Both the food and service were excellent. I highly recommend making a reservation. The Caesar salad was the best I have ever had. I asked for the dressing recipe but have not received it. read more

I'm sorry, I think these are good people with a great idea, but they have missed the mark each time. The presentation is fine and makes for a great photo, but I have yet to really feel mesmerized by the food. I have gotten sick eating here. I have left my food on the plate after two bites. I have felt confused at other times. I really love the ambience. So cute, quaint and does feel like a gem in the middle of a ghostly, still, and sleepy town. I really would like the food to be as magical as the little restaurant by the railcars. I was served something so disgusting, I couldn't even finish it. My dish smelled horrible-- the smell of old, rotten olives in the tapenade. Part of the plate was overcooked to mush and then at the same time undercooked, or not cooked at all. I couldn't understand what they were going for. Under seasoned, watery, slimy and luke warm all on one entree. Someone is really getting this wrong, but really has a good vision and concept in mind. The dessert was also flavorless, odd, over-sugary and dull. I really feel like I could have gone to Trader Joes and gotten a better frozen meal and dessert. I really thought hard about this and do not want to offend anyone. I just hope that it helps the restaurant to improve. read more

We ate at Maddalena last night and it was perfect. Many great choices on the menu and my wife and I enjoyed every bite. Been coming here since Maddalena herself was on the grill and this current version is every bit as good. The service was professional and the ambiance of this small but cozy spot is just wonderful. They even have a garden if you choose to dine outside. We can't wait to return. read more

Terrific dining experience in Dunsmuir. First-timers will definitely be back! My wife has a complex mix of food allergies. Waitperson, Hanna, and the chef were not only able to work around her needs, but provide an exceptional meal for both of us. No pics for the mango- ginger soup or the beet salad, but both were great as were the seared ahi and lamb shank entrees. Deserts were a dairy-free chocolate torte, and a raspberry tart. Ambiance and service were well above average. read more

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As a visiting chef I was very impressed with Cafe Maddalena. We had a fantastic brunch under the grape arbor patio with multiple dishes. Fish n Chips, French Dip and Bisquits and Gravy-all supurb with high-quality ingredients. Sabrina was a consummate professional and even took photos for us. The chef has a delicate touch and the flavors were spot on. We had three brunch dishes, the Mimosa Flight and excellent coffee.We will be returing here often during our visit to the area. read more

Good, but didn't live up to the hype of some of the reviews. Service was fine, not great. Food was good, not great. Wine pour was small, but you could taste any wine before ordering. Nice atmosphere. Would recommend, as long as you keep your expectations realistic. read more

This review is SOOOO OVERDUE! I visited this stunning restaurant almost 2 years ago on my 50th birthday. I started the review with the 5 stars and uploaded a photo of the bottle of wine and then decided to type up the rest later... well. It's now later and I still feel enamored about how cute this line divine restaurant was. The service was spectacular. and the food... chefs kiss. The appetizers were delicious and the main courses out of this world. Our server helped us pick the perfect bottle of wine which paired perfectly with both entrees. Do yourself a favor and go dine here. You won't regret it. read more

Cafe Maddalena - Red wine - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

2 couples went out for dinner. The guys got the pork chops. I my friend got the mushroom/asparagus risotto and I had the French dip. I also had the butter lettuce salad. We all raved about it how great the food was. We had the corn fritters as an appetizer. Yummy!!! I would say the only disappointment was the peach tart which was lite on peaches. The service was excellent. We had wine with dinner an enjoyed 2 bottles. We would go again. It's really a cute place. We were floating in lake Siskiyou talking to some locals who told us about the place. We were super happy they did!!! read more

Wonderful place all the way around! Great staff, pastries and ambiance. Probably will go out of my way to go again! Delicious! read more

This is one of the finest restaurants we have experienced in a long time. Absolutely excellent appetizers, entrees and desserts. Everyone at this establishment is first class as well. If you're in the area and can appreciate quality dining, you will not be disappointed. read more

What a surprise to find a top-quality restaurant in Dunsmuir! We were headed for a birthday dinner iMt. Shasta City and diverted to Dunsmuir based on Yelp reviews. Wow. My Moroccan seafood had a great sauce and baca use it was Wednesday pizza night, our other two entrees were 12" pizzas washed down with lavender lemonade. All followed by lavender crème.brûlée and strawberry shortcake. Plus excellent attentive service! It was a Happy Birthday. read more

Great to have this fantastic team back kicking out amazing food with impeccable service the build is cozy and warm with a lovely view into the kitchen where the magic happens! Fantastic offerings at a very fair price. Super meal with wonderful flavors and fine touches that ring true loved the clam chowder with perfectly grilled bread. The fritters were delicious and dipping sauce brought me to the Middle East! Yummy stuff and the topper was an amazing flourless chocolate cake slice with salted caramel and the flakes of the most amazing central California Salt it rocked sided with a press coffee read more

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Unfortunately Maddalena was closed when we stopped in for dinner. Everyone says the food is great.

Appetizer menu was disappointing. We ordered the pepper appetizer and it was hot. I had prawns and they weren't too bad. Two people had lamb shank and they said it was OK. One gal had the goat cheese pasta with peas and greens in. It was very good. I was so looking forward to going, but I was kind of disappointed. read more

What a wonderful evening we just had. We ate here 3 years ago on our last trip up here, I understand it's seems to of changed owners but it most definitely has kept its great reputation. We dined here years ago from a recommendation from a former local, I will be happy to report back to them how wonderful it was again. It's so very cosy still, beautiful ambience and such lovely staff. Our server was so lovely and pleasant. I had the steak and it was beautiful, the potatoes (I'm Irish so I know my potatoes) were also beautiful. So very tasty! My partner had the pork special and he said it was delicious, we also had the sprouts special, big fans. We will definitely be back and wish the new owners all the luck 10/10 read more

Wonderful meal. Nice warm and cozy atmoshere. Attentive service. Restaurant was full. We went with the Prix Fixe meal which was excellent. My daughter said that the chocolate cake in fresh mint flavored chream was 'one of the best ever'. read more

Hidden gem. Had the following: - Crispy butter cabbage with shallot & thyme yogurt sauce - Beef tenderloin with thyme risotto, broccoli & creamed demi glace Was on a road trip, and this was the best meal I had from Arcata to Ashland to Bend to Dunsmuir. read more

Cafe Maddalena - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

We were staying close by at the Railroad Resort and looked for a place that was small enough and had a small enough menu. We got lucky, our sweet hostess made sure we got a spot while we were waiting outside in our vehicle. Maddalena has a wide variety of choices and we ended up choosing 1. the tagine with eggplant, sweet potato, carrot, bell pepper and pearl onions over couscous and 2. the fantastic lamb chop on a ratatouille bed. Both absolutely to die for. Dessert? A peach frangipane tart, equally delicious and we skipped the coffee this time. One bummer, our waitress was business like and left us a bit underwhelmed despite the great food. Still I'd come by and give it another try as for sure the menu will be totally different. read more

Cafe Maddalena - lambchop and tajine - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

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Maple glazed salmon and trout were amazing, great atmosphere. I am writing a review while waiting for dessert, I think it will drive me crazy. Highly recommend Cafe Maddalena. read more

Cafe Maddalena - Trout. - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

We tried this place on a Friday fellas night out. Everything was fantastic. From the hummus plate, olives, clams, butternut squash fritters, beets salad, our entrees (Sole, filet mignon, lamb shank, roasted salmon, Pinot Noir), to the dessert- Port (walnut cake, pear tart, crème brûlée) We enjoyed it! Looking forward to our next visit Thank you read more

Cafe Maddalena - Salmon over mashed potatoes and broccoli. Delicious! - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

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I can't tell you how sorry I am to leave this zero star review. We have dined at Cafe Maddalena dozens of times over the past 5 years. We have left positive reviews, raved to friends local and visiting, that this is the best restaurant within 150 miles. Sadly this is no longer the case. There have been shakeups within the business, which is understandable, many businesses manage these sorts of personnel changeovers all the time.. Cafe Maddalena has managed this most recent change over terribly. We have eaten here three times since the changes were made, and we left what we hoped would be received as positive feedback each time. We ate dinner again here tonight, and noticed the same lack of personal attention, service, attention to detail, and respect that we have grown accustomed to over the years. We had a very forthright conversation with our server and asked to talk to Vanessa one of the owners to share our feedback. While we were having our meal, we sat next to an enjoyable couple from Portland who are having their first experience at Cafe Maddalena and told them they could expect only the best. Surprisingly and heartbreakingly, Vanessa showed up at the table to give us a verbal lecture and reprimand about unintelligible reasons we should not have been critical of their food or service. Those guests we had been conversing with, a college professor and an attorney, overheard her loud recriminations against us. Their comment was that it they felt like they had stepped into the middle of a bad divorce. We were embarrassed for Vanessa and this restaurant, which we predict will now fail within a year. After so many years and so many positive recommendations, to handle our questions about falling quality and service to a restaurant we had enjoyed for so long is it true heartbreak. Cafe Maddalena is at the corner of Sacramento Avenue and pine Street. If you are looking for a location to start a restaurant, you might want to pin a flag on that address because it will be coming up soon. Cafe Maddalena will fail. When you read this, Vanessa, I hope it occurs to you that you should have talked to us with a civil tongue. We have heard that there were good reasons for the changeovers to the restaurant, I now begin to wonder if that's even true. You will see this review repeated on many social sites, it would have taken 2 minutes of your time to have a civil conversation to hear our concerns. But what I have said here is the truth. read more

Cafe Maddalena served the best meal I've eaten for hundreds of miles in any direction. If you're in Dunsmuir, or nearby of an evening, and you're looking for a REALLY excellent meal (priced accordingly), Cafe Maddalena is where you should go. Just outstanding Franco-Italian dining, really well prepared seafood, outstanding desserts, an excellent wine... it's nothing short of outstanding. read more

From the beginning it was a great atmosphere. We walked in and the host was really kind. Our host jade was amazing and gave us amazing suggestions, the filet mignon for me and the scallops for my wife. The filet was perfectly cooked with a a crust that reminded me of bacon, who doesn't love bacon, and the buttery scallops melted in your mouth, and with neither of us liking scallops these made us love them. For me, even the scalloped potato and the string beans we great. The beans were perfectly cooked with a little snap to them and not overly cooked. The potatoes were perfectly crusted and smooth on the inside. Oh and the sauce tasted amazing with everything. We needed our night with the strawberry shortcake and the mousse. Both were amazing and the mousse was thick and smooth. It had the slight sweetness of dark chocolate with no over bearing sugar. It was obviously good since I forgot to take a picture lol. Next time we come here we'll DEFINITELY will eat here again. read more

Cafe Maddalena - Filet Of Beef - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

FOOD RATING = 4 stars For starters, we went crazy on deep fried food. The best thing I ate were the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with shrimp mousse that was like a dim sum filling. The second best were the fritters filled with corn kernels and minced green onions that came with an inspired coriander tartar sauce. The entrees were less exciting but both came with generous amounts of protein. The filet mignon had nice char and cooked to the proper temp but had a bit too much salt. The layered potato dauphinoise was a happily rich side to the steak. The roasted chicken was moist but the skin was too - largely due to the presentation where the meat was stacked on top of itself and then topped with an overly spicy harissa sauce. The stack was even higher because the foundation was a tight cous cous and slightly dry squash (try coating with more oil before grilling). This was another foolish case of presenting food to achieve "height" without a sensible purpose. BEVERAGE RATING = 1 star No wine was offered because they were in between alcohol licenses. I could chalk it up to bad luck and bad timing but rather than mitigating the problem, the situation was mishandled at every step. I wasn't told about the drinks problem when making the reservation, wasn't told at the host stand, and wasn't told when seated. We found out when we asked the server about drinks and then were given an absurd solution about going to a bar up the street between dinner courses. Additionally, the server didn't suggest non-alcoholic beverages they might have - not even something as simple as sparkling water or ginger ale. We bizarrely entered an episode of "Seinfeld" with the soup nazi of beverages. NO DRINKS FOR YOU! I know this area is rightfully proud of their tap water but this is taking it a bit too far. Non-drinkers might see me as overly traditional or someone who needs a drink to have a good time. There is some truth to that but not having a drink felt incomplete while eating the steak. It was the first time that I've eaten a prime steak without wine or a martini. Water just doesn't have the dry tannins that accentuates a fatty piece of meat. Also, alcohol would have helped tone down the spice of the harissa. I wouldn't have guessed parking would be an issue in tiny Dunsmuir but we parked two blocks away. Ironically, I reserved by phone call but it wasn't needed on Friday night. read more

We had an outstanding meal at Cafe Maddelena to end our weekend in Mt Shasta/Dunsmuir. We had the olives, tartine of the day (tomato), Caesar salad, Cassoulet and entree special (fettuccine with wild foraged mushrooms). Our food was legit outstanding. My husband worked for years at a Michelin recommended French restaurant and was sneering at the thought of Cassoulet (but ordered it anyway) and was raving the whole time. We also had an outstanding panna cotta and apple tart for dessert. The entire meal was accompanied by a thoughtful and affordably priced wine list (we had the sauv blanc, Viognier, chenin blanc and a red blend from SLO). Highly recommend and a super pleasant dining experience. For sure make a reservation. We had the table next to the door and saw multiple people turned away. read more

Delicious food...service was excellent...pizza was yummy definitely going back there next time we go to Dunsmuir

Been dining here since 2004. Delighted to realize the new owners have continued the great traditions and menu style. Had a great dinner just last night. Planning to dine here frequently in the future read more

Wow! Really great restaurant in this teeny little town with not a whole lot happening. We sat in the garden under a beautiful grape arbor. The food was excellent and the service was wonderful. Fresh seasonally menu. Locally sourced. Good stuff!! We had a reservation made the same day by the Hotel Mossbrae that we stayed at just up the street. The restaurant was pretty full so I do recommended reservations. read more

This place is da bomb. Someone wrote that their steak was not cooked to perfection... They probably don't know steak. This place was brilliant and the house wine they had for the evening was spectacular. read more

Cafe Maddalena - a glass of red wine - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

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Excellent food at a very reasonable (casual dining) price point. Just make sure you make a reservation as this place books up in advance. The scallops and the zatar chicken were out of this world, and their eclectic wine list was also quite reasonable. read more

Loved the food, fresh and ambience, nice general feel. I didn't know this restaurant existed and I come to Mt Shasta regularly. I look forward to returning. read more

After multiple recommendations, I drove an hour here to try this restaurant. It did not disappoint! The service was amazing, I sat outside and they moved me inside (At my request) partway through dining without any fuss at all. The meal was fantastic, I had the roasted cabbage appetizer which was good. The highlight for me was the beef tenderloin. I typically order filet, because I prefer leaner cuts of meat. This was amazing! It ordered medium, it was cooked perfectly. The Demi glaze is robust and a little salty which I love, (order on the side if that's maybe not your thing). It was a large cut and I definitely didn't need an appetizer, or dessert, but that didn't stop me haha. I got the chocolate ganache torte, which paired perfectly with the Pinot noir. Would definitely come back, and would 100% order the beef tenderloin again. Thank you for such a great experience, and the fantastic service. read more

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I have eaten here 25 + times and adore Vanessa. I didn't realize that she was now a part owner. We were here over 4th of July weekend with out of town guests who had also been there with us before. The night was horrible. The waitress was vapid and ineffectual. The food that we waited hours for was average. This was our go-to place and my disappointment is beyond words. Now there is nowhere in the Shasta/ Weed area to have a high quality dinner in a beautiful setting. read more

It was 7:30PM on a Saturday night last October 2022 and My husband and I were on our way back to Oregon after attending a wedding in Redding earlier that day. We decided we didn't want to drive all the way home and began looking for a hotel in Dunsmuir where we could stop for the night. We were also hungry and so while he drove, I searched Yelp for restaurants in Dunsmuir (I'll be honest, I did not have high hopes of finding anything beyond fast food ). I ran across café Madalena and I gave them a call. We were about 45 minutes away and when I asked if they might still be open around 8:30 (when our GPS said we would arrive in town), "Of course" said the pleasant voice on the other side of the line. "Our last seating is at 8:30". Whew, we made it just in time. You would never know Cafe Madalena was there unless you drove off the main drag through town so a big thanks to Yelp for helping us find this delightful, warm, cozy hidden gem. When we arrived, almost every table was full (an indicator of good things to come) yet they greeted us warmly and we were seated immediately. For starters, I'm a huge critic of table-settings. In my opinion, there's nothing worse than going to a well established, or higher end, restaurant and being served a meal on cheap, cafeteria dishes with chintzy silverware and dime store wine glasses. (I digress)....I loved the little touches that our table had. White linen tablecloth, flatware placed carefully on the table, beautiful wine glass, linen napkins, and a sweet little flower in a vase and candle made the atmosphere. The menu here is simple, with fresh, farm to fork offerings. I am gluten free and our server (I believe her name was Kelsey) gave excellent suggestions. We received impeccable service as well (service that rivaled any 5-star restaurant in a large city. Kudos to the entire staff for that) and they never made us feel rushed even though we were the last two patrons left in the restaurant. Before our meal our server brought us this wonderful little treat, of goat cheese wrapped grapes, rolled in pistachios (delicious) we enjoyed a lovely white wine (from lake county if I remember correctly ) with our meal at her recommendation. My husband ordered the salmon and I had pork chops. Our portions were just right, not too much, not too little. Everything was presented beautifully and cooked perfectly. We left with very satisfied bellies, and a promise to return. We had no room for dessert, but our once again our wonderful server insisted on sending us on our way with a to-go box filled with a gluten-free dessert for me and a regular dessert for my husband. (I wish I could remember what they were but they were so yummy, we ate them for breakfast the next day). So in closing We loved everything about this restaurant. The atmosphere service, the food, wine, and I can't wait to go back and visit this lovely hidden gem. read more

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Went to our local gem, Cafe Maddalena, last week and was surprised to find that Barry has left but not to worry. Ian, Chet and Drew have taken over the kitchen and are doing an excellent job. Had one of the best meals there in a while. The front of the house never varies, always attentive and helpful. It like having a meal with close friends. Needless to say we will be back as often as we can and thanks crew for doing a great job read more

This restaurant never disappoints. The food, the service and the decorum matches any five star restaurant in any city including LA, NY, and SF. The six of us enjoyed everything from beef tenderloin to rabbit and porcini mushrooms to grilled harissa chicken. Cannot forget the tenderloin with white beans. We ended this outstanding dining experience with mousse and a lemon tart. If you want to have a special dining experience- I would recommend making reservations at Cafe Maddalena. read more

Cafe Maddalena - Grilled harissa chicken - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

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Had dinner tonight. Started with the prawn stuffed squash blossoms, excellent, very crispy and salted and had a lot of flavor. Next we had the butter lettuce salad with asparagus and hard boiled eggs. Again, excellent. Don't know what dressing they used but was very good. Then on to the entrees. I ordered the hazelnut crusted loin of cod with mashed potatoes and spinach. I didn't see any hazel nut crust, instead was served a wet soggy piece of cod on top of wet potatoes. There was absolutely no crusting and no seasoning, just a wet piece of fish on top of a wet glob of potatoes. Very disappointing, certainly they can do better with a piece of fish. My husband had the filet of beef which was excellent but over cooked. He asked for it medium and it was well done, didn't see any pink, but very tasty and he shared it with me as I wasn't about to eat wet soggy fish. All in all the service was out standing and the wine was good. But certainly would never order the fish again. Beware, order steak medium rare! read more

This place is amazing. Excellent menu, excellent service and friendly staff. Would highly recommend. I came in with my son this week as we were passing through and the staff was able to seat us without reservations. read more

Yum, yum, yum! This is a wonderful small and quaint restaurant. Everything is fresh, staff very friendly and service impeccable. Highly recommend coming here if you're in the area! read more

Cafe Maddalena - New American Near Me - Dunsmuir, California

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Most of these good reviews are from past experiences with the original owner and chef over a year ago. Sadly he and his wife retired and sold this place to someone without the same skillset, inventiveness, and creativity and it has gone EXTREMELY downhill. Food is limited and basic, not at all what we came to expect of Maddalena's years ago--- in the past, it felt like being in a french bistro in Dunsmuir and it was wonderful. Now, it is pretty much a joke and is not the fine dining experience with fresh and inventive recipes that we came to love. Service is awful. And now, just a sign hangs from the door: 'closed for maintenance' for weeks-- yet dark and no maintenance going on. Sad as it was a special trip we drove hours for, yet is no longer a gem of Dunsmuir. read more