Dancing Crane Cafe

Not many option here at Bronx Zoo when it comes to food. It seemed like each eatery offered the same menu. Mainly, burgers and chicken tenders with fries.
Here at Dancing Crane Café, as soon as you walk inside, there was a long counters where you order and pick up your food. It seemed like the staff working at the counters were local kids, young, but they were doing pretty good job, trying there best to be efficient. The area behind the counter was kept pretty clean, and everyone was wearing hair nets and gloves, which was good to see.
The whole ordering and picking up the food took a while. After you get your food, you go to the cash register behind you, and you pay there. You could also pick up some juice and what not from the refrigerator by the cashiers.
The indoor eating area was filled with family and kids, and even more so, filled with food and trash on the floor, chairs, and tables… Not very well kept, the outside seemed much cleaner.
If you were not in a mood to get chicken tenders, burger, pizza, or hot dog, and the only healthy option they had here was veggie panini, then you are in for a huge disappointments. And even if you are ok with these selections, do not get your hopes up, it is not that great, not worth the price. Read my full review on this Café and food on my food blog at foodlovergirl.

Horrible service. They don’t know how to put in and fill orders in a timely manner.

It has 2 starts instead of one as it is the only alternative for eating at the zoo. The other kiosks are basically the same.
The food was not good at all. I had a double cheeseburger and fries. The burger was dry and the fries cold and soggy.
I’m not sure if the food served in the dining room indoor is the same or if it is any different, but for what I had (in tow separate occasions months apart) I would say that the best choice here for a good day would be to have a good breakfast and then a late lunch outside or buy something to eat outside.

Like many other reviews have stated this is not an impressive selection. The food is what you would find at any other amusement park. Overpriced burgers, hot dogs, fries, chicken fingers, and pizza. This location happens to have some pre-​made salads and sandwiches available along with beer!
I ordered the chicken fingers and fries combo: a number 3 I believe and opted to get the boo at the zoo cup that you could refill all day for free. All in all my meal came to about 17 $. They do offer a lot of options for dipping sauces for the chicken fingers, the honey mustard was pretty good. One thing I wasn’t happy with was how fast my fries got cold and ultimately inedible.
The set up in the dining area is kinda crazy. First you can go up to one of the lanes to get your food or you have the option of grabbing a pre made meal. Once you get one of those options you are supposed to go up to the lanes and pay for your food. One thing that I did notice was a lot of people skipping out on paying there bill. For the zoo’s sake i’d try to come up with a way of either opting for more staff to ensure payment was made. Not fair that I get stuck paying $ 17 and they get it for free.
One cool thing about eating in the park and being a member you get 20% off discount.

Not an impressive selection. The food is basic summer amusement park fare. They have burgers, fires, hot dogs, pizza, and chicken tenders. They also have some prepared salads. The burgers are «okay», but they take an inordinate amount of time to prepare them. Yesterday, I ordered two cheeseburger combos, one for me and one for my boyfriend who was staking out a table outside. They put two orders of friends and one burger on my tray and then I had to wait several minutes for the second burger. Meanwhile, the fries were no longer under the light, so they were getting cold. I lost patience and substituted chicken tenders for the remaining burger. If all of the food is not ready, don’t serve any. Even if the food is not freshly prepared and is just sitting under a light, at least it will remain warm. My boyfriend’s fries were cold by the time he got to eat them.
It’s, of course, also expensive. I’m sure most people would expect that from a venue with a captive audience.
On the plus side, they did have both barbeque and honey mustard available for the chicken tenders and they offer a 20% member discount on the food.