cafe 7 delicatessen and pastaria

just mediocre. i've been wanting to try cafe 7 for quite some time - was in the area, just right before lunch rush and thought we'd try it.
love the location (right off memorial), love the decorating (feels homey and cozy and clean) - but, unfortunately, don't love the food.
beginning with the ordering process, it is mega confusing and overwhelming for the first time. as soon as you walk in the door, the line is congested because the order slips are just a foot inside the door. you pick up a slip (there are 4 - pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salad) - pick what you want and then get in line to order and pay. it is hard to decide what you want when there are so many options (on each sheet is a "build your own" which is also too many choices). anyway, once you order the food comes out super fast - which is really good if you are in a hurry.
my husband ordered the "build your own pizza - the crust tasted like a mass-produced, pre-made item - he said mediocre. i ordered the baked ziti, it looked fabulous, but it also was mediocre - not enough flavor in the sauce. i also ordered a side salad (which was super crisp and fresh) and a slice of their cake special - chocolate cake. it was just okay, the frosting ruined it in my opinion (i like a rich and creamy frosting and this was more jello based) - the cake itself was really moist though. next time i come, since the salad was so fresh, i think i'll do one of their signature salads. (on a side note, the bathroom was not only clean, but also decorated very pretty. more like a home bathroom - not a restaurant bathroom).
i usually end up with leftovers to take home and at almost every restaurant we go to, an employee will come by and inevitably ask if i need a to go box. two employees walked by about 20 times and never made eye contact (never asked us how our food was - not once) and never offered to get a box. really strange for a restaurant (albeit (sp?) this is an order and sit down sort of place, but come on.
i was so bummed, i really wanted to like this place!! it is cute and cozy, it is fast and it is clean - they need to work on their customer service and their quality of food. i will continue to try an item from each of the sheets to see if i can find something i love, not something that is just mediocre ....

absolutely amazing little place. the make it yourself option is great and their ruben was pretty tasty. loved the baked potato salad. will definitely revisit.

great concept! yummy!!

good not great for a quick lunch or bite on the go this place works, and you can't beat the prices

yummy!. this is the best lunch spot for really good food, good price! if you haven't checked this place out you need to right now! i am!

very loud. everything i've eaten here has been slightly above marginal. my wife loves it, so i'm forced to go eat there about once per month. she really likes the pizza. i think what does in the place for me is how loud it is.

now to begin with, i have a problem hearing a conversation in large crowds due to background noise. so my overall review of this place is probably lowered a bit b/c it is so loud in there. i can hardly ever hear anything my wife is telling me across the table. this really makes me disinterested in what i'm eating.

the ordering process is very unique and quite frankly i think it's dumb. you have to touch the same writing utensils that all the customers before you (not just the one's before you that day but as long as they have been out there to use) have used to write their orders. um, gross. i think the idea is to expedite the ordering line, but the problem is that it doesn't work. the little sheets of paper you circle your order on is so busy, half the line is still looking and making sense of them while standing in line.

in most of our experiences once you get to the counter to order, the person taking the order has been slow and thus slowing down the process. then just after you've ordered and you've counted out that it's $7 per plate, bam you're hit with a much-larger-than-you-think bill b/c each little thing like topping or chesse or what have you costs a certain amount of money.

overall, the uniqueness of the place is a good lure, but i just find it too complicated, loud, and uncomfortable to deal with.

head scratcher. we finally tried cafe 7 today after hearing positive reviews from several friends. my husband saw that they had a high rating for pizza on urbanspoon and was looking forward to trying theirs. upon our arrival, i was almost immediately left wondering what could warrant the rating. four menus and essentially no ready-to-order vegetarian or pescetarian options--or creative options, for that matter. my husband created a pizza with olives, onions, and bell peppers, and i tried the margherita pizza. my husband compared his pizza to a frozen one we might bake at home, and my pizza was, above anything else, on the salty side--something i've never described a pizza as. as for other menu options, i considered the turkey and avocado sandwich without the turkey, or a salad without a meat topping, but in the end thought the options--regardless of whether one is a vegetarian, pescetarian, or carnivore--were unextraordinary. all things i can find elsewhere or make at home.

the restaurant itself feels very claustrophobic and loud. i can't speak for the environment, other than i sat by a fireplace. i'm still scratching my head as to why this place is so appealing to people--maybe they were just bored with panera, schlotzsky's, or bj's? sure, it's all $7--but if that's my only lure for a meal, then i'm not really interested in how the food tastes, am i?

perhaps i just discovered the attraction.

just ok............ when this place first opened it was half the size and double the value. the food portions were great, the prices even better. unfortunately, since expanding the quality control has suffered. i used to love their chicken alfredo, but the last 2 times i got it it was tiny and wasn't warm all the way through and the sandwiches hardly have any meat on them anymore. the pizzas are still perfect last time i checked, and it's nice to go in with a large group of friends and please everyone as they have such variety, but it's dissapointing lately and i think our group will be searching for a new "quick spot".

delish. we love cafe 7. we go there quite often. i really like the luau pizza.

pasta maggio. cafe 7 was a pleasant surprise the first time i visited. the food is amazing, and the decor is chic-warm-mediterranean. my family and i also enjoy supporting locally owned businesses.


-----06 jan, 2011-----

pasta maggio. this pasta is amazing!!! i ordered it the first time i went to cafe 7, and i can't order anything else since i like it so much!! it is rigatoni pasta with grilled chicken, mushrooms, and artichokes in a creamy pesto sauce. so delicious!! both my children love the chicken fettucine alfredo.

the signature salad is great!

pizza is only 7. i come here often and have tried a variety of options and they all taste good but the pizza and some pasta are really the only things i wanna pay $7 dollars for and not get robbed in my pocket. all in all though, food and place is nice.

get it to go. the first time i went to cafe 7 i had a bad experience. it was lunch time and my order took a long time (15min) and they didn't get it all. i was with a group of coworkers and luckily it was when we had 1hr lunch.

i choice to give them another chance, and i haven't been let down since.

i tend to order it ahead of time just to pick up. i tend to get the pasta with the cream tomato sauce.

it is always fresh tasting, and for the price you have a good amount of food.

great food, great concept!. we have been to cafe 7 several times and each time have really enjoyed the food, the fun and different menu style and service! the potato salad is fabulous! and we love the pizza as well! great place!

slam dunk.. cheap, tasty and quick. service staff may not be the friendliest at times, but hey, they're friggin busy. great great lunch spot.