Warning: cash only; seat yourself
Pros: large portions, reasonable price, nice waiters
Cons: long wait, stressful seating process
Walking into Mickies Dairy Bar without knowing anything about it can be quite daunting. On a weekend morning, the place is packed. There is a small sign at the front that informs people to seat themselves, but it's a little stressful. Unless you were born with the ability to determine when people are going to leave a table, you may find yourself a little anxious to get a table.
Once seated though, that stress dissipates and is replaced by good, hearty food. The scramble is delicious. It's also quite large. My friend and I split a cinnamon roll, a milkshake, and the scramble, and we were perfectly satisfied with the amount of food. The cinnamon roll doesn't look that appealing, but it's tasty. The milkshake comes with an extra cup-full, so it's great to share (or imbibe alone). The scramble is amazing. It's the perfect hangover/comfort food option. Eggs, cheese, meat, potatoes, and whatever else you want mixed together and served on a giant plate.
My friend got their chocolate chip pancakes and was pretty disappointed in them. They weren't soft and moist, and without syrup, it was difficult to eat much of it.
This place is a staple of Madison, so I recommend trying it at least once. I would suggest coming here in small groups, as the seating is limited during the most popular hours. Also, don't forget to bring cash!