple great things about Madison's: the complimentary bread served with fresh garlic and parmesan makes for a great starter. They have a good list of appetizers; try the fried zucchini. They have two awesome salads, the house and the combination salad. The house salad has a red wine vinaigrette and artichoke hearts while the combination salad has a creamy italian dressing. Both are served with red onion, an olive, and a pepperoncini. I prefer the combination salad, It comes in a "mini size" which is smaller than the "small" and makes for an easy addition to any meal without getting overstuffed. The cavatelli, lobster ravioli, and formerly the chicken jalapeño pasta are some of my favorites. They also have steak and chicken entrees available if you aren't craving pasta. They usually have good lunch specials going on and they have a really good chicken salad croissant that routinely makes an appearance. They have plenty of small tables for groups of 2-4 but also a nice large room in the back of the restaurant if you are planning for a larger crew. read more

I've been to this place 3 times! We dined-in the first two times. The food on those occasions were ok. It satisfied my Pasta House craving because they have similar pasta entrees and a similar house salad. However, on my most recent visit, I ordered take-out from here and the food was awful. My linguine with white clam sauce was inedible because it had sand in it! Every bite, there was gritty sand from the clams. Besides the sand, the sauce was a gloppy and soupy mess of oil and cream sauce. It seem as though the sauce was disproportionate to the linguine, having three times more sauce to the amount of noodles. The whole container just had sauce and it didn't look appetizing. Not only was the pasta bad, my house salad was even worse. It's supposed to be a salad, so how can you messed that up? However, I was really surprised when I opened the box and saw that the salad was a soupy mess as well. The lettuce was swimming in water and dressing. It was literally lettuce soup!!! The prices were a bit steep for a salad and pasta. Especially, after this last bad take-out experience, I will be wary of going back. Maybe I caught them on a bad night. I do like that they have a nice outdoor seating area on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. read more

A staple for anyone visiting JC. Very consistent food and service. Great specials and big selection. Best sandwich in the whole town.....the burnt! read more

Big and busy. But from our large group not a single person said anything good about the food. The wine list was not only extensive, but extremely cheap. That was the highlight. Beyond that service was adequate (actually good, considering she had two large tables to cover). I went with spaghetti and meatballs. Sounded like a safe choice. Safe it was. Tasty it was not. Even the meatballs were disappointing - hard and tasteless. read more

I'm really surprised at the bad reviews for this place. I have been to Madison's twice when visiting my family in Jefferson City. Both times we had great service and good food. For my most recent trip to Madison's I ordered the Baked Mosticoli and had a mini house salad. The mini house salad is a perfect portion to start off a meal. The house salad dressing is great and I really enjoyed the salad overall. It was a bit heavy on the dressing but nothing to complain about. The Baked Mosticoli wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was good. I was expected the regular mosticoli with some cheese baked on top. However, this dish has a whole lotta cheese. There was cheese in the pasta and cheese baked on top. Had I known this I wouldn't have ordered it but it was still really good. It was just much more heavy and rich than what I had wanted. Everyone else at my table also ordered pasta and loved it. We sat out on the patio and the service was great. We didn't have to wait which was a pleasant surprise. Will definitely go back next time I'm in town. read more

So decided to go there as it was a recommendation for romantic evening dinner. Greeted by several of the staff/waitress standing around the cashiers and talking ... Not a warm welcome ... Seated quickly .. Waitress was wonderful ! Food , salad was limp , wet and some areas of brown ... Raspberry tea was good . The main entrees ... Good flavor. Horrible presentation on the plate ... I don't understand all the need for dried parsley flakes!!! It adds no flavor what so ever .... The white sauce was good except for the noodles hadn't been drained enough and "watered" out the sauce .... The atmosphere was not my ideal of romantic .... read more

I came to Madison's based on a recommendation from a local... I'm always down to try little local restaurants when I'm traveling. So, enter Madison's Pretty easy to find, and a parking garage right across the street. We sat on the patio, next to one of those big tall propane heaters, which was nice... For a while until it went out and not a single staff member gave it a second look. That's what sets the tone for my whole review. Madison's seems like the kind of place that was a great in its heyday, but age has simply gotten the best of it. It was very dark on the inside, and not to mention the majority of the clientele was over the age of 60. They start your meal out with bread and a dish of olive oil, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and whipped butter. It would have been nice if the extras would have been served in something other than little plastic cups, but I can make do. One nice thing about Madison's is that you can order any of their pastas as sides. The menu says smaller portions smaller price, but you don't know exactly how much. I ordered a side of the mushroom and veal ravioli with pine nuts, and it was fantastic. Everything was cooked perfectly and presented beautifully. I also ordered a cup of the clam bisque, which was really spectacular too. I had a small issue with the waiter dumping a portion of my soup down my pants leg, and then not offering to refill it or take anything off the check. I know that's not a big deal, but a big portion of dining out should be the experience. Driving 2 hours home with pants that smell like clams did not leave the most pleasant Madison's experience for me. read more