maman — Restaurant in New York

It hurts when a place is worthy of 5 stars on the outside but when it actually comes down to it, they barely hit the 2 star point.

I have a new building on Kent St I'm working at and while I was doing an open house I remembered there's a quaint restaurant up the block where I can grab food at. My friend and I hopped skipped and jumped over but when we entered we were so confused.

First of all, they have no staff working there. Like one person behind the counter and when we finally found another person, she was running back and forth between outside tables and a huge party upstairs (which I was informed about after we had already ordered our food).

So we sit down and scan the menu. We're quick decision makers so we knew what we wanted right away but of course there was no one to take our order. To the point that after 10 minutes of sitting there I went inside to find someone who said she'll be out in a moment. Great! She comes out and takes our order, we do tell her that we don't have much time and she's like no worries and goes back in.

Half hour later she comes out and says it's going to take a little more time because they have a big party upstairs. I was quite furious as she should have informed us prior to ordering after she knew we didn't have a lot of time to lounge around. What can we do? We weren't going to get up so we waited roughly another 10 minutes and boom our food came out. I will say everything "looked" appeasing.

We ordered the Waffle Iron Hashbrowns, Grand Mamans Grilled Chicken Couscous Tabouleh and a Make Your Own Omelette. The Waffle Iron Hashbrowns was quite interesting with smoked salmon, avocado and egg. I definitely enjoyed that. I would not recommend the couscous as it was super bland and had no substance. The Omelette was also pretty mediocre as it kind of looked like it had been beaten to death.

Anyhow we eat super fast as we're already late and figure we'll run inside and pay. Nah man, they don't accept payment inside for outside diners. Ridiculous right? So I run around searching for the staff who took my order and tell her I must get going and again about 10 minutes later she comes out with the check and thankfully takes our payment on the spot through an iPad (probably the only smart thing at this restaurant). And out we go.

It's...

Horrible experience! Today’s morning we visited that beautiful bakery and had the worst experience ever. We entered without mask since current NYC regulations allow vaccinated clients like us to chose if they want to have it on or not. We were yelled at by a mid age lady to leave. So I asked if they could provide us masks since we didn’t know that regulations at this bakery are different than everywhere else. When lady came outside to provide them to us she yelled at us again that we should have had our own. Excuse me? If I come to your lovely business to spend at least 50$ of my money are your really supposed to leave that comment over 5cent mask? Both me and my sister work at services and for both it was unacceptable since in most businesses masks are provided gladly prior to enter. The time we almost finished ordering the lady yelled at us again about our puppy and again we were asked to leave since ”the regulations” do not allow puppy to stay inside. We just ordered by the register and within 2 minutes we were yelled to leave twice before we placed an order. We were in this location couple months ago with our puppy sitting inside. We even thought that it is one of pet friendly coffee places. Most of restaurants don’t allow dogs to stay inside while you are dining in and I respect that, but I have never been thrown away by placing to go order standing by the register and not being seated indoor. Morning breakfast that was supposed to be pleasure became horror in minutes. We left angry and upset with tears in our eyes since we are both super nice and we both work at services but non of us have never been treated like...

I recently visited Maman, a charming café and bakery, and had a delightful experience. The baked goods offered were not only delicious but also creatively crafted, showcasing the culinary skills and imagination of the talented team.

While the self-serve aspect was a slight downside, I understand that it has become more common in many establishments. What stood out to me was the request for a minimum 18% tip. In today's world, where restaurant owners may not always provide adequate compensation to their staff, it seems that customers are expected to chip in regardless of the quality of service they receive.

That being said, it's important to note that the overall experience at Maman was still enjoyable. The unique and flavorful baked goods made up for any minor inconveniences. The café has a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for catching up with friends or enjoying a peaceful moment with a cup of coffee.

If you're looking for a place with scrumptious and innovative baked goods, Maman is definitely worth a visit. Just be aware of the self-serve setup and the suggested tipping policy. Despite these aspects, the quality of the food and the cozy ambiance make it a delightful spot to satisfy your cravings and indulge in...