New York Café

⭐ 2/5 – Beautiful Place, But Overhyped and Overpriced I was really looking forward to visiting the iconic New York Café, but unfortunately, the experience didn’t live up to the hype. While the venue itself is undeniably stunning—with its grand architecture and elegant atmosphere—the overall value just wasn’t there. We originally planned to enjoy a full dinner, but the menu was unexpectedly expensive and the food options didn’t seem very appealing. So instead, we opted for desserts and drinks, thinking that would be a safer bet. Sadly, even that was underwhelming. The Piña Colada tasted more like canned pineapple juice mixed with milk—there was barely any coconut flavor, and the slice of pineapple on the glass looked tired and unappetizing. The whiskey we ordered was dry (as expected), but it simply didn’t impress us in quality or presentation. As for the desserts, they weren’t terrible, but they also weren’t memorable—and certainly not worth the high prices. We had far better sweets elsewhere in Budapest at much more reasonable costs. On a positive note, the live music was lovely and the staff were polite, though the service was just average. Overall, I regret spending so much money here. It’s a place that’s beautiful to see, but in my opinion, not worth dining at—especially if you're looking for great food or a solid value-for-money experience.

Even though some may say that it is overrated, I completely disagree as I had an enchanting evening and I couldn't stop looking around on the architectural ornamentation of the place. From the first moment I entered the violins were playing beautifully many dear pieces of mine and later the piano added magic to the atmosphere. I had made a reservation and I was swiftly leaded to my table. The staff was very quick and polite. I had a lovely cup of tea, that completed my night. It was a great closing for my visit to Budapest. I will definitely revisit. For sure, I recommend making a reservation and adding this place on your next visit's schedule.

The atmosphere is special — it almost feels like you’re transported back in time. The service is exceptional. The menu is quite extensive, and the portions are decent, but the overall experience feels somewhat overrated. The prices are high for what you actually get. Essentially, you’re paying for the experience. The coffee itself is nothing extraordinary. The hamburger is acceptable — expensive, and I’ve had better burgers for half the price. The goulash is good, but priced about 50% higher than usual. The apple lemonade is ridiculously overpriced for its taste. It’s basically a mix of squeezed lemon and boxed apple juice. Very crowded, constantly full. It’s quite a nice experience, but too expensive, in fact.

The only reason this place is famous is its stunning ceiling and interior — and yes, it really is beautiful. But sadly, that’s where the appeal ends. As an Arab tourist, I’ve never felt more unwelcome at a place that claims to offer a luxury experience. The service was beyond disappointing — the waitress assigned to our table completely ignored me. I politely called her more than once, and she refused to even make eye contact or respond. It was clear I was being judged based on how I looked. The treatment felt disrespectful and borderline racist, and it completely ruined what should have been a nice experience. The food? Overpriced and forgettable. Absolutely not worth the attitude or the price. This café might be on every tourist guide, but if you care about being treated with basic respect, especially as a person of color or minority, skip it. No beautiful ceiling can make up for being treated like you’re invisible.

Ok, so we had to visit this place while in Budapest. It's absolutely stunning inside and truly lives up to the title of Most Beautiful Cafe in the World. Once inside, it does feel a bit like a tourist trap, but check out the menu—tons of options. Then you start to wonder, are the pricey food and drinks really worth it, and will we regret it? I'm happy to say that the food and drinks are actually very good! We tried the raspberry and pistachio tart, and it was delicious! We, unfortunately, weren’t very hungry when we arrived. I really recommend coming here for the beauty and staying for the food. Surprisingly, it might be some of the best food you'll have while in Budapest. Pro Tip: Download the menu before going. It's 38 pages!

I came here to admire the beauty of the place and tried the food. Was nothing worth to any other outside food tasted. And the waiters (male) are just so rude. Waitresses are otherwise friendly. Hence, thumbs down for the service for the waiters. Remind your staff, if it wasn’t the customers coming, who is paying the wages. Simple knowledge. Perhaps the staffs need to redo their hospitality training. The food also needs to further improve.

The only reason you would go here is for the interior decoration. The building from inside is stunning. Life music playing which is a lovely touch. However that's about it. Food is very sub par, taste wise. Cakes look fancy but not great taste wise. The worst part is service. Waiters don't even bother to look and you wait for ages to order and wait for your bill. We got so fed up waiting to order, that we did contemplate to get up and leave without ordering. No one would bother to come to the table. Good for some photos, but that's about it.

Everything is beautiful here. It is indeed the most beautiful Cafe in the world. Service overall is attentive but I want to custom order a cocktail and they were not able to accommodate. But the server was very lovely about it and making sure we are happy. Which we are..with the beautiful live piano music and the amazing interior of the entire cafe. It’s like we are travel back in time. Must visit.