Love this place! I didn't know it was there and a friend recommended it! Prices are great and the food is fabulous! I kinda feel like I stepped out of Madison and into a cafe in Morrocco! read more

Fast Service, kind people helpful with the menu and any questions. Definitely a cozy atmosphere! 10/10 loved it all It would be awesome if they had garlic or seasoned pita bread or even pita chips. The meal definitely didn't need that, it would just be cool :) read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lamb Shawarma Plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The Mediterranean Café has been a place I've loved since the early 2000. Unlike another place with almost the same name, you can expect quality, tasty and with love prepared food! The salad will be always fresh and everything is portioned just right. Quality food with a great taste! I had made the mistake to order from the other place thinking the quality would be the same as here! So be careful to order from anywhere else -because this is the ONLY original Mediterranean place in Madison to order from! I highly recommend it for the atmosphere, the staff, the food, and the devotion that I've repeatedly seen and tasted! Definitely a great experience all around either dining in or getting delivery! Highly recommended from a longtime customer. My favorite is the lamb Shawarma plate and the yummy tea. the pistachio baklava! Yummy !! read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lamb beef Shawarma plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Place was awesome, really high quality chicken shawarma , delicious hummus. friendly service

Food was served very badly with no silverware and leaking food package. Food was not very appetizing at all

Delicious every time, I couldn't decide between two baklavas and they gave me both. So incredibly sweet.

We loved coming here on a whim! They asked if we were 'new' and explained the process so nicely! Food came out super fast, large portions and great prices! All of us took home leftovers! Seating area and bathrooms could use some updating, but it had an overall quaint atmosphere & authentic feel. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lunchtime! - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I took out lamb and beef shawarma for lunch. It was good. Shawarma, salad, hummus, rice and pita bread. Good enough food to fill you up. I got my order ready in a couple of minutes. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Beef and lamb shawarma - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Heard so much about Mediterranean Cafe and finally decided to try it and LOVED IT!! State street has a hidden gem. You all need to stop what you are doing and head to Med Cafe today. Mediterranean Cafe has been serving the Madison community for more than 20 years. It's a casual and cozy restaurant serving Algerian food. The food here is delicious and served quickly. You will go back here again after you have tried it once. We tried the chicken shawarma plate and chicken sandwich. The shawarma plate is served with rice, salad, hummus, and pita. The portion size is huge and I really thought I wouldn't finish it. Once I started eating, I couldn't stop and my plate was empty before you know it. The chicken and salad was so flavorful . The rice that accompanied it was also so well prepared. The chicken sandwich was also huge and so delicious. I cannot wait to go back there and try other things off their menu. Thank you to the person at the ordering station who recommended the shawarma plate to me, so so good! read more

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First time here and no cars allowed on State Street. Parked at the nearby garage cause it's impossible to find street parking on Fri around lunch time. When we entered, there were 3 people ahead of us. Menu is on the wall where they also listed their specials. The line moved pretty fast and we ordered Lebanese kibby $11.5 and Moroccan bastilla $11.5. We like both dishes especially the Moroccan chicken pie. I remember eating tagine and bastilla several times while spending a month in Morocco in 2019. Each entree came with rice and salad. We both find the salad dressing to be too acidic and will ask for the dressing on the side the next time we visit. Also had the lemon rice soup which was refreshing and creamy. It's a very small restaurant where the tables are quite close to each other like two feet apart. When our neighbors left, her behind knocked my water off. No joke. Everyone was friendly and portion size was good. Maybe we will order to go next time. They have a loyalty program when you sign up with the phone number. read more

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Okay, I remember this hole in the wall being only available for the lunch hour and cash only... but this was also years ago. While it doesn't measure up to the exclusivity of this place years ago with a line forming out the door, the food still hits the spot. They now take credit cards and have expanded their times beyond the lunch hour. Dining in is quite a tight squeeze but I remember it being a hot commodity. I advise for small groups (no more than 4) if you're dining in. They're also pretty quick to service to go orders too if you're on the run. Self-bussing is still the same and and they even have a box to discard the pita for chickens! As for the food: full of flavor, my only qualm this time was that I had really hard pieces of rice that I had to spit out. I figure maybe I got the bottom of the barrel...I've been here before and this has not been an issue so hence the star deduction. Lots of pita to accompany! read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lamb shawarma plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great food but horrible soup to-go containers. My last order of lentil soup & rice didn't make it home because the lids disintegrated due to the heat of the food. The lids broke and the containers collapsed while riding in my car. (I tried to notify them of this via their website Contact Us section but never heard back from them.) read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Disintegrated lid due to heat of the food. Quite the mess in my car. - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Service was great. Very prompt and moved well. But the fit did not live up to other local Mediterranean restaurants. I ordered the shawarma plate with a side of falafels.. the hummus was the only thing passable as the chicken was bland and the falafels are dry. You can do better at Meze or Banzos. read more

Lovely place, wonderful schwarma sandwich with good flavor lamb and beef. Good food and variety in their offerings and it's pretty cheap too. I've had no problems with the service, no nonsense and pretty efficient though this is definitely not a place with much ambiance. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lamb and beef shawarma sandwich - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We were looking for shawarma and received a recommendation to eat here. Everything was delicious and we would definitely make a point of eating here the next time we are in Madison. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Falafel Plate, Spinach Cheese Pie, Lamb and Beef Shawarma Plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Great ambiance, good service, food taste great! Very tasty & a lot of flavors! The pita bread & hummas with paprika was creamy & flavorful. I had the beef Shawarma, with salad & lemon tasting rice pilaf. So filling & I tried both of thier Baklava's, (Cashew & Pistacio) & they were ok, not super sweet so if you have a sweet tooth it's not going to satisfy that sweet tooth in my opinion! The place is small but still fit's a pretty good number of people! Great Lunch place & very filling... read more

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In short: Nope! Food not good Flies everywhere Ambiance / service poor Looks like a hole in the wall place which I usually love because they have good food. I don't want to be mean but this is the worst mediterranean food I've ever had. I live in CA so maybe mediterranean food just sucks back here? My boyfriend and I tried the the beef lamb sandwich but it wasn't even worth eating for me. The meat was thick pieces not browned at all and didn't have much flavor like it was mixed with wheat or something. It was served with veggies in a really thin lavash wrap or something but they had toasted it and so it was hard. My dad had the Akins's plate which looked good but was mediocre. In his words he said " I think this is the best they have..." It didn't bother me that it was dark in there or the tables cloths were miss matched because I don't need anything fancy but they were sticky and there were a lot of flies. Seemed to be run by some college kids that don't even greet you. read more

top 3 fav restaurants in madison, small but cozy vibes and surprisingly not that crowded when i went recently. got the lamb/beef shawarma plate, algerian tea, pistachio and cashew baklavas. lentil soup was also really good when i had it last time. portions are also MASSIVE and so affordable !! read more

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Thanks for the Greek meal! So glad it's not like another restaurant. in town that is over-priced and not very traditional.

This cafe might be small, but it packs a serious flavor punch! I can't say enough good things about this place. When we walked in, the woman behind the cash register personally helped set up our table when no one was available. We ordered a few plates of shawarma and sat down. The cafe is filled with interesting things to look at. Our booth had a book filled with postcards from all over the world. Our server returned with heaping plates of delicious food and even gave us free pita and hummus! The lamb was well seasoned and cooked. The pita was warm and fresh and paired nicely with the creamy, salty hummus. Simply delicious! I had a few friends visiting from outside of Madison and they were blown away by how great the Mediterranean cafe is. I really can't wait to go back! read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Lamb and Beef Shawarma Plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Such a delicious Mediterranean spot! I ordered the falafel platter and ate it within minutes. It did not disappoint and kept me full the rest of the day. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Falafel Plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We ordered ten meals for our team to be delivered. One meal was omitted. One meal was canceled after the order was picked up, so two individuals were forced to "borrow" from the others who received food. The quality of the delivered food was below average based on other Madison Mediterranean food offerings. For example, the Mediterranean Joint on Willy St is not perfect, but it is substantially better than our experience with the Mediterranean Cafe. Falafel was bland, lacking spices and freshness. It was mostly chickpeas without fresh herbs like parsely, dill, or cilantro. The chicken and lamb/beef shwarmas were also lacking taste. I've eaten in the restaurant a couple of times also, simply because I was on State St. It's worth finding other more tasty options. read more

This is a tiny little hole in the wall place that is a Madison institution and for good reason. The food and service were good, especially the lamb plate with pita bread and rice. The only negative was them at they don't serve beer or wine. Otherwise, I enjoyed read more

We decided to try this place when we were walking by. I ordered Falafel plate and lentil soup. The service was good and the food arrived quickly. Everything was so good - The soup was hot and hearty, hummus so creamy and falafel so tasty! I would highly recommend this place for your Mediterranean food cravings. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Vegan Lentil Soup - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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BEST FOOD EVER! I'm trying my hardest not to play this spot out but I crave it all the time! The food comes out super fast and it's been great every time. The spot feels calm and humble and the workers take pride in serving for such a great restaurant. Shout out to Evan, he's the best! You will not be disappointed. read more

I was introduced to Med Cafe over 10 years ago, and since then, it's been one of my favorite places to grab some comfort food, The restaurant itself isn't very eye-catching - it's sandwiched between bigger shops, the entrance is small, and the inside is dimly lit. To be honest, I don't think I would've ever stepped foot in here if I hadn't heard the raving reviews from friends. Ordering can be intimidating your first time here. There's ~4 feet between the entrance and the cash register, and you'll immediately be greeted by 4-6 people behind the counter. Between the handwritten menu that can be difficult to read and the line of customers that you can expect to be waiting behind you, there's not a lot of time to decide what to order. I would definitely recommend looking at their menu printed outside the restaurant if you order in person. Since the pandemic began, they've gone virtual and expanded their hours, which has made ordering a lot easier. Traditionally, they only accepted cash, which often resulted in trips to the ATM across the street beforehand. My absolute favorite dish to order is their lamb and beef shawarma platter. It comes with a salad, hummus, and some pita bread. I'm 95% convinced their pita is actually my favorite store-bought naan bread. Anyways, the shawarma consistently has great flavor and is usually the perfect amount of moistness. I'm also a huge fan of their hummus - savory and slightly tangy, with a watered down consistency that goes great on both the pita and shawarma. (Fun fact: after recovering from pneumonia and skipping meals for 2 weeks as an undergrad, the first real food I had was the salad and hummus from Med Cafe.) I've definitely noticed changes to their platter over the years though - both the hummus and salad dressing have mildly changed a few times, but overall, the combination of flavors in the plate remain the same. In all honesty, I don't particularly care for the other shawarma (chicken) or falafel platter. The few times that I've ordered either, both the chicken and falafel were dry/tough and lacked flavor. It's not a big deal because I like the lamb and beef shawarma plate so much, to the point that I don't want to try out the rest of the menu. However, I highly recommend finishing off your meal with some cashew baklava. It's dryer and milder in flavor compared to the pistachio baklava, but it's got a great nuttiness and sweetness that always makes me order at least a few pieces for just myself. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Combo platter (lamb/beef, chicken, and falafel) comes with salad, hummus, and pita bread - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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So this place is incredibly overrated in overall score. First off the lamb and beef gyro. Not shawarma. Is awful. I couldn't even eat it. The tzatziki sauce sauce is really not good. It's doesn't even have the consistency as it should. The hummus was ok. I little heavy handed with the lemon. The rice was good as well but again heavy with the lemon. The good things of this place are the prices and the quantity of the severing. So bad food but you get a lot of it. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The food was great. I got it delivered and everything was packaged well and smartly with everything I needed.

I've loved this place for many years. Food is great, portions are large, the service is friendly and lightning fast, and the prices are fair. I don't think I've ordered anything but the lamb and beef shwarma plate in years. I always plan to try something else for variety but it pulls me back in like a tractor beam. The meat, pita, hummus, salad, and rice just go together so well, I don't know if it can be improved. It is decorated with art, textiles, and posters featuring the North African/Mediterranean area and it always feels cozy and welcoming. I especially love coming here in the winter for lunch when it is warm and bustling and settling in with a cup of the Arabian tea (sweet mint) and finishing my meal with the baklava. I've never had a bad meal here. If my office was closer, I'd be here much more. read more

Fairly standard mediterranean food, which I am always a fan of. The food quality and portions on their plates are good, although nothing especially stands in my opinion. The owners are friendly, and the interior is a bit cramped. read more

This place was delicious!! I've been looking for good Mediterranean food in madison for a while and this place did not disappoint. The food came so fast (maybe within 5 minutes) but it could've been because it was not as busy when we went in. They have in-door dining and the overall atmosphere is very cozy. They have different specials and I will definitely be coming by again to try out more of the menu items! read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Akin 's Plate - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This is probably one of the best places on the all of State St. There is this guy who works there who is very nice very tall looks like Jimmy Fallon with a better smile :) I love the food here too! read more

Amazing new restaurant on State Street! I got the Akin's plate at lunch one day with my mom, and it was so delicious! The flavor was so prevalent but not overwhelming. All the elements on my plate (rice, sauce, meat, etc.) were paired perfectly. We had absolutely no complaints about the food. The staff were also very kind and the food came out so quickly! The only thing that could improve would be the space itself. It's a little cramped, but don't let that steer you away. I would highly recommend this restaurant! read more

I'm in town with my wife who has a convention and I am confined to the room as I have just had rotator cuff surgery. I was looking for Mediterranean food and happened upon this restaurant via Uber eats. I had my Wife order the three meat combo plate and only received two meats and two very small portions of what appeared to be gyro and chicken on a bed of rice. I am always willing to try new restaurants, but it's always a gamble and in this case, it was a fail. read more

Do not go there if you want good friendly service. Our waitresses was very nice but seemed nervous . I can understand why because the owner is belligerent. We ordered a dish that was too spicy to eat because of health issues . There were three of the same orders at our table that were spicy but edible. Mine was beyond spicy to eat . The owner came out to address the issue and would not take it off the bill because he said the menu says spicy and he would lose money and he walked away. Our waitress kept apologizing for her ignorant boss . How can a business owner be in his business and advertise that his place is the best . It's not only about food which was fair nothing but to rave about we were the only ones in there . He needs a course in customer service if his business lasts that long read more

The food is delicious! Tangy Mediterranean flavors, good portions, fresh and healthy good food! Service is great, and the atmosphere makes you feel at home. read more

Nothing fancy from the outside - but this place will absolutely blow your flipping socks off. The restaurant and staff give off a warm family vibe. The service is freaky fast. BUT THE FOOD. OH THE FOOD. THE FOOD WAS UNBELIEVABLY GREAT - especially for its price point. BEWARE: you will chow down anything you get here in a matter of minutes and leave feeling 5 pounds heavier. Thinking of going here? Don't think. Just go! read more

Med cafe is fast food but don't think for a second they skip out on flavor or the quality is low. My al time favorite dishes are the lamb plate and the roti chicken. Their generous plates are served up with a side of hummus and pita and a side salad, these sides alone are packed with flavor, your tastebuds will be satisfied. If you're looking for a smaller option, they have sandwich options for most of their plate dishes. A few things to keep in mind. They are a cash only restaurant, but I often cross the street over to UW Credit Union and use their no-fee atm ;). Another thing is to note is their business hours. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays and are only open til 3:30p so no dinner dates here. The cafe is really small, I often go to pick up food. I only had one dine-in experience so I can't really say. read more

Mediterranean Cafe - Greek Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Med Cafe is a good spot to stop after a long day of classes when you're absolutely starving. Their food always hits the spot -- it's hot, fast, and easy. I usually end up getting the shawarma plate, and love the salad and rice that come with it. The staff are nice and always friendly. That being said, I do wish more meat came with the plate given that it is a little bit on the pricier end. I also wish the pita was authentic and warm, it's little tiny pita triangles in a pack that are usually stale. It doesn't bother me enough to stop going, but it is some things that I think would make Med Cafe a true dive. read more

The hummus is made in the restaurant if. If it has chicken, definitely order itI recommend the apricot chicken pie. Tea is good. The servers are nice! The lighting is alright. I thinks they should change all the lights a deep blue color, fluff up the place, add something interesting. There's always room for growth. read more