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    The Curve

    4.1 (119 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 1:00 pm

    The Curve Photos

    Business Info

    THE CURVE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - The Curve

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    Chili smothered omelette
    Dan D.

    The Curve is still a Top Tier old-time spot in Madison. Outstanding meals for the money; fast & friendly service; [[HIGHLIGHT]]in a place where time has stood still.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Head on in, you won't regret it

    Smoked sausage special.
    Rob W.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]Everything a diner should be - nothing that it shouldn't.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Six stars. Probably the best breakfast in Madison and definitely the best value.

    blueberry pancake, omelette special
    Michelle L.

    [[HIGHLIGHT]]feels like this diner opened in the 60/70s - kinda giving dilapidated energy from the outside but reminds me of mickey's dairy bar on the inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]personally i didn't love the ambiance inside there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] you seat yourself and then the servers will come over to take your order. seems like they were understaffed so the service was a bit slow but they were trying their best! we got a blueberry pancake & omelette special to share and it was a crazy amount of food that even the 2 of us couldn't finish. i liked that the hash browns were crispy but the omelette felt a bit too oily for me liking. the blueberry pancake was MASSIVE. but for 5 people the total was only $40 which is crazy. cash only btw!!!!

    Sausage and Eggs!  Yummy
    Rick-Michelle A.

    Amazing food! Was on our way to another breakfast place and spotted this little diner! At at the counter and had great food and plenty of it! Cash only but worth it! Priced super reasonable and will return before my trip Is over!

    Insides
    Corbin B.

    Essential, affordable, friendly, greasy spoon. Good crispy home-fries. Cash only! Whats the difference between home-fries and hash-browns? I like what they do here as opposed to the cubes potato stuff.

    two eggs sunny side up with american fries and white toast
    Pam G.

    sit down and EAT classic american breakfast place so so affordable and sweet staff cash only tho

    The Curve Omelet
    Miles K.

    We stopped here while on our road trip and it was a pleasant surprise. We both had an omelette and it was as good as any omelette I've ever had. They're very generous with the cheese that was fantastic, and they gave a nice amount of veggies and they were sautéed very well. The hash browns were also fantastic. They were perfectly browned had that great flavor that reminded me of when there's love (and crisco) into the food. The waitress couldn't have been nicer and she checked in a few times to make sure the food was good and we didn't need anything. I'd gladly go back here at any time and if I wind up coming back to the area, I'm definitely going to try and come back.

    French Toast

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    3 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Great breakfast spot . old style blue plate special. Cash only though had an omelet and hash browns very good.

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    2 years ago

    Unprofessional staff, very rude make sure you don't take your kids to the restaurant because they will throw a fit if the child cries.

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    9 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Basic diner food. Good price, good food, good service. You won't be disappointed. A great place for breakfast.

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food at a great price. Service was excellent. If you're looking for good service and quality food this is the place to go.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Love this place. Always a homey environment and kind, attentive staff. Huge pancakes too!

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best hot breakfast in town. Delicious food, big portions, fair prices, good coffee, very friendly people.

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Marigold Kitchen

    Marigold Kitchen

    4.3
    (915 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    We stopped by for a late breakfast on a weekday when we were visiting Madison. Thankfully, we were…read moreable to walk right in. We tried about two months ago on a Sunday and there was quite a line so we tried somewhere else new to us. It was worth the trip back here! Marigold is a really cute place inside. We were between the breakfast and lunch rushes so we easily found a table after ordering. We noticed there was a steady flow of customers and the tables turned over at a decent pace so maybe we should have stood in line last time around. Hard to know sometimes. We ordered the breakfast burrito, avocado toast and buttermilk pancakes. Service was quick and friendly. The pancakes were fluffy and they looked good. The avocado toast and the breakfast burrito were delicious! We will definitely stop by Marigold when we're in town again!

    Tried Marigold Kitchen while downtown and had a great experience overall. I sat outside on a…read morebeautiful day, which made for such a nice breakfast café atmosphere. The service was absolutely great, and the restaurant has a lively, charming vibe. It does tend to get busy, so I'd recommend arriving at a reasonable time. I ordered the French toast, which was clearly their own elevated take on the classic. The flavors were good, but the texture was a little different than I expected and threw me off slightly. It felt more like a chic, creative version of French toast rather than the traditional style, which is the only reason I'm giving it four stars instead of five. Everything else was fantastic, though, and I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu. Worth checking out if you're in the area.

    Photos
    Marigold Kitchen
    Sweet potato kale and pesto hash
    Sweet potato kale and pesto hash
    Three grain bowl

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    Three grain bowl
    Short Stack Eatery

    Short Stack Eatery

    4.1
    (647 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Every time I'm in Madison, I make it a point to stop here. I'm usually just passing through so I…read moreget here right when it opens, which is one of the best times. It's quiet and it feels like the world slows down for a minute. It's comfortable and also very eclectic, a get your own coffee place. Condiments, water, etc. along the back wall. Order at the counter, they'll give you a number, and then bring your meal out. The menu has a great selection of offerings, but I always get my usual. The pancakes are unreal, so delicious. You will also find adult beverages here as well for those who need a morning/mid-afternoon pick me up. It gets packed so plan well ahead or be prepared to wait a while. Great service. Great place.

    What a great breakfast! In true Becky fashion I've been meaning to try this place forever, heard it…read morewas closing and will now go once a week until they are done! If you're reading this and it's not the end of May 2025, go check it out. But not if the weather is super suspect because you stand outside to wait your turn at the counter! I had the trio and those were some of the best pancakes I've ever had. I wish they kept the butter on the tables so it was softer and easier to spread! I appreciated a truly pretty and fresh tasting fruit cup with a variety of fruit, and the chorizo was fantastic with great flavor and heat. I didn't try the coffee but my friends appreciated the different flavor option. I want to redo my kitchen with their lighting and wonder if they'll auction it off?

    Photos
    Cajun biscuits and gravy + sweet potato pancakes + mimosa + bloody mary = heaven
    Cajun biscuits and gravy + sweet potato pancakes + mimosa + bloody mary = heaven
    Mmm bloodys!
    Mmm bloodys!
    Short Stack Eatery

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    The Old Fashioned

    The Old Fashioned

    4.1
    (2.5k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    This was my second time visiting. I swore I wrote a review the first time but it didn't pop up…read more Anywho, this time my daughter and I were in Madison for the day and visiting the museum across the street and decided to come for dinner. It was Thursday evening and they had a ribs/pulled pork special. We waited about 10 minutes at the bar for a table. The bar and atmosphere is great. Pretty bar lights and an old wood bar. We were seated by the window with a great view of the capital. My daughter and I shared the rib dinner and had plenty of food for us. Our waitress was new and learning but was doing a good job. I'd definitely come back.

    I heard lots of good things about The Old Fashioned, but my experience was just meh. It was fish…read morefry Friday, and I probably should have gone with that, as it was the special and seemed to be what everyone was ordering. I don't eat a whole lot of deep fried foods and that just seemed like a lot. I sat at the bar, and the bartender got to me pretty quickly and asked me if I wanted a drink. I ordered a glass of wine and a water, but had to ask him for a food menu. I opted for the grilled chicken sandwich with the side salad instead of fries. And then I waited. So long that the woman next to me made comments. People who showed up after I had ordered were eating fish before my sandwich showed up. The chicken was perfectly cooked, but completely lost on the sandwich. There was so much swiss on it, I could only taste cheese and bacon on greasy lightly toasted bread. The salad was barely dressed and just lettuce. I couldn't tell you what flavor the dressing was, but I piled the lettuce on top of the sandwich to try and cut some of the richness. I like cheese as much as the next gal, but it was a chicken sandwich. Even the mustard was lost. The prices are good, the actual restaurant was cute and just across from the capital. The portion was large, it just was lackluster.

    Photos
    Inside bar
    Inside bar
    The Old Fashioned
    Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.

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    Schlitz beer with a pickled egg on the side.
    Graze

    Graze

    3.9
    (1.4k reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Good restaurants are run by human beings. Human beings sometimes have bad days. That's part of…read morehumanity. The mark of a good restaurant is how they respond when something goes wrong. Regrettably, something went wrong at my dinner at Graze. After the meal, I received an email asking for direct feedback with the management, which I shared. And I received a very well written apology with a sincere effort to make things right. That effort brought what would have been a 2* experience up to a 4* review. The most important tidbit I have to share for someone contemplating a dinner at Graze is to go hard on the vegetable focused starters. Wow! These were the stars of the show. Hands down. Full stop. Those were five star dishes all the way. Asparagus in season with bread crumbs. Stunning! Young tender beets paired with strawberries? Inspired! While the burger was tempting, I had a burger for lunch and I couldn't bring myself to do a two burger day. I went for the Korean Fried Chicken app as my main, paired with those veggies. It was plenty of food, and I had high hopes for the chicken given the chef's background. But some of the meat was stringy and overcooked. The sauce was zesty with good heat. Still, it fell short of the standard. Warm cookies and milk are never bad. Classics are classics for a reason. But given some of the culinary creativity that exists in the kitchen, it's a bit uninspired. That said, one scoop of seasonal pear sorbet was fantastic! Great flavor and texture. While the server did not know what type of pear was used, I'd put my money on Boscs. The place is popular. Make reservations early. Madison turns out not to be such a late night town, so plan accordingly. While I may not have been tempted to return originally, after the care and attention I received from management, I would indeed come back. I'm sure there is a 5* experience to be had at Graze, but sometimes it takes a second visit to get there.

    We found our way to Graze for lunch when another local place had a long wait…read more It was... just okay. They were out of the first three entrees we tried to order. The food was decent, but nothing exciting. Overall, it was fine, but we'll look for somewhere else next time we're in town.

    Photos
    Graze
    The reason for five stars!  Chefs Signature Korean pork belly, local Hook cheddar "grits", aka polenta. From NY Times feature
    The reason for five stars! Chefs Signature Korean pork belly, local Hook cheddar "grits", aka polenta. From NY Times feature
    Basque cake, spongy and tart.  Most popular dessert

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    Basque cake, spongy and tart. Most popular dessert

    The Curve - diners - Updated July 2026

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