Van Gogh's Ear Cafe — Restaurant in Union

I want to start this review by saying I've been a longtime fan and loyal guest at Van Gogh's Ear Cafe. I've been coming to Van Gogh's since I was a student at Kean University back in 2008. I have many fond memories of coming here for late night coffee and dessert on late nights studying. I have often called Van Gogh's my favorite restaurant and have often requested to eat here for birthdays, first dates and other special occasions. It's a restaurant that's been near and dear to my heart for many years.

Tonight was different.

A friend of mine and I were wanting to get together and I recommended Van Gogh's. We wanted to go the day after 4th of July but found out it was closed and postponed the visit. We were both excited. This was the first night I walked away completely disappointed by the service and the food to some extent. I should also mention that I have nearly 10 years of restaurant experience serving everywhere from Cheesecake Factory to fine dining and catering to small mom and pop diners. I understand the ins and outs of the industry and I understand things happen.

Tonight as I was traveling to Van Gogh's to meet my friend, my car's battery light came on. I was 5 minutes from the restaurant and my car's engine started to sputter. I managed to pull into the lot but my car was clearly broken down. When I entered the restaurant, I told this to my server when she asked, "Hi, how are you?" The server said she would ask around to see if anyone could help charge the battery. She never did.

We ordered lots of food. 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, drinks and a dessert. After the main courses the server came over to ask for our dessert order before clearing the dirty dishes. I had to ask her to do it. I don't mean to be rude but that is pretty much service 101. During that dessert I was trying to work out my car situation with AAA. My friend barely ate her meal and didn’t take leftovers. No one bothered to ask her if she liked her food. While I was on the phone talking to AAA, the server came over and asked "Can I get you anything else? We're going to close early because it's slow." This was REALLY unprofessional and uncalled for. It wasn't even 9 PM. I understand wanting to close early on a slow night, but you don't force customers out the door! I was trying to resolve an emergency and all the staff seemed concerned about was getting home early. No one once asked me if I was safe or had a way home. Instead my friend and I were promptly asked to leave the restaurant well before 9 PM and more than an hour than Van Gogh's posted closing time - NOT COOL. After we left the restaurant my friend told me that she really disliked the food and that the guacamole tasted store bought and that she didn't taste any rose in the milkshake she ordered (I'm not sure exactly what it was). I thought the food tasted okay but I will say my falafel was drier than I remember it being years ago. This was disappointing because I advocated for this restaurant. I told my friend this was my favorite place. I've been coming here for years and tonight I felt completely unvalued as a longtime patron and guest. I was a little embarrassed I recommended it.

Thankfully, the wonderful business owners at Rose African Hair Braiding were so kind and allowed me to sit inside their salon and charge my phone while I was waiting for the tow truck to arrive. They made me feel safe in a stressful situation where I was completely alone.

I used to love Van Gogh's. Now I have a sour taste in my mouth and I honestly can't say I'll return any time soon. When I worked in restaurants, I always valued my guests. I've handled everything from guest medical emergencies to helping guests find safe ways home when they've had one drink too many. Tonight's experience showed me everything about how management has trained their staff to treat guests and its not a good look. If you're looking for a business to support, I would recommend looking elsewhere and visiting the wonderful women at Rose African Hair if you're ever in need of getting your...

My daughter and I came to Van Gogh’s for a cappuccino and lunch. It was a little cleaner than 2 years ago but not much and I don’t understand why broken seats and filthy dark with dirt seats aren’t replaced and dusty fans aren’t cleaned.

Even the counter where the coffee and cappuccinos are made is a bunch of junk and boxes in a glass display case and it’s just dirty. Organize it. Clean it up. Put some thing that has something to do with the restaurant in there. We gave it another shot but I will never return there again.

We were greeted, told we could sit anywhere and it took a little bit to find a clean place to sit. We were having a good time just talking and hanging out and after about 10 minutes we asked if we could have menus. Finally we were told that you have to scan the QR code and pull the menu up on your phone.

The QR code worked on my phone but my daughters phone didn’t so she pulled up the website for the menu.

The waitress asked what we would like to order and my daughter ordered vegetarian sandwich with baby greens but she couldn’t have that because it was on the “old” menu. We can’t go off that menu on the website because we have to use the QR code scanned menu. OK. It was the same exact sandwich except baby greens instead of vegetables. Ok so she ordered the vegetable sandwich.

I ordered off the lunch special menu half a soup and a half a sandwich. I ordered white bean & sausage soup, and half of a chickpea salad sandwich. The waitress came back and said it’s half a soup and a salad (THE MENU SAYS IN PRINT HALF SOUP & HALF SANDWICH) so you can’t get the chickpea salad sandwich. I showed her the menu where it states says half a soup and half a sandwich, but if it’s half a soup and salad now. OK then I’ll take the soup with the chickpea salad as a salad and not a bread. She said oh but it has to be a salad! WT…..?? OK. I replied I’ll have nothing I will just drink my Pellegrino water please thank you. Seriously the whole thing was very awkward and uncomfortable. This is so strange.

Then the waitress came back and said I could actually get what I ordered because she was hitting the wrong button when ringing up the order or whatever. What?? I replied, OK I’ll have whatever you give me then.

She said she didn’t really know the menu because she works nights. I’ve waitressed before and I always had to know the menu. You should know your menu OR print up the menu if Van Gogh’s is going to constantly change the menu and their own staff doesn’t know what they serve or what customers can order.

The chickpea salad sandwich and soup was OK. My daughter said her grilled vegetable sandwich was good. The check was $28 and my tiny bottle of Pellegrino was $3, the sandwiches and soup and 1/2 sandwich at $9 OK. The portions are ok, but again the place is dirty and needs to be cleaned and dusted.

PLEASE clean the glass case that the waitresses stand at and where patrons can order coffee!!

And after that I leave a 20% tip. Why? Yes she still did her job but it’s supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. It’s like handing out a...

AVOID THIS PLACE. EXTREMELY RUDE & UNORGANIZED. I came here a couple a weeks ago on a Saturday night looking to enjoy the food and atmosphere. However, my terrible experience began way before I sat down. I was told that I had to wait an approximate 30-45 minutes to sit down. After about 1.5 hour waiting for a table, I raised my concern to the young lady who was in charge on keeping track of the tables and was informed that I'd be next to sit for a party of 3. When another party of 4 sat before us, we immediately asked as to why they sat before us. What was assumed to be the manager, an older woman that wore baggy jeans and hoodie, got nasty with us and made sure we knew we were indeed not next by shoving the table lists in our faces. The younger lady happened to messed up and apologized for her action, but the manager's attitude was not needed. When a table cleared towards the back entrance of the cafe, the manager made a smart remark "Your table is ready." The problem with the table was that, it was not cleaned properly, just a couple sprays of diluted soap that was not dried off as well as no utensils or napkins. When another party sat next to us, the manager gave a proper greeting to the customers, which I believe was not right. Our waitress was nice and friendly at the beginning, but as the night went on we noticed the waitress's attitude changed drastically after speaking with the manager. We ordered food and a few drinks. We are not sure if the food was tampered with, but there is a high possibility it was. The quality of the food has been lacking recently. THE WORST PART OF THE NIGHT was when the manager decides to open the back door of the cafe, knowing we are seated closest to the door. Mind you, it is a Saturday NIGHT at 11:00 p.m. in JANUARY. The door should not be opened as it was freezing outside. Multiple tables around us were complaining about how cold it was inside the restaurant. Even one of the waitresses complained about being cold. That should be a clear indication that the door shouldn't be opened. I decide to do what anyone who is cold and just trying to enjoy their food would do and closed the back door. Within a few minutes, the door was back open and wind continued to come in the restaurant. Yet again, without complaining to the management as they were rude and useless, I shut the door not only for me but for everyone else's comfort. NO LATER than 3 seconds after I returned to my seat from re-closing the door, the manager runs to the door and opens it back up. I was left shocked on how the manager was childish, unprofessional and rude. After noticing this event, we quickly paid and left. I have not walked back in Van Gogh's Ear Cafe and will likely never return.

TLDR: Manager was very rude and petty. I do not know how she's in that position treating customers in such a horrible way. Experience so horrendous, it ruined my view on the...