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    Cafe Madison

    4.2 (796 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Cafe Madison Reservations

    Cafe Madison Photos

    CAFE MADISON ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Madison

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    Chicken and Waffles
    Geena K.

    Ambiance is 10/10 so cute and trendy -- no notes. FOOD. THE FOOD. I got the chicken waffle and it was one of the best chicken waffles with hot honey I've gotten maybe ever. Chicken was tender, waffle was crispy, hot honey was abundant. Hard to flag anyone down though (asked 2 people for an extra hot honey and never got it). Partner got a shrimp grits things and it was just alright. I would totally bring friends and family here for an excellent brunch experience. Reservation for when it's busy! Walked in for two and waited 10 minutes

    Xenia M.

    Love the newly renovated updates at Cafe Madison! This is my favorite place to get breakfast in Albany! Everything from the hospitality to food is always on point!

    bar
    Muriel D.

    I've heard a lot of good things about Cafe Madison, so I was excited to give it a try. Street parking was relatively easy to find since I went on a Sunday (my abilities to parallel park, however, are another story). I expected the ambiance to be a bit more brighter on the inside but it's a pretty dim light interior, with some pockets of seating that were more bright (shown in the pictures). Food (3/5): I ordered the California Avocado Omelet and a hazelnut latte and my friend got the Florentine Beni and a lemonade. I thought my latte was well done, no complaints there. My omelet was also yummy, and the fillings were folded in nicely. The avocado, however, was unripe and bit too firm. The homefries were crispier than I thought they would be based on their appearance, which was a pleasant surprise, but they were also a bit cold and noticeably stale. The toast was also barely toasted, more like someone had just slabbed on a lot of warm butter onto a piece of white bread. My friend enjoyed her Florentine Beni (it looked very good too). We both finished our plates and were left feeling full. All in all, it was an okay meal. The menu also had a lot of vegan/vegetarian options, so it'd be a good spot for meeting the needs of anyone with dietary restrictions. Service (4/5): When I arrived, I was told it would be a 25-30 minute wait, which I was fine with because I expected it to be busy. Joined the waitlist and headed to a waiting area where my friend and I chatted to pass time. I appreciate that they have a separate area to sit and wait. This removes the awkwardness of blocking the entryway and allowed us to sit while waiting, very considerate on the restaurant's part. Our server was kind and attentative. Checked in on us during our meal and made sure we were all set throughout our time there. Also a ton of boozy breakfast drinks and creative shots to choose from.

    Super Breakfast with cinnamon waffle.
    Bombshell B.

    Food was cold and had to send back for hotter food. The taste of the food wasn't too good for me. Service was ok,not bad but not Amazing either. Ambiance was clean and nice.

    Super Breakfast with the Irish bacon and oatmeal raspberry pancakes upgrades! Awesome!
    Edward K.

    My wife and I were in town to pick up our daughter from her first year at a nearby college. We timed it perfectly for a mid-morning breakfast. Found Cafe Madison on Yelp and decided to give it a shot. Found street parking (had to download an app) and walked up to a nice looking restaurant. Cool porch seating in front. Quite a large restaurant inside. Updated vibe, comfortable seating. Have to agree with another reviewer that mentioned the dim lighting but our very nice waitress provided us a decorative lamp for the table. Our waitress also provided good advice regarding their food. My wife went with an omelette and enjoyed it. I went with the "Super Breakfast" and upgraded to Irish bacon and oatmeal raspberry pancakes. The Super Breakfast included two eggs, toast, and home fries to go along with the bacon and pancakes. Have to say, the oatmeal raspberry pancakes was one of the better upgrades I've done. Totally worth it, great texture and vibrant raspberry flavor! The house coffee was tasty as well. Really glad we tried Cafe Madison!

    Steph W.

    Tuesday brunch @10am Ambiance (5/5): The decor is so cute! It was nicely lit and open with several booths on one side and table seating on the other. Service (5/5): We had no problems getting seated and serviced throughout our meal. There were few in attendance on a random weekday. Seasonal Special: Croissant Beni $17 (5/5) which had a poached egg on a croissant. Interestingly, the dish sat on top of the hollandaise sauce rather than it drizzled on top. I requested for the house fries to be cooked well-done and it was indeed delivered as such! The fries were seasoned well and had a superior crunch to them! Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes $7 (4/5): I wish we had the ability to ask for a single stack because the 2 for $7 was way too much for us in a sitting. We left with 1 whole pancake untouched. Sadly one of the pancakes was meager in blueberry ratio.

    Seasonal frittata
    Jennifer L.

    Cafe Madison is such a great brunch scene and so I came back with a group of friends and family! They have lots of classic brunch staples as well as specialties and I always enjoy my meal here! The maple butter that comes with the chicken and waffles is absolutely amazing and so is their sourdough! Their coffee is also really good as well. Our waitress was super kind and attentive and our food came out in a timely manner as was delicious. I always appreciate the ambiance of the restaurant and it's super cute inside. I highly recommend this place for a meal!

    Palo-mosa. Best of both worlds!
    Amanda G.

    Best Brunch in Albany, eh? I concur. Mind you, this is the only brunch I've had in Albany but I FEEL CONFIDENT in my assessment. In town just for Saturday - Sunday but wanted something filling and comforting before going home. I made a deal with myself (mind your business) that I'd eat brunch if I found biscuits and gravy. Cafe Madison popped up on multiple best of lists AND guess what was on the menu?! The streets say the city location is better but the parking is easier at the outpost. I took my chances with the main location and found a spot right outside the door. Your Sunday mileage may vary. I was heavily considering getting it to go but thought I'd check out the interior first. I put my name on the waitlist (30 minutes around 11am) but quickly found a seat at the full service bar. I got a Paloma-mosa and the biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs and a side of sausage. The BnG are a STEAL at $7. With my extras the total came to $13 + drink. Service was great. Bar stools looked suspect but were ultimately sturdy and comfortable. Food delicious. Nice social buzz in the bar and dining room. Loved it!

    Eggs & oatmeal raspberry pancakes
    Marina S.

    I really like this place for breakfast. I've been here twice. They expanded in the past three years. The service is quick and the place has lots of booths and comfortable tables. I had eggs and the oatmeal raspberry pancakes . The pancakes were delicious.

    My style less capuccino
    Sovy M.

    Beautiful indoors. Great Food. Great service. I had an issue with them that last time I was there last year in 2023. That I went back and fixed it. This time went again. Food was great, I just wish they would have a better capuccino machine and barista type stuff. My capuccino came in with just froth on top. Oh well, let's try some fancy capu froth styles. For two people $54 plus tip. Come on. My cousin's hot chocolate, came in cold and watery. We asked the server to get it done with milk please. They bring it back with milk, but cold again. I mean it's called "Hot Chocolate" guys. Then they microwaved and got it to us. Just because of the ambience and great service, we might be going back. Omelets were on point. Rye toast amazing.

    Juliet V.

    Cafe Madison is a reliably amazing breakfast/brunch spot. Delicious cocktails include Irish Coffee and different kids of Mimosas. The French Toast Stacker is a thing of beauty. Cinnamon lovers rejoice over the cinnamon butter spread that comes with it. That mixed with breakfast meat and maple syrup is a tastebud overload in a good way. Their Corned Beef hash Benedict has just the right taste and texture too. Service is friendly and efficient without feeling like they are rushing you. I am grateful for this reliable restaurant when I want to go out for breakfast.

    Weekend specials
    Chuck D.

    This is my first time at the new location a door down from the previous smaller place. I was hopeful the menu and service stayed the same. Well, we are extremely excited to report, they are even better than before. The location is beautiful with a very large bar and plenty of seating. Looks like in the nicer weather there is a patio outfront. Service at the bar was quick and helpful. Pictures show what we ordered and all the food was amazing! Probably one of the best brunch locations north of NYC and west of Boston! Must try! We WILL be back!

    Pumpkin spice latte

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    6 months ago

    The food was below average. No real skill in its preparation. Any average home cook can plate these meals. Why go out and pay.

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    Ask the Community - Cafe Madison

    Reservations are not accepted correct?

    Correct.

    Reservations at cafe madison?

    Always recommended... especially on he weekends!

    Do they take American Express?

    Yes. I was there a couple of weeks ago and used mine.

    View All 4 Questions

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    The Skinny Pancake Albany

    The Skinny Pancake Albany

    3.9
    (152 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    When a friend and I were going to have breakfast in Albany, she told me that I had to try the…read moreSkinny Pancake. Didn't need to convince me! Admittedly I'm a bit delayed in writing this review so some of what I tried was seasonal dependent as I got a hot apple cider for a drink. To eat, I got a crepe and side of sausage! Just a few short minutes later, the food was ready to go. Everything was really delicious. The sausage provided a perfect savory balance for the sweet crepe that I got. The restaurant was really spacious and had lots of natural light which provided a lovely ambiance. Despite growing up in upstate NY, getting to sit at Skinny Pancake felt like a nice, peaceful perspective I hadn't received before. The food being delicious was the cherry on top. I highly recommend!

    If you're look for something savory or something sweet, the Skinny Pancake in Albany has something…read morefor you. We stopped in on a Friday morning. It wasn't busy so we were able to go right in and be seated. The server gave us a warm greeting as we entered and asked if we had been there before. She explained the online ordering or that we could walk up to the counter and place our order. The brewed drip coffee is bottomless and self service. They offer lattes and and espresso drinks as well. We placed our order and the server delivered it to our table. We tried "The Vegan" which is a buckwheat batter crepe stuffed with seitan, vegan pesto, vegan cheese, spinach, roasted squash, and caramelized onions. We shared an order of crispy and perfectly seasoned homefries. I ordered a sweet crepe from the special menu which was a buckwheat crepe filled with a blueberry compote, semisweet chocolate morsels, and toasted coconut with candied pecans. It was so rich but so good. We loved the atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the numerous plant-based options and ability to convert several menu items into vegan dishes. We will definitely be back and since we have told so many friends about our experience, will will not be coming back alone!

    Photos
    Dining area
    Dining area
    The Skinny Pancake Albany
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    Cafe Madison - breakfast_brunch - Updated June 2026

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