As good as a bakery can get. I have been here for more than 20 times and yet have to taste something that is not good. Double baked Challah, choclate crossiant, sandwiches are are excellent. At lunch hour it gets quite busy, also the wait times are long. Though it is pricy everything other store in this neighborhood is 1.5 times market price. read more

Hit and miss. I either love this place: Breakfast Biscuits (Any thoughts of putting breakfast on the menu all day like in PDX?), Turkey Chutney, Mushroom Soup, Tomato Soup, and the Blackberry Yummy! When mistakes are made, they go out of their way to fix them, which won me back. Or, they annoy the heck out of me: $5.95 for a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with only one THIN slice of cheese? Come on guys! A grilled cheese is supposed to be gooey! How about switching from Havarti to Cheddar? There is more cheese on the Cheddar Biscuit! Although most of the staff is really great, a few of the employees really act like they don't want to be there. Yes, we realize you are busy, and it can be exhausting, but a smile and a "You're Welcome" goes a long way! read more

It's kind of in an odd location, I've lived in Eastlake for 5 years and I've only been here twice, but the food (mostly sandwiches) is really good! got a kale caesar salad and a veggie sandwich that I really liked. They also serve brunch sandwiches. Will be going back since Eastlake has very few good options. read more

I've always had a good experience and good food here. Not today! I ordered 2 sandwiches to go. Checked my bag on the way out and discovered no chutney on the side as I ordered. Went back in and asked for the chutney on the side. The employee went back to the sandwich area and came back with a to go container. Didn't think I should have to check my order again but when I got home, what I thought was chutney in the container turned out to be more turkey! I don't pay $10 for a turkey sandwich that is just ordinary. To top it all off, the cheese on the sandwich was all crumbled and there was an olive pit in my egg salad sandwich. SO disappointed! read more

Being an infrequent visitor to The Grand Bakery Cafe, I recommend it as a nice pit stop. They serve lots of pastries, breads, sandwiches, in addition to daily specials on soups, salads, etc... I've never been blown away on the quality of food here but the outdoor seating offsets it for me. The workers seem like everyday ordinary people and typically have a gregarious charm. read more

I love their americanos perfect blend. Ive had a few pastries from here before and they were delicious, you could taste the in house love ingredient, but the main reason I keep coming back is for the americano. Customer Service is great, there ladies that have taken my order were friendly and answered all my questions patiently. Good neighborhood joint! read more

OMG.....AMAZING! Sandwich was great. Chocolate croissant was delish! I highly recommend trying this place.

love the place in pioneer square. this one: bad attitude employees a 1/4 sandwich for $4.50 (grinder) their bread is not that awesome. it is like everything is all about overcharging, because their food cost is out of control for some reason. read more

Sometimes you really do want to go where everybody knows your name. Since I started working at my current job, Grand Central Bakery is that place. It's a quick walk, they dependably have good food for either breakfast or lunch (I'm a hungry bike commuter who often forgets to pack one or both of these essential meals), and they provide a friendly, safe haven to which I can escape when work just plain sucks. The baristas/bakers/cashiers are all super friendly and they never fail to inject a little bit of sunshine into otherwise dreary Seattle days. The food is actually quite tasty. I've never had a disappointing pastry from this bakery, although I can only claim to have been blown away by two: the twice-baked challah (OMG!), and the cardamom shortbread (which is tragically no longer offered). I am a big fan of their soups (I'll warn you that they tend to be on the salty side, but I love salt, so it's like a match made in heaven), the bread is invariably delicious, and their sandwiches rarely disappoint. For all its simplicity, the bistro ham sandwich is shockingly addictive and hands down my favorite selection from this establishment. More than anything, Grand Central Bakery baristas are experts in coffee. Decadent lattes are one of my favorite things in the world, and Grand Central Bakery has given me all the more reason to love them. So, you might be wondering why GCB receives only 2 stars from me, and to be fair, I've really been waffling between 2 and 3 stars. I wish that I could vote 2.5, because it's about halfway there. Considering the glowing review of the food, coffee, and baristas, I understand why this may not compute. I have two big problems with Grand Central Bakery. The first is price. No, one of their sandwiches will not break my bank (and if it did, I would really need to take a step back and rearrange a few aspects of my life), but I don't think I have to tell you that this economy sucks, that it's hard to make it as a twenty-something in a city where it seems that normal rent on a 1-bedroom is upwards of $800/month, and that anything is better when it feels like a great deal. For what it is, the food at Grand Central Bakery is phenomenally expensive to the point that I'm apprehensive to support it. No, I do not want to spend $10 on a sandwich that I could make (probably just as good, too!) for $5. I like that extra money for my silly indulgences like, say, decadent lattes, bourbon, and pork. My second big problem is time. I hate to whine about this because I really do enjoy all the workers there. But cripes! Just ordering a cold sandwich or a salad to go becomes a 20-minute endeavor. I'm a busy woman! Even though I enjoy a break from work, I don't have that sort of time! So, the long story made short? Decent food, friendly baristas, lengthy waits, and overpriced. What does this mean for you? Simple: order the soup. There's always a veggie option if that's how you roll, it's immediate service (no wait time!), you get a whole mess of delicious bread with it, and it's the most economically friendly choice. read more

Fast breakdown: - It's expensive ($8-$10 for a small lunch sandwich ). - The food is not great -Customer service sucks This review is based on three times I've visited this place. First, the food is way too expensive. Paying almost $8 dollars for just a small sausage, egg, cheese biscuit sandwich or $10 for a turkey sandwich is just ridiculous. Especially considering they weren't all that tasty, filling, or special. I'm not sure if my biscuits were typically how they make them, nor am I a biscuit connoisseur, but shouldn't a biscuits be warm, soft, and flaky with a nice buttery taste. Mine was none of those. It was so burnt and hard on the outside that I could have practically chipped my tooth biting into it. The middle was cold, dense, and had chewy texture..not good. In addition to the biscuits, I found the sausage equally disappointing and disgusting. It had a stale, chewy, rubbery quality to it. Grosses me out just thinking about it. The constant bad service: I feel like I'm always getting rushed to order and constantly waiting a very long time to receive it (all three times I was there, there was no line). It also seems like ordering or asking a particular question is a great inconvenience to the staff. I asked for a plate and I actually saw the staff roll her eyes, reach back for the plate, set it down in front of me and walk away without saying anything. For me, dealing with this only once would be acceptable because everybody has bad days but dealing with bad service three separate times is unacceptable in my book. I would not recommend this place. I would rather go to Essential bakery, Nouveau baker, or Tall Grass Bakery. read more

It's my fault, really. I should have learned my lesson by now. But I'm within walking distance, and some weekends I'll wake up with a hankering for a moderately decent biscuit and egg sandwich. Every time, I'll hope that Grand Central has gotten its act together. That perhaps it, as a business and server of food-stuffs, is now capable of making a egg sandwich in under 20 minutes. Unfortunately, such is never the case. For the life of me, I can't figure out how a bakery can run out of biscuits by 10:30am on a Saturday. I'll be told dismissively, "We're out of biscuits." Exsqueeze me? You're a bakery for god' s sake. I'm not asking for the chicken in the back to lay another egg. The bread is the one component of the sandwich that you have absolute control over. Make more! Do you not make them at this location? We'll OK, should we go over the concept of inventory? Is this a trivial point? Absolutely. But it's a trivial point that comes up consistently; really almost whenever I visit. I just don't think it's unreasonable for a customer to expect to be able to do something as basic as order directly from the menu with an hour and a half to go. So having to turn to some other lunch-type bread (Croissants? Ha. No, this bakery is out of those too), I'll begin the routine of waiting with the other customers herded to the serving bar for 20+ mins. We'll watch while everyone else's non-biscuit and egg sandwich is grilled one-at-a-time on the tiny grill press/George Foreman sitting in the corner. At this point, one employee will usually be trying to appear busy; hovering, looking for something to do while each sandwich cooks slowly and individually. The others will be standing around talking. Probably about how much the place sucks. Eventually, if I'm lucky, the employee will wrap up the sandwich, place it in the box, and leave it on the serving counter. And since they haven't called anyone's name, neither I nor the other customer that's anxiously staring at it will have any idea who's non-biscuit and egg sandwich it is. By then I'll have paid $8. To stand 20 mins. For a sandwich I didn't intend to order. Which wasn't on the menu. By a borderline-rude staff of 6. But after too many times of that exact same scenario, this battered customer is done. There are better options, even right in Eastlake. I'm promising myself to just stop going. I highly recommend you do the same. read more

4pm and out of soup??!! latte was hardly warm, but tasted good. eggplant sandwich was just ok read more

Hate to be brutal on the review but Ive been here twice and dont see any reason ill be back. Id suggest anyone keep heading up the road to Louisa's for a restaurant / bakery. The last time I was in I had a breakfast sandwich and a mocha, the bill was $14. While they use premium ingredients (Beechers) its still too pricey. If I had got a decent portion I would be on board, but one egg sitting in the middle of a large roll and no side, just feels cheap. There are plenty of places in Seattle that use high quality all natural ingredients, read more

This place makes the best challah bread in seattle. For those who don't know what it is, it is a jewish bread that comes out every friday. It is sweet with some honey and egg and is so soft it melts in your mouth. It goes great with swiss cheese. This is the only thing I have had from there and I get it at least once a month and eat the whole loaf. read more

I was in the Seattle's South Lake Union Eastlake neighborhood for a Doctor's appointment and arrived an hour and half early. Wanted to grab a quick bite to eat for lunch before my appointment and found Grand Central Baking Co. (GCBC) across the street from my Doctor's office on Yelp. My first visit and most likely my last. Food: 4.5 out of 5 - I had one the best BLT sandwich (Sack Lunch, $10.75 p/tax) in a very long time. Very much enjoyed the toasted rustic Como bread it came with. However, you only get small one and half of piece of smoke pepper bacon. I know that market prices for bacon is on the rise with today's market, however, for the price I paid for the lunch, an extra piece won't break the bank - in my opinion. Customer Service: 1 out of 5 - A heads up and a WARNING! The cashier get pretty miffed if you don't know what the breakfast times are and if you don't have your order ready. The cashier gave me a disgusting miffed look when I ordered The "Basic Plus" breakfast sandwich with Canadian bacon ($7.25 p/tax) after 11:45 am yesterday morning. Again, to be clear, this is my first visit to GCBC. On the menu board there were no notice(s) on the breakfast times anywhere. I didn't have breakfast yesterday, after reviewing the breakfast menu, I just assumed all sandwiches posted were available anytime. A simple basic customer service from the cashier letting me know the breakfast hours would have been fine, however, the cashier gave me a nasty look. (Breakfast hours: 7am - 11am.) Bottom line: Have your order ready! Don't make a mistake I made by not having a back-up order. If not, again, you'll get a disgusting miffed look with a stern tone from the cashier. Please note that if you, like me, wanting a quick bite to eat, I have noticed that the wait time is about 15 minutes. I had couple of people in front of me waiting for their lunch and six people after me. Their wait time was also about an average of 15 minutes. If you have the time, you may enjoy the BLT I had. In addition, you have to police yourself after your done eating; no table service or clean-up from the staff. According the sign on the table, it helps to keep the cost down. Will I return again?... it remains to be seen. It wouldn't be my first choice. read more

Loved a sandwich they used to have, a Portobello based vegetarian Vietnamese Bahn Mi... but now that they don't have that on the menu any longer, no reason to go. The atmosphere is cold and sterile, and the seating by the windows is uncomfortable. The food can be good, but not good enough to overcome the cold atmosphere, harried staff, and chaos around the counter. Since my fav sandwich was gone, I had one of the specials, the Pimento Cheese Melt. Wah wah. Needed bacon OR the Mama Lil's, not both, the two together were totally overwhelming and competing. Not worth it. read more

3.5 Stars I probably woulda given Grand Central Bakery 2 Stars a couple years ago. For one, their bread is too hard and I rarely buy it at the grocery store. Second, my boyfriend and I ate lunch here once and it wasn't a great experience. The guy at the counter was a nonchalant stoner type who didn't seem interested in providing customer service. I believe I got some sort of grinder and the BF got something with mushrooms and cheese. I don't really remember the grinder one way or the other, but I do remember my BF thought his sandwich was way too heavy and buttery and not very good. But then... we had lunch here again last Sunday and I was way more impressed. All of the girls at the counter were incredibly friendly. They seemed happy to be doing their jobs and helping customers, even the three cops in front of us. I had a Turkey and Chutney sandwich (half $4.85, turkey, lettuce, mayo [homemade?] turkey chutney on Como bread, minus the Havarti cheese) and my BF had a Tofuben (whole only $7.95, seasoned tofu, Swiss cheese, homemade slaw, Thousand Island dressing on Sour Rye). I also took a piece of berry coffee cake to go. My sandwich was very good and was the perfect amount to eat before I went for a walk at a park and then ate a bunch of crap at a Super Bowl party. I had the coffee cake the next day. It was good but there were too many annoying berry seeds. I didn't try my BF's tofu sandwich and thought it looked super greasy, but he polished the whole thing off so I guess he enjoyed it! My main complaint would be that though my sandwich was up right away, it took almost 10 extra minutes for the tofu one even though he ordered before me. Other reviewers call GCB "sterile", but I kinda like the plain and simple industrial feel (concrete floors, mostly wood, minimal decor) and the sunlight streaming in the huge windows. I was also extremely impressed with how pleasant and clean the restroom was. We did not have trouble finding seating on either occasion, even though this is a place where people camp out with their laptops. The patio would be nice in warmer weather. I'll probably continue to skip the bread at the store, but I'd recommend Grand Central Bakery as a good spot for breakfast, brunch or lunch if you're in the Eastlake area. read more

This is a marvelous bakery. They have fresh breads and pastries each day. What sets them apart is not only the quality ingredients they use, but the fact that their food is not over sweetened. This makes it very palatable and quite tasty. I highly recommend it. read more

I just moved into the area, and have been here somewhere approaching 10 times already. The staff is AMAZING, super nice and helpful. Food is decently priced and delicious (I love "the Basic," one of their breakfast sandwich offerings), good wifi connection, lots of light, not a lot of background noise, and options to sit indoors or outside. Overall, a great place to work or just catch up with a friend. Will for sure keep visiting! read more

There are certain things I here...the soups, Irish soda bread, coffee almond shortbread cookies. Most of their pastries and desserts are pretty incredible, actually. Other things that could be improved upon...salads and sandwiches. Salads often sound amazing, but in reality are lackluster (and mostly lettuce). They have 2 soups daily (one is vegetarian). A perfect lunch there is a cup of soup with a piece of Irish soda bread spread with butter, a cup of coffee and a coffee almond shortbread cookie. It brings me to my happy place. read more

Well-made old school bakery goodies in a unique location - like a step back in time (for the taste buds too). Recommended.

Coffee is not bad but more expensive (drip is more than $2). No wifi or power outlet, plus lack of fabric to absorb noise make for a not so great place to work. I was also surprised to not find anything interesting in the baked goods case. read more

Friendly staff! It took awhile for them to warm up to me but, since then it's been my go to morning ritual. Food is bit pricey however, it's high quality. I highly recommend this place for a quick lunch or business meeting. Not to mention refills are free! read more

Stopped in here to grab some tea before a bridal appointment at La Belle Elaine's down the street. Large, open space with plenty of seating, and their menu looked robust with lots of offerings. All of the baked goods I saw looked delicious as well! read more

love the bread. came here with some chinook coupons after i checked the website (http://www.grandcentralbakery.com/menus/seattle/bread) and saw the hobui flatbread listed. when i showed up, i was told they didn't make it for retail sale... what the heck?? the girl was friendly, though, so i didn't push it. the three of us got the polenta burger and it was pretty good. the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie was the best that i've ever had! got the ciabatta and como as our "free bread with $5 purchase", so all's well that ends well, i guess! read more

Booo. Only two good things about this experience is how close it is to where I live and the nice server. But, those things aside, and really who cares, (there are a bunch of nice servers in nearby places), this was a huge disappointment! I had the winter salad that was so off in flavor I threw the whole thing away (and I hate wasting food!!!). I also had the hot tuna sandwich that was super greasy and heavy. I couldn't finish it all and felt sick afterwards. My boyfriend had an equally heavy and non settling sandwich. My cappuccino was burnt and required extra sugar to consume. The only ok thing was the cookie and it wasn't worth coming back for! Needless to say, don't waste your time or the calories on this spot! read more

Recent visits to the Eastlake site have been a negative experience. Weak coffee, forgotten ingredients, poor service and the price you pay seems out of line for sandwich portions and quality. The location is very convienent so it's sad we are no longer planning on going to this bakery. Hope someone who cares and can make changes reads this. It would not take much to turn the current situation around. read more

I like the coffee here but truth be told the coffee in Seattle is good just about anywhere. The food and pastries are all made here and that to me is s sure plus. I have spent many a rainy afternoons just sitting here and people watching. The staff is friendly and the ambiance is conducive to passing the time. The scones are a not miss too. You gotta try em! read more

Well the seasonal BLT returned, and I was greatly disappointed again. Two small sad pieces of bacon that looked like Oscar Meyer made them and a sliver of tomato all for $9. Guess it's all over with them now. If you want a great sandwich and soup for less money. Than walk over to great northwest soup company nearby. read more

One of the best bakeries! Great for lunch and snacks or morning coffee treats. Cinnamon rolls are amazing, with or without frosting, egg salad sandwich is a favorite, side kale Cesar is simple and yummy, and the latte dunkers are a delicious little treat if you don't want to commit to a full sized pastry. They also sell pie crust and pizza dough to go if you're looking for some fresh options to enhance your cooking at home! read more

It took forever to get my food. They forgot about my order...TWICE!! Not only that but when they brought me my food, It wasn't even my full order. Food was no good. read more

extremely rude, i asked how long it would take to get a sandwich and the woman's response "as long as it takes an sandwich establishment to make a sandwich". She then basically threw a croissant at me. Rude. rude. rude. read more

I've only ever order the Veggie Grinder sandwich and gotten pastries or coffee, all of which are amazing. Once I was even doing a late business meeting right around the time they were closing and they gave me a free loaf of bread to get me out of there on time. They have great outdoor seating so bring your dog. I live nearby and it's at the top of my list for getting something quick. read more

I love the location. It's crazy busy at lunch time . Plan to wait a while. Breakfast sandwiches and Iced coffee are the perfect way to start my day! read more

Grand central is a cool little spot on Eastlake with plenty of seating and a comfy upscale diner vibe. The bakery items are a little pricy but very good and they offer some great breakfast items. Coffee is good quality. Not the quickest of service...so if you would like to be a douche and complain about how you didn't get your latte in under 60 seconds, go find a Starbucks and let me eat my grand central in peace! read more

Meh! I had heard of their breads that are served at many restaurants across Seattle. So I was super-pumped to be eating there. I found the sandwiches to be ok. Coffee was really bad which is so atypical of Seattle. There were a ton of baked goods available too but huge portions. It's located in a quite neighborhood and gets it's fair share of locals. Huge space so not hard to find a table. read more

Chocolate croissant = four star worthy. Perfectly flaky, chocolate that's not too sweet but just right. Child's grilled cheese sandwich = also tasty... havarti and freshly baked bread. Worth a visit if you're in the neighborhood. read more

I'm new to the area and have been here twice. First time I bought a loaf of bread and a doughnut muffin....yes, people, a doughnut muffin. The bread was awesome and went well with the minestrone I made for dinner that night. The muffin was AMAZING!! I warmed it up for about 15 seconds in the microwave....yumm-o!! The second time the hubby and I walked down for breakfast. I had an egg and cheese biscuit and my hubby ordered The Basic on a croissant. Both were outstanding! We also ordered coffee, he had a vanilla latte and I had a regular coffee. Unfortunately, I cannot rave about the coffee as I did about the food. We didn't notice until after we ordered that the brand of coffee they use is Victrola, and that's the same brand they have at our hotel...and yuck! Not a fan of that coffee at all! However, I don't think that should take away from the great food and good service we received. I'm a fan and wouldn't hesitate to come back. read more

I'd give them one star for that wonderful piece of hair in my latte but their pastries are redemption worthy. Shoddy service vs bacon and egg bolo. Really, I'd give them 2.5 stars but there is 2 hour parking in the nearby garage and a BOA next door. . . I just really didn't love that piece of hair. read more

Don't get me wrong, the food here is pretty much fabulous. I've had some really awesome sandwiches here -- everything from roasted butternut squash to gorgonzola and radicchio. Lot's of unique and interesting combinations, and fresh baked bread and pastries to boot. However, the price and service are where this location falls short. Every time I've ordered a sandwich I've waited at least 25 minutes -- maybe more -- to get it. This would be fine if I wasn't in a rush to get back to work, or if it wasn't just a sandwich, or if I didn't pay around $10 for it. I don't really know what to suggest. I feel like it happens because of a bottleneck in the "sandwich making area," so some remodeling may be in order, or perhaps better prep in the morning. Whatever it is, I love the food but (this is America, after all) hate the wait. Working towards a happy medium in that respect would make me stop here for lunch more often. read more