Cafeteria
New York, NY 10011-1802
Phone: (212) 414-1717
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Between 17th Street and 18th Street
- Directions:
- 1, 9 at 14th St
- Hours:
- Daily 24hrs
Editorial Review for Cafeteria – by Daniel Rosenblatt
The Scene
The sexy, animated setting features a gleaming white decor. Frosted-glass panels, gold-rimmed mirrors and wood tables offset the vanilla color scheme. In warm weather, the garage-style front doors are raised, merging the dining room with the sidewalk.
The Food
If you don't opt for the fluffy all-day omelettes and pancakes, you can stick with a traditional lunch menu, which can include a bowl of steamed baby mussels in a garlicky tomato broth and a salad of cherry tomatoes, cucumber and red onion on toasted sourdough bread smeared with tangy goat cheese. Don't miss the macaroni and cheese, a crusty, bubbling version with just the right blend of cheddar and fontina.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Where to SitWhen the garage doors are open, the tables by the windows and on the sidewalk offer prime people-watching along Seventh Avenue.
The ExtrasFind more places to eat, drink and get things done 24/7.
User Reviews for Cafeteria
03/31/2008 Posted by membersonly123
A 24 hour eatery located in the nucleus of the nightlife district, is ideal for any party-goer with a hunger for a late night meal. Being a frequent of many 24 hour establishments, Cafeteria has it's pro's and cons. The food is great, and consistent, you can always expect quality no matter what time you come. The service could be better but the staff is pretty on point, sometimes it takes longer than usual for your food or drinks to arrive and you can feel rushed at times. Late at night Cafeteria attracts every element you can imagine and at 4 am on a Saturday night it's a madhouse. The security staff can't handle the amount of people trying to get in so it tends to be frustrating if you're a regular when you have groups of guys dressed casually outside looking ready to start a fight if anyone gets through the doors before them. When a restaurant becomes this popular it's necessary to enforce dress code and take reservations. All con's aside it's a great place to go if you go at the right time. But if it's 4 am on a friday or saturday you're better off going somewhere else.
Pros: Great food even late, friendly service
Cons: Needs more effective security and stricter dress code
03/26/2008 Posted by spacegirrrl
Two friends and I had dinner at Cafeteria last night after work (Tuesday). We got there at 6:30, and from the moment we sat down, there was a sense that we were being rushed. We weren't ready to order the first time the waiter came, so he just stood near our table, waiting for us to decide. When the bill came, we let it sit on the table for a while, since we were just chatting and weren't ready to leave yet. The waiter came and asked if he could take it. We told him not yet. Then we figured out the bill and paid it, but continued to sit and talk for a little while after we had paid. We had been there for about 2 hours total. Suddenly, a guy who was maybe the manager or host comes over to our table, squats down at the edge and asks us if we can move to the lounge downstairs, because there were a lot of people waiting for tables. We had been almost ready to leave anyway, so my friend asked if we could just have ten more minutes to finish up and gather our stuff. He wouldn't give us that much! He said we would have to move to the lounge now if we wanted to stay. My friend said, "You're kicking us out right now? That's a little embarrassing." He fake politely and snottily replied "No, I'm not kicking you out, I would never be that rude. I'm just asking you to move to the lounge so other people can have this table." So we got our coats and left out the side door that was right next to our table. As the door slowly closed by itself, one of the waiters literally came and pushed it closed after us, like they couldn't wait for us to be out of there. It was one of the rudest things we ever experienced. We were literally KICKED OUT of the place. I don't think a leisurely 2-hour dinner on a Tuesday night should be too much to ask if you're a paying customer. If you're looking for a long, relaxing meal, don't come here! I will concede that the food is good, but feeling rushed the whole time leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Pros: Good food - great mac & cheese
Cons: Crowded, loud and they rush you through your meal
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