Vanguard Kitchen

This is the terminal splurge if you are feeling the need for strong spirits, fast versions of good food, and a booth to rest. Super nice service after we ordered off the table code. Things came in good time. Wouldn’t pay the tab for every trip, but if it’s vacation already? Let it begin.

Me and my friend ate here, we’re Canadian and haven’t been to the us before. We ordered food and were forced to tip a minimum of 15%, the money isn’t a problem more the principle, when asking the server about the tip, my colleague wanted to tip less as we just got back from a trip and already spent alot of money(the meal was also like $27us+tax for a burger and fries) he was denied the option to tip less and was told"that is the price" we were also not given change back(once again not the money the issue, it’s the principle). Spoke to another staff member about our concerns and were basically brushed off.Will not be returning

Food was fine. Ppl expecting fine dining should stay in NYC haha. Service was great, friendly African American dude with dreads greeted and seating us. Great server making do without certain ingredients. All the food was fine, edible and satisfying. United members get 20% off in the discount code area. Chill vibe with charging stations and sit down civilized dining.

I usually don’t leave reviews, but my experience at Vanguard Kitchen felt worth mentioning. I ordered through their QR code system, tipped in advance, and hoped for a smooth meal after a long flight. Unfortunately, the service didn’t live up to that. Despite there being only a few guests, the staff seemed more focused on chatting behind the counter than tending to orders. It took over 30 minutes (and multiple check-ins) to get a simple burger and fries. The burger was okay, but the fries were overcooked and oddly tough — like they’d been sitting around and reheated. Not great, but manageable. What really killed the experience was when I finally got my food and sat at the bar, they started mopping behind it with bleach. The smell was intense and totally ruined the meal. I had to stop eating and get my food to-go, which felt pretty inconsiderate. I wouldn’t have minded the slower pace if there was some care or attention to the customer experience — especially after tipping upfront. Just something to think about if you’re planning to stop by.

Pretty decent food, especially given that it’s in the airport. The food is quite overpriced. However, the food off of the kids menu is much cheaper and still gives plentiful portions. I would recommend the Mushroom Pizza or the French Fries. Service is timely as well.

When I arrived, I approached the hostess, Qumar, and asked for hot water. She directed me inside to speak with a bartender. I followed her instructions and approached a server, who unfortunately was very rude in her response. When I asked for hot water, the server first questioned where I was sitting. I explained that I had just come in and only needed hot water. Rather than assisting me, she dismissively told me to go to Starbucks instead. This experience left me feeling disrespected and unwelcome. I understand that restaurants may have policies regarding serving non-dining guests, but I believe these could be communicated in a much more polite and professional manner. As someone who appreciates good customer service, this interaction was very disappointing. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and ensure your staff are trained to treat all guests with respect and courtesy, regardless of the request. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

I was almost tempted not to come because of the bad reviews but I’m glad I came In. Good food and service and nice music. A lil vibe

Grabbed a bite to eat before our flight, two of us ordered a burger and both enjoyed the sandwich and the French fries. I ordered a side dish of French Fries, which were crispy and warm.

Like most places in the airport, everything was outrageously priced, but again, that is to be expected. I decided to get the build your own omelette with a side of fruit. The omelette was actually good. I'm glad I got the fruit because the potatoes were undercooked . The poor server was busy and definitely hustling. Decent breakfast.

We didn't have long before flight but wanted more than a sandwich. They were quick and attentive and got in and out in 20 minutes. Had the pep pizza which kids ate. Cheese was stretchy. Also had hummus which was very good and loved cucumbers and roasted sweet potatoes and peppers. Wish I had more time to actually try something more. Next time.

I have never written an airport restaurant review but the staff here is SO NICE and helpful, so it needed to be done. They were super helpful with my gluten-free needs. And the food was actually quite good - burger with salad. But most importantly they were friendly and gave my very hectic two weeks a wonderful conclusion. Go here if you find yourself at Newark Airport Terminal C!

We had breakfast at Newark Terminal C. The pancakes were fresh and very nice. they made a great Americana coffee. The usher was very friendly and Shirley our waitress was super helpful. Steer clear of the breakfast potatoes though.

The menu was so well balanced that I had a hard time choosing between two dishes, so our server Toni recommended I combine them. PERFECTION! The most expertly prepared salmon that flaked like velvet, and the most unexpected concoction of ingredients, flavors, and textures in the hot salad. I refuse to believe the lower ratings. This was amazing!

Vanguard Kitchen is a decent spot to get breakfast food where you seat yourself and order through your phone. The food here was pretty good and plentiful. I was happy to get a large portion of food, especially for the price point. The pancakes were a solid choice with three stacked hot cakes that were decently fluffy and soft. The fried eggs were cooked perfectly as requested. The scrambled eggs, however, were disappointing as they were dry and lacked flavor. The bacon was crispy and savory as expected. When it came to coffee, I was a fan of the latte. It was served in a large mug and at the perfect temperature with a good flavor. The staff members were fast to deliver orders and relatively nice. The atmosphere is clean and casual.

Worst airport food I have ever had and terrible incredibly slow service. Will take about 40 min to get your food. You order on your phone and no one ever comes to refill your water or see if you need anything else. I had two bites of the pasta and felt sick - tasted like plastic and had to send it back. Burger with fries was somewhat edible, as were the Brussel sprouts though drowned in vinegar. Stay very far away.

30 minutes to get breakfast. Food arrived cold. Staff was chaotic. Not ideal for an airport.

A clean, bright, pricey mid range dining spot in the terminal. The staff were friendly, decently fast. There are tablets mounted on every table but they only provide a QR code to order on your phone. Pricey. Decent food. They pre add a tip and try to be slick.

AVOID Of course at an airport, expect to pay more... but for portions fit for a bird? The portions are downright tiny, I'd be afraid to order an appetizer here - 1 bite? The quality was also sub-par, the beets tasted old. Avoid this place at all costs. After eating the meal here, we went to eat elsewhere. The food court area had pizza which was cheaper and tastier. That area also has a salad bar, I wish I had seen this before sitting at Vanguard.

Hungry I had a ceaser salad here. The 15% gratuity pay up front was a dubious. This was apparent during the plea for water. Begrudgingly waitress gave me water, ask for lemons, which was another reminder asked at the start. Salad came out was bland but reasonable supermarket grade lettuce. Like the anchovies. Asked for more dressing, waitress said it's already mixed in... but did get it for me after pre nudges. $23 for mediocre salad, bad service was not my way to start the trip.

The low reviews are a bit baffling given the fact that most US airports have a burger place, sandwich place and if you are lucky. - Starbucks! Service is fast and impressive options! I had the tuna tartare which understandably wasn't the most amazing in the world but it was good and a great beet salad with whipped cheese and pistachios- not a typical thing for an airport menu! Enjoyed a local IPA before a cross country flight and can skip crummy place food!

Food was ok. Service was a little slow and took a little longer. The food was room temperature by the time it got to us. Theres plenty of seating inside and high tops. Had the classic benedict it was ok, the eggs were a little overcooked. The eggs your way was good! came with bacon, toast, and potatoes. Overpriced.

We had a good experience at Vanguard. The staff members were friendly and very helpful with my wife's food allergy. The food arrived quickly and everything was good and fresh. I am leaving 4 stars because I agree with the review that the salad was a small portion, but since I got chicken with it, it was an acceptable size for dinner.

It took over 30 minutes to get my order - and the restaurant was practically empty when we got there. I kept asking the waiter how much longer because I was getting close to check-in time. I finally went to the front to ask for a refund at which point the "waiter" told me with an attitude that he had just put my order at my table. The toast was burned (and so was the toast of my other three co-workers), and the food was cold. Disgusting. Unfortunately I had no time to complain while there because I had to run to my flight. I will NEVER come back, nor will my co-workers, and I would NEVER recommend this place. A disgrace considering how much you charge. You should be ashamed.

I ordered two items. The first was a very specific bourbon. I was immediately told that they were out, but I could sub a much lower quality bourbon for the same price. I get that this will happen, particularly with allocated liquors, but it is incredibly annoying...particularly when the entire ordering process is done by computer, which should be capable of managing the most plebean task of inventory management. The second was the carbonara. I get that a good carbonara is hard to make, which is why I don't make it myself. The one that was served, however, was in line with what I could make. Some of the guanciale was so burnt that it had become a crispy chicharrone. And unfortunately the egg wasn't added properly because a portion of it scrambled. Couple that with not being able to get a glass of water because I never saw the server again after my food was delivered, it made for an experience where I spent $66 for the wrong drink and a dinner that was just "meh" at best.

Came here for breakfast before my plane ride. Staff was nice. The restaurant was pretty busy. I enjoyed how fast and simple ordering was. There is a decent variety of items on the menu. Prices are expensive but most everything in an airport is. Ordered an egg white omelet. It came out after about 12 minutes. Everything tasted delicious, I just wished there wasn't quite sooo much butter/oil in my omelet. Good overall experience. I was in and out in about 40min.

I'm so surprised about the low ratings. I'm very picky, and I'm so happy with my experience. I ordered off the kids menu because the chicken is organic and it did not disappoint. Service was FAST. I sat at the bar and Stain the bartender was over within seconds to offer water and let me know how to order. My margarita arrived faster than I could put the order in, I took the recommendation to get espelon and I was happy I did. Note: they use fresh lime juice in their margaritas!!!! it was perfect. Great food, busy and efficient staff, and an overall calm atmosphere for the airport. A nice surprise when traveling! High quality ingredients

Do not go here you will be treated rudely like you are the problem!! When the staff has to do little to nothing at all. You order off a QR code first off. So pretty much all they have to do is bring you water and silverware. We had to ask for water after sitting there for 30 minutes..... then they informed me that they were to busy and would bring it soon as if I was the ass hole for asking. There was one person at the bar and 3 tables seated including ours. We then proceeded to get our meal and ask for water again after being out for another 30 minutes and yet again we are busy when in fact there were less people dining than before. Staff is rude, uninviting, and the service piss poor.

Really the worst airport experience and I travel a lot. I should have known by the way they "greeted" me like cattle trying. They really try to maximize the space which is fine, but it was the way they did it. The order process via QR was easy but after 20 min nothing. I was not happy about paying $45 for salmon salad and fries but I was hungry! I mentioned that I may need to take it to go and they nodded. When I went back up and said that I had to go, they said that they couldn't cook because the inspector was there! I asked for a refund and left and got a $16 grab and go salad . The couple next to me said "don't get the Mac and cheese" but at least they got their food.

DON'T EVER GO TO THIS RESTAURANT! My experience there was just awful. I ordered a burger, and they took forever, more than 30 minutes. What really made me furious was that it was only 10:30 in the morning, and there were plenty of empty seats. But no matter how many times I asked, the guy with dreads at the counter wouldn't let me sit in the better seats, while he let white couples sit there right away. It felt like they were treating me badly because of my race. If I owned this place, I would definitely fire the guy with dreads at the counter.

Simply miserable. Qr code ordering system sucks, though too be fair it's implemented across the airport. FFS, this is one COVID quick fix that had made everything worse. One to of the fact that you have to order online, you also have to pay for AND TIP your server before they've even served you! And in to of that you've got to keep in your credit card details on your phone since Apple/Google Pay and PayPal aren't options. Good luck little old ladies and men. Eff that. I had my drink (which strangely was okay to order via a human but had to manually add via the website) but canceled my food (which had to be paid for up front, with tip - but before even being served - in order for it to it being processed to the kitchen. The bartender had three gall to ask "are you going to pay for the drink?" I said "no," got up, walked halfway out, then off course struggled with checking out to pay her first five minutes. This system is not efficient, but the staff do next to nothing to clarify how it works and trip let you know how much more time consuming the process is than non -contactless payment. Never again will I stop of food or drink at EWR.

If you have plenty of time to wait for your drink and food then it's ... ok. Order your drink first and separate from the food order. Maybe you'll get it sooner. The waiter is nice but his hands are tied by the stupid system OTG uses. DON'T ORDER HERE IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY! You'll only get frustrated.

Lousy restaurant. Hilarious juxtaposition of high-end furnishings with expensive breakfast offerings that are insultingly basic and mediocre. If you're coming in below any small-town diner fare and you acknowledge that there's a huge gap in branding here, add a disclaimer to your menu. Otherwise, you're acknowledging that you operate a traveler trap (this is the first place you see as you turn the corner so the furnishings fool everyone).

I would pass on this restaurant. Their version of Eggs Benedict = hard boiled egg + untoasted English muffin, covered with too much sauce which also was awful. Next, the potatoes at $5.99 arrived cold and with hardly any onions. The coffee was hot and decent and the waitress was nice. Definitely not worth the $37 they overcharged.

Thé 4 stars is for airport Food. We all know airport food is one of the worst and highly processed food you can get but when you are in between long flights with young kids and they missed breakfast, you reconsider that some protein in their system is better than none. So, I loved!! How easy it all was to order. Seat on table, insist on those that are not taken if the people next to you are fine with sharing the table. Scan, order and wait. Improvements needed: a way to add water that is not in a plastic bottle to get in on the airplane or get some tap water cups. We ate our food with no water since we were late to get to the gate. Lots of costumers informed us that the food will take A WHILE but glad we didn't listen go them. We ordered, ate and were out within 50 mins. Perfect. The food was fresh. Again, for airport food. Looked like fast food but that is again, better than MOST food I've fasten in airport places. Another improvement, I've noticed some people needed to speak to a waiter and ask some questions, not sure why when the online reservation gave you pretty much the option to ask for help. I would suggest to the owner to have a " help " btn added to tables to call the waiter or have someone on the floor that manages costumers at all times. I don't know why the low score reviews. Should be highest in airport foods. Super efficient, well designed, seatings and website. Easy ordering process and the place was even decently clean. Pretty good!!

Not bad for airport food. Pizza is a tad soggy. The meatballs are bland. But what can you do, you are waiting for the plane at an airport.

Ordered a 31$ meatball pasta plate and it came out dry and not so tasty. I should've went next door and got a sandwich.

Sometimes Yelp ratings do not do any justice to a restaurant, and Vanguard Kitchen is one of those examples. NO way is this place 2 stars. After reading through a bunch of reviews, I found out why many people gave low ratings. 1. Price. HELLO! This is EWR, one of NYC's three major airports, so what do you expect? I can assure you that the prices here are on par with any other major airports, such as San Francisco, London, or Tokyo. In fact, prices here are not much different from any other similar restaurants in Manhattan. And if you are a United Airlines Mileage Plus member you get 20% discount just by entering your Mileage Plus number on the iPad. 2. Ordering on an iPad. I am surprised and shocked that people complain about this! This is actually the most efficient way especially if you are in a hurry. You order and pay your bill on the iPad. You don't need to wait for a server to come take your order. And when you are done, you don't have to wait for your server to bring you your check, wait again for them to take your credit card, and wait for another eternity for them to come back with your credit card slip to sign. Yes, when you are in a hurry to catch a plane, 10 minutes feel like an eternity. I am 4-thumbs up for the iPad ordering technology that is already being used in many airports (and restaurants) around the World. I had a FILET MIGNON ON TOAST which was excellent for airport food standard. In fact, it was comparable to many fine dining restaurants. The filet mignon was tender, flavorful, and perfectly medium rare. It was topped with mushroom duxelle (finely chopped mushrooms sautéed with butter, shallot, and spices) and garnished with a sherry glaze that was slightly sweet and had a hint of wine in its flavor. It was a solid 4-star experience and I'll be back the next time I fly out of EWR.

glasses were dirty, food was pretty good, coffee was good, i hate the fact that you have to order through an app not through a waiter and then they make you pay an 18% tip also very expensive. it took like 20 minutes to order through the stupid app.

You order in an app, non alcoholic beverages aren't lumped with the alcoholic beverages at the beginning of the menu so I didn't even know anything other than water was offered. Ordered a pizza that came out uncooked and flopping all over the place. Awful. Oh and the gratuity was mandatory.

Really bad service to none. Don't bother coming here if you're at Newark airport, go to another place for food.

I try not eating or drinking at airports due to the over inflated prices. We had a long layover and we picked this restaurant. Since we're still in the C19 pandemic tables were closed off and no paper menus were given out. When I saw the prices I cringed because one beer costs as much as a 6 pack. We ordered food and drinks and were very happy with the quality and the great service provided by the servers.

The service was very good. That said I was disappointed in the Chicken Sandwich. The menu said seasoned - didn't say spicy seasoning. I'm sure I could have returned it but figured I just hadn't read it fully. Both of us had issues using the table ordering system. Not intuitive. And while I'm on that topic, totally annoying once done - they don't turn off. Ended up taking off the stands and laying them facedown. And maybe it's just me, but I found the jazz music to be very annoying. The Smokehouse Burger was delicious and cooked well done the first time - thank you.

Food is ok. C plus to B minus. Service is a real mixed bag. Food delivery was slow. Then the server literally dropped the food in front on us and practically ran away. Missing items including no butter for my wife's bread. No coffee or water. By the time we got the butter her toast was cold. The coffee was too hot and burned the tip of my tongue. Bartender guy tried to save the day and put in a great effort. Prices are high and auto include the tip. You have to order on an iPad with. Credit card. Pro tip: hey guys dont have your wine bottles near the heat and in the window exposed to sunlight. Wine doesnt skunk fast like beer but heat and light will screw it up.

Over priced and not that good. Ordering was easy and service was okay via scan. I only ordered French fries and they were mediocre at best for nearly $13 there was room for them to dazzle. Have had better at fast food places. My 9oz Riesling was $31 which is outrageous. But it's an airport so you pay it. But then the server steps over and says they don't have Riesling so you are either forced back to the scan or replace it with another wine. He told they've been out of it for 3 months so it's a bait and switch. Fries looked like frozen steak fries with some bullshit description. Come on Vanguard Kitchen you can do better especially given false expectations. Yes, so $58 for one glass of wine & fries. Laughable Save your $ and go somewhere else

Not sure what is up with all the shade being thrown in the other reviews, maybe these people thought they were eating at the Waldorf Astoria? People, this is an airport. So if you travel a lot, through airports, you know airport food is not always that great, at times bland and rarely creative. While I was overwhelmed at how crazy the United terminal at Newark was -- we found refuge at the Vanguard Kitchen. We sat right at the bar facing the kitchen which had a glass wall and you could see everything going on in there. You order off of an iPad, and if you punch in your United Mileage plus info you get a discount. It is pretty cool, very efficient and you can also do other stuff on the iPad while you are waiting on your order. We had a server who brought us drinks and was very attentive. I ordered the margherita pizza, my travel buddy ordered the squash soup and fries. I was amazed at how good the food was, and it was hot and pretty tasty. The portions are HUGE. I looked over at this girl eating a hamburger and it was seriously enormous, like as big as her head almost. The good was delivered quickly, on point service, tasty morsels -- get's 4 stars particularly given we are talking about an airport restaurant... and I travel through a LOT of airports.

My spouse and I ordered a pizza and drinks costing $48.66 using the online ordering system. After 45 minutes it still had not been delivered. I walked along the concourse to the restaurant and informed the host, who looked at the order on my phone and said she would contact the server working our table (we were sitting in a gate area). I went back to my spouse, and after waiting fifteen more minutes and still no food was delivered, we had to leave to catch our flight. The restaurant was busy, but I was unable to find anyone who was able to cancel our order and prevent the charge to my card going through. I tried phoning the 866 number later but no one replied. Terrible customer service and no interest in rectifying an error. I will have to go through my credit card company to reverse the charge. Avoid this place! ADDED NEXT DAY: The company replied to my review first thing the following day and arranged for a full refund. My review accurately describes my experience (so I Ieave it as is), but the company response was excellent. It may well be that this is a company that cares, but (like many others post-pandemic) is struggling to find enough good staff. Based on my overall experience, including their response, I would be prepared to use them again.

The service was okay. The beet salad had no dressing, zero taste, and $20+ for a bunch of beets served on top of yogurt. AWFUL

I walked up to be seated and was immediately directed to a bar outside of the restaurant because they were "at capacity". I refused and asked to be put on the wait list and suddenly a seat opened up. I told my server this and she was surprised that they would tell me they're at capacity when there were 5 open tables... 5! I found that experience to be really off putting and can't help but think they refused to seat me for some other reason. The food was also horrendous, which is expected for American airport food, I guess.

Atrocious food. Bad attitude. Horrible customer service. Arrogant and obnoxious people working there. Disgusting food. I ordered a pizza and waited for 45 mins. They could not even locate my order. And of course, it costs an arm and a leg. Finally they located and said, 'oh yeah it is here' and they give me a cold pizza which I had to carry it on the plane and ended up discarding it because it was not even cooked properly. I hope more people read this and avoid this place. The FDA needs to shut this place down for the cleanliness. Good chance you will fall sick after eating here. DO NOT GO. Avoid this place under any cost. I was there on Wednesday 5th September around noon and there was hardly anybody there.

Good place to stop if you want to kill some time before your flight , food was good just way over priced , but that's expected being at the airport . I had just eggs & cheese with the side of potatoes , all really yummy, the drinks however were not impressive at all.

You're going to want to stay away from this place. The online ordering process creates a separation from the customer, which leads to poor customer service. There's a button on the ordering tablet where you can ask for assistance. Pressed it 10x and no one came. Staff seems to be the angriest, unhappiest, indifferent people on Earth :( That, combined with high prices for drinks ($15 for a glass of Sam Adams) will lead you down the road of immense frustration. Stay Away...you've been warned!!!

Dining options at Terminal C aren't exactly abundant for a morning flight, with Vanguard pretty much par for the course: medicore food at inflated prices, with service almost non-existent. Like most sit down spots at Newark, orders are placed through an iPad. Make your choice, slide your card, wait for your meal. I wasn't too hungry, but wanted to snag something pre-flight without shelling out $10+ for a cold, premade sandwich at a grab n go: a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese, cucumber, and tomato came out to $3.05. All things considered: not a terrible markup. Unfortunately, it took about 20 minutes for that bagel to come out. It came sliced and toasted, but that was the extent of the preparation. A small container of cream cheese was on the side with a couple slices of tomato and cucumber. No knife to spread the cream cheese. The bagel was decent, but you'd be better off drastically overpaying at a grab n go if you're in a rush

4 of us eating here while in the transit... my friend orders a burger medium and it comes out raw. Only sear outside of the patty. This is ridiculous... and they didn't do anything about it. Save your money in somewhere else.

I got the cheese pizza and my girlfriend got the Caesar, both to go. When we got to our gate people kept asking where we got them because the pizza smelled so good! We both agreed the food was delicious. The only downside was a fairly long wait time, around 45 minutes during peak hours. If you have the time to burn I'd recommend it but order early!

The food was actually good. The chicken was well cooked and the salad was decent. But the service was so bad that it does not matter. This place is loud, too little seating, and it's always crowded. The servers are non-existant, and ordering from the ipad does little to get drinks refilled. It's nice to have a place to sit that's not the gate, but it's just not what it could/should be.

I ordered crispy chicken sandwich and asparagus. Chicken tasted good (half little over cooked but its ok) I did think onions and the sweet chili glaze was too much, it overwhelmed the flavor of the chicken which was really good. The greens were nice. But I really liked the grilled asparagus alot. The parmesan on top of it was good match with the lemon zest. I also ordered ice latte with soy milk it was good. I will like to give 4 stars. First, a lady sat me at the high chair which is painful for me to sit since my back surgery. But the gentlemen servers helped me switch to a table later on. They asked me if I needed anything, gave my water, were polite, showed me how to use the electronic menus. Over all I will give most of the points to them. Try them out they have nice selection of items in the menu. Enjoy and have a safe flight my Yelpzonians!

Absolutely F Terrible service Slow Overpriced & under quality Brought us waters with floating black pieces of crap in it, "thats how our water comes"