Madison Park Cafe

The food is good but the wait staff / owner(?) are horrible. Cocky look from the waitress when we came in and then stuffed into a corner. The service was slow and inattentive really making not worth my time. There are far better places to eat in Madison Park, pick ANY one of them. more

Don't go there if you are looking for the latest trends! The owner, Karen Binder has not felt obliged to run after every food trend coming from L.A., New York or Europe. No fusion type food, no Adrian Ferra style 'cooking' (but is this really cooking????), just excellent French cuisine that is perhaps sometimes a little adapted to American taste. After all we French sometimes like real heavy and stuffy meals which would just not appeal to Americans, even the traveled ones!\r The inside is cosy and feels like home when the dinner table is prepared for a special occasion. But the greatest thing about the Madison Park Cafe is its owner, Karen. Nobody is as charismatic, warm, caring and fun as she. And if you want to learn about wines - yes even for a French! - ask her because she is extremely knowledgeable about our wines. Last but not least, her prices are very reasonable. So no excuse for not trying it out!\r A French Seattle lover Pros: Welcome, ambience, food Cons: Can't find any just now more

I went to this fantastic little place last night and had one of the best dinners I have had in a very long time. Luckily, the new chef Amanda, is an acquiantence and we let her pick all the food, while a very nice gentleman picked all the wine pairings. What a treat! The fois gras was perfect and to die for. I actually ate octopus (which I have never done), which was not chewy, nor fishy, but had a great flavor. Her preparation of duck was divine: red, not at all overcooked, not overly salty and was served with a delicious parsnip puree. Then came steak frit, medium rare, with perfectly done fries. The desserts, including the best truffles I've ever had, were delicious! And the server was engaging, bringing us the bottles of wine to see, and would give descriptions of the vineyards and varietals. Overall, an amazing treat and I would recommend this place to everyone! The atmosphere was very relaxed, and the pictures on the wall were gorgeous (and they change them periodically). Don't let the gourmet menu put you off, this place in very casual, and very much a neighborhood establishment. Amanda (who I believe came from Barking Frog) is a genius and you should very much jump at the chance to enjoy this gem of a restaurant! Pros: Food, Service and Atmosphere Cons: Street parking more

Seattle is truly one of the 'best' backyards in the world. I know, I've experienced most of the world, and I thank my lucky stars that I get to call Seattle home. It also gives me context for what is good, better and unmistakably 'best' when it comes to creative chefs, dining experiences and attention to detail. I've not stopped before to write a review, but feel compelled to do so now. And, while not a 'review' per se, its more of an exploration into true creativity, imagination, risk, and the rewards of doing so.\r I call Madison Park 'home' or at the very least my backyard. And one of Seattle's 'best' is tucked into a little house not far from the lake. The Madison Park Cafe has 'evolved' since I first experienced it, but is now realizing what it can be. Amanda Zimlich is a breath of fresh air, with imagination, creativity and a bit of culinary daring that serves the cafe well. With skill she has honed over the years, learning from Ludger Szmania and exploring ideas at the Barking Frog, we now have a new 'best' on the list of places to dine in Seattle. With all experimentation comes learning, and those lucky enough to patiently wait for a table in this little bistro are well rewarded. I've had many 'firsts' at the Madison Park Cafe, and all were a delight. My service experiences have included very knowledgeable staff who made excellent suggestions for pairing wines with my courses. The brunches are legendary and need no more accolades. The desserts are, as they say, 'to die for'.\r I would encourage those with a desire for a beautiful quiet location, patience for the wait to be seated, and a sense of exploration in their dining to put the Madison Park Cafe on their list of BEST places to dine in Seattle. more

You've probably never heard of it, but don't ask questions--come and give this restaurant a shot--it is well worth a trip...avoid the busy downtown traffic and relax! Pros: great food! outdoor seating! Cons: a little noisy more

Dinner at the Madison Park Cafe is a treat! We arrived 15 minutes late for our reservation, and while I expected a hassle (like at so many other up-scale restaurants in Seattle) we were seated right away. The server was incredible nice and attentive. The owner herself helped us pick a wine when we were overwhlemed by the excellent wine list adn lack of knowledge. We were treated like family the entire tiem we were there. Chef Amanda was also very attentive, she came to our table to chat and make sure we were enjoying our meal. The food was spectacular. I can't wait to go back. The Cafe has a relatively new chef, so if haven't been in a while, give them another try. Pros: Great food, Excellent service Cons: a little pricey, but worth it! more

I was encouraged to go to the Madison Park Cafe by a friend of mine who had sort of happened upon it while she was walking from her car to go to a nearby sports bar...she checked out the dinner menu and told me about it--I have been looking for a place to eat that is off of the beaten path and secretly great--well I think I found it! \r I took a few of my friends (foodies from out of town) and we had dinner a few nights ago and had a wonderful experience! They looked busy for a Tuesday--just a couple of servers but they did a fantastic job keeping up on our table, and they were very attentive and knowledgeable about the food. The food! Awsome! The Mussels are the best in town, and that crab salad was delicous. I also had a wonderful pork tenderloin that had truffle sauce and my friends loved their ahi nicoise salad--it was excellent. For dessert we shared the cherry cloufoutis that had a goat cheese ice cream on top--it was phenominal. I highly recommend this place--go here and ask to sit on the patio (though it is nice inside too.) Don't miss it! Pros: food more

We took our out of country relatives there for brunch, the food was great as usual. The warm deliciously flavored fresh scones and tasting-like-home-made strawberry jam, alone were worth the trip! The strata is always a favorite with my family, and the mimosas are no fail. This time thee service was a bit off, a waitperson bumped into my daughter and spilled 1/2 a glass orange juice on her blouse, ""Oh sorry"" was the only response. Pros: Good nearby parking, Great brunch, Wonderful courtyard more

The dinner this time around was above average, but not quite sure it's worth the wait. Almost an hour before our entree's arrived. I would appreciate more French ambiance, but then that's me I guess. The salad and wine were delightful but maybe a tad pricey Pros: charming Cons: noise more

We havent visited the Madison Park Cafe for a few years because of their average food and haphazard service. A couple of weeks ago we decided to give them another chance. Alas, nothing has changed. Even for a busy Saturday night the service was too chaotic. I chose one of their specials Grilled Copper River Salmon, which turned out to be a $28 flavorless flesh in a burnt crust. My husbands dish - Coq Au Vin, was only slightly better. On another hand, an appetizer of Chicken-Liver Pate was quite good. If youre OK with having a mediocre food in a nice location with a cozy patio seating when the weather is nice, Madison Park Cafe is for you. But if its a great food youre after, avoid this place. more

Had dinner with a friend from Phoenix. At the server's suggestion I ordered the spinach salad. Terrific. My Phxfriend ordered the onion soup, but received the evenings's special soup - roasted eggplant. Okay, but not knockout. Phxfriend ordered evening's seafood special - skatewing on an English pea puree with roasted prawn. Skate was overdone, and the prawn was mush. I asked the server, Tony, to pick between the coq au vin and the crispy duck atrisan. Tony ordered the duck - yummy! First bite was slightly gamey and every bite thereafter delectable. The star anise/blood orange sauce reduction was incredible. Dessert? Heck, yes! Phxfriend ordered pear sorbet - to die for. I had the Meyer lemon tart with huckleberry sauce - again wonderful. Try this place and ask for Tony. He'll give you great service and his recommendations shouldn't be ignored. I'll definitely go back! Pros: Food Quality, Service-Tony&Busser, Ambience Cons: Fish overdone more

This is a wonderful place to dine on a beautiful, summer evening. The food was very good and the service was friendly. We dined in the outdoor courtyard. It was fabulously romantic. Don't go here if you are in a hurry. We appreciated the slow pace, as we lingered over our delicious wine and food. Pros: romantic, excellent food, friendly staff more

We had high expectations, but the food was cold and the service was poor. The people were rude too. My date was so upset that I think I will never go back again! Cons: Bad service, Cold Food more

We called ahead to make reservations at 9:30 pm on a Friday night. We had some difficulty finding the restaurant and arrived 5 minutes late. They refused to serve us, saying the kitchen was closed, even though the restaurant is supposed to be open until 10 pm on Fridays. Really low class and unprofessional in our opinion, quite disappointing. Cons: Rude service, Unprofessional staff more

Madison Park Cafe has a fantastic breakfast, but on a nice day the wait to get into this tiny restaurant can be an hour or so. Since I live a block away, it's easy for me to pop over to check the wait. I wouldn't drive here from another part of town to be disappointed, though. The food during dinners is very nice. Far more upscale than the waitstaff who perform at a level somewhat below what you would expect at this type of establishment. BTW, skip the wine or bring your own bottle - their list of choices is tiny, and the wine is served 10 degrees too warm (in the upper 60's). Pros: great breakfast Cons: small wine list, wine served warm more

Good food. Nice design on new sandwich boards. Unfortunately, the owner hosed a Seattle Central Community College graphic design student on this design. Pros: Good food, Good service, Nice signs Cons: Cheats students, Won't return calls more

Food is great, service has not been very good on many different visits. Pros: Food, Ambience Cons: Service, Limited # of tables more

This a great place for Sunday brunches. Everything on their menu is gourmet style. They offer great quiches, pastries, juices....I would recommend this place to everyone. more