Haven't updated my review here in quite a while. Madeline's continues to be one of the finest restaurants in Cambria, offering delicious french cuisine in an elegant setting. The prices are not cheap, though they are appropriate and on par with other restaurants of this caliber in Cambria. read more

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Let's put it this way, one of the Best restaurants in SLO county, if not the best. Normally, I'd go into great detail on my experience, like when eating the scallops, you taste a meaty depth of flavor, comparable to steak, yet a buttery acidic sauce to cut through the rich, almost fatty scallop. How the Bruschetta Eggplant, literally to my words away. The perfect blend of rich, natural sweetness from the bells and the substantialness of the eggplant. The breading, the acid, to intense vibrance, coming all together, WOW. I'd discuss how the service was second to none in the area. How this little cottage like restaurant, when seated in the front window, looking out to the downtown, through the front greenery, transports to Europe! No, instead, I'll say, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE GREAT AMBIANCE, SERVICE, AND CUISINE, THEN MAKE A RESERVATION! *Only qual was they must invest in a real Espresso Machine, so we can have real coffee with Dessert!* read more

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Madeline's restaurant is located on Main Street in Cambria. We've eaten here before when vacationing in Cambria. My husband and I shared the Madeline's salad. Delicious. I ordered the filet mignon which came with mashed potatoes and veggies. The steak was tough and overcooked. I returned it. The server immediately brought a replacement which was very good. My husband had the braised short ribs over pasta. Delicious. The wine was excellent. For wine tasting I recommend you try Madeline's on Moonstone located at the Cambria Shores Inn. Very relaxing overlooking the ocean. read more

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Wow what a fantastic restaurant. We have eaten here many times and it is our favorite place to dine in Cambria. The food is always on point. We have never had a bad experience. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Never had to ask for more water, etc.. it's great little date night dinner spot. You can dine inside or alfresco! Highly recommend. read more

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My husband took me here for my birthday getaway to Cambria. Host was very welcoming and per my husband's request, had a nice little table in the front by the window. Our server was very professional and friendly. I had two starters for my dinner because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat a whole entree (hotel room had less than adequate working fridge so, no leftovers!). Even though the potato and leek soup was on the thin side, it was good. Also had the Madeline Salad which had all the things I love in a salad, goat cheese, roasted beets, apples, hazelnuts and an apple cider Vinaigrette. Very good. My husband had the Long Island Duck Breast which he said was very good, as well as the sides of scalloped potatoes (delish!) and vegetables. For birthday dessert, we had the warm apple tart with vanilla ice cream, very yummy! read more

Came in this evening to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom and husband. We made a reservation for 5:30pm the night before. Highly recommend making reservation. The ambiance is cozy and warm. Tables are close together but the space is small so they did well with the spacing. We were very impressed with the wine list. I ordered a Gruner and my mom a Rose. Both were great. We started with an appetizer of scallops which my husband and mom said were delicious. I had the soup special of potato/leek and my husband got the Madaline salad. I did not care for the soup so my mom ate it and enjoyed it. My husband's salad looked good and he really liked it. Our main meals were Filet Mignon, the stuffed chicken breast and the seafood gumbo. My husband really liked the gumbo...spicy but not too hot with flavor. My mom's chicken was really good, I wish I had gotten that. I had the filet mignon which was ok. It was not cooked correctly and had no flavor. The waitress did offer to send it back but we had already waited a while for the food so I did not want to wait. We ordered desserts...chocolate cake, lime/raspberry pie and the apple tart. They were delicious except for the chocolate cake...again, not much flavor. We ordered coffee with dessert and it was really good. I did not need sugar as it was very smooth and just lovely. All in all it was ok for me and good for my husband and mom. We did receive a comp dessert for my steak issue which was very nice. I would like to suggest providing actual soup spoons with the soup and gumbo...it would elevate the experience a bit. I do not know that I would return but if I did I would order a different meal for sure and get a glass of Gruner...not easy to find. I feel like the prices were definitely in line with the quality...fair and reasonable. I would have given a three star but my mom and husband said they think a four star fit for them so majority ruled read more

The food was absolutely delicious, best filet mignon we've had. (Better than Gordon Ramsay's kitchen in Vegas). We were celebrating my birthday and this was the perfect spot. Such kind staff members and beautiful environment. Definitely coming back in the future. read more

Madeline's - Filet Mignon GF - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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Food service and ambiance are all nice. We had an intimate lunch for two. Enjoyed the soup and sandwiches. read more

First time at this restaurant. A wonderful little French bistro with superb food, attentive service, and a nice ambience. I will certainly be back! read more

It was amazing!!! Food was outstanding. The mushroom appetizer and the eggplant appetizer was wow read more

Madeline's - The eggplant and mushroom appetizers - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

Being the only fine dining place in town, you probably either need a reservation or walk-in early to snap a seat. I thought the food was okay, they do have many decent choices for wine. Also, service may be a bit lacking. The front reception worker and water worker were fine, but our server was only attending to my boyfriend's needs. When he checked up on us, he did not look at me, did not speak to me, towards the end while he already almost turned away, I had to verbally get his attention and ask him to get me some parmesan for my pasta. He may have been a bit surprised that I spoke? lol read more

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Outstanding food, service and ambiance. The crab cakes, Madeline's salad, short ribs and lamb chops were wonderful. Great wine list. Reservations suggested!!! read more

We went to this lovely restaurant located in our favorite place to escape to...ahhh Cambria you have our heart. This restaurant is the perfect date night getaway... amazing menu and outstanding wine list. White tablecloths, candles and flowers make a for a very romantic evening dinner. They have a very small outdoor patio if you'd like to dine outside. They seve lunch and dinner. The service was stellar start to finish from the hostess to our server. The food was amazing. We will definitely return and highly recommend a visit to Madeline's. read more

Madeline's is just a nice, comfortable, quiet and remarkable restaurant. The food is outstanding. If they serve it, they do it right. Delicious food that's the best in Cambria. read more

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this place so much! the wait was a little frustrating but definitely worth it! my parents are not fans of oysters but we got some here and it converted them! these were the best oysters we had on our trip and we went all the way up to SF to an oyster specialty store! definitely would recommend this place! there's a line for a reason read more

It was just OK. The plates were not heated, which is sort of unconscionable at this price point so the food quickly got cold. And beyond that it was just sort of mediocre. Very nice people. read more

We didn't have a reservation. We weren't awfully hungry so we decided to sit at the bar and have a glass of wine and share a couple of dishes We started with the eggplant bruschetta. If you love eggplant like I do this is a must order. Delightful. Pet peeve, we got our glasses of wine after the appetizer, never happy about that. But our server was apologetic. Not her fault but I'm sure they were short staffed. Then we shared a shrimp creole which the server so thoughtfully plated in 2 plates at no charge which was very nice of her. Now that was delicious!! For dessert we had the chocolate cake. That to me was just okay. Nice that it was flourless though. Highly recommend this place. Food was very good. read more

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It's a very cozy little place, laid out well. The staff was attentive and cheerful, and the host was chatty in a great way. It's billed as a French restaurant and this, but the menu offers something for everyone. My partner had duck with asparagus and scalloped potatoes, all nicely prepared and presented. I had braised short ribs with garlic mash potatoes and asparagus. We both had salads to start, both excellent. It was my birthday and they offered me dessert on the house. I had Dutch apple pie with ice cream, the perfect way to end the meal. The place was filled with locals, always a good sign. Bravo Madeline's! read more

EXCELLENT FOOD! Very quaint and cute restaurant, loved the 2 outdoor tables for a romantic, semi private dining experience. We ate there both nights we were in town because the food and ambiance was so delightful. read more

Madeline's - Filet Mignon & Roasted Duck. - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

Truly fabulous! Visited for our 19th wedding anniversary dinner and we're so glad we did. From start to finish, just a lovely experience. Look forward to returning when we're back in Cambria! read more

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The best of Cambria for dinner. I started with a glass of wine. The father of the owner greeted and seated me. What a treat. I had the duck which was done to perfection, juicy and so much great flavor. This is an exceptional place even if it was located in Manhattan NY. Here in Cambria it is a super star. Always an excellent place to celebrate or just have a great evening. My best to Malorie. Anything you order will be exceptional. In my travels around the world I would rate this one of the best for many reasons. Enjoy read more

Madeline's might pretend to be a bit more than it is: a continental restaurant of fine dining. Tables are properly set in white table cloth and napkins. Dinner music was easy to listen to and the volume was just enough to easily hear a table mate. Servers were all dressed in black and were appropriately pleasant in demeanor and in appearance. Service was generally very attentive and appropriate. There was one minor lapse when a server cleared more sets of my table than I gave him permission to clear, but that was not a major issue for me. I give Madeline's only three stars because of the quality of the food. The food wasn't bad. It just wasn't particularly good. I had a glass of house Chardonnay, the stuffed chicken breast entree with green beans, carrots, and scalloped potatoes with onion. Bread with herbed butter was given. For dessert, I had the creme brûlée. The pre-meal bread was the most disappointing offering of my dinner. It was insipid white bread in the shape of a baguette and sliced on the bias. The crust had no crunch and was not as brown as it should have been. The house Chardonnay was the style that inclines toward the stark and oaky. I prefer soft and buttery Chardonnays, but that's just a matter of taste. The green beans and carrots were served barely warmed on the plate. They were both hardly cooked: a style enjoyed by many, but not my favorite. The beans were very fresh-tasting. The carrots were in the form of slices on the bias from very large, tough carrots. I would have preferred that either the carrots had been tender baby carrots or that the large tough carrot slices had been cooked long enough to tenderize them. Carrots cooked long enough will caramelize into a sweet tender treat. The scalloped potatoes with onion were very good. The stuffed chicken breast was ok, but it was drier than it should have been. Creme Brûlées come in various styles from eggy, to creamy to pudding-like. This one was not eggy but leaned toward a creamy pudding. I wish it had had a bit more vanilla. Portion sizes were all appropriate. My dinner came to around $64 without tip. In summary, if you want a restaurant that is perfect for a great conversation with table mates in a "proper" atmosphere, Madeline's does a great job. But there are restaurants in town with better food. July, 2025 read more

Best French restaurant I've ever experienced and I spent a summer living and attending the American University in Paris. The mussels were beyond compare. The raspberry sorbet was delicious with fresh raspberries. Our server Natalie was lovely. The ambiance was delightful. read more

Madeline's - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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Madeline's was recommended and it was much appreciated. The restaurant is cozy and has a great vibe as you enter. We enjoyed a great lunch and our server was fabulous! My friends had the hamburgers and I had the mushroom soup with salad. It was delish and we topped it off with a raspberry lime pie that was yummy !!! The next time I'm in town, I'll be back. If you go for dinner, be sure to make a reservation!!! Thank you Madeline's!! read more

This was our first time trying this place. It is small so you need to call ahead and make a reservation. The gumbo and octopus were very good but the filet was out of this world. They were so attentive that they noticed I wasn't thrilled with the Belgium Golden Ale and took it off of the bill. My wife had Madeline's Cabernet which was very good. Nice place. Nice atmosphere. Great staff and very good food. read more

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Madeline's Restaurant & Wine Cellar in Cambria provides a warm atmosphere, cozy hospitality, and polished service. The restaurant serves homemade French/American cuisine as well as an array of international flavors made from farmers' market fresh ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, but you can expect to find fresh seafood, locally sourced meats, and vegetarian dishes. Our meal started with some bread and cheese. The bread was soft and easy to break. The cheese was not the easiest to spread, but it was delicious. My friend and I split one serving of their daily special soup (tomato basil soup). The soup was a bit watered down but very flavorful. My friend tried their Louisiana seafood gumbo. Seafood was fresh, but the gumbo was a bit salty. The portion size was decent. I got their Lamb Sirloin. Lamb was cooked nicely, but it was mostly bland because the chimichuri sauce was very watered down and barely stayed on the meat. Mashed potatoes were okay; a bit chunky and not as creamy. The service was fast. Our server was very good and attentive. If you are in the Cambria area, then it's worth checking out this place. read more

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Definitely wanted to update my review because we recently had dinner here and I must say...my experience gets better and better! Tried the short rib pasta and my companion tried the sea bass. They were both sooooo delicious! And the wine! Ohhhh it was delicious and as always the staff is always prepared with wine suggestions. Check out my pictures and see what dinner was like! read more

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Driving up the coast, we stopped in with our pup and had a wonderful dining experience at this restaurant! The food was absolutely excellent--everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful from the moment I walked in. Our waitress, Natalie, was especially attentive and considerate, making sure we had everything we needed and offering great recommendations. It's clear that customer service is a top priority here. If we were local we'd definitely be coming back soon! Our pup, Little Foot, enjoyed her filet mignon. Plenty of options of wine. read more

Madeline's - Little Foot dining. - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

We went here for lunch on the recommendation of friends and enjoyed amazing food. Best food I've had in Cambria in awhile actually. You come here for the food & wine, not the view. This is a small place, no frills. Feels like Europe, just like there service is unhurried, verging on slow, at least when we were there at lunch. But the food is worth the wait. This will be a must stop during Cambria visits. read more

Everything was perfect here. The food was amazing, the service was spectacular and even the atmosphere was lovely. I would definitely recommend this place read more

I dropped in here a few years ago randomly. The meal was excellent in every way. Since I was passing through Cambria, I thought I would see if it was as good as I remember. It wasn't. It was much better. Few things are as good as we remember them, Madeline's is an exception and the food, service,and ambience here are exceptional! I could not recommend this place more highly! read more

Excellent service & food!! Husband loved it for Father's Day!! We went for lunch but we will try you for dinner soon. Our waitress was lovely!! read more

Madeline's - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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After a beautiful drive up from Los Angeles, we had a lovely dinner at this charming, intimate spot. Cozy, warm, decorated with landscape and portait paintings, it has a very romantic feel. Service was excellent and the food was very good. My wife would have liked a couple more mussels in the appetizer she ordered as a main course (even if it came at a slightly higher price) and we both would have enjoyed a little more goat cheese on the bruschetta, but my steak and the apple pie dessert was excellent. Without those minor caveats we would have given the meal that final star. However, we can give five stars to Giovanni, who served us some very nice cabernet at the Madeline's wine bar on the beach before we headed to dinner. He was charming, attentive and a delight to spend time with. And that sunset was pretty spectacular, too! read more

Went here for dinner for my Mom's bday. I had the halibut (special of the day) and my Mom had the filet mignon. The vegetables were cooked carrots and green beans. I heard the hostess say carrots, beans, and squash but we were missing the squash lol. I've eaten in some nice restaurants...I expected decent/good food. What I got? It looked like we licked our plates clean! We didn't!! Meat cooked perfectly, fish was seared just right. Garlic mashed potatoes were amazing. Even got dessert and coffee! Dry Riesling was great with my fish. Only two small points - our waitress/service staff was nice but didn't really help me decide between the 5 entrees I was considering! I was super happy with the fish though. Hostess said they'd check on us? Nope, which btw I didn't mind. There was another service staff /waitress there that was very engaged with the food and wines that people were asking about. Again, for what we ate and paid, I'm not put off at all by these small things and i definitely didn't leave a subpar tip. read more

We went here FINALLY after year of coming to Cambria and being told that Madeline's was a great place for dinner Let me start by saying that Brooke was an EXCELLENT server she made the dining experience even better But the food!! If I could give it more than 5 stars I totally would Good luck to you Brooke, you rock and so does Madeline's read more

Four stars on Yelp says "good," but honestly, Madeline's was VERY GOOD. I just wouldn't call it "excellent." To me, excellent is perfection or as close to it as possible, and this was just a bit shy of that. I really enjoyed this meal, but here's why only the 4 stars..... 1) We had the diver scallops as one of our appetizers (that we shared). They had no appreciable flavor, somewhat lackluster. At a minimum, the beurre blanc sauce should have added something to the flavor, or perhaps, the scallops should have been been browned/sauteed in butter a bit more. It was disappointing and honestly, the reason for 1 star being removed. 2) I'm not really marking down for this, but as an aside, the menu was a little too small, and while we found something to eat, it just would have been nice to have a few more additions to choose from. I think the problem was that of the 8 items offered, I wouldn't ever order 5 of them... just not my cup 'o tea. My husband and I chose the fresh fish, which was salmon, and it was fabulous, but I like having a little more choice than what was offered. I want to be clear, though, we loved our meal. First of all, we requested a "fruit forward" red wine, and they brought us a Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was perfect. One would rarely, if ever, think of cabs as being fruit forward, but this one was, and it was light, too. Wonderful glass of wine, and they knew exactly what we wanted. I always appreciate that. The other appetizer we ordered was the Spanish Octopus, which was "slow cooked" with roasted tomato, saffron, paprika, garlic, and lemon. The menu stated it was to be over a "crispy risotto cake," but there was nothing crispy at the bottom. It was more like a "stuffing" texture, and it was very tasty. I didn't care what it was or wasn't. All the flavors tasted good, and there was lots of flavor. It was delicious. As stated above, for our entree, we had ordered the fresh fish, which was salmon from Morro Bay. VERY nicely prepared with a nice, light sauce on top. I have no idea what the sauce was, but the fish and the sauce had great flavor, and it was served with rice, green beans and a few cooked carrot slices. Delicious !!! We didn't order any dessert because we were full and also, we didn't find anything on their menu that enticed us that much. I would definitely return to this restaurant because they obviously know how to prepare food well. They just need to rethink their scallops prep and perhaps tweak their menu, but those are just my opinions. Small outdoor dining area, yet tables well spaced. Grateful it was there because we won't dine indoors during these Covid times. read more

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I saw that Madeline's had duck on their menu and that is my husband's favorite! The reviews were a bit mixed, but we went for it! It's our 27th anniversary trip and this little place had all the charm we were looking for. We got a little window seat and started with the stuffed quail. It was delicious and succulent with such a good stuffing mixture! I ordered the eggplant rollatini which was really good! Nice sauce and the filling was delicious. My husband got the duck and it was everything he was looking for! Finally, we ordered the lime raspberry pie, which was more of a tart, but it was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Excellent service, delicious food... support this small business! read more

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I had a meal at Madeline's in Cambria last night. I had the Gumbo dish and experienced food poisoning later. To say the least it was a difficult experience. Even though any establishment can have an off night, there is no excuse for serving spoiled or mishandled food. This shows poor organization and training as well as stretching the boundaries of what is appropriate to serve a paying customer. This place is a must avoid for the future. read more

Quick Summary Fantastic food and great value. Ambiance was great as well. Food- 5 stars I was surprised by how delicious the food was, especially since I glanced into the kitchen and noticed how small it was Spanish octopus- we were slightly surprised by how it was prepared. the dish was delicious, but the octopus had more of a crispy texture (Versus the standard grilled octopus) Stuffed quail- delicious and juicy as well. Some parts of the quail were slightly dry, but it probably was because I was taking pictures of our dishes Soup of the day- this was such a rich and delicious soup. Probably my favorite of the day Beef stroganoff- this was the special of the day. The short rib was so tender and the sauce was so rich and delicious. would order again Service- 4 stars The servers were attentive and accommodating. One of the servers seemed a bit slow and new, so deducted it by 1 star. It didn't mess with our dining experience at all, but it was a bit off Parking There's plenty of parking in the downtown area, but may need to walk a bit since the outdoor tables are blocking a few spots Bottom Line Great food, great weather, and great ambiance. Will be coming back! read more

This review is not for Madeline's restaurant but for their pop-up at the Cambria Shores Inn. We visited last night (Thursday) for their wine tasting and food experience, and it was fantastic. Ivan was a one-man show--bartender, chef, and host--all in one. His warmth, professionalism, and deep knowledge of wine and food was outstanding. My husband and I were incredibly impressed. Despite the place being packed, Ivan effortlessly managed everything, making it seem seamless. He is a natural in hospitality. The prosciutto flatbread was especially delicious. We enjoyed our visit so much that we returned tonight (Friday). Unfortunately, Ivan wasn't there and it was completely different experience. A young woman was working tonight, and unlike Ivan, she did not acknowledge anyone. Instead, she was preoccupied with chatting with her hippie friend in the corner--ignoring guests while giving away free wine to the friend. People were visibly confused, unsure of who was actually working, as she kept her back to the customers and treated the evening as if she were a guest rather than a server. After having an exceptional experience on Thursday and happily spending a significant amount, we left on Friday after just one glass of wine. It was disappointing to see such a stark contrast in service. I truly hope the owner sees this review and ensures proper training--one disengaged employee can easily damage a business's reputation. read more