Great food and mediocre front of house staff. The valet and hostess were nowhere to be found today at 4 pm. Nice 10 minute wait for each of these to return to help park our car and welcome us to the restaurant. With an empty restaurant it took 15 minutes to receive our water and menus. Then the waiter asked us what entrees we'd like to order. He completely missed asking for appetizers or telling us the daily specials. The food was hit or miss depending upon what you order: The raisin bread and lavosh bread are very good. The other two breads are terrible and dry. The seafood tower is wonderful. The grilled octopus is great as well. The steaks, ribeye and NY strip, needed more salt and pepper and were average. The scallops were excellent along with the lamb chops. The green Chile soup and Caesar salad are awesome. The tres leches cake was very good as well. We spent 10-15 more minutes waiting on the valet and for arriving customers to move for us to leave the skinny alley in front of the restaurant. I'd suggest avoiding the valet debacle and park around the block and walk over. Overall, expect great food ( especially the seafood ), and mediocre service from the front of house staff. read more

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So admittedly we came in on a busy night. We were able to sit at the bar and order our food and drinks. I had the strawberry basil margarita. For dinner I ordered the lobster stuffed ravioli. The food and drinks were amazing and the bartenders who served us were amazing. It did take us over an hour to get our food but the bartender gave us our dessert free because of it. Great food and great service. read more

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Great food. Service was top notch. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance could not be beat.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This place is the perfect spot to go for a special occasion. It is extremely expensive, but well worth it. read more

Just want to give Kudos to the Chef..... all four of our meals last night were Fantastic and my Lamb Chops were the BEST I've had. See you soon & Thank you. Note: if it's your first time heading there, have the Cream Green Chile Soup as your app. read more

Parking: valet is $20 or you can park in the garages nearby Food: the sea bass was tough but the crab cakes were really good. Someone else in our party got the same thing and their sides didn't have carrots and different kind of brocolli. We asked about it and they said it was because they ran out Drinks: their honeysuckle gin drink was very good and the Dr Loosen Riesling was also great Service: very slow! It took awhile to get our food and we had to ask for items multiple times Ambiance: very pretty and the live music is great read more

Very nice upscale dining experience. Restaurant has been around for awhile and it has the classic fine dining ambiance. There was live music which was nice. Service was good and our waiter was very nice and quick. The bread options were all very good. Food was excellent and good portions. Drink and wine selection was very good. We went for a birthday dinner and we're greeted with a card saying happy birthday and dinner ended with a piece of cheesecake and sparkler. Definitely recommend if you can appreciate good food and drink. read more

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This is one of the top spots in ELP my folks love to come to. Its a higher-end restaurant for the area, so be prepared to pay more for the meals and service. Upscale interior and presentation, staff was very friendly and courteous. I had the Cream of Green Chili soup and Classic Caesar salad. HIGHLY recommend the Green Chili soup, it's very good and creamy, full of flavor! Ordered the Godiva Chocolate Cake for my dad's birthday; very delicious and very rich, which I think my daughter enjoyed more!! TIP: Dress code required, but not stringently enforced. However, I wouldn't plan on wearing T-shirt's and flip-flops if you're making a reservation. read more

Cafe Central - Godiva Gold Chocolate Cake - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This restaurant is outstanding! A true gem in ELP. Visited recently for my son's birthday ... the service and food were great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant has a very romantic atmosphere suitable for special occasions.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Wanted to give this place 3 stars because they serve Caesar salads as a wedge, AND the crouton isn't cut, either. It's one thing if I had ordered a wedge salad so would've KNOWN that's what I was getting, but that wasn't the case. I shouldn't have to cut up my salad-- AND CROUTON-- unless I'm aware that's what I'm getting. But i'm giving 4 stars because the avocado/crab tower appetizer we ordered was delicious, as were the entrees we ordered- the pork and the sea bass. Ambience is nice- it's much more formal than I expected for a place that had reservations available on OpenTable every 15 minutes for a Saturday night. There was live music- a pianist and a woman singing- for most of the evening. Our server was also wonderful. But please do something about the unwritten wedge Caesar salad and biscotti-style crouton-- it would've been easier to eat it like a lettuce wrap with my hands than to try to cut them. Our neighbor who was with us tried to cut the crouton and it just ended up on the floor. read more

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This was my FAVORITE restaurant but not anymore.We have been coming here every since 2006-2023 for birthdays, Valentines Day and our Wedding Anniversary. The food, service and atmosphere have changed drastically for the worse. Definitely not worth the money or dining experience anymore. Tables are extremely Too close, you can't talk without the other table hearing your conversation. Reservations were made, but you still have to wait 20+ minutes. Music coming over speakers too loud and not appropriate for fine dining. Main dishes have been cold, changed or inconsistent. Chairs are new and does not go with small tables. Girl brings food to table with a towel wrapped around it which is so unprofessional. Desserts are inconsistent... Salads changed and looks very sloppy. Not worth the amount of money for a 5 Star Restaurant anymore. A very sad customer.. read more

This place is always a favorite when I am in town for business. The soup is a must have along with the Sea Bass! The service is always top notch. I always eat at the bar and enjoy the vibe there. read more

While they say the dress code is enforced on the doors as you walk in, it clearly was not, especially in the dining room. They state the dining room is business casual, but there were people wearing sweatshirts, sneakers, and hats. The food was timely, filling, and amazing. I had the chef's special, elk fillets, and my wife had the sea bass. Both excellent. Our waiter was also very attentive, polite, and professional at all times. If we come here again we will definitely be eating on the patio as it appeared to be a quieter place. When I made the reservations, the hostess described the dining room as being the quietest, but in fact it was the opposite. The piano seemed to be amplified which made for loud talking amongst all the tables. What was planned on being a relaxing and nice evening became more of an annoyance. The only time our dining experience was relaxing and were able to talk clearly to each other without feeling the need to yell was when the pianist took breaks, and in between the jazz ensemble sessions. read more

Service and ambiance were excellent! I had the arugula salad with prawns and side of pomme frites. Tasty and reasonably priced. I would recommend and return. read more

Amazing Thanksgiving meal! There was special menu for the holidays and everything was delicious. Get service and music. read more

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Appetizers, took over an hour to arrive...didn't arrive together......were such a small portion not worth the price...grilled octopus was half a tentacle and 1/4pf a potato in chips....portobello mushroom was 1/2 a portobello. Entrees....took 2:30hrs to arrive.....sea bass was chewy and flavorless, the rice was undercooked, the meal felt reheated on a microwave.....flavorless and uneatable. Ended up returning it. The chef's special.....a Wagyu NY strip with a scallop and shrimp....NY strip lacked salt, the shrimp were way overcooked. Needless to say......not ever going back. Worst dinning experience ever in El Paso. read more

Food was really good, pricey but food taste was yummy so probably worth spending money. One thing which I didn't like was that; 'Meat Platter' on the menu did not have any price mentioned & when I received the receipt / bill the platter was $150 & I was quite shocked . Rather than mentioning the price it says 'MP' which is Market Price but I never thought market price will be 150 too much. If the price would have mentioned I could have saved my $150. read more

I had the "Puntas de Filette" it was delicious!!' Service was excellent and the tres leches cake is a must!

Fantastic restaurant nestled in downtown. I've wanted to try CC ever since moving to El Paso. I've been uncertain because of some of the questionable reviews here and on the googles but decided I needed to try it for myself. I finally had an excuse as part of a work meal and man am I glad I was able to go! The service was impeccable. I never felt like I needed anything (water refill, silverware, napkin, etc.) because they were entirely on top of things. Not only that, they did so while the table was engrossed in conversation and did not interrupt. Great attention to detail in that regard. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The dining room was elegant and cozy without feeling like we were on top of each other.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They also had a nice touch of class with a piano player and singer - and this was on a weeknight![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was excellent - the Sea Bass was the best I've had. The chile soup also a nice find. Cocktails were generous and spot on with the recipes. They had a terrific wine list. It's a little more on the pricey side so I could see this being a celebration type of restaurant but I intend to return. Thank you for the experience! read more

At long last, I have finally experienced the famous Cafe Central! In my mind, I had quite high expectations of their food due to the pictures previously posted and all the rave from locals. I already knew that I had to try their green chile cream soup and Chilean sea bass. I was ready! It was a special night since I was celebrating my official acceptance into the nursing school Ive been working so hard for! So this felt so right to see off El Paso and celebrate here. The setting of the place was exactly what I expected with all the dim lighting and high maintenance of everything down to the placement of the silverware. I swear, every time I moved something, our waitress would move it back to its rightful place lol. Not seriously of course! I absolutely loved the service. It was a fluid movement of people coming by our table to collect plates, serve fresh, warm bread, refill our water, and just checking on us. Sadly, as much as I would love to brag about the food, I was surprisingly disappointed by it. I was presented with a somewhat pitiful version of their chilean sea bass. They seemed to have chosen to skimp on the vegetables for my plate. The sauce for it seemed very runny and underwhelming. The plain white rice was bland and on the dry, even crunchy side. The sea bass was flaky and delicious, but for almost $40 for just this plate, this was not justifiable. That goes for the bowl of $7 green chile cream soup as well. It was good but for that price, it wasn't as decadent as one would hope. I kind of felt this sense of acid reflux from how heavy it was. There seems to be lack of consistency with quality and pricing. I'm not sure if the soup was just cheaper before and served in a bigger portion but I felt gypped. Especially with my sea bass. The sad part is that it is one of their signature dishes thats been highly advertised as well. I would think there would have been as much pride today as it was day one. Overall, pretty ok experience. The customer service definitely made up for the food portion. read more

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Very nice upscale dining experience. While they say the dress code is strictly enforced; thankfully it was not. I had just gotten off work and heard great things about this establishment. There was live music, which was very nice. Service was great and my waiter (Oscar) very attentive and friendly. There was a person walking around serving an assortment of bread options; which were all very good. Food was excellent and good portions. I had the Hatch Green Chile soup and the Prawns. Drink and wine selection was very good. read more

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are you in el paso? are you looking for a low key amazing place for food and a great bar/bartender that knows her stuff when it comes to the food and all things mixology related? THIS is the place: first of all: let me brag on the bartender.. emilie is the most amazing, smart, colorful bartender i have met in over 25yrs. she is also a classically trained opera singer.. making her way by bartending until she gets her BIG break on to the big stage with the other huge names in the industry. second: she makes the MOST AMAZING vespers i have had in decades.. DECADES!!. always consistent, always the same temp/flavor every.time. i didnt even have to tell her the recipe. she just did it.. and it was amazing! third: let HER pick from the menu. she has the most amazing ability to just KNOW what you would like based on your drink and what you are in the mood for. just let her know if you want flavorful, light, heavy, what youre looking for in intensity and she will tell you what to pair it with or she will tell you what will go amazing with what you are already drinking. fourth: the food is just amazing. the menu is great, but let emilie suggest what is really good in terms of off menu items.. you wont regret it! fifth.. prob the most important.. did i mention she is an amazing opera singer? yea.. if you want something that is totally worth the price point and a great guide through the drinks and the menu.. this place and emilie will take you on an epic adventure in terms of food and spirits! read more

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Great place for an elegant dinner. Great menu options and one of the best wine lists I've ever seen. The food had really good flavor and presentation. I would recommend if you are swinging through El Paso and want a nice dinner out. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was because the service not good as you would expect for a high end restaurant and my steak was a little over cooked but did have great flavor. It is reasonably priced for the quality of food. read more

Cafe Central - Octopus - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Wow what a wonderful time and fantastic food! And beautiful music playing in the back ground. My husband and I and a friend went here for dinner. The staff was so kind and friendly; we had the seafood tower OMG for an appetizer; it was so delicious! Then we had the chilean sea bass, crab ravioli, Ribeye, and mango pie it was all so delicious! We highly recommend CAFE CENTRAL read more

Decent service, food was good but somewhat overpriced in my opinion. Nice atmosphere but extremely loud.

Came for lunch (2 adults, 2 kids) and had a great experience! The service was excellent! They were not busy so we were able to receive our lunch promptly and enjoy. Ordered the servers recommendations* of the Green Chili soup*, Cubanito sandwich*, Turkey sandwich*, Sliders (for kids), Shirley Temple drink & Piña Colada mocktails. Fries all around. The fries were meh, but everything else was good! Our kiddos liked the mocktails and we enjoyed the experience! Tip- if you're coming with children, seat inside because the patio is mainly used for cigar enjoyment Pros- Good food and great service. Cons- Parking. Valet is $10, which is absurd in my opinion. This should be free for patrons. read more

Amazing wine selection, beautiful atmosphere, friendly staff, delicious food! Highly recommend for dates and special occasions! Had an amazing date night! Thank you Cade Central Team! read more

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So I'm proud to say my wife and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary and I'd never been here but my wife had spoken so highly of this place so we decided to celebrate here. We had made our reservation some time ago and glad to say they honored it and didn't lose it. We used valet service to avoid trying to find parking and the young men were polite. We arrived a bit early but were promptly seated and The CC staff were all nice and acknowledged our anniversary. We began our dinner with the Calamari plate which was delicious, then my wife had the daily soup which was a vegetable miso soup while I opted for their signature Green Chile soup. My wife selected the Prawn Brochette and I selected the Pork Chop Tomahawk. To say our dinner was delicious is an understatement. But we saved room for dessert and selected the Dessert Platter and that was delicious with cappuccino for my wife and Keoki Coffee for me. OMG, that was the best and my favorite was the sherbert while my wife enjoyed it all. Adam was our server and he was legitimately the best server we've ever had. Overrall it was a delightful afternoon and the piano and singer were barely starting when we left but next time baby, next time read more

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For our Anniversary dinner we set a reservation for 7:30, arrived at 7:15 and waited 10 minutes for the valet to greet us. The construction downtown makes finding parking nearly impossible so valet it was. Upon arrival to the host station, we were told our table was not ready and asked if we'd like to sit on the heated patio. Being a special occasion I declined and opted to wait at the bar for the table I reserved. At 7:55, a couple that had just walked in was immediately sat. I addressed my concern with the host and was finely sat 8:05. Once we sat down, the waiter was very attentive, full of suggestions, and great. Upon delivery of our bottle of wine the sommelier agreed with my choice and let us know that it was the last bottle in house. Overall, once you get to your table Cafe Central is great, there needs to be better management of the host desk, but the rest of the staff is amazing! read more

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I came here a few weeks ago with my sister for lunch because she highly recommended this place, which is one of her favorite restaurants in El Paso! I absolutely loved it!! The ambience was so calm and inviting and provided the perfect setting for an intimate and deep conversation. We were here for a sisters' outing in downtown. She ordered the clam linguini, and I ordered the Chilean sea bass. They were so delicious!! Our waiter and the front desk hostess were so courteous and friendly!! Customer service was definitely excellent and exceptional!! We felt so well taken care of! I wish we had room for dessert. But we didn't. And because we forgot to bring a cooler from home, we decided not to order and pack dessert, since we would be walking around downtown for a while. My sister said that a pianist usually performs in the evening for dinner. The next time I'm in El Paso, hopefully, I can come for dinner!! read more

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Nice environment, good food, great service, definitely recommend for a cute date night read more

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My girlfriend and I were in El Paso last week during the deep freeze and found Cafe Central through yelp. I was glad I found Cafe Central through yelp because it's awesome! The ambiance and the service is top notch. The vibe was really good. The menu and wine list was very impressive! We both split the escargot which was cooked to perfection. I saw the rack of lamb which looked delicious! Need to try it when I come back! I strongly recommend reservations for dinner because it is the premier restaurant in Downtown El Paso. It's a special place. Great food, great wine list, and excellent service! Plus if you are staying at the Plaza Pioneer place Its right next store! Great place. FYI. They do have valet parking. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary, we wanted to go somewhere more upscale in El Paso. Café Central has a pretty average ambiance, we made a reservation and they put us in a table for 5 and right next to the door. We were also right next to the piano and singer which made it hard for conversation. The service was alright we were rarely checked up on by our waiter, but a separate waiter was constantly refilling our water, so that was nice. I had heard their was bread to pair with your meal and we were even served butter with out drinks, but we never got bread until towards the end of the meal when I finally asked staff about it. Our food was good, I got the lobster ravioli and my boyfriend got the steak. We were also given a complimentary fruit cake. Overall, maybe not worth the money but a good experience. read more

Cafe Central - Lobster Ravioli - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

If you want the traditional fine dining experience, Cafe Central is a must. Solid menu and good food. However, I can't give it 5 stars because there are better restaurants with equally quality menus for more affordable prices. The only downside to this place is the seating, it feels crammed together. read more

Decided to have our Thanksgiving meal at the iconic Cafe Central. The ambience was beautiful. Great margarita and great Cabernet from their Cafe Central reserve. I got the bacon wrapped prawns with lobster orzo from their special reduced menu for today. I really liked them. Great size and flavor. However the Thanksgiving dinner was no bueno. :( bland turkey breast and very skimpy portions. Unfortunately the food took an extremely long time. About 45 min. Multiple staff came by to apologize but nothing was offered to make up for the wait. :( I wouldn't mind trying it again on another day that is not a holiday and give it another chance since it is a staple of our city but was surprised at the lack of effort in making up for the really long wait even though they acknowledged it multiple times. read more

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Green Chili soup is outstanding so is the ahi tuna. Very extensive and impressive wine menu. read more

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Went here for my anniversary- perfect special occasion spot. Amazing ambiance and customer service. The duck (3rd pic) is out of this world. 10/10 everything was perfect. read more

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I definitely enjoyed this place. The service was great, the food was great and they took several COVID precautions. It was some of the best Wagou Beef I have had. We made reservations same day and had no trouble with any of our experience it was a nice evening and great experience. Will most likely be back on our next time through El Paso. I would say this place is certainly a good place for special occasions or if you are just looking to indulge in a good meal. read more

Cafe Central - Waygou Steak with corn Pudding. - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I got to admit , people always talk about Cafe Central in El Paso, but I was pretty disappointed with the service. The food was pretty good but we were waiting for soooo long for our food and to even get the check! The food took 2 hours to come out and the process to get the check and pay took 45 minutes. It was kind of ridiculous for a restaurant of their caliber. read more

Cafe Central - Crab Cake - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Basked in elegance and charm in downtown El Paso lays Café Central. Aesthetic Appeal & Ambiance: Its décor is sophisticate, chic, and refined. Its décor certainly resonates to everything it offers. Service: My service for lunch was impeccable as the hostess opened the door upon entering, was gracious in her speech, and led us promptly to our table where staff provided a stand for my girlfriend's purse to rest upon. Our waiter was named Claudio and he was excellent in giving suggestions of the restaurant specialties, helping my girlfriend with her wine selection (which is extremely extensive), and was prompt and showed great class at all times. Meal & Drinks Quality: Quality cuisine takes time to prepare and we know to expect this. We both ordered their well-known cream of green chile soup to start and were both very impressed. After I finished the soup, I only wanted more. I ordered their entrée of chicken breast accompanied with baby squash and whipped potatoes. The entrée was delightful as the chicken was accented by delicious mustard. My girlfriend ordered the portabello burger and it was much to her delight. Then came time for a selection of dessert whereas we simply had to try their tres leches cake as this is a signature dessert in El Paso...and it was marvelous! Simply marvelous! I could not have been any more pleased with our lunch. Upon exiting, our waiter held open the door and stated that he truly hopes that we return again sometime. We certainly hope to do so on our next trip to El Paso. Aesthetic Appeal & Atmosphere: 5 of 5 Service: 5 of 5 Meal & Drinks Quality: 5 of 5 read more

Cafe Central - Chicken breast with baby squash and whipped potatoes - Salad Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Came for a dinner presentation on a new medication. The service was a bit off all night, they mixed up a few people orders, and my water did not get refilled. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very nice for dates and special occasions and the food was very good. The seafood Sampler appetizer was amazing and my favorite thing this far. Smoked salmon, crab legs, jumbo prawn shrimp, and ahi tuna. I was so full after the appetizer I had to take my entree of Chilean sea bass to go! The salad I had was okay, they don't cut the romaine leaves so you have to awkwardly cut your salad to eat it. For desert I had the mango collada which was a smooth and sweet coconut cream pie with tartness of mango in it. Overall a good experience but if I went back, and was also paying for my meal, I would skip everything but the seafood Sampler appetizer and just have that with a good glass of wine. read more