The only reason it gets two stars is because there is literally nothing else to eat around it. When your choices are this or fast food chains (Taco Bell and McDonalds are further up 5), I choose this. Nothing tastes fresh, and their coffee has a burnt taste to it. Don't try the jalapeno cream cheese; I love jalapenos and cook with raw ones frequently, but there were probably 15 jalapenos (sliced large!) in a smear on a bagel I got once. It was inedible. The aloof teenagers behind the counter leave much to be desired in the wait staff department. read more

This has come to be my go-to place to take folks for lunch on a Saturday-- convenient, pretty good sandwiches, interesting music, good coffee. I've been known to curl up in a chair here for a few hours on a hot day to catch up on some reading while drinking something caffeinated. Still wish it was able to be open later, but it's a good start! They'd love to expand, and I believe the owner has bought the rest of the building? Should be good things to come. By the way, it's not obvious that there's a patio out back, but it's also very pleasant! Go try it out. read more

So I thought it would be a shorter walk, from the Holyoke Highlands it's not the shortest walk. It was a beautiful day though. They have some strange hours and a lot of highlights that they can grow on. We went for sandwiches on a Saturday afternoon. No real complaints on the food the sandwiches were all pretty average, all named after local landmarks or historical references. Decor was cool, no tvs blaring or anything like that. A place that seemed to be a fast casual atmosphere? I could certainly hang out here for a bit longer. The service was pretty lack luster at best, server didn't know what she had for beers and the taps didn't work. I mean it was a sandwich place with beer I shouldn't be complaining, but you ought to know what you have for a selection. We'll prob try it again as it gets settled as I don't think it's been there long. They have an open mic night and live music according to the posters we saw. We'll see... read more

Customer service: Top Notch Taste of the food: Great, authentic, clean, hardy. Price: Under 13 USD Ambiance: Trendy, earthy, crunchy Extras: Organic, plenty of parking Location: Easy to find, Holyoke-Northampton St. Do I recommend? Absolutely. read more

Cute. Nice atmosphere. Affordable sandwiches, salads and soups. And tasty. Nothing amazing but good. My only complaint was that the woman taking our order let us buy chips, when our entrees came with chips. We didn't know so we ordered chips but when our meals came out, there were chips. Strange right? Wouldn't u have told the customer they get chips with their meal? Whatevs, it was like 90 cents but just weird. I had the spicy grilled chicken on a salad with peppers and olives. It was good except too many banana peppers! Good place to do work, free wifi and good tables and space. read more

CONSISTENTLY WORSE EACH TIME WE DINE HERE... My boyfriend (who lives in Western MA) and I dine here regularly for breakfast on the weekends, at least once every six weeks or so. It has the potential to be one of the only decent breakfast places around, but it falls so very short. The food and service have been going consistently downhill for the past couple of years, to the point where we had almost stopped eating here. Recently we decided to give it another shot, and were wholly disappointed once again. The counter/table/waiting system they have in place just doesn't work. At some point they stopped calling orders out as they put them on the counter, and started bringing them to the table. While that is a nice perk, the individuals never seem to know who the food belongs to. The last thing you want to see is your breakfast being farmed out to two or three other tables before it gets to you. The counterpersons almost never bring silverware with it, and you end up getting up anyways. The food needs a new cook. They never seem to time the food well- if my meal is hot, my boyfriend's is almost always cold, and vice versa. The food itself is mediocre. The home fries, for example, need SERIOUS work. The last three times I ordered them they were cooked differently- and all nearly inedible. One time I reeceived what was clearly a russet potato cut into large chunks and thrown in a deep fryer. They were dry and nearly raw, with zero flavor, akin to chalk. Another time they were grilled, but only for about thirty seconds. I received some small and some large pieces of raw grilled potato tossed with some paprika. And so on... My boyfriend ordered the veggie omelette last time we were there. The omelette was severely overcooked, the toast was ice cold and the homefries...see above. And there were only four other people in the entire place. The french toast used to be one of the best things on the menu-lately it's bland and cold, served with a dixi cup of cold, presumably, artificial syrup. And they used to have delicious specials- but the last two times we were there, no specials whatsoever. Lately, it has simply been "damned if you do..." I want to love this place again!! read more

Pretty neat place for Holyoke. Their waitstaff are usually friendly though it seems awkwardly set up there. It takes a while to order a beverage and a meal because you end up waiting for the barista to bounce back and forth with your order. Then you finally move along to the register. I've never paid for my modified latte at the same price so it's pretty confusing. The decor is quaint and it's a nice place to actually sit and relax and study. I love that they have excellent beer choices and I support local! read more

Worst breakfast ever. Had to wait nearly 20 min. Ended up with overfried and dry everything. Over easy eggs were hard as rock. Some potatoes were still uncooked. And it was quite expensive. Denny's seems like luxury in comparison. read more

I love the Dam Cafe! I am a regular here and am never disappointed with the great food or friendly service. They have regular specials so the menu does not get stale. They also have great boneless wings which are half priced on Wednesday. I really like the atmosphere, wood beam counter space with pictures of historic Holyoke along the walls. I think this is one of the hidden gems that Holyoke has to offer. read more

I am obsessed with their breakfast sandwiches!! Get the sausage, egg & cheese on an English. You will not be disappointed! They use real egg and everything melts together perfectly. I've always found the staff to be very helpful and friendly and there is plenty of room to sit if you want to get work done. Love it at The Dam! read more

The coffee here is Good. With a capital G. My breakfast scramble was alright. Personally, I think Dam Cafe is more of a bagel & cream cheese kinda spot than full breakfast, but they do serve it all if eggs are your heart's desire. read more

I love the atmosphere and the fact they have outdoor seating and are easy to get to from the highway makes this a great meeting spot for work clients on occasion. I've only had their bagels, which are good, and their Vanilla Chai tea, which is good, but instant, so I feel a little ill equipt to rate their food, but I think the rest of the place is nice. Dam! I'll have to go back for lunch now. read more

*sigh* I have now tried this place at least 4 times...and it just is quite disappointing each time. So today I got their breakfast "crunch wrap" that I've been eyeballing for a while. It was...disgusting. I had to say it. Gross sausage, greasy home fry/patty situation (like the frozen kind), scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese. It was supposed to come with a spicy sour cream, but I found no trace of it. I also got a garden salad, knowing the crunch wrap would likely be pretty heavy. The salad was just mixed greens, cucumbers, chopped tomatoes and carrots. All the veggies were cut inconsistently...but what pushed me over the edge was that the carrots weren't even peeled. The skin was still on them. Just makes me feel like the kitchen doesn't give too much of a shit about the food they are putting out. I once had tortellini soup here that I liked, hence the 2 stars. Disappointing. read more

Pleasant curvy Irish hostess. Went there for morning break quiet atmosphere,no gun shots or stabbings a little pricey $$. Never paid for a refill on coffee before which i thought is a punch in the throat. coffee was gritty at best. home fries were horrible. Like they cut them up threw them in the oven cooked them for 2 hours Threw some sort of heart burn seasoning on them and served them. Silver ware was not bad good napkins read more

Food good. Usual staff pleasant and friendly always. Unfortunately the female owner needs to smile, converse with patrons, and be pleasant.

I love this place. If I worked near here I would eat here every day. The food is always amazing, the staff are friendly and helpful, and they make the best donuts I've ever eaten-and I've been to Voodoo donuts in Portland Oregon, so that's saying something. read more

Great breakfast joint! Fabulous omelettes and toast. Nice place to watch the world go by or to meet a friend. Coffee can be hit or miss but I really dig this place. read more

Great place for breakfast and lunch. Their breakfast specials are always amazing and so is their coffee! Highly recommend for casual eat-in experience or takeout! read more

I popped in to the Dam for lunch a couple of weeks ago and was impressed by the atmosphere. I've been back since just for coffee. Not that the outside looks poorly at all, but the inside is impressive. High ceilings, beautifully refinished floors, nicely spaced tables and seated bars, club chairs and sofas. Nice photography of Holyoke framed on the walls. So far the service has been nothing to write home about, although it has never been bad. When we had lunch one of us had a burger and one a chicken sandwich. Meats were seasoned well & cooked properly. Buns were nice and fresh. Orders came out as expected based on what's described on the board. I was disappointed to see individually bagged Lays potato chips on the side, but I'm kind of a snob that way. They have a decent bottle list for beers in addition to the pop, Italian sodas, coffees, and teas. Prices are affordable. I wasn't a huge fan of whatever espresso roast they were using when I went back for coffee, but I'd drink it again in a pinch. Lots of folks were in there (being a weekday morning) having business meetings. read more

This is a great little cafe in a not so great town. I stopped by here after a nice hike up Mt Tom on a cool, crisp Fall morning. The breakfast sandwich was soft and warm, and had just the right amount of Bacon and cheese. I could eat these all day. They had an excellent selection of bagels and muffins, even a croissant if you wanted. I'm not much of a coffee fan, but i wanted something warm. So, I ordered a mocha to fill that need. Unfortunately, the mocha was a little bland for my taste, maybe it just needed a little more sugar. But, as I said, I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so I'm guessing someone with a more appreciative palatte would have enjoyed it. The vibe inside is very cool. It's a little noisy, but that adds to the charm and ambiance. Fun, oversized leather chairs, small side tables, and long bartops are arranged throughout the space. A perfect place to meet friends, or just sit down and read the Sunday paper. Great people watching too. If I loved closer, i would make this a regular hangout, especially with the free WiFi! 4 stars only because of the mocha. Otherwise, this place is a hit! read more

Cut place, lots of loyal followers. Decent drink menu, lots of muffin choices, nice staff. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you. Of the 6 times I've been here twice I've had issues with my order. Quicky remedied, but still. Also, no air conditioning. The fans have practically no impact. read more

The food was very good, and the people were friendly and attentive. The reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the 2 times I went, 2 different days, there were issues with my order. On day 1, I asked for a wheat wrap, and got white bread. On day 2, I think they forgot my order. My friend who was with me and ordered right before me was finished their meal by the time mine came out. But other than that, it was very enjoyable. Good atmosphere. read more

Though the setting and feel of the dam cafe is always relaxing and pleasant I find they always have one problem: they're never consistent. It always seems like their recipes change, or their chefs do everything differently. Not to mention that only *sometimes*, I guess when someone feels like it, will they have breakfast and lunch sandwiches to go. It's always a bummer when I go there for tea or coffee before work and I have to wait around for food when they could just put the sandwiches out. If the dam cafe was more consistent with things, they would no doubt earn 4 or 5 stars. read more

We were driving around Holyoke the other day, ogling the lovely (and more often the terribly ugly) houses in Holyoke, and happened to drive past this place. It was around 1ish and we hadn't eaten yet so we thought we'd stop in. The place is huge - looks like it could comfortably fit 60 or so people (mind you, I am not good at estimating these types of things, suffice to say it's roomy - very high ceilings). And even though it's big, it feels cozy. There are leather (I think?) armchairs along the side wall where you can sit and read the paper with your coffee, there are also high bar counter type tables that fit about 8 per table, and they have the smaller rounds for a more traditional deli/cafe feel. We had been looking forward to getting breakfast - and were a bit thrown off when we found it wasn't available, but we quickly settled on a lunchy sandwich - I think we got the Italian kind without the mayo. We ordered one sandwich for the two of us, assuming we'd get one sandwich cut in two. What we got was one sandwich, split in two, on two separate dishes, with two pickles and two bags of chips - it was the kind of service that makes you think - wow. that's nice. too bad all delis don't do that. it was marvelous that we didn't have to wage a war over the pickle, or who ate all the 6 chips in the snack size bag. Also - the sandwich was delicious - they toasted the rye bread for us and added a dollop of balsamic vinegar to undercarriage of each slice of toast - really good - had never thought to do that to a sandwich before, but now I do it all the time at home (once, actually). I highly recommend this place for a quick, courteous lunch. There are newspapers on the table and the red sox/sports news on the tv if that's your game. Enjoy. Oh - and the businesses on either side of this place are amazing old relics. On the corner side there is a fish and chips place with ancient signage - looks promising - and on the street (main) side there is a old barber shop - that used to do hair cutting for women and men, but the "women" part of the sign is crossed over in duct tape. The place is dusty and a bit overlooked, but if I was allowed, I'd go get my hair cut there just for the fun of it. As for the wifi - I didn't check, but my guess is that they do have it - judging from the armchairs etc... read more

I've been coming here more often lately because it is a very convenient place to meet for business. I wish these guys would go to some of the really good cafes in the area and take some tips. Go to woodstar or esselon look at the way they merchandise; more importantly look at the way they serve their coffee. They are successful because they do it right. Get rid of the costco muffins, call a local bakery if you can't bake and get some pastries in that people would eat. Please, Please, Please go read a book on how to make espresso drinks and train your staff. I really want to keep coming back here; but not when you serve lousy coffee & espresso and cellophane wrapped days old muffins. We have had lunch at the Dam Cafe in the past and it was very good. If they could just get the coffee part down; I'd happily come back time and again. read more

Great food and atmosphere. Not a big fan of the location, but I enjoy going there whenever I'm in the mood for a nice meal.

Cool spot better then i expected. I will defently come back. 830 am and it is busy. Will be back soon when i get a chance

While the food quality remains the same, the service has substantially gotten worse over the years. Several occasions we ordered food close to closing and you would've thought the world was ending. I've come by on my way to work in the morning for coffee and a bagel sandwich and I always question why I would dare do that knowing full well the wait could be anywhere between 5 minutes and 20 minutes. It's hard to gauge your morning commute if you have to account for that kind of stop which is why I've stopped coming here in the morning. What really drives me insane is when I stop in for a simple coffee and bagel with cream cheese during the late morning and it takes 25 minutes. 25. I don't care how busy anywhere is it should never, ever take that long. I could've jumped over the counter, baked the bagel, milked the cow for the cream cheese and had it done before the staff. And when I had the audacity to ask them where it was, all I got was dirty looks. Absolutely unbelievable. And I know this isn't a one off kind of situation. Plenty of friends of mine have gone in here and experienced this exact situation. It really makes me not want to support a local business if they can't get their staff in line. I'll continue to stop by here on the rare occasion knowing I have 30 minutes to wait for something that should take 5. read more

Was visiting this town for a wedding and stopped here for breakfast in the morning. I thought my egg, cheese, & tomato croissant with home fries was fine...until I was almost finished and saw the very big and very dead fly in my home fries. Soooo gross. read more

I usually order the veggie with humus or the adela mozzarella both of which are very yummy. I work down the street so when some one is stumped for lunch I almost always suggest the Dam Cafe. I also love the Mocha they serve it is a staple for my night class. read more

This place is the definition of a diamond in the rough. It's a great breakfast place in the middle of holyoke. Great food, awesome coffees and amazing staff. I moved to holyoke thinking I'd be stuck going to dennys but found this gem. Has the quality and feel of a barista and neighborhood restaurant. read more

Everything is very okay at this place! Considering it's really the only sandwich shop in Holyoke, it's good. I've been there several times for different sandwiches and will probably go back, but nothing to write home about. read more

First some bad news. The steak grinder could have much better meat. Maybe I am just spoiled by the marinated steak tip grinders I used to get at a little hole in the wall sub shop. I come here a couple times a month for breakfast and working over wifi. I really like the patio when its warmer. read more

They close early on a whim so you can never trust if they will actually be open or taking orders. Don't risk a drive there to be turned away. Also they must not change their tea very often as last time there was literally mold floating in my iced tea. read more

Holyoke has issues. Culinary issues are a big part of its problems. There is NOTHING in this city that knocks your socks off. The Dam Cafe is middle of the road, breakfast is decent enough, but the consistency is a real issue. I think depending on who is cooking, you get a very different meal. I cant tell you how many times I have gotten under seasoned, cold homefries and barely toasted toast with a mound of butter which makes it almost inedible. I frequent this place because it is a few blocks from my house and I would rather support local than gross big box chain crap. The cute girl who takes my order is really friendly, but there are a few there that have some snobbish personalities that i find off putting. Nothing to be snobby about when your food is inconsistent and mediocre. I will continue to come here, and hope they see this review and step up their game a tad. read more

What a disappointment! Coffee was okay but the pastries were terrible: stale & tasteless. Why even sell them?!

My favorite place in Holyoke! Very delicious pastries, tasty breakfast choices, and good coffee - all for reasonable prices. They have free WiFi and plenty of tables, armchairs and a couple sofas, so it's a comfortable place to spend time. I wish they were open longer! read more

Great place, food is good and well prepared, coffee is great too. Atmosphere is awesome and the staff is friendly. A lot of hard work went into this place, and I highly recommend eating here. read more

This is a cute little cafe in Holyoke, MA that has a hipster feel and shares certain "Northampton" vibes. The staff are friendly and willing to ensure your dish is just right. With that said, I have to acknowledge that while I love coming here, it shares its strengths and weaknesses. I feel that the forte of this cafe is definitely its coffee, lattes and baked goods. They are reasonably price, with the except of lattes made with almond milk, but it's understandable. The food, however, I feel is a bit bland. Still, everything is reasonably priced and you will be among great company. Dam Cafe is still a place I frequent and recommend others to do the same. read more

Just stopped in for coffee and wifi. I like the vibe: quiet and spacious on a Thursday afternoon.