MOKAFÉ — Restaurant in Paterson

Today, I went to Mokafe for the second time. The first time, I was very impressed by the ambiance, the food, and the drinks, but this time my experience was completely different. My friend and I went and sat down, and immediately someone came and told us that we had to move to a table for two, as they get busy and need the larger tables for larger parties. We said that we understand; however, the area with tables for two was full of men, and we don't feel comfortable sitting next to them as we are two Muslim women (which we figured would be understood as the business is Palestinian-owned), but if a table for two opened up that was not by men and by women, we would be willing to move. Also, I'd like to note that a couple was sitting next to us, and no one said anything to them about this, regardless of the fact that they were also sitting at a table for four. My friend and I sat and worked for a little while longer, and then another worker came and asked us to move again as they had a large group coming in. The tables for two were still in an area full of men, so we stated again that we didn't feel comfortable. The worker insisted, ignoring our discomfort, and also stating that there was a two-hour seating limit. Mind you, we had been sitting there for less than half an hour; neither of us had finished our drinks, and I had barely finished my sandwich. We felt so unwelcome, and she was so insistent even though it was obvious that we were uncomfortable. There were no other tables for two aside from the front area, which again was full of men. I think it's extremely ridiculous and unprofessional to push PAYING customers to move just because you have the opportunity to make more money with a larger group. Also, any tables for two that were available in the area we didn't feel comfortable sitting in, could have been pushed together to fit more people. I've never heard of a cafe ask customers to move so insistently just so that a larger group could come in and sit. I've never seen or experienced a restaurant tell customers who are already seated and eating that they have to move to make room for a larger set of customers. The same rules should apply. It honestly feels so rude and so greedy. We felt like if we didn't move, we would have to leave, and so we chose the second option because ultimately, we weren't going to do something that we feel uncomfortable with. We could have also asked someone that we knew who was also there to sit with us so that we were a larger group; however, we felt so unwelcome that we didn't want to be there any longer. We came to Mokafe to support a Palestinian-owned business and we left feeling so frustrated and upset. It's so unfortunate and we'll probably never come here again.

Also, they definitely need to lower the...

Mokafe has been met with an overwhelming flood of five-star reviews, but after my experience, I find myself perplexed at the high praise. With the increasing number of cafes popping up, one might expect a Main Street establishment to raise the bar, but unfortunately, Mokafe has left me rather disappointed.

Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by an array of sweets that look more like sugar overloads than delicate pastries. Chocolate-coated everything, glazed and sugared to the extreme, with a nod to what used to be traditional Arab sweets. But Mokafe's boldest offense? Stuffing a croissant with baklava. Some fusion concepts can work, but this one misses the mark by a mile. The pastries themselves, whether overly sweet or painfully dry, did little to redeem the first impression.

Then, the tea—well, it's just a tea bag. For a café that should pride itself on specialty drinks, offering a basic tea bag without loose leaf or spice-infused options is a letdown. The chai, in particular, was a disaster. What arrived at the table was nothing more than hot milk with the faintest hint of spice—barely chai at all. When I asked about it, I was told this is how it’s served for most customers. But any true chai lover would likely cringe at this watered-down imitation. The only saving grace of my visit was the nitro coffee, which at least tasted fresh and well-brewed.

The experience was further soured by the rigid seating policy. With the shop nearly empty, I was still instructed where to sit, which felt unnecessary and off-putting. It's baffling that, in a place where you’d expect a cozy, laid-back atmosphere, I felt hurried and constrained.

In the end, Mokafe seems like nothing more than a dressed-up Dunkin’ Donuts. If you’re looking for quality pastries, authentic chai, or a welcoming café experience, I’d suggest giving Mokafe a pass. There are plenty of other local options that are far more deserving of your time...

We went to Mokafé Sunday night, it became our favorite place from the very first time we visited. I’ll explain why…read details below. You will visit this cafe for sure.

What I love here is: amazing coffee ( I am coffee lover, I know what I’m talking about, coffee is great, if you wanna try real coffee-go and you will enjoy), hot chocolate drink(my kids love), Palestinian mint tea (simply the Best , there’s no comparison anywhere ) fresh mint leaves inside, taste amazing, they have always fresh warm croissants and you feel like in paradise . Mokafe closed earlier tonight ( probably due to snow storm ), but they surprised us really, the young man (owner/manager) saw us that we came and saw door locked, then he signaled to us to wait and he came outside and gave to our kids and us ( 3 adults and 3 kids ) 6 packages with inside of each package 2-3 of the most delicious croissants . Nobody have a right to give negative reviews for Mokafe and its staff , because you guys are the best. You have great team, great service, delicious food, great choice in menu. Example for hospitality !!! Keep up with the...