John Jay Dining Hall

Probably the best Columbia dining hall. So many options but so sad they got rid of the fusion bowl station 💔 also a MESS on Friendsgiving and surf and turf…

I did not have a pleasant dining experience at John Jay Dining Hall. At the Mexican station, one of the staff members showed clear impatience toward students, with constant frowning and an unfriendly attitude. Then at the ice cream station, the server did not say a single word, scooped two flavors I didn’t ask for, and looked at me with a strange expression that made the interaction quite uncomfortable. I’m genuinely wondering why the university hires so many staff members who seem dissatisfied with their jobs. If they are not passionate about working here, I hope Columbia can bring in people who are more willing to engage and provide better service to students. As for the food—honestly, it was rather bland. It’s edible, nothing more. The sushi rolls were probably the only thing I enjoyed. I hope the dining hall can improve both food quality and service attitude in the future.

The food is fine and the dining space is okay, but the experience at the entrance needs improvement. Most staff are polite, but one cashier consistently speaks to students in a way that feels dismissive and impatient. I’ve seen multiple students get flustered because of how they were addressed. This is college dining, not a security checkpoint. A simple tone adjustment could make a big difference. Students shouldn’t feel anxious walking in to get a meal. Clear expectations and professionalism training for front-of-house staff would really help.

I’ve noticed a repeated issue with the check-in experience here. The cashier at the entrance often speaks to students in a rushed and sharp tone, even when we are already taking out our IDs. It has happened to me several times, and each time it felt unnecessarily tense and uncomfortable. No one should feel stressed or embarrassed simply for trying to eat on campus. A dining hall is a basic student environment — it should feel welcoming. I hope the staff receives better training on communication and respect.

TDLR: Common Ferris is better Wide variety of AYCE food for in and out of campus consumers. They have a diverse menu that rotates on a daily basis with a stupendous drink selection! They boast a vegan section, salad/fruit bar, desert section, pasta, and proteins. However, the food can get boring. The only protein they really serve is chicken and they reuse/reheat baked goods from days ago. The dining hall fashions a quaint design and many dubbed it the Harry Potter hall. Yet, the hall is just so humid and sticky most of the time. There’s no AC and there’s like random power fans that’ll blow your wig and plate away everytime you walk past it 👎 FSCI NSLC thanks for reminding me to review this place 😂

I usually don’t write reviews, but I think this needs to be said. I’ve eaten here many times this semester, and on multiple occasions I was spoken to in a rushed and confrontational tone at the check-in station while I was simply taking out my student ID. I was even compared to other students in front of everyone, which was embarrassing and unnecessary. In one incident, I was physically stopped at the counter and told to wait, even though I was already complying with the ID check.

The food was fantastic and for VERY affordable prices (for non- students such as perspectives too!) They were very nice there and the cashier guided me to all my needs. They supply incredible Star K kosher food as well! Sadly even though the hall was packed it seemed as if everyone were very isolated from one another, like everyone tried to be alone.

I was eating here one time and then a student who was dressed as a big blueberry came up to me and dumped a bunch of blueberries all over my food and then said "Hope I can make your day a little more Blue!!" Idk who that was