Rafaella On Ninth
(212) 741-3230
178 9th Ave
New York,
NY
10011
40.745
-74.0022
Neighborhoods: Midtown, Chelsea
What People Are Saying About Rafaella On Ninth
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short
This cute cafe imbues its corner of Ninth Avenue with an inviting homeyness worthy of an antique shop. The carb-heavy breakfast, lunch and dinner menus elevate humble quiches, crepes, pasta, and pizza with interesting ingredients. Ravioli are stuffed with lobster, pizza is topped with prosciutto, and crepes come with a variety of fillings, including strawberries, bananas or Nutella. Other sweet temptations come in the form of pumpkin cheesecake and shakes.
User Reviews
SomeRandomGuy
December 14, 2008
I have walked past this restaurant many times, but finally stepped in for a late brunch today. They frowned a bit upon hearing I was a party of one, but gave me a table in five minutes. I asked for steak&eggs medium rare, but with just salad, no home fries, and also half an order of pancakes on the side. When the food came, after quite a wait, the steak was the most sorry example I've seen in any New York diner. 1/4 inch thick, and about 5x8 inches. It was also cooked uniformly gray all through. The pancakes looked great though, with blueberries and strawberries, and fresh fruit on the side. The banana slices however had brown mushy spots that I had to cut away myself. I was too hungry to cause a ruccus, and didn't want to wait even longer, so I started eating. The waitress never once checked back how things were, except once to take the ketchup bottle to another table. When the check came, I was rung up for two complete brunches, and I noticed she hadn't even written any of my special orders for the steak and eggs, so no wonder it wasnt what I had ordered. Her only note said "medium", even though I asked for medium-rare. She said they didn't offer half order pancakes, just full order. She had no answer as to why she hadn't told me that when I ordered, as opposed to just put it on the check. I was amazed, so I called the manager over. He began offering money off the check, but I insisted instead that he hear me out. He did, saying "sorry" and "it's been busy" at every chance. I paid and left, vowing to put some reviews in online. Ergo, this posting. I really wanted to like Raffaela's, it looks so cosy and has a good mix of customers -locals, old and young- but I can't bear a waitstaff that so completely botches things. Pancakes were great though. And they did refill the hot water for my tea when I asked.
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pickyb
October 31, 2007
Rafaella's decor is very cosy with couches and mismatched furniture. The quality of the food depends on what you order. I've had very good steak there, However, their hommos salad is awful. Also don't eat there if you're in a rush. Service is quite slow.
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rd3030
October 23, 2007
This place lacks in service, ambiance, and food. The furniture can be antique without stuffing coming out of the seat cushions. The service managed to not check on us even once. Our waitress was too busy reading to even see if we wanted dessert, coffee or even the check for that matter. The food, poor to average on the low end. Not even worth wasting time typing about it.
read full reviewThe Details on Rafaella On Ninth
The Extras:
Much of the restaurant's artwork is supplied by neighborhood artists.
Breakfast:
Served weekdays until 5pm, morning-friendly fare includes egg dishes and pancakes with blueberry butter.
