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Cathedral Pkwy (1)
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Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits):
8 Food
8 Service
10 Atmosphere
7 Value
This was the first time in my life that I have not left a tip. I am still shocked that I didn't tip her. My waitress needs a career change.
11am on a Tuesday morning. 12 patrons TOTAL (inside and out). I ordered the Chef's special omelet (caramelized apple, brie & bacon w/ potatoes and whole wheat toast).
35 minutes after me alternately looking at the paper and looking for her - she asks if I had my breakfast. I said no.
She ran around, re issued the order, and came to tell me it will be out in a while. I asked how long, she said "I said it will be out" - no apology, no refill on my coffee, no water. Nothing. Then 50 minutes after my initial order, my meal arrived. I paid the 11.70 for my meal and coffee, and I left.
Pity, I really would have liked the place......
UPDATE: After reading the other bad reviews - to see if I was a one off, I read that someone who also chose not to tip had a tip added on to his bill. I looked at my bank statement and sure enough, 18% had been added.
Well, I grabbed my phone and called the restaurant (the tip was 2.15 - yes two dollars - but I was annoyed) I spoke with a really nice manager who went and pulled my slip, then called me back and gave me an interesting tidbit of information. The bank (B of A) adds 18% when a check is charged automatically (hmmm, I believe her. She said that the waitress did not add in a tip and the extra charge should drop off my bill)
I'll try Deluxe again - not soon, but Rose, the manager that I spoke with restored my faith.
Ever asked for a vacation day for no reason at all?
That's what I did this past Monday, and it was amazing. The dynamic of the city is so much more peaceful on a weekday when every one is at work. It's like a whole other place! Anyway, I digress...
After Monday off of work and a full day of boycotting the MTA, I biked to the MOMA, followed by a little sidewalk dining at Deluxe.
I opted for the turkey burger with cheddar -- substituting a baby greens salad for french fries. The server explained, "This also has onion rings on the burger, is that O.K.?" I secretly applauded myself for ordering the greens and said, "Yes, that's fine."
HEAVEN. ON. A. BUN.
The burger was served open face with a bun (I'm trying to cut back on carbs, so I avoided it), topped with cheddar, said (thick!) onion rings and all drizzled with a chipotle mayo.
The atmosphere was good too -- I love Morningside, so while I was sitting out I got to reminisce about college while Columbia students-to-be were given tour of the neighborhood.
Inside was nice too -- retro 50s, with a distinct Euro flair. As though some cafe in france was making an elegant attempt at an American diner. The service was mediocre, but it wasn't bad.
Did I really write that much? Jeez.
Had a lamb burger for lunch that was too heavy and not very satisfying. Besides that, I haven't been back. Don't think much of it really...
I was disappointed by the service here -- I ordered a simple turkey burger for lunch, but waited 45 minutes for the food to come.
What was most upsetting was that the waitress either did not acknowledge, or completely disregarded, my request to accomodate my allergy. I ended up getting sick for the rest of the day.
I realize I'm the odd one out, but I honestly think the food at Deluxe is AWFUL. Like, I cannot stand to even THINK of eating there. The burgers are soggy and the fries were undercooked. The lasagna, while it looked decent enough, tasted terrible- it tasted like if you took good or even okay lasagna and soaked it in vinegar. And other simple pasta dishes were just overcooked with very little flavour. Clearly I have to come back for brunch, since everyone seems to be raving about it, but I would not suggest coming here for dinner, or ordering takeout.
Extremely lukewarm feelings about Deluxe and here's why:
1) My boyfriend's Belgian waffle arrived cold but he was too nice to send it back.
2) Chef's Omelet (brie, carmelized apples, and bacon) was like egg product folded over raw ingredients (i.e. they must have a bucket of eggs and just add the omelet fillings at the last minute instead of integrating fillings into egg mix and cooking together.
3. Banana pancakes ok, a little burned on the outside.
4. SMALL glass of OJ costs $2.50
5. Bazillion different fonts on the menu are annoying
6. Service was ok, but after bringing our food, we never saw our waiter again. Had to ask for the check and pay for our food via another server.
Not bad as a neighborhood diner, but don't expect fine dining. Good burgers and salads and I have not had any problems with the service. Just a quick casual nice meal. Nice outdoor seating in the summer. Pet-friendly.
GOOD MILKSHAKES!
I'm a Columbia student, so I don't have a ton of money to throw around on my every meal. That being said, when people come to visit or friends stop by, I take them to Deluxe for a sampling of Columbia/Morningside flavor.
You can almost always find something goodish as a special, but you're better off sticking to something you know (chicken quesadilla is my fave, the chipotle sour cream is the kicker). The comfort food with a twist is what I think people like about this place, plus the big portions and all the desserts and shakes.
What people don't like is the inconsistency in food, waiting time, and LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE. It tends to get crowded.
Solution? Don't go on a sunny Sunday morning in May or at 7 on a Friday. Plus, I know I have better things to do anyway. But it is an old standby.
Actually a 3.5.
Live in morningside area? This is a great go-to place for breakfast. The food is reasonably priced, comes in large proportions and pretty decent. Would I travel to come here for food, No. They do try and venture away from the rigidly traditional breakfast with items such as carmelized apple, bacon, cheddar omelette. Ambiance has a diner-esque feel with no pomp and circumstance. This is my too-lazy to cook default breakfast venue.
Let's face it this place will never break any land speed records but is a nice place to enjoy a lazy brunch on the weekend. Great food and fair prices as well.
As I always say, if it's good enough for world-class Golden Retriever puppies, it's good enough for me.
Brunch was good and it's nice to sit outside sometimes. Waiter needs to go.
(More like 3.5 stars)
I always pass by this place seeing there is a lot of people inside. So today I finally went in to eat brunch with a friend. i ordered their challa bread french toast stuffed with creame cheese and blue berry marmalade/jam on top. The waitress recommended it to me, and I find it overall not too shabby. It is not exactly the best french toast I've had, but it's a decent place if you just want some brunch food. My friend ordered chef's omelette with apple, brie, and bacon inside. it was a very interesting omelette but i find myself to enjoy it, actually. The plates were about 8 -10 dollars each, fairly priced for the quality. A good place to go if you're not really looking for anything in particular but just some good ol brunch food.
Deluxe is practically on my campus, so I've been here more than once. They have great brunch/breakfast! This past weekend I went with a couple people and I ordered the Huevos Rancheros - it was pretty good, though I could have used a bit more salsa. I've also had a burger and their fish and chips. It was all really yummy. =]
I'd definitely suggest it for brunch or lunch in the Morningside Heights area! It's good portions and tasty food at a fair price.
They do get crowded during lunchtime and dinnertime, no matter what day because of all the students and faculty stopping in for a quick bite.
My father and I were in New York and realized that we had never been in the Columbia University area.....so we went. And stopped at this diner.
We made it about fifteen minutes before their happy hour ended so the waiter was very attentive about continuously bringing new beer in order to save on the discounted price (I can't remember what it was exactly).
I ordered the chicken caesar salad and a peanut butter banana milkshake. BOTH WERE DELICIOUS! Particularly the milkshake, and they gave you enough that it was practically two for the price of one!! I loved it. and felt very full afterward.
The place did seem to get crowded, and it appeared that the tables and chairs became pretty tightly packed. Luckily we were in there before the huge rush hit and out before it got even worse. We did have a mildly awkward table right by the door, however.
IN CONCLUSION - if i'm ever in this area again (my father is now convinced that is where he wants to retire, so there is a chance), I will definitely hit up this diner, even if just for a deliciously large milkshake.
The food is uniformly good--brunch is my favorite. Eggs benedict, stuffed french toast... I have never had anything bad! Dinner is good too, though. Meatloaf, hamburgers, sandwiches, and mac and cheese are all yummy here. One thing I love about this place is that they are very dog-friendly (sit outside and tie up your dog next to your table) and it is great for kids. Service tends to be pretty slow. Especially frustrating if you come for happy hour and want to get your drink order in before it ends!
Good casual place to get a bite to each with a friend or a group. The prices are reasonable and, surprisingly, its one of the better places to get food in the Columbia area.
every wake up on a saturday afternoon hungover, barely able to move, and hungry like the wolf? of course you have, you're a yelper. so if you happen to be WAY up on the upper west side (think columbia, that bastion of over-educated nerds and the greatest football team on the east coast) then deluxe is your destination.
the first thing brunch should entail is alcohol. yes, that beautiful elixir that put you in the dire strait for food and sustenance in the first place. screw the hair of the dog, i'm going for the booze. sweet bloody mary, why are you so good to me? and deluxe delivered. in spades. but only once cause i had shit to do today. mary was spicy as i like her, a little tomato sweetness, and strong enough to make my head fuzzy. hint, always drink your bloody mary before the food arrives. it works better that way.
and of course, every once in a while, splurge on the eggs benedict. i have certain issues with this dish cause the guy was a traitor but to hell with historical reference. hollandaise sauce is almost bacon, in my book. the eggs were poached as tender as my liver, the canadian bacon (which is just called ham in canadia) was nicely grilled, and the english muffin had more nooks and crannies than a fat lady in a bathing suit. and the french fries.... pure crunchy potato goodness.
and i cannot not mention the coffee. served in one of those awesomely thick diner mugs, the coffee was actually good and fresh, and endless. our attentive waiter was always there when we needed him. without hovering. i hate a hovering waiter. almost as much as i hate waiting. and i hover.
bring your appetite for food and listening in on conversations revolving around quantum physics and political science. if you don't like nerds this may not be the place for you but at least there wasn't a skinny jean to be seen for miles. damn skinny jeans, go eat something at deluxe and put on some weight.
Consistently good food and service.
Great location for people watching. Sometimes there's a wait for a table but the counter is usually open. Good eggs Benedict, attentive coffee refills and a great way to laze your way through a weekend morning.
Reasonably priced for quality and portion of food.
Good for everyone from families with kids, hungover 20-somethings and everyone else.
Go. You won't be disappointed. I promise.
One of my dearest friends introduced me to Deluxe on Broadway...and I can say that I am so glad about it!
What a place to go and have brunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon!
Everything on their menu sounded appetizing!
Our group chose:
- Make your own 3 egg omelet (my choice: goat cheese, spinach, tomatoes and bacon-among others) w/ home fries and toast
- "Deluxe" huevos Rancheros
- BLT sandwich
- The "Deluxe" sirloin burger (w/ choice of toppings)
For dessert we shared a Stuffed French Toast w/ strawberry cheesecake and berry marmalade ....so yummy!
We had a great time there...I will definitely will keep this place!
My negative points: space is limited, so please be nice with patrons and servers - don't bring your double stroller (there's no space for that inside)
Service is a bit slow so, if you are in a hurry don't bother..otherwise Deluxe On Broadway is worth a trip!
Check it out!
Ate here hundreds of times during my 6 years at Columbia, but went back tonight and dont remember their fries ever being so good. Yum. Huge cobb salad was good too
Brunches are like one night stands. Some are quick and dirty like those at Westway Diner down the street, some are experimental and exotic, like at Havana Central across the street, some are overrated and disappointing like at Campo around the corner, and finally some are so satisfactory that you want to keep coming back, like the ones at Deluxe. You had me at mimosas Deluxe, I will be back.
Being that i am a california native, i wasn't sure what to expect while walking a few blocks away from my sister's house on 121st @ broadway. It was late, about 11:45 pm. I scoped a few quick Asian Cuisine restaurants, but my taste buds kept having me turn the other cheek.
On my journey down to 112th, i stopped in at a few markets along the way.I started to ponder the notion of just picking up a brick of brie and some sourdough, but good thing i didn't. On the way back up i took notice of a dimly lit casual restaurant with a few people on the patio.
I walked in and i was delighted. The bar tender was friendly and greeted me before i had a chance to sit down at the clean countertop. The menu was written on a mirror behind the bar so i opted for the Sirloin burger. I was impressed that they offered goat cheese, so i naturally opted for that.
I ordered the burger medium rare, and that's where the five stars come in. Never have i ordered a burger and had it cooked so perfectly. The meat itself was of excellent quality and when i took that initial bite, then peaked, i was astonished. Just between red and pink, still warm, not cool, and melted in my mouth. Being that i work at a steakhouse, i tend to be a huge stickler when it comes to red-meat temperatures, but Deluxe NAILED IT.
I also liked the ambiance, quiet, candles on the table, casual upscale dining, but had a pretty well stacked bar. You don't see this back home, the late night diner that is open 24 is called Denny's. Not even the more esteemed Lori's Diner is open past 10 o clock, nor is it nearly as impressive.
Granted, i don't visit new york often enough, but i've been wanting to get a taste of its food. Deluxe left an excellent first impression and i highly recommend it for a casual bite. Prices weren't bad either, i had a glass of Syrah and this mouth-watering burger for less than $17.
I used to wander my way downstairs to have brunch here every weekend when I literally lived right upstairs. Great eggs, french toast, and some of the most craveworthy fries, sandwiches and burgers on the block. Turnover is quite fast so even if there's a line, you won't wait too long. Brunch is never a disappointment here at this bistro-diner and, while lunch and dinner are solid options, I wouldn't come out of my way.
But, if you're broke-ish and looking for an uber cheap meal and don't mind a complete lack of ambiance or pretension (or if it's past 3pm and your hangover is just wearing off), you might want to consider walking a few blocks down to Westway Cafe...
I love Deluxe. Now that I live literally right above it, I can go whenever I want! Especially when I roll right out of bed on a Saturday morning...
My best friend A. was visiting from England about two weeks ago, and she loooves this place from her memories of summer school in the city. Needless to say, we had to eat here almost every day... And it wasn't half bad. Brunching outside is very pleasant, the servers are accommodating and vigilant in a non-creepy way, and food is always delivered quickly. I adore the blueberry pancakes - fluffy and light, plus they come with a pat of blueberry butter! - and A. is a big omelet fan.
Although I'm not particularly sure what Deluxe is "trying" to be - American Bistro? American Cafe? Modern American? - I do know I like it.
Consistently a shorter line than Community, right across the street, with fast service to boot. The brunch is great here, and by great, I mean their brunch items are made with style. I've had their peaches and walnut pancakes, what a combo :) It wasn't exactly super tasty, but I liked the audacity haha. One of my friends swears by their burgers. Though not huge, they're well-proportioned and the fries they come with are tasty. Bottom line, Deluxe is conveniently located (perfect for the Columbia crowd hah), smiling (if hurried) service, fast moving queue.
Being a California native, this place was pretty legit for brunch. Prices didn't seem too bad...maybe because they looked like numbers I would normally see in LA.
Came on a Sunday and was seated immediately because it was a party of two and we both didn't mind sitting outside. The food came quickly, the service was awesome, and the food was delicious.
I ordered the vegetarian burger with fries...both of which were REALLY good. My friend had a veggie omelet with potatoes, both of which were seasoned well. Portions were large...not enough to save for another meal but defininitely enough to make you full and walk for hours to burn it all off.
All in all, I would come back here if I were in the area. Located in a lowkey area near Columbia, I liked the people watching and mix of students, families, etc. walking around on a Sunday afternoon.
Excellent challah french toast with orange maple butter.
Like this place great for brunch not expensive and the food consistent.
Dont bother with community next door this is much much better!
I really liked this place. Great food. Huge portions. Good Servcie. I enjoyed the chicken club sandwich and black cherry soda. Mmmm.
I must admit I am easily angered. But I do expect decent service on a Thursday afternoon from a popular restaurant in Morningside Heights...but before I gut out my story I'll write a review on my previous experiences at Deluxe. I've eaten here for both brunch and dinner -- the omelet I had during brunch was mediocre, and the burger I had for dinner was quite good (although a bit overpriced). In any case, my friend and I both ordered a grilled cheese sandwich that day (simple - cheese with tomato and bacon) and my other friend ordered a chocolate milkshake. Sounds simple enough. Twenty minutes later we were wondering where our food was. We flag down our waitress, who says that our food will be out in "2 minutes" and that she'd been "yellin' at the cook for a while". She asks if we want a drink. We request that we just get our food as quickly as possible. Fifteen minutes later...I am cutting it close to the end of my lunch break and we're about ready to leave. The busboy brings out our sandwiches...I eat it in 5 minutes. We're done with our sandwiches until we realize that my friend had not gotten her milkshake yet. A milkshake! She brings it from the bar and my friend, ravaged with thirst, takes a sip of it. It turns out they forgot the chocolate powder that belonged in a chocolate milkshake...so the milkshake tasted like textured water with malt. We brought it back and the bar-guy made a new one with extra-extra-extra heaping spoonfuls of chocolate. So, bottom line, we got our food after 45 minutes of waiting -- one apology, no reason why our modest grilled cheese sandwiches took so long.....we were clearly ticked off but the staff did not acknowledge our predicament at all. Needless to say, I tipped less than 20 percent on my card. I checked my bank statement later and the waitress ended up charging me for 20 percent anyway. Wow. My friend also realized she lost her ring there once we left the restaurant and ventured back. Their response was (mind you, without even looking for the ring or asking other staff members) that "it was thrown out with the napkins". Never coming back here again.
I remember coming here one late evening during the week. The lights were very dim and it matched the mood (very tired) I was in. I had their burger and fries which is what I heard they are known for. I really liked it and everyone else in my party enjoyed their meals. Prices were reasonable. Service was a little slow but it was late so I didn't mind.
Why everyone gotta be hatin' on Deluxe???
This is one of the best, if not the best, reasonably-priced place to eat within a 3-block radius of Columbia, as far as I'm concerned (and I have a friend or two who agree with me). The outdoor seating is always lively, and inside in the evenings they play good downtempo lounge music. At lunch, my burger there was fantastic, as was my Club sandwich; the Asian salad with chicken I had for dinner was not quite as good, so maybe you're better off sticking to American fare here. The rolls are awesome, but I had to ask for them. I'm looking forward to hitting up the bar and/or happy hour here...
As for the comments about the pricing: I disagree that it's grossly overpriced: you're basically paying something like $3 over McDonald's prices to be able to sit down at a place that is clean and not sketchy, and eat food that is clean and not sketchy, and keep company with people that are clean and not sketchy (well, assuming you go for the clean and not sketchy type...hmm...back to McDonald's I go?)
The lesser known diner on its block (Jerry Seinfeld and Suzanna Vega fave Tom's diner is nearby), Deluxe's outdoor seating and decor aim a little higher than a greasy spoon. Not sure the food delivers though...
I've only done brunch here. There's plenty to choose from. I went with the make-your-own omelet, adding Italian sausage and mozzarella from a long list of options. I found it to be very dry - I had to call for some pica de gallo to liven it up (which they charged me 50 cents for). The accompanying potatoes were also dry and required several shakes of salt.
So I can't recommend the place just yet - especially if you're a fan of, um, spice or flavor. But I'm sure this place has some hits among the misses on the menu...
I liked this place. It was kind of what an out of town noob like myself pictures when they picture an NYC diner: slightly better than average diner food, better than average style for a diner, a lot of beautiful college students who don't want to talk to you.
Service was shockingly attentive.
I interpret the fact that Deluxe has been my go-to breakfast/brunch spot for weekend morning recoveries since moving to the city as pathetically allegorical. When I lived in Cleveland, brunch meant waking up hungover at noon on Saturday with a partner and driving to an actually shitty diner somewhere on the east side for sludge coffee and some dish that most likely involved corned-beef hash (luv ya Big Al's!). I've been doing the PhD thing at Columbia for about six months now, and that same Saturday morning experience typically involves walking less than 5 blocks and sipping freshly squeezed OJ while devouring my eggs florentine and overhearing chatter about things like Kant and the concept of an electoral college. What the fuck is happening to my life? I'm like 10 years away from Cape Cod and a trust fund for the lil guy.
That being said this place is a pretty nice slightly-upscale-ish diner. Solid fresh coffee, aforementioned OJ, and most of the egg plates I've tried have been totally delish. The potatoes could use a little work re: seasoning but I'll settle. Service has been wonderful so far as I remember. And it's all reasonably priced, promise. The benedict dishes are my fave -- try one sometime. Though the brunch menu is limited but I'm not completely sure of exact hours.
Definitely at least four stars on the breakfast/lunch tip -- I'll be sure to come back and update after I get some of there dinner items inside of me. Recommended!
Four stars. Diner style food, but prepared MUCH better. Fresher ingredients, everything just seems to taste better.
And, outdoor seating is always a plus.
Good service, good place to check out.
I think this place probably deserves a 2.5 stars.
The coffee was delicious, which wins it the extra 0.5 stars, but this morning, I had steel cut oatmeal and a side of home fries. The food just tasted kind of old- like it had been sitting around for a while. We did have breakfast at 10:30am/11ish, but I feel like if you're gonna offer breakfast foods later on in the day, you should be dedicated to making it good, and not give it a half-ass effort, get what I'm saying??? Also, the oatmeal already had sugar in it, rather than it being on the side, but it wasn't too sweet, which was okay. The cinnamon adds a nice touch, but the oatmeal itself was a little watered down. Other friends said the Chef's omlet was good, so maybe give that a try.
Overall, in a city like this, one must bring it on harder! I'll be going to other places for sure before i come here again.
This is the kind of place that makes me love the Upper West Side/Columbia area. A casual restaurant that doesn't look trashy that isn't too expensive (of course it costs more than most restaurants in America, but it's New York, I don't judge), the food is good enough, and it can be a standby if you aren't in the mood to find someplace new but what to make sure you enjoy your meal.
I had a nice salad and some mac n' cheese. Aaron had a chicken dish (possibly a sandwich). I'm not going to say you need to go here to try something specific on the menu, it all seems like it will please the hungry stomach. I'll for sure come back if I need to find a place to eat and don't want to rack my bran too much on where to go.
A favorite "splurge" as a poor student. Nice place to get away from the other riff-raff undergrads.
The BLT is outstanding; my favorite in the neighborhood. Its portion is plenty and is slathered in a spicy mayo. The fries are shoestring on a budget.
The milkshakes are made with Sedutto ice cream, which is a bit overkill. Sometimes, though, such sweet measures are necessary when life has left a bitter taste in your mouth.
This is the restaurant we always end up going to when we are too lazy to cook but don't really know where we want to go out to eat.
Food is consistently pretty good. Nothing out of this world, although the mac and cheese is above average. The menu has a good amount of variety with sandwiches, pastas, salads, etc. Something for everyone, and several vegetarian options.
Service varies. Once, we had quite a long, bad experience where the waiter was snotty to me, food was slow, and then the waiter stood off talking with another waiter while we stared at him to bring the bill and then again to bring the credit card back.
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