Thank you to the ladies of Filthy Rich Boutique for steering us there for lunch. The setting is lovely and unique. The food awesome. Had the meatloaf sandwich special as well as the soup special, beef orzo. My husband had the vegetable panini and some my sandwich. We really look forward to going back. A true hidden gem. The waitstaff professional and friendly. read more

Best food in town ... Wonderful and relaxing atmosphere. Sean was a spectacular server.

Very good service and very good food. Atmosphere was exactly as they described: casually elegant. Would definitely recommend stopping here for lunch. read more

This is the best kept non-secret in St Augustine. Great service and food in a fantastic setting. Its an old turn of the century pool. Very cool architecture. This is a cloth napkin restaurant but prices are not too bad. Formal attire is not required. Ill go back for sure. read more

Joined seven family members for lunch. The decor was lovely and the history of the building was interesting. Everyone loved their food. I had a panini, others had pasta, fish entrees or salads. We would all return again. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, pleasant staff, classical guitarist playing. Very nice! my food wasn't any good though, but I'd return.

Good food fantastic atmosphere and low prices. All around great value and impeccable service.

Sunday lunch for six and got right in. Cool to eat in an old in door swimming pool. I have been here several times. Today there was a very talented piano player playing while we ate, although he was a bit too loud. Our waiter was very good and quick. I ordered the soup and sandwich. The soup was the worst New England clam chowder I ever put in my mouth and it was room temperature. Thin as water and salty as heck. My daughter sent her's back to be warmed up. The sandwich was a club which was not like your typical club, but it was good. My Husband had the lamb panini, which he said was like shoe leather - dry and no taste. Prices were reasonable. We'll try it again in another couple of years. read more

OK...first its just such a cool place...you dine at the deep end of the pool which at the time was the largest indoor pool in the world built by Henry Flagler...railroad magnate, industrialist, and founder of Standard Oil Company. How can you beat that? It reeks of history and connotations of the filthy rich in that time era of the late 1800's. All you have to do is look around and its just plain interesting. Next, we had the best waiter, Ryan. Great kid. All the staff seemed very at attentive. My wife was cold because they keep it pretty chilly due to being in the same building as the Flagler museum and cold air sinks. Remember we are in the deep end of the pool. Another waiter came out and gave my wife a shawl that they keep on hand. They make their own handcrafted pizzas everyday and always something different. Today was a Greek pizza...fresh tomatoes...feta...and everything you'd find on a Greek salad plus a wrapped grape leaf in the middle. Simply tasty and blended flavor. With a glass of red wine our total bill was under $25. Highly recommended by this reviewer. Absolutely pleasant from start to finish. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34599-d390433-r366996908-Cafe_Alcazar-Saint_Augustine_Florida.html# read more

Cafe Alcazar - New American Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Stumbled into this hidden gem by chance on a weekday afternoon. Wife and I went out to the historic area to hang out and had another place in mind for lunch. Walking by the lightner museum we saw an entrance to the back and smelled something delicious coming from the door. We walked in and discovered a kitchen and host (been coming to St Augustine for decades and never knew of this hidden gem). We saw the setting, ambiance and menu and immediately decided to eat there. It was historically a huge indoor swimming pool and now it has antique shops with this cafe right in the middle. The food was delicious. Wife had a delicious french onion soup full of melted cheese and flavorful greek salad. I had the chicken sandwich melt. The place is typically open for lunch hours but is perfect for indoor dining. Seemed like it was a fusion of American with Mediterranean and Italian. A great selection of varied lunch options from sandwich and salads to entree size dishes. Service was very good too. Will definitely go back and try some other dishes. read more

This place is just cool! And you don't often get to eat in the deep end of a former swimming pool. St. Augustine is a city that blossomed first in a more gilded age, when people traveled by train to get out of the colder north climates and head to warm weather. (Come to think of it, we do that now, too!) Henry Flagler provided St. Augustine with the wherewithal to attract wealthy Northerners. One of the hotels had a magnificent swimming pool, which is now a location for shops and the Cafe. So you sit in a small area of the deep end and have lunch. The food is consistently different and well prepared on premises. Home made soup, sandwiches and pasta dishes are among those we have had in several visits. The service is attentive and helpful. But the ambiance can blow your mind if you let it - just close your eyes and imagine what it was like. Look at the pictures in the entrance and see the swimmers in the area where you will eat. If you get a chance, go to the Lightener Museum above you and see a collection of collections. (Google it, already!) It's a feel good and history lesson experience with good food. Now, on to the fountain of youth so we can come back again. read more

Yeah, it's kind of unique, being on the bottom of what was at one time the largest indoor swimming pool in the world. If you are going to the Lightner Museum, it's kind of convenient, but it's not worth the money you're going to pay at lunch. The service was good and they had a musician. You get the feeling they want to be upscale, but if I were them, I would lower my prices and go with a more affordable menu that would make the place much more enjoyable. A fun place to eat once, but after that, don't need to go back. read more

Love, love, love this place! It is very charming and while the restaurant is indoors, the set-up makes you feel as if you were seated outdoors of a European cafe. I had a burrito special that was made of flank steak, Gorgonzola cheese, and mushrooms. I am very impressed and found the food and service to be amazing! read more

Our B&B recommended this, with a coupon for free dessert, so we thought, oh well, one hand washes the other, how bad could it be. I am so glad our host told us because we never would have been drawn to it otherwise! It is an extraordinary old-style elegant gem. We had two specials that were fresh (tuna and grouper), imaginative and VERY reasonably priced. The service was exceptional; of course, it was also off-season so you can bet all service industry types are shuckin' and jivin' extra hard for those tips. The setting is unique and a bonus is the swell antique shops that surround the restaurant. A slice of genuine old St Augustine grandeur and a respite from the gaudiness of the tourist trenches. read more

Went to the Lightner Museum and HAD to go check out Cafe Alcazar. It was very interesting that the cafe is located in the deep end of the former indoor swimming pool at the former Hotel Alcazar. The hotel opened in 1888 and closed in 1932. They filled the deep end of the pool with about 8 feet deep of concrete to level it out a bit. The location of the cafe was amazing. Our server, Corey was super sweet. The smell coming from the kitchen was mesmerizing. We ordered the escargot which was succulent, perfectly seasoned with garlic, herbs and butter, generously topped with melted cheese and served with crispy triangles of toast. For lunch, I had the lunch special which was an Italian panini. The panini had a perfect amount of meats and cheese, topped with pesto, feta cheese, baby mixed greens and tomato. The sandwich also came with a side of potato salad. My wife had the Shrimp Giovanni - the shrimp were baked with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. The shrimp were served with a mushroom & garlic sauced linguine. We were impressed by the smell of the cafe, the flavors of the food, the fabulous service and the history of the building. The piano player was also a nice touch. Bring a light sweater or borrow one of their shawls if you get chilled easily. read more

WOW!!! This place deserves all 5 stars. The food is delicious. The service is impeccable. The location is interesting and unique. The desserts are outrageous. Even the prices are fair. My husband and I were super impressed. A must when you're in St. Augustine. This is the second time I've been here and both times have been outstanding and have exceeded my expectations. A+++ read more

What a unique dining experience. My husband had the Chicken pasta dish that was delicious. A much larger portion than what he had expected. I enjoyed the combination of 1/2 a sandwich and salad. Perfect. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Looking forward to returning there again soon. read more

Perfect lunch spot in St. Augustine. Not only is the location full of history but the food is delicious. Loved the French onion soup and half sandwich combo. The live piano music was lovely. Would definitely recommend! read more

Well the ambiance is unlike any other! The music was a little too ethereal, though. Service was top notch. Food was "fine." I would recommend giving it a try, but if you are looking for a food experience, go elsewhere. read more

Wanted to eat here. Wanted to love it. Unfortunately we were told there would be at least a 25 minute wait. I don't know why because there were several empty tables and no one seemed to be waiting. We felt like we were being encouraged to shop in the small shops while we were waiting and decided to make better use of our time by leaving and going somewhere else. We walked to the Ice Plant and had a great lunch before doing the distillery tour. And no waiting! read more

Atmosphere here is great! food is moderately priced and excellent service. I highly recommend this place for a casual lunh.

A real find...located at the Lightner Museum. Lunch only...great food...perfect service...very reasonable prices for the quality.

This has long been one of my favorite restaurants to grab lunch with friends, but I just discovered how perfect it is for group celebrations. My Son graduated from High School last Saturday, and we wanted a place to have a luncheon with extended family before we headed to the ceremony. They let us bring in a few balloons to put on the table, set up small gift boxes at the place settings, and really make it special for our son. We made our reservation for 2:30 so it would be a bit less full, and our large party wouldn't disturb the small groups of 2-4 people that generally duck in for a quiet lunch (though I think it would have been fine any time). It was like having the place almost to ourselves. It's a small and intimate set up for lunch so even if all of the other tables had been full we still would have had a private feel. The staff made it a lovely lunch that our family will never forget. The food was wonderful, the service superb, and the atmosphere charming. For about $10-14 (+drink prices) a person you are treated to a wonderful lunch in a historical resort, with a piano player who's talents help you lull into a relaxing afternoon over wonderful food, beverages, and people you love . I have never thought of bringing groups here before because it is so intimate, but now I see that's why they are perfect for celebrations like ours! I'm almost afraid to share how great Alcazar's is for fear it will become harder to get a table, but they deserve the praise. P.S. I see why so many people have wedding receptions here in the evening! I'm sure that the rate is higher, but if it's run by the same staff they use during lunch would be well worth it. The space has such a feel of time, history and family/friends celebrating there it just seems perfect. We will definitely keep this in mind when our Daughters big days come. read more

We had an amazing lunch in the deep end, of what was once the largest indoor pool in America. The blackened salmon tacos and the curried chicken salad sandwich were tremendous. The black beans and rice (with tacos) was incredible and we opened with what was maybe the best French onion soup we ever had! Dine here while in St. Augustine and you won't be disappointed. Chef Jess gives you a wonderful presentation and favors to match. We will come here first the next time we are in St. Augustine. read more

we really liked this place. kids loved their soup/salad sandwich combos. my son had the Caesar and club which came on some really good looking bread. my daughter had the kids grilled cheese and the tomato bisque (which was really good according to all who tried it). I had the artichoke pasta dish which was really good but could of used some bread to go with it. the location is a definite bonus with the history surrounding it. read more