Cafe 54

I stopped in for lemonade. A few weeks ago, the café had offered samples outside, and it was awesome. This time, the recipe was different – syrupy and not as good. I requested a to-​go cup and was presented with a clear plastic cup, worth approx. $ 0.05 retail. I was told that this cup would cost me an additional $ 0.50. I asked the cashier whether that is the price the café pays for those cups. He said that he didn’t know. I asked whether he felt this cup was worth the price. He declined to answer. I asked him and another cashier whether they think that their customers are stupid. Still no answer. Frankly, not only is this poor service, but the pricing insulted my intelligence.

As I walked towards the café I was greeted by their specials brightly displayed on a black chalkboard, the vibrant colors followed me into the café itself. The atmosphere here is very low key, relaxing, peaceful.
The menu is also displayed on a chalkboard of larger proportions. I ordered lunch for work, for four and relaxed at a table viewing the lovely art as I waited.
My dish, the Seafood Ceviche, was robust and yet subtle. The crab was shredded, the scallops just right, and of course their was shrimp. The sauce was a wonderful light tomato mix with fresh veggies and herbs but with a little kick so it wasn’t overly earthy. This comes with tortilla chips and while I only partook in a few the crunch and added salt from the chip was a party in my mouth. The serving is 12oz, great for a light lunch.
Another order was the turkey club wit a side of fruit, the consumer of this meal said it was good… Nothing special but good.
The disappointment came with the two orders of Caesar Salad with an add on of Chicken. There was little more than a handful of romaine lettuce and maybe 2 – 3 oz of chicken. At $ 10 a salad I can get twice that at other establishments, that was disappointing.
Lastly each was served with an herb dinner roll that had a lovely thick outer layer, not too chewy though, and fluffy inside.
I will be back, I’d like to see what’s next on the menu. Note: they DONT change it daily

Smells & tastes like cafeteria food. You even get served on hard plastic plates. I enjoyed the friendly staff more than anything. Wonderful idea to help individuals that are in recovery!

Food was excellent. Really enjoyed the signature drink of the day. Service is incredible and also supports a great cause.

I have connections here, so I am biased… but it is the best place to eat downtown. Plus, eating here is good for the community. So, if you want to eat amazing food and help support a non-​profit agency… this is the place for YOU!!! Their lunch specials are amazing!

This place is pretty interesting. They employ people with mental disabilities to help serve, which I think is really admirable. The bread they serve is really good too, but I thought the gyro I got was a bit plain for the price.

I finally got to have lunch here today, I’ve been wanting to go, but I work when they’re open. Today I was downtown for a seminar at the library, and I got the chance! It was very good! I had the veggie burger and the quinoa salad, and they were full of flavor and the burger was piled with delicious veggies! The best part was the awesome sourdough roll that it came with MMM! I haven’t had rolls that good since I was a kid. Now I want to try the other baked goods. The service was friendly, and fast! Nice experience. It’s cute inside too!

This is a good place. I love their buffalo chicken salad!!. They give free samples of bread. they have nice artwork beside too. It’s downtown so the parking is not that great. I worked downtown during the summer and it was a great place to grab a quick lunch. I’ve had their salads and sandwiches. They also sell desserts and they differ day by day

Great food, great price, great mission! Try the daily specials.

Just scarfed down their lobster salad… hmm delicious, its more like a lobster+surimi (think california roll crab filling) salad… nonetheless it was great, especially with fresh lemon wedges. It comes with a mustard dressing, which wasn’t really needed because it was great just with the lemon. Again their portion size of take-​out was smaller than if I sat down and ordered, but oh well. just really wanted more greens to even out the «lobster». Maybe I should stop complaining about their take out portions, because I just don’t really have the time to sit down and get waited on during a busy lunch hour, but seriously I wish they could make sure that their to go orders get the same amount of food as their sit down meals. Today’s special came with a side of cous cous which is amazing… I spy cilantro, green bell peppers, red onions, tomatoes, and cranberries in it =D. delicious hmmm hmm, and of course everything comes with a fresh rosemary dinner roll!

Good food! Great service and friendly people.
I definitely recommend the flour-​less chocolate cake (with a glass of milk of course).
I really appreciate and support the good work this company/​restaurant does.

Excellent food! Had the Gyro with fruit. Service was great!

I really, really love Café 54. First and foremost, I love the the mission behind the organization. The café is an award-​winning employment-​training program for individuals with mental illness, funded by CPSA, RSA, and private donors. They also have an art foundation, allowing participants a creative outlet. You will see some of this art hanging along the walls. They also host art shows exhibiting these works on occasion.
The café is a quaint little spot, open only for lunch, and offers tasty daily menu specials (including sweet treats). The meals are tax-​free, as this is a non-​profit. The spicy black bean burger is one of my staple menu faves — it is so moist and flavorful. You can get it crumbled over a salad, instead of with a bun, if you prefer. The chicken Caesar salad is one of my favorites in town, and I often order it to-​go.
Catering and box lunches are also available from the café, and I have called on them (with wonderful results) when in need. The catering team is incredibly nice, and have very graciously (you guessed it) «catered» to my sometimes last-​minute requests.
I will most likely continue to patronize this jewel of a place as long as I am in Tucson.

Excellent management! We chatted under the watchful eye of the trainees and observed the fabulous lighting last holiday afternoon. I mean the street took the direct sun and the full glass façade at entrance combined with downtown ambiance was classic. Then, there was the food inexpensively priced but fresh. I remember a breaking supervisor stopped on her way back to kitchen to remind me that it was rosemary that the rolls served before the meal were infused with. Yes, that was the scent that caught my attention. Also, we shared a butternut squash soup and a blueberry muffin. The attention to detail reflects off of the walls inside, too, with so many select paintings absorbing that soft backlight from the street. I was so impressed that we will definitely return for another gander…

Awesome awesome awesome! It’s so refreshing to see people who genuinely want to do a great job.
We had the daily special which was a bacon avocado cheeseburger. It was delicious!!! My vegetarian sister had the black bean burger which she also loved and my mom had the green salad. It was pretty standard. The burger was cooked perfectly.

One of the best downtown lunch venues. The clam chowder was exceptional. The lamb-​pita roll was very good. The salad was as good as any I have had… anywhere. The tea was very good and the service is exceptional. Don’t miss it. Good folks doing a great job…
Yes, it is loud. Few places in Tucson understand acoustics and these guys don’t get it anymore than Club Congress, the Beeline or most any eating/​entertainment venue. I just accept it as a given here.

What I like about this place is that they are helping bring awareness and support to people with mental illness through the artwork displayed in the space and with employment. There was also a good selection of veggie/​vegan dishes on the menu which can sometimes be hard to find. The misses for me: the space is small so parties larger than 4, prepare to feel crammed. There was also a strange odor coming from what I believed to be the soda fountain-​bad smells can really kill an appetite for me. Lastly the food, try the butternut squash mac and cheese.

7÷5÷11 — Quiche (grilled onions & Swiss cheese), side salad, herb roll, water. All very tasty.
You place your order at the back of the restaurant and then find a table. A server brings your food when it’s ready.
The noise level is loud because there’s lots of echo in the two rooms that have high ceilings and cement floors.

This is my absolute favorite place for lunch downtown.
The menu is in constant rotation and there is always something amazing to try. The quality of ingredients in every dish is just amazing and Words just cannot describe my happiness when eating the Greek Beef Salad.
And best of all, there is no tax! $ 9.50 for the Greek Salad is $ 9.50 out the door! Throw in a Squirt (Yes, there is Squirt in the Fountain) for a buck and you are good to go!
You cannot go wrong eating at this place, especially considering that you are helping a organization aimed toward the training of those recovering from a mental illness.

For Arizona, it’s pretty good. but compared to California food — 3 stars.
This place helps adults diagnosed with a mental illness by employing them as busboys/​waiters. I honestly didn’t know but I had visited the website before going here. You can tell if you observe them, but if you were enthralled in current company, you would probably never know.
The food is decent. I definitely ordered the wrong thing that day; spaghetti squash with this squarish corn thing. It had tomatoes, asparagus, and a large mushroom. I thought everything was wayyyy too oily and it was a little bland for my taste. I should’ve ordered the turkey & bacon sandwich. Drinks are $ 1.50 and they give you free bread. I noticed everyone around me had steak salads.
Bright atmosphere, great service, and a decently cute lunch café (not as cute as the ones in LA).