Cai's Cafe — Restaurant in Metuchen

I used to be a near-daily regular for 2 years; however, for certain reasons and events, I stopped going because I felt unwelcome on the basis of my identity and not my character.

Prior to that, I genuinely felt a sense of community from the baristas and the other regulars, especially coming out of the pandemic. I made a lot of friends through this space and have fond memories.

1 star for the friendly baristas who work hard to keep this place afloat. They– the people behind the register day in, day out– really do a lot to create a welcoming atmosphere and community. The work that they put in deserves to be commended, and I stand by that. They work hard with what they are given in order to create a good customer experience.

1 star for the ambience that actually made the place feel cozy and the okay coffee (see other recent reviews). The food is okay too but overpriced for what it is in quantity and quality, especially when compared to other options nearby. I don't think this is a reflection of the baristas but more of business practices.

1 star for the good memories. I really wanted to continue liking and giving this place my business but alas. Minus 1 star for what was said and done.

Use your judgement when patronizing this cafe. Tip your baristas.

And take advice from their bathroom walls: Be...

My new favorite study and work spot. Great atmosphere for making calls, meeting with people, working with a laptop or just reading. Outlets are typically available if you check behind chairs and stuff. The staff are friendly and the food is tasty too. As a 23 year old man, I would like larger sandwich portion sizes, but to be honest I go for the atmosphere rather than the food. While I don't drink coffee myself, my friends have said different things on different days, ranging from "Hot heaven in a cup" to just "Pretty good". Update: In 6 months of regularly working and eating here, I've never been disappointed. The sandwiches are excellent, the hot chocolate is rich and milky, and teas are diverse and fresh. The baristas are friendly and the place attracts a trendy local crowd. On weekends you may be treated to a live performance by a local band. The basement is a great spot to work during the day or rent for...

Dark roast drip coffee was very old and not very hot tastes like smell of wet socks 🧦 or rust .. cost $7.59 for a medium drip coffee and a mini danish that’s insane and FYI the danish was extremely DRY and stale no wonder she was asking to warm it up .. I hope the owner sees this and and fixes something cause seems like this place has potential.. maybe rotate the coffee more ? Or do like many places and make it by the cup to order of your going to charge 10x the amount as Dunkin at least get the quality.. girl at the counter wasn’t so bad but rushed me and I was gonna order more and stopped cause she rang me up before I could add more .. the bathroom was a mess paper towel rack was open with none inside and smells in there invest in a vent system or fan or maybe a essential...