Address: | 1137 S Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218, USA |
Phone: | +1 412-244-8002 |
Site: | square-cafe.com |
Rating: | 4.5 |
Working: | 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM 7AM–3PM |
JO
Josh Fredrikson
New to the area, place always busy when we drive past, last Saturday decided to go based on the reviews. We arrived early, ~9AM on Saturday, wife was parking. Hostess told me we would have to wait till all of the party was here (only me & my wife), there was 3 open tables? While I understand policy, I could have easily said "Party of one", would they not serve me? Anyway, no big deal, I realize they get busy and that it just must be their policy, so gave them my name and waited. Two minutes later my wife arrived. We went to the hostess, Jackie (spelling?), and said we were both here. She said OK, and said she would call us. A little confused, we stood there and waited. 30 seconds or so later she pointed to a table by the windows, which was open, away from the street, but promptly changed her mind, and told the waitress to sit us at the table closest to the street. We asked if we could sit at the table next to the window. It was a small table, with 1 chair and a bench against the window. Jackie, the hostess, said that was reserved for a larger party, and said we had to sit by the street. Again, not what I expected, but we moved to the table closest to the street. Less than a minute later, I look up and see a couple (only 2 people) sitting at the very table we asked to be seated at originally, that Jackie denied us. Both my wife and I were very disappointed. We had made a conscious effort to arrive early to be seated away from the street. Of course, as luck would have it, a large Suburban pulled in 2 feet from us, and was idling for 10 minutes while we ate. We were choking on fumes. Overall our experience with the Square Cafe was terrible. For breakfast, we each ordered a coffee/latte, we shared the Lemon Berry Ricotta Pancakes (as they were highly recommended), I ordered the Lovely Lox (Smoked Salmon Bagel), and my wife got the Chorizo Benedict. Coffee - Mugs were cool, artsy, her americano/my plain latte was meh and nothing to be excited about. I appreciate that the Kiva Han Coffee is locally roasted in Cranberry, but our favorite last brunch place (Volts Family Meal in Frederick MD) brewed la colombe coffee from Philly PA, and we liked that better. Lemon Berry Ricotta Pancakes - They were good - tasty Lovely Lox - Meh - The parts arrived separate (decomposition), and I could build it, which I liked, but the ingredients felt processed, bland, and not fresh. The cream cheese was in a plastic tub and a generic brand that just said "Cream Cheese". Our last brunch hangout would bring the cream cheese out in a small shot glass. Even if it was Philadelphia cream cheese, it would have been better. The bagel seemed more stale than fresh, and the salmon/tomatoes did not seem fresh either. Chorizo Benedict - My wife thought the house-made pork chorizo was icky (over salted and too greasy - the meat tasted very processed). The tomatoes did not taste fresh, neither did the avocado. The rest she said was OK. The overall vibe was good with lots of interesting people eating there (+1*), the food was marginal for all the hype (-1*), and we may have tried different fairs if we were to go back, but after our disappointing experience with Jackie (-2** - maybe we got her on a bad day?) and slightly disappointing food, we wont be heading back. If you do go, we would recommend the Lemon Berry Ricotta Pancakes. The East End Co-op (right down the street) weekend brunch buffet has fresher, more wholesome tasting vegetables and foods.
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Genevieve Pecharka
Been here so many times that Im pretty much obliged to post a review. Like many other East End residents, Im kind of obsessed with Square Cafe. Sherree and her crew are friendly, patient, and attentive, and the dining area has a colorful, chatty ambiance. The specialty coffee drinks are amazing, and oh my goodness.... such FABULOUS, inventive local food! I live within reasonable walking distance, so every time someone visits from out of town I feel obliged to bring them here. My favorite dishes are the brussels sprout grits and the white bean skillet, although because I go so often, I normally order one of the delicious seasonal/rotating menu recipes. Recently I tried their blood orange pancakes, which were equal parts weird and dreamy. The meals are generously portioned, and since I rarely have room for a milkshake or smoothie at the end of the meal, I usually take a Zesty Knitter (raspberry and chocolate) milkshake to go. The restaurant does get very crowded on Saturday, Sunday, and holiday mornings... but even when Ive arrived late (11:30~12:30) or brought a large party, Ive never waited more than 15-20 minutes. The only time Ive had a bad experience at Square Cafe was on an unusually crowded weekday afternoon, when my friend tried to custom-order something they didnt even have, and our server got really flustered. But even last time I went, when the barista made me the wrong milkshake, he just said "doh!" and apologized, then immediately whipped up a replacement, even though the restaurant was hella busy. Basically, if youre looking for an inexpensive "greasy-spoon" breakfast/brunch, this wont be your best choice... but Square Cafe is perfect for the adventurous brunch enthusiast! Its also a very kid-friendly space.
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Jessica K
My boyfriend and I stopped at Square Cafe for brunch this morning. We arrived and waited about 10 minutes for a table to become available; however, there were two heaters outside to stand by to keep warm in the meantime. We got there just before a large rush of people arrived and were lucky to only have waited as long as we did. Upon being seated, we felt a little crammed into the center of the cafe between two other tables. Im not a large person, but I really felt like i had to suck it in to get between the tables to my seat and try not to hover over our neighboring tables food. Also, I felt the cafe as a whole was incredibly loud and it was hard to carry our own conversation because we were so close to two other sets of louder people talking over us to each other. The coffee was tasty and our server was great with refills. My boyfriend had the breakfast burrito, which we both thought was average.. I had the French toast special which featured a banana cream cheese filling. We both thought this special was delicious (and not too sweet, like some other French toast fillings around the city).
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Barbara Wallace
When in doubt for breakfast out...we ALWAYS hit the Square Cafe. Traditional and eclectic offerings worth every penny. If you are sitting outside, your dog is welcome to join you. Magnificent art pieces line the walls and are available for purchase. I have two sets of their "square" mugs with stands, allowing me to rid my cabinets of all the mugs you seem to collect and never use. The Square Cafe mugs are everyones favorite in our home. Square Cafe is a "must" do at least once. I know for a fact they serve breakfast & lunch but Im not sure about dinner. They have fantastic specials, the food is fresh, the service is top notch no matter how busy they are! Enjoy...
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A Private User
The Square Cafe offers excellent breakfasts and though the lunch menu isnt as tasty in my opinion, the service and atmosphere makes Square a place that my family and I return to frequently for both breakfast and lunch. The servers are exceptionally friendly and professional. In addition, this is an excellent place for people with children. In fact, on any given Saturday there are children at the majority of the tables. The staff not only tolerates this, they welcome it. They are engaging and kind to the children, sensitive to their needs, and they supply toys and crayons to little ones as well. A great family dining experience!!