Not a choice for dinner on a weekday. The ambiance of the cafe was not what I expect from a restaurant in Tuscon, AZ. It's as if the restaurants from the downtown scene all leech off one another. I observed that all restaurants specialty was desserts. By the giant presentation of pies at the entrance of the cafe or (like the restaurant across the street, ice cream). The menu did not have any character at all and showed no fluidity in technique or style of food. I ordered a coke, it came out 5 minutes after, flat, and with a lemon. Yes, a lemon. (Scoff) hipster thing I assume. I order an appetizer, the pork belly and Brussels sprouts. I get a cast iron skillet, filled with over baked BACON and grilled Brussel sprouts mixed together. There was zero effort in preparing this dish, it was literally just thrown together with a price tag of $8. 300% profit for them. I did not order an beer, but my friends did, and they did not have an updated beer menu and empty taps. Service was mediocre. I believe it explains why the surrounding restaurants are almost all shut down there's also a huge influx of homeless people in the downtown streets. If you want real food, visit the the restaurants with deeper roots! read more

My review of The Cup is unfortunately not as good as the stars indicate. The food was great and the service was good too. The people were very nice to us. However, we had a sad experience there last week. From what we saw, the folks at The Cup would not serve a plainly dressed Hispanic gentleman sitting next to us. They made him wait a very long time for any attention, and then told him that his table had been reserved. The reserved tables (just a few) already had signs on them... his table did not have a sign. The manager then told him to get on a waiting list (there were tables open) and that they might be able to seat him in an hour. We complained to the manager who gave us all types of excuses for this distasteful behavior. By this time, the man had left. He was clearly humiliated. Although the food and service was good (for us) the episode left a "bad taste in our mouths" and we will not return to this establishment upon our next trip to Tucson. read more

We live on the far east side of Tucson and don't make it downtown very much, but when we do, we always eat at the Cup. Entrees are consistently good, and easy to find good vegetarian fare there. Desserts are fantastic. Drinks are also good. Atmosphere is very pleasant and interesting. read more

Ok, so I have probably spent the better portion of my adult social life at Congress. There's really no better place to hang out than on the patio on one of those OMG I love Tucson Fall nights. I recently started going to Geeks who Drink on Tuesday nights on the patio at Congress, so much fun ... You need to try it. Wait this review is for The Cup ... Yes of course it is! So, the Cup serves snacks from a $5 menu and their full menu on the patio and you know what? They're damn tasty! The $5 menu includes vegan Nachos and they're more sophisticated than your average plate of cheez whiz bar food. There are two types of tacos: fish and pork belly - they come two to an order and are really pretty awesome. I'm not a french fry kinda girl but if that's your thing, they are done very well here ... crispy, salty and hot from the fryer. My friend ordered the burger and it looked really good and he enjoyed it. The deserts look beautiful but are sometimes hit and miss. I have also eaten inside the cafe and it really is quite charming. It feels a lot like a cafe in Buenos Aires or Paris. They have a full bar, nice wine list and a pretty descent selection of beer. read more

This is as good as it gets in the US for a reasonable price. Lovely old building (home of the wonderful Club Congess and the associated Hotel), European influenced cuisine. Try the "swordfish lulu" or the steak au poivre! Great stuff! Appetizer: Crab cake was our favorite...it is obvious why they excluded the crab cakes from the happy hour discount scheme...would drive the place into bankrupcy!! Did I already say reasonable prices? yes! wining and dining for two below $100. Sit outside at a table on the side walk and see the Desert Freaks parade by (crazy outfits, funky hair, strange smells, but friendly!)...we went there three times during one week we stayed over there...enjoy! read more

This is such a cute restaurant situated in the Hotel Congress. I ordered the Braveheart which was so delicious. We initially took a seat outside at the 2 top table over the grate but had encountered so many flies. We ended up sitting inside with the request of staying in our waiter's section. I'm glad we did. His customer service was great. We will be returning for more. read more

Went there for first time today after hearing of great reviews. Was very disappointed after having to wait over 90 minutes for table after being told it would be an hour. They kept apologizing and said they were really busy but didn't seem to really care. Finally got seated and to repeatedly ask for service...water, coffee, silverware, menus, etcetera. By the time we got seated we were so hungry it didn't matter. Finally the waiter took our order but then we had to wait another 30 minutes for our food. Food was okay, but not worth the wait. The service was terrible. read more

Chicken and gnocchi was one of the best meals I've ever had. Great atmosphere too. Kiersten was an exceptional help. Hotel Congress is an oldie but goodie. read more

Hit all the highly rated breakfast spots during my first trip to Tucson and saved the Cup Cafe for last. Just so happens it also turned out to be the best. Great atmosphere in an historic hotel, excellent hot cakes and coffee, and super friendly service. A fabulous way to start the day and end my Tucson visit. I'll spend a lot more time here next time around. read more

Food - excellent; atmosphere - friendly, warm, historic. We chose The Cup just because we were in a rush to make a train at the Amtrak across the street. And we would eat there again when in Tucson - even if we were not downtown! Thanks for a surprising delightful meal! We asked our server Greg to bring the dishes out as soon as they were ready as we were all going to share them so we could try everything anyway. Portions were generous without being gigantic, flavorful, unique. read more

Delightful! Fun! Historic building downtown in the Hotel Congress. Unique offerings on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Fab desserts. Can't say enough good things about this place. The service is always excellent. Try the baked eggs for breakfast and the fish tacos any other time. read more

I love this place. It has great food and the vibe is lovely. You will spend $ here, but it is worth it. Coffee and drinks are very good. Food is prepared well and the ingredients are fresh. The chocolate pudding cookie-crumb-crust thing in a cup is so good. Good place to bring visitors - go early for easy seating. Go next door to the Tap Room and play a song on the haunted jukebox (if it is still there). read more

Here for breakfast. Good coffee. Ordered "Cast Iron Baked Eggs" served in an iron skillets. Potatoes in a cup on the side. One of the tastiest, buttery e.g. dishes I've had in years. Good friendly service, too! read more

Two friends and I go to breakfast every Saturday morning and we've been pretty much every place in town. We all agree The Cup is our fave. The food is consistently good, they keep the coffee coming, and service is always timely and delivered with a smile. The wait staff seems to enjoy working here as much as we enjoy eating here. An extra nice touch: they deliver water bowls for the pups on the patio. This place has a great eclectic vibe. read more

This was our first visit to the Cup Café but won't be our last! While the Hotel Congress had a deal going on that brought a large crowd the restaurant was calm. We were seated on time. Our waiter, Matt, was attentive and informative. We started by sharing the calamari starter which was excellent. It was large and we changed our dinner thoughts because we were already filled. Regardless my wife had a house steak salad and I had the fish and chips. We enjoyed both with no exceptions. I did feel that I should have tried something more specific and telling but the fish and chips were excellent. My wife added blackened shrimp to her salad but felt that the blackening didn't complement...she would have shrimp prepared differently on that salad next time. Many other menu items were of interest and based on the quality of the food we enjoyed we're anxious to return and check out some other options. 5 stars possible after another visit or 2! read more

My favorite breakfast place! I think I've had everything on their breakfast menu and have not had a bad experience. I love the chilaquiles! Add some avocado and green chili to it and you're golden! I highly recommend it. If you go when there's a long wait time, usually the weekend, they have a Bloody Mary bar! The best Bloody Mary I've ever had. read more

The cup cafe is one of our favorites. Spectacular food, a fun atmosphere, and a great wine list make it worth the price. It also has a great selection of appetizers and entrees for vegans and vegetarians. The service can be a bit slow, but overall it is one of the best restaurants in Tucson. I always highly recommend it and Poca Cosa to out-of-town visitors. read more

Early morning Saturday brunch here is a wonderful experience! Sitting at the patio, feeling the breeze, and enjoying high-quality food can't be better to kick off my weekend. The fish bene is smoky and tastes great! So is hover rancher~ read more

One word! Wow! Walked in after having coffee and tea at another cafe that just didn't do it for us. I asked could I get dessert to go and I was taken to the revolving dessert case filled with homemade, gorgeous desserts! The host personally took my order and brought it out to me at the bar where I was waiting. The bartender was extremely pleasant as well! Super impressed with the customer service I received. Now let me tell you about the desserts, INCREDIBLE! The most fresh, moist and delectable German chocolate cake we have ever tasted and we have been around! The macaroon was enormous and had the best flavor! We can't wait to visit again for brunch. Well done Hotel Congress Cup Cafe, well done! read more

Cup Cafe is something you would expect to see out of Austin, Texas on South Congress or even in the Bay Area in San Francisco. But I found myself simply loving this place. You have some of the best food selections which seems to be created / consulted by some of the top chef's and combinations of flavors in your mouth that will make you explode! Its located inside the famous Hotel Congress which is on Congress Street in the Downtown District of Tucson. I must admit, I have never been a huge fan of Tucson but this place brings me back to my home of Austin, Texas. Has alot of rustic feeling to it and if you want to bring your dog and eat outside in the chilly shade, they can make that happen for you. So other than the great food selection, which I'm in love with the breakfast selection - you can also enjoy a cocktail at all times of the day. So if your a brunch person, have a blood mary or even at night have a glass of wine! They also can make a great recommendation of what should go with your selection of food. So if your in town and want time away from chains or corp food selections, come to Cup Cafe and enjoy a home / kitchen cooked meal and let your self enjoy one of the finer things about Tucson. read more

Dear Cup Cafe. Please, please, please, please bring back the vegan tamale option on your entrees that you've had for so long. Why did you remove it?! One of the ingredients of the regular tamale is (and has been) "VEGAN COWBOY BEANS" and there isn't even a vegan option for them anymore? I don't know the inner workings of the kitchen, but I can't imagine it was that much of a pain to have some frozen tamales in the kitchen you could substitute for vegans from time to time. We love you. Please bring em back. read more

breakfast is divine but more so i am in love with the beautiful design of the space - so elegant and chic - yet - cozy desert rustic at the same time read more

Our new favorite breakfast place in Tucson! My husband and I have had breakfast, lunch and dinner here. We love it for breakfast and lunch, but were disappointed with the dinner menu (it just didn't have anything we were really stoked about trying). The service is always great, and we just love the outside patio so that we can bring our dog with us. Just watch out for smokers if you sit outside. We have to check the way the wind blows and make sure we are up wind of anyone smoking. Every time we take guests to Cup Cafe they love their food! read more

seriously good bloody mary's, fairly decent happy hour fare....Greg was our waiter on our last trip and he was, perhaps, the WORST waiter I have ever had. read more

So my son and I decided to go downtown and check out second saturday for the first time. Turns out it was also the centennial celebration so after going to four different places and being told there was an hour wait we ventured to the cup cafe and got lucky. They dont take reservations for the bar so we quickly stole two chairs and decided to eat there. The bartender was a fellow ginger and very friendly. I ordered the tortilla soup and added chicken while my son had a hamburger. The prices are a bit outrageous for the proprotions and the food wasnt phenominal so I was a bit disappointed but I wasnt trying to be too picky since there was nowhere else to eat that night. The one thing that really bothered me though was that I sat there with my credit card on the counter for almost 20 minutes andn the bartender kept walking right by it and we were clearly done since our plates were gone so that was a bit frustrating. Also, I told him that my son was not to have anymore soda after his second glass and everytime i looked over his cup was full again so I had to take it away and that was a bit frustrating. Otherwise, it was fine. Probably wouldnt go back for the food but maybe if I was out and about and wanted a drink. read more

Nice little cafe. The cowboy coffee is strong and delicious not to mention the historic Hotel Congress is right next door. The waiter was very nice and even gave me a coffee to go. read more

One more place that thinks that they are a five star restaurant in their snobbish attitude, but cant deliver with the service.

Last night I went to dinner at The Cup with two friends and my young daughter. While reviewing the menu, a woman bumped into my chair HARD and attempted to steal my purse. I grabbed my purse and a struggle ensued. I was able to get my bag back and the thief ran off. Management came to our table and addressed my friends, not me the victim of an attempted mugging. I was holding a crying and terrified 6 year old but for some reason the manager did not think I was victim. We then informed the manager we were attempting to make a show and needed our order taken and food quickly. Food took almost 30 minutes to get to the table and we received a 10% dinner and show discount. The food was extremely mediocre too. The Cup should have covered our bill 100%. I was never offered ice for my arm or anything else. The only assistance provided was management called the police and my daughter was given a cookie as we were leaving. The Cup is responsible for providing a safe dining environment which they failed at miserably last night. If you value your safety eat somewhere else. read more

I am only giving this place three stars because the coffee was awful (all I could taste was tap water) and the pancakes were dry (the cinnamon in the pancakes was not appetizing to me). I did notice a sign in the bathroom advising people to be considerate of the old plumbing system, so maybe that could explain the taste of metal in the coffee? I also didn't like that I had to pay for parking in the garage ($5) on a weekend. I read that parking was free and that the parking ticket would be validated. I did ask another server about this and he said I might have to pay $2- nope, $5. However, negatives aside, I would be giving them a five star review for the rest of meal. My husband had the chilaquiles with poached eggs and he said it was good. I tried it and it was good. I had the quiche and it was very tall, fluffy, and had a great buttery crust! The quiche came with a salad, which I tried and didn't finish because the dressing was too sweet. Our service was fantastic! I will be back, but I'll just skip coffee and pancakes. read more

Great outdoor seating. The food was exceptional. We had the chilaquiles and baked eggs. Perfect portions and great flavor.

i just love this place! the food is stellar. It's always hard to choose between breakfast or lunch but I can't get away from their breakfast options. and the waiter offered to add avocado to my gunpowder scramble which was a lovely touch. And the bellinis at the bar in the lobby are amazing! the best I've ever had anywhere! love the people watching too. just a great place all around! read more

We were visiting Tucson and stumbled upon this gem. We had dinner here. Every dish was more delicious than the last. The pork belly tacos were to die for! Being from Vegas (foodie capital of the world) this was our top 5 dining experiences ever. We even called out the chef to complement him on his food. Amazing!!! read more

i have eaten here about a dozen times and everytime i have enjoyed it. if you stay at the Hotel Congress, it is nice to have this restaurant right down stairs so you can roll out of bed after a night of not sleeping and get some delicious grub. the thing i love the most about Cup Cafe is that it is not a "greasy spoon" joint...they have fresh selections and good ingredients. i mainly order their fruit plate and granola with yogurt. very light and satisfying. read more

Excellent breakfast and cute retro/western atmosphere. They had a great selection of teas, and the huevos rancheros were delicious. Even my husband's basic breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast was exceptional. Their potatoes are amazing. Crispy potato wedges seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and oregano (I think) and cooked with (a few) bell peppers. The service was good as well. And the atmosphere was interesting and different with odd touches such as a floor made of pennies and chandeliers made of wine bottles. Would go here again. read more

I've been a few times and it never disappoints! Just went for brunch for the first time today and I must recommend the Silverside Hash!! I can't say enough how amazing this was. I'm big on eggs Benedict and it definitely reminded me of that except on a bed of potatoes with super tender homemade corned beef with an amazing mustard hollandaise. Do yourself a favor and order it. My fiancé had the Chilaquiles and they were also very good. We always have sat on the patio and with weather like this in the shade it is just perfect. Can't wait to go back soon:) read more

Like this place as I've stayed there several times. Have had breakfast, hr & dinner. Consistent & approachable. Lots of locals so...recommended. read more

I had a Niçoise salad the ahi tuna was delish. the dressing if I remember was weird, I tasted it and opted to just enjoy the salad without. The salad was really good, fresh veggies, really yummy purple potatoes. Anyways that's all I had however I've also had theirs bloody Mary's before which as everyone knows are very good. But I will say this, I'm always skeptical about eating at the cup due to my sister in law (who works for a local restaurant as a caterer) and said the cooks she works with have said some pretty sketchy things go on in that kitchen, and to "beware of the meatloaf" which according to her was her favorite thing on the menu. Anyways I didnt get sick from what I ate and my sister and her husband and kids used to fine at the cup once a week and always loved it. read more

Delicious at all times. Go for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or all of the above. Only downside is the wait can be a while, but you won't regret it. Get Sunday brunch for some live music and delicious food. A little secret is they're famous for their Bloody Mary, but the mimosa is even better. read more

Went there last night for a date night after Dillinger days! The food was really good and the waiter was friendly and funny, although it did take a little while longer to get food but that was ok because the hubbs and I enjoyed the scenery of the architecture of the Hotel Congress building and because it was Dillinger days, they played some really nice 30's era jazz! Go, you won't be disappointed! read more

Came here for lunch with some friends and sat out on the patio...Started the brunch off with a Mocha Azteca which was extremely delicious. My friends got the Cast Iron baked eggs which looked tasty. I opted for the Chilaquides Verde in the cast iron skillet...which was very good. The fruit on the side was a nice touch to eat between breaks of eating the mountain of a meal thats put into that iron skillet. I also got the peanut butter cheesecake to go. It was definitely good but i wish i would have gotten the key lime pie. The service wasn't the best. The hostess was nowhere to be found when we first arrived so it took longer than it should have to be seated. The waitress was not as attentive as she should have been. Overall, it was a good meal though. read more