Absolutely delicious! Cozy and romantic ambiance. Delightful and efficient wait staff. It's hard to say which was better, the presentation of the food or the food itself. This restaurant really stands out in a town with many wonderful restaurants. I will definitely come back anytime I am in the area.
Rob S.
Had dinner here tonight. First off, the restaurant was busy and we showed up without reservations. The host sat us at the bar for a few minutes, and then came to get us and seated us at a great table. Appreciate that! Once seated, they brought us some bread and waters. I ordered the stuffed chicken entree which is served with scalloped potatoes and carrot/asparagus medley. My wife ordered a glass of Chardonnay and while it is not a menu item, the kitchen was kind enough to prepare her a scallop entree. The scallops were cooked in butter and served with rice and the carrot/asparagus medley. The food quality is high. I have a couple of quibbles, hence the 4 stars and not 5 stars. While the scallops were tasty, the rice was unembellished and was akin to rice out of a rice maker. The portion of stuffed chicken is very petite. Had a key lime pie slice for dessert, which was enhanced by a raspberry sauce and raspberries. IWe are grateful to have been served a tasty dinner in an upscale restaurant without having made reservations.
Jeff O.
The only reason we gave this resturant 5 stars is there is not a choice for 6 stars. What a fantastic little gem in this nice little town. We were greeted at led to our table outside as we have a little dog. Our server was wonderful and very attentive during our lunch. The Owner/Chef checked on us during our meal to make sure everything was OK. Believe me it was. Homemade mushroom soup was probably the best we ever had. The Croque-Monsieur and Shrimp sandwiches were outstanding. We will be back!!! Thank you all.
Dawn W.
Went to Madeline's tonight, fully intending to try the Stuffed Chicken Breast but a lot of other people had the same idea today and they were sold out and I've never been so glad to settle for a second choice! Our server was Omar, he was the perfect combination of classy, fun and personable! Since first choice wasn't available we asked Omar what his favorites were and they were all in the running anyway so we ordered every one of them! The Omar Special was amazing! The scallops, should probably be served with spoons because that sauce is soooo delicious! (Or save some bread!?!) We were torn between the first and the third salad, Omar likes strawberries so we tried his, delish!! Then the entrees! My best friend and I were torn between two of Omar's favorites so we ordered both and shared them: the Braised Shortribs are so tender! Pure comfort food, pasta cooked to perfection. But the showstopper was The Duck with the Cherry Reduction! Juicy, tender, crispy skin! Flavor for days! It was the perfect bite on repeat! It is not to be missed for me! Even the little stack of perfect scalloped potatoes were great! I recommend the Omar special...just save some bread for that lemon beurre blanc!
Devyn Z.
We came here for dinner to celebrate my 30th birthday. Being from Vegas, we usually expect places to not be at the same culinary level as our hometown, but man did Madeline's blow our expectations way out of the water. This is the kind of cozy restaurant we wish we had in Vegas, the food was excellent and you could tell was made with love and care. We will always come back when visiting in Cambria.
Rick D.
Went to Madeline's to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. Seated at a nice window table. Our first time here. Ultimately a very disappointing experience here. Our server was of no help whatsoever in making any suggestions on the menu. Very perfunctory, just an order taker. Scallops appetizer took 20 minutes and was just lukewarm and rather bland. Unremarkable Spinach salad . My wife had short ribs over pappardelle. Overcooked pasta and the most bland tasting short ribs we've ever tasted. I had sea bass which was unremarkable other than for it being overcooked and over saturated with sauce. Server never came back to our table after we were served to check on us. Not at all what we were hoping for after so many recommendations. $200 later we left feeling we had not chosen wisely for what should have been a special part of our anniversary celebration. Management needs to do a much better job.
Stacy H.
We went for a special occasion while we were on a trip to Cambria and we left disappointed. The service was good. The food was pretty expensive and not great. I expected that the scallops would be large, but they were five small ones in a bowl covered in sauce that you could eat with a spoon not with a knife and fork. The duck confit flatbread was a very large portion for a personal appetizer and we wished the duck was crispy. The filet mignon and the gumbo were good, but for $40 entrées we were hoping for delicious. The crème brûlée was the highlight of the meal, though we were surprised it didn't come with a candle or any birthday hoopla since we were celebrating, and they wished her a happy birthday at the door. Next time in Cambria, we would certainly try somewhere else.
Melinda H.
This is a delightful little place. Food is always delicious, service attentive, ambience quaint! As a local, I feel blessed to have such a lovely place to grab a quiet leisurely lunch. I do tend to go out more for lunch as a local because I can avoid the tourist crowd! But, dear tourists, please keep coming to enjoy everything here and especially Madeleines!!.
Sarah T.
The food here is always great and the staff is friendly and helpful. They have an extensive collection of wines out for viewing and tasting - be sure to check out the label on "Late Bloomer". We've been here for both lunch and dinner with friends and we love introducing new people to this fine restaurant.
Emris A.
After enduring a nightmare camping trip - complete with a heat wave, relentless mosquito attacks, lost keys, and car sickness - I discovered Madeline's for the first time. Despite the ordeal, I had hoped anything post-disaster would taste good. And Madeline's certainly did not disappoint. However, I wondered if I had romanticized the food; perhaps it wasn't as good as I remembered. Fast forward a year and a half later, my boyfriend and I have made the drive from San Diego to Cambria five times. Each trip, we eagerly anticipate stopping at Madeline's as often as possible before heading back. As someone who enjoys cooking at home - preparing scallops, salmon, duck, and various other delicious dishes - I've often encountered lukewarm responses from my boyfriend when dining out. He frequently remarks that my homemade versions are superior. Yet, there's something about the food at Madeline's that consistently feels like a warm embrace, never just 'fine,' but always absolutely delicious.
Impeccable food and service!! I can't say enough you must try the Long Island Duck because it is absolutely to die for!!! I drive almost 6 hours to eat here and it's worth every penny:)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Barrozo
Madeline's Restaurant is a small venue, but the food more than makes up for the lack of space, it was delicious! Service was okay this time, hopefully it was just my mood. It's definitely a must visit place when in Cambria.
Madeline's on Main St is great but Madeline's on moonstone beach not the same. Waitress kept running over to her truck to check on her dog then finally brought the dog into the patio where staff play with the dog while serving customers and on top of that the dog was off leash running in and out of the kitchen while the cook was on a bbq outside by where they keep the trash. Very concerning. If these are the same owners you would never know as Madeline's on Main St is exquisite and amazing food and service.
DeAnna G.
Really cute restaurant on Main Street. They have a nice menu and a great variety of wines. We were warmly greeted and sat at the window table. I'm a huge bread fan, and both my son and I didn't eat a second slice of bread. It may be missing salt? I ordered the spinach and warm bacon salad and it was just okay. For my entree I had the stuffed chicken with sage brown butter. This was very good. My green beans and carrots were the favorite part of my meal. I wasn't fond of the scalloped potatoes, the cheese was overpowering. My son had the rabbit with plums and he really enjoyed his. He had a different type of carrot and roasted new potatoes. The hostess and busser were really friendly and helpful!
Cheryl B.
Love going here to eat and taste wine. Food is always amazing. Wine list for tasting is not boring. The variety of the wines is worth it. Always have a great experience.
Absolutely delicious! Cozy and romantic ambiance. Delightful and efficient wait staff. It's hard to say which was better, the presentation of the food or the food itself. This restaurant really stands out in a town with many wonderful restaurants. I will definitely come back anytime I am in the area.
Had dinner here tonight. First off, the restaurant was busy and we showed up without reservations. The host sat us at the bar for a few minutes, and then came to get us and seated us at a great table. Appreciate that! Once seated, they brought us some bread and waters. I ordered the stuffed chicken entree which is served with scalloped potatoes and carrot/asparagus medley. My wife ordered a glass of Chardonnay and while it is not a menu item, the kitchen was kind enough to prepare her a scallop entree. The scallops were cooked in butter and served with rice and the carrot/asparagus medley. The food quality is high. I have a couple of quibbles, hence the 4 stars and not 5 stars. While the scallops were tasty, the rice was unembellished and was akin to rice out of a rice maker. The portion of stuffed chicken is very petite. Had a key lime pie slice for dessert, which was enhanced by a raspberry sauce and raspberries. IWe are grateful to have been served a tasty dinner in an upscale restaurant without having made reservations.
The only reason we gave this resturant 5 stars is there is not a choice for 6 stars. What a fantastic little gem in this nice little town. We were greeted at led to our table outside as we have a little dog. Our server was wonderful and very attentive during our lunch. The Owner/Chef checked on us during our meal to make sure everything was OK. Believe me it was. Homemade mushroom soup was probably the best we ever had. The Croque-Monsieur and Shrimp sandwiches were outstanding. We will be back!!! Thank you all.
Went to Madeline's tonight, fully intending to try the Stuffed Chicken Breast but a lot of other people had the same idea today and they were sold out and I've never been so glad to settle for a second choice! Our server was Omar, he was the perfect combination of classy, fun and personable! Since first choice wasn't available we asked Omar what his favorites were and they were all in the running anyway so we ordered every one of them! The Omar Special was amazing! The scallops, should probably be served with spoons because that sauce is soooo delicious! (Or save some bread!?!) We were torn between the first and the third salad, Omar likes strawberries so we tried his, delish!! Then the entrees! My best friend and I were torn between two of Omar's favorites so we ordered both and shared them: the Braised Shortribs are so tender! Pure comfort food, pasta cooked to perfection. But the showstopper was The Duck with the Cherry Reduction! Juicy, tender, crispy skin! Flavor for days! It was the perfect bite on repeat! It is not to be missed for me! Even the little stack of perfect scalloped potatoes were great! I recommend the Omar special...just save some bread for that lemon beurre blanc!
We came here for dinner to celebrate my 30th birthday. Being from Vegas, we usually expect places to not be at the same culinary level as our hometown, but man did Madeline's blow our expectations way out of the water. This is the kind of cozy restaurant we wish we had in Vegas, the food was excellent and you could tell was made with love and care. We will always come back when visiting in Cambria.
Went to Madeline's to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. Seated at a nice window table. Our first time here. Ultimately a very disappointing experience here. Our server was of no help whatsoever in making any suggestions on the menu. Very perfunctory, just an order taker. Scallops appetizer took 20 minutes and was just lukewarm and rather bland. Unremarkable Spinach salad . My wife had short ribs over pappardelle. Overcooked pasta and the most bland tasting short ribs we've ever tasted. I had sea bass which was unremarkable other than for it being overcooked and over saturated with sauce. Server never came back to our table after we were served to check on us. Not at all what we were hoping for after so many recommendations. $200 later we left feeling we had not chosen wisely for what should have been a special part of our anniversary celebration. Management needs to do a much better job.
We went for a special occasion while we were on a trip to Cambria and we left disappointed. The service was good. The food was pretty expensive and not great. I expected that the scallops would be large, but they were five small ones in a bowl covered in sauce that you could eat with a spoon not with a knife and fork. The duck confit flatbread was a very large portion for a personal appetizer and we wished the duck was crispy. The filet mignon and the gumbo were good, but for $40 entrées we were hoping for delicious. The crème brûlée was the highlight of the meal, though we were surprised it didn't come with a candle or any birthday hoopla since we were celebrating, and they wished her a happy birthday at the door. Next time in Cambria, we would certainly try somewhere else.
This is a delightful little place. Food is always delicious, service attentive, ambience quaint! As a local, I feel blessed to have such a lovely place to grab a quiet leisurely lunch. I do tend to go out more for lunch as a local because I can avoid the tourist crowd! But, dear tourists, please keep coming to enjoy everything here and especially Madeleines!!.
The food here is always great and the staff is friendly and helpful. They have an extensive collection of wines out for viewing and tasting - be sure to check out the label on "Late Bloomer". We've been here for both lunch and dinner with friends and we love introducing new people to this fine restaurant.
After enduring a nightmare camping trip - complete with a heat wave, relentless mosquito attacks, lost keys, and car sickness - I discovered Madeline's for the first time. Despite the ordeal, I had hoped anything post-disaster would taste good. And Madeline's certainly did not disappoint. However, I wondered if I had romanticized the food; perhaps it wasn't as good as I remembered. Fast forward a year and a half later, my boyfriend and I have made the drive from San Diego to Cambria five times. Each trip, we eagerly anticipate stopping at Madeline's as often as possible before heading back. As someone who enjoys cooking at home - preparing scallops, salmon, duck, and various other delicious dishes - I've often encountered lukewarm responses from my boyfriend when dining out. He frequently remarks that my homemade versions are superior. Yet, there's something about the food at Madeline's that consistently feels like a warm embrace, never just 'fine,' but always absolutely delicious.
Restaurantji Recommends
Impeccable food and service!! I can't say enough you must try the Long Island Duck because it is absolutely to die for!!! I drive almost 6 hours to eat here and it's worth every penny:)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Madeline's Restaurant is a small venue, but the food more than makes up for the lack of space, it was delicious! Service was okay this time, hopefully it was just my mood. It's definitely a must visit place when in Cambria.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Chicken Breast, Madeline Salad GF
Madeline's on Main St is great but Madeline's on moonstone beach not the same. Waitress kept running over to her truck to check on her dog then finally brought the dog into the patio where staff play with the dog while serving customers and on top of that the dog was off leash running in and out of the kitchen while the cook was on a bbq outside by where they keep the trash. Very concerning. If these are the same owners you would never know as Madeline's on Main St is exquisite and amazing food and service.
Really cute restaurant on Main Street. They have a nice menu and a great variety of wines. We were warmly greeted and sat at the window table. I'm a huge bread fan, and both my son and I didn't eat a second slice of bread. It may be missing salt? I ordered the spinach and warm bacon salad and it was just okay. For my entree I had the stuffed chicken with sage brown butter. This was very good. My green beans and carrots were the favorite part of my meal. I wasn't fond of the scalloped potatoes, the cheese was overpowering. My son had the rabbit with plums and he really enjoyed his. He had a different type of carrot and roasted new potatoes. The hostess and busser were really friendly and helpful!
Love going here to eat and taste wine. Food is always amazing. Wine list for tasting is not boring. The variety of the wines is worth it. Always have a great experience.