Cafe Lalo

06/19/2008 Posted by anonymousisawoman

Came here for dessert after Lunch at Uncle Nicks in Hells Kitchen, which was delicious and cheap. What a difference between Nicks and Lalo! 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 and not very tasty. So, after dousing the desserts in ice cream, we were able to stomach them, but of all the places in NY that I've had dessert (and I consider myself quite a connoisseur), I recommend avoiding Cafe Lalo. It was SUCH a disappointment. The waitresses were aloof and hovering around seemingly bored. They informed us AFTER we had eaten that it was Cash Only and I didn't see a sign when we came in, so my friend had to rush to an ATM so we could pay. And to top it all off, for two desserts a la mode (to cover how bad the deserts themselves were) and two of the small glass bottles of diet coke (the old novelty bottles), it was 25.00 before tip! lunch at uncle nicks was less than that and was delicious and filling! I will never go back to Lalo again. There are too many places to get fabulous, tasty, not gooey, not dry, not overpriced desserts in NYC.

Pros: I got nothin'.

Cons: Cash Only, Prices, AWFUL Desserts.

03/07/2008 Posted by kmonkey

Cafe Lalo is our favorite place for dessert on the Upper West Side. It has long lines at times but well worth the wait! my husband and I have been coming here for years and will always be on the lookout for our favorite after dinner treats!

Pros: Wonderful variety of desserts

Cons: Spotty Service

03/03/2008 Posted by uwsgirl79

I've been here once for brunch and twice for dessert. I've heard pretty good things about the place, so I wanted to give it a good try. But on every visit, the customer service was very frustrating. They hire very young girls who don't seems to know much about giving good service. After squeezing around tables and repeatedly saying "excuse me" as you can't help but bump into others as you attempt to get to your seat, you have to ask for a server after you've been sitting for 10 minutes. 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. The coffee is good, but good luck on getting a refill. Brunch was ok, and the desserts just so-so. Definitely not worth the high prices and inept service.

Pros: Coffee is decent

Cons: Service, atmosphere, noise, cramped tables

02/25/2007 Posted by nycspunky

We are new to the nieghbor hood and went over to this cozy place for a quick dessert after dinner across the street. It was very noisy but the dessert was great! I had this chocolate layer thingy that was out of this world! Check it out!

Pros: great dessert

Cons: Noisy!!

02/13/2007 Posted by eatallthetime

It is overpriced but you are in the infamous cafe lalo. The brunch is good. fresh ingredients. Depend on what you order, it could be great or soso. The dessert I've had a few and is not all that. 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. That's NY. Service lags. They hire teeny boppers to serve and few are nice but majority are a bit oblivious. I go there at least 10 times a year and the help is always different. Go for the experience. I go back because of the vegetable panini and belgium waffle. Coffee drinks is not out of this world and overpriced.

Pros: belgium waffle, vegatable panini, fresh whipped cream

Cons: price service, cramp seatings

02/03/2007 Posted by mubtez

It's so tiny and crowded with tables (can't go it you are obese, that's for sure), and costs about 20% more than it should. Kind of touristy, I guess is how to describe it.

01/14/2007 Posted by suebeelin

Have come here quite a few times since the early 90's, and have never been that impressed. At first, I went for lack of any other venues in the UWS. Now I go only if a friend insists. The tables are small, chairs are uncomfortable, and there's ALWAYS a wait. The desserts are good, but you can get great desserts everywhere in NYC. It must be because of the "You've Got Mail" movie that everyone's so crazy about Lalo's...

12/29/2006 Posted by olenka2112

I really tried to like this place (it's one of my boyfriend's favorites), but I couldn't. 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. The worst part of my experience is trying to squeeze through to my seat without putting my butt into somebody's dessert. (And no, my butt is not that big.) To be fair, the place is not a boring one - it does stand out, and it has the potential to be charming, but somehow it just lacks grace. Anyway, I recommend going there once because the desserts are worth it. Then you can decide if you will coming back. I won't.

Pros: desserts, real whipped cream, large selection

Cons: crowded, pretentious

12/22/2006 Posted by girlaudio

Don't just visit Cafe Lalo because it was in the movie You've Got Mail. This place can stand on its own. Although the place was packed when I arrived about 11am I was seated promptly. The service is good and the staff is friendly. The food is awesome and well worth every penny. The coffee is great too. Don't miss this little cafe on the West side of Central Park.

Pros: Such a fun little cafe! Don't miss it

Cons: A little pricey, but don't miss going here

11/23/2006 Posted by npmora

This is a healthy place! They to do not use oil or butter to cook, they steam the eggs. Fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh bread! It was delicius. We loved the ambience and the French style. The trees outside with orange leaves and small white lights, very romantic!

Pros: Brunch, Dessert, Coffe