Café Maddalena

I really pains me to leave this review, but I'm hopeful that some constructive criticism will keep Cafe Maddalena alive this time around. After months of anticipation and excitement, my family and I were eager to revisit Cafe Maddalena, once a benchmark for fine dining in the area. While the cozy atmosphere and familiar warmth of the space remain, the dining experience under new ownership sadly misses the mark on several fronts. The restaurant still exudes a certain charm with soft lighting, intimate tables, and a sense of nostalgia that instantly welcomes you back. Yet the effect is undermined by new decorative choices that feel out of place: quotes printed on mirrored panels that look more at home in a retail décor shop than in a refined dining room. These touches distract from the understated elegance the restaurant once embodied. I can't help but long for the days when the chalkboard specials (complete with prices) stood proudly above the wine bar and gorgeous plates lined the walls. We started with the escargot, which was the first disappointment of the evening. The crostini accompanying it was burnt black on one side and underdone on the other, while the escargot itself lacked the depth, salt, and garlic that should define the dish. It felt as if the kitchen was aiming for sophistication but overshooting the essence of good, flavorful cooking. The gougeres, on the other hand, were executed much better. The structure of the menu also seems at odds with its fine-dining aspirations. Offering a soup or salad alongside an entrée feels incongruous in a restaurant positioning itself at this level, and the portion sizes were unexpectedly large. Quality should matter more than quantity at this level and price point. The wine list, too, was underwhelming: limited in variety, overly marked-up, and offering few selections that truly complement the cuisine. For a restaurant aspiring to fine-dining standards, the selection felt disappointingly uninspired. To top it off, they quietly added gratuity into the bill but didn’t note it anywhere on the receipt (see photo). We were a party of 6 and an added gratuity is totally understandable, but it should definitely be noted on the receipt somewhere. This felt misleading, deceiving, and unprofessional. I question if this is even legal? What was once the crown jewel of the local dining scene has, regrettably, lost its luster. The intention to elevate the experience is evident, but the refinement, balance, and technical precision that once defined this restaurant are nowhere to be found. One can only hope that, in time, the new owners will honor the legacy they’ve inherited and restore Cafe Maddalena to its former excellence. I do plan to return in a few months, hopeful that the team will have worked through these early missteps and rediscovered the sense of care and balance that once made this place so special.

This fine dinning experience was just only good as my expectation was high since this restaurant has never disappointed us in the past! The appetizer was great but very small. The salad was also delicious .The Pasta Carbonara was over seasoned and pasta wasn’t quite cooked enough. The Short Ribs Ossobuco was also over seasoned. The Saffron Risotto was good. The ribs were very tender. The Lemon Curd Mousse Cake was excellent. So for the price of the meal I would think the food would be on point.

What a wonderful evening we just had. We ate here 3 years ago on our last trip up here, I understand it’s seems to of changed owners but it most definitely has kept its great reputation. We dined here years ago from a recommendation from a former local, I will be happy to report back to them how wonderful it was again. It’s so very cosy still, beautiful ambience and such lovely staff. Our server was so lovely and pleasant. I had the steak and it was beautiful, the potatoes (I’m Irish so I know my potatoes) were also beautiful. So very tasty! My partner had the pork special and they said it was delicious, we also had the sprouts special, big fans. We will definitely be back and wish the new owners all the luck 🍀 10/10

This is by far the best Dining experience in Dunsmuir. The Cafe is long regarded as a great dinner or date night option and they have reopened strong! The short ribs were fantastic and the halibut was as fresh as it comes. Really happy to see these folks serving great food in a fun atmosphere.

After multiple recommendations, I drove an hour here to try this restaurant. It did not disappoint! The service was amazing, I sat outside and they moved me inside (At my request) partway through dining without any fuss at all. The meal was fantastic, I had the roasted cabbage appetizer which was good. The highlight for me was the beef tenderloin. I typically order filet, because I prefer leaner cuts of meat. This was amazing! It ordered medium, it was cooked perfectly. The Demi glaze is robust and a little salty which I love, (order on the side if that’s maybe not your thing). It was a large cut and I definitely didn’t need an appetizer, or dessert, but that didn’t stop me haha. I got the chocolate ganache torte, which paired perfectly with the Pinot noir. Would definitely come back, and would 100% order the beef tenderloin again. Thank you for such a great experience, and the fantastic service.

What a find. Spectacular food, for anywhere. We split several things including the whipped feta appetizer, burrata salad and short ribs. Excellent quality cuisine and a treasure. Nearly had the place all to ourselves on a dreary rainy evening on a Wednesday. Staff was attentive and luck for us tried a day old new menu! What a treat. Will be specifically seeking this place out whenever we come down from OR again. Would recommend to any of my foodiest of foodies. Bravo team. So glad you're back open.

What a great meal. Very attentive to you and the food. Truly a well crafted meal from start to finish. Did not get a picture of the appetizer, which was fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with shrimp. Butter leaf lettuce salad with creamy garlic dressing and smoked rouge blue cheese, I had the pan seared beef tenderloin and my wife had the chicken basquaise. Dessert was the fresh peach cheese cake. I cannot give a high enough rating for this meal and service.

So amazing a must drive to Dunsmuir . The steak cooked perfectly as were the vegetables and the mashed potatoes the soup smelled awesome and tasted even better Caesar salad big and perfect. We ended our dinner with a fabulous dessert.

Hidden gem. Had the following: - Crispy butter cabbage with shallot & thyme yogurt sauce - Beef tenderloin with thyme risotto, broccoli & creamed demi glace Was on a road trip, and this was the best meal I had from Arcata to Ashland to Bend to Dunsmuir.

I stopped in on my 50th birthday about a week ago. My friend and I originally intended on eating somewhere else, but they were out of a lot of there food.... Thankfully! We searched online for a place. I wanted steak. My friend said this place was recommended by her Airbnb. At first I didn't want to spend too much money, but there was nothing else open in the area that would be able to serve me a decent steak. We called because they were closing soon and they said they could accommodate us before closing. So we went! This place is SUPER CUTE! I ordered the steak and it came out looking PERFECT and well plated, but there was a steak sauce on the steak that I would have gobbled up, but knowing I'm allergic to mushrooms and most places make their steak dressing with mushrooms, I asked and they said yes, it indeed has mushrooms in the gravy. Our server Chelsea was amazing and patient and had the chef remake my meal without the mushroom gravy. Without the gravy, the steak was still PERFECTLY SEASONED and absolutely delicious. I didn't think I'd be eating the whole thing after having had bread, an appetizer and a fantastically delicious roasted cabbage salad, but I did. I had a taste of some red wine but not with my meal, however this wine recommended by Chelsea would have been perfect with the meal! Thank you Cafe Maddalena for a remarkable birthday dinner! I was not looking forward to turning 50 and you all capped off the day perfectly. I'M SO GRATEFUL!!!!

Always a treat to enjoy a meal here were perfection's personifiedsuch a joy! Food was fantastic and served with that perfect combination of professional and homey style that is so welcoming. Food that is beautiful and delicious! Gnocchi was hardened in a Pesto butter glaze when topped with fresh parmigiana cheese hit the spot. Many local Italian mama's fed this to me growing up and the memories of eating this in the canyon next to the River is itched in my brain! Awesomeness!

We were staying close by at the Railroad Resort and looked for a place that was small enough and had a small enough menu. We got lucky, our sweet hostess made sure we got a spot while we were waiting outside in our vehicle. Maddalena has a wide variety of choices and we ended up choosing 1. the tagine with eggplant, sweet potato, carrot, bell pepper and pearl onions over couscous and 2. the fantastic lamb chop on a ratatouille bed. Both absolutely to die for. Dessert? A peach frangipane tart, equally delicious and we skipped the coffee this time. One bummer, our waitress was business like and left us a bit underwhelmed despite the great food. Still I'd come by and give it another try as for sure the menu will be totally different.

Maple glazed salmon and trout were amazing, great atmosphere. I am writing a review while waiting for dessert, I think it will drive me crazy. Highly recommend Cafe Maddalena.

We had an outstanding meal at Cafe Maddelena to end our weekend in Mt Shasta/Dunsmuir. We had the olives, tartine of the day (tomato), Caesar salad, Cassoulet and entree special (fettuccine with wild foraged mushrooms). Our food was legit outstanding. My husband worked for years at a Michelin recommended French restaurant and was sneering at the thought of Cassoulet (but ordered it anyway) and was raving the whole time. We also had an outstanding panna cotta and apple tart for dessert. The entire meal was accompanied by a thoughtful and affordably priced wine list (we had the sauv blanc, Viognier, chenin blanc and a red blend from SLO). Highly recommend and a super pleasant dining experience. For sure make a reservation. We had the table next to the door and saw multiple people turned away.

I can't tell you how sorry I am to leave this zero star review. We have dined at Cafe Maddalena dozens of times over the past 5 years. We have left positive reviews, raved to friends local and visiting, that this is the best restaurant within 150 miles. Sadly this is no longer the case. There have been shakeups within the business, which is understandable, many businesses manage these sorts of personnel changeovers all the time.. Cafe Maddalena has managed this most recent change over terribly. We have eaten here three times since the changes were made, and we left what we hoped would be received as positive feedback each time. We ate dinner again here tonight, and noticed the same lack of personal attention, service, attention to detail, and respect that we have grown accustomed to over the years. We had a very forthright conversation with our server and asked to talk to Vanessa one of the owners to share our feedback. While we were having our meal, we sat next to an enjoyable couple from Portland who are having their first experience at Cafe Maddalena and told them they could expect only the best. Surprisingly and heartbreakingly, Vanessa showed up at the table to give us a verbal lecture and reprimand about unintelligible reasons we should not have been critical of their food or service. Those guests we had been conversing with, a college professor and an attorney, overheard her loud recriminations against us. Their comment was that it they felt like they had stepped into the middle of a bad divorce. We were embarrassed for Vanessa and this restaurant, which we predict will now fail within a year. After so many years and so many positive recommendations, to handle our questions about falling quality and service to a restaurant we had enjoyed for so long is it true heartbreak. Cafe Maddalena is at the corner of Sacramento Avenue and pine Street. If you are looking for a location to start a restaurant, you might want to pin a flag on that address because it will be coming up soon. Cafe Maddalena will fail. When you read this, Vanessa, I hope it occurs to you that you should have talked to us with a civil tongue. We have heard that there were good reasons for the changeovers to the restaurant, I now begin to wonder if that's even true. You will see this review repeated on many social sites, it would have taken 2 minutes of your time to have a civil conversation to hear our concerns. But what I have said here is the truth.

Delicious food...service was excellent...pizza was yummy definitely going back there next time we go to Dunsmuir

We tried this place on a Friday fellas night out. Everything was fantastic. From the hummus plate, olives, clams, butternut squash fritters, beets salad, our entrees (Sole, filet mignon, lamb shank, roasted salmon, Pinot Noir), to the dessert- Port (walnut cake, pear tart, crème brûlée) We enjoyed it! Looking forward to our next visit Thank you

Wow! Really great restaurant in this teeny little town with not a whole lot happening. We sat in the garden under a beautiful grape arbor. The food was excellent and the service was wonderful. Fresh seasonally menu. Locally sourced. Good stuff!! We had a reservation made the same day by the Hotel Mossbrae that we stayed at just up the street. The restaurant was pretty full so I do recommended reservations.

Excellent food at a very reasonable (casual dining) price point. Just make sure you make a reservation as this place books up in advance. The scallops and the zatar chicken were out of this world, and their eclectic wine list was also quite reasonable.

Loved the food, fresh and ambience, nice general feel. I didn't know this restaurant existed and I come to Mt Shasta regularly. I look forward to returning.

FOOD RATING = 4 stars For starters, we went crazy on deep fried food. The best thing I ate were the fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with shrimp mousse that was like a dim sum filling. The second best were the fritters filled with corn kernels and minced green onions that came with an inspired coriander tartar sauce. The entrees were less exciting but both came with generous amounts of protein. The filet mignon had nice char and cooked to the proper temp but had a bit too much salt. The layered potato dauphinoise was a happily rich side to the steak. The roasted chicken was moist but the skin was too - largely due to the presentation where the meat was stacked on top of itself and then topped with an overly spicy harissa sauce. The stack was even higher because the foundation was a tight cous cous and slightly dry squash (try coating with more oil before grilling). This was another foolish case of presenting food to achieve "height" without a sensible purpose. BEVERAGE RATING = 1 star No wine was offered because they were in between alcohol licenses. I could chalk it up to bad luck and bad timing but rather than mitigating the problem, the situation was mishandled at every step. I wasn't told about the drinks problem when making the reservation, wasn't told at the host stand, and wasn't told when seated. We found out when we asked the server about drinks and then were given an absurd solution about going to a bar up the street between dinner courses. Additionally, the server didn't suggest non-alcoholic beverages they might have - not even something as simple as sparkling water or ginger ale. We bizarrely entered an episode of "Seinfeld" with the soup nazi of beverages. NO DRINKS FOR YOU! I know this area is rightfully proud of their tap water but this is taking it a bit too far. Non-drinkers might see me as overly traditional or someone who needs a drink to have a good time. There is some truth to that but not having a drink felt incomplete while eating the steak. It was the first time that I've eaten a prime steak without wine or a martini. Water just doesn't have the dry tannins that accentuates a fatty piece of meat. Also, alcohol would have helped tone down the spice of the harissa. I wouldn't have guessed parking would be an issue in tiny Dunsmuir but we parked two blocks away. Ironically, I reserved by phone call but it wasn't needed on Friday night.

I have eaten here 25 + times and adore Vanessa. I didn't realize that she was now a part owner. We were here over 4th of July weekend with out of town guests who had also been there with us before. The night was horrible. The waitress was vapid and ineffectual. The food that we waited hours for was average. This was our go-to place and my disappointment is beyond words. Now there is nowhere in the Shasta/ Weed area to have a high quality dinner in a beautiful setting.

Most of these good reviews are from past experiences with the original owner and chef over a year ago. Sadly he and his wife retired and sold this place to someone without the same skillset, inventiveness, and creativity and it has gone EXTREMELY downhill. Food is limited and basic, not at all what we came to expect of Maddalena's years ago--- in the past, it felt like being in a french bistro in Dunsmuir and it was wonderful. Now, it is pretty much a joke and is not the fine dining experience with fresh and inventive recipes that we came to love. Service is awful. And now, just a sign hangs from the door: 'closed for maintenance' for weeks-- yet dark and no maintenance going on. Sad as it was a special trip we drove hours for, yet is no longer a gem of Dunsmuir.

After multiple recommendations, I drove an hour here to try this restaurant. It did not disappoint! The service was amazing, I sat outside and they moved me inside (At my request) partway through dining without any fuss at all. The meal was fantastic, I had the roasted cabbage appetizer which was good. The highlight for me was the beef tenderloin. I typically order filet, because I prefer leaner cuts of meat. This was amazing! It ordered medium, it was cooked perfectly. The Demi glaze is robust and a little salty which I love, (order on the side if that's maybe not your thing). It was a large cut and I definitely didn't need an appetizer, or dessert, but that didn't stop me haha. I got the chocolate ganache torte, which paired perfectly with the Pinot noir. Would definitely come back, and would 100% order the beef tenderloin again. Thank you for such a great experience, and the fantastic service.

From the beginning it was a great atmosphere. We walked in and the host was really kind. Our host jade was amazing and gave us amazing suggestions, the filet mignon for me and the scallops for my wife. The filet was perfectly cooked with a a crust that reminded me of bacon, who doesn't love bacon, and the buttery scallops melted in your mouth, and with neither of us liking scallops these made us love them. For me, even the scalloped potato and the string beans we great. The beans were perfectly cooked with a little snap to them and not overly cooked. The potatoes were perfectly crusted and smooth on the inside. Oh and the sauce tasted amazing with everything. We needed our night with the strawberry shortcake and the mousse. Both were amazing and the mousse was thick and smooth. It had the slight sweetness of dark chocolate with no over bearing sugar. It was obviously good since I forgot to take a picture lol. Next time we come here we'll DEFINITELY will eat here again.

Been dining here since 2004. Delighted to realize the new owners have continued the great traditions and menu style. Had a great dinner just last night. Planning to dine here frequently in the future

Cafe Maddalena served the best meal I've eaten for hundreds of miles in any direction. If you're in Dunsmuir, or nearby of an evening, and you're looking for a REALLY excellent meal (priced accordingly), Cafe Maddalena is where you should go. Just outstanding Franco-Italian dining, really well prepared seafood, outstanding desserts, an excellent wine... it's nothing short of outstanding.

Went to our local gem, Cafe Maddalena, last week and was surprised to find that Barry has left but not to worry. Ian, Chet and Drew have taken over the kitchen and are doing an excellent job. Had one of the best meals there in a while. The front of the house never varies, always attentive and helpful. It like having a meal with close friends. Needless to say we will be back as often as we can and thanks crew for doing a great job

This place is amazing. Excellent menu, excellent service and friendly staff. Would highly recommend. I came in with my son this week as we were passing through and the staff was able to seat us without reservations.

This place is da bomb. Someone wrote that their steak was not cooked to perfection... They probably don't know steak. This place was brilliant and the house wine they had for the evening was spectacular.

It was 7:30PM on a Saturday night last October 2022 and My husband and I were on our way back to Oregon after attending a wedding in Redding earlier that day. We decided we didn't want to drive all the way home and began looking for a hotel in Dunsmuir where we could stop for the night. We were also hungry and so while he drove, I searched Yelp for restaurants in Dunsmuir (I'll be honest, I did not have high hopes of finding anything beyond fast food ). I ran across café Madalena and I gave them a call. We were about 45 minutes away and when I asked if they might still be open around 8:30 (when our GPS said we would arrive in town), "Of course" said the pleasant voice on the other side of the line. "Our last seating is at 8:30". Whew, we made it just in time. You would never know Cafe Madalena was there unless you drove off the main drag through town so a big thanks to Yelp for helping us find this delightful, warm, cozy hidden gem. When we arrived, almost every table was full (an indicator of good things to come) yet they greeted us warmly and we were seated immediately. For starters, I'm a huge critic of table-settings. In my opinion, there's nothing worse than going to a well established, or higher end, restaurant and being served a meal on cheap, cafeteria dishes with chintzy silverware and dime store wine glasses. (I digress)....I loved the little touches that our table had. White linen tablecloth, flatware placed carefully on the table, beautiful wine glass, linen napkins, and a sweet little flower in a vase and candle made the atmosphere. The menu here is simple, with fresh, farm to fork offerings. I am gluten free and our server (I believe her name was Kelsey) gave excellent suggestions. We received impeccable service as well (service that rivaled any 5-star restaurant in a large city. Kudos to the entire staff for that) and they never made us feel rushed even though we were the last two patrons left in the restaurant. Before our meal our server brought us this wonderful little treat, of goat cheese wrapped grapes, rolled in pistachios (delicious) we enjoyed a lovely white wine (from lake county if I remember correctly ) with our meal at her recommendation. My husband ordered the salmon and I had pork chops. Our portions were just right, not too much, not too little. Everything was presented beautifully and cooked perfectly. We left with very satisfied bellies, and a promise to return. We had no room for dessert, but our once again our wonderful server insisted on sending us on our way with a to-go box filled with a gluten-free dessert for me and a regular dessert for my husband. (I wish I could remember what they were but they were so yummy, we ate them for breakfast the next day). So in closing We loved everything about this restaurant. The atmosphere service, the food, wine, and I can't wait to go back and visit this lovely hidden gem.

Good food, good service, recommended for a nice dinner out in Dunsmuir. Will return on our next trip to Mount Shasta.

Love this restaurant. Long history of great dinners. Menu changes reasonably often. Easy to find. One block from the northernmost California Amtrak station

Dining is always a pleasure. Food is great, service is excellent. Make a reservation

We have been dining at Cafe Maddalena since Maddalena start this lovely nugget in Dunsmuir and when Chef Brett took over it was a flawless transition to a nice twist of his own touch ! We had dinner just this past weekend and we're concerned what the experience might present having gone through 2 changes in ownership very recently! Our concerns were greatly relieved seeing most of the staff that's worked there over the years! We had a lovely meal and we applaud your tenacity in the troubled waters you navigated keep the ship upright and the great reputation Maddalena ! Thanks again for a great dining experience we will seeya soon! Bravo Zulu to the whole staff! Gary & Pam Kruth

Had dinner tonight. Started with the prawn stuffed squash blossoms, excellent, very crispy and salted and had a lot of flavor. Next we had the butter lettuce salad with asparagus and hard boiled eggs. Again, excellent. Don't know what dressing they used but was very good. Then on to the entrees. I ordered the hazelnut crusted loin of cod with mashed potatoes and spinach. I didn't see any hazel nut crust, instead was served a wet soggy piece of cod on top of wet potatoes. There was absolutely no crusting and no seasoning, just a wet piece of fish on top of a wet glob of potatoes. Very disappointing, certainly they can do better with a piece of fish. My husband had the filet of beef which was excellent but over cooked. He asked for it medium and it was well done, didn't see any pink, but very tasty and he shared it with me as I wasn't about to eat wet soggy fish. All in all the service was out standing and the wine was good. But certainly would never order the fish again. Beware, order steak medium rare!

This restaurant never disappoints. The food, the service and the decorum matches any five star restaurant in any city including LA, NY, and SF. The six of us enjoyed everything from beef tenderloin to rabbit and porcini mushrooms to grilled harissa chicken. Cannot forget the tenderloin with white beans. We ended this outstanding dining experience with mousse and a lemon tart. If you want to have a special dining experience- I would recommend making reservations at Cafe Maddalena.

I waited 13 years before giving this place a chance again and will have to wait another 13 before I will again. This place is WAY to pretentious and overpriced for what they are serving. The pasta was over salted and meh . The chicken cordon blue was also too salty. Don't even get me started on the desserts. The pear cobbler was inedible- cloying with sugar and cinnamon. My 12 year old son even made the comment that the best thing served were the complimentary olives at the start. Truly disappointing.

This is a tried and true restaurant. Always fresh ingredients and yummy entrees. Staff are spot on and the ambiance is upscale for our little town.

It makes me sad to write this...actually heartbroken! My friends and I have frequented maddalena's over the last 20 years and have always left feeling satisfied- well fed and well served. But tonight, might have not only been the worst meal I've ever had at Maddalena, but maybe the worst meal I've had anywhere! The service was terrible, we waited at our table for 15 minutes before even being greeted or getting water or menus. Once served, the food was simply terrible....the vegetable paella was a bowl of crusty tasteless rice with a few pieces of super greasy squash and a few mushrooms, topped with scoops of Baba ghanoush...which seemed like an afterthought and is incongruent with paella! My friend ordered the clams on spaghetti and the pasta was all stuck together mixed with butter and topped with a handful of clams...terrible! The service was also not the norm...not engaged or attentive. This used to be a 5 star experience and while I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt that the head chef was out sick tonight, this was my third attempt since the new owners took over...the first two times were disappointing but tonight was next level...my stomach hurts as I write this. We will not be back until Maddalenas gets some serious help!

Yum, yum, yum! This is a wonderful small and quaint restaurant. Everything is fresh, staff very friendly and service impeccable. Highly recommend coming here if you're in the area!

This place is the best restaurant in the region of Mt Shasta, and honestly, always has been since I moved here 27 years ago. I love the timeless elegance of the atmosphere, with the open kitchen showcasing the talented chef and his staff, and the beautiful outdoor seating in the garden with plants and vines all around. I truly do miss the days when it was Maddalena herself in the kitchen, but the owners who took it over from her have definitely kept the high standards and quality of culinary art and traditions alive there for years now themselves. The only reason I can't give it five stars is due to the fact that their menus lack options for people who eat plant-based. The things they do have to offer are incredible, but it seems as though those things are vegan by default, and that there is no intention of creating culinary dishes that make a vegan feel like they're not missing out. There are so many amazing recipes for vegan cheeses, milks, butters, creams, etc, these days, that it really is missing a huge target market by not addressing vegan diets on their menus, and offering up vegan cheesy and creamy things that come from plants and not animals. It would just be truly perfect then. And, even more so, if they and every other restaurant establishment on the planet would also go fully Plant-based, too. Plant-based nutrition and herbal medicine FTW!

I attended a wedding party Friday evening at Cafe Maddelina. We were greeted with negative and rude service from our female server's. One I'm unsure if our server was having personal issues or if they are just short staffed. Our main server was rude and negative towards several guests at the table, even refusing to serve 2 people who were standing. I don't want to excuse the brides behavior when she approached kitchen staff for a time line of dinner to be served. During conversation in kitchen that escalated out of control with server bringing out to Guests and yelling. Our dinner party was scheduled at 7 pm the restaurant moved to 7:15. At 9:30 pm dinner still hadn't been served so many recieved food that wasn't edible to eat. We had a $43 steak dinner they served with French fries, the steak was good but it was cold. I would not recommend a large party unless they have extra help. Our server handled a tense situation in the most unprofessional behavior I've ever witnessed.

I have to start by saying we came here back in March.it was for our 24th wedding anniversary and I thought the menu looked amazing. We wanted to spend $ on EVERYTHING . The staff was eating the bread they made while talking and staring at the customers, also they were Drinking drinks right at the bar. This is a super small restaurant so it was strange to us that they were eating and then touching the focaccia bread. Then serving. The pepper stuffed with risotto was 3 cold uncooked peppers, stuffed with cold risotto placed upside down on a plate. No garnish. Nothing. I ordered tha halibut. This halibut was floating in heavy whipping cream topped with plain green sprouts. It was a sea of beige on the plate. With sprouts. There was zero flavor. It was as bland as the cream sauce it was swimming in. My husband had a filet. It was meh. We were so underwhelmed we skipped dessert. No one refilled our drinks or bread. I wish I could go back in time and celebrate at a pizza place. McDonald's. Anywhere. I wasn't going to post a review I am so upset but Yelp keeps asking me to. So here ya go.

Service was spot on, but our food wasn't. We started with butternut squash fritters with a chimmi churri. The fritters just had no flavor. They tasted of nothing so much as deep-fried flour. Some salt and maybe sage or thyme would have gone a long way, but the chimmi churri was really flavorful and quite good. Next, we had the beet salad. Really good, lots of flavor but super skimpy on the Arugula, there were only 7 small pieces, strange. The cream of mushroom soup was lacking salt and only luke warm. Our entrees where the house made Ravioli and the spaghetti with sundried tomato and cheese. The spaghetti was the best of the two but, again, lacked salt. The Ravioli was tough, not al dente but tough. The dough was overworked. The filling was tasty but couldn't overcome the pasta. I had a lovely glass of wine. The server said it was the last night of this menu which can only be good.

Exactly as billed: amazing food, service and quaint. Will be back. The Gruyere cheese gougeres were so simple appearing but amazing. Like eating a Gruyère cloud.

This is such a beautiful spot if you're looking for a nice dinner, excellent service and lovely views of the Sacramento river in the quaint town of Dunsmuir. We came here for our anniversary, and were beyond satisfied with our experience! We both had the Sea Bass ~ it was so succulently delicious, I had to give the chef a compliment on the way out! Our waitress was extremely accommodating with our dietary needs (my partner is GF, and I am dairy/meat free), we will definitely be coming back many times! Suggestion ~ make a reservation ahead of time! It's a small spot that fills up fast :)

Sat on the patio and it was so beautiful, food was good as well! However food and beverage menus were very limited and I'd say a little overpriced.

The place is nice & cozy but while the food was well cooked, it was under-seasoned, and the filling for the butternut squash ravioli had an odd flavor & was the consistency of baby food. Maybe the kitchen needs to taste the food more? We had really hoped for something better. Possibly worth trying again - but there's definitely room for improvement.

We have reunion in Dunsmuir nearly every year (a couple years of Covid prevented us from the usual annual get together) and have always drooled at the thought of going to Maddelena. We knew the ownership had changed but the reviews looked good so we went. We arrived 10 minutes before our reservation and let them know we were there. Took a nice evening stroll around and enjoyed ourselves. We were seated a half hour later than our reservation. When we got our main courses it was 40 minutes after having been seated. We were served some bread to munch, once during this time. I ordered chicken confit. The chicken was very small and the skin around the drum extremely receded from the tip. I tried to be optimistic but got two bites out of the entire presentation. Two bites. The rest of the chicken was harder than beef jerky. Since there were 8 of us and we had waited so long, I couldn't imagine sending it back and trying to get another dish, knowing that it might take another 20 - 30 minutes to get another main dish. The squash was limp and watery. I couldn't believe this was happening! One of my table mates chicken was also very tough and one other's chicken was just fine. My hubby's bolognese was okay but had pieces little pieces of beef in it that were also like beef jerky. Quite disappointing. I should have been offered a credit for my chicken (at least). Long story short, there were other issues with others' meals and we just won't go back.

Absolutely great place to eat. Staff was friendly and service was excellent. I had the beef tenderloin and it was perfectly cooked. My wife has the trout and it was delicious. Definitely get reservations if you go as it is always full.

I just don't get it. The wine and service are outstanding but the food is just mediocre. I've been lucky enough to eat at many great restaurants and CM is just simply overrated. The main dishes just lack pop and flavor.

For the most part food was delicious, had to send one entree back but subsequent entree was fantastic. Delicious appetizer and dessert. The one thing I wish I could give 5 stars was for the service. She was attentive but not annoyingly so when there was an issue with the entree she was gracious and more than willing to make it right. I wish I caught her name so I could give her more praise since she made it just over the top perfect for a birthday dinner.

Update: Just as phenomenal as always. Brett and crew really know fine dining. Perfect spot for date night. Highly recommend making your reservations for the patio area. Beautiful grapevines above you and the sounds of the pond running in the distance. Splurge, don't look at prices. The food speaks for itself.

Food was outstanding! Last weekend, my husband and I brought another couple for dinner to celebrate their birthdays... We were not disappointed by the food! Everything our table at was perfect: hummus, squash fritters, chicken cordon bleu, salmon, lamb shank, and filet. The crème brulee and pear tart were delicious! Laurel was our server and did a great job! The only reason why I am rating this restaurant low is because I had an awkward and uncomfortable experience with one of the wait staff... I am a woman of color and was excited to see another woman of color in the restaurant (especially in the small town of Dunsmuir!). My excitement faded due to her laughing, snickering and pointing fingers at my husband and I and engaging another wait staff in the inappropriate interaction. After getting up to leave, the behavior was very obvious and rude so I directly asked "what's going on?" and was met with two wait staff turning their backs to me without an answer. Super odd and after a few hours of that, it was uncomfortable enough to not WANT to go there again. The food is excellent but I still have no idea why the wait staff acted like that... Unfortunately, the incident soured my experience in this restaurant. I hope that no one else has to experience that type of behavior in a restaurant...

I've been to Cafe Maddalena's many times. Lots of great meals. I understand there are new owners. The ambiance is very nice. Some of the dishes I saw going to other tables looked good. I ordered the Cod entree. I couldn't believe it when it arrived. It was a piece of cod wrapped in a stringy tough collard covering and floating in a very watery bisque of lemon broth. The fish was totally water logged and flavorless. In a word it was awful. Don't need to go back.

We had dinner there on August 27 and it was very busy with a large party of gentlemen enjoying their meal. A group of four came in and immediately starting to complain about noise , service and food . Please understand Dunsmuir gets many fisherman who come in to enjoy the beautiful Sacto River and end of the day dining at the Best food in Siskiyou County, the group of four instead caused a major ordeal and were completely classless with four letter words and yelling at the staff. So. We've been dining there and my entire family since the building opened and the current staff goes beyond the call of duty , pushing out wonderful food with many smiles , they are the best - Can't wait for our next visit .