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All Reader Reviews of...
Cafeteria
119 Seventh Ave., New York, NY, 10011
at 17th St.
212-414-1717
| 5.1 | "Mixed Reviews" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
HORRIBLE!
DCNYBG from 11211 | Posted on 6/6/09
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My roommate and I have been at Cafeteria for brunch and we were pleasantly surprised at how good the food was as well as the service. It was even recommended by friends. We thought we'd try it for dinner. So we went to Cafeteria on a weeknight thinking that we'd have an awesome dinner...waited at the bar long enough to have a couple of sips of our drinks...were seated, then ordered appetizers and entrees. Then -- after 40 minutes of waiting for a sign of anything to arrive at our table -- decided to leave. Don't even ask why we waited so long!!! Not even the waiter bothered to come by once to ask if we wanted more drinks!!! HUH??? What is wrong with this picture in this current economy???? There are so many people lining up for jobs these days and these people working at Cafeteria surely don't deserve one penny for giving bad service!! The same could be said for the owners of the restaurant.
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Yummmmmmmy!
GramercyGal from 10003 | Posted on 4/27/09
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On the fly, some friends and I decided to stop by here for an early dinner a couple of weeks ago... it was a happy accident! I highly recommend the Wildberry Mojito. The Tomato Basil Soup grilled cheese croutons was very satisfying and the little cheese croutons, were a delightful addition. The Autumn Green Salad was outstanding. The "Mac Attack," an appetizer of 3 types of macaroni and cheese, cheddar and fontina, gouda and bacon, and truffle oil, was just ok. The Grilled Turkey Burger was mouth watering! And the Braised Short Rib Sandwich melted in your mouth. The service was very good. They were able to accommodate us right away.
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First Time in NYC
dmaynor from 28461 | Posted on 1/26/09
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This rest. was recommended to me when I visited NYC for my first time in Jan. 2009. The mac n' cheese was good, but not as great as I had expected it to be. I LOVEd the salad wedge, AWESOME. Drink prices were significantly higher than other rest. in the area. Overall, a good place to eat, with interesting people to watch. :) NOT bad for a North Carolina girl!!!
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Worst Service in the City!
mbrogley from 10019 | Posted on 12/27/08
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We went to Cafeteria and waited at the bar area for our table (even though we were told we didn't need reservations when we called). The bar area smelled like filthy dishrag. The sloppy mess of some mystery sauce on the floor at our table was cleaned up only after we asked. Our waiter took our order and did not make another appearance until he rudely threw the check on our table (after we had to ask the busboy for it). We sat with empty drinks and dirty dishes in front of us. If there was a manager, he certainly wasn't supervising. Totally disappointing experience and we vow to NEVER return to Cafeteria. THUMBS DOWN!!
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Health Hazard and Bad Attitude to Boot
Knicole from 07083 | Posted on 11/8/08
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I've eaten at Cafeteria before and looked past the 'tude because sometimes, you might get a nice waiter to help your mac & cheese go down smooth. This past experience, however, has ensured that I will never return and will make it my mission to post on every site I can about this. There was a person's clipped fingernail in my drink that came up my straw and went into my mouth - imagine all the nasty places nails scratch! Cafeteria did not comp the meal (just apps & drinks). They wanted to give me a free dessert. Well, I was close to vomiting so no appetite for more of your food! This was so gross and they did not care AT ALL. The manager's response after we asked to see him (he did not come out on his own): "That was weird, huh?! Wow, a nail." He almost seemed like he didn't believe that it happened. That kind of disregard need not be rewarded.
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Terrible food and service
barrydlloyd from 11435 | Posted on 11/1/08
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Nov 1, 2008 - 3AM..I requested a well done burger, but instead I received a raw burger. Their second attempt was not better. I asked for the manager. He was rude, totally unprofessional. I witnessed him approach the waitress to question her handling of the situation and she flat out lied by saying “he threw the burger back at me”. My friend and I were astonished that she lied. And, to make matters worse, the manager - after hearing her comments - just walked away from the situation. He didn’t have the decency or the professionalism to discuss the matter with us. We were outraged!!!!! To add to this, the bathroom floors were covered in urine – the stench was unbearable. Additionally, there was food and trash all over the kitchen floor, which I witnessed as I waited in line for the bathroom. This is not an establishment that you want to visit. It’s a health hazard and some of the employees, i.e. the waitress, and the manager are a disgrace.
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Best restaurant in the city hands down
golfdude1986 from 10002 | Posted on 7/30/08
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This place never disappoints me. Ive been going to cafeteria for years and its still as good as when it first opened. I totally love the ppl and the atmosphere this place has and its great for celebrity spotting day or night! Besides the decor the food is great as well. My favorite dishes are the seared tuna, mac of course, and the mussels for apps and for entres i vassilate btwn the meatloaf and ranch steak, so freaking good!!!! If you have never been def go check it out!!!!
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Different
jenliu93 from 11417 | Posted on 7/23/08
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I went here for one of those "let's try a new restaurant" type days. I waited for waiter to come over and then took a while for the drink to arrive but after that it was smooth sailing. The waiter was very attentive and checked on me within every 5-10 minutes. But a downside is that the service wasn't all too great. The food was superb and the drinks were amazing, I think I would go back to give it another try. I mean the waiters were good looking and that is another reason to go back.
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Rude service. Bad Eyebrows.
ske622 from 07030 | Posted on 6/25/08
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Never have I gone to an establishment and been treated with more disrespect than I was by the hostess. A party of four with only two present, we asked to be seated and were told that the policy requires the entire party to be present. However, a mere three minutes later a gentleman walked in and was seated despite being only half of his 2-party lunch. When we asked if we could also be seated, she rolled her eyes and did not answer. When we inquired as to why, we were told that she does not "repeat herself". Hungry and meeting people, we were obligated to leave (and were going to anyway), but had I time I would have liked to tell the manager that this hostess has not only a rude demeanor but a complete lack of respect and class (and tweezers, it seems).
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RAW
MsFace from 10036 | Posted on 5/31/08
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Been here several times but now giving it the ax. Upon arrival it helped that I shared the same last name as the host so we were seated rather quickly, but while waiting at the empty bar, my man and I made eye contact with the female bartender while she, for 5 minutes, cleaned glasses in front of us without even asking what we would be interested in having. After making a comment she continued to clean another glass, and it wasn’t until the host came over to seat us and I said something to him, did she then begin pouring the first drink. We ordered fish to our liking because the waiter asked how we wanted it cooked. When the Mahi Mahi came out like machine pressed cardboard the now shift switch waitress responded by telling Mantoy that they don't cook the fish to temperature?? The salmon was excellent as was the popcorn shrimp, Mac 'n cheese, and fried chicken on waffles YUM. Oh, but don't forget to look for the tiny print on the last page that notes: 18% gratuity included for all parties. a.k.a. don't tip more than you already are.
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