Worst. Service. Ever. Some are very nice but inept. Some are terribly rude. The perma-manager (Neil - he must live there - he is ALWAYS there) who lumbers around like Frankenstein (with the scowl to match) is not at all focused on customer service. But the beer selection, free peanuts and GREAT popcorn almost make up for it. I visit here nearly weekly with a group. We just have beer, maybe some wings - our needs are pretty minimal, but we have fun joking about how CBI consistently sets new records for poor service. We occasionally get a good server, but they're usually gone by the next visit (come back, Dallas!). It must be a terrible place to work because the staff turnover rate is clearly very high. What food I have had here is fine - not great, not terrible, just fine. The wings are very good. Skip the pretzels they bring over from Essen Haus - they are typically dry and old. read more

Big fatty breakfast. This is what my review is about. My favorite Madison girls and I hit this place up every weekend that I'm around town. Refill my bottomless coffee mug one more time- This is where we hit reset in the morning. Prices are cheap, food is hearty and filling, and its a German pub.. When you order breakfast, the following drinks are only $1 extra (unreal!) : Coffee, mimosas, bloody marys, beer (no joke- who the f orders a beer with breakfast outside of Wisconsin? or in Wisconsin for that matter??), juices, milk, or tea.. The food isn't a culinary art, but this place feels like home. read more

I was really looking forward to a greasy Come Back In breakfast, but I was distracted by a few bumps during our weekend visit. We had a very nice waitress, but she got our drinks wrong and forgot about us once she gave us the check. I got the "big" breakfast, which was advertised as 3 eggs. I got them scrambled and it was a pretty small serving. The potatoes and English muffin that came with it were both really delicious, though. Everyone's food was pretty good, so no complaints there! It's a great affordable staple if everywhere else is full, but I wasn't gushing after my first visit. Free popcorn!! read more

First off, the host was welcoming and fast, and the waitress rocked. She knew we had to be somewhere soon and got the order in and delivered quickly. She even took care of the bill quickly and kept waters refilled. 5 stars for service. The food is hearty and filling, but also extremely greasy. It has that cheap restaurant, partially-hydrogenated-vegetable-oil-thickened-and-flavored-with imitation-butter-flavor viscous mouthfeel all over the omelet, potatoes, and toast. Probably something like "Pan & Grill" or "Savory" or "Whirl" that is all the rage at your local Denny's and I-Hops, and usually used with a heavy hand by line cooks who need to re-use that pan for the omelet after yours and don't want the chance of anything sticking. This is convenience food. Convenient for the line cooks, not so much for your belly. The asparagus in the omelet was tough, but then, I shouldn't have been ordering asparagus in Wisconsin in October! I accept responsibility for that poor choice. The "sauce" while having a nice hint of rosemary, also appeared to have been made with that nasty, 35 pound jug of phony butter product. If you want to feed people that nasty, greasy, thick, movie-popcorn flavored excuse for butter, you'd better be charging a lot less money than you are now. You're cheap, but not cheap enough for this greasy fare. Fun atmosphere, bad coffee, greasy food. I would suggest this as a decent beer bar maybe, until they get a lighter hand with the Whirl grease. read more

Admittedly, the few times I have been here is later at night and judgement perhaps slightly impaired so it was a little bit of a surprise when I walked in on a Tuesday night around 6. The rustic charm and coziness that my drunken eyes of yore thought they saw was quickly replaced with sad and loneliness. I know there are discussions about selling the property but the place appeared pretty dingy and almost completely empty. It looks the same as it did 25 years ago. Beer taps are solid and, although I was disappointed they didn't have Revolution on tap (although it was listed on the tap list), the Spaten Octoberfest did the trick. Our server was friendly and informed us of the $1 taco special. Being a man of value, I threw caution to the wind and ordered three and they weren't bad-ground beef, lettuce, cheese in a flour tortilla. In a pinch, I would order them again. Seriously, what can you really expect for $1 a taco? With that said, I can't see myself returning to grab a bite to eat. I know their brunch receives decent reviews but there are so many other dining establishments in the vicinity that deliver on the full experience that I would rather go to. read more

Great food. I got the BLT brisket. It was outstanding, it was honestly a BLT with a slab of slow cooked brisket. Then washed it down with a boot of beer to top it all off. Staff is always friendly, and on top of their job. read more

Come Back In - Das boot - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We visited the Come Back In for breakfast on Mother's Day. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to going back. One caveat, I never actually went inside. We parked in the back of the building where there is a decent sized parking lot. At the end of the parking lot near the building were many tables and chairs. A good portion of these were under an awning but there were others in the sun or shaded by the building and/or trees. We met the hostess near the back door. She told us that they were full inside but we could sit outside which was perfect for us. Our waiter promptly brought us menus and took our drink order. I had a Bloody Mary and at only $3 was thoroughly impressed. Delicious mildly spicy rim, excellent tomato flavor, not too thick nor runny. The breakfast menu included multiple benedicts, hashes, biscuits and gravy, omelettes, pancakes, and french toast. Our table had the french toast, cajun steak benedict,and the cajun hash. The benedict came with potatoes which were perfectly cooked, just a little bit crunchy, oily, and seasoned. The hollandaise sauce was silky and buttery. So delicious! Everyone enjoyed their dishes thoroughly. Our waiter was always prompt, very friendly, and great about refilling beverages and making sure we had whatever we needed. I'm always looking for good breakfast places downtown, I definitely found one. read more

The Essen Haus was packed, and though it appeared to be a good time with über-German, polka-fueled revelry, the wait was long and we were assured we could order food and, perhaps most importantly, the 2-liter boots of beer next door at Come Back In. Almost immediately upon sitting down in the cavernous space at the ample wooden tables, our group of 6 had ordered a boot of Spaten. Now, normally this Bavarian lager would be enjoyed by one and all in a beer hall setting, but when, according to the rules of boot drinking, you must finish sometimes up to a liter of the stuff lest your neighbor finish it and foist the purchasing of the next round upon you - if I may amend the Spaten slogan - "Lass Dir raten, trinke kein Spaten" (Be advised, don't drink Spaten.) As for food, I wasn't too impressed with my first sampling of Wisconsin cheese curds, these seeming to be essentially the same as fried mozzarella sticks one could get anywhere. For an entree, I couldn't pass up the sausage combo, choosing Weisswurst and Knackwurst from the list, which I found to be quite good on a bed of sauerkraut with German fried potatoes. One of my companions was less than thrilled with his fried fish, which comes as an all-you-can-eat special on Fridays. Ultimately, the atmosphere was good, especially when the live music kicked in, and while the food might be spotty, the beer is cold and the liquor strong. Come Back In is a great bar if you've got a big group looking for a good time. read more

First, we knew what to expect -- that the Come Back Inn is a bar, that it specializes in hangover food, etc., etc. Even so, I have never been served a more disgusting, oily mess of eggs and other apparent foodstuffs. The phrase "swimming in grease" fits. Absolutely Inedible. Sanitation seemed marginal. Sorry, we won't be coming back inn. We'll likely even avoid walking by. read more

This place isn't very good. If you are looking for a dive bar or cheap food, it's okay to stop in. Other than that, find somewhere else. As far as brunch goes - it's true, you get a $1 mimosa or bloody mary with a meal on the weekends. read more

If you want a real breakfast, then the Come Back cannot be denied. We had a company Christmas party in downtown Madison Saturday night and beelined for the Come Back for breakfast on Sunday morning. The breakfast menu is extensive and most items are cleverly created and satisfyingly greasy. Don't get me wrong, though, this is not a greasy spoon. My husband and I got the classic eggs benedict. It came with perfectly poached eggs and wonderful Rosemary hollandaise. The fried potatoes were generous. Of course, we partook in the $1 bloody marys. OMG ... really? I couldn't get enough. The best part of our breakfast was the service. Our waitress was prompt and friendly without hovering. She was always there to fill the coffee. I can't believe it is so hard to find a good breakfast for under $10, but this is definitely the place to hit. It seems to be a hidden gem among the urban crowd, but everyone is welcome at the Come Back In. Apart from Mickey's, this is the only other breakfast place I will visit in Madison. Don't let any of the bad reviews sway your enjoyment. This place is a must try. See it yourself. I don't think you will be disappointed. read more

So, I've eaten here a handful of times, none of them impressive. This last visit on 9/11/10 prompted me to write. We met family for lunch, had a nice booth by the window and were plagued with flies the whole meal. We had to repeat our orders to the waitress (who did right them down the first time), and when the food came to the table, even though its bar food, the presentation was terrible. The chicken breast used for my sandwich was cooked as-is... therefore "squirted" out the far side of the bun because it hadn't been pounded to an even width (which seems like a no-brainer to me). Toward the end of the meal, where everyone munches on the fries and visits, the waitress came along and took my plate from me as I was still eating, and asked, "Are you done with this?" as she walked away. Guess I was. Later inquiries of other friends and acquaintences found that NOBODY we know likes the Come Back In for anything other than breakfast. In fact, all we asked said, "Don't bother going for anything but breakfast... It's the only good thing they serve." Duly noted. read more

I really like the Brunch at the Come Back In. The menu has something for everyone, that is for sure. I ordered the Walleye and Eggs. The fish was cooked well (could have be a touch warmer). The eggs and potatoes were delicious. I had the pancakes and they were really, really good. Of course, when you are eating breakfast at the Come Back In, you get a bloody, screwdriver, or Mimosa. I grabbed the Screwdriver as it worked well with both the fish and the pancakes. My pal had the Prime Rib and Eggs. That is a lot of food for the price. I have to remember to come here more often. read more

Greasy, but otherwise good bar food. Open very late, soi that's the biggest taking point about this place. Decent location, not too far from stuff, but still far enough to break a lethargic person's day. read more

Come Back In - Walleye - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Once or twice a year I tell myself to try this place again. I need to stop listening to the voices in my head. Some of the slowest, rudest employees/servers I have ever come a crossed. Looks like there more concerned with getting out of there as fast as they can, rather than taking care of there customers. Definitely would not suggest this place to anyone that I liked. read more

Got takeout a month or so ago and it was delicious! They even gave me a little gift certificate as thanks. Tried using it tonight for takeout but apparently it's for dine-in only-which they're enforcing...during a pandemic. It wouldn't be so bad but the food was also disappointing! Medium-rare burger was so overdone and had maybe one blue cheese crumble. read more

You wanna know how much I love the Come Back In? Well, I ate breakfast here twice this weekend while I was in Madison. I never took advantage of this place when I was a student, and that's regrettable because I don't know if I've ever had such a delicious breakfast in Madison. The decor is decidedly German bierstube (like the Essen Haus next door) and the service was exceptional... but it's the food that sold me (twice). Your first breakfast drink (I got a spicy Bloody Mary) is only $1 and the greasy spoon schtuff coming out of the kitchen will make your tummy smile. They've got walleye and eggs, breakfast sandwiches on pretzel buns and all kinds of omelets and benedicts. My visits were quite different, even though they were only 24 hours apart. The first day, I was in a group of about 16 people (all of us UW alums). I ordered the huevos rancheros at the recommendation of my boyfriend. It's actually a breakfast burrito full of eggs, ham, green peppers and onions and smothered with cheese. It was so big I couldn't finish it. It came with those heavenly fried potatoes, which are thinly sliced and seasoned with salt, pepper, onions and maybe garlic... God's gift to hungover alumni. I also tried a bite of my friend's French toast, which is stuffed with cream cheese and altogether too rich for me. I don't like sweets at breakfast though--my friend really liked it. Today my boyfriend and I stopped there on our way out of town. I got the Gold Rush Scramble: a deceptively small skillet filled with a mixture of THE fried potatoes, eggs, broccoli, green peppers and onions and then topped with strips of bacon and gilded with Wisconsin cheddar. I would eat this every day if I still lived in Madison and I didn't care about my cholesterol. I practically hoovered my plate clean. Our HUGE feast (my scramble, his huevos rancheros + a side of corned beef hash, two Bloody Marys) set us back $19 + tip. Win. read more

Another great downhome Madison place with a massive beer list and an exceptional brunch. yah der hey. read more

Come Back In - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I'm updating this from a 5/5 based purely on drinks/karaoke to a 5/5 INCLUDING the wonderful brunch. I am quite a regular here for Sunday Night karaoke which is great fun. The 4.50 for 1/2 liter tap microbrews is a great thing. Outdoor seating under a nice night sky is also a great thing. What I did not know is how wonderful the food is at the Come Back in after all this time! I have had brunch there a few times and can now confirm it's my favorite in terms of breakfast. The spinach, feta and garlic omelette is so amazing. Any restaurant that does not use hollandaise sauce is not even in the same field anymore as Come Back In. I've not had the pancakes or waffles but I'm interested in trying them. The prices are VERY REASONABLE considering the large portion sizes and great drink prices! read more

This is a cool breakfast spot. We have a party of 12-16 and they accommodated quite well. Large tables, easy to move around. Even provided separate checks with no hassle! Nice variety of breakfast options. The biscuits and gravy plate was good, but not the best I've had. $4 bloody mary's and mimosas...and they come in a pint glass, so they're big! Pumpkin pancakes were awesome! Decent prices. Not the best breakfast food ever, but for the price, it's not bad. read more

Come Back In is quintessential Wisconsin. From the enormous variety of beer on tap to the generous pours and more than generous portions...this establishment speaks to times of when people had less so when they went out they got (& expected) a lot more! I have always had a good time here....the prices are very reasonable - far more so than any other downtown locale...look for & keep up with the specials to get your best buy. Right now I know Sunday morning drinks run about $3 (a Really good bloody mix for a busy place - comes with lemon, pickle, and choice of beer back), or mimosas/screwdrivers are also on the cheap. Breakfast is good here. Really good. As far as my dollar goes I love the variety you can get here for the price...yeah they don't have exotic berries - but a rather a solid breakfast. Brunch is always busy, they accommodate large groups without reservations, and expect a meal for two with 1 drink per person to take an hour all together. Looking to drink more? Sit at the bar if this is your hangover/Sunday plan. Servers are awesome - it's just that busy.... Late night menu I know is on the cheap and solid side - the way it should be. Beer and drinks are always better than average. Grab a pint, a liter, or even a boot here & enjoy a stay! Seriously - just leave the watch at home... read more

While usually the place you go when the Essenhaus is too full (or your ears are bleeding from the incessant polka), the Come Back is a fairly standard Wisco bar. Of note is their breakfast. Though the service can be spotty, the food is pretty tasty, especially if hung-over. Case in point: I ordered some sort of canjun steak benedict and it was so tasty (or I was so bleary) that I missed the fact that the dish was lacking eggs until the end of the meal. Review update: I need to stop rating places when I'm so hung-over I can barely type. Visiting the Come Back In not clouded by the haze of last night's whisky can be a risky proposition. Rude waitstaff, misplaced orders, and centipeds become much harder to deal with when clear-minded. read more

You want beer? Come back here! Great for weekend breakfast/brunch, with tables outdoors if you'd like to brave the elements. Those include a drink for $1 - I prefer a half-liter of a Milk Stout if it's on tap. 26 taps and a ton of bottles. Craft brew and imports are the name of the game, with many German imports due to their affiliation with the Essen Haus next door. If you're here in the evening, you can migrate between the Come Back and the Essen Haus where they have even more beer and pretzels and German food. Service is pretty good as much of the waitstaff have many years of experience working here. Live bands sometimes, although the acoustics are rough in the Come Back. Basically, this is a great beer bar with decent food and good service. Grab a boot while you're here, you crazy person you. They have a large lot for parking with parking ramps/lots nearby if it's full. Over 10 TVs if you're looking to watch a game, and they also have darts, some video games and a jukebox. 4 stars, because while the beer is excellent, the food can sometimes be hit and miss, and it can also get uncomfortably loud in there, especially when there's a band. read more

This is an extremely average bar serving extremely average bar food. While, after a liter of German beer from Essen Haus next door, the sliders I ordered tasted delicious, I recognize that they weren't really much different from sliders that you can get anywhere else. My steak ones were extremely juicy and tender, while the chicken ones resembled cardboard. My friends' burgers as well as the cheese curds we shared were all average, reminiscent of the kind you'd get at any other bar. I wasn't especially impressed by the atmosphere. It was just a loud, crowded bar with your basic bar decor and Madison bar crowd. Our waitress also either got high before work, or someone decided her first day on the job should be on a busy Saturday night. She screwed up several parts of our order and didn't seem to be very familiar with the basic etiquette of being a waitress, like when to show up and when to walk away. None of it was too serious, but what really got me is that she didn't know anything about any of the beers on the menu. You work at a bar next to a German biergarten. Seriously? read more

It's been awhile since I've eaten anything here other than breakfast, but my husband and I are definitely Come Back In regulars for breakfast! There are SO many options that go above and beyond your standard breakfast fare. Of course, they do your typical eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc. But they also have dishes like Crab cake and asparagus Benedict, Jambalaya and eggs, and walleye and eggs (just to name a few). I definitely appreciate the variety, as it's nice to have a breakfast that you likely wouldn't make at home. I love that they serve their mimosas in a pint glass, although they could definitely improve their champagne to orange juice ration (more champagne, please)! They also need to work on their "over medium" egg making skills, but for what it's worth, most restaurants fail miserably at over medium. Service is reliably quick, friendly, and efficient. They get your food out fast! What else? The coffee is really good too! If you haven't added Come back to your list of breakfast spots, definitely do so! read more

Come Back In - When your mimosa comes in a pint glass - Bars Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Been here numerous times never let down. I have sampled many of the items on the menu, the menu has a lot of unique and traditional choices for breakfast. Beer is always freshly tapped out of clean lines. Bloody Mary's are simple yet very tasty. Prices are great along with the laid back Madison atmosphere. One of my favorite stops in Madison!v read more

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7/4/13 My wife and I stopped at the Come Back In. Thursday it's Happy Hour all day! We started inside with Ale Asylum's Bedlam. Then had another round. I switched to Left Hand's Milk Stout. On our way out we got trapped by the sounds of the Midwesterners playing the sounds of Americana. We had to listen and ordered another round of pints while sitting on their patio. They offer a nice breakfast. We're a fan of their burger and Rueben sandwiches. They make great fries. ;-) read more

We went for the Sunday night karaoke. The karaoke guy was a scary lookin mo fo. But the song selection blew my mind. I sang Bjork, people! My friend Jason sang MIKA. I was in heaven. Some jack ass freaked out - kicking tables and shit around - while attempting to sing "Don't Stop Believin" That was annoying. I think if the karaoke guy hadn't been out smoking, he would have throttled the guy. But who knows. DJ Scary is on my good side though - he gave us a free bottle of champagne at the end of the night. He mumbled something about a contest but not enough people sticking around. Free booze = good times. Anyhoo, I also had breakfast here twice. It was alright. But nothing will ever top Smut N Eggs for breakfast in Madison. It's just not possible. read more

My first time for brunch at the Come Back In was with friends at 10:00am on a Sunday. This place seems like a great place to enjoy a greasy spoon style breakfast, sip on some $3 mimosa or bloody marys and watch football. There are lots of tvs and one can see a screen no matter where you're sitting. I ordered a mimosa and the Big Breakfast which comes with choice of meat, style of eggs, and bread or pancakes. This was perfect for me as I usually want something savory for breakfast, but I am often tempted by the thought of fluffy and mildly sweet pancakes. This was my idea breakfast as it combined a little sweet with a little savory. It also comes with potatoes but I wasn't impressed with the potatoes. I liked the mimosas. It was light on the alcohol, but that's how I like it at 10am in the morning. Plus, for $3 it felt like a steal. read more

When my boyfriend and I got to the Ruby Marie and were handed coupons for breakfast at the Come On In, I was afraid. Very afraid. Breakfast at a bar? But I was really surprised by the brunch at this place. There were around 20 dishes to choose from, and everything the boyfriend and I tried was quite good. The Eggs Benedict were really tasty, and my cajun omelette was good (though not terribly spicy). Add on a mimosa or a bloody for a dollar for the first one? Yes, please. We came back later to do some drinking, and the beer selection was nice. Lots of tap choices, and lots of crazy steins to drink from. Bonus - you can order food from the Essen Haus, so I was able to get Essen Haus wings while sitting at the bar here. Major bonus! read more

This place is perfect for big groups because all of the tables are large, there's free peanuts and/or popcorn, and it's so big (especially combined with the essen haus) that there's always somewhere to sit- very few, if any, places downtown can say this. other than that, the service is fine, the food is fine, the atmosphere is fine....nothing too exceptional, but certainly good enough if you want to drink beer with a bunch of friends. (avoid mixed drinks- this place is for beer and they seem inexperienced at anything else) read more

Went there for an early brunch on a Sunday morning, and I am definitely a fan! I got the Crabcake and Asparagus Benedict with a side of bacon. Both were AMAZING! The crabcake was perfect and the hollandaise sauce was magnificent! The eggs were poached perfectly and the asparagus added such a great flavor. The dish also came with a side of potatoes, which were a little greasy for me, but still tasted good. The bacon is thick cut and you get 4 pieces as a side! There was so much food that I left half a piece of bacon that I just couldn't eat - and I LOVE bacon, so that's saying a lot! Of course, what's brunch without drinks? My friend got a mimosa and I went for the bloody mary with a spotted cow chaser. The bloody mary was okay. It's served with a lemon wedge and pickle, and has a salt/pepper rim. Pretty good, but not the amount of spicy that I like in a bloody mary. Although, I guess for $3 it's not bad at all. Our server was really nice and prompt with everything we needed. Overall, I'd definitely go back for brunch! read more

Stopped in with a friend for breakfast on a Sunday. I enjoyed the decor of an older Madison establishment. We were seated promptly and our waiter was quick with coffee and menus. I had the Corned Beef & Eggs and my friend had the Golden Skillet. The food was good, nothing over the top but it was good. My corned beef seemed like it was the canned version you can buy at the store and not homemade. My friend gave me a two thumbs up on their meal. I will definitely be going back and suggest you stop in as well. read more

They are a German bar that should serve excellent pretzels. It is the first item on their menu. The pretzels we got were cold, stale, and the salt was something I've never had before. Very strange salt substitute if that is even a thing. The mustard was horrible too. I've had better pretzels at a water park. That aside, the ambiance is great. read more

Ahhh... the Come Back. Usually I stop in for a tasty beverage (and free popcorn) - the place never disappoints in that realm. The cozy atmosphere, great service and the occasional treat of live music all tickle my fancy. But sometimes, yes sometimes, I go there for the food. And when I do, I'm always pleasantly surprised. Last night's dining selection was the French Dip. So yummy. High quality meat, swiss that tastes like swiss and thick bread to soak up the au jus. The mushrooms and onions are just a bonus at that point. I'll definitely be back! read more

Excellent brunch, with a drink option. Try the bloody mary! Lots of beer options, including those from next door at the Essen Haus. And if you've never tried it, try drinking from a Yard. read more

I have to admit, the first time I stepped in I was incredibly unimpressed. It's big, they sell GIANT glasses of beer and the crowd is a bit too eclectic for even this guys tastes. That's usually a recipe for disaster... but for some reason this place is growing on me. Sure, it's not my favorite bar in madison. It's not even in my top 20. I wouldn't make this a weekend destination, but it fills that niche of "Hey, you wanna grab a beer?" Plus it's close to home. Weeknights are pretty quiet, you can sit and have a conversation and drink. Sometimes that's all you need out of a bar. The Come Back is not good, it's definitely not bad... it just IS read more

I always think I'm going to love this place, but then when I'm actually there it's just not that great. Good for groups, though, because the tables turn over pretty fast. read more

Had breakfast here with our stay at the Hotel Ruby Marie (B&B). - came 2 mornings in a row for breakfast The first time had just awesome pancakes ---- but the second time had my wife's breakfast the morning before.... Big portions - bring your appetite. Good coffee. Suggestion: Try adding Cinnamon/brown-sugar (even raisins) to the pancakes and waffle choices. Excellent service - great food - big portions - no wonder why they are popular read more

Just had a late lunch with lots of BEER. Fun place with very good food, good prices, excellent service. This is a "Gastro Pub". Okay. Large selection of beer. Happy Hour prices daily. Interesting décor--lots of old stuff, like antique Salt and pepper shakers. Highly recommend. read more