VIP’s Cafe

VIP is over priced and the manager is rude.
This café at one time had very good service and friendly people, but now it has changed so much I don’t even go there any more. Plus if I want to spend $ 10 to $ 12 on a salad, I can go into the City and not only pay for a expensive salad, but get treated better.
If you are in the business to service the public, then treat people with respect. I say «stay away from this place»
I gave them a 1 star, because I had to in order to post this message.

BEWARE. ESPECIALLY OF THOMAS LAROUS!!! HORRIBLE SERVICE! RACIST! UNFRIENDLY STAFF! THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS! LACK THE BASIC BUSINESS ETIQUETTE!
II called in a pick up order of a turkey cheeseburger and French fries. I picked up the order and when I got back to my desk, I realized the burger has mushrooms and peppers. I called back to tell the restaurant that I did not order mushrooms and that I get sick after eating them. He rudely explained that it has come this way for years. I explained that I always order a cheeseburger and thought it was the same. He agreed to make a new one. As I was trying to remove the mushrooms from the burger to avoid going back, I noticed a hair embedded in the melted cheese.
When I called him back to tell him, he rudely said, «Oh come on! First you said there are mushrooms. Now it has a hair? How do I know you didn’t put it there to get a free burger?» I explained that there was no reason for me to put hair in the burger just to get a free one when he was already giving me a free one from the mushrooms. He agreed to still make it but hung up on me.
When I arrived at the restaurant, I put the food on the counter and told him I want my money back. I explained to him that I did not feel safe eating the food after the way he spoke to me. He was very rude, disregarding, and arrogant. He repeatedly told me that he was not giving me my money back and that he was not wasting two burgers. I showed him the hair as it was still in the cheese. He said, «My cooks have hats on!» The hair in the burger was not mine as it was short and brown and my hair is burgundy and medium length.
He began tugging the carton with the old burger as I held on to the other end. He yelled, «Let go this is my burger!» So I let the food go onto the floor. He threw some of the food at me and called me a bitch.

I’m newly hired at the Hospital and was planning on making this my go-​to spot for coffee and breakfast as it’s very clean and has a cute Greek Island motif inside. The first day I went in, I ordered a triple-​shot latte, which is standard fare in any coffee shop with a machine like they have, a guy who seemed to be the owner/​manager served me and charged me a normal price… the coffee was kind of gross but at least was strong. So I go back the next day, the girl makes it, and has no idea how to charge me and acts like I ordered a secret apéritif from the long lost island of Atlantis that is only served during the blood moon and asks me what was charged — $ 3.50 like the first time. Today I went in and decided to actually get breakfast — it was pretty standard Diner fare — nothing Greek about it. The girl was nice but incredibly flustered even though there was only 2 customers there. She messed up my order and had to change it — which was fine and the breakfast I ordered was standard quality — but I come back to a $ 7.50 charge for the same coffee I had ordered — just as mediocre tasting yet strong as the first time. I complained, and she returned with an updated bill of $ 6 for the coffee. Unfortunately this will no longer be my spot for coffee nor breakfast — Dunkin it is.

Very inconsistent service. Prices vary with every time you order and condiments on the food as well. Still a very yummy place. ENT sandwich is my favorite. Portions are pretty big.

I give this one star because the place is not open on the weekends (according to the owner, because the Monte entrance across from the place is closed on weekends, too) — it is not open for the residents of the Norwood community. It is simply there to serve the Monte workers. I think I am not the only one who sees this as wrong — most of the complaints on Unilocal agree. Ok food which is expensive. If it was open for the Norwood community, I believe it would be a great spot! It is clean and the menu is extensive.

If I stick to one item on the menu, it’s all good. That would be the meatless portobello burger. However I find the overall menu overpriced especially for the neighborhood. It’s not open on the weekends, which is major drawback. The staff are friendly, and the owner is really nice. You can get burgers, pasta, wraps, or salads. It is definitely better than surrounding establishments, which are primarily hood staples: Chinese, pizzerias, fast food chains, Latin restaurants, and two Jamaican takeout spots.
Lots of hospital employees frequent this place during the day. They also seem to be popular on Friday evenings, as there is a full bar. I only order takeout and sometimes treat myself to a tiramisu.

This place is horrible. Overpriced, horrible service and seems to cater to ONLY doctors…
I’m the neighborhood often, I always see this place so I decided to try it. I walked in and waited a good 10 minutes to even get recognized for a menu.
I settled for the chicken quesadilla and even though it was good, it WAS NOT worth $ 12. Seriously, who set the prices on the menu? Nothing seemed to be under $ 10. No Lunch specials, nada.
My plate sat and sat as I tried to wave to get my waiters attention. On my lunch break, I should have been in and out in 25 minutes, the most. It took an hour to sit, eat and get my check. No one paid attention to me for a while.
What a damn shame. Maybe if i was in scrubs and clogs like a doc, I’d get better treatment. Until then, you suck!

Friday February 18, I am sitting in VIP café waiting for my bacon cheeseburger deluxe thinking «This place could use a Gordon Ramsey makeover to take it to the next level with décor».
I know the owner and his family and they are nice people and this restaurant has recently re opened after being closed for 4 months (no fault of their own) due to an electrical fire in the building it is under. I dined when they re opened and the breakfast was sub par (hard dry pancakes sausage that was not good) and had been hesitant to return.
I had asked one of the guys in the kitchen if the patties were fresh or frozen earlier in the day because I had been craving a burger but didn’t want to go downtown. Upon learning they were fresh I returned.
Well I ordered my bacon cheeseburger neglecting to mention my preferred cheese and was provided American so I was like uh oh. So points off for not asking me what kind of cheese I wanted and just assuming I wanted American.
Honestly, the burger was really delicious and juicy and fresh despite the cheese. I ordered a medium and it was perfectly cooked and flavorful. The French fries were also really crispy and good. I would love to see him engage the neighborhood and create a brunch menu but they seem content with the hospital traffic and they close weekends. I haven’t tried other items on the menu because of the price points but the guys in the back nailed the burgers, I may be forced to try other items.
So Yah! I’m a fan of the burger.

The food here is actually pretty good. The problem, and it is a HUGE one, is the service. The staff seems genuinely disinterested in whether or not you get your food in under an hour. They come off as rude most of the time. Even though this is one of the only sit down places outside the hospital I will never go there again.

So I first set foot in this place about a decade ago after a glucose-​tolerance test at the hospital across the street. Basically giving me a sugar high to see if I had diabetes. I guess I «passed» because afterward my parents, one of ‘em anyway, decided to treat me to lunch. It was great! It was probably the first time I ever had a turkey burger that I actually liked, and if you’ve read some of my other reviews I always order turkey burgers now. So this place is kind of a big deal to me.
Unfortunately nearly 10 years later I returned, and a lot has changed. The burger was okay, not good, not bad, but I definitely didn’t like the peppers that came on it. The swiss cheese and mushrooms are great, in fact I encourage them, but red and green peppers… not so much. The fries were really good though, and I got to grab a Sam Adams which was nice. The décor also seems to have changed, and not for the better. Right now it looks like a very typical 3 star diner… not a «VIP Café». Not that I was expecting much, I just remember the place having a different feel.
Maybe it was always like this. Maybe the sugar-​high made me a fan. Maybe it was absolutely terrible when I was younger, and I was just going through the roof because of all that sugar they shoveled into me. But today, right now, this place is 3 stars. Take it or leave it.

My girlfriend and I just moved into the area a few months ago and, being the hungry/​thirsty couple that we are, we have been scoping out the Norwood/​Mosholu food situation. Among the plethora of ethnic take-​out shacks, we discovered this little gem.
In my mind, most people brush off these café/​diner type of spots as second-​class eats. I, however, am all for these underdogs. This place didn’t disappoint — cozy, family-​run atmosphere, full bar (with a better beer selection than most of these kind of places), and an absolutely VAST and reasonably priced menu, featuring plenty of vegetarian options (extra points). Get a panini, skip the salad, and go for the fries.
Not necessarily miraculous food, but there’s definitely something to hit the spot for everyone. Looks like the windowed part of the dining room may open up for some fresh air during the warmer months, which might boost my rating up to 4 stars.
Pass on lunch, and stop by after 6 or 7PM to miss the hospital crowd.

Whenever we come into the Bronx area, we have no idea where to go for lunch. We come here mainly for work and when asking around for tips or suggestions, we are usually given the roundabout and left by ourselves to explore.
Really friendly staff, and always busy (at least during the lunch hour– tons of doctors and medical staff here for their lunch breaks).
I liked how they had their «Lite and Healthy» side of the menu. Unlike other restaurants, they actually are light and healthy. I ordered an all-​white egg omelet with fresh vegetables. Very good and barely any oil. It came with a choice of soup or salad. I got their house salad and it was just an average green salad with your typical lettuce, cucumber, and carrots.
My boss got their gyro. He didn’t like it. I think it would’ve been better if he had just got one off the street stands. And my co-​worker ordered a sole platter. It was to her delight.

Hands down the best restaurant in the area! Not only is the food first rate, but the ambiance is great. Gets super crowded during lunch, but dinner time is more relaxed. Compares with Manhattan and can even keep up with a European bistro. Portions are big, the service is friendly. Definitely a place to escape the craziness. Perfect to impress visitors. Hell there is no other place to go around here. Even has a full bar to sit at! Oh and the desserts are amazing. This Tiramisu is the real thing (according to the owner made in Little Italy fresh each day). My favorite is the Toasted Almond dessert. If only this place was open on the weekends! At least for brunch. Ok for lunch and dinner too. That’s a mean little drawback.

I also have many memories of eating here. To get away from the hospital in the middle of the day and eat here for those fries is such a special treat.
They even accommodate us busy doctors by letting us pay first and if we get paged and our food is ready, they box it so fast that it feels like I actually got take out. If our food is not ready, they actually keep tabs and let me eat their some other time for free if I run out of their without eating!

An excellent burger, pannini, and salad spot that caters to Montefiore crowd across the street. My favorite is the ER Pannini with a side of fries. OH THE FRIES! So good! The crispy almost too salty kind. The veggies are always so fresh, too.
During the lunch hour, the tables get seated quickly and it can get a little cramped. However, after lunch, it is a nice quiet place to relax and grab a well-​earned bite.
Busy or not, expect to spend an hour sitting down. It always works out that way no matter how busy or not busy it may be. Expect to pay an $ 10 – 14 for a hearty meal.
Free Wi-​Fi to boot!