Yaffa Cafe

I live in the EV and have been coming to Yaffa for the past 10 years. Whereas in the past I could have gone there 5 times a week and get a consistently good service, these days half the time I go, I leave disappointed. Despite going there for so long I never am recognized as the 'permanent customer' unlike in other places in the area. Sometimes I get impeccable service, other times I have to beg the waiter to bring me that drink I ordered when I came in as I finish up my meal. Last night I had a new waiter who would not substitute tahini for hummus, even though they used to let me do it for the past 10 years.

Great service, inside and outside eating/drinking, interesting atmosphere inside and out, spacious patio and the waiter my friend and I had around 5pm could not have been better but we were there with a laptop playing a video of a performance which gained interest from people there.

Yaffa was consistently great at one time, but my recent visits have been met with cold tea, discourteous help, and inconsistent food. They seem to be trying hard to make a comeback, with high turnover of help. It's worth dropping in with a friend and trying your luck, but you can only count on wowing your date with the atmopshere. The rest is up for grabs.

The food here is simply not good. I had a mushroom crepe which had almost no mushrooms in it, instead filled with almost raw, way-too-vinegarry onions... no thank you! Too bad, because the atmosphere of the place is nice.

Sorry to burst anyone's bubble but a few people I know feel Yaffa is slipping. I used to go there all the time for years, as they have a great menu and of course are open 24 hrs. But the cuts of meat/veggies have gone downhill as of late, which is too bad. We'll get adventurous and start trying them again only to be disappointed once or twice every few times. Aside from sometimes inferior cuts of chicken, The chefs have little regard for the way customers want something cooked. They really don't care if you want something well done, though the wait often apologizes for it. I'm not saying there are no positives. The decor is super Kitsch, the Garden rules, and their carrot dressing is still good. But unless the owner returns from Israel and starts kicking some butt, Yaffa will remain a pass for my friends and I.

When I was a waiter in NYC, Yaffa's was the place we used to go after work to relax and have dinner. Its a great place. I have since moved away from NYC, but its our first stop every time we go back to visit. I really miss those late night dinners at Yaffa's! Great food and great atmosphere.

I lived in NYC only briefly, but after all is said and done, every time I return to New York, I visit Yaffa's. If you find people attractive, venture here some night - you'll find a smorgasbord of hot there. And the food is good too.