La Madeleine

The desserts are fabulous. I love the mini lemon tarts, and they have tasty lemon flavored whipped cream on top. I have had an entrée there twice. The Croque Monsieur was just okay — very heavy. The Brie and turkey sandwich was good but not amazing.

I always get there tomato basil, the pasta, and chicken salad on croissant! It’s so good and a great portion. I love there jam you can eat and the desserts are to die for!

Hubby and I had lunch here, I had the tuna on a croissant, he had the quiche Lorraine. Both were yummy. We then went over to the bakery side and brought home a baguette and a strawberry napoleon for him and a slice of coconut cake for me, it was a little different than the usual coconut cake, very good. The next morning we decided to stop for breakfast we both had the oatmeal with strawberries and nuts, really enjoyed it. Coffee was good to.

I love to go for breakfast/​brunch, but something is happening with their management lately. Very disappointed the last 3 visits recently. Service has been terrible. Cannot even keep their coffee and creamers stocked and have to ask and wait. Got order wrong on my breakfast today and delivered my eggs a full 15 minutes before my friend’s which was only two over-​easy eggs. Was done eating before she got her plate after having to go ask for it. Got a quiche earlier in week and it was terrible! I agree with Nat G. — «going downhill.»

Went for breakfast yesterday. Waited more than 30 minutes for my eggs and coffee/​Latte. This is an expensive restaurant with bad service.

This place is not very good. I think it’s been in the town center since it was first built and has slowly gone downhill. It’s time for an upgrade! Hopefully that will come when the shopping center is redone…

Came in for an early lunch today and really enjoyed it. Had a French Dip sandwich which was excellent and the chips they serve along with it are great too. The coffee was top notch and though this might sound crazy, the fountain Coke was the best I’ve had in a long time! My girlfriend got a croissant and she enjoyed that, too. A+, would eat again.

French lessons given over a loudspeaker in the bathroom. It doesn’t get much better than this! And if the manager, Lewis is there? He treats me better than family! He’s great! A ray of sunshine he is. Manuel makes the best mochas– ask him to include whipped cream and chocolate sauce, you will be glad he did. I’ve been coming here consistently for months, and yes, it can be confusing to newcomers where to order, but that’s such a minor thing, considering how wonderful the ambiance is. Love it here. Oui, oui!!!

Hands down some of the best soup you can have. I love their tomato bisque.

Staff has NO skill at customer service! I stood in line for over 20 minutes under the sign for specialty coffees and when a clerk finally waited on me, she said I was in the wrong line!!!
I asked for the manager and he simply apologized — didn’t even offer a complimentary coffee. Needless to say, I went elsewhere. This is not the first time.

I’ve read the reviews, but I have to disagree– charming interior, good food (a tad expensive), and endless bread and butter! Good for an hour lunch break with a friend or solo. I wouldn’t take a client here to impress them or a date.
Came here for lunch recently, at noon on a Wednesday. I wasn’t thrilled because I saw the prices online, but went with it anyway. Considering it’s self-​serve/​cafeteria style, the food did take a little longer than expected (about 15 minutes for 2 sandwiches), but it went by pretty fast with 2 trips to the bread and butter bar. I get why the ratings are what they are– it’s sort of a glorified Panera + the service here can be kind of unpredictable (sometimes they mess up your order). They’ve gotten my order right every time (so far), so no complaints from me.
O R D E R I N G
It gets confusing where you’re supposed to order because the takeout counter is to the far right and dine-​in check out is to the left and during peak hours the lines start to merge together. If you’re dining in, let me just tell you: you order at the cash register and they’ll give you a table number (on a wooden spoon). Also, as soon as you walk in, there’s a small display holding a bunch of foldable menus. Sometimes people mess up and put it back without the inserts, leaving all the inserts in the front, so thumb through them until you find a menu (the people in front of me were really confused).
While you’re waiting for food, there’s a bread bar across from the soda fountain. A bread bar! Soft, chewy, moist and dough-​y white bread… it’s the best free appetizer. (Wheat is just meh)
F O O D
Tomato Basil Soup is delish!– roasted tomatoes, basil and a splash of cream. Reminds me a lot of Safeway brand tomato soup (one of my fav).
I got the Turkey Bistro while my friend got the French Dip. Both were really good, but we agreed that Turkey Bistro was better. I didn’t have a chance to try the broth that came with the French Dip, but my friend didn’t like it. I have to point out that the baguette that both sandwiches came on was perfect and probably my favorite part of the meal– the exterior was perfectly crunchy and chewy, not too hard (where it cuts up the roof of your mouth) and the inside was so fluffy. I mean, if the bread was the most memorable thing to me, then obviously the food isn’t SPECTACULAR, but I loved it the way I love Panera. simple and yummy.
My friend picked the Caesar Salad as her side and it was a little over dressed, but as hungry as we were, didn’t mind that– romaine lettuce was crisp.
A M B I A N C E
It’s supposed to be a French Bistro and I think it’s adorable. Quaint, with dark wood furnishings, dimly lit, and has a small fire place on the far left side of the restaurant. There’s a wall of china somewhere in there too. Tables are kind of close together, but fits with the vibe. I kept saying, «I feel like I’m in Beauty and the Beast»! I would definitely come here for lunch again.

20 minute wait for a cup of overcooked soup and a mediocre tuna sandwich.
The La Madeline in Arlington is so good that this location is a disappointment. The staff didn’t seem to know what they were supposed to be doing or where. I counted 9 employees walking around, but no one was focused. Maybe the Zombie invasion starts here?
Anyhow, after 20 minutes I went back up to the register and my order magically appeared. Two other tables around me complained about the wait as well, so it seems to be consistent.

La Madeleine is a chain restaurant that serves quasi-​French fare for reasonable prices. When you arrive, someone takes your order electronically and then you get this large sign, order your drink from the cashier, pay your bill and find a table to sit at. They later bring your meal to you.
I hadn’t been in several years. Yesterday, I ordered the turkey and brie sandwich (Smoked turkey, caramelized apples and onions, Brie with a house-​made goat cheese spread baked on a sourdough roll) and it was pretty good. It came with black pepper potato chips. My companion ordered the Croque Monsieur (smoked ham and swiss sandwich with garlic cream sauce baked on fresh wheat berry bread); he ordered it with a side of pasta and he said both were delicious.
The restaurant is all dark wood and café tables of various sizes. It’s a good place to go for breakfast (which they serve all day), a quick lunch or for a leisure coffee/​tea break.

Truly me of my favorite brunch spots out there. It’s a great concept to get restaurant food at a fast food delivery point.
The lady manager that was in today has gone above and beyond to ensure optimal customer service, I commend the team that had a hand in bringing her in!

Honestly, I don’t know why I keep going here. I rarely eat in and end up ordering carry-​out at the pastry counter. I can’t tell you how many times my order is forgotten or wrong, and I can’t figure out why they keep this system instead of just moving through the regular café line. Food is average; café tables are often dirty or topped with used dishes. So many better quick options in the area – try one of those.

Feels like stepping into a French café and forgetting about northern Virginia suburban life. Love the wooden décor and rustic atmosphere.
The tomato basil soup is a childhood memory that I keep coming back to… and it doesn’t disappoint! Their sandwiches and tomato basil pasta are satisfying and extremely yummy.
I tried the turkey and brie sandwich– the key being OVEN-​TOASTED. The crust of the bread is so good!

Chicken Friande (w/​mushroom sauce) + Quiche Florentine = BOMB!
This place is better than the one in Columbia

Love, LOVE La Madeleine!
Few things make a trip east worth doing, La Madeleine is one of them! So much tasty stuff! Love the quiche, love the sandwiches, really really love the strawberry rhubarb jam. OMG so good.

My favorite place to stop whenever i’m in dc/​maryland/​virginia or texas. Just for the strawberry rhubard jelly.
We also love the quiche, strawberry romanaoff and more.
They have expanded the menu to be too difficult to manage now. SOme stuff you order from teh fella hocking coupons, some of your «combo» order at the bar, some elsewhere… It’s too confusing now.
The basics are where you need to stick — the bread and jelly, the strawberry romanoff, the quiche… the rest is ok, but stick to what is known and worth the trip!
You can also get pastries to go, as well as jelly and tomato soup.

I am a fan of their Parisien Eggs Benedict — it is eggs benedict but on a croissant opposed to an English muffin, and it has both ham and bacon. The hollandaise sauce is good and accents the eggs, meat, & croissant well.
I like the environment and that it is a good place to have meet a friend or business partner for a nice meal and a long conversation.
I appreciate that I had no problem ordering the Parisien Eggs Benedict in the afternoon. No one gave me the ‘how dare you’ look or tried to make me feel strange for asking for it after 1pm. Instead, the gentleman behind the counter simply said it would take a minute and asked if that was OK. Good service makes a difference to me and remember it. This is definitely on my list of good places to meet in Reston.