Very nice and clean place wait staff super friendly and welcoming I had coffee and oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar, which was delicious and made fresh would definitely go back again to try other items Parking is street metered parking where you can pay with cash or use the app read more

Cardinal Cafe - Oatmeal - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

it was a doordash order. the food was still warm. So glad we ordered the food was delicious.

This establishment had some fresh and delicious breakfast and coffee! My husband and I are super impressed with how good the food was. The bacon was cooked to a perfect crisp, fresh waffles and French toast, and my favorite was the avocado toast! However, we were not impressed with the service. Granted, it was pretty busy inside with waitresses, waiters and bussers running all around. I am hopeful it will be better next time. Good decorations, welcoming environment and awesome food. We will definitely try this place again! read more

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My friend and I ended up here after High Societea ended up closed for a private event. Solid breakfast with enough sweet and savory options for everyone to enjoy. The french toast sandwich was amazing with bacon, cheese, and an overeasy egg on french toast. Ask for maple syrup on the side...you won't regret it. Bonus is that meters were free on Sunday! read more

Excellent breakfast place. They are fast, efficient, kind and the food was fresh and wonderful. You can see it they are very organized and they don't waste your time keeping you wait. We will definitely come back! read more

Awesome little spot in Pompton. Quick to be seated (we got there around 2pm). Drinks and food out timely and hot! Staff was friendly and polite but seemed to be in a rush. I knocked off one star because there were items on the menu they didn't have and our waitress spoke fast making it hard to understand her. Minor stuff but Yelp doesn't allow half stars. We would return for sure! read more

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I ordered the Mediterranean Omlet w/tomato, spinach & Mozzarella cheese. I'm so happy I ordered this. The omelet was so fluffy, the spinach & Mozzarella just added the right touch. Breakfast was delectable! Service was quick & so pleasant. I loved the family atmosphere. The main board is a must read. read more

We love this place and go there as often s possible for breakfast. The people are great and the service is good. Food is cooked as ordered and they are happy to accommodate any special requests. You do need to scan their QR code for the menu. read more

Love this place! This place is popular for the local high schoolers as a whole crowd of them stormed in right after I was seated. Great diner food!! Definitely check out this place if you're in town and craving an omelet! Staff are great and friendly. Food arrived pretty quickly. The diner staff and cook appear to work well together, very efficient, as they quick clean up tables and prepare for the next customers. Place takes credit cards. Metered street parking is available. read more

Cardinal Cafe - Avocado toast and spinach and mozzarella omelet! - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Gladys is the best! All the service there is so on point. The new location is beautiful inside but the food is still phenomenal, this place is great for a quick lunch or a catch up with friends, my only complaint is they're not 24:7 because I would be here all the time. read more

Cardinal Cafe - Avocado toast minus the poached eggs - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

A friend and I were looking for a good brunch spot last Saturday, and after seeing the good reviews the Cardinal Cafe had, we decided to check it out. It's on the main strip on Hamburg turnpike so nearby street parking is limited. Fortunately, there is parking behind all of the shops in the strip. If you're going to park there beware: the only way behind the shops is a one way street and it's really difficult to see if anyone else is coming. There is also a very steep hill you have to go down (and climb back up, so if you're eating with someone who's a little older I suggest dropping them off first) and there aren't really spots, just space where you can park by the river. As we walked in we saw it was pretty busy, but we were seated quickly. When the waitress asked for our drinks I asked for iced coffee and she informed me that they don't have iced coffee this time of year, which I found odd. Then, as we looked at the menu I was feeling like eggs benedict but couldn't see it on the menu. When I asked the waitress she said they don't make eggs benedict (which I found super strange considering they advertise "eggs any way"). Anyway, I ended up getting a western omelet with egg whiltes. Presentation is clearly lacking but the food was tasty. As far as service goes, it started out as very attentive but got worse as the meal progressed. The hostess did call on customers by name, so it was cool to see that they take the time to know their regulars, but for outsiders like my friend and I it was very underwhelming. Overall, I'd call it average. read more

Cardinal Cafe - Egg white country omelet with home fries - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Well, well I am local to Pompton and love the food here but I must agree with the overwhelming consensus that the owner is so rude and picks and chooses who she wants to be cordial with. Like when I tell you that my children who are only 6 years old told me she was rude, that says ALOT. I will probably keep going becuase I love their food and we don't have many options in PL but Lord I pray whatever makes this lady so nasty is taken out of her heart. read more

Well the food is ok but the service is bad there . All they do is talk about people in the cafe and not really a good vibe to go too so will I ever come back here not at all . read more

They never pick up the phone. We had multiple days were we had lunch orders, but no one answers. Never considering them again

food tastes very bad. terrible service. would NEVER recommend this to ANYBODY. shut this down.

I love this place it's quaint and the food is almost always on point! I always go for the classic breakfast, but when I stepped out and tried the huevos rancheros I hadn't enjoyed a breakfast that much in a long time. Love this spot! read more

This is my favorite breakfast spot in the area, i'm just surprised it took that long to find them but after the butler diner failing again and again and other restaurants not opening early enough I stumbled upon this place I have to give Gladys (owner) and her kitchen a lot of props because they are very consistent. Great corned beef hash, great omelets and even the breakfast sandwiches are loaded, and try the chocolate chip pancakes! I have not yet experienced the rudeness that other reviewers are stating but that's maybe because I always order take out and never eat inside, but I will note it's VERY loud in there they got those big ass ceilings LoL parking is tough too but I have yet to have a bad meal here I will post more photos next time. read more

Cardinal Cafe - Sausage egg and cheese on a roll w pepper ketchup - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Overpriced and she makes up her prices. If the sandwich is 8.50 it shouldn't go up to 11.50 if I wanted a wrap. And 11.50 for less then 6oz of chicken with mozz and lettuce. Cmon abusivo read more

Cardinal Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

The food and service was good. This is a favorite go to place. However, on our last visit we were charged $2 for an extra empty(!) plate. I know times are hard but this is absurd. read more

never going here again, i've gone multiple times and each time the owner was flat out rude and rushed us, but with the teenage boys in there she sticks around them and acts very strangely, almost flirty-like. each time my friends and i have eaten here i've gotten extremely sick from the food regardless of what i get and my friends would also complain about feeling sick. the food is overpriced and not even good enough to be making people so sick. read more

Good food, very clean restaurant. Wont go back because the owner made me so uncomfortable with how rude and short she was. Made us feel like she was annoyed to have to talk to us. Plenty other places to go that are appreciative of my business. read more

We moved into the area last year. We like to try a new spot every weekend and this quickly became our go-to spot. Cute family feel cafe. It's filled with locals. Pleasant atmosphere, quick service, good food. Couldn't really ask for much more! :) read more

Heading home to NC, wanted a real (non-Mickey-D's breakfast ) found this place on Yelp in Pompton. Local favorite and understandably so, wonderful traditional breakfast, great service and reasonable prices. Try the 2-2-2 ; 2 perfectly cooked eggs, 2 meats and 2 lucious pancakes. About 7minutes off I-287. Don't miss it! read more

Cardinal Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

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WHAT ?? $10.25 for an egg white wrap. Come on. Egg whites tomato turkey spinach and cheese. Yes it was good but sorry NOT worth $10.25. No potatoes either. Just wrap. I do like this place and I do like the food and service but as I have said in the past--VERY overpriced. read more

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The food here is average at best and they rush you out the door to flip tables on the weekends. Staff has attitude problems and sense of entitlement that seems to divide locals/regulars from people out of town trying this place out for the first time. It's not as good as some other area local diners. read more

Had a cheeseburger with fries ...burger was very juicy...the service was awesome..the restaurant was very clean... I will definitely go back... did I mention that they were very busy from the school kids at lunch and the waitresses still was very organized.....Cheers to Cardinal Cafe.... read more

Sadly, I think this will be my last time at Cardinal cafe. First off let me say the wait staff is usually caring and attentive. The food is solid and budget friendly. But, this is a place where I used to feel comfortable and now I do not. The blame rests entirely with the owner (Gladys?) For all the things she does well, she seems to have skipped Business 101. Her interactions with customers can be coarse to rude, to unacceptable. Her comments on my 3 yr old twin girls, has stopped my wife from coming here long ago. Controlling when and how you order, seems to be her hobby. It's come to a point where I bring my own napkins, because she has taken them off the table, and started rationing them out. No one wants to feel uncomfortable asking for a couple of napkins. I've been here with my kids, alone, with my wife etc. and the only damper on that quality personal, or family time is the owners treatment of her customers. Not all the time, but enough to stop my family and by extension our friends from going here for a meal. Wise up cardinal, this seems to be a common thread. Also, I would like to invite the owner to respond to this review. I would be more then happy to stop by and talk this through. It is not my wish to hurt this business, only to inform customers, and provide helpful feedback for the owner. read more

This little cafe's got my love! I wouldn't call it a cafe per se; more of a luncheonette, as they close around 3pm. The ladies who work there are very attentive and friendly. My water and coffee always get filled. It's a great spot for myself and a coworker to sit down for 20 minutes to have a quick bite to eat along with coffee before our shift starts. It can be chaotic during the morning rush, but it is organized chaos if that makes any sense. We get seated quickly and orders are taken promptly. The kitchen staff hustles to cook and our food is ready shortly thereafter. Everyone behind the counter is in a fast paced environment. When they move at that speed, with a smile on their face while providing excellent service, they have earned my business! Watching them work gets me ready mentally for my day ahead. 5 stars! read more

Super trash customer service. The "Owner" who takes orders over the phone has absolutely no idea how to run a business.. if your going to give a customer a certain time window to pick up an order please be on POINT! Dont say 10 min when in reality it's going to take over 30 min. And making the customer wait MORE TIME. Time is money honey. PS. She said if I leave a review she would call the police! Is that your scare tactic to keep bad reviews away!? read more

Went for breakfast. Ordered poached eggs. The waitress listed breads and included an English muffin. I asked if that was extra and was told it was included. Our food came and I put 1 of my poached eggs on 1/2 of the english muffin and took a bite. The owner came over & said it was $1 more. I said I was told it was included. She got so angry and wanted the muffin back. I had to remove my egg and order a different bread. She was only going to throw the muffin in the garbage. Very poor business women. She lost a customer as well as everyone I tell. Terrible experience. read more

I was looking for a quick breakfast this morning. Found this cafe.... Great, friendly staff, terrific coffee and delicious huevos rancheros. 2 tortillas topped with refried beans & eggs. Pico de gallo, avocado and potatoes on the side. A touch of salsa picante and you're all set. So happy I decided to stop. read more

Cardinal Cafe - Huevos Rancheros - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Cardinal cafe has recently been my go to spot. For both dine in or to go you cannot go wrong. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.

The negative reviews about the customer service are absolutely true. I keep giving this place another chance because it's closer to me than Pompton Queen diner, but every time I come here I say it's the last time. The blond waitress is GREAT, and the other young waitress with brown hair and glasses is good too. But the others are sulky and incompetent. I hate having to ask for every little thing- napkins, refills, etc. and they don't know the menu- they also claim that some sides are extra (when, as I discovered later upon closer inspection of the menu) when they are included. read more

As others have said this is a luncheonette, not a cafe. Went for a late breakfast, place was packed but servers were hustling and getting people in and out. Good was good, service was good, just a lot of people running around which can be a little annoying. Decent alternative to a local diner but would probably go that route next time. read more

Not a favorable place, unprofessional owner, not a good experience to start your 1st job here.

I'm updating a previous review based on something that happened to me recently, and then to a relative a couple weeks later. As Tim S. and a few others have said, the owners have no qualms about asking you to leave as soon as you've finished eating. This place wins my vote as the un-Starbucks! NOT a place to go to catch up with a friend and chat over coffee. Typical interaction. Then: "How was everything?" Me: "Fine!" Them: "Anything else?" Me: No, I'm good. (Food is still on the way down; coffee not yet empty.) Them: "So nothing else then?" Me: Uh, no. I could use a refill on the coffee! Them: "Actually, we need the table and need you to leave!" I can understand that their priority for a small, crowded place would be to turn tables, but perhaps some subtle messaging would be better than confronting people before they've had a chance to relax after eating. This is all on the owners. The waitresses are generally very sweet and responsive. read more

I got the cheesesteak wrap. The cheese was perfectly melted in, and the fries perfectly cooked! I loved it and the people were so nice! Definitely recommend coming here for a quick bite stopping through read more

Cardinal Cafe - Cheesesteak wrap - Cafes Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

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Wow - their chicken wings are fantastic! Order them naked and prepare yourself for a real treat. They reminded me of a restaurant called Texas on the border of NJ/NY in Pearl River, which closed 20 years ago. I've been searching for comparable wings since they closed, and think I finally found them!!! (I may or may not have taken a couple orders to go.) This is an unassuming cafe/diner/luncheonette with excellent food and nearly perfect service. Great breakfast items and sandwiches... to put it simply, we look forward to going back soon. read more

The Cardinal Cafe is a great local restaurant. The French toast sandwich is amazing! I love the cardinal pride atmosphere and the owners and staff are super friendly! read more

At a conference in the area and needed some quick eats for lunch. Brought some of the conference participants to the town's main drag and decided on this jaunty little luncheonette. Seated quickly, orders taken moments later for breakfast and burgers. Who doesn't love breakfast all day, anytime? I ordered a medium rare pizza burger- it arrived MR and delicious. I've been on the been on the receiving end of a charcoal briquette instead of a burger more times than I can recall, and I don't eat burgers all that often, so this was great. Waitstaff gave us milk and cream without our asking, checked back on us often and we pleasant and industriously efficient. My bill was under $8- score. read more