Theatre Cafe

So happy I found this place, I’m very picky but this was one good lobster roll especially for the price! Amazing service and food. Will be coming back

Exceptional service and unforgettable experiences at the Theater Cafe! I have had the pleasure of visiting the Theater Cafe on multiple occasions, and each visit has been nothing short of extraordinary. The service is impeccable, with staff who are not only attentive, but also genuinely warm and welcoming. They go above and beyond to ensure every guest feel special and well taken care of. The food at the Theatre Cafe is simply outstanding! Each dish is a delightful blend of flavors, prepared with the utmost care and attention to detail. Whether you’re there for a casual meal or a special occasion, the culinary experience is always top notch. What truly sets the Theater Cafe apart? Is there exceptional hosting a parties and events. I have hosted several events there, and each one has been a resounding success. The team is incredible, professional, and accommodating, making the planning process seamless and stress-free. They handle every detail with precision, ensuring that the event runs smoothly and exceeds all expectations. In summary, the Theatre Cafe is a downtown Worcester, gem that constantly delivers exceptional service delicious food and unforgettable experiences. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastic dining experience or a perfect venue for their next pre-event Dinner

From the welcome, to the presentation, to the atmosphere to the final course, I can't possibly tell you how amazing this dinner was. If you're looking for an enjoyable evening produced by a couple who truly loves what they do, this is the place. If I could give them 10 stars I would!

This location has signage up indicating they are welcoming of ALL people. I was very excited to find a welcoming location to take my wife. The woman (introduced herself as Jeanette I think) we interacted with seemed very uncomfortable with a gay couple dining with them, making for an awkward experience.

Haven’t had a bad meal here, but witnessed some of the worst hospitality I’ve seen picking up an order. A customer came up with a menu and clearly stated she could not read. The lady working was vague on explaining what they had. Then I believe the customer tried to ask an opinion on 3 of the sandwiches. Wait staff didn’t understand and ended up calculating the cost for all three sandwiches. When the customer was confused and asked why so expensive, the lady working there lost it. She threw her hands up in disgust and blurted out “I’m done.” Her husband had to finish the transaction. I have no interest in supporting this business after that interaction.

If you're looking for something tasty and filling at a low cost, Theatre Cafe is a great little place to grab a home-cooked meal away from home. A cozy cafe right next to the Hanover Theater, the Theatre Cafe serves breakfast/lunch/dinner, and has a variety of specials daily. It's a small place, with warm, cozy vibes and a very friendly group of folks working there. Dining in is an option (there is very limited seating but plenty of room to relax at your table), along with takeout and limited delivery. My favorite meal there has been the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich on herb bread, but their fish & chips, and their croquettes with string beans are delicious as well. One of the tastiest lunches in Worcester.

Love this little cafe! Food is always amazing. Atmosphere too, and coffee is the best! Say ‘Hi’ to Jeanette and Bill, the owners, when you’re there. Love this place!

The food that Bill and his crew are able to create in their very small kitchen is terrific! Our group of 10 all enjoyed our dinners and conversation with the crew. I didn't give 5 stars for atmosphere because the venue is not extravagant with decorations. It is simply decorated which is ok with us. They did have nice tablecloths and candles on the tables for the dinner crowd! It is a special find for food and wine lovers.

Visiting from SC, I was blown away by a perfect lobster roll!! And the proprietors, Bill and Jeanette, were super friendly. A small cafe with a great, homey vibe. And did I mention that the cold lobster roll - with fresh Maine lobster - is perfect??? It was so good I returned the next day to try the hot lobster roll and the lobster bisque. Like on my first visit, the owners were great and the food was absolutely delicious.

I'll be the first to say that we were in a bit of a rush because of a show time, but that doesn't really affect my review. We ordered an eggplant panini, a BLT and chicken tenders, along with sweet potato fries and onion rings. We were the only table for whom they were cooking. It took at least a half hour to get our lunch. The BLT was on homemade bread with bacon and fresh tomatoes and lettuce, HOWEVER, there was a bucket of mayo on both pieces of toast. I could have scraped some off, but I saw it sitting, completed, for at least 10 minutes before I got it. The basket with the chicken tenders had oil dripping down the tissue liner. The sweet potato fries were great. We finally had to cancel the onion rings because it was taking so long. (They did refund and give them to us.) To top it off, the two people in the kitchen got into an audible argument about the temperature of what I believe was the fryolator. The people were nice enough to us, but cook time was very long and food mediocre....mayonaised to death and oily.

The staff and owner were exceptionally friendly and accommodating, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. However, the food, while decent, was quite basic and lacked any standout features.

Scratch kitchen cooking all your American favorites. Small and exclusive.... Make sure to book a reservation for dinner. Quality of the food is top notch.

This food is unbelievably good. The hard part is getting a reservation. The place is tiny so plan in advance in order to enjoy the wonderful food and service. It's better than eating at home

I ordered the Thanksgiving sandwich and it came on homemade herb bread, which was amazing! I also took an order home of American Chop Suey (photo from Brian Goslow) and it was absolutely delicious! The restaurant is small but the staff were very friendly and welcoming. They had a lot of regulars who were greeted warmly like family. Highly recommend!

The lamb was superb, perfectly cooked, flavorful, as was everyone's dinner. Deserts were varied and all delicious, which made it fun sharing. Service was very good and also a lot of fun. Very cozy and a wonderful place to enjoy a meal.

I recently got a job right around the corner from here so I have picked up lunch a couple of times. This place is SO GOOD Not much of a sit-down spot but they do have a few tables. More of a pick-up place I've had their "Thanksgiving" style sandwich, omg so good. I just ate a BLT, was perfect and hit the spot Really love this place and I expect to grab lunch here very regularly. The other folks in my office love it too. Five stars all day!

Awesome experience...worth coming 30 miles!! Bill lit it up in the grill.,.Jeanette provided the 5 star service and entertainment! Great value and experience!

Joined family members and a friend here on a Friday night for a private dinner. It was our second time here and Bill, Chef and Owner, did not disappoint. He was solo on this evening and everything was excellent and timed perfectly. Very impressive for a one-man show! We had ... - an autumn harvest salad for a starter. Mixed greens, beets, butternut squash, pistachios, apples with a housemade maple dressing - scallop topped with an avocado remoulade over a cranberry glaze (Bill went above and beyond by making a thin sliced brisket over cauliflower purée for the non-seafood eater in our party) - pumpkin sausage soup (other soups were also offered and available such as tomato, chili con carne, butternut bisque and I think one more I cannot recall) - surf (stuffed shrimp) and turf (sirloin topped with a mushroom glacé) served with roast brussel sprouts and a thin stuffed twice baked potato For the non surf lover: stuffed roast chicken with the same sides For the non turf lover: grilled fish with the stuffed shrimp, same sides For desserts to share: homemade chocolate mousse cake and pumpkin cream wheels. Great coffee too! Everything was outstanding and after dessert, Bill sat with us and we had a wonderful conversation with him about being in the food industry. Wish we lived closer. You must check this place out if you're in the area! Thanks Bill for another wonderful experience!!

Another great date night at the Theatre Cafe! This time we brought the munchkin as we didn't have a sitter. I had the pan seared duck breast with the most scrumptious baked pear topped with bleu cheese. My husband had the short ribs on top of polenta, absolutely amazing. The little one shared a little off of each of our plates and ate every last but including the house made pumpkin cheesecake with espresso mousse... which was out of this world. Lucky enough to get a seat on a packed night before the show!

A block away from the Hanover Theater, we went before the show (they stay open a little later on show nights). The place is very small, maybe 8 tables, but the food is fabulous. Treated to an Amuse Bouch, a first for us and very tasty. We split a Cesar Salad and had a couple of burgers, and can't wait to try their other offerings. The have two menus a bistro menu and special theatre night one for when the Hanover has a show. The service is great and friendly and we got to meet the chef which was a special treat. It's BYOB but they have their own brand of soft drinks which was a pleasant surprise, I had the root beer but there were several other offerings that I'll try on subsequent visits. Reservations on show nights are recommended and fill up fast! We plan to try and dine here before every performance we attend downtown, so I'll be updating this review from time to time. Stay tuned lol

Outstanding Butternut Raviolis today...always friendly service! Fortunately I work closely so definitely looking forward to my next visit.

Another fantastic meal at the Theatre Cafe! Bill and Jeanette delivered exceptional food and service. A hidden gem that needs to be discovered!! Thank you for providing amazing food choices . We will be back!

My only regret is that I have never been here before! The cafe has been open for 9 years, and it's one of those best kept secrets of Worcester. Everything is made from scratch and they source from farms for fresh meat. Soups are not mass produced or prepackaged. They are made from fresh ingredients everyday. The clam chowder is creamy but not thick. It will warm you up nicely and remind you that you are in New England. The duck wings are delicious with a nice sesame sprinkle and sauce. Definitely an Asian flare! There are so many things I want to try. My husband enjoyed his chicken parmesan with perfectly cooked penne pasta. I have never thoroughly enjoyed gnocchi before. But I was really craving lamb and they were paired for the daily special. This was the best gnocchi I ever had. A nice sear on each gnocchi gave it just the right texture. The sauce was delicious, and I really wanted to take half of it home. But I decided to go full caveman and practically lick my plate! They do fun looking events like a supper club and they are open later for dinner when there's a show at the Hanover Theater. But you need to make a reservation for those nights. They are primarily a breakfast/lunch place, so we need to go back for pancakes soon.

What a great find! Ten of us went to dinner before a show at The Hanover. The food was absolutely delicious and there wasn't a single complaint about anything.! From the fillets to the scallops to the salmon to the bolognese everything was perfect! Very small and intimate so reservations recommended!

Had the pleasure of having breakfast here. Everything about this place is right. From the welcoming Pride Flag out front to the cozy atmosphere inside and the "where everybody knows your name" ambience. You can tell that this is exactly what it would be like to walk into Jeanette and Bill's (the owners--married couple) kitchen at home. They're right there the whole time, and I do mean right there since the space is small and humble, they want to make sure that you have a good meal and leave satisfied, and they love their restaurant as much as they love each other. They also have a great sense of humor, but you can tell that if you piss Jeanette off, she will make you feel it, and deservedly so. Where I'm from, you don't walk into someone's kitchen and disrespect it.

Took a friend's recommendation and stopped in for a quick lunch and was still able to make our afternoon show at The Hanover Theatre without feeling rushed at all. Can't wait to come back next time I score some tickets. 5 stars.

Our friends and I dined here before a show at Hanover Theatre. The staff here are extremely welcoming and friendly, and the kitchen was superb. I have dietary restrictions and they offered to create something special for me, I enjoyed a delicious meal of grilled salmon and sides, and my own special amuse bouche (created just for me). I look forward to coming back here soon.

Teeny tiny place near the Hanover Theater that makes surprisingly good, gourmet food. From the outside you're expecting typical diner fare, but this is something of a higher quality. I've sampled a few things here (Spicy Thai chicken wrap and the brunch Lobster Eggs Benedict) and I was pleasantly surprised with the taste. This small place with the dingy exterior has some hella good food! On top of that, the prices are so reasonable I could cry with pleasure! $16 for the lobster Bene with home fries and a cup of coffee). Believe me, I am well acquainted with expensive, but poor quality food. Theater Cafe is reasonable and delicious, two things I love when it comes to food. Definitely a place worth trying at least once if you're on Main Street, and one worth going back to more than once.

Tuna Club (sans bacon) is outrageously delicious.

What a wonderful place!!! I have walked by and tried to stop in several times before but on show nights at the Hanover, it's by reservation only and always booked. Now I finally understand why! Cozy tables but everyone there was nice and friendly and laughing at each other's jokes. We were treated to a delicious little amuse bouche on the house, ravioli with creme fraiche. The garden salad was generous and yummy, house made vinaigrette. Then I was so glad I had remembered it was BYOB and brought a merlot to go with the fabulous Brisket dinner with carrots and mashed potatoes. Succulent beef in a perfect wine sauce. We didn't have dessert but they looked amazing so I will try to leave room next time. Thank you very much for the incredible meal and homey hospitality!

If I could give more stars I would. The food, the environment, the owners and chefs are incredible. Best little kept secret in Worcester!

The food is phenomenal and the staff is five star quality. Bill, Jeanette and their entire staff strive vigorously to maintain the highest quality standards on a daily basis. They use the freshest seasonal ingrediants and prepare each meal with care creating mouth watering dishes that never disappoint. My family and I have been dining here for years and it is consistently incredible. They do not disappoint and come highly recommended!

A SPECTACULAR way to celebrate the Theater Café's 6th year! A chefs dinner! Jeanette and Bill were lovely hosts as always, and prepared an amazing dinner for their guests, supplemented by smooth live music. They were even accommodating to food restrictions, even with the preset menu. I'm posting each of the SIX courses that were included. We've been about a half dozen times so far, but we're lucky to have gotten a reservation to celebrate this Worcester gem. Congrats on six years!

I ordered the biscuits and gravy and they are so good! The biscuits are soft and the gravy was not too greasy and the portion was just right not too insane. The breakfast potatoes have a nice crunch to them and the staff was so nice. Would definitely order from here again!

Theatre Cafe is such a nice spot for myself that I live close by. I can run in and get some coffee or place an order for pick up and know it will be ready on time and it's great every time. I will definitely keep coming back.

A small place that's BIG on flavor and portions! Just happened across this place while looking for a brunch place and talk about a hidden gem! I had the biscuits with sausage gravy and eggs...and it was awesome. I'm a southern boy and it reminded me of a great breakfast back home. Diverse menu, awesome chef. You've got to try this place out!

So tiny I often have to get dinner to go. The menu is always interesting and the quality is amazing.

I loved the Avocado and Cheese tomato and bacon sandwich. It was grilled. I also loved the homemade potato chips. I also loved the Greek Salad. I also loved the sauce for the homemade potato chips. It was also conveniently located right next to the Hanover Theater where I saw The play A Christmas Carol. Friendly wait staff and chef. Best thing I ever ate!

I never knew about this place until i started working in my office since then I've never had an issue whatsoever well maybe one small one. Their coffee is always watered down. Please don't water down your coffee when you have it delivered but everything else is great especially their breakfast sandwiches. Also more options for your French toast or maybe add waffles!!

It really depends on when you go in there. If Bill the husband is working the service is fantastic. And then there's his wife, you'll see her outside smoking a cigarette once in a while. I've actually sat in there and watched her backstab regulars as they've come in and left. I've also caught her on several occasions overcharging me because she didn't think I was paying attention to the prices. So when I go there I walked by if the bill is working I go in there, if the wife is there I keep walking

After reading the reviews, I so wanted to have a good experience.... unfortunately that was not the case yesterday. We got there before noon and I was excited to see the specials. Looked good. We asked the waitstaff whether the hamburger came with fries and I asked about the number/size of the shrimp cakes. She brought over a plate of 4 cakes that had not been cooked yet and explained that this was what they started as. She indicated it was her first day there but if the description of the meal did not indicate fries then no fries. So my husband ordered sweet potato fries with his Med/Well burger and I ordered the shrimp cake/chowder special. When the woman (guessing owner) read the order I overheard her ask the waitstaff if the request for sweet potato fries was instead of the fries that came with the burger.... That was the first time I realized that there was some confusion. When the food finally came, the chowder was a bit thin though did taste OK and there were 3 small shrimp cakes -not 4 and were a bit dry. Not a problem a bit of tartar sauce couldn't overcome.... Then my husband started eating his burger and realized something was wrong.... something was hard to bite through. He showed it to me and I realized that the cook had never removed the paper lining of the meat and had cooked it that way! I refrained from making a scene but did point it out to the waitstaff who shared the situation with the woman/owner who subsequently shared the information with the cook(guessing husband/owner). Both came out and saw the paper that had been removed and joked about it though apologized.... NOTHING else... At best it would have been appropriate to remove that cost off the tab. At the least, my husband should have been offered a replacement. The fact that the cook could grill the burger with the paper on it make be wonder if both sides were actually cooked. After all, wouldn't it have been noticed once the burger was flipped? The paper was on the underside of the meat in the bun so it was not seen when husband put ketchup on top. Very disappointing. I do not see us ever going back regardless of the proximity to the theater.

Fresh clean food. With awesome flavors! You would never know it from the outside but the inside is awesome yummy. The service was great and I didn't have any complaints. That's why I gave it five stars.

Their food. Maybe be ok. Not sure. But their customer service is horrendous!! Tried to make reservations and the woman on phone basically hung up on me!!! REALLY?? Wow. Not even trying even if food is ok. Lots of other venues without attitude. Response from owner doesn't make me want to even attempt trying back. A simple we "don't have any reservations left" would have suffice without being rude. Don't take offense from the truth. Food AND service IS your industry not just ONE or the other. Good luck.

I have to say for the size of this place I'm amazed at the food I've received from here. I never got a bad meal here and is one of my favorite places in Worcester. Best steak bomb I ever had by far and the specials are great. This sort of quality at the price point is head scratching. Great sandwiches with unique specials like lobster mac and cheese. So many places nearby have fancy atmospheres with high prices but the food is always sub par, this cafe is the polar opposite. Not saying the atmosphere is bad at all just small but that doesn't bother me. I go to restaurants for good food, not yuppie atmospheres. I assume based on the dishes the chef has had some past culinary training, pretty wild what they accomplish in that tiny kitchen.

My son and I have been on a very long college touring trip. And came across this establishment. We were taken care of very quickly and had a fantastic breakfast. The egg sandwich was awesome. And the pancakes were fluffy & big. Thanks for the great meal..

We had the best blueberry homemade pancakes here, they were amazing. The breakfast was so good and everything was homemade. The place is small and cozy with very good music and hospitality. If we lived close enough this place will definitely be an almost every day occurrence. Will definitely come back if we are in Worcester

When we arrived, there was no seating available. It is very small and lacking space. The people are nice. I seen a 1 or 2 people come back because there orders were not correct. We were running late because of the drive there and closet parking was very hard to find. After we got our orders, the food did not seem right. My friend ordered the seafood medley and the fish smelled bad even in the sauce. I ordered the steal tips. I thought it came with mashed potatoes and veggies. I got white and shredded veggies. The steak was the toughest and hard to chew. I got scared chewing on it for a minute or two. The first time I ordered steak and it was tougher than beef jerky. The reason why it has 2 stars is because the people were very nice.

What a great place to have dinner before a show. I really enjoyed the owner. I believe her name is Jeanette. A delicious salad and chowder was my dinner.

We were one hour early for a reservation and chef Bill and his lovely wife made us feel so comfortable while we waited for our dinner prior to the Sarah Brightman show we brought our wine they opened it gave us glasses and entertained us while we waited for the other guests to arrive we had an absolute lovely meal I had the risotto mushroom which was perfect my husband had brisket Bourguignon which was done to perfection we also had the edamame potstickers which were perfect then we were on our way to the show we would go there again in a heartbeat they were the ultimate host sincerely Earl and Linda Way Springfield Massachusetts

Outstanding! Best kept secret. Had the best breakfast since arriving here. The steakbomb omelette was wonderful. I love the small intimate atmosphere here. I will definitely be back and bring all my coworkers

Love this place, great food and they deliver... can't go wrong! The food is always fresh and made to order.

This fantastic place is the perfect example of 'don't judge a book by the cover' - it is teeny-tiny (although it does have back room too) and the pre-theatre menu seems quite limited, but don't let that fool you! A dear friend and I stopped in for dinner before seeing Late Night Catechism at the Hanover Theatre. We managed to snag 1 of the last 2 tables free (a high-top) right by the door. We were greeted and made to feel welcome immediately by the chef's wife and co-owner, Jeanette. After glancing at the one page menu we made our selections - my friend wanted to try this amazing-sounding Seafood Cannaloni that mentioned shrimp and lobster while I opted to try the Half Duck with an Asian glaze and we selected their Spring Salad to share. It's BYOB, which we didn't come prepared for, but no matter - the FOOD held all of our attention and then some! The salads were neatly split in the kitchen and came out in a goodly amount of time (I like that they don't stint on the bleu cheese crumbles, walnuts or craisins like some places do) and the addition of crisp, fresh (non-brown) slices of green apple made this the perfect starter. Our entrees arrived pretty soon thereafter (I was concerned because our Hostess did mention that the duck took the longest of all the menu items, but BOTH our entrees arrived without too much of a wait at all and nice and piping hot!) My friend's Cannaloni was absolutely bursting with chunks of shrimp & lobster, with a goodly amount of sauce (but not drowning in it). The pasta was perfectly al dente and there was some fresh parsley to add some green to the generous serving. Now to the best part of my visit. Without a doubt, this duck was the juiciest, most flavorful duck I've EVER tasted! It was tender, with a crisp & tasty skin. The Asian Glaze was just right, acting to enhance rather than to mask the flavor of this incredible dish! Oftentimes if you are served duck and it's still nice & hot, it's also DRY and stringy with very little duck flavor - NOT SO here! As you can see from my photo, the skin had this amazing golden brown color and it tastes even BETTER than the photo. The potato galettes on the side were flaky, buttery and just so tasty - they were the perfect accompaniment to the duck. Concentrating on the duck and pastry as I was, I do admit the vegetables were a bit of an afterthought, but on my part, not the Chef's! The Chef (Bill) came over moments after our plates arrived (I had to take a bite) and anxiously asked how we liked everything. I love that the Chef came right out, was friendly and genuinely wanted to know our thoughts! My only regrets? a) we did not bring a bottle of wine to enjoy with our dinner; b) we did not have time to try a dessert; and c) The Theatre Café is 30-45 minutes away from where I live! I would go there every WEEK to see what's on the ever-changing menu. HIGHLY RECOMMEND you check this place out - they are generally only open when the Hanover is open, but call ahead and you can try for a reservation - will most definitely do all in my power to get back to this place...

We came to this place for lunch while driving through Worcester. It was about 2:30pm on a Thursday, so the lunch crowd was gone by this time. What a wonderful find! The proprietors are lovely people and really care about sharing their culinary creations with their customers. We ordered sandwiches, and munched on some baked goods while we waited. The cookies were amazing. They brewed fresh ground coffee for my wife. The chef was also trying out a new ginger/carrot soup recipe and brought a cup over for us to try out - it was delicious! I don't know how we got so lucky in choosing this small place to eat/rest while driving through. I wish all the best to the owners.

The variety and quality of food that comes out of the small kitchen is very impressive. My S.O. had the mahi-mahi (which was impressively presented with some rice and veggies and drizzled with sauce and red onions) and reported that it was very good. I had the burger and fries. The burger was excellent, definitely fresh made and served on a very fluffy bun. The woman cooking and serving was very nice. Highly recommend it.

This was a welcome break from the chain restaurants I encounter while traveling. Everything was fresh and homemade. The service was kind and as quick as can be. The atmosphere is nice though small, but the kitchen and counter area could be tidied a bit. I ate there twice and thoroughly enjoyed my food - fish sandwich on wheat, curried carrot soup (perfect for a cold windy evening). The place had lots of options for the vegetarian! My friend got the French onion soup and Thai chicken wrap. The prices were very reasonable too. It's very convenient to the Hanover Theatre as many have said. I appreciated that they were open on Saturdays and Sundays as I was staying at a hotel downtown with no car. A lot of other restaurants lost our service there that weekend!

Awesome dinner. Awesome owners, awesome place. This place is what's good about America. My wife's birthday dinner was priceless. Thanks guys. We will be back.

Stopped by with a couple work buddies looking for an afternoon pick me up. Despite the sunny weather all of us seemed to have some dark clouds hovering over us. Once we found Theatre Cafe our day immediately took a turn for the better. The owner, I'm assuming, served us up some delectable treats. Some of us enjoyed the ice cream, a few had some iced coffees and one lucky soul tried the Spicy Thai Chicken Wrap. All of us thoroughly enjoyed every item we ate or drank. I would highly recommend this place to residents or visitors of Worcester.