Espresso Royale Caffe

Along it’s been a mainstay in Madison for quite some time, I think it is in the bottom tier of cafes to choose from. I feel the espresso just doesn’t deliver the punch and the lack of anything unique doesn’t compel a customer to return. Add this to the completely stark and uninviting interior and you get a very yawn worthy experience.

This is about the chicken noodle soup. I just paid $ 4.00 for a bowl of thin, salty, and what tasted like packaged base to which they may have added a few plump noodles, several pieces merely of diced carrot and ONE half-​inch shred of chicken. (Well, there was also a ¼ inch shred of chicken in the bowl). RIP-​OFF! What nerve. I totally agree with the reviewer who wrote that the chicken noodle soup is mediocre. That was being kind.

I’ve only gone here only once but my experience of it was awesome! First thing you’ll notice is a huge menu of drinks and various café foods and snacks and for an inexpensive price!
It may seem wrong to go to a coffee shop, not order coffee, and then give it 5 stars… BUT what I did order was amazing! I decided on the goat cheese sun dried tomato wrap and it was only $ 3! It tasted wonderful and the vibe of this place is super comfortable and hip. Will definitely be back to try the coffee and pastries!

This is the only place we do coffee in Madison anymore. Great drinks. Serious apple cider. The best part is the staff, though. Everyone is super nice and personable. You feel like a regular on your first visit. Local art on the walls is always a plus too.

Nice place to grab a delicious brew… coffee or otherwise! Clean with some delicious looking treats to enjoy along with your cup of joe. Loved the deep house music playing inside. Outside seating provides some nice views of State Street, The Orpheum and the state capital.

I am in love with this place! The staff is alway attentive and friendly. They have a great selection of food and bakery. On top of that, they always have some type of special going on like buy 1 get one half off!
The coffee in general is also superb. I recommend getting a large iced coffee for only 2.85! The large ice coffees are also 32 OZ of beautiful. They also have the best red eyes and americanos!

The best iced dirty Chai ive had in a while. Solid iced coffee. I’ve never stayed to chill at the café but it has a pretty chill feel to it. I like that local coffee shop feel to it.

Great memories of spending countless nights as an undergraduate studying away and will always cherish this place. Hot big cups of coffee on a cold Madison night while reading organic chemistry. Hard to believe how long ago.

Now, I cannot really speak to anything at this place except for the chai. I LOVE it. I don’t even like chai usually. I especially hate the kind that comes out of a box and tastes like spicy condensed milk — blech! This chai is deliciously different. It is nice and light, spicy, hot and just super yummy! I have visited this place many MANY times over the years and I always have loved the atmosphere and the location. It’s a lovely place to stop in and grab a yummy coffee and read for a bit while watching the hustle and bustle of State St. The staff is friendly and fast and it’s just a really nice local coffee shop. If that is what you’re looking for in Madison — then you have found it here!

I go here mainly for something called a Ginger Dragon. It’s a gingery, lemony drink that comes piping hot. It is incredible! I seriously love it.
Their coffee is fine, and I’ve had several chai lattes here that were pretty delicious. The staff created special drinks are also usually pretty good. They offer almond milk for those of us who don’t do dairy/​soy, and that’s definitely a plus.
The sandwiches are hit-​or-​miss. A BLT had pretty low-​quality turkey meat and weird bacon. A Tuna Melt was fine, but had pretty standard canned tuna.
Baked goods are equally a mixed bag. Sometimes banana bread or a scone will be awesome. Sometimes a gluten free muffin will make me want to spit it out immediately.
I’ve had soup here once, it was Chicken Noodle and it was very mediocre. Like Campbell’s Soup quality.
Great staff, though. Always super-​friendly and willing to help you out. This location is always clean and cozy.
Please note that this review is for the Espresso Royale that is closer to the capitol. I have not been to the campus-​area one in ages.

Coffee in the morning, coffee in the evening, coffee at supper time. Ok, you get where this is going. You can have coffee anytime.
Obviously I’ve already had too much caffeine today and Espresso Royale is contributing to that.
I usually go for my favorite: small black coffee, but lately I have been treating myself to lattes because they offer almond milk.
In addition to coffee they have sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, brownies, cookies, and some candy for sale.
The baristas are fast, which is nice for when I’m already 5 minutes late for work. They also offer different deals each day of the week, such as two-​punch Tuesdays. Bring in your coffee card and get two punches for your order!

Found myself walking along State St. with family from out of town. The temperature was cold, and the sky was gloomy. Decided, after my cousin had moved in the day prior, that we all needed a little perk-​me-​up, and headed into Espresso Royale.
We were greeted by such a lovely barista, who seemed to be working alone. There were seven of us, and she was able to make our drinks speedy, but still with a certain amount of love. I had a mocha latte with soy, which was really good. My cousin opted for one of their fall specials, the Caramel Apple Cider, served warm, and it was SO GOOD! If there ever was a drink that encompassed all that is fall, that would be it.
To top it off, the bill actually wasn’t all too bad. Much cheaper than Staryucks.

I just moved here from Michigan, and my favorite coffee chain is not here in the Madison area. I was very bummed about it till I stopped in here.
While my family was here to help me move in we walked around downtown and decided to stop in here for a little warm up. My cousin got the mocha latte with soy (he said it was great) my mom and brother got their hot chocolate which they said was amazing. I on the other hand wanted to get something a little more fall like, I got their Hot Caramel Apple Cider. Insanely good!
I definitely plan on stopping in a lot more often. Royale Caffe has filled my coffee void!

Love love love love their Caramel Vanilla Latte. You gotta try it on Wednesday:) $ 2 latte Wednesday, cannot beat it right ;D

Keep your eyes peeled for the daily special! They scribble it on the little chalkboard stands that they leave in the middle of the sidewalk in front of the café.
So far as I know:
Tuesday is two-​punch day (for your punch card).
Wednesday is $ 2 latte day.
Friday is chai day.
For a caffeine addict like me, everyday is coffee day. (:

Only place in downtown Madison to get a Spanish latte that is in par with Think’s latte in NYC.
Wednesday is $ 2.25 latte day so keep that in mind for Concerts on the Square nights.

As far as atmospheres go, I think this coffee shop is quaint and warm. However, the coffee was pretty good, but they didn’t have sugar/​milk on the side to add to your drink. I don’t think I have ever been to a coffee shop that didn’t have that… that’s pretty standard anymore. Not to mention, the line was so long and they were so busy, I didn’t feel like trying to bother them for some milk. We didn’t order any food so I have no idea what that is like. Overall it’s alright, but if I went back I would probably try one of the other coffee shops on the street.

Let me preface this review by saying that I believe food service is at least half about customer service. That is where I think Espresso Royale falls way short.
Make fun of Starbucks employees all you want, but I, for one appreciate a little friendliness with my coffee. Every time I go in to Espresso Royale in the 200 block, I feel as though I am a nuisance to the person behind the counter. She never smiles or says hello. Usually a short «what would you like?» I’ve tried to brush it off, but it’s irritating!
I like their prices, and the proximity to my work, but I think I’ll seek caffeine elsewhere from now on. Lord knows there are enough coffee shops in the area…

Coffee= Great. Black and white cookie= great Sandwich= YUM
Little coffee shop, big flavor. Friendly service, variety of coffee drinks, teas, and alternate beverages. Not a ton of room but enough for me and my laptop.
I have picked up a sandwich here before and it was always fresh, on REAL bread, not the flimsy stuff.
If you’re looking for tons of space for you and your friends this is not the space. Want a good cup of coffee by yourself or your bestie, then YES.

Tables, chairs, coffee, brown paint, a few paintings on the wall = a pretty generic coffee shop. The drink I had wasn’t bad, but there was nothing about this place that sets it apart. Everything is just kinda mediocre.
In short, this place is OK if you need a coffee fix, but just know it’s rather boring on the inside.