Cafe 72 By Cugino’s

Went here to dine in with a couple of my co workers. The menu was simple and to the point. I decided to get a grilled chicken Caesar wrap with house potato chips. The wrap was just «ok,» as there was wayyy more wrap than actual meat. It tasted like I was eating a veggie wrap. Plus the wrap tasted a bit doughy. However, the house chips were actually flavorful and filling with the addition of some ketchup. The service was ok as the waitress was friendly. The place is quite small and can get crowded quite quick. I probably would only come back to try the pancakes as they looked really good and seemed to be a popular item on the menu.

Delicious food would give it a five if we didn’t have to wait so long to get a table.

Hands down, this is my favorite place around. Their coffee gives me a jolt like no other. With sweet and savory dishes like tiramisu pancakes and cajun shrimp & grits, the menu is truly one of a kind. After a recent interior remodeling (and even before) it has always been clean and classy. Last but not least, the attentive staff make you feel at-​home and appreciated.

Went for brunch on Saturday morning and was very pleased with the atmosphere, service and food. It is a quant homelike environment with comfortable booths and tables. I ordered the croissant French toast with the walnuts. It was well worth the calories… If I had any negatives it was a little too syrupy and not enough of other flavors but I enjoyed it none the less. The mushroom omelet was also liked by my party and the chicken sandwich was good but lacked chicken. The chocolate egg cream wasn’t bubbly enough but I’m not a huge fan of them anyway. The blueberry pancake was not bad and it is nice that you can order an individual pancake or french toast just to try. I can’t wait to come here again and try something new!

I’m sorry but I didn’t like this place. I ordered shrimp and grits. My food was cold and dry. The grits were bland. I was very disappointed. My husband didn’t enjoy his meal either. His French toast could have cooked a little longer.

An update on my recent review… Just realized that the french onion soup here is the same price as the chocolate milk… $ 5. I’ve seen them make the chocolate milk, nothing crazy. This needs to be changed!

Still a five star joint, possible six if that’s even possible! Updating for the décor inside, it has been styled adorably lately with a modern ‘kitchen’ look. The menu is still the same, with delicious and unique dishes and daily specials that rotate. They now have a ‘points’ system where you can earn rewards with ‘X’ amount of points ($ you spend). Can’t wait to cash in our $ 10 off our bill soon!

Blink and you’ll drive right by it. I discovered this gem in my days before Unilocal,through a magazine that showcased the best breakfast places in NJ. To my surprise it was only around the corner from my house. While the outside doesn’t look like much, the inside reminds me of something that would be located in NY or Philly. The inside offers a bar area to sit as well as a wall of booths supplemented with tables. The space isn’t overly small and I feel they make the most use out of the space.
Now onto the the best part, the food! The menu consists of breakfast and lunch, no dinner here as they close up shop at 2 PM. So far I’ve eaten their French toast, bacon, eggs, pork roll, hash browns, and home fries for breakfast as well as the Reuben sandwich, cheese steak, French onion soup and fries. Not one item has disappointed me, the helpings are plentiful and inexpensive. In a sence, Café 72 is the diner I wish the Ewing Diner was. Great food, great prices, friendly staff that remembers their clientele. Highly recommended to anyone in the area looking for breakfast or lunch.

Love love love their breakfast! My bf & I love this spot! The wait to get a seat can sometimes take a while but food comes out quick. I had their cannoli french toast and it was AMAZING!!! Take out is good too, would highly recommend.

Nice little breakfast joint. There were a lot of people waiting which was a little daunting initially but we only ended up waiting 10 minutes.
I tried the western omelette which was good. Husband ordered the portobello Benedict with hash which was excellent. The hash had a really nice green chili like flavor.
Pancakes were tasty too. Service was quick, pleasant and efficient.
Love the free coffee out front although when we tried to get some on our way out it was all empty.
We’ll be back if we are in the area.

I finally made it here for a lunch visit with my uncle. He’s more of a fan of casual places than I am, and it was his birthday treat. With breakfast or lunch choices available until their closing time of 2:30 pm, I thought it would present many enticing options. And it did, but I may have chosen unwisely.
I’m a sucker for French onion soup, and theirs was a legit and slow cooked one, with onions that were just melting in my mouth, a dark and rich broth that seemed to be from a real stock and not just bouillon. Melted mozz (with another cheese added most likely) but not quite as bubbly and browned as I would have liked, and the overall temp was a few degrees short of hot. I might have sent to back for further warming had I been alone, or not starving.
By the time I was three spoonfuls deep into it, my entrée came out. I dread when this happens, and at a more upscale place I would complain. I was expecting more here, but let it slide. It was chicken and waffles which is supposedly a house specialty. I didn’t think it was all that special, the waffle would have benefitted from another minute or two in the griddle, and the two pieces of chicken tender were in fact tender, but not super crispy. The dish was lacking a spicy component, but with the addition of Sriracha that is a table side condiment here, the dish became better. Lastly, I was not a real fan of their syrup, it almost tasted like light, and had very little maple flavor.
My uncle ordered the Cuban and it looked very nice, homemade thinly sliced roast pork, cheesy with some ham poking out. The bread appeared to be focaccia, but he was not forthcoming with an invitation to taste.(just a side note, am I the only one who finds that some elderly folks do not believe in food sharing? I’ve noticed this in some but not all persons from his generation, and it does puzzle me. Especially because I always offer tastes of mine to them)
Overall we liked our lunch, and I would be open to returning. Items arriving at the table next to us looked really good, and some other more breakfasty choices sounded very good. Let’s say 3.5 sharing is caring Unilocal

Service was amazing from the moment we walked in. Greeted immediately and with a smile. Server came to us shortly after being seated and was always available. Food came out in a blink of an eye. Whether you’re looking for simple dishes or unique dishes for breakfeasr or an extensice brunch menu, this is for you. Oh yea, the food was delicious and portions were generous and its a BYOB!

I came here for lunch with my girlfriend due to the reviews on Unilocal.We were a little confused by the nondescript exterior of the building but the interior was very pretty and packed. I got the chicken club sandwich while my girlfriend got the black bean avocado burger. The food was decently portioned but not as big as typical diner sandwiches. Both our meals were pretty goo but not amazing. Her burger especially was a little dry and could’ve used some aioli (which my sandwich came with and was very good). Mine came with chips and her’s with french fries. The chips were a little stale but the fries were very good and very crispy.
For the lunch, I think this restaurant deserves four stars. However we saw a lot of the other customers ordering breakfast food which looked amazing. I’m going to have to come back here for breakfast and can hopefully change my 4 stars to 5!

The best. My favorite breakfast place ever. Everything is good and the staff is great.
Creative well prepared specials. They have coffee service and bocce for the waiting line of adoring fans.
They have a special menu every weekend with new items for that week and they always change it up so you’re never bored and always want to go back to see what they’ve come up with for the new weekend.
Chicken and waffles, shaved ribeye benedict, some sort of stuffed french toast, special omelette, and shrimp and grits to name a few… plus awesome donuts with blueberry compote. And your very own bottle of sriracha at the table.
Been going here for over a year. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes breakfast.

I was greeted when I walked in the door right away!
My name was added to the list very promptly!
They have counter top sitting and tables!
The place is small but seems they have a very loyal customer base.
I ordered the French onion soup it is great as the picture I posted on it.
The owner Ben is in the restaurant on this busy morning and is very involved in his restaurant.
The picture of the Cuban sandwich is up for all to see.
The pork was very dry the other problem
I had was they give you fresh chips as you seen in the picture they were not seasoned at all.
Plus they tasted very stale because of this!
My recommendation is that you ask for seasoning on all your food so it is taken care of the correct way.
My server I am not sure if she was overwhelmed at the counter top but both me and the gentleman next to me had to keep requesting for a refill of our drinks.

Phenomenal omelettes, big portions. I like that in every bite you get a nice, even mix of ingredients, in my case onions, mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes. Bacon was great, so great in fact that 4 people went thru 3 orders of 6 pieces each in no time.
Service was fast and efficient. The place was packed but the waitresses moved nonstop and our breakfast was served within 5 minutes of ordering. Check came out seconds after we asked for it. No lost time here.
The bill came to just over $ 45 for 4 people which I think is very fair. They actually didn’t charge us for coffee either; not sure if that was an oversight or gimmick, but it was pleasant nonetheless.

If I go out for breakfast, I want it to be something interesting. I can make an ordinary breakfast at home. If I’m going to go out, I want it to be something unusual that I wouldn’t make or have the ingredients for in my kitchen. That’s what makes Café 72 different from the majority of the diners in the area – they do things differently.
They change up their specials menu weekly so that there’s always the opportunity to try something new. The menu itself isn’t huge, but there’s pleny of variety. I’ve had eggs benedict with braised short rib and Texas toast instead of the usual ham and English muffin, shrimp benedict with using polenta, a short rib omelet, etc. You get the idea. The pancakes are generously sized, thick and fluffy. Get the pumpkin pancakes if they’re still on the menu when you go. The corned beef hash is made in house, and is spiked with a smoky paprika flavor. It might not go over well with you if you’re a standard CB-​Hash lover, but I dig it. The home fries are always super crispy. I’m not a fan of most home fries, but these are pretty fine.
Probably the only miss I’ve ever had there was the shrimp and grits, but to be fair, I’m a grits snob, and I’ve set the bar pretty high for that dish.
The service has been very good, and you can tell there are a lot of regulars from how they recognize many of the customers by their first names.
Be prepared for a short wait if you come on a weekend morning. They’ve got tables and chairs outside to sit at while you wait, along with coffee, water and bocci ball to keep you lubricated and entertained. I’m not a coffee guy, but my Mom tells me their coffee is very good.
This is the closest thing I’ve found to a Pacific Northwest Coast style café where they serve up interesting and different takes on breakfast. Café Chorba is another, but I’m giving 72 the nod. The boring, regular diner breakfast has become pretty old, and Café 72 is now our go-​to breakfast destination.

Came here for Sunday brunch. surprisingly the place wasn’t packed, but it still took 20 – 25 minutes to be seated. Inside it’s small, dark, and cramped which I didn’t enjoy too much. I ordered the tiramisu pancakes which I was expecting to be really delicious but I was disappointed that they were just OK. Service is great and prices are cheap which make up for the mediocre food.

Came here for breakfast with the bae and another couple.
They had a coffee table setup outside so you can prepare yourself a cup of joe while you wait for a seat — great idea!
Tons of awesome sounding choices, including daily specials. I opted for the house made ricotta donuts with berry compote, and the special crab meat Eggs benny. The food was delicious and came to our table quickly. Service was brisk but friendly. Coffee was great as well.
Definitely a great choice for breakfast/​brunch in this area!
Insider tip: you can call ahead to put your name on a waiting list for a table — awesome!

As another Unilocaler has noted, Café 72 By Cugino’s is not much to look at from the outside, nor the inside. We arrived to a packed parking lot and a line of people waiting outside, huddled around 2 outdoor heaters to keep warm. Obviously, Sunday breakfast is the busiest time of the week. I gave our name to the front desk staff for the waiting list, and returned to our chilly place in line.
We were called to be seated, and were ushered past a bunch of people huddled just inside of the doorway. The inside was a open seating area to the right with about 12 tables 6 booths. To our left was a counter with 10 stools. It was fairly dark and a little noisy with the 55 or so people inside.
Once seated, our server Lauren promptly introduced herself, poured us a cup of coffee and provided us with menus. The menu has a very wide selection of breakfast-​style food, ranging from regular old eggs and something to Tiramisu pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and specialty benedicts. I ordered a standard breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries and toast. Arlene ordered the traditional eggs benedict, and hash browns. We brought home an order of turkey sausage for the doggie. Since there was nothing special about my breakfest, the best I can say was that it was good. Arlene’s eggs benedict was good, but on of the two eggs was off of the muffin and was overdone, the other egg was poached to perfection. The hollandaise was flavorful.
In all, the portions were consistent with the prices and the food was tasty. I was impressed that a restaurant so small had about 8 servers working the room but the wait between ordering and food delivery was too long. Just 3 cooks and 1 expediter to serve so many customers seems to be an issue.