Glass Onion Cafe

I love the Glass Onion Café! It’s a relaxed and beautiful atmosphere with great food. Have been there several times, and the food is always consistently good and I like the fact that everything is fresh and organic. My favorites are the French Onion soup, the Lonely Hearts Club, and of course, the deserts! To all the other people who posted here about the timeliness of the service — it’s not fast food people! I support local business, and also like the fact that the owners feature local musicians. Thanks Glass Onion Café!

This was my first time at the glass onion café I was wanting to get some reading done but didn’t want to drive to Starbucks or B & N and since its on my way home I stopped in~ the moment I walked in I was greeted by the owner and other staff~ she talked to me like I had been going there for years~ it was nice to be treated like we were old friends you don’t get that any more~ anyway I ordered sandwich and a coffee the food was fresh and made to order and I would have to say the coffee was better then my usual Starbucks coffee that I get~ the tables were clean and never left dirty ~ it was the perfect place to catch up on my reading without having to wait for a table or having a lot of noise around~ the owner told me about the live bands that will be playing and some other happenings that will be taking place if you like music might be worth checking out ~ I would tell everyone to give it a try and if your usual coffee house is over filled stop in and support a local business

All You Need Is Love! (For some good food, that is!) This was my second time back to the Glass Onion Café and it was just as good as the first time.
We went for lunch on a Friday afternoon but it wasn’t crowded inside. The décor of this place is fabulous– very hippy/​Beatle themed (duh), but also adorning the walls are pictures of customers (The Glass Onion Wall of Fame!) and local arts and pictures. There’s also a small corner where you can buy local artisan stuff (candles, etc). The tables were clean and we were greeted with menus and instructions on ordering at the counter.
We both got the Day Tripper lunch special which included one of their specialty sandwiches, a side, a can of Dr. Brown’s soda and a cookie. I ordered the Albacore Rigby (seriously LOVE the names on the menu– so clever) and my fiancé got the Lonely Hearts Club. We both chose the Sgt. Pepper Pasta as a side and got a can of root beer, and we had a choice of Peanut Butter or Cherry/​White chocolate chip for our cookie. We both got the Cherry/​White chocolate chip.
Yes, the food does take awhile, but that’s because it’s FRESH and made to order. I didn’t mind waiting at all. My albacore sandwich came on grilled marble rye and had avocado on it as well (bright green, fresh avocado– yum!). It also had Willcox tomatoes and Lennon pepper dressing. I pretty much inhaled it, it was that good.
The pasta salad came in a mini crock lined with fresh lettuce leaves. Perfectly cooked bowtie pasta with roasted red peppers and freshly chopped provolone and tomatoes on top. It was SO GOOD.
Now for the cookie… holy.crap. It was so densely packed with tart cherries and white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli!) and just underbaked enough to maintain a super chewy center. I savored every bite, making those smacking sounds and probably moaning a little too much (my fiancé told me so). I am really noisy when I eat. I won’t make excuses.
I’m a huge fan of supporting local businesses and the Glass Onion is no exception. Great food and great service– the owner is so sweet and really cares about the food and your experience. So Come Together if you’re on the northwest side. Stop on in and give them a try!

The food is fantastic! I’m a vegan and it’s hard finding restaurants that have real vegan options and not just lettuce. They make their hummus from scratch which is some of the best I’ve had! Love the café atmosphere. Great for meeting up with a friend or colleague!

Wow, I’m a bit surprised by many of the other reviews because my kids and I have been to the Glass Onion Café several times and the food has always been fresh and tasty. Like the other reviews, Jen the owner is typically there and yes often alone or supported by one other person, and yes it often does take some time for the food to make its way out.
But in our experience, it’s never been ridiculously too long, or maybe we just tend to feel relaxed in the environment and not stress it. My girls and I have enjoyed several of Glass Onions sandwiches over our maybe 6 visits, including the Albacore Rigby, Cold Turkey, Grilled Cheese and most recently the inspiring Marmalade Sky (i will likely make this sandwich at home) all of which were delicious and served up with fresh, organic and quality ingredients.
The Café itself is a comfy, laid-​back, cool spot, and so I forgive the equally laid-​back service because the food is good and the owner is a really nice person.

I went here with 2 other coworkers based on the recommendation of another coworker. This isn’t a «fine dining» establishment but if you are in the market for sandwiches in a casual place where you feel like you are eating at your mom’s or favorite aunt’s house, then this is a great place to go.
The menu, while not extensive, is full of tasty sandwiches, all named with some play on words using the titles to Beatles songs (I got Henny Lane and the other 2 in my party got «Back in the USSR» and «Why Don’t We Do It In the Roast»). We were all 3 highly satisfied with our lunches. The café uses Boars Head meats (which I liked since it is our preferred brand at home as well) and serves Poore Brothers chips (which not only have recently gotten superior ratings from food critics but are fairly local — the company is based in Phoenix).
Jen McDonald, the owner, was behind the counter taking care of us and, even though none of the 3 of us had ever been there before, she treated us like we were old friends. Glass Onion Café is the kind of place that you think only happens on TV shows but a small, hometown kind of café can also be found in the middle of Tucson.

I was really excited to try this place because I love the Beatles and thought it was a fun concept. I looked up a date when there would be live music, how can you go wrong? I thought the music would be rock n’ roll, you know, like the Beatles. It is a Beatles-​themed restaurant for crying out loud. When we arrived, the band was playing Gene Autrey style music and all the tables were taken even though most people didn’t order food. We had to eat outside on the sidewalk. The guy at the counter also seemed like he was high or something, kept getting things wrong and took 5 minutes to ring up my simple order.
All of the atmosphere problems could be forgiven if it weren’t for the food. I paid $ 13 plus tip for an «omelet» and a shake. The omelet was tiny with a sparse amount of fixin’s and cheese, and it was served on two pieces of dry, inedible toast. The shake was okay, but it tasted like it had a lot of ice or water in it instead of milk or ice cream.
I would say, save yourself the drive this place isn’t worth it.

I’ve had some bad restaurant experiences in my time, but this one truly takes the cake. I am amazed this place is still in business based on how horrible the service and the food are.
I came here to use a Living Social deal. We spent a bit more than the amount of the coupon and were told that, because we used the Living Social deal, they would only accept cash for the remainder. Huh? The woman who took our order wouldn’t explain why, only saying «It’s on the coupon» — uh, no, it’s not. I asked if she would make an exception, as I am nine months pregnant and the closest ATM is across a very large parking lot. It was 100 degrees out. Too bad.
So I trudged across the parking lot in the heat to get the cash. Had I not already paid for the Living Social deal, I would have simply left. I got back, paid for the food and we waited. When the food arrived, it was truly awful. This caliber of food is something I would eat at a friend’s house to be polite. To charge money for it is arrogant, at best.
When I asked to speak with the manager to inquire about why an exception couldn’t be made to simply take a debit card (which they normally take, except from those who bought the Living Social deal), I was told no manager was on the premises. A few minutes later, I saw the owner herself behind the counter. There is no excuse for such terrible service, particularly when the point of getting on Groupon or Living Social is to entice new customers. We will never be back.

I’ve been here a few times. Very inventive sandwiches and the coffee drinks are yummy. Good desserts too. It’s a fun, laid back atmosphere with a hippy influence for sure. I enjoy the live music, although sometimes it gets too loud for conversation to take place. It’s a small, and nice neighborhood hang out. I just don’t live in the neighborhood so it takes an effort to get there… but it’s worth it. I have to try the French Onion soup next. The prices are great.

We ended up here while looking for a local non-​Starbuck coffee establishment to support. I can’t attest to the menu, as I only had drinks, but I really enjoyed this place. The owner was super friendly – after finding out we were new in town she gave us some tips. She also let us know about the free live music offered there several time a week. The drinks were tasty and very reasonably priced. The menu looked good – soups, sandwiches, eggs etc. I was excited to see breakfast was served all day! I wasn’t very busy while we were there (Thursday afternoon) and the owner was there by herself like the other reviews said. She did hire on additional help while we were sitting there though… so hopefully that will help speed up food service. Overall good laid back atmosphere. We are planning to go back for live music sometime and I will be sure to update on food quality.

Overall, I would say this place is mediocre, over priced, and should definitely be avoided if you’re a student or looking to us a computer. As a graduate student, I spend a lot of time in coffee shops and decided to try this place out. After ordering a cup of coffee and a brownie, we sat down to start working. The barista then told us we couldn’t use the wifi because there was live music that day. That was frustrating, but we decided to still stay and get some work done. The owner then came and told us we couldn’t even have our computers out in the coffee shop. At that point, we just left. For a place with a sign that says «Open to Hippies» they’re pretty uptight and inflexible.
Besides not being a good place for students or people that like to do work in coffee shops, the coffee was ok, and the brownie was fine. The two combined came out to just over $ 5 but were nothing special.

My girlfriend and I give this place a shot after reading the other review posted. We went there for lunch during the middle of the week. There was only one other person eating there at the time, and just the owner was present with no other workers. The place was cold as ice, and the owner was complaining about being hot. It sucked, because it was cold outside too. Otherwise, the place was pretty laid back. I thought it was cool that they were both good and reviews in magazines and newspapers on the table there.
I ordered a sandwich, and she ordered salad. We both ordered coffees too. Everything took quite a while to prepare, and the other was on the phone part of the time she did it. I don’t think that sped things up too much. I requested my sandwich without chilies, but that didn’t happen. To be fair, she apologized when she realized. The coffees were both pretty bleh.
All in all, the food was okay if a bit pricey for what it is. Service could be better, especially in regard to timeliness. We probably won’t go back, but if you’re not in a hurry, like the Beatles, and don’t get cold easily, you might want to give it a shot.

Spectacular sandwich shop/​bakery/​deli. My bro suggested this place, since it’s across the street from where he works. I was hoping to go to a place with alcohol, but this place more than made up for it with their food quality and unique style. Being called the «Glass Onion» you can probably guess that they’re a hippie, «Beatlesque» themed place. I had a half a custom sandwich, and their lobster bisque in a bread bowl. Fantastic! I was debating whether or not to go to Bisonwiches for lunch, and let me just say that I was more than surprised at the quality of this place, and happy with the choice. It’s worth the trek if you’re not on the west side of Tucson.