The Madison Hop — Restaurant in Town of Madison

Listen, if you enjoy waiting an eternity for a table, being ignored by your server, and eating food that makes you question your life choices, then this place is for you. If not, RUN.

We walked in this morning and were immediately greeted by the worst hostess in history—she seemed more interested in staring into the void than seating customers. There were at least 15 empty tables and we still waited for an entire hour to be seated. I’m not kidding. I thought we had walked into a black hole where time just ceases to exist. Meanwhile, the staff, who looked like they were taking a nap, couldn’t be bothered to clean any of the tables or seat anyone. Maybe they thought they were running a waiting room and not an actual restaurant?

When we were finally seated, I almost wanted to apologize to the other patrons for disturbing their quiet, unproductive morning of glaring at the walls. Speaking of which, Kelly—our server—was about as helpful as a brick. She checked in ONCE the entire meal, and when we asked for water, she gave us the “I’m-too-busy-to-care” stare. Newsflash, Kelly: there were THREE staff members for the entire restaurant, and yet the only thing that seemed busy was the tumbleweeds rolling past the empty tables.

The food? Oh, it was awful. If you ever wondered what it’s like to eat something that’s been microwaved into oblivion, this is the place for you. My meal looked like it had been dropped and then reassembled by someone with no sense of taste. Honestly, I’d have been better off eating a paper napkin—at least that’s edible.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a good time, good food, or just basic human decency—this is not the place. If you're into waiting forever, getting zero attention, and eating a plate of regret, well then congratulations, this diner is the perfect match for you. Stay far, far away from this trainwreck of a restaurant. Kelly and her crew should seriously consider a career change. Maybe retail? Or just... anything that doesn’t involve...

I tried the “Quacks” diner a few years ago (the diner that The Madison Hop replaced) and it was dirty and the food was below average. I was bummed as it’s about 15 minutes away and I had to drive a decent way to get a good breakfast. I think it was at the end of its lifespan. I’m pleased to say after my first visit today The Madison Hop is the complete opposite. The space has been renovated tastefully and smelled and felt clean. The coffee wasn’t the typical gross/cheap Folgers coffee, which was a pleasant surprise and the western omelet, home fries and white bread toast was delicious and fresh tasting. The omelet was expertly prepared with perfectly cut/diced and slightly precooked fresh veggies and the ham was the best I’ve had in a long time (locally sourced and delicious). The home fries weren’t that frozen trash, they were real potatoes, diced and perfectly fried. You can tell the food is prepared by someone who cares. The menu is simple, something I like to see. No weird stuff, just simple back to basic diner food done well. I’m really grateful to have such a top notch diner close to home where I can get food made with love for a good price in a clean environment. I just hope others realize how special a place like this is to have. I think they will. Thanks and keep up the great work Madison...

The Madison Hop is a great example of how to lovingly restore a classic restaurant. Once a staple in the Madison community, the new owners made necessary upgrades while maintaining the hometown feel. We were warmly greeted and seated immediately. Our family of 6 was able to find food we enjoyed on the menu. The meal was promptly prepared and brought out. Everyone loved the food and appreciated the intentional sourcing of local products to make our meal. We were surprised at the bill and though that for the quality of the meal, the price was more than reasonable. We...