Cafe George By Paula

I eat here more often that I would like, simply out of convenience. They have recently increased their already high prices for their less than mediocre food. The food here won’t get you sick and isn’t the worst but its just not worth it. The staff isn’t friendly to say the least, I have seen them turn away someone for a fork (until that person reminded them they had just ordered, to which they still wearily gave them the fork). Expensive, bad customer service and the same food you could find in the freezer section of your local supermarket. If it was tastier, maybe people would give them some leeway but it just isn’t. Most of the people I work with are joining the bandwagon and boycotting the place because this place really doesn’t have many things going for them.

Science Park Location: I went down at 12:25 PM and they were already out of the Chicken Parmesan so I ordered the Foot Long Hot Dog and they had NO RELISH. Who services hot dogs in CT with no relish? Improvement needed. I will say the 300 George Street location is much better. So I left and drove to another place to eat. If they had better food and a better selection I might eat there more often since it’s in the same building.

Came here only because I had to take a 7 hr test in the same building. Food is just okay but not enough to warrant the rude service.
For example, I went in at 7:03 after I saw they open at 7. I was asked to leave the café until the doors were physically open. So I stepped out, then the same lady opened the door 5 seconds later. What was the point of telling me to leave then? Staff just don’t seem to have patience for people who come here.
Also no credit card unless buying more than $ 5 of food.

Awful rude service, moderate food, three times as expensive as other lunch places in the area

I have eaten at Paula’s many times over the years and found the food
and beverages to be very good and the prices fair for the quality.
I will not comment on other’s people’s experiences about the quality
of the food or how they were treated. I will comment however one one
issue that I defend the owner on. Several times I was there for business
reasons which means I was there for several hours. Many times I noticed
some young males come in with their own Dunkin Donut coffee and snack
food and sit at her place literally all day long. They used the place as a
«DEN» to spend the day. not spend a dollar. There were many other people
who also came into the place without making food purchases and treated
the place like a community room. Mind you some even left their garbage
behind and others took up space needed for «paying» customers. I think
myself that Paula allowed this to happen too long so when she finally put
her foot down these incredibly rude people thought she was just
awful. Well I didn’t. It was about time she took the place back
I might also add that I ate many times at Claire’s and love the place but
it isn’t cheap and the portions aren’t large… and don’t even think to bring your
own coffee or food with you. That’s not happening. You wouldn’t dare
try that at Claire’s. It would have been stopped right at the door.

Not a good place to go if you’re looking to get your money’s worth, experience great customer service or be accommodated as a valued, paying customer. Was once a regular… today I was reminded why the word «was» is so relevant

I work in the building and that is the ONLY reason I would ever go here. The food is very overpriced and hit or miss. Sometimes it’s good and other times it horrible. For instance I got the fish and chips special… it was one tiny piece of fish that all the breading had fallen off of and about ten fries for around $ 9. If you make your own wrap they charge extra for EVERYTHING from cheese to pesto and you end up paying $ 10 for a wrap, no drink, no chips or fries, just the wrap! The specials always have a sauce or topping that is strange or that I don’t like and they refuse to let you have it without them. Seriously? it’s that hard to leave off the mayo on a sandwich? The owner is very rude and condecending. Half of my coworkers have boycotted this place and refuse to eat there. Overall it truly a terrible place. So bad that I believe some of these great reviews are posted by people involved with the place or their staff.

I work upstairs and have been coming here for breakfast and lunch very regularly – probably 4 or 5 times a week, if not more, because it is so convenient.
In fact, I just came here for breakfast this morning. A few hours later I needed a plastic fork for my lunch (which I didn’t purchase there). I went downstairs to ask for a plastic fork and was rudely turned away.
Now I am sad and I have to eat my lunch with the plastic knife I got this morning for my cream cheese.
Please don’t come here. I can’t believe I got turned away for a fork :(

WAY over priced for what they offer. Plan on paying extra for things like jelly on toast. Recycled menu, what was on special Wednesday will be reworked into something else on Thursday.

Not bad, and if nothing else, it’s very convenient when I happen to be doing work at 300 George. Agree that it’s a bit pricey, but still, the food is good, and I like to make an occasional stop for coffee and maybe a brownie.
Good breakfast sandwiches here too!

I love the fact that I can get a homemade lunch in a casual setting with complete variety of comfort and healthy foods.

Been coming here 2 – 3 times a month for the last few years and figured it was time to write a review. The food here is as good as it gets. Lines could be long but that usually means that its a solid place. Would rather wait in line then go to a place that is dead. I’ve had almost everything on the menu and will also try most of the specials. Prices are fine. I am out for lunch 5 days a week and the prices I see are $ 6-​$ 8 for a sandwich and $ 2-​$ 3 for a soup. My all times favorites are the chicken cutlets, anything buffalo, and the pasta specials. If I could go to one place everyday, this would be it.

Since my initial post was deleted as not being a first hand customer experience, I will give more details. I personally went to purchase breakfast at the Café George Science Park location to find out that the staff had sold all the breakfast muffins, scones, etc to a customer who came in at opening. They only had one muffin left in the entire case. When I sent the owner an e-​mail about the situation, she called me at my office and proceeded to call me ignorant. The time of her call was 9:59am on Monday 10/​21/​2013.

I go here about 2−3x a month mostly out of convenience since I work in the building, but wouldn’t come here if I didn’t have to get food with a very limited amount of time. The food is really hit or miss, typically leaning towards the miss, and I’ve tried a number of things on the menu before finding something that I didn’t mind eating.
Food is extremely overpriced for what you get — I typically spend nearly $ 8 – 10 on a sandwich and a soda. There is a $ 5 minimum for credit cards that I find exasperating, since most of the ready-​made cold case items (which I would prefer to get rather than wait for kitchen items) don’t cost this much, forcing me to add food just to be able to pay. Also, only one register can accept credit cards, which causes a lot of confusion in the line. I agree with other reviews that said that the soup is probably the best thing I’ve had here. Also, their fresh-​baked cookies are really good.
But, the biggest frustration I have with this place is the long wait time for food. Whether you order to dine in or to go, your wait for food usually ranges from 10 – 15 minutes, even if you’ve ordered nothing more than a bagel with cream cheese or a to-​go soup (which should already be made and just needs to be put in a container, right?). Considering I come here for the convenience of a quick lunch, this long wait time needs to be addressed by the restaurant’s owners.
PS — They sell microwavable dinners (basically leftovers from the day before) in non-​microwave safe clamshells that melt when you try to heat them up. This actually happened to me. It was fabulous.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here if I didn’t work in the building. With that said, the food isn’t too bad and it’s really convenient for everyone in the building. Slightly pricey and they’ve more than once have run out of ingredients for certain options, but all in all not a bad option if I don’t want to go far, but need some warm food.

I eat here once or twice a month — only because it’s convenient. The food and service are both hit or miss, leaning closer to the miss side.
Food: For every one good meal I’ve had here, I’ve had an equally bad meal and a middle of the road meal.
If you get a salad, make sure to get it with the dressing on the side, otherwise you’ll end up with soup.
They’ve recently added gluten-​free items to their menu, but they aren’t very tasty and aren’t worth the extra price tacked onto them. I give them credit for trying, but having eaten a lot of gluten free foods, I know there are much better options that they could be selling.
Service: Average. Most of the people working there are polite, friendly, and helpful. But, there are a few cranky people who I’d rather avoid dealing with because their attitude makes me feel like I’m inconveniencing them by ordering food.
Pricing: A little on the high side for what you get, but they are in a convenient location for several businesses, so you’re paying for the convenience.
Payment: Cash or credit, but there is a 5 $ minimum on all credit/​debit card payments, and they only take credit cards at 2 of their 3 registers.

This place is great. I work in the building so running down to grab something is usually easy. It is not like it’s only a convenience thing. They have great food. There is not a day that I don’t want one or two things off of their «Specials» board. They have new and different things every day, but like any other place you get really good days sometimes when you want one of each and then the ok days when you think something sounds alright, but you’re not thrilled. There is always soup, a special salad and one or two special sandwiches on the board as well as a pasta or «heavier» fare (i.e. Asian salmon noodle bowl) for lunch. Along with the specials they always have their regular sandwiches and salads as well as a cooler filled with sandwiches, various salads (caesar, chef, pasta, tortellini, three bean, or my favorite the grilled chicken with tabouli), yogurt with fruit, cheese and cracker platters, celery and carrot sticks with dip. They always switch up and rotate things around, but there is always something there that I want or am curious about.
For what it is, I think it deserves four stars. It’s a café just open for lunches. It’s not overly fancy or exotic, but you will not be hungry and I’m sure you will not be unhappy. Anything you order can be eaten inside or taken out, even the specials. I agree with other people, there are lots of great places for lunch in New Haven, but each place is different. Compared to other lunch cafes I’ve been to, this one is the best. Maybe not the best lunch deal, but the food is great. Most of the specials etc. are around $ 7 – 9. You can definitely eat well here for $ 10.

I’m going to preface this by saying that this is a review of their other location at Science Park. They recently replaced Anna’s and oh how we all miss them…
Anyway, I really like food. Great food, good food, and I usually even enjoy the bad stuff. It’s a wonder I’m not 300 pounds.
But there was nothing enjoyable about my experience at Café George. The food is over-​salted and overpriced and the staff is just plain rude. The women at the front were completely annoyed at me for looking in their case when they walked over to put food in and blatantly told me I was in their way. Then they sighed in annoyance when I wanted to pay. By the time I asked her for a bag for my food I thought she would go through the roof. How dare I, right?
I won’t be going back again to either location.

Their food is vastly overpriced for what you get, and it’s really hit or miss. Some days, things are coated in salt to the point of having to toss whatever you’ve purchased away. Other days, completely bland. You can’t ever tell what you’re going to get until you’re sitting at your desk and it’s in your mouth. Whatever they have in the grab and go cold case isn’t worth waiting on line for. An iced tea is more than 2.50.
I will say that the soups I’ve had are consistantly good.
Walk two blocks in any direction and get a lunch for the same cost that’s much much better.

The person who wrote the other review is obviously associated with Café George as more than just a patron. I would not recommend going to Café George over any other place in New Haven. Especially since New Haven has so many great inexpensive restaurants serving a variety of foods. The only reason I go here is because I work in the building and it’s convenient. I end up kicking myself every time because I’m usually always disappointed.
Their food is hit or miss. One day you’ll get a sandwich or salad and its fresh, the next it’ll be mushy and gross. They are extremely inconsistent with the food they put out, and unfortunately it’s usually bad. Most days they just slap your order together and since their ingredients are mediocre it ends up being crappy.
My advice to others: Don’t be as lazy as myself and walk around the corner to the food carts where you’ll find great food for MUCH cheaper.