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Cafe Lalo
201 W. 83rd St., New York, NY, 10024
nr. Amsterdam Ave.
212-496-6031
| 5.4 | "Mixed Reviews" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
favorite place in Manhattan!
CourtS from 10034 | Posted on 10/4/09
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I love love love this place. I go there almost every week. Such a cute atmosphere with the lit trees, wall of windows, exposed brick, decor of French posters and pots of lavender, and ballerina-esque costume of the servers. True, the service is less than excellent, but that is not why you go there; it is a great place for conversation as well as delicious coffee, homemade desserts, and brunch menu. I recommend the Lalo's special for brunch and any one of their magnificent pies or tortes. Charming.
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Love it.
lavieboheme14 from 77840 | Posted on 7/24/09
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I've only been twice, but both times the coffee was great and the dessert was amazing. It's a little crowded, but I think it's definitely worth it.
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Stay away from this place!!!!
rsw27 from 35244 | Posted on 7/4/09
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Very small restaurant with an average of one waitress for every three tables. Most of the waitresses do a wonderful job of holding up the highly coveted dessert case and ignoring customers at the tables. We had to beg to get water, drinks and our order. The Moroccan Delight, recommended by H Lalo per the menu, is a bland mess of hard boiled eggs covered by what looks like crushed tomatoes Bad service, bad overpriced food and a strange music mix do not make a pleasant dining experience.
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Takeout Only
krodster from 11102 | Posted on 5/19/09
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I've only ever eaten here once but never anything but dessert. Usually I pick desserts to go since the lines are long and the venue overcrowded. I can say with authority that the desserts here are divine! Definitely pick a few up on the way home for a nice cozy night in, the cupcakes are fantastic and the cakes are often fresh (though pricey).
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What Do You Expect from Breakfast?
mky84 from 47408 | Posted on 5/15/08
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Was it decent? Yes. Could I get the same type of food at IHOP? Almost. The charm of this restaurant is that it is in the swanky upper west side and that it is a cute local coffeehouse/bakery. I had the "New York Breakfast" which was lox and cream cheese on a bagel for $12. I'm pretty sure they get their bagels from H&H. I can't really complain about the food, but know that it is a tad overpriced for what you are getting, and the busyness of the place makes you wish there were a few more servers. Honestly though, if I owned this place, I would probably raise the prices even more because people will keep coming just to say they visited the place from You've Got Mail.
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Great European Cafe
katut11 from 10029 | Posted on 2/11/08
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This is my friend and my favorite brunch place. We love the waffle with cinnamon whip cream and strawberrys and all the different coffee drinks. The wait is never more than 5-10 minutes, and they let you sit as long as you'd like. The cafe has a great European feel.
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Perfect for cappuccino after the theatre...
CharlieGrace from 10128 | Posted on 1/22/08
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I don't know about the other reviews, but the *many* times I have visited, I have been waited on and served promptly. Their Belgian waffle plate with homemade whipped topping is very tasty, as are, well, their cappuccinos. Very diverse crowd. Not too many tourists, which is why I keep coming back!
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bring betty crocker into the kitchen if need be
ross124 from 10024 | Posted on 8/29/07
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Cafe Lalo glows onto the street in my neighborhood. It beckons me to return and dares me to find an edible dessert among its hundreds. I have had chocolate desserts, pies, crumbles, mooses and cheese cakes. None of them are worth a dime. After my most recent trial with warm limp key lime pie and a fruit tart smothered in gelatin over a layer of whipped cream (no custard at all) and raw chewy pastry dough, I think I am through with my trials. The coffee is fine and comes with chocolate in a wrapper (from the outside.) Somehow Cafe Lalo is always crowded - usually with young kids and tweens, but nonetheless. If you find yourself at Cafe Lalo, I'd stick with the coffee.
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Loved the movie - should've used a different restaurant
LadyJadey from 2026 | Posted on 1/1/07
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I loved "You've got mail", therefore had to go visit Cafe Lalo while in NYC. It was the worst service we received on our trip. We were disgusted. Never saw the owner but the staff were dreadful. Ignored after we sat down, I had to get the menus myself, though people coming in after us were served.Didn't get service til a new waitress started her shift. Ordered drinks and 2 pieces of Pumpkin Pie. Finished hot drinks before we got our meal, and then only one of us was sent food. I'd finished mine before my boyfriend saw his. We were given the excuse that they were down staff behind the counter, though other orders kept coming out, they just couldnt cut and warm our pie. On top of this the place was horribly cramped. Awful waste of money and time. So many wonderful places to eat in New York, wish I hadn't wasted my precious holiday time here!!
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Terrible
DWiley | Posted on 4/3/05
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Why is this place so popular? It's one of the most expensive coffe houses I've ever been to. The slices of cake are so tiny that you need a microscope to eat them. And I was totally offended by the statue of the black servant they have right at the entrance! Doesn't anyone else see that?
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