Ella's Cafe Espresso & Wine Bar — Restaurant in New York

The food is amazing, but the service is somewhat lacking. I’ve been to this place more than 10 times since 2022. Up until early 2023, the service was fair, but it has declined since then. I definitely have several favorite dishes here, but I'm not sure if I'll come back due to the service.

1. Food: Great, with healthy ingredients and delicious flavors. The ingredients are very fresh. Sandwiches are always amazing. The almond teddy bear used to be one of my favorites.

2. Drinks: The chai latte is great, with a perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness. They offer a wide selection of teas, although they are tea bagged.

3. Location: Used to be great, but it has become noisy due to nearby construction. Easy to get to.

4. Price: Reasonable.

5. Service: Inconsistent; it depends on the individual staff member. Personally, I've had bad experiences. It may not happen to all customers, but I’ve had several unpleasant encounters, including: Not being asked for my order. Having my order confirmed with a very unpleasant attitude. Requests being dismissed (although eventually fulfilled). Even though the vibe and quality of the food are perfect, I'm always hesitant to return due to these unpleasant experiences.

6. Overall: The food is good. The location is convenient. The prices are reasonable. The service can be controversial. Therefore, I seldom visit this place after several unpleasant experiences, even though the sandwiches...

Yes - I am writing two reviews. Why? Because not only is this place and it's staff incredible - but they deserve better than the antisemitism flooding their page, and if humanity is going to be awful - then hopefully we can double the good. That said - this place is an incredible spot and I can't even call it a hidden gem. Yes part of ownership is Israeli. Yes their Shakshuka, omelette's and chai lattes are the best in the city (don't even get me started on their Sufganiyot). I call this place "my office" in the city and I practically wrote every MBA paper I had to from their cafe. The people are amazing, the food/coffee is amazing - everything is just amazing. Yes it's crowded, because they're amazing. And if you're one person sitting at a table for four during rush hour, yes be prepared to be asked to sit at a bar - you're costing them business and not only is it the right thing to do, but everyone is out here just trying to survive in 2025 so have some compassion. And if you have nothing nice to say, just because they're Jewish - just don't say...

I'm not sure how this place has good reviews, when everyone I know who has been here has had a crazy bad experience!

The matcha is fine (never ate here) but the vibe is soo bad. I always left here feeling like I wish I went somewhere else...(but, alas it was convenient)

I've gone in multiple times before the gym and the people checking me out have a discourteous attitude and negative demeanor. The girl who's usually taking orders frankly walks around with a chip on her shoulder. Not sure why I bothered tipping (20%) because not only does she never thank you, she will be curt and rudely hurry you aside. Expect dirty looks and a staff who are annoyed to do their job. Hm hospitality...? I gave the benefit of the doubt (thinking maybe it was a few off mornings) but after my 5th time leaving feeling like putting in an order is a nuance, I will NEVER come back. **My friend also stopped going because he said the staff was aggressive and...