Red Eye Cafe — Restaurant in Montclair

Unfriendly staff!!!

Loved coming to this place until we were unwelcomed one Monday afternoon, by not only a worker, but a patron as well. If i am not mistaken, i believe kids are welcomed here, although we were treated as the opposite. I normally come here with my fiance in the evenings, but this day was different, we brought his sister and niece (2 years old), and just wanted to grab a quick coffee, it was 3:45 in the afternoon, they close at 5:00. Instantly we were welcomed by the "boy" at the register when i walked in (Monday, Jan. 18 to be specific) (i refer to him as that because that was the way he acted) with him saying we are not serving food. I then replied saying that we were just here for coffee and to sit for 10 mins. He then tells us it's going to be a 25 min. wait (on a Monday at 3:45?!?! OK!), mind you an older lady was just getting up, and there would be space for us 4. My niece was not running around or causing any disturbance, but i could tell the "boy" was annoyed that we were there. There was a spare table (clean) next to the other table, where my fiance took my niece to just sit, and the "boy" then proceeds to mutter under his breathe (to the customer mind you) that "these f*g people are deaf and don't listen", because he supposedly needed to clean a clean table! Of course my sister in law heard every word he was telling the customer. Oh and of course the customer was laughing about it. This is any way to treat paying customers at your store?!?! This was uncalled for, and of course my sister in law told him off, and we walked out. I am very disgusted and disappointed as this was one of my favorite places for coffee, and to be treated that way, as other patrons were enjoying their meals was embarrassing! But to top it off, the "boy" engaged with the customer, making a spectacle out of nothing. We just wanted some coffee and to sit for 15 mins. He acted like we came in there at 5:00 when it was time to close.

Word of advice to the owner, train your employees on...

I had an amazing time at this cozy little Cafe. The food was delicious and the vibe was amazing. We both came in on a busy Saturday morning. It was rainy and icky outside (my favorite weather btw). My friend and I both had Dirty Chai teas, as we waited for our tables. The teas were heart warming, as we sipped them eagerly in anticipation. We were told the wait would be about 20 minutes but I dont feel it was 20 minutes at all. I couldn't help but notice immediately the art on the wall, which reminds me of my sacred plant journeys with mushrooms and dmt. (The cool thing is the art comes from a local artist and you can actually purchase his work. I love that they support local and upcoming artists. If you want to buy his beautiful art by the way, management will plug you in with his contact info!!) I instantly knew that eye was at home (if you know what i mean🌌👁🔮) The books that were added for decoration were all intentionally selected and I absolutely loved itttt. I too love books so I just felt that I stepped into a portal to a dope little Cafe down Alice's rabbit hole... The food though? The food was amazing. I'm a foodie that is why I was there in the first place. I ordered the Ramen with spinach, eggs, and bacon in it, it had an amazing spicy ginger broth (literally all of my favorite things in a bowl 😩) and a extra side order of (bacon cause I'm greedy) and it was soooo savory and tasty. The bacon was thick and salty as it should be - appeased all of my taste buds. My friend ordered the shrimp and grits. The grits had coconut flavoring which gave me thai vibes 😍 and they were thick creamy and heavenly, with the added loveliness of the shrimp. She also had the smores cookie and I had the banana nut bread which was soft and moist. 10 out of 10. I can't wait to come again and eat the same thing another 4 times before I finally try something...

Red Eye is very focused on quality savory dishes and a quality cup of coffee. Located in a trendy section on Walnut Street, it isn’t the easiest restaurant to spot with the cafe’s name on a dark awning. There is no parking lot, and parking can be difficult depending on the time of day. The cafe is very clean with lots of dark wood and white subway tile. The tables are individual and relatively comfortable despite the restaurant being crowded. In the morning, especially on the weekend there may be a 15-30 minute wait for brunch. When it’s nice out, there is a quaint alley way with tables, but it can be difficult to get prompt service outside. The staff is very friendly and is knowledgeable about the menu items, or are willing to find out the answers if you have questions. For brunch, we had the Chipotle Cheese Sandwich and the Waffle Sandwich. The waffle sandwich with bacon and egg accompanied by fresh fruit was good, but the spicy maple dipping sauce made it very good I did not try the Cheese Sandwich, but was told it was tasty. Our pour over coffee was very good, though not the best and probably wouldn’t stop in just for it. In total, brunch came to $40 for 2 including tip. As with most trendy cafes, it’s considerably pricier than most diners and other breakfast spots. The uniqueness and quality can justify the cost, though there are other cafes I would make a regular visit to before...