Arrived a little 1 pm on Monday; their small parking lot was full but diners were leaving so we circled back. We already knew what we wanted so we told the guy who took our water order that we were ready to order meals. Took a while for the lady server, who seemed to be the only one working the front, to come take our order. There were some to-go orders and one guy came to eat the diner's bar. Took a lot longer to get our food than it did last time (around the same time on a Tuesday). We did have 1 additional person with us, and it seemed as if the server was waiting on something before she could bring all of our orders together. Son got the same Ultimate burger that he ordered last time, with fries. Daughter ordered the Empire State sandwich with potato salad (included as side). I ordered the Wall Street sandwich, added (extra cost) onion rings. I had overheard her talking to the kitchen staff about no onion rings BUT SHE NEVER CAME TO TELL ME and give me the option to pick another side. Instead she assumed I wanted Fries (which I didn't), and brought those with my sandwich. I would've rather had cole slaw if I couldn't have onion rings. Everything else was good. read more

The staff is always cordial. I like the fact they take pride in their takeout. The pizza was great. The wrap was not over dressed. read more

I used to be a fan of this place: decent food, reasonably priced, and good service. I'm sad to have to say that something has changed - I don't know if they have been sold to new owners, or maybe hired new management, or whatever, but the food quality has taken a DIVE! A hard dive! Inedible food, presented in the most unappetizing ways imaginable, and brought to you by surely, outright hostile waitstaff. The highlight here was always their beef sandwich (grinder I think was their description). It was a decently sized sandwich with good sides and "drippings" (au joux?). The last two times we took the kids here, the food was salted beyond belief: it was difficult just to chew it because of the crazy salt load! The sides were equally bad, both salty and smelling a little weird (I actually took the sides away so my kids wouldn't get sick: I was genuinely worried what would happen if they were to eat the obviously old, nasty looking sides. The french fries were salted AND dusted with some kind of taco-like seasoning, and it was AWFUL!. The icing on the cake was the check: they've raised prices by an outrageous amount. Goodbye Cafe Manhattan: you have lost the plot! read more

I like the place, it has a great atmosphere. I had the Wall Street sandwich with fries, neither were all that. The sandwich was okay and the chips were covered in salt,so much so that I just let them be. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

Nice retro diner! Food was good, premises clean and staff was matching to the time period.

This place is pretty good overall... but the true tipping point that's making this review a 5-star is the service! All of the waitresses here, and even the cooking staff, were top-notch. The joint is very unassuming from the outside when you walk or drive by. But take a step in the door, and you'll feel like you're back in the era of Elvis Presley and juke-boxes. The red plastic chairs, square tables, and soda fountain counter all scream 1950's in a very cute and classic manner. The food has some variety - sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, etc. I got a small St. Louis style pizza on my visit here, and it was just as I expected. Thin crust, provel sticky cheese, and light tomato sauce. The prices are super reasonable, too! I'd definitely pop in here again when I'm in the area in the future. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Cute place! - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

Great diner and food! Service was good, and fun to look at the pictures/scenery they have hanging up!

Love this place. All the food is homemade. So accommodating with requests. It is always busy but you don't have to wait around for food or drink orders. The servers are great and really hassle. Very cute inside with the vintage decor read more

Be sure not to plan a weekend brunch from their website, it shows breakfast foods but they serve none.

Ordered pizza and toasted ravioli and the pizza was cold and there was hardly any toppings on it. 3 inches around border had no cheese or anything. Trav's were burnt. Got home and of course pizza was ice cold too i was early For pick up time. Boy that answers phone etc was not very bright. This was my first visit in years. VERY DISSATISFIED. read more

My family loves this fun, friendly diner. Soups, salads and sandwiches are all really good. I had the spinach salad and it was excellent. Pizza and pasta look great too. Our favorite place for a tasty lunch. read more

Service is great! Greeted right away. Love the old feel of the cafe. Menu selection a little of everything. Wonderful first experience. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Menu - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I always enjoy going here and save it as a special occasion place for when a vendor comes to visit. This time turned out to be even better as the guy I had lunch with there aslo loved this place. We visited after the lunch hour. The place was, as always, very clean and inviting. We seated ourselves and it wasn't a moment later that that waitress came over. Since we both love this place (bias?) we already knew what we wanted. I had the Empire State BLT (can't have TOO much Bacon) and my company had the Meatball sandwich. We both opted for a side of chips. While we waited for lunch our server keep our glasses full of water. Didn't have to hunt her down like some places I have gone. Our sandwiches came quickly. There was no disappointment from either sandwich. My BLT was fresh, crunchy, and very flavorful. The meatball sandwich was, as my lunch mate said, the second best he had - the best was from Manhattan Express down the street! Both sandwiches were more than enough so no room for dessert - this time. I look forward to lunch there again! read more

I was torn on the review of this place. While the food has been delicious (a really great classic diner burger) and I love that they have classic diner milkshake options, the service has not been wonderful. I have been here twice now, and the last time we were here, the staff was standing next to our table complaining about their jobs for about 10 minutes, which was hard to ignore. The decor of the restaurant is fun, taking on a nostalgic diner feel. It was a wonderful option for a weekday lunch with kids, as they gave them coloring pages and had several pleasing meal options for them. The kids loved the decor too. The price is reasonable. The only other con is that the parking lot is small, so you may have to park down the street. Overall, I will probably be back for a classic burger and milkshake. read more

This diner is probably the most classic feeling diner I've been to, which is only made more special in knowing it was established in 1989. The food, the price, and the atmosphere will keep me coming back. The food: I got the Patty Melt. It was medium well, as I requested and had good flavor. The fries were good as well. I found myself eating many of them without ketchup. The service: The service was direct and fast and service and fit perfectly with the diner atmosphere that I imagined in my head as I ate. It was not super crowded on a Saturday morning, but even if it was, I don't believe the service would have been effected. The atmosphere: I've already spoken on this, but I'll wrap it up like this: If you're looking for a quick and easy, cheap and fun breakfast/brunch/lunch, definitely add this place to your list. read more

Loved the location. We went to eat right before they closed and they were more than friendly to us and let us eat our pizza/cannelloni inside since it was a pretty warm evening. The food was quite good! The whole wheat crust on the veggie pizza was really good... and I am a picky pizza gal! The cannelloni was fabulous as well and I loved that they gave bread with it since I love my dipping my bread in the sauce! They had a great variety of food for such a small place. After we were finished eating we refilled our drinks and sat outside on their outdoor patio. Super nice! I also like the fact that they serve snow cones. I would go back for sure. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

First of all, we had great service by Brittney who was working behind the counter that day, so 5 stars for service. She gave us some recommendations on sandwiches and burgers. My husband loved the sandwich she recommended, and I had the burger for the first time and now realize it's one of my favorite burgers in town. Wow, I had no idea they were sooo good here! Thanks to our server for letting me know! Looking forward to coming back for another one. Comes with fries for ~$8. The bar stools weren't the "most" comfortable, and I have only tried a small bit of their menu, so I definitely see room for moving up from 4 stars. Last I knew, you could get food delivered through the 569-DINE service, which charges ~$5/delivery. read more

Service was excellent; food was very tasty; and, the ambiance was straight out of the 60's - lots of fun!

another one of those restaurants where the food is better than the service, so it really does balance out. I have eaten here several times, and each time it really is the same, I get mediocre service, but when the food arrives, its always tasty and very refreshing, not to mention it's also very satisfying. I usually have burgers when I come here, although the menu is a bit more extensive than that, so its always worth checking out just to form your own opinion. the place is nicely decorated and it's cool to sit and look at all the different items on the walls, don't expect top notch service, it has yet to happen, and I have been here about 10 times.. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

So, I went online to order a for pickup today, the price of a Cobb salad was $8.95, the telephone number was incorrect. We were running late and hoped it would be ready on our arrival. Went there anyway, learned the internet-posted number was not current and that the price was outdated. They refused to honor the posted price. The person who waited on me was also not friendly. I left. These are rough times for restaurants; we love Manhattan, their pizza is an all-time winner; we have family who come from Creve Coeur to pick it up. I feel bad for the situation, but I won't be going back. Not to honor an outdated posted price isn't forgivable by me. read more

This cute little family diner had some really nice waitresses. They interacted with my son so well and as far as the food selection it was a great variety. Only thing is I wish my lasagne was cooked a little bit longer but it was definitely good. We all walked away full and the apple pie was nice. Will go again read more

Love this small spot in St. Louis! Food is great and always served by staff that are smiley and attentive. You definitely get the older diner vibes but I enjoy my visit each time! I usually get a lunch combo of soup and a sandwich and it's been awesome every time. Their potato bacon soup is warm, cheesy, and comforting and sandwiches are fresh and have a great ratio of meat to cheese to lettuce to Mayo etc. I plan on visiting again soon! read more

Let's be honest - when you opt to eat at a diner, you know it won't be haute cuisine. And oftentimes, diner food doesn't even rise to the level of mediocrity. That said, Café Manhattan's fare is above average. We returned for a second visit to this 50's-inspired diner because the food was tasty the first time. The décor is pretty much what you would expect - lots (& lots) of Elvis pictures, album covers and tchotchkes, as well as Coca-Cola memorabilia and a jukebox. Soda fountain complete with stools and Formica-topped dinette tables & booth seating. The seasoned beef sandwich (French dip) is served on toasted garlic bread with a side of au jus. Plenty of meat and very, very good. The fish (cod) sandwich came on a Kaiser roll, and again, was good - not great, but good. For the non-carnivore in our party, the Liberty Melt was a hit. Melted white cheddar cheese, with sliced tomatoes, avocado and alfalfa sprouts between toasted whole wheat bread. Hit the spot! Very good. The place was fairly busy, and while we were there, a number of people came in to pick up pizzas to-go, or to enjoy an ice cream cone. Our server was very friendly, and the service was prompt. Cute little place with decent food. I would recommend. read more

Cafe Manhattan - 50's-inspired decor - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This place has a great diner atmosphere with a counter and fun decor. In addition to the sandwich menu, they make pizzas. The service is friendly and attentive. Shout out to the chicken salad sandwich on wheat. And the crinkle fries are crispy, delicious and plentiful. read more

The Best of the old fashioned diners! The pizza is the best in town. Wonderful, friendly staff. read more

If you like tons of creepy Elvis pictures and Black Sabbath playing in a 50's era diner, then this IS the spot for you! I usually don't fan boy but my-o-my their turkey club sent me from flaccid to chub. The quantity of food they give you is outstanding. Don't let the chili cheese fries fool you, they're only $6 but I'm pretty sure that greasy son of a bitch weighed in at a solid 7 lbs. Bring the boys because your grandmother won't be able to help you finish the metric fuck ton of food they deliver to you in a warm but surly fashion. They have a wide variety and real phosphate soda that would make any ICP fan put down the faygo and head over to the diner. All in all I will be back, soon. read more

Cafe Manhattan - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Fantastic ambience, service, and food all at a reasonable price. I would highly recommend you visit this local family owned business and enjoy a nice meal. read more

I'd been eyeing Cafe Manhattan as the answer to my sporadic burger cravings and after a long day of celebrating Mardi Gras yesterday, it seemed like the best time to give Cafe Manhattan a whirl. Cafe Manhattan's a bit hidden and is deceptively small. But when you get inside, it's like you've been transported to a quintessential American diner in the 50's. Since it was a Saturday night, there was a bit of a wait but nothing crazy (less than 10 minutes). Service was questionnable -- our server was MIA after we ordered and then another server asked to clear my plate even though there was still food on it. But on to the important stuff: the burgers! My burger was all-right. It was a sizeable burger, which I usually enjoy, but there was just something about it that didn't have me thinking, "man, I have GOT to Yelp abt this burger!" The burger came with fries that were just blah. I'm a firm believer in well-seasoned fries: really good fries don't need ketchup and these needed a whole helping of ketchup. The shake wasn't too shabby -- a bit overpriced at $4.50 but you do get your shake plus the leftovers in the tin cup. I don't know that I'll be planning any return trips here any time soon but for a decent burger, fries, and shake for less than $15? It's definitely on my short list of places to get my burger fix! read more

Cafe Manhattan - Burger! - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This place was very welcoming and cute! The atmosphere was friendly, and we had a great time. The decorations really made you feel like you were in a fifties diner. It was clean, and the food was delicious. My friend and I got a salad and my other friend got a wrap and they were all reasonably priced. The waiter, Joe, was extremely kind and personable. He made sure our drinks were filled always, and we had everything we needed. The bathrooms were clean, and the other waitresses were very sweet! read more

Cafe Manhattan - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

everything screamed comfort. cute stop in the clayton neighborhood parking lot is small but there is public parking all around.

we went here today for lunch and I ordered the hot pastrami "piled high" sandwich.... had maybe 4 slices of pastrami at best .... I'm from Manhattan and this was not a true pastrami sandwich so disappointed.would think again about coming back . read more

Cafe Manhattan - Piled high .... NO - Pizza Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I have been here several times over the years, the food is ok and it has a fresh retro-diner atmosphere. They have limited vegetarian options for lunch, I've had both the veggie sandwich and the pizza. Last time I had the pizza, it was ok. The vegetables were fresh, so was the sauce but it was not overly impressive. The service has always been super-friendly and the decor is creatively nostalgic (I love eating next to an old gas pump). And like others have noted parking can be a challenge. read more

Be warned that parking is definitely a problem at this location. Be prepared to circle the neighborhood and walk a distance. I went on a weeknight at 6 pm when the place wasn't crowded. I'm not sure why every spot in the adjacent parking lot was full. The server was not concentrating. My order was incorrect. He also forgot we asked for separate checks. I ordered a sandwich and the homemade chips that came with it were thick, greasy and salty. I could not eat many. The result was indigestion. I will not be back, The food and service are not worth the parking hassle. read more

I found it. The best sandwich in St. Louis. The Seasoned Beef Sandwich at Cafe Manhattan. This is how a sandwich should be made. Hot, juicy, and dippable in gravy (or au jus) in this case. It's everything I like in a sandwich. This version of a french dip comes with provel instead of swiss, and it also is served on garlic bread. An outstanding combination. The beef is tender and juicy and really flavored to perfection. I am getting hungry just writing about it! Cafe Manhattan is a place that you really just can't go wrong. They have a lot of different sandwiches to choose from, and the white chicken chili is really, really good. This is a very casual diner-esque restaurant that is very family friendly. Whenever I am sitting around trying to figure out what I want to eat, I can always rely on Cafe Manhattan to always satisfy my hunger. And it also satisfied my quest to find the greatest sandwich in St. Louis. Thanks Cafe Manhattan. read more

Great little cafe with some of the best food around. Very eclectic menu that rocks. Their pie is the best ever.

They make the best root beer floats!!! Obviously the dessert menu was my favorite part about Cafe Manhattan, and I can't wait to go back and try all of their dessert menu. Now on to the rest of my experience... - The waiter we had was terrible with a capital "T." Barely spoke when he came to our table, rude, looked like he hated his life being there, and messed up our orders. To top it off, our food and drinks were extremely slow on getting to us. I don't know if it was a bad day here or what, but I was not happy with the service portion at all. - The decor was way cool, all Elvis and classic 50's memorabilia. They have an old style diner counter too that you can eat at, which looks fun! They also have an old jukebox that I hope still works! - It was very clean and seemed organized besides our waiter's portion. - The food was pretty good. Don't get a salad though...they were not fresh at all. Yuck! The pizza was good though and so was my mom's beef sandwich. And their cream soda....mmmm!!! So I would love to come back again, but next time the service must be better or I am crossing Cafe Manhattan off my list of places to dine. However, I may come back for their desserts no matter what! read more

I'm not sure what is worse about this place, the food or the awful service. My mother and her sisters grew up on Polo Drive, right next to this "restaurant", so they like to meet here for lunch and sometimes I join them. Actually, I should say that I used to join them. The rude, inattentive, and unclean waitstaff (honestly, is that hard to wash an apron and a tshirt??), combined with the obviously frozen and/or prepackaged food finally made the throw in the towel. I don't get it. I used to go to Cafe Manhattan all the time as a child. Their old location, next to the aquarium store, seemed to run like clockwork and the food was great. Then, they decided to expand and move to their new location. I'm not sure what happened in transit, but they experienced "out with the old and in with the new" in the worst possible way. I've tried everything from tuna salad sandwiches to pizza, and nothing is good. I love thin crust pizza, but the crust on their pizzas is clearly frozen, thawed, and then tossed into an oven until it has the texture of brick with the taste of cardboard. Their sandwiches aren't much better. The bottom piece of bread on their sandwiches is always soggy. Gross. Now a small rant about the service. Actually, I'm not even sure you could call it service. I was a server for five years, so I know when a server genuinely doesn't give a crap whether or not you get a drink, a menu, or if you even get to order food. Every person who has ever waited on me has always had that horrible attitude. Every time I've eaten here, one server has taken my drink order and told me "he would be taking care of me tonight" (yeah, right), and then he would completely disappear. The only saving grace of this waitstaff is a young woman who always looks like she's working harder than every server in the restaurant combined. I can't remember her name, but she deserves a medal for working in the same room as those idiots. I would always leave my "server" one or two bucks with the ticket, find her, and hand her at least ten dollars. If you're looking for lunch in Clayton, just drive a couple more minutes towards Forsyth and you'll find 15 other restaurants with significantly better food and service. Do not waste your time with this place. read more

I've came here for lunch twice now, both times being extremely hungover. I had the Greenwich sandwich which is their version of a veggie sandwich. I think the default cheese is provel but I asked for it with white cheddar instead. There isn't much room for error on veggie sandwiches as long as the ingredients are fresh and that was the case here. The bread was super soft! The second time I got their Liberty Melt which is a grilled cheese with avocado, tomato and sprouts. SO good. Ate half of it and was totally stuffed. Their fries are beyond yummy. Definitely not a place I would frequent for the sake of my waist line, but a good spot when you can afford to indulge on some good greasy food! read more

I have been a fan of Cafe Manhattan for a long time. But today for lunch with my daughter I was very disappointed. The server had zero personality for starters. We ordered wings, potato skins, and a pizza. The skins were small and dry, one wing didn't seem cooked long enough (bloody and pinkish), and when I tried ordering several toppings for the 9" pizza I was stopped mid sentence by the server telling me "we can only do one topping on 9" pizzas because it's so small!" WHAT??? I literally could not contain my laughter. I have been in the restaurant business for 30 years and have served many a 9" pizza with several toppings. Too small, gimme a break! The pizza was also bland. Then before finishing our food the server dropped the check. I felt like I was at Waffle House or something. She didn't ask if we wanted dessert or if we wanted anything else. Just...dropped the check and walked away. But before she got too far I said I want dessert out of spite. Service is and always will be a prime element to dining out. Even better when the server has a personality. I hope they get their act together otherwise I will not be going there again which is sad because it had been one of my favorite little places to go now and then. read more

I've driven past Cafe Manhattan too many times to count and always wondered about the food and clientel. Last night before my hair apointment at Preston Salon I stopped in and the mystery was solved. The food was good - my seasoned beef sandwich hit the spot. The garlic cheese bread wasn't overly garlicy and the beef was juicy and tender, great with the side of au jus. I've had worse, by far. The $1 upcharge for the fries kinda made me miffed but they were crispy and hot which made up for it. The high school aged waitress at the counter was nice and left me to read my RFT but also made sure I had refills of Coke when my cup got low, which is always appreciated. The only downside for me was the influx of what I can only liken as upscale soccer moms with the after school activities crowd - lots of mom with kids here for dinner. No real reason to come back here but I didn't hate it. read more