"Mom and Pop" local restaurant. Delicious food, huge portions. Decent prices. Friendly staff. read more

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Food was really good. Not very friendly though. Felt like we were bothering the staff from coming in

Huge portions at a very reasonable price. Waitresses are amazing! Going there for breakfast is a must!

On Wednesday morning about 7:30 my mom and I stopped in for breakfast. Small parking lot but big restaurant. I think we could have parked along either side of St James had we not squeezed in to a spot, so parking shouldn't be a problem and shouldn't scare you away if it's full...there is plenty of space inside! We had told Lori twice, to come back...we needed more time w the menu. As my mom and I perused the menu, I was going to just opt for two eggs and toast. My mom asked if I'like to share a bacon omelet and apple fritter french toast? Server Lori assured my mom they were delicious. I obliged For how not busy it was it felt like it took quite a bit for our food to come out. But.....once it did... worth the wait! I unfortunately had no room for my apple fritter french toast, my mom ate hers and exclaimed "this is the first time I've ever had french toast and didn't drown it in syrup.... I didn't even need syrup." Some bites she ate just the french toast, some she dipped the bite in a little syrup. It wasn't loud in Marges; not sure if it's because it wasn't busy or they just have great acoustics, either way, it's appreciated. I don't know what it was about the omelet... the bacon? The oil the eggs were cooked in? I didn't discuss w my mom her thoughts, but I thought there was a bit sweet taste to it! I liked that the tables all had small ads for local businesses! Way to keep it local/small! There was a white board on the wall w the delicious sounding daily specials and quite a selection of pies! Thanks Marges for a delicious meal served by friendly staff in a welcoming and comfortable setting. Will stop in for lunch next time I'm in town, cheers! read more

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I've heard of this place because they offer a food challenge and really wanted to check this place out. I lived in La Crosse for a few years already, and I finally got the chance to have breakfast here. I ordered their Country Fried Steak with hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, and whole wheat toast, I also got the country gravy on the side. Visually, the food looked like a hot mess, it was as if someone just plopped food randomly on the plate. Fortunately, it tasted better than it looked. The gravy was not too salty (which I appreciated), and the hashbrowns were cooked perfectly. My eggs, however, were slightly overcooked, and the batter on steak was soggy on the bottom. Overall, it was still a tasty and hearty breakfast though. Food takes a little bit longer to come out, but that's because they make everything to order, so I didn't mind. This place is really popular among the locals, if you come during the weekend the dining area fills up fast. They do have their own parking but it's rather small, so you may need to find some nearby street parking during peak mealtimes. The dining area was simply decorated, no frills, and had an old-school diner vibe. The service was casual and friendly. read more

Marge's On Rose - Country Fried Steak (Gravy on the Side) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Wonderful local feeling when I entered the place and waitress was excellent. I ordered an omelette and decided on the cinnamon bun....thinking I would take it out...Omelette was delicious, plenty of food! After one bite of the cinnamon bun with icing, well...I ate the whole thing, not taking it out! I really appreciated the waitress's kindness as I was in the middle of a sad morning. Would come here again when in the area, thanks. read more

Marge's On Rose - Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

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Came in bright and early on a Sunday morning to take on Unck's Mess. It consists of a 4.5 lb plate of 3 eggs, ham cubes, peppers, onions, and A LOT of potatoes... and a slice of toast. It only costs about $11 but if you eat it all by yourself its free. This place is clearly a local staple as it was clear there were many regulars. Service was a bit slow but there was only 1 cook, 1 server, so it made sense. The mess was pretty good, came out piping hot. Potatoes had some skin on, but could have used more eggs and vegetables. The mess definitely needed salt, pepper, salsa, etc. read more

Marge's On Rose - a plate of food and a cup of coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Very friendly service. Our waitress was very friendly and kept our coffee filled. Small town feel. The food was good.

I lived here once upon a time. It was where my first job out of college was. I wasn't so concerned with restaurants at the time as I was with bars and happy hours, and La Crosse was chock a block full of them. (I was in to misbehaving). Marges on Rose did not exist, and I happened to stop because I was passing through and all the places I used to stop are long gone. So I wandered in, just after the lunch crowd, but it was still doing fairly brisk business, including a lot of carry out orders from the third party delivery services in town. I failed to glance at the "Specials" blackboard, and that wasn't a mistake, but be sure to take note if you stop by. Despite it being afternoon, I'm always up for breakfast, and always up for Chicken Fried Steak, and if you're a regular reader, you know I've reviewed a lot of them. See? (Not even including derivations like wienerschnitzel!) Was I expecting a variation of "Large Marge" at this diner? Can't say that for sure. But they were crowing loudly about "home cooking" so I was anticipating my steak and eggs with glee. And it was great. Light breading, crispy, home made sausage gravy, eggs done as ordered and "American fries" (rough cut dice, but shredded hash browns are also a choice). Rye toast for me, always. Only $7.75. Wish I saved room for pie, they had a bunch of choices, and they all looked delicious! By the way, locals call La Crosse "God's Country." It's strikingly beautiful, butting up against the Mississippi along US Highway 61. It's a great place for a family vacation any season. read more

Marge's On Rose - Chicken fried steak and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Great people food and I love the family feel! You will be full and happy when you leave Brad&Mary read more

Came down to La Crosse for a one-nighter. Heading home the following morning we much prefer a sit-down cafe vs the Hotel breakfast. Quick Google search put us on this restaurant. Exactly the type of breakfast cafe our family loves. Mom & Pop feel. Great service, big portions, incredible prices. We'll definitely be back. Please stick around Marge's!!!! To the great waitress...8/31/24, we were the foursome who ordered the mass amounts of food. Bike Ride. read more

I was looking for a good place to take my Mom out for Brunch and ended up seeing Marge's on Rose and with the numerous reviewers comments about portion size hot fresh food. We went there and as we walked in, I saw the waitress was busy with other tables, so I just notified her and we went to sit down. The waitress then brought over some water and the menus,, she then asked if we wanted to coffee e or pop. We that started looking thru the menu and we both had a hard time deciding on what to order: I ordered a Steak Burrito (a was literally stuffed with steak, green peppers cheese & onions) extra crispy hash browns with toast and my Mom ordered the Meat Lover's Omelette, extra crispy hash browns with toast. I also want to give a" Shout Out" to our waitress as she hustling back and forth to the kitchen to the table. She was very courteous, honest and full of integrity. read more

Me and my fiancé waited a whole hour , I ordered a steak omelette and ordered the Apple fritters French toast and he ordered the hungry man steak breakfast. 2 sets of groups ordered after us but go they're good before us ! Our server was very rude . The food was amazing but overall customer service 3/10 soon as we were about to walk out they told us our food was ready then our server kept ignoring us . I food was good but I won't be back ! And this was our first time here ! read more

After a bad first experience I tried to give this place another try. I wish I hadn't, I waited 45 minutes for 2 pancakes and an omelette on a not very busy Sunday afternoon. Food was average at best, I would not recommend coming here. read more

Friday night fish is awesome. it's too bad that they close at 3 pm now. Time to find another that has a fish special that delivers. Ellen J. read more

I ordered the jalapeño sausage omelette and couldn't finish it .. the plates are huge and worth the money ! Very delicious with two raisin roasts ... Nice home felt vibes and cozy read more

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A real jewel in the crown of Lacrosse, a mom-n-pop diner where good food is their specialty. It's the classic TV memory of a diner with the sassy wait staff, the smug cook who knows he's good, the owner hanging around doing chores and taking up the slack wherever there's something to be done, and every effort made to make sure you feel welcome and enjoy your meal. We all enjoy it. The place has people drinking coffee and eating meals any time you stop in. It's a place you just can't get enough of. They have all the classic diner fare, omelets, ham, bacon, potatoes just about any way you please, prices you can live with, overall experience that will make you want to come back again... Don't change a thing. I'll be back. read more

My wife & I stopped this past Sunday which over the years was our 3rd & last time. #1, 30 minutes is excessive for waiting for breakfast. #2, Everyone brags about the large portions, but how much does a potato cost? #3, The eggs are small & the toast was as limp as a dish rag so what's all the raving about? The bill came to $18, plus tip so that isn't what I call a deal for a potato. I can make breakfast at home for $1 & that's as complete a breakfast as eating out, but we don't live in LaCrosse so that's why we did it. read more

My brother, his girlfriend and I went for breakfast and felt extreme judgement as we walked in. All eyes were on us for no reason. When we ordered, the waitress laughed at me when I made a mistake while ordering about what kind of meat I wanted with my meal. My brother and his girlfriend were sharing food but didn't know how large the portions were and ended up ordering too much and didn't finish everything and when we were done eating the waitress came back and said "wow, You barely ate!" We awkwardly laughed it off but it was uncomfortable. She asked if we wanted to-go boxes and we said yes just to not make her comment anymore but then never came back with the boxes. We waited about 15 minutes for her to grab them. We felt so uncomfortable that we just paid in cash and got out as soon as we could. Not a good experience at all. read more

I was present during a Sunday morning rush. HORRIBLE. They allow large parties to sit and wait for the remaining people to arrive. This resulted in almost half of the small dining room holding tables while the rest of us waited over an hour to be seated. When we were seated the service was slow and the food was not up to the normal standards. Fine on a normal day. Do not go after 9 am on a weekend. read more

Greasy spoon? Oh hell no. People who have stated this have no idea what a real greasy spoon is. Large portions at very reasonable prices? Oh hell yes. I was a little caught off guard at the portions my party got based on the prices. Was the food amazing? Naw, not really. Some of it even mediocre but for the food to price portion, it's hard to complain. And the place is pretty cute and very, very local. I could have been wrong but that breakfast morning, it looked to me like some regular farmers were sitting at the bar. read more

Best coffee, biggest omelets, warmest atmosphere, and sassiest waitresses in town. My only complaint is if you don't get here early enough you'll be fighting the crowds. Do yourself a favor and try Marge's for breakfast; you won't be sorry. read more

The four of us stopped in mid morning on a Saturday. Waited 10 minutes for a table to clear and promptly sat down. Took awhile for a nice waitress to show up and we ordered immediately. Coffee and water came, but after draining the pot after 40 minutes of waiting, we had to run them down to refill it. Others had been waiting for their orders before we entered so we knew there was a systemic problem in the kitchen. Even a table of eight next to us saw their breakfast come out staggered 5 minutes or more apart. How awful! I got my cinnamon roll earlier and all of us were smearing our finger on the excess icing left on the plate. Finally, we decided to leave, pay for our coffee and roll and canceled our order. They did so without a problem. They know they have a problem. read more

Excellent for the price and gigantic portions. the times I've been there were mostly mornings on the weekend which was always busy. Wait time is probably the biggest weakness for this place as I've waited from 30 mins to almost an hour for my food. If you love a big portion and don't mind waiting, this is the place to be. read more

Very friendly staff. Been going there since I was a teen. Very good burgers. Portions are huge. Gets busy sometime but totally worth the wait. And you can get anything off the menu anytime. Try their blueberry torte and the carrot cake is to die for. read more

Marge's was EXACTLY what we needed as we rolled across the country. After cruising through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indy, Illinois, and most of Wisconsin in one mind-numbing day, we crashed in La Crosse. The next morning we were refreshed and hungry, looking for something delish to keep us running during another long day on the road. We were thrilled to find Marge's. Definitely a 'greasy spoon' but the spoons (and all their cutlery) weren't greasy. Locals were abundant, and the portions were fantastically large. We ordered a coffee roll to start - made on the premises with the most incredible cavity-inducing frosting you could imagine. It was warm, cinnamon-y heaven on a plate. He got Biscuits & Gravy - giant portion, very tasty. She got scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and potatoes - all perfect...especially the potatoes (thin, some crispiness, some softness, all flavorful). The service was warm, friendly, quick, and attentive. They even provide some old Trivial Pursuit cards at your table for you to laugh and scratch your head over while you wait. Overall, Marge's was a fantastic oasis and a great start to our day. read more

4 stars for my favorite greasy spoon in the La Crosse area. This is your standard small town breakfast/brunch place. They serve ungodly huge portions of eggs, hashbrowns, and the like. They have a take off the Mcdonald's McMuffin called a "McMarge" which is just like McDonald's except twice the size and comes with a boat full of hashbrowns. If you really feel like being a pig, order "Ugg's Mess" which is a conglomeration of everything on the grill - eggs, hashbrowns, meat of various sorts, green peppers, onions, cheese, etc. It really is a mess of a thing, but it's huge and if you finish it they take your picture. Uggs Mess is not my cup of tea, but it's not bad when you can eat a meal and get your picture taken. read more

I remember loving this place. Huge servings and down home staff that made you feel at home. Today was not that day. An hour and a half wait for cold tasteless food. So embarrassing that I suggested this to my brand new husband. I don't know what happened but it was horrible and I spent 20.00 for this experience. I tried to get an explanation out of the waitress she said she'd talk to the kitchen and gave me the ticket. The food was cooked appropriately so lead me to believe the waitress was to blame. What happened to this beloved greasy spoon. Just disappointed. read more

I've only been here once, but I really liked the atmosphere and the "small world diner" feel to it. I unknowingly ordered the "Unk's Mess" and was greeted with a LARGE bowl looking plate of mixed potatoes, onions, green peppers, ham, bacon and more! This thing was probably a good 5lbs and I ate almost 2/3rds of it. Oh and I also had the coffee, which was typical coffee, the type you get at a diner to wake you up and get your day going. If you are driving through town, give this place a stop and enjoy a great breakfast. read more

Really slow lousy service, OK food, filthy bathrooms. Not worth the one hour wait, sorry. read more

Ate there today! Had a hard time finding something from the daily specials menu as it was ALL beef. I don't eat beef. So, I opted for the chicken wrap sandwich! My friend ordered the special roast beef. We waited 30 minutes or more for our food to served from our cranky waitress! My chicken wrap was served wrapped in an uncooked wonton wrapper! What the hell! Who serves food in that! I picked up the one half and it fell apart! Has your chef ever heard of flour tortillas! Nasty food. Won't ever go back! read more

When I'm in La Crosse (my hometown) this is where I almost always go for breakfast. If you're in a hurry this isn't the place to go, but it is a great place to get a good sized breakfast for cheap and to catch up with a friend. The portions on some of the dishes are huge, so be prepared to take home leftovers! read more

Honestly, service took over an hour. They had two servers on, a line out the door, and a packed restaurant. Usually that's a sign the place is good, right? Nah. It's just cheap. To me, it was not worth the wait, and they served raw bacon in the omelette I got. Take your hunger some place else. read more

Bloody awful! And I've never seen a place packed with so many unhealthy looking folks who seriously took the time after being seated to go back outside just to smoke a fucking cigarette. Are you kidding me? Sit your fat ass down and eat your breakfast you human ash tray! Worst breakfast experience I could ever imagine. I really had higher expectations for a place with so many people fluttering around waiting just to be seated. Longest wait for a table..longest wait for the most mediocre (at best) food. Seriously spent like 2 hours at this god-forsaken shit hole. 2 hours I can never recoup! Sorry Shelly.. but this place sucked so much ass..I cannot believe you gave them 4 fucking stars. Dang! read more

Marge's has been a part of the north-side of La Crosse for as long as I can remember, and one of the best greasy-spoons in the city. The decor is blue collar, simple, and humorous at times. Prices are so reasonable compared the amount of food the cook piles on each plate. I had the two eggs (sunny side up and perfect), bacon (crispy yet not dry), more has browns than I could handle in two meals, and four slices of buttered toast. Depending upon when you visit, you may wait...but you won't wait long. The waitstaff are so attentive, friendly, and fast! We showed up and the place was packed, but we were seated immediately. If you're looking for some good "comfort" food, and want to take in the real north side of La Crosse, stop in here for breakfast. You won't leave disappointed. read more

Sat here for an hour watching the staff put on a clinic of incompetence before we finally got our food (with the check as soon as it hit the table?) and left. I don't know what changed in the years since I used to frequent this place, but I will not be back. read more

I'm not giving this five stars, because the omelette was "okay." However, the pancake was very good, the atmosphere is right, and the servers are attentive. If there is no line, it's reasonable and worth sitting down for breakfast. read more

The food was excellent! This was my first time, I heard a lot of good things about this place so my expectations were pretty high. The food portions are huge !!! I ordered the meat lovers omelet plus added tomatoes and mushrooms and jalapeños. And that came with a side of has browns and toast! I barely made a dent in it, no joke! I have leftovers for a couple days. And the price is definitely reasonable considering the portions. However, I rate Marge's on Rose a 3 because there were also downfalls. The biggest one was the service. The service is almost everything to a restaurant. Our waitress seemed like we were an inconvenience to her. She was very slow.. And the restaurant was empty. There were maybe two other tables in there. The other issue that gives it a 3 is the lack of quality in the food. The mushrooms are definitely from a can, and the bacon was like rubberish. Like it was microwaved. Now, like I said the food was still very good but I bet it would be even better with fresh ingredients!! Overall, good food, crappy service, get better ingredients..I would recommend this place for breakfast though definitely! I'm going to go back and get that burrito :) read more

Marge's On Rose - Meat lovers omellete! Added tomatoes, mushroom, and jalps. Came with side of hashbrowns and whole wheat toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Marge's is a great place for a hometown feel & classic meal selections. The atmosphere was very clean, you could tell everyone knew everyone, it was friendly & prompt. It is well managed & maintained. The prices were low. I was charged $6 for two large biscuits & gravy + 2 eggs. I could barely eat half. I will definitely visit again. The only negatives I observed were the crowded entry & open shelving upon entering. A couple of curtains could do wonders for the ambience. read more

Marge's On Rose - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - La Crosse, Wisconsin

Marge's once made an Unk's Mess super huge size for my very huge friend Jay. I don't know if this was some sort of challenge or jape but Jay took the bait. He was served a hemispherical dome of eggs, bacon, hash browns, cheese and grilled peppers that barely fit on the plate. It was simultaneously awesome and delicious. It made me believe that God exists. My friend accepted this culinary monstrosity with great gusto. I would like to express my sympathies the the poor waitress who had to sling this Sisyphean load to his table; she probably had to ice down that arm for awhile. Jay dove into that pile of food like hero of olden times. Like Gilgamesh or Sampson he tore into the greasy bacon pile with the ferocity of a badger. Some of it went into a to-go Styrofoam container because there was seriously like 20 lbs of food leftover. My favorite breakfast palace ever! read more