I will always love everything that is available here. One star off only because sometimes the glasses for sodas aren't spotless but damn, I love those meatballs. I eat a lot so the last two times I ate while shopping at Ikea I ordered the smoked salmon dish (bangin) and the "usual". I wanted everything including the ligonberrys on my meatballs so if the server asks I just tell him "the usual" with a smile :) The desserts are not too shabby either. Can't wait til the next time I go again. I always want to try something different but I can never not eat those little morsels of swedish heaven. cheap eats, good taste? who wouldn't love? :D read more

IKEA - all for me lolol - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

Want meatballs? Neighhhhh! Ok that's not funny :) Seriously the Ikea Cafe is the best place ever to wait for people arriving at Newark airport. Free parking, sip a fine cup of coffee, gaze out at the planes landing and taking off, and chortle that you're not in the Turnpike traffic while you wait for the txt on your phone. Then it's a 5 min ride back to arrivals. The mandatory meatballs for $6 are a-ok at that price point, a little mushy, hints of spices. I confess I love that goofy lingonberry jam. Fries here are truly great, a crisp puffy shell and mysteriously still hot even after waiting in line to check out. Chicken fingers are actual thin pounded filets, not parts-is-parts, also a steal at $6. Vegetarian rating: 3 stars for the mac-n-cheese, salads, baked veggie cakes, veg wrap, fries and steamed veg. You definitely won't starve as you navigate the endless aisles looking for the short-cut to the checkout! read more

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A big store that has a lot of walking sometimes stirs up an appetite like no other. Disinterested shoppers who are accompanying IKEA lovers, may still be dissatisfied with a 50 cent hot dog. Enter in a few gourmet meals, Swedish meatballs, and 99 cent breakfast specials, live entertainment, and a cafeteria-like ambiance, you've got a meal for the entire family on a very little budget. Its so cheap that folks will be lining up the place, especially on the weekends during breakfast and lunch when it takes a solid 15-20 minutes just to make through half the line. The place is spacious, there is sometimes a band that plays in the background, big windows for the sunlight and the (parking lot) view of NJ, and unlimited refills of various drinks. They have specially designed carts that can hold up to 4 treys of food, which makes it super convenient for the one person who is responsible for gathering up the food. Don't expect the service to be super fabulous but they do their jobs. Credit cards are accepted here, but it may not even be necessary given how cheap everything is. read more

Always a fan of IKEA restaurant - cheap food but actually really good!! The seating area is plentiful and clean (most of the time). There's rarely a wait for the food line and the drinks are on the outside so you can go back and forth for drinks if you need. I know if you're part of the IKEA club you get a free cup of coffee here. The staff here aren't very interactive or nice but hey, all you do is really grab what you want and pay for it at the cashier- that's it. Definitely grab food if you're in IKEA, but I wouldn't say just come to IKEA for the food unless you're craving their meatballs!!! read more

For the price and freshness of a small limited menu with great healthy options, the cafeteria at Ikea is great. 5 stars for what it is: nourishing cheap food in a retail space. Always fresh salmon, Swedish meatballs, small sadwiches, salads, vegetarian options, all cheap, all not bad. Pies and desserts are good too. Coffee is great, love the lingonberry drink, spike it with soda (or a flask of vodka if you're not driving to deal with Sunday crowds); all beverages have unlimited refills, haven't tried a thermos yet. For the cheapest eats, go to the food counter at the exit after the cashiers, or enter from the loading area outside, but expect the $0.75 hot dogs to be flavorless, but a kid might not mind. Pizza slices are pretty awful looking, but also cheaper than the cafe, if you have kids, you may want to go there first. read more

Rated only on all you can eat Swedish Easter Buffet for $12.99 The event took place on Friday April 5th from 6pm to 8pm. The Smorgasbord included the following: Cold selection had different herrying varieties, deviled eggs w/shrimp, smoked salmon w/mustard sauce, cheese, cucumber salad, red potato salad, Lingonberry jam and a variety of breads. Hot selection had poached salmon, meatballs, mashed & boiled potatoes, gravy, Jansson's temptation and ham. Also there was assorted Swedish desserts & cookies with fountain & hot beverages included. The standing in line, then taking the cold items onto your tray that were already portioned out and then from there to the cooks on the cooking line to serve you like cafeteria style what you wanted was not my cup of tea. All of the food that was offered was either their frozen food that they heated up or refrigerated prepared foods that they removed from their packaging that they sale normally there or to customers to take home. I was just a bit disappointed with the quality, taste, selection and the set up of the food. I am undecided if I would do the buffet again or not. read more

Quick, fast food for those shopping at this IKEA. Typical IKEA fare, out viewing the airport and Turnpike across the way. Loads better view than the Red Hook IKEA, that's for sure. Chairs here are better, too, for some reason. read more

Absolutely love their Swedish meatballs. I had the Swedish meatballs with mash potatoes and vegetable medley. Also, I received my free coffee due to being an ikea family member. The Swedish meatballs never fails and they go especially well with the cranberry sauce. My only complaint would be their coffee machine. There is one on both sides of the counter but all the times I've been there, only 1 of them is working. The line usually gets pretty long, which gets a bit aggravating. Other than that, food is great. The chicken strips and French fries are both also very crispy and tasty. read more

Who doesn't love Swedish meatballs! I had to come to IKEA to help my parents buy a bed. The customer service was great. Afterwards we enjoyed a plate full of Swedish meatballs, mash potatoes with gravy, green beans and lingonberry sauce. The vegetable minestrone soup was delicious. It did not disappoint. My parents got the same thing. We also enjoyed the berry cheesecake. And you get a free cup of coffee if you scan your IKEA family member card. I would definitely come back again. read more

IKEA - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

I would come here every time for swedish meatballs and lingenberry juice. IKEA offers even more than that. I have personally tried the white fish with mash potatoes and vegetables and the chicken tenders. Everything they make is very good and never sits around for too long even though this is cafeteria style. They do not skip on the meatballs either - I had 15 last time! My wife would come here specifically to eat. I am not that devoted, but to me it is a no brainer to grab lunch here if I am already in the store to buy something else. read more

I eat at the restaurant mostly because of the airplanes. My kids and I love airplanes, and the window seats of the restaurant are perfect for plane watching. As to the lunch, the food is not bad, but not too good either. I love the free coffee with the IKEA member card, and my kids love the mac and cheese and chicken tenders. Most of the time the food is overcooked. I have never tried to cold food, so I can't comment on that. The place has also gone through a nice spruce up. read more

Same little cafe from San Diego to Elizabeth, New Jersey. I had the meatballs (generous portions), big scoop of mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. It was about $6. Pretty good. I like IKEA. read more

Who would know the Swedish mastered making French fries?! I think it's better than their meat balls! Chocolate cake is pretty good too. We got the buy $100+ furniture eat free deal. It's not bad for the price. 50 bucks and everyone(4 people) are really full. Good marketing to get the whole family to come and shop. The next time to have free lunch is July 18, 2015. read more

IKEA - We got everything! Meatballs, ribs, salmon lax, salad, chocolate cake, blue berry pie, lemon mouse, garlic bread, cheese tart - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

IKEA has cut back on portions, value, and ingredients. Meatball used to taste meaty now contains more fillers, drier, less fatty. Salmon used to be size of a chocolate bar is now just a small skicker bar slab. You used to get a good two scoops of Mac and cheese as a side now it went up in price and it is a tiny scoop. While I see workers still serve themselves the 2 giant scoops. Often there's only 1 worker serving food while one walks off to break. Dried ribs that have no flavor inside. The salad bar is a disaster, you probably get sick thats how filthy it looks. read more

I had the medium breakfast. Two super thin flavorless strips of bacon, ribbee6 and hard square hashbrowns, decent pool processed instant eggs boysenberry pancakes and coffee and a mini 6 oz orange juice. For under $7.00 this was not bad. Table was filthy. The window sill was filthy. The floor was filthy. This place is humongous and as a worker, after a long shift of feeding bratty kids and annoying shoppers, I'd probably be like "fck it! I'm not cleaning this sht up!" And just walk out on my shift. They were out of waffles, sausage. They had one disinterested employee on the serving line. One man in the back. One cashier. The coffee was free for family card members which was cool. I could drink the coffee all day. But the carts were too much. Americans have gotten so fat and lazy. So now we need a food tray transporter because we are too lazy to carry our own trays? Who cleans these things? Lots of nastiness going on here. The chocolate cake was decent. For the price It was all good. The store is too big and too confusing and I'm not inclined to buy mediocre products just to have to go home and spend months trying to put it together. Ohhh and you have to go to the self serve warehouse to pick your items. But zi digress. This review is about the restaraunt. Coffee, eggs and boysenberry jam were good. A biscuit would have been nice. read more

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Usually a good place to stop for breakfast Lately not so much Ok ok ok I know it's IKEA your not suppose to go there to eat But if they promote it as culturally diverse breakfast it should stand up Rubber eggs and freezer burn sausages are not cultural read more

IKEA - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

If you are shopping in Ikea and are hungry, there are much worse options for fast food! The meatballs are worth a try and for $1 you can get 4 more added to the meal. The short rib was surprisingly fork tender. The side dishes leave a little something to be desired, although the mashed potatoes are fine. read more

The best part of this IKEA restaurant was its infamous view of Newark airport's runaways but the doors to the outdoors patio have been locked even during fair weather for years which is so very unfortunate a loss. The menu's standard IKEA & reliable. The service is better than many IKEA's, despite the stereotypes about NJ or surrounding areas, and the ambiance is nice thanks to the wide sunny orientation. Otherwise, food quality and nutrition are always a bit suspect with IKEA food, namely used as a filler/hit during shopping not a restaurant destination in and of itself. Great for kids as they love the menu's emphasis on fried processed foods, I must joke yet not joke. read more

We had an average cinnamon roll, slice of cheese pizza and a small Niagara bottle of water. The total bill was only around $4. By registering for free to the IKEA loyalty program, you will get a free coffee, discounts on dishes and furniture. The coffee tasted good. The restaurant was clean and bright. There were comfortable seating, lot of tables, etc. read more

I think that Jando S. might be talking about the actual restaurant, but I'm choosing to lump in their snack bar to be included in the "IKEA Restaurant" listing. Okay, the only part of my IKEA experience that didn't make me want to take a swan dive into the heart of a volcano was one simple math equation: 2 hot dogs + 1 cinnamon bun + 1 soda = $2.50 That's right. I almost fainted. I would seriously consider taking the shuttle bus all the way from the city just to sit and eat hot dogs all day. Delicious hot dogs too! Oh my God! They were so tasty!!! read more

In the last year, none of the reviewers have rated this IKEA restaurant above 3 stars! I'm throwing some love your way IKEA! Full disclosure: I've only eaten breakfast here so the 4 stars are for that. Some things I love: - free coffee from 9:30-10:00 every day - free tea, coffee or soda anytime for all IKEA Family members - .99 cent breakfasts! scrambled eggs, crispy potatoes with your choice of 3 sausages or 2 slices of bacon (I'm a vegetarian so opt out of the meat) - $1.99 "BIG" breakfast includes all of the above PLUS french toast sticks (so yummy with that lingonberry sauce!) - $2.99 spinach crepes - I usually go for this option and you get two good sized crepes Sure the price sways me more than the actual food but for a quick (and cheap!) breakfast before my usual Sunday movie nearby it ALWAYS satisfies. Also, the panoramic view of the airport across the way of planes touching down or taking off is really relaxing in the morning. Clean place all around (maybe because I go when they first open) and always friendly staff. Njut av din mat! read more

Yes, people. I would have to classify the ultimate IKEA experience as shopping for goods, eat, repeat. The Swedish meatballs with dill roasted potatoes and cranberries on the side are a good salty/sweet combo I greatly enjoy. I enjoy this so much that I had to eat at IKEA while I was in mainland China (Guangzhou) for lunch. What??? I HAD to check out their consistency of globalizing their food! I would have to say I am quite disappointed by their discontinuation of their sorbet line where they took actually shells from fruits and used them as containers for the sorbet. The coconut and mango were my favorite! It's a bummer they sold out to Pepsi for their pop fountain! I would try and go during off-peak hours since their cashiers always work in slow-mo...maybe they're on European time? read more

If you been to one....you seen them all. I usually drop in to get a cheap dog and soda (and maybe a cinnamon bun) before heading over to the Toys R Us next door. Thanks for the cheap eats. read more

Pretty much what I was expecting, but not a fan of the long wait. It was an early Sunday morning with hardly a crowd in line and yet we crawled. You know what you're getting here. The meatballs have increasingly been headed towards "just okay" in my opinion. I did like the cold smoked salmon with root vegetable salad but that was about it. They do have the .99 breakfast, but on a Sunday you can only get it from 10 to 11 am (I got there at 11:10 grrr). Ikea family members do get some perks and free coffee and tea. I don't think you can call the restaurant a great value, but it is a good idea to stop here before you tackle the shopping craziness. read more

God, I love that people thought to review this! It is absolutely necessary to grab some swedish meatballs at the cafe after a gluttonous shopping spree. And then you simply MUST get yourself a bag of dam cookies. Those things are fucking addictive! Like the rest of Ikea... its cheap. But I swear that unlike the case with some of their furniture, you cant pick up an inkling of it being um, poorly made. Check it out. read more

I accompanied my good friend Jenna T. on a trip to IKEA to buy furniture for her new apartment, and though we did get furniture, we also ate... a lot! :) We were both starving after taking the free shuttle over from Port Authority because neither of us had eaten, so we headed straight to the IKEA "restaurant." Since I don't eat meat, aside from seafood and eggs, I couldn't get the meatballs, but Jenna did. Instead I got the shrimp and egg open faced sandwich and a side of mac and cheese. Either would have been enough food, but for 99 cents, why not get a side of mac and cheese? Jenna and I rounded out our filling meals with dessert: she got a mousse thing and I got the almond cake. Jenna also topped off her meal with a delightful lingonberry drink. Then, we actually got her furniture... which I guess was the point of the trip. Once we finished getting furniture, we did clown around some more, buying wrapping paper, fake flowers, and mini bean bag animals that are now sitting in our cubes. And, of course we hit the IKEA snack bar on our way out. We split a cinnamon roll since we were both still stuffed from our brunch/lunch at the "restaurant" and got ourselves some lingonberry and elderflower juice boxes for the road. We didn't finish the cinnamon roll though because it was super dry, but at $1 a roll it wasn't the hugest loss (just don't be tempted by the 6 rolls for $4 deal). All in all, we had a great time at IKEA, mostly because of the restaurant and snack bar. Definitely worth it to take a break from furniture shopping and check both of them out. :) read more

IKEA Restaurant is probably one of my favorite places to get a late breakfast, stop for a solo bite, or work when I'm in the area. Today I had the Small Breakfast of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and two turkey sausages, and coffee. Though prices have crept up over the years, my meal totaled only $1.07. The eggs had a light, fluffy consistency and the sausages were seasoned well but slightly salty. The potatoes were slightly less than crisp but were perfect with IKEA's signature lingonberry sauce (served per my request). And the self-service dark roast coffee was on par with Starbucks. The counter server was courteous, making small talk as I waited for a fresh batch of eggs. Today paper tableware was provided, but porcelain and metal cutlery are the norm. The cashier was friendly too and didn't balk at taking a credit card. The newly redesigned interior is spacious and bright, with views of Newark Liberty Airport. Good climate control. Seating options of various comfort levels are available, ranging from wooden benches to leather couches, and are consistently clean. There's soft music and other diners' conversations in the background. There are a few power outlets and I got 1.7 Mbps over the free wi-fi. There are many great offers here, for which many require membership in the (free) IKEA Family loyalty program. I particularly enjoy the breakfasts (ends at 11am), the free hot beverages, and the bargain all-you-can-eat Swedish party buffets (especially the crayfish-themed one). Be aware of the "Eat for Free" monthly weekend specials where you can get your dine deducted from your same-day furnishings purchase of more than $100 pretax: it's a great deal, but draws crowds which degrade service & ambiance. Thus you may have a better Restaurant experience on different days if you're not in for the deal. (If you seek out this deal, I advise you come early.) I'll be back for breakfast. read more

i speed through the store and sometimes my partner and i choose between bedsheet sets and then, realize we aren''t getting anything. food? dependable meatballs with dependable gravy and dependable lingonberries. the salad with little shrimps plus the mustard vinaigarette and the salmon lox situation pleases me. equally yummy are mashed potatoes. pastas are bland so i pass. the children's plate with grilled cheese and french fries bring nostalgically yummy (mmmm, crispy and gooey). service is to the point. seating is well, ikea seating. surrounding you are babies, sloppy jam faced children, and adults who want new furniture to ease their troubled minds. in closing, i appreciate ikea, i am not ashamed. read more

Makes returns a most unpleasant experience. Remember to take a number where are you a wait even longer because no one at this place will make eye contact with the customer. Remember to have your receipt because even though you may have spent $1000 with your credit card it won't be able to look it up or that's what they tell you. Then settle in for a long winters nap because it's going to be a while read more

The fish was terirble. The food was cold. The people behind the counter didn't even accidentally crack a smile. The only thing good was their nice strong coffee.. and that is MUCH needed after dealing with the customer service reps when in your in the ikea store. read more

Honestly I never really find any food that I like in this cafeteria. I stopped in Ikea because I heard a rumor that they had some of the costumes from Game of Thrones. I was just curious and needed a bathroom break on my drive to New Jersey. I figured it was worth the time if I buy a couple of kitchen tools. I did a have a decent latte for a buck. The food on the other hand, isn't great. I can't understand why all the people enjoy the place which is always very crowded. . read more

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Cheap eats, nothing special in the least. when the steamed carrots are the best thing on the menu, it is time to move on. if you like your food prepared in advance, over salted, and reheated, you're in luck. 1 positive note, if you are a member of the family club, you can have free soda and coffee in the upstairs cafeteria. that is enough to get you in here, then go nuts. read more

The food is food if you are hungry for a meal or a snack this place is good. The tables are clean and the area is up-keep-ed nicely, the line for food various from long to short depending on time of day. You also have a view of the Newark airport so it is a different view it somehow amazing to see airplane land and take off every 60 seconds. Price for food is ok i guess some items are over priced for the amount of portion. read more

Despite the fact they raised their prices every year, their authentic Scandinavian food is good price for the value. Don't expect a big plate, but rather appropriate portion and healthy fare. Smoke salmon and meatball are always good! View of the planes is a plus ;) read more

IKEA - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

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The best ikea restaurant ever. i ordered some swedish meatballs, a chocolate cake, a diet coke, and some fries. all of that were really good. if you dip the swedish meatballs into gravy and lingonberry sause, they taste even better. the fries were the right amount of crisp and the choclate cale were the perfect amount of sweetness. best ikea restaurant ever. i would definitely go back here. read more

This review is based off of almost two decades of patronizing this IKEA location. In the past, this IKEA has served me well - from beds (which are, ok, not that comfortable) to small little knick knacks that clutter my apartment, from lunch at the cafe to great Swedish candy and 99cent chocolate bars. However, my visit today left me so so unhappy. There is no reason why it should take over 30 minutes to get food at the cafe. None. By the time I sat down and bit into one of my meatballs, it was lukewarm. Fries were cold. I felt like I got jipped. They had only 2 out of 4 registers open, and there were at least 40-50 people in line behind me. Everything was moving so slowly. It seems to me they need to improve their cafeteria set-up. They have diversified their cafe menu, though, which is nice. They now have chicken meatballs and vegetable (!!) meatballs, if the original pork and beef isn't your thing. As for the rest of the store, it's alright. It's actually one of the better ones I've visited (between Paramus and Long Island), and it's better stocked with larger selections. The parking situation is also superior, though still not an ace. The service is so-so. People don't look happy to be working there - and I get it because I don't like dealing with crowds and crowds of people - but they can look a little less unhappy once in a while. I saw not one smile at IKEA today. It made me very uncomfortable, and I avoided going to anyone in a yellow-and-blue striped IKEA shirt for help. I think I'm starting to "outgrow" temporary furniture and so my relationship with IKEA is not as symbiotic as it once was, which is reassuring. I still like to come back for the marketplace, though, so I hope this IKEA location steps it up a bit! read more

What the hell seriously no forks nothing they say they are being washed 15 minutes still no forks and my food is nice and cold. Soda has no syrup and is flat. Running a really good establishment good job keep up the great work. Total disappointment. read more

This IKEA has fallen from grace. You used to be able to get latte, americano, & cappuccino here for free. Now they cost $1.25 each, and you have to go through the hassle of buying tokens for them. On top of that, their regular coffee was out when I visited, and the only other option was a decaf coffee that taste staled and watered down, no flavor what so ever. I don't like wasting drinks, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it. read more

I can't say I love or hate the food, because when I'm hungry I'll just plow through anything....but I must say...half off Tuesdays? That's $2.99 for a meatball plate and I'll be first in line! If anyone has tried the rib days, please let me know. I haven't had the courage yet, but their cornbread isn't bad at all. It is literally hit or miss with the friendliness of the employees. Some are outgoing and some are walking zombies. read more

IKEA - Swedish meatballs! - Scandinavian Near Me - Elizabeth, New Jersey

The food seems consistent with other IKEAs I've been to. This specific restaurant seems to always be busy and has longer lines than others. Seating is also harder to come by even at off-lunch hours. I also see a lot flies around....mmmm o.O No recycling bins in the actual restaurant....why? I don't know but if you walk right outside the restaurant, there are bins next to the elevators. read more