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Willalby's Cafe

4.0 (152 reviews)
InexpensiveBreakfast & Brunch
Open • 6:00 am - 2:00 pm

WILLALBY'S CAFE · YELP ASSISTANT

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Willalby's Cafe Photos

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WILLALBY'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Willalby's Cafe

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outside
Elizabeth B.

Two folks running the show efficiently and we loved our experience - the service was very friendly and fast. The vibes of an old school diner with a great cup of coffee, quality food, generous portioned breakfast, decent prices (cash only - atm on site). We ordered the Fair Oaks Skillet with bacon and two slices of French Toast and it was the perfect amount of savory & sweet for two! One of the better french toast we've ever had! We were really impressed with the quality and overall experience of this neighborhood diner.

Leon M.

Bomb, bomb, bomb!!! The more that I come here, the more I'm impressed. Today was a bacon omelet with wheat toast and hash browns. Everything was excellent! If you're in the Madison area on the east side, come here!! (The drizzle on the omelette was by me and not the restaurant)

french toast
Akshita P.

A very tiny spot where every single seat was taken when I went in on a Friday around noon. Simple menu with cheap offerings. I got a banana waffle and we got hash browns to share. Waffle itself was kinda meh to me but great potatoes! All the savory options people were getting around me looked delicious so regretted not getting one of those. The salty melty butter was a yummy contrasting addition to the waffle but my friends who got french toast mentioned it was almost too salty. Great quick service!

Omelette!
Khair L.

If you're looking for a tasty meal at a very reasonable cost, look no further! We were able to be seated immediately at 930 on a Saturday but by the time we left, most tables were filled up. The service was routine and gave us coffee and water refills continuously, which was awesome. The place itself has some age but it has a very old school diner vibe, which we really appreciated. The omelette I got was absolutely loaded with veggies and the hash browns and butter toast were nice and crispy. Great experience overall, highly recommended!

Ellena K.

Somewhat hidden jem for breakfast off campus. Classic dinner. Not a lot of seating so get there early! Staff is always so kind and friendly.

Tommy in his adult Onesie
Cat K.

This was a fun place to visit on our travels. Located on a street with lots of foot traffic, a fantastic Ace Hardware store, lots of little antiques stores, and interesting restaurants, Willalby's fit right in. There were lots of eclectic things on the walls. No two coffee cups were the same. People were happily jammed into close quarters. Tommy, with his flowing hair and brightly colored onesie, brought us great coffee and took our order. He also apologized when he realized he didn't turn our order in right away. We had plenty of time to fellowship with our coffee and to visit with the people at the next table and to watch people parade in and out of Ace Hardware. The omelettes we ordered were wonderful and huge! Mine was the Hart' Content, and it was packed with perfectly chopped/grilled veggies and lots of bacon. My companions ate most of their Willalby's and Ham/Cheese Omelettes too. Each omelette came with perfectly prepared wheat toast and has browns. The hash browns were yummy soft on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside. Our local host told us we had to have one of the pancakes. It was bigger than the plate. We put that in the center and dug into it from all sides. Suffice it to say that we took away enough leftovers to fully satisfy three more people. What a great breakfast in Madison!

bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast
Nicole K.

I wanted to try a new place for breakfast, and I came across Willalby's cafe. Great atmosphere, the breakfast was amazing. I am very picky when it comes to my bacon, and it was crispy which I love. It is a cash only restaurant but there is a ATM in the back of the restaurant. Aaron was great, he was funny and just had a great personality. The only small very small issue was the music was a like loud. It did not bother me but I could see where some people might have a problem with it

Main counter and specials board
Patti T.

Sometimes places like Willalby's can be intimidating. If you've never been you might feel out of place because of all the regulars. Or you might read the reviews and think it isn't worth the "hassle" of paying cash, or waiting for a table. Let me stop you right now. GO INTO WILLALBY'S! This gem is incredible and soared above and beyond the reviews here on Yelp. Now, we read the reviews and planned accordingly. We stopped and grabbed cash on our way. We also chose to go early in the morning on a weekday based on reviews noting a wait for a table, or slower food service when busy. We rolled into Willalby's at 730am. Behind the counter a server greeted us and said we could sit anywhere. We picked a booth in the middle and reviewed the menus that were already at the table. Being up to date on the Yelp reviews, we knew they had good, giant pancakes so that was definitely being ordered. The server came over with coffee and got my wife her drink. We ordered and then took to admiring the art. Our food was out quickly - so I'm not sure why others have had issues. There were at least two cooks in the kitchen when we arrived and two more joined before we had left. Plus the two servers behind the counter. Everyone was incredibly nice and the food was great. The pancake is in fact huge so plan on sharing, bringing a big appetite, or taking some to go. Don't sleep on the sausage patties either. Delicious! And our eggs were cooked to perfection. We're already making plans to go back.

Grits eggs toast
Hector C.

Love the environment definitely great breakfast food and mostly the friendly lovely staff

My friends.
Corbin B.

Best greasy spoon on the isthmus. MSN staple. Love the vibe on the inside. Super memorable service.

pancake

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5 years ago

Fast service, waiters were so kind and fun, and the food was great! They only take cash but also have an ATM in the back

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12 years ago

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4 years ago

I love this place. Servers are kind and no one gives a shit. Very low key, hole in the wall with great food. Also, BRING CASH

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9 years ago

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7 years ago

Greasy spoon. If you like that type of dinning. Give it a try. I had the Huevos Rancheros. Cash only but they have an ATM.

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3 years ago

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Short Stack Eatery - Bloody Mary

Short Stack Eatery

4.1(646 reviews)
1.7 mi•Capitol
•$$

Came at 8 am on a Sunday. Had to wait a few minutes to get inside but it was definitely worth the…read morewait. You have to order at the counter first and then your party gets sat at your designated table. I ordered the blind, which is a chef's choice. You're able to ask if the dish is savory or sweet and that's it. You can ask what the dish is but then the price will go from 10$ to 15$. They do ask if you have any allergies in case they do need to alter the dish. Not gonna disclose what the dish was, but it tasted great! It's really unfortunate that the business is closing in May, so I definitely recommend to go while they're still open!

Every time I'm in Madison, I make it a point to stop here. I'm usually just passing through so I…read moreget here right when it opens, which is one of the best times. It's quiet and it feels like the world slows down for a minute. It's comfortable and also very eclectic, a get your own coffee place. Condiments, water, etc. along the back wall. Order at the counter, they'll give you a number, and then bring your meal out. The menu has a great selection of offerings, but I always get my usual. The pancakes are unreal, so delicious. You will also find adult beverages here as well for those who need a morning/mid-afternoon pick me up. It gets packed so plan well ahead or be prepared to wait a while. Great service. Great place.

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Willalby's Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated November 2026

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