Love the mini-burger combos here! It was just the right size for a late dinner on a Wednesday. The soup was wonderful and they piled on the mozzarella cheese! The cafe was also quiet and the servers were so nice. read more

New Deal Cafe - Classic Mini - Wine Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

New Deal has excellent burgers and great service. The ambiance is bleak but it's not a place to linger. Good food and every choice of the many we've tried has been excellent. High priced but good and we continue to go. It was excellent every time but recently. Staff change perhaps or slow day. We'll still go. The food is reliably good! read more

Food was excellent, Service and staff were wonderful. 12% service fee not so wonderful!

We tried the Mildred Club, a delightful sandwich made with toasted sourdough, turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, and 1000 Island dressing. I opted for Swiss cheese instead of cheddar, which added a delicious twist. The sandwich was a flavorful delight. My husband ordered the lamb burger, which came with feta, roasted red pepper, and zaatar aioli. I had a taste, and it was juicy and cooked to perfection. For dessert, we enjoyed the strawberry shortcake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake, both of which were absolutely delicious. We also tried the jalapeño margarita a bit too spicy. Also please note 12% service charge. read more

New Deal Cafe - Lamb Burger - Wine Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

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Went out with some friends to the New Deal Cafe here in Gainesville. It has been a number of years since I have been to the cafe, so it was effectively a new experience for me. My only recollection from the last time was that I had been there. We sat outside, which for this time of year was actually pleasant, and got our orders in. Our wait staff was pleasant, but they seemed distracted. Our wait times for food turned out to be incredibly long... I figure we waited after ordering our food for a good 45 minutes. Either they forgot to put our food in, or the chef simply forgot about the order. Regardless, it took a manager coming by asking how we were doing to get the ball rolling again, and our food was delivered shortly thereafter. I got to sample the deep fried calamari, and frankly I found it to be quite over seasoned. It was one of those dishes where, if I had just had it as my main, I would have ended up leaving the cafe with my mouth puckered up from salt as if I had been swimming in the ocean for the past four hours. After that was the dish that I ordered, the fish and chips. While good, I found that the fish had been over-battered, and a lot of the time I was eating nothing but batter. Great if you like mouthfuls of deep fried dough, but if you are expecting a bit of fish in there as well it was tough going. While the location is nice, the food... lacks. read more

Every time we go here, the food is better than we remembered. The ambience is fine, nothing g fancy, but comfortable. The service is quick and pleasant. Prices are good. The beef is local and fresh. My husband loves their burgers. I love their quiche and salad combo. There's lots of good stuff on the menu - for carnivores and vegetarians. read more

New deal cafe is the sister restaurant to Mildred's and offers pretty standard american food like burgers, sandwiches, salads, and flatbreads. If the two restaurants are sisters, New Deal is the cheaper, less pretentious sister. They have outdoor seating options and a good drink selection as well. The staff are all nice and do their jobs well. I personally really enjoy their sloppy Joe with tempeh and because I often order that with a side salad, we will split the fries appetizer. They have great fries and I've never been disappointed with one of their large selection of dessert options. The Coconut Cream Cake is my favorite of their desserts and comes as a HUGE slice. read more

Ordered Fish & Chips. The fish had a nice tempura-style crust, but was somewhat undercooked. Since most restaurants overcook fried fish, I'll take it. There are only a few seconds difference between the two when deep frying. The fries were not the wide pub-style I had in England, but the thin American type, except skin-on. Almost $20 without drink. Staff was friendly and efficient. Ambiance: Went there 2pm on a Thursday and it was dead. One other customer. The other side(Mildred's) was better. read more

I have been a regular for many years and mostly loved it I especially appreciated being able to eat out on the patio during the covid years I took a couple of friends for a special dinner a month ago and had a really unusual experience We ordered fish and chips and lo and behold one of us pulled a chicken bone out of our chunk of fish - it was a chicken wing instead of a chunk of fish. Luckily our friend was OK with meat - I would not have been if it had happened to me When we showed this to our server she laughed I asked how this happened since chicken wings weren't on the menu and she shrugged and said the kitchen staff had eaten wings for lunch Not cool She brought a small replacement piece of fish - that's all This experience irked me so I called and spoke to "one of the managers" who apologized and offered to send me a gift card Of course she did not I doubt I'll be eating there again read more

Went here for lunch with a large group. There were 13 of us so we were in the room in the back. We chose this restaurant because of the group room space. The 13 of us had one waiter and she did a fabulous job, however the kitchen took FOREVER to get our food out. We waited for 45+ minutes for our food (half of us got burgers and the other half salad/sandwiches/wraps). As the kitchen cooked up the burgers the back room began to get foggy and it seemed like the smoke from the kitchen was wafting in and not venting out. As for the food the flatbread was delicious, Reuben not great (would not order again), falafel wrap was pretty good, tomato bisque soup was delicious, and dressing on salad was over done. For a 5 star experience come with 1-2 people, order the flatbread pizzas, and don't sit in the back room. Ps- you can order lunch for the mildreds or new deal cafe menu during lunch and dinner. read more

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OK the menu is different and nice, the wine list crazy high. The real Shock, if you aren't counting, is a service fee, I think 16%. You might expect this on a large party but it is a standard line item buried on all tabs. Once I asked my server and got a long song and dance explanation about that going the the "back of the shop folks". She seemed genuinely uneasy being asked, not the first time I'm sure. So to compound the insult is the computer generated "suggested" tip chart at the bottom of the ticket that goes to 25% along with the already billed service charge. And this is typical in that the tip is based on the tax as well. This is bold beyond belief. I've never been one to stiff a server but this is an awkward moment. I calculate my tip, deduct the service charges and leave a tip I'm not proud of. I suppose writing this review and dropping New Deal from my preferred places to dine, read more

We dined here last night, arriving around 8:45, and they close at 10:00. I decided not to sit outside with most of the other diners because I was not interested in eating a pollen covered food. The interior is very bright and can be somewhat blinding, as well as luring in every type of biting bug when the front door is opened. For cafe food, this place is not cheap. The menu is simple with salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and burgers. The open kitchen will leave your clothes and hair smelling of all their menu has to offer. Everyone raves about the burgers, so I ordered the blue cheese and bacon burger. The burgers here are thick and juicy, and sufficient amount of toppings on a $10 item. I was wishing that the bun were toasted. It took them almost thirty minutes to cook a medium well burger and fries. We were the only customers seated inside, and there were only two tables outside that were about to leave. By the time we received the food, it was almost time for them to close. The fries were delicious, and the sea salt was a nice touch. I also ordered a piece of Coconut Cream Cake to go. At $6.00, I do not know if it was worth it, but it was tasty. I am deducting one star for the bug bite I received while seated in their indoor dining area. Batting at flying insects is difficult while eating a two handed burger, and it caused me slight stress and disgust. read more

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We have been eating at New Deal for years. The food is always on point from the burgers and fries to fish and chips. Tonight I had the falafel and it may be my new favorite thing! Support your local restaurants and give this place a try. read more

amazing service, very kinda people, helped me and my best friend out if a creepy guy situation. some random guy sat next to us, and was staring us down. But a waitress noticed and helped us out. Food is delicious too, def would recommend read more

Absolutely gross. Service was snobby and the place is very dirty I can't recommend this place at all

RIP New Deal Café. It's no longer New Deal Cafe, but another Italian-style restaurant. I stopped in with a friend and we were completely underwhelmed. After being seated we promptly ordered drinks and what we thought was a charcuterie platter. We were served an unappetizing mess (see photo) Gouda and bleu cheese don't fit the Italian flavor profile. I ordered a mushroom lasagne as my entree, which also had an unappetizing presentation and was completely flavorless. The layers of the lasagne were also unevenly filled. Our server was fantastic, but the kitchen was extremely slow. We visited on a Tuesday evening and there were only three occupied tables in the entire restaurant. It took 20 minutes for the charcuterie platter to come out and an additional 40 for the entrees despite having ordered both courses at the same time. read more

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Stoped into New Deal Cafe this past week to try this place out. I have lived across the street from New Deal for almost 2 years and have never been. I wanted to check this place off as attending. I would not say that I had a bad visit but it was not a visit to remember and I don't think I will try this place out again. I stopped in for lunch and was able to order a sandwich. The sandwich I got was the Sloppy Tempeh Joe which is there take on a sloppy joe with just no meat. I thought this was just okay at best, but I do think that is shows creativity by the way they made this and took a leap of faith. The bread was a little soggy that the Sloppy Joe was on. Not sure why that was but hey I tried it out. Overall again it was good, not great and again I don't know if I will go back! But I would recommend people trying it out and then letting us know what they think here! read more

I met a friend for lunch here yesterday and it was excellent. I had a quiche and salad which was really delicious. She had a burger and said it was very good. Our service was quick- only about 15 minutes to get our food. Taking off one star because the first dessert we ordered was no longer available but we had to wait to find that out instead of the server knowing what they did and did not have. All in all great lunch spot and would come back. read more

Great Lunch spot and casual dinner. The soups are always the best in town and the Brie and ham sandwich is addictive. Friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere. read more

Omgosh ya'll! My fave gourmet lunch is the goat cheese beet salad with a side of the fries and lemon aioli crack and a glass of sav blanc! I feel like Im over in Europe at a cafe. Cannot go wrong with a burger ever and the vegan sloppy joe is delish! Highly recommend this yummy spot! read more

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I've been to New Deal in the past but this was my most-recent visit so it's fair to base the review mainly after this 23 November dinnertime visit. I am sure New Deal does far more business for lunch than dinner, and I am not even certain how late they remain open for dinner. I do recall visiting years ago for late-night dessert and at the time they were still open and, better yet, served up some wonderful desserts. Another time, I came here for lunch with a friend and it was unremarkable but fine. Tonight, it was again unremarkable, but I wouldn't even say "fine". My friend was not pleased with our fried calamari nor its sauce and complained to the waiter, who to his credit did seem concerned and I think subtracted it from the bill. He was pleasent and tried to please, so no problem with him at all. My salad with yellowfin tuna was nothing special at all: the tuna was fine, but you'd expect that from a restaurant of this standing. The salad dressing was a substandard Ceasar that had no character at all while the greens also were fresh, but not of any character. A scant bit of red onion added the only note of interest to the salad. Otherwise, it was quite bland and the dressing only continued along the leitmotif of blandness instead of adding anything to the taste. I've had better food at Bistro 1245, a restaurant fair to compare to New Deal in price range and intent I would think. Nowhere have I had calamari this bad honestly: the sauce was not in the least spicy or even tasty and the batter was not too heavy but unremarkable. It is as if New Deal took bistro-style fare and prepared it for an old folks' home menu . . . bland bland bland. Mildred's may have a great repute as one of Gainesville's leading restaurants--it's my Dad's favorite place in town, and I know others who love it too--but New Deal, at least in this instance, is a pale reflection of its fine-dining parent. What John G. in his own review said about New Deal varying between good and bad may be true: perhaps tonight it was not busy or whatever . . . though an empty restaurant that's still open should in fact perk up the chef to be unhurried and interested in serving the few patrons who are in fact dining. I expect I will try New Deal once again, but tonight was rather upsetting because even though it was only a simple dinner, I had hoped for better. The delight of catching a quick but quality bite to eat prior to a movie was washed away by the sheer blandness of our food. read more

The New Deal was not a big deal. The service was great and the restuarant itself was clean and vibrant. There was no wi-fi. I ordered a basket of truffle fries and soup. It wasn't a basket of fries. The fries came to the table in a small galvanized bucket. The garlic aoli for dipping the fries was very good. Overall, everything was all right. I probably should have ordered something different. read more

First time here and we loved here! I had the tempeh bbq - yum! My companion had the bison burger and loved that too. Fries are great! Our server Christopher went out of his way to make it a great experience! read more

I'm a fan of Mildred's and Blue Gill, but I have never been to New Deal until today. The first thing I have to say is that I think I just ate the best burger of my life. I read the reviews about hit-or-miss burger quality, and have to say mine was freaking fantastic. I arrived and ordered around 2:45 and my burger and fries was ready in about ten minutes. I ordered it medium well and it came out perfectly. The fries were awesome. The place wasn't very busy-only a couple of other people inside. The ambiance was nice and the service was friendly. I will definitely be visiting here again! read more

New Deal Cafe - Possibly the best burger I have ever had! - Wine Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Love New Deal for great burgers and fresh salads with homemade dressing. Soups are also a big hit. Staff is always super helpful and attentive, but honestly, it's the wonderful, consistent food that keeps us coming back. And we are big fans of their other two restaurants as well -- Mildred's Big City Food and Blue Gill Quality Foods. Knocking off one star only cuz the restaurant could use some updating and a thorough cleaning. read more

New Deal Cafe - Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Salad - all salads here are outrageously fresh! Best in Gainesville!!!!!! - Wine Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

The Gills are obviously good at what they do. Dinner last night at Mildred's and lunch today at New Deal Cafe. Had the curry chicken salad with side house salad for lunch (from the specials menu). It really hit the spot. Tasty, and a nice lunch size portion. The presentation alone let me know it was going to be good. Service and attentiveness was great. I would stop here for lunch any time I come back to the area. read more

New Deal Cafe - Curry chicken salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

A little disappointed in the mini burger this time. Too rare for my taste. Waitress did not ask how I wanted it cooked. Should have known better. My husband got the bacon blue cheese burger & it was grilled to his liking..medium well. French fries with aioli is always yummy. They do charge extra for a side salad instead of fries which is ridiculous!! A dollar for just lettuce. Service is always friendly. Girl's Bathroom side note...door handle should be repaired, loose & unattractive, something pretty on the wall, & open trash container next exit to throw paper towel in so no one has to touch door handle when exiting after washing hands!! read more

The food was good and so was service , but taken back by 12% service charge for 2 people, along with the tip scale. Disagree with this so won't return. read more

We're pretty fond of this spot. It's a great and quiet spot and what we feel to be more of a hidden gem in Gainesville. As far as drinks go, they have a pretty great cocktail selection and I have tried a few different of their specials. My husband and I normally grab a large order of fries to share and dip it in their aioli sauce. He loves their Bison burger and their burger with bleu cheese. I typically order something off their specials menu, different each time. We love this spot and are always surprised when our friends say they haven't heard of it before. One of our regular places whenever we are in town. read more

I feel bad that I have to leave a 2 star review, because I normally really like New Deal Cafe but things were just way too off today. It started with the Coke Zero and Diet Coke... both were practically water. After a while, they came by and said their Coke products weren't working and I just took a water (but they tried charging me for the Coke Zero anyway - poor move). I ordered the special, which was supposed to be a 5 oz patty topped with pimento cheese, sauteed onions and 1000 island dressing. Seeing as how it was the same price as their 10 oz burgers, I figured the toppings made up for the burger size. When it finally arrived (see below) the burger was this charred little patty that had maybe 2 teaspoons of pimento cheese (that's being generous), a drop of 1000 island and no sauteed onions. It took over 30 minutes to get our food (several other diners had asked the wait staff where their food was). Like I said, I normally really like New Deal Cafe and I wasn't going to post a review but when they tried charging me for the Coke Zero that I never got that was the last straw after the ripoff burger and unacceptable wait. If I'm up to trying again, I hope they can do as well as they normally do so I can update my review. read more

I am of the opinion that there are some really great places to get lunch and dinner here in Gainesville, and let me say that New Deal (the younger, less expensive sibling of Mildred's Big City) definitely ranks among my top go-to locations for a satisfying burger or sandwich. Between the in-house focaccia bread and the rotating soup specials, there's always something special worth having no matter what level your hunger is at. The Space: Literally conjoined with Mildred's Big City Foods, New Deal snuggly in the plaza at the corner of University and 34th. Upon walking up you will notice a few outdoor tables for when Gainesville's crazy weather permits, and for the inside the seating basically extends through the depth of the building with the cook space being immediately visible on your right. Beyond this first stretch of seating in the back of the restaurant you will discover a more spacious room with a little bit less of a noise issue (not being next to the kitchen definitely helps). The amount of seating seems to accommodate fairly well most days, even when they are busier. The Food: My first (and many after) visit to New Deal I ordered the Chicken and Bacon with lemon aioli served on that aforementioned focaccia bread. The size of the sandwich was always more than enough to fill myself up and have leftovers. I figure the average person could make two meals out of the plate, considering it comes with a side. Speaking of sides, I almost always substitute fries for something more intriguing, and for New Deal that comes in the form of their caesar salad. I particularly enjoy their dressing, but the pickled red onions are a really nice acidic complement to the richness of a tangy, creamy caesar. They have since removed this sandwich from the menu but (PRO TIP) you can ask for it specially and they will make it for you. The other item I have had repetitively is the burger. Whether sticking to more classic combos like bacon and bleu or deciding to change it up for their Jamaican Jerk Burger, the quality of the meat, the size of the burger, and the quality of the preparation never leaves me disappointed. I have had better burgers at more expensive places, but for ~$10-12 receiving a substantial slab of ground beef with side gives me nothing to complain about The Service: I have ordered take out from New Deal and I have dined in, having utilized both options multiple times. When they get busy the staff can sometimes be inattentive. I have found particularly troubling service when seated outside or in the back room, but I this is not always the case. In fact, there are a few servers that recognize both myself and my roommate by face and are eager to start up some slow chat and speedy service for us. The food does not often take anymore than 15 minutes to arrive, and ordering an appetizer (side salad, soup, etc.) will eliminate any concerns for the hungrier patrons altogether. I happen to live within 3 minutes of this fantastic establishment and go multiple times a month. The appeal of New Deal lies greatly, not necessarily in being the absolute best ever of Gainesville, but rather in begin consistently above average in a town where so many spots can develop a "hit or miss" reputation. Providing a casual lunch or dinner for smaller-sized parties at an affordable price (and where you will not leave hungry), trust in New Deal for a satisfying experience. read more

Went back to New Deal Cafe. Got seated in the front since there was some group gathering in the back. I ordered the Steak and Brie Panini, boyfriend ordered the Mushroom and swiss burger with bacon and mozzerella instead of swiss. They brought it out and it was just a regular burger with bacon and mozzerella. no mushrooms. The hamburger was still really good, but once again they didnt get it right! My Steak Panini was ok, mostly all bread. I would like it if they put more "filling" in it. The place was also really really smoky from the grill. which usually doesnt bother me but this time my eyes were burning a bit. read more

Probably the best dollar-for-dollar eatery in Gainesville. I've been to Mildred's, and let's face it, no G'ville restaurant can justify the prices at that place for any reason. New Deal has the best of the local and fresh ingredients from Mildred's but at more than reasonable prices. The burgers are outstanding and the portions are extremely generous. The beer selection is quality over quantity, and again the prices are borderline spectacular. I've also gotten a panini here and it was excellent - fresh, interesting, huge, and relatively speaking, dirt-cheap. Looking at other reviews it seems like consistency could be a problem - full disclosure - I have only been twice - so I can't judge on the year-in, year-out quality of service and food...but the times I have been there, it can't be beat for a simple and extremely satisfying meal. read more

Went to New Deal Cafe for the first time tonight. Incredible food, and only sorry I didn't realize it was here before now. Had the mixed green salad with goat cheese, walnuts and beets. Also added seared tuna to top it off and it was perfectly cooked. Vinaigrette was delicious, and the goat cheese was just slightly tart and creamy. My wife had the sliced steak panini with brie and caramelized onions. Soooooo good. The bread really was outstanding, and the sandwich was HUGE for just $8. Run to the New Deal Cafe! You won't be sorry. read more

I hadn't heard of New Deal before my first visit, but I had heard of Mildred's. Well, next door to Mildred's is its little brother, who is far more affordable, New Deal. New Deal is located in the Westgate plaza, next to Play It Again Sports (in the Grandy's plaza). A big plus is that Sweet Dreams ice cream (best ice cream in town) is about a 30 second walk away. When I've been here in the past, the place is usually pretty dead. Today, they were kind of busy, the front and back were about 60% filled. The waiters are always friendly and since the business is quite small, they are very attentive. If my water glass even looked less than 50% full, it was filled up immediately. I've been to New Deal twice before, and each time I come back for the same thing: The Bacon Bleu Cheese Burger. If you like bleu cheese (and only a soul-less individual wouldn't), you will love this burger. It is about 3/4" thick, with melted chunks of bleu cheese on top, covered with thick slices of bacon, all served on a kaiser bun. Oh, and the fries are perfect. I'm not a big fry person, but I ate ALL of them. Dare I say this is 5 times better than Five Guys. Think all the taste, but none of the grease sliding down your arms as you eat. I've also gotten the fried calamari here (delicious!) and my boyfriend had their potato-asiago soup (insanely good considering it's potato-based.; there's got to be copious amounts of cream in it). The burger is $10, and well worth it. Everything is fresh, everything is local. I love New Deal. Each time I come here I say to myself "why don't I come here more often?" (I wish I could give 4.5 stars, the interior is a tad bland.) read more

Perhaps the best burger in Gainesville, especially so, since New Deal gets their beef from the university's free-range, grass-fed, "Beef Teaching Unit," which, come to think of it, could be an alternative name for the New Deal Cafe. Anyway, my second visit to New Deal was extraordinarily memorable. My roommate, Lindsay, had a new boyfriend visiting her from Austin, TX. Chris studies Kung Fu. A lot of Kung Fu. And his Sifu lives here in Gainesville. I can't remember the guy's name, which is probably good, because he knows Kung Fu well enough to instruct. I've met fewer than five people as intense as this guy was. His entire body was shaved. He had eyes that darted around the room. He had, proportionately speaking, the biggest wristwatch I've ever seen on a man who stood no taller than 5' 7". It came time to order. I got what I always get: the bleu cheese and bacon burger, cooked to medium (formerly known as 'The Maytag Burger' for reasons still unknown to me). Kung Fu master ordered the same, and our poor waitress innocently asked him, "How would you like that cooked?" "Just less than medium. If it comes out any warmer than that, I will send it back. I've done it before. I don't care. Not medium, not medium rare, but right in the middle. Absolutely no warmer than medium. I promise I'll send it back if it's not right." Lindsay's lower jaw nearly fell to the table. She was mortified. I was embarrassed. Chris couldn't understand our sudden apoplexy. Kung Fu master smiled and passed the menus to the now-fuming waitress. I chugged my beer (Anchor Steam!) to avoid eye contact with anyone. Of course, when our burgers came, Kung Fu master found fault in the patty's temperature. Of course he sent his back, just like he promised. Prick. The flatbreads are also amazing! read more

I went for a light dinner before a movie on a Saturday evening. I ordered one flatbread with spinach, cheese and chicken. Meal was truly disappointing for following reasons: the flatbread was an amorphous piece of dough, sides were burnt, the dough bent as I picked a piece to eat, , lacked seasoning and flavor, the chunks of chicken were dry and flavorless, cheese was scarce. I ate half because of the meal because I was very hungry, left rest on the plate. I have eaten at this cafe before and I have not been happy with my meal either. read more

Speaking of consistency, New Deal Cafe maddens me. I love to love it. There is nothing better than going on a warm weekday night, sitting outside with friends, and pass the evening eating good food. If only New Deal could bring up the quality on some of their dishes... The drinks are great here. The Manhattan is strong and balanced in regards sweetness. The changing assortment of obscure beers are decently priced (Anchor Steam is great and only 4 bucks). My girlfriend claims the Flirtini is the best drink ever. The food has some maneuvering that must be learned. Most appetizers here are a safe bet. The calimari is always amazing, freshest I've found in the area. The basket of fries with lemon aioli is also phenomenal. Last time I went, I got the goat cheese with apple slices and baguettes- wow. This is why I come. On the other hand, the entrees are hit or miss. The burger was a flat meh (though the tempeh burger with cheese is delicious). Flatbreads come out gorgeous or swimming in grease. And there was the one fiasco when I proudly brought friends and we got paninis which were so salty my friend claims he seriously associates New Deal Cafe with salt whenever he hears the name. For shame. So with a bit of cleaning up this place would be stellar. I go for the appetizers and take a gamble on the entrees. When you can get calimari this good you aren't as upset about a mediocre sandwich. Great place for a date. read more

I remember having lots of 'tude with New Deal Cafe. And then, one Friday about three weeks back, I said screw it. My hubby and I were hungry and tired of our usual standbys. We wanted something different. So off to New Deal we went. I seemed to recall hearing that they had an excellent burger, and the tiny menu seemed to bear this out. Of the small number of entrees they offer (flatbreads, salads, paninis, sandwiches, burgers, and two dinners), the burger was the most ordered item by far. I saw one drift by and ached. "What do you want to eat?" hubby muttered. "I think the burger's supposed to be really good ..." I muttered back. We both eyeballed the chorizo-stuffed duck leg and thought hard about the pecan-crusted chicken breast on sweet potatoes. We sampled the margherita flatbread w/ chicken. But in the end, we both caved in to the burger. The savory, moist, juicy burger. Every bite a messy, perfectly-cooked delight. *mops up drool* Since that Friday, we've come back four different times. Every time, one of us tries something new. And sometimes it works out (the pecan-crusted chicken is clearly prepared on-site and tastes wonderful) and sometimes it doesn't (Georgia sausage / shrimp flatbread came out charred in spots and still managed to be cold ... grr). But we always go back to those burgers. A few issues: the drinks are not all that great. The caipirinha is pretty good, as are most of the drinks with liquor and a single mixer, but their specialty drinks? Ugh. The dirty olive martini is the equivalent of drinking a $10 glass of water straight out of the Gulf. The "Absolutely Fruity" (blueberry vodka, pomegranate juice and watermelon) had no flavor whatsoever and would be put to shame by a Jelly Belly. Another huge drawback is that despite being open during the day, the service is too slow for lunch. I put in an order for the mini burger, paid for the food immediately, and I was STILL waiting for 30 minutes before I got to eat. For a 4 oz. burger? C'mon, people! But you see, the burger will always draw me back--and those wonderful desserts from Mildred's next door. So do whatever you will, New Deal. As long as you keep making that burger, I'll complain--but I'll always be back sometime soon. 3.75 stars. read more

Ok, usually the food's not bad; burgers are consistently good. But tonight, things seemed over-salted, except for my wife's veggie burger, which was a bland mush of lentil-and-wheat-berry on a bun... really just inedible. So, it follows that she did not eat it. In hindsight, we should have politely sent it back. But here's a tip for the wait staff, one that can make a restaurant great... when the diner asks "is it supposed to be soft like this?", or when you see an idle burger with one bite taken, or when the to-go box is refused, each is an opportunity to ask "did you not like it?", or "was there something wrong with your meal?" or "can I get you something else?" Was not expecting compensation; just disappointed at the lack of acknowledgement. read more