(212) 496-6031

201 W 83RD St (nr. Amsterdam Ave.)
New York, NY 10024 40.7859 -73.9766

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Upper West Side, Midtown

CAFELALO.COM

Hours:

Mon-Thu, 8am-2am

Fri, 8am-4am

Sat, 9am-4am

Sun, 9am-2am

Price:

$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants, Dessert Shops

Payment Methods:

Cash

Restaurant Special Features:

Breakfast, Food Delivery, Brunch

What People Are Saying About Cafe Lalo

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – This Upper West Sider serves all kinds of confections to appeal to your sweet tooth. Of course, it gets more and more crowded as the day goes on and traditional dessert-time approaches. Many use this as an after-the-movies stop. So why not go during the day? A slice of something decadent, a double latte, and a nice view of the passersby make a terrific coffee break.

ambiance
89.46999549865723% positive
  1. This place is a little hype, but the desserts are good and the ambiance is great - the place looks incredible at night.
  2. ..but i've gone back thrice cos i loved the ambience and the food.
  3. It appears in the romantic comedy, You've Got Mail.
  4. The lighting is simply romantic.
  5. used to love the place tho' the food is not really good, but its atmosphere always make me happy.
  6. have been to Lalo many times, and the soft glow of the lights, and the fun, European-style interior never fail to impress whomever I bring there.
  7. But it's a fun and festive atmosphere and the waitstaff is doing the best that they can to make everybody happy.
  8. Cafe Lalo has wonderful atmosphere and delectable desserts, but the lame, indifferent, and sub-par service ruins the experience.
  9. The ambience is nice.
  10. We are new to the nieghbor hood and went over to this cozy place for a quick dessert after dinner across the street.
  11. We loved the ambience and the French style.
  12. Yes, the place can get very crowded, and the service is not great, but the atmosphere is very cute.
  13. Although it's crowded (VERY crowded), I do like the atmosphere though, and they have pretty good smoothies there (best I've had in Manhattan at least).
  14. Charming old-fashioned euro decor plus a great selection of yummy chesses, dessert, tea, coffee and snacks make this cafe a must stop if you're in the area.
  15. It's extremely crowded, and the service is lackluster, but the music is fun and the decorum is quite lovely.
  16. The trees outside with orange leaves and small white lights, very romantic!
  17. but this coffee shop/restaurant is a must for anyone searching for a cozy spot to relax and a tasty bite to eat.
  18. Fun place, great atmosphere
  19. Most amazing desserts spoilt by the stuffy atmosphere
dessert
78.94999980926514% positive
  1. Although they have an amazing variety of delicious desserts and drinks, avoid this place is you don't want to wait for more that 1/2 hour in a line of sardines getting shoved every which way.
  2. Their desserts are overpriced and it is really crowded.
  3. Cake-based desserts are often disappointing.
  4. Overrated, Over-priced, terrible desserts, Cash only!
  5. The option of (real) fresh whipped cream and hot fudge toppings definitely helps.
  6. very crowded with only mediocre deserts
  7. This along with the fantastic desserts is what explains the crowds waiting to get into Cafe Lalo.
  8. You're there for the divine desserts!
  9. The great variety or desserts is enough to satisfy all.
  10. Cafe Lalo is our favorite place for dessert on the Upper West Side.
  11. The plenty of dessert in the shelf always look fantastic but not as good as they look, don't expect too much.
  12. The desert selection is pretty awesome, but that doesn't necessarily mean the deserts actually are awesome.
  13. the lemon cake was very dry.
  14. love the cheescakes, coffee alternatives and four page dessert menu here!
  15. Charming old-fashioned euro decor plus a great selection of yummy chesses, dessert, tea, coffee and snacks make this cafe a must stop if you're in the area.
  16. We are new to the nieghbor hood and went over to this cozy place for a quick dessert after dinner across the street.
  17. This place is a little hype, but the desserts are good and the ambiance is great - the place looks incredible at night.
  18. Most amazing desserts spoilt by the stuffy atmosphere
  19. This place is great for a date or coffee and dessert after dinner.
  20. had chocolate lava which was not bad at first but after I dug it to the bottom, the chocolate was very sticky and hard to eat.
  21. There are too many places to get fabulous, tasty, not gooey, not dry, not overpriced desserts in NYC.
  22. And again - their chocolate cake is just amazing, as is the key lime pie, the mud cake and oh so many other items.
  23. The service here is awful, waiting in excess of an hour for a slice of cake to be brought to the table.
  24. Came here for dessert after Lunch at Uncle Nicks in Hells Kitchen, which was delicious and cheap.
  25. My sweet tooth is the size of the Empire State Building, and I definitely appreciate the delicious Cafe Lalo desserts (especially their REAL, rich whipped cream), but I can't get over how crowded this place is, and how stuffy and pretentious it feels.
  26. good coffee and desserts
  27. It was very noisy but the dessert was great!
  28. Ok, the service is inconsistent but the desserts are really the best in town.
  29. This is a great place to go for dessert and coffee after dinner.
  30. Cafe Lalo has wonderful atmosphere and delectable desserts, but the lame, indifferent, and sub-par service ruins the experience.
  31. yummy desserts and coffee shop
  32. We ordered the apple crumble with ice cream, which was gooey and not in a good way-- no flavor, not a good texture, boring, and a Midnight Chocolate Cake, which we had to order a scoop of ice cream for after getting a bite into it and realizing it was dry
  33. They have a great selection for dessert tastes good but not exceptional.
  34. Lalo is always booming and serving scrumptious desserts!
  35. My boyfriend loves the belgium waffle with fresh berries and the homemade whip cream is indulging( I LOVE IT TOO) But at a steep price $12.
  36. Cafe Lalo has got the best variety of desserts.
  37. The desserts are good, but you can get great desserts everywhere in NYC.
  38. good dessert
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. The coffee is good, but good luck on getting a refill.
  2. Charming old-fashioned euro decor plus a great selection of yummy chesses, dessert, tea, coffee and snacks make this cafe a must stop if you're in the area.
  3. The coffee is great too.
  4. This place is great for a date or coffee and dessert after dinner.
  5. love the cheescakes, coffee alternatives and four page dessert menu here!
  6. yummy desserts and coffee shop
  7. but this coffee shop/restaurant is a must for anyone searching for a cozy spot to relax and a tasty bite to eat.
  8. The coffee drinks are excellent, however, and during warmer months they open all the windows.
  9. good coffee and desserts
  10. This is a great place to go for dessert and coffee after dinner.
  11. Although they have an amazing variety of delicious desserts and drinks, avoid this place is you don't want to wait for more that 1/2 hour in a line of sardines getting shoved every which way.
  12. amazing place for an after dinner get together for coffee with friends or a significant other!
food quality
65.27999877929688% positive
  1. used to love the place tho' the food is not really good, but its atmosphere always make me happy.
  2. but this coffee shop/restaurant is a must for anyone searching for a cozy spot to relax and a tasty bite to eat.
  3. not a good place for food
  4. Terrible food, My fiance is puking right now after brunch.
  5. Although they have an amazing variety of delicious desserts and drinks, avoid this place is you don't want to wait for more that 1/2 hour in a line of sardines getting shoved every which way.
  6. fresh ingredients.
  7. Fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh bread!
  8. Charming old-fashioned euro decor plus a great selection of yummy chesses, dessert, tea, coffee and snacks make this cafe a must stop if you're in the area.
  9. ..but i've gone back thrice cos i loved the ambience and the food.
  10. Espresso was bitter, the fruits were not fresh as advertised, nothing was near decent and at 47.00$ for two for brunch we could have eaten at Balthazaar!
  11. There are too many places to get fabulous, tasty, not gooey, not dry, not overpriced desserts in NYC.
  12. The option of (real) fresh whipped cream and hot fudge toppings definitely helps.
  13. yummy desserts and coffee shop
  14. Don't bother with the savory food.
  15. The food was great, but the service was maybe the worst I've had in NYC - and I'm not picky about service.
  16. Came here for dessert after Lunch at Uncle Nicks in Hells Kitchen, which was delicious and cheap.
  17. My third (and last) time there, in order to clear off the table next to us, the bus boy set their dirty dishes on our table.
  18. My sweet tooth is the size of the Empire State Building, and I definitely appreciate the delicious Cafe Lalo desserts (especially their REAL, rich whipped cream), but I can't get over how crowded this place is, and how stuffy and pretentious it feels.
  19. My boyfriend loves the belgium waffle with fresh berries and the homemade whip cream is indulging( I LOVE IT TOO) But at a steep price $12.
  20. The food is awesome and well worth every penny.
  21. My eggs were dry, "steamed", horrible.
  22. Though the service is slow, it doesn't affect the quality of the food.
  23. just $11 sandwiches and salads (which are good, though not outstanding.
  24. We ordered the apple crumble with ice cream, which was gooey and not in a good way-- no flavor, not a good texture, boring, and a Midnight Chocolate Cake, which we had to order a scoop of ice cream for after getting a bite into it and realizing it was dry
menu variety
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. The desert selection is pretty awesome, but that doesn't necessarily mean the deserts actually are awesome.
  2. The great variety or desserts is enough to satisfy all.
  3. Although they have an amazing variety of delicious desserts and drinks, avoid this place is you don't want to wait for more that 1/2 hour in a line of sardines getting shoved every which way.
  4. Cafe Lalo has got the best variety of desserts.
  5. They have a great selection for dessert tastes good but not exceptional.
  6. love the cheescakes, coffee alternatives and four page dessert menu here!
  7. Charming old-fashioned euro decor plus a great selection of yummy chesses, dessert, tea, coffee and snacks make this cafe a must stop if you're in the area.
overall
75.0% positive
  1. It's a nice place to go with friends just to talk and catch up.
  2. This is a great place to go for dessert and coffee after dinner.
  3. This place is a little hype, but the desserts are good and the ambiance is great - the place looks incredible at night.
  4. not a good place for food
service
40.73999881744385% positive
  1. The waitresses seemed nice but I didn't see enough of them to be able to tell you for sure.
  2. Though the service is slow, it doesn't affect the quality of the food.
  3. The food was great, but the service was maybe the worst I've had in NYC - and I'm not picky about service.
  4. But on every visit, the customer service was very frustrating.
  5. Ok, the service is inconsistent but the desserts are really the best in town.
  6. no service = bad service
  7. lame service, good tarts
  8. The service wasn't anything amazing (a little over your shoulder too much at times), but fine.
  9. It's extremely crowded, and the service is lackluster, but the music is fun and the decorum is quite lovely.
  10. Despite the slow service and crowd, I can't wait to bring my kids here again during our next visit to NY.
  11. Yes, the place can get very crowded, and the service is not great, but the atmosphere is very cute.
  12. The service here is awful, waiting in excess of an hour for a slice of cake to be brought to the table.
  13. The service was horrible.
  14. They hire very young girls who don't seems to know much about giving good service.
  15. The service is good and the staff is friendly.
  16. have to say that the service is TERRIBLE
  17. The worst service.
  18. Cafe Lalo has wonderful atmosphere and delectable desserts, but the lame, indifferent, and sub-par service ruins the experience.
value
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. There are too many places to get fabulous, tasty, not gooey, not dry, not overpriced desserts in NYC.
  2. Their desserts are overpriced and it is really crowded.
  3. The food is awesome and well worth every penny.
  4. Avoid if you're not in the mood for huge crowds.
  5. Came here for dessert after Lunch at Uncle Nicks in Hells Kitchen, which was delicious and cheap.
  6. My boyfriend loves the belgium waffle with fresh berries and the homemade whip cream is indulging( I LOVE IT TOO) But at a steep price $12.
wait time
40.0% positive
  1. We are new to the nieghbor hood and went over to this cozy place for a quick dessert after dinner across the street.
  2. Despite the slow service and crowd, I can't wait to bring my kids here again during our next visit to NY.
  3. Come here if you like Serendipity 3, but would rather wait 15-30 minutes for a table instead of 1-2 hours.
  4. Though the service is slow, it doesn't affect the quality of the food.
  5. The serice is slow to meet the nver ending line out the door of hungry customers, so be prepared
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/05/11

Worst Service Ever

by dookeey at Citysearch

Went to Cafe Lalo the other day with my family to get some coffee and dessert. The restaurant was not busy, maybe 3/4 of the total tables were occupied. There were 3 to 4 waitresses. After trying to place my family's order for 20 minutes, I gave up and walked out. I noticed 3 other tables were having the same problem.

The waitresses there have no clue about service. They were just walking around and had no idea what to do. I'll never go back to this place. There are better places for me to spend my money. I recommend going around the corner to "Good enough to Eat". They have some amazing cakes.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/26/10

Lovely

by NYC foodie50 at Citysearch

Very pleasant, nice place for a chat and fine dessert.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

04/15/10

Sunday Brunch Extraordinaire

by hulagirlie at Citysearch

Loved our breakfast there - they had a sizeable breakfast/brunch/lunch menu. I never got dessert because I was too full. It may be over-priced, I was too caught up taking in the experience. I'll definitely go back some time. Super cute place!

  • Pros: atmosphere, food
  • Cons: claustrophobics beware
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/24/10

not a good place for food

by mycake at Citysearch

I had 30 minutes for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Everywhere else would have been enough but not here.

Waiting for 10 minutes while the server was relaxing by the counter, talking with the hostes and her back to the tables. Who can get her attention for the check or for water ? I had to leave my table without the check and finaly got the check on my way out.

Not a place to revisit.

  • Pros: off the avenue
  • Cons: slow service, expensive, unexperienced server
1 Star Rating: Poor

02/02/10

Terrible food, My fiance is puking right now after brunch...

by duanaful at Citysearch

We were lured here by Time out New York's spread on week-day brunch. What a sham. This place is horrible. My fiance got sick, is throwing up now...My eggs were dry, "steamed", horrible. Espresso was bitter, the fruits were not fresh as advertised, nothing was near decent and at 47.00$ for two for brunch we could have eaten at Balthazaar! Lesson learned. Avoid if possible.

  • Pros: semi alluring decor
  • Cons: Terrible food, old fruits, dry eggs with eggshells, just bad

The Details on Cafe Lalo

Place Categories:

  • good overpriced desserts
  • like place
  • worst customer service
  • good coffee
  • very noisy cakebased desserts
  • loved ambience
  • good service
  • great variety
  • delicious hells kitchen
  • delicious coffee drinks
  • good brunch
  • good salads
  • rude staff
  • huge crowd
  • mediocre deserts
  • rich whipped cream
  • great atmosphere
  • disgusting repugnant
  • near decent nothing
  • very dry lemon cake
  • delicious cafe lalo desserts
  • great sweettooth experience
  • savory food
  • good sandwiches
  • great ambiance