Short Stack Eatery

Quick update with details about the Bloody Mary…
+ Pork & Grits = superb. Pro tip: add an egg. Flavorful, perfectly simmered grits with just a kiss of heat, compliments of jalapeños. Really delicious, and the pulled pork is *solid*
+ Staff/​service remains top-​notch. Had a slight issue with one of the eggs we ordered, and the crew was all over it. Super friendly and responsive.
— It’s still too cold in here
— Don’t even think about trying to «get in and get out» quickly on a weekend; we arrived extra early this past Saturday, and the line was already out the door (which people love to continuously hold open, even when it’s 30 °F outside). Line remained that long well into the morning.
— The Bloody Mary.
Oye. So, I’ve become a huge fan of Bloody Marys. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. Why? Texture: too thick. Drank more like a slushy than a mixed drink. Why? Flavor: heavily influenced by beet juice/​purée. All I could taste was a briny beet; it was single-​noted and dominated by that beet flavor (and color). Why? The «salad» that accompanies it was again single-​noted: a huge pickled beet, a few thin slices of beet-​pickled carrots, and an olive (no cheese curd, no sausage, no cocktail onion, etc). The massive stick of celery that was included was nearly frozen, to boot. Why? Pricey. Again… SSE doesn’t deliver much value when it comes to adult beverages. As shared before, most beers (bottles) are $ 6-​$ 7; the Bloody Mary here starts at $ 7 without a chaser. Other cocktails range from $ 7 — $ 11.
So… I’m still a fan. I just wish it was more comfortable inside and that they’d revisit their pricing on beer/​mixers.

Amazing food, and delightfully local bohemian ambiance… this is exactly the kind of place you love to find for breakfast when traveling. Tables are decorated with authentic antique postcards, you order at the counter, and coffee is self serve. The crowd is a mix of college students and a variety of downtown locals. Each seat is against a window where excellent people watching provides great entertainment while you eat.

Love everything I’ve tried here. And it’s open all night too. Great unique décor here and friendly staff. Order first then grab a seat.
They have a daily (sweet or savory) special. If you don’t ask what it is, mystery special is ½ price. Great for the college crowd or adventurous diner.
Cajun B&G is delicious. The body Mary is more of a smoothie with a bunch of natural ingredients. I’ve never tasted a healthier one. You can get with a High Life chaser on the side. Overall really good comfort food after a long night!

I came here for brunch at 11 and there was a line out the door! This place is definitely popular and with my first bite of their sweet potato oatmeal pancakes I could tell why…
They. Were. Amazing. Just the right amount of thickness and sweetness, these pancakes were like no other pancake I’ve tasted before! For a unique experience in taste and retro décor, I would absolutely recommend checking this place out! Make sure you have scheduled enough time though, as waiting to order then finding a table can be quite a task. I wish it was open for more of the week – it’s only open Thursday through Sunday…*tears*
The service was great, all very friendly! And when my friend ordered a small banana chocolate milkshake, and they didn’t realize until later they were out of bananas, they upgraded her to a regular sized milkshake for the inconvenience! What a great way to handle the situation.
Check this place out and get the sweet potato oatmeal pancakes!

What a disappointing experience. After a long break from eating at Short Stack Eats (mostly due to the long lines on the weekend and frankly better food at Marigold), a few friends and I decided to give this place another shot last weekend.
We were unfortunately unpleasantly surprised to see that the restaurant hadn’t worked out their wait issue — they now have a hostess who asks for your order number, supposedly commits it to memory and then calls it when a table is free — and that the food was of a much worse quality than the last time we came. The hostess forgot our number, we waited ~45 min for a table (which we only got after asking about the wait and making the hostess realize that she had forgotten about us), only to wait another ~15−20 minutes for our food. When the food (eggs and a breakfast sandwich) did come, the two orders of poached eggs were hard boiled.
Short Stack clearly meets a niche need — drunk undergrads looking for breakfast food at 3am or hungover undergrads looking for breakfast food at 11am — but anyone looking for a good breakfast in a nice atmosphere should go to Marigold (or perhaps Merchant) instead.

Love the concept, especially the late night weekend hours, which in my opinion is the best time to go. If you are like me, and can’t stand the chaotic Sunday brunch feeding frenzy, go late at night or on a weekday.
The staff is largely young, cool, and friendly. The décor is fun and interesting– we love the old letters and postcards that make up the façade on the table-​tops. Especially late at night, it’s a place that is easy to settle into for a few hours.
The Bloody Mary is really the star of their menu. It’s like a boozy, pickled salad in a cup! If this is YOUR drink, you have definitely got to try it. Although I don’t regret ordering it, it was a little on the vinegar-​y side for me and I couldn’t finish it. Definitely a food experience to remember.
We love the idea of the blind special, which is what my husband always orders. Beware though: we were told by one waiter that «sweet or savory?» was the magic question you could ask and still get the ½ off price. I asked that and was charged the full price for the dish, which was slightly irritating to me.
The food itself is solid, and I’ve never been disappointed in the taste. Something about this place keeps bringing us back!

Came here on a late Friday night since there weren’t many places open. There was a good amount of people but not busy because of the time. My SO and I sat at the bar area and since it was our first time here, we didn’t know that you ordered at the register. It was kind of awkward because there were 3 people behind the counter talking or wiping down their work area, and we had no clue why they weren’t acknowledging us. We were looking around to figure out what was going on, and I wish the staff had been more attentive only because we looked absolutely lost for the first 5 minutes. No one attempted to talk to us despite being right in front of them and they were glancing at us the entire time we were trying to figure out how to order. Once we did get our order in, it took a while for our food to come out. We also didn’t know that water and was self serve and only figured it out once we saw other people going back and forth from the drinks table.
All in all, good food, but the staff could stand to be a bit more attentive in informing newbies like us. Not everyone is a regular or can pick up on what to do because there was no line of people in front of us to take cues from.

Overall the food is good. Some of the workers need a bit of customer service work though or better understanding of the menu.
Went to short stack with some friends last night. I ordered the breakfast burrito which on the menu states that it comes with homemade salsa. Upon ordering the cashier asked if I wanted salsa. I said «of course» only to later find after looking at the receipt that they charged a dollar for the salsa. I don’t mind paying extra for items not included with the order but the menu clearly stated that it was included. This is minor so I didn’t say anything. The menu should say that the salsa is extra if it is though.
When the food came out I noticed that half the burrito was soaked in some kind of amber liquid. I tasted it and it was sweet and sticky. Clearly maple syrup which shouldn’t be on a breakfast burrito. I took it up to the counter and asked if the burrito was supposed to come with maple syrup (who knows) they said that it was the «oil» that they cook the burrito in. I politely disagreed, saying the it is sweet and sticky. The waitress asked what I had ordered. In the middle of answering she just turned around and walking away with my plate without saying a thing. Kind of on the rude side. I’d understand if they had been busy but it was kind of slow.
They brought a new burrito without the «oil» and it tasted great. They also provided a $ 10 gift card to make up for it which is a nice sentiment.
Overall the food is good but the service can use a lot of improvement. They did try to make things right in the end which is amendable.

In terms of the overall proximity to campus and food quality, short stack serves its purpose for most brunch happy college students. The vintage-​quaint chicness of the décor makes it a lovely place to brunch with girlfriends.
The food in itself is farm de table… from what I remember. When I visited, I ordered chocolate pancakes and the breakfast burrito as well as a large Bloody Mary. If you’re looking for a blast of flavor and lots to eat, the breakfast burrito is where it’s at. The only thing is that guac and salsa is a dollar extra. The Bloody Mary is their own mix of fresh tomato purée accompanied by some pickles and celery. I wish they could make it a bit spicier, so next time I will ask for hot sauce.
I gave this review 4 stars because short stack needs to address their seating capacity issue. When I walk past short stack, there’s usually a line out the door, which is unappealing during the winter season. This is usually due to the fact that most people will sit, eat, and lounge for a long time. Short stack should establish a max seating time so that incoming customers can have seating.
In the past, I’ve gone early and ordered for my friends so that we could find seating in time. This worked out pretty well.
Overall-​a great centrally located brunch joint with a fresh selection. Just avoid the rush;)!

We came here with a gift card, and used the whole card in one sitting! I had the breakfast sandwich (on a Stella spicy cheese roll… yum!!!) and my husband had the sweet potato pancakes. We both left feeling a little too full but fully satisfied. The place was reasonably clean, and we were in and out within an hour which was nice for a workday brunch. If we lived within walking, or even biking, distance we would be back for sure! The limited parking options and hours make it tough to return though when you have to drive in from the suburbs.

Short Stack has been at the top of my list on the sticky note I keep of «restaurants to visit» to reference when I need some guidance. I appreciate their unique concept of running ²⁴⁄₇ from Thursday-​Sunday though I’ve only visited during traditional dining hours.
The breakfast sandwich was one of the best I have tried in the city. It was a bit sloppy — fried cheese stuck to the bottom of my spicy cheese roll though I let that go. The savory and sweet of the flavors is amazing. The breakfast potatoes come with an option to add cheese and onions (smothered and covered for the Waffle House fans) — they were definitely worth the extra caloric intake!
Another friend ordered the blind special — such a brave choice! He ended up with a pulled pork hash with an overeasy egg. (hint: we realized you can find out what the blind special is by casually walking past the pickup window — the special is taped to the counter for servers’ reference) The blind special was a disappointingly small portion. It leaves one to wonder if the blind special «deal» leads to a smaller portion size.
Lastly, the wait gets super long in the prime brunch hours. We arrived at 9am to a half-​full restaurant and it was worth the «early» wake-​up to beat the long line that formed less than an hour later.

Short Stack may be named after their pancakes, but their other options do not disappoint.
Arriving on a Sunday for brunch with a friend I was immediately surprised by how packed it was inside. They do not take reservations and seating is all on your own, but it’s worth the work to stay and find a table. We ordered at the front and found a couple of spots at the bar in the center of the restaurant.
I had the breakfast burrito with cheesy potatoes. My breakfast burrito was good, but the real deal was the blind special. My friend ordered it and it turned out to be a delightful caprice eggs Benedict that day.
If you feel courageous or broke, give the special a try for half of what it would regularly cost. It’s a great way to give something new a try!

Came here with high expectations because of all the recommendations of this place.
The place itself is very interesting, with a nice and relaxing atmosphere, a little bit crowded but very cozy at the same time. The tables and walls are nicely decorated. And the staff are also very friendly.
As for food, I tried the breakfast sandwich. Wasn’t really what I expected, but it still tastes good. The breakfast burrito looks like a huge portion. Should get that if you came here with an extremely empty stomach. The blind special wasn’t really that special, but I guess that’s part of the game?
The milkshakes were great!

Having never been here before, I knew the line out the door was an indication of a great meal ahead. This is an eclectic place with fun people behind the counters and awesome cooks.
I ordered the Trio with traditional eggs, bacon and potatoes…“chucky style”. It is a lot of food! The potatoes were not ordinary-​they add cheese (you can’t go wrong there-​this is Wisconsin!) and carmelized onions. Delish!
You order first then take a seat-​meals are prepared quick.
Don’t hesitate to make a trip here– just be aware of the hours… Thursday 7 am straight through til Sunday night at 11 pm.

Very solid breakfast sandwich with perhaps even more solid griddled potatoes. Cheese and onions with your potatoes are extra, but very worth it. Get your sandwich on the cheese-​roll so you can have both cheese inside your sandwich, and inside your bread. Cheeseception. BURGHHHH (inception sound).
I can’t tell if the service was particularly friendly or if this is just how the Midwest rolls. Might be both.

An indie restaurant with a focus on organic and sustainable food (but, hey this is Madison after all, what do you expect?), serving breakfast early-​beginning at 7 am daily.
We stopped in just after they opened on a Sunday morning in August for a meal before hitting the road back to Minneapolis. The place is small but serves up some hearty chow. I ordered the French Toast which was dipped in a thick batter and served with a good helping of blueberries and strawberries and two big scoops of whipped cream. It was a rich treat for breakfast. My son had a large egg sandwich with thick crispy bacon on sour dough bread. We both had fresh orange juice too.
A couple of things to remember — order at the counter straight ahead of you as you enter. They will give you a number (bent car license plate) and bring your food too you. If you want water, help your self from the larger cooler in the back. Parking — hopefully you can find street parking or better yet, just walk there. They are located on the corner of Johnson St and State St.
The only negative for me was the price. Our breakfast was almost $ 30 for the egg sandwich, french toast and two OJ (1 lg, 1 sm) — pretty pricey.
Nonetheless, the food is high quality and tasty.

Pros: The food is bomb, the staff is nice, and the 24 hours (ish) nature of the place is absolutely wonderful.
Cons: I went in for my first time at 10pm on a Saturday, before the majority of UW students were back. Not overly busy, but my 3 pancakes still took roughly half an hour to get out to me. Also, nobody told me that water and coffee were bottomless-​help-​yourself style, so I went most of my meal thirsty before feeling like an idiot. Also, it was 13+ bucks for 3 pancakes and a lemonade… ouch. Finally, what’s the deal with being closed for 3 whole days at a time, but open the entirety of the other 4? Seems like a staffing nightmare for management, not to mention just a weird way to run a business if you’re trying to get a loyal crowd.
I’m definitely going to give this place more chances, because it’s all the rage apparently, and the food was good. But I don’t expect service to get quicker as UW students come back, so I’ll have to plan my visits accordingly.

I’ve been stung by bees twice in the past week, so I’m a bit leery of dining at a place where the front door is held open continuously by patrons waiting in line, while sweet maple syrup flows like a river inside. Luckily, the line was not bad at 11 am on a Sunday morning, and not a bee in sight as we approached the head of the line and read the posted menus for food and drinks, including a cocktail called… «Sting me».
Of course I had to order it. It was beelicious, featuring Wisco pop in the mix, which I loooove.
Other beverages include Minnesota-​style blisteringly hot coffee from a serve yourself urn, Boom brand, a darker roast, and brewed somewhat weakly. The plastic straw stirrers provided seemed like a very bad idea at those atomic coffee temps.
Because it’s me, of course I wanted to pick and choose from the menu offerings and build my own breakfast. They did not bat an eyelash, and it all arrived just exactly as ordered. I really appreciated the attention to detail and listening!
A militant silverware lady mildly scolded me for brashly attempting to pick up my own utensils from the bin right next to the rest of the serve-​yourself things. She informed me that I was to wait for my silverware to be delivered with my meal. Ok then. (Don’t tell anyone, but I snuck back later when her back was turned and got myself a different fork without bent tines.)
Cheerful server, drinks came quickly, and food soon after. I had one of the much-​touted sweet potato oatmeal pancakes, which arrived with sliced strawberries and whipped mascarpone on top. It is a surprisingly light, fluffy textured pancake, and very very good, despite the inclusion of nutmeg (I’m not a fan of that spice). These are pure comfort food, and one was quite enough.
My other dish was a small order of the cheese grits and pulled pork, and that was just yummmmmmmmm. Melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender pork and coarsely ground but creamy grits. I added Valentine hot sauce, and then it was perfect. I was extremely pleased with all my menu choices. The only tiny off-​note was the fact that the delicious sourdough toast that came with the meal was not actually toast, but grilled bread. Some people like that; I don’t. NBD.
Random note — the water is not bleachy tasting, as it often is at restaurants (at least to me), and is served at a nice cool temperature. Loved that!
About the service: It’s kind of weird how you order and pay upon entry, then seat yourself, then your food is brought, yet you tip at the counter before you’ve even eaten. Therefore tips are obviously shared, and that could explain the somewhat brusque service. There was wordless removal of one of my plates as a staff member flew by our table. She came back and took more things, never asking if we were finished. Odd to not even be asked.
Couldn’t have bee-​n happier with this start to our Sunday. Buzz in soon!

I really wanted to be surprised! I really really did. I even talked someone else to be surprised with me! Womp womp.
We were intrigued with the blind special so we went for it. I guess I didn’t expect to have a healthy breakfast. We ended up with an omelet, salad, and melon. I guess I had my heart set on some delicious pancakes or something more hearty (aka fattening). My fiancé’s cousin, who’s a dude, was the one I talked into ordering the blind special with me. He wasn’t too thrilled. But still! The omelet was delicious. I could do without the salad and melon. I actually picked off of my fiancé’s meal.
He ordered the breakfast burrito and loved the chorizo. Potatoes as his side were also good – I pretty much ate most of it. My brother ordered the chocolate chip pancakes – I ate a lot of that too. Pretty much spent the time picking off of everyone else’s plate.
We’d definitely come back here again, just maybe not on a Sunday morning. The wait was about an hour, to the point where we thought they forgot about us. That’s what happens when you’re tucked away at the back corner waiting to be seated.
But I won’t lost faith in the blind special. I’ll try it again next time.

My husband & I came here to check it out because we saw that it was open from Thursday to Sunday and the menu looked interesting.
We ordered at the cash register and picked our seat at the bar area. We had gotten there right before the rush (around 9:15 am on a Saturday).
I had ordered the trio (short stack of pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon) and my husband ordered the biscuits and gravy.
The service was great — the servers were very attentive. The food was delicious and was very happy with it. The bacon was cooked just how I like it, not too crispy and not too soggy. My husband said that the biscuits and gravy were very good & the gravy had a kick to it.
I would definitely go back here.