I'm back again for the Ruben sandwich and fries. But this time I picked a brownie. It was really no waiting because I got it to go and the place was not that busy at 1:30pm. Lots of seating inside and outside available and on a hot day like today it was nice to duck in and cool off in the air conditioning. The place was pretty quiet. read more

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My wife and I went here for breakfast. The food was amazing! The house made biscuits with sausage gravy were outstanding. The service was great the staff was very attentive. The place was very clean with an old school diner feel to it. I will definitely go back anytime I'm in the area read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Corned beef hash with a side of biscuits and gravy was outstanding - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Had my first Huevos Rancheros here- sooo good. Everything was freshly prepared. Husband had the biscuits with gravy- also delicious- great service. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Front of restaurant - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food was alright, it wasn't really anything special, but pretty good and filled me up!!!

Love coming here when we can. It's been a good birthday spot over the years. Our server even stayed to sing happy birthday with us this time! It's got the classic old school diner vibe and good ol' dishes with generous servings! Loads of vegan/vegetarian/gluten sensitive options. Prices have gone up over the years-- but so has everything else. read more

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Monty's Blue Plate was absolutely delicious! We came because friends especially recommended their milkshakes, but the pie is what won us over. Our food was delicious as well. I immediately knew this was where I wanted to go for my next birthday dinner! :) It's super cute inside, I like the diner vibes. The service is a bit variable, I have had a great waitress and an okay one. I highly recommend eating here! Try the peanut butter chocolate pie :) read more

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What an amazing find on our way home from our road trip! This Home cooking diner will surpass any expectations of what you think a diner is! Not only do they have the most delicious, home cooking specialties, they also have alcoholic ice cream drinks like a grasshopper! Who knew? And the portions are out of this world we couldn't even eat half of our place, but we wanted to! The season fries, the potatoes also seasoned to perfection, the homemade biscuit is to die for! You can turn any salad into a wrap, and I sure did and was pleasantly surprised. The tortilla was wrapped and stuffed perfectly and warm. I can't wait to come back and try more. There's something for everyone in the family, including the vegans, vegetarians and carnivores. read more

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Nice, quaint atmosphere with an old-school diner feel. Service was prompt, and friendly. Great coffee, and delicious food! It used to be a gas station, and there's an original pump outside, which I thought was pretty cool. I'll go there again next time I'm in Madison. read more

We came here with friends for desserts on Friday night and it hit the spot. It was fun to get a few different things and all split. We had coconut cream pie, german chocolate cake, and a turtle sundae. Everything was delicious and the portion sizes, especially for the cake, were huge. We were glad we all split. The turtle sundae wasn't my favorite. All of the chocolate and toppings were at the bottom so we didn't notice a lot of it until most of the ice cream was gone and they used walnuts instead of pecans for their turtle. The toppings seemed light and limited compared to the ice cream. But overall, such a fun place to come and grab dessert. I love the old diner vibe. The staff was friendly and they had a great menu. I loved being able to walk in and look at all of the dessert displays. Nice outdoor space as well. read more

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Another great meal at Monty's! Had everything to share - breakfast burrito, fat elvis vegan french toast, greek omelet, and chicken and biscuit. I was a big fan of the chicken and biscuit - yummy maple glaze covering the crispy fried chicken and warm buttermilk biscuit. The garlic butter broccoli was refreshing and a creamy mashed potato with it as well. The burrito was hot to the bite with full flavor in each. These potato's never miss! Perfectly spiced and crisped. The fat elvis was drool worthy with melty peanut butter and chocolate chips. Also had a delectable slice of German chocolate cake -- for a $6 slice you are getting the bang for your buck. The cake was literally falling out of the dish, and perfectly textured with the coconut pecan chocolate combo. Portions are all so huge! read more

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Though I live in Milwaukee, I've been to Monty's more times than I can count. Their breakfast has never disappointed. The blueberry pancakes are absolute perfection. I order them nearly every time and I am so glad when they arrive. They're the perfect diner pancake -- not gourmet brunch spot gorgeous, but unassuming and oh-so-delicious. Monty's biscuits and breakfast potatoes are two other must haves. The potatoes are well seasoned with a good crispiness on the outside and a soft and luscious interior. The biscuit is just as delicious as those my southern grandmother could whip up -- flaky yet tender and best eaten with a generous pat of butter. The eggs, in whatever form you order them, will be solid. Nothing to write home about, but yummy and filling nonetheless. For Monty's being such a classic diner, you might be surprised to see their extensive vegan menu. They've got some really great options, and I can personally attest to the banana walnut pancakes. Though blueberry is my go-to, the vegan banana walnut option is really quite tasty. Monty's loses one star for the atrocious parking lot (but good on them for actually having one) and prices that are just a little too high, IMO. Other than that, I'll always recommend Monty's to those looking for a hearty Madison breakfast. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Clockwise from top left: Breakfast Burrito, Blueberry Pancakes, Denver Omelet - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I came for the vegan milkshake (made with oat ice cream), and let me tell you the peanut butter shake did not disappoint. You get a full glass as well as the metal blending cup with any extra. It starts out thick and melts throughout the meal, so be prepared with a spoon or two to start. And the peanut butter is piled in and you get bits of it in every bite. The rest of the food was more of what you'd expect from a traditional diner. I had the reuben and the beef was pretty dry and plain - looked a lot like sliced meat from a gyro. The fries were mediocre and the bad ketchup only made them worse. Service was fantastic. Gently checked in multiple times to be sure we had everything you need without imposing. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Reuben, fried, and peanut butter milkshake - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Such a vibe! Hard to find a classic dinner vibe with modern taste and reasonable prices, but Monty's finds a way! Every bite of food hit the mark, staff provided strong suggestions and were incredibly friendly. Can't wait to make Monty's a more regular spot and to hit up the dessert case! read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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It's warm out, pricey with average fare and service. Once upon a time it was a go to breakfast and brunch joint. Now it's sorta a shoulder shrug among the Food Fight restaurants. Hubbard Street Diner is much better with a nicer selection of baked goods. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

great service! I came in a party of 8, and there were no order errors; the server also split our checks. she also checked up on us a few times. food was good and had sizeable portions worth the price. classic American diner feel with a good noise level. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Huevos Rancheros - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I had the honor of dining here again today. Service was top-notch. The vegan Sheldon tasted incredible - I especially loved the bread and thousand island dressing. Can't wait to return and try something else! read more

We were going to a concert at the Barrymore Theater, across the street. This is a local cafe. Great service. We had about a 10 minute wait. We decided to sis outside, it was a beautiful evening. I ordered the Chicken Pot Pie with mashed potatoes and homemade applesauce. It was scrumptious. Lots of chicken. We also ordered a Grilled cheese with tomato soup. It was just as good. They serve breakfast all day. The beer prices were very good. E a restaurant. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Grilled cheese and tomato bisque - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Delicious breakfast food. Friendly service. Can get extremely loud, but I fully blame the two tables behind us for that. Definitely recommend breakfast here if you are in the neighborhood. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Daily Scramble - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The physical space is great: clean with classic booths and an amazing collection of ceramic teapots and pitchers on display. The menu descriptions were appealing but the food was dismal. The turkey platter featured broccoli with a garlic butter sauce. The broccoli was raw and crunchy. The turkey and potatoes were drowned in white gravy. The turkey itself appeared to be cutlets and not roasted. My guest had blueberry pancakes which were rubbery. Not a good experience. potatoes and turkey alike. read more

Really cute restaurant, tiny tiny parking lot so plan accordingly. Also, this place is an INSTITUTION (locals and tourists come all the time), so plan accordingly. Lots of delicious food options, definitely friendly to those who are GF or Veg or vegan. Double check how hungry you are, because that milkshake is so worth it, but you'll probably be taking the rest of your food to go! Service was great and I'll definitely have to check it out again! read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Cute decor! - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Food tried it's best but was ultimately lackluster for me-- morning melt was fine but the breakfast potatoes were incredibly inconsistent in cook, under seasoned, and almost wet/steamed in texture (not exactly what you want from a breakfast potato) corned beef hash was also ok, but not really what i was expecting from a hash, the potatoes had the same steamed/non-crispy texture as the breakfast potatoes; the biscuit that came with was dry and salty the smash burger was actually pretty fire, same with the waffle fries the strawberry rhubarb pie crust was chewy and seemed undercooked coffee was burnt :/ interior decor was cozy tho! read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Slice - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Beware if you're getting biscuits and gravy after 10am because one time they just put the Turkey dinner gravy on some biscuits and called it good. This place is good if you want two cheeseburgers and a milkshake but every time we come for breakfast the experience gets worse and worse. Am I supposed to ask for my biscuit warmed up because sometimes it's just a a dense ball and other times it's warm and fluffy? Food will just wait in the window so biscuits and gravy arrived cold but omelette was steaming. Asked for blueberry pancakes and a different waitress comes back, doesn't know if it has blueberries so she asks the kitchen, they say no and then grumpily asks if I want blueberry pancakes. If you'd rather go someplace for vibes and get cold food and leave with a stomachache, then this place is the place for you! Otherwise I'll go somewhere else for biscuits and gravy and to the original pancake house for my fresh fruit pancakes because they won't ask if I'm ok with getting what I didn't ask for. Plus they have the best hash browns and here, you're lucky if the seasoning is spread out on all of your potatoes. read more

I love Monty's for their vegan menu which features all day breakfast and a full lunch/dinner menu. They also offer vegan brownies, milkshakes, and fruit pie. I'm so happy to have a restaurant in Madison that gives vegans a full-blown diner experience. I also appreciate Monty's for the improvements they've made to their vegan offerings. If you wanted a vegan Sheldon 4 or 5 years ago you would've had to forgo the cheese and thousand island, but in recent years they've adapted and added vegan cheese and dressing. If you're coming for weekend breakfast/brunch you can expect a wait. But the service is speedy, there's a good amount of tables/booths, and they turn over quick. The interior is an electric blue with some fun neon mixed in--very much a "diner" feel. The dishes I find myself ordering over and over are the Heathen Vegan Shoplifter's Delight, Sheldon, and Banana Walnut Pancakes. I love this reliable little diner! read more

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We went at 3:00 today. There were customers, but notn overly busy. Took our server awhile to take our order. We have been there for breakfast before and had great srvice and food. Tonight was nog the same. I ordered an omlette and orangejuice. My husband ordered biscuits and gravy. Our server grabbed a glass and had her fingers inside yne glass as she taked with the hostest. The biscuit with my husband biscuits and gravy were hard. He couldnt eat the bottom of the biscuit. When i went to pay thdbill, she didnt even ask how the meal was. I am truly disappointed. read more

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Diner! We dropped in to this place - my son is a vegetarian, and this has a good selection of both types of food. When you hit the door, you get the feeling of an old diner. A gas pump with a globe on top is outside, parking on the north side of the restaurant, and Neon on the sign. You walk in, and are faced with a glass case with deserts - and not just SMALL deserts, cakes that are HUGE, but you are quickly escorted to your table. The menu in this case covers breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was in a lunch mood, as was my wife, while my son wanted breakfast. I had their Turkey Club, which was SLABS of Turkey on a nice club sandwich with avocado, my wife had their well-named Heathen sandwich, which was a huge collection of portabella mushroom and other good stuff on a bun, and my son had their Tofu Scramble. The Heathen and Turkey Club came with good french fries. Coffee was bottomless and good coffee. I on the other hand, went for the strawberry shake (see the photo), not only do you get the old shake glass, you get the container as well to refill it. It was topped nicely with whipped cream, and was very good. Still we wanted to wrap things up with desert (since it was my son's birthday lunch) so he had the French Silk slice of pie, my wife had the Mississippi Mud slice, and I had a slice of their Raspberry Cheesecake. They all went down well. Service was great, lots of Fiestaware on the shelves in the store, lots of eye candy and nostalgia. The mens room was clean and tidy. The food was good, the service was good, and the prices were quite reasonable. If you haven't tried this place, you need to. read more

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I had a veggie burger and it was delicious! I also comment Monty's for having so many vegan options. The person I was with had the Reuben, and they said it was fine but upset with the portion size. read more

Friendly fast service, extensive menu, excellent food! (I had the veggie hash, my partner had the classic grilled cheese and tomato soup). Classic diner decor, plus some modern twists such as the rainbow display of teapots. read more

Monty's has significantly changed their "meatloaf of the Gods." The quality is lower and the price is higher. Instead of serving the meal with regular broccoli, they now serve it with "broccoli fritters," which are just basically fried dough with a small piece of broccoli inside and some cheese. I don't know why they changed it. Who gets "broccoli fritters" with a traditional meatloaf dinner? Plus they no longer serve the meatloaf with the red sauce that they used to serve it with for years and years. My girlfriend loved the red sauce. Lastly, it seems like the meat is drier, less fatty than it used to be. We have ordered the meatloaf meal for years. We probably won't order it again. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You lost two regular customers. read more

Stopped by for breakfast on my way somewhere else. The parkinglot is a little tight but manageable. The building and inside are a little older but still charming. The waitress was great, friendly and efficient. The food was decent diner food my only complaint is the seasoning on the potatoes could be a little more even, some had plenty others had none. Eggs and sausage were good and the biscuit was great. Soft and buttery, like all good biscuits should be. Overall it's a good spot and I'm glad I made the stop while in town read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - 2 egg breakfast with sausage - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I dined in here on a weekday evening. The place was not full, so I got a seat right away. Vegetarian loaf of god was my favorite item. Hethan vegan shoplifters delight was my second entree and it was flavorful as well. Ben's spiced apple shake was good as well. Kid's chicken strips was ok. Prices were reasonable. They had a parking lot and I got parking right away. read more

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Every time I go to Monty's I think, "Why don't I go here more?" This vegan menu is awesome. The staff are all great. Devo is super cute. This review is your call-to-action to go have a vegan Reuben (Sheldon) TODAY. read more

Vegan must-stop. For everyone else it's alright. I found the chocolate cake to looks whole lot better than it tastes (cake couldn't be described as soft, although the chocolate was liberal) and the corned beef hash was alright. The people I went with were very pleased with their dishes, the meatloaf, fried chicken sandwich, and heathen vegan. 5* Vegan 4* Everyone else read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Longtime customer here and at Hubbard Ave because I love the vibe and usually, the food. Today's breakfast was really subpar and unexpectedly disappointing. Corned Beef Hash with scrambled eggs is my usual go-to, but this was a far cry from what usually comes to the table. The corned beef and potatoes were cut into 1/4 inch cubes instead of the more traditional "hash" texture. The meat was tough and the whole dish was bland. Even ketchup couldn't save it. I usually love Monty's/Hubbard biscuits, which are usually fluffy and tender (like I make 'em). This biscuit was overbaked and tough. I brought half the portion home but ended up discarding it.Nothing about it makes me want to eat more. I hope this was just a one-off. read more

Really great spot delivering on exactly what a diner should. Reliable food served quickly in a friendly environment and just plain delicious. Seemed like a long wait, but managed the line well with a system where they text you when your table is ready. Had a delicious omelette and well cooked bacon and my guest had a fried chicken sandwich which was excellent. Reasonable prices as well. What's not to love? read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Omelet - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Good food with quick service. They've got tons of vegetarian options and they serve breakfast and lunch all day. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Blue Plate Omelet with veggie sausage - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Second time stopping here, the first time I wasn't too big of a fan but those vegan banana walnut brought me back! A great stop heading back to MN and so glad I did! The pancakes are delicious! A non vegan would enjoy them! And the shake..CHEFS KISS! Made with real frozen strawberries which I love! My sister enjoyed her food and the biscuit looked so fluffy. The decor gives it an oldies feel which I LOVE! A nice restaurant and a great place for breakfast food (even if it's later in the day). read more

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Six of us ate here Saturday and some was good but some was bad. Pancakes and French toast were fine but their "breakfast" potatoes tasted as bad as they look! Their "house-made" biscuit was hard and dry. Two slices of ham were fine. Omelets weren't anything special. Over priced at an average of $15 per. Lovely old-time cafe and service was great but I want quality food to go along with that. Never thought of taking photos. read more

This is your classic diner....I love it. Small place, small parking lot, but big on service and the food! Don't even get me started on the yummy sugar-overloaded desserts in the display counter as you enter. The servers were very friendly, attentive, and prompt. We were willing to sit at the counter, but a table was found for us. The Blue Plate Burger had perfectly grilled onions, juicy burger, melted blue cheese, and the egg on top (my add.) Waffle fries were tasty and crunchy. The Country Breakfast had light & fluffy eggs, chewy biscuit, crunchy bacon. The potatoes were lightly salted and tasty. Crunchy and soft. Overall, we really liked this place. Can't wait to bring the family here for brunch! read more

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Everything and the staff,,service, food,?drink an desserts are beyond fabulous, not to mention the building that houses Montes is a real -[good!] trip. read more

This is it. This is the best chicken sandwich. I am something of a chicken sandwich dilettante, and I really think this is the best one I've ever had. I finished it off with a slice of key lime pie which was tart and sweet and delicious. Not only was the food good, but this diner is extremely clean and cute! The staff were friendly and quick. I'll be back again.... And again... and again. read more

Monty's Blue Plate Diner - Fried Chicken Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin