Very disappointed that they took home fries off the menu. That was the best thing on the menu. Also I invited a friend and she checked the website menu looked forward to grits only to get there and find out that had also been taken off the menu. The service was very slow this morning and when we got there, there were only 2 other tables with guests. Seems like it would have been a little faster. Last there is very little healthy options on the menu. No fruit or yogurt for breakfast. Seems like a no brainer in this day and age to offer fruit as a health option for sides. We used to like this place, overlooking the lack of fruit on the menu, but now with bad service and taking the good stuff off the menu, we won't be back. read more

Met a friend from Texas here for breakfast, great food and friendly staff. Will come back to try dinner sometime.

Cute little spot downtown Burlington, KY. They do offer indoor seating however they are known for their patio. When we were there customers were waiting to sit outside rather than at an open table inside. Food was really good, nice selection of beers; will definitely be going back. My only wish is hoping that their patio is one day dog friendly. :) read more

See all

The people are friendly and helpful. The food is great, never had a bad dish.Big Fish Sandwich

It's safe to say that Carla and I have become regulars for breakfast at Washington Square. We've done lunch, and they have this Italian Sausage Sandwich that I adore, but breakfast is what I really love. My personal favorite for breakfast is their three-egg omelet. They list ham and bacon as the choices for the meat filling, but I always order their goetta. I've not asked and I don't know for sure, but they may make it themselves (or they get it from a supplier other than the usual suspects). It's good. A little looser than I'm used to, but it's really got a nice flavor. I haven't counted, but I think there are only maybe a half-dozen items on the breakfast menu. French Toast. Eggs with a meat and potatoes. The omelet. Oatmeal (nice and thick with brown sugar and cinnamon). It's a small menu, but everything is done very, very well. Occasionally a potato breakfast casserole will show up as a side rather than the typical hashbrowns or American fries. That's a very good thing. If you're out in Burlington in the morning, this is a must. read more

Washington Square Cafe - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

See all

Brought the whole family for a nice dinner, ordered the fried pickles & had the Burger with Bacon, it was fantastic! Very friendly and great service, looking forward to going back again! read more

Nice place with inside and outdoor seating. Full bar I had the Friday night special shrimp and grits with country ham drizzled with red eye gravy. Served with a salad and snap peas. My companion had the steak hogie with mushroom sauce and cheese. It was excellent can with french fries & cole slaw. The slaw was very tasty. Ended up ordering dessert also. It was a German chocolate gamache. It was also very good. read more

The new owners have really freshened this place up. The inside is now light and airy. On this particular day I enjoyed sitting on the patio, enjoying the background music while eating lunch with my friends. The food was really good ( I particularly loved my seasoned fries) and of course... the spicy Bloody Mary! I look forward trying the new menu items. Already have plans to go back! read more

Washington Square Cafe - A beautiful patio for eating and drinking outdoors - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

Very great food. First time here in a long time and the goetta breakfast burger has my heart. Only problem the food took a little long to get here but our amazing service and food made up for it. It's a little pricey but it's not too bad and it's affordable. I just can't get over how good the burger was. Friend got the fried chicken salad and she said it was very filling. Again a good food for a decent price. Will be back for sure. read more

My favorite local spot for dinner or appetizers. No draft beer but they have a wide variety of cans and bottles as well as liquor options. My only complaint are the hours. We used to come here in the evenings and spend hours on the patio drinking but lately, they have been closing at 9, even in the summer. read more

The food was good, but the service left much to be desired. My friend and I stopped in for a late lunch one Saturday around 1 pm. We were seated quickly, but then the servers apparently forgot about us, even though they walked past us numerous times since we were seated on the patio right by the host stand and door to the building. We patiently waited, smiling as the servers walked by us again and again, but none of them acknowledged us or that we were their table. After waiting almost 20 minutes and listening to the tables who were seated after us order their food, my friend finally asked if we had a server and the server who sat us said she would go check. Another server came out and explained they do not have assigned tables, so they have to check a board to see if they have any new tables and where they are located. (I think this system needs some work!) I wish I could say our visit improved, but sadly it did not. We did not have silverware and had to ask multiple times for it, as well as refills on our drinks. The food was yummy, but I doubt I will be back unless I have a couple of hours to sit and wait. read more

Pros: Large menu. Good food. Good mixed drinks. Average prices. Cons: Inside seating is limited (but patio is large for nice weather), long time for main meal service. This was during a dinner meal. My sister suggested this restaurant to our family as a friend of hers was performing music on the patio. I began reading reviews of the restaurant and found a single point of issue. The delay in the serving of the food. This we found to be true which I will explain more below. Unfortunately, the patio was full by the time we arrived for dinner. That alone gives and idea of how people like this place despite any negative opinions. It is popular. The restaurant is located off the main street in Burlington KY. It is comprised to two rooms, one seating about 6 tables in the general bar area and then another room which has about 6-8 more tables. Each table seats between 4-6 people. Then there is the outdoor patio which has another dozen or so tables each seating between 4-8 people. So in total there is a moderate amount of seating. We were seated in the back room. The only issue being is that the restroom doorways are connected directly to the room and not down a hall. A minor issue but some people balk that that and I could see some people having an issue getting into and out of the restrooms due to people seated nearby. For the main review; we were greeted within a few minutes of arriving and were seated immediately. The staff was friendly and provided menus and got our drink orders. Returning with drinks we gave our food orders. The wait time for the food was about 45 minutes. This is an extremely long time considering that while the restaurant was busy it was not packed full. When we did get our food it was hot and very good. Everyone enjoyed it. No issues there. The whole time seated the wait staff stopped by several times checking on waters and drinks. In all, the visit was enjoyable. The outstanding issue seems to be around the food preparation time. I am not sure if the kitchen is small, or the staff is shorthanded. But it is definitely a point the restaurant ownership should take into account. Otherwise, the establishment is wonderful. So if you go to eat, either go before you get hungry, or order appetizers before your main meal. We saw from other tables that they were out fairly soon. All in all, a nice place with what can be one major issue. As it was out of the way from where we live I would not suggest it again but if I was in the area I'd take my chances as their menu is huge. read more

Arriving to our 1st time visit - the hostess did take our name. The wait was about 10 minutes, however there were empty tables and the hostess was no where to be found. Once seated our table was wobbly, but the hostess warned us we ordered the mushroom burger (not really familiar with the menu) andddd that's when it went down hill. The burger barely had any gravy (so thick and what seemed to be old) and maybe 1.5 mushrooms... ummm. We did request extra gravy. It was more like a brown gravy than a mushroom sauce *The burger was hearty definitely had some potential but no seasoning or flavor we would have sent it back, but my bf had just come in from out of town and neither of us had eaten all day. I did enjoy the music. **Needless to say we would choose the Tousey House the next time. Yolo! read more

Nice local place food is good, Staff works hard. Very small the addition of a three season patio more than double their capacity. Breakfast is always consistent. Great option to the usual chains. read more

Unimpressed. We waited more than 45 minutes to receive our food (after waiting to be seated for 15 minutes). Our server was nice but seemed very short. All of the above are forgivable but when I went inside to use the restroom, I could hear a manager (I believe she was the owner) being aggressive to the cook staff. It seemed very unprofessional considering the kitchen is fairly open to the public. It you can't treat your staff appropriately then you shouldn't be running a business. It doesn't take any extra time to be respectful of staff. This alone will keep us from returning. It takes no extra time to be kind. read more

After reading several reviews of this place I decided to give it a try for breakfast on Sunday morning. I arrived approximately at 10:40 and was seated right away. The server took our drink order and came back a few minutes later to take our order. There were 9 Empty Tables yet it took over 35 minutes for our breakfast to arrive. We were told it was because of a large table that was sitting outside. I don't understand how a table of approximately 8 people could have such a delay in the kitchen. I had the pancakes and goetta. The menu said fluffy pancakes and I was disappointed with the size of them. They tasted good but weren't the size I was expecting. The goetta was excellent. I tried some of my guest's breakfast and the home fries were very good along with the eggs and bacon. Even though the food was good I felt the service lacked some. I really didn't feel welcome there. I usually give a place a couple of chances before I write them off so I will try this place again but not very soon. Our server did apologize for the delay but I wasn't planning on spending 35 or more minutes waiting for my breakfast. I would like to be able to give the place 2 stars because of the food tasting good but taking so long to get the order to the table knocks it down to one star. read more

Washington Square Cafe - Pancakes and goetta. - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

See all

You will either get decent food or decent service. Not both. Breakfast is better than dinner or lunch. Priced decent, good outdoor seating.

We stopped in for breakfast at 8am. When we were seated there were only two other tables with patrons. We promptly ordered and told the waitress we only had an hour. Fourty-five minutes later we still didn't have our food, but were given plenty of excuses. I love supporting mom and pop businesses instead of chains, but this is the third time we have been there and the third time the service was awful. I am not sure how this place has stayed in business for so long! read more

Don't go unless you wanna wait for your food for hours at a time, not get attended to, then awkwardly get apologized to for how piss poor the service was. Just make your night better and avoid the place all together read more

Washington Square Cafe - How bad my service is here. Been waiting on my food for two hours. At least I didn't have a wrap that was soaken wet , oh wait. - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

Great burgers. Service was the best. Love coming back. Drink menu is the tops. My fav

I love this place. First of all, the service is always great. You never have to wait very long, even when they are busy, but they never make you feel rushed either. The food is southern style with a lot of burger and sandwich options. They also have quite a few salads. Their breakfast my favorite but they have really good soups for lunch. There aren't a lot of vegetarian options on the menu but they're happy to help you get something you'll enjoy. They always add extra vegetables for me if I get something without the meat. My mom is gluten and lactose intolerant and never has trouble here either. If you're vegan I'm sure they can help you find something as well. All I'm all good service, food, lovely outdoor patio, and not too expensive. read more

This place is great . Food is fresh the burgers are absolutely amazing . Not to long of a wait, as this place isn't that packed .Definitely recommend. read more

So I finally tried out this place after living here my whole life and I'm glad I did! I ordered the Jim Beam Bourbon Burger it took about 30 minutes to get our food. Our waitress was sweet and attentive, a plume was I never had to ask for a refill. The burger was fantastic I loved the pretzel bun it came on, but the fries were a little disappointing. Overall, the atmosphere was great, and food was good. read more

My husband and I went there for dinner recently, and we arrived before 6pm, not many customers, it's a little cool outside so we sit inside. I ordered the pulled pork BBQ, it was pretty good, and much more oily than I expected. But taste good.. my husband ordered an appetizer of Kentucky specialized fried sausage, I tried one piece, good taste but I'm afraid of the high oil content.. he also ordered a steak salad, I didn't try but looks good when it served.. he is pleased.. read more

My experience as a first timer: got there, sat on the outside patio. Ordered an open faced roast beef. Tasted like from a can, and a can of mushroom soup. It was overly salty for me. They did forget my beer and didn't refill my water. In the end, we decided to just finish hubby's meatloaf sandwich and leave. They brought out tickets and it stated total 34++ so we handed the card. Then it came back to us and the card was charged 48++. They added someone else's drinks on our check! CHECK YOUR BILL AND RECEIPTS! We did get them to straighten it out. But it took them a while to process it. And I was just ready to leave. It looks nice, I'm pretty sure they have their loyal customer. But as for our first experience, I don't think we will return. read more

My boyfriend and I came for breakfast around 9:30 on a Sunday morning. It was our first time here. The building is historical and they have a nice outdoor eating area but the restaurant inside is pretty small. We both ordered ham and home fries with our breakfasts which were very good. We had to wait a while for our order to be taken and for the check but our food arrived about 10 minutes after ordering. They seemed busy and understaffed although all the tables weren't full. Overall, it was a good experience and we will come back for breakfast and would also like to try the dinner menu. read more

See all

Visited the Washington Square Cafe for the first time last night. They quoted a 30 minute wait time. We were seated in about 10 minutes. Nice atmosphere with comfortable outdoor and indoor dining. Everyone in our party ordered the 'Big Fish' cod sandwich. The fish was great and the sandwich had two lightly breaded cod filets, about 1/2 pound total served on marble rye bread. One of the best fish sandwiches I have had in Northern KY. I had the beer battered onion rings which were also very good. We will definitely be going back. The menu had a nice selection, but I will order the fish again on my next visit. Happy dining! read more

I love the outdoor dinning option. I had the Big fish sandwich, which was excellent. The waitress was great and very personable. The owners also checked in with us to make sure our dining experience was going as expected. We will definitely go back. read more

My husband and I live four minutes down the road and we would stop by every few weeks for breakfast on Saturday or Sunday. The food was very mediocre but we liked the atmosphere and supporting a local business. The last time we had breakfast there our food took around an hour and we were one of maybe 5 tables. When we received our food it was luke warm and my breakfast sandwich was missing the eggs. I wanted to make a comment to the owner about our experience but she was not there so I spoke with the manager on duty. She was incredibly defensive and rude. She never apologized for the bad service, instead she said it was their lunch rush which is why the breakfast food took so long. I can definitely say there was no rush while we were there. My husband and I are business owners so we know customer service is your #1 priority. That was not what we experienced that day and I was appalled by how rudely I was treated when I let the manager know about our experience. We so wanted to keep enjoying breakfast at Washington square but we will not be returning! read more

Washington Square Cafe has quickly become our go-to breakfast spot. Their patio doubles their number of tables and they have both the fans and the heaters needed to make the most out of this enjoyable outside space. By limiting the number of selections, they only offer what they can do well in their small kitchen. We also stop by for lunch and dinner, but it's their breakfast that keeps bringing us back. read more

Washington Square Cafe - inside seating - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

Great food and atmosphere! Yummy cheese curd appetizer and burgers are fantastic! Can't wait to go back and try more menu items.

The BEST margarita I have ever had!! You have to get the fish sandwich!! To die for!!! Will be back!

Delicious food. Great atmosphere. Went here for valentine's day when the popular restaurant down the street was too busy, and everyone that came in knew each other. Literally everyone. The waitress was very kind, as were the other workers and especially the owner's mother. She came over to us and made conversation like we were old friends. Everything was great. Very cozy and welcoming. The best desserts, also. We got caramel apple cheesecake and chocolate raspberry cake. I couldn't recommend this place enough! read more

During or stay in Burlington, Kentucky visiting the Creation Museum, Newport Riverwalk and other delights of the area, we had a late lunch at Washington Square Cafe. We were embraced with good service and the delicious, well priced cuisine! The Salad Trio offered a light choice, full of flavor. My husband's "hangry" appetite was fully quieted by the generous layers of flavor in the huge Chicken Quesadilla "Opening Statement". Our "table neighbors'" chicken salad sandwich and Caprese Salad were mouthwateringly appealing! If we didn't live over 600 miles away and we would definitely return for other menu temptations! read more

Food was very good, the Fried Chicken here is the best. The servers are cluless and could care less about the guest. Go for the food but be ready for the terible non-existant service from the 2 young girls. read more

Washington Square Cafe - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

Deserves higher score! This little cafe is a true gem. Yes, the dinners may take a little longer here if the place is packed because they have a very small kitchen that is geared towards casual dining. And, the newest renovations allow for more seating which the restaurant can accomodate for on normal business days but add a band and standing patrons by the bar or outside & just know that this little mom and pop place would rather give 100% care in preparation vs speed. I've seen it, and experienced it but because I've been going since they opened, I can see the vision. I would not be surprised if they are already planning more expansion and potential kitchen additions to help with the flow already in the works. Owner, servers, & patrons are always kind. Food is stupid good, I love the fish sand (HUGE) and tFrench onion soup but you have to try the sweet potatoe fries with their homemade pineapple dip! Very kid friendly, plus they have a nice kids menu. I'm always happy leaving here, in the winter we usually sit in the little back dining area inside & get out of our cabin fever and watch silly cable tv with the kids. Ive seen this place go from a hot dog joint, to a Mexican rest. to now a really neat cafe less than a mile from me in historical Burlington downtown area that's always adorned with Pokémon fans. read more

Wonderful and attentive service and the food was top notch. The best fried pickles and Mom's Chicken Salad Sandwich I've ever had. Husband loved The Burlington burger. Great place. We'll be back for sure. read more

My boyfriend and I got a few beers here around 8pm on a Friday. We sat outside, our waitress was friendly. All their beers are in a bottle, they have nothing on tap. I ordered the bruschetta just for an appetizer and it was really tasty! At 8:30pm a live band began to play, they perform every Friday. It was pretty good music but it was so extremely loud my boyfriend and I could no longer converse. We only stayed for two songs and decided to leave. Overall it was a decent experience. I would go back, preferably not on a Friday, to try some of their food. read more

Washington Square Cafe - Here I am devouring my bruschetta. It was very tasty! - New American Near Me - Burlington, Kentucky

Stopped in for Sunday lunch. Sat out in the patio. Great location, shaded over by the trees, very quiet side street. Daughter got a ham and cheese on a pretzel bun. It was good - I tried a bite. Wife and I both got salads, hers was the club, I did the fried chicken. Both very fresh, and potion size was good. Will definitely come back for dinner some night. Patio alone makes it worth while! read more

Amazing home cooking, homemade desserts and the best hospitality around. Gem in the heart of Burlington. If you're looking for some comfort food, this is your spot. read more