Uptown Cafe

So we came with a 9 top of hungry roller derby players. Our server was on point. We had multiple checks and varied orders that she handled with ease. She kept our drinks full and her attitude positive. Our food was delicious and the owner checked on us himself. Love this kind of experience, highly recommended. Sarah was awesome server

All my friends raved about this place and I was super pumped to show it off to my family, but eh, like the ²⁄₅ stars according to Unilocal standards, «Meh. I’ve experienced better» holds to be true in my book. Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but I can totally get an omelet and hash browns for half the price elsewhere. Would go back again in a social gathering.

I’ve never had a less-​than-​excellent experience at Uptown Café. It feels cozy, friendly, and unassuming, but there’s something delicious for every palate. Great place for a weekend brunch (and there’s self-​serve coffee at the entrance to tide you over if there’s a wait!). It’s a local treasure.

This place is absolutely great. My girlfriend and I come on a regular basis to have our own little place. Really great food and really great service. The restaurant’s menu is very well laid out and reasonably priced as well. I’m very happy that we found this local gem. The «mancakes» are killer and service is even better. Catch us here every sunday morning, we’ll be the ones who look a little too full, but will be happily chowing down our food and talking with other patrons.

For me this place is all about the BD omelet I love the mix of flavors: the smokiness of the Bradley’s sausage and the tang of the Mediterranean blend. The price seems a little high for just the omelet and toast (no grits or potatoes), but it is just so good I order it every time anyway.
Service is usually good, but don’t be in a hurry when you come. It usually is pretty busy.

The place has gone downhill. Used to be my favorite breakfast joint. 3 out of the last 4 times I’ve been the service, cleanliness and food quality was disappointing at best. Nasty stuff floating in my water, 45 minute wait on a grit bowl, cold shredded cheese sprinkled on my wife’s bacon egg n cheese bagel (see photo). Won’t come back. I’ll miss you, Pesto Scram.

Everything here is awesome. Order everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Everything.

So happy my friend told me about this place!
I got the smoked salmon bagel and it was delicious! My boyfriend got the pancake with the eggs and meat and that was so good too! The pancake was great and the sausage is from Bradley’s so you know it’s good. Uptown Café is an all around great place for breakfast and lunch!

FOODIES ALERT!!! Must visit!!! Too many incredible delicious cannot even describe!!! And miccosuke root cellar next door! People run do not walk to these two GREAT wonderful places!!!

Love this café! It is laid-​back, casual and quite comfortable. The food is absolutely amazing and the coffee is hot. I give it more than 5 Stars if I could.

We really liked this place. The bisquits are freaking amazing!!! OMG!!! What was also great was that the owner is there working as well… passing out mimosas to waiting customers and also talking to his customers. Great vibe!!!

I’ve had plenty of breakfasts and lunches here. Always for work meetings, yet the ambiance, service, and food always hits the spot. My personal favorite is the Chef Salad, which is basically eating a deconstructed sandwich. Bill always comes out to less than $ 20 for two, even with the higher prices items.
For breakfast they’ve got delicious omelets but I also like their simple ‘Back to Basics’ plate of eggs, tomato, and avocado. Their menu might look simple but there’s something for everyone here. Especially with the option to build your own omelet. Check them out for their great food, great people, and their casual unassuming atmosphere.

Easily 5 stars. My husband and I came in today with our baby. I went to the downtown location early in my high school years and didn’t like what I had so I never went back. I am 31 now, and have been missing out for all these years. I feel quite foolish. He had the grit bowl with dill garlic cream cheese and smoked salmon. Loved every bite. I had the Reuben, because if a restaurant has one on the menu I just must. It was on point. So they make their own sauerkraut, which is a tangy heap of deliciousness. Family recipe? I would eat it every day. A lot of places overdo it on the dressing and go under on the kraut and that is a huge no-​no in my book. Here, it was a mound of kraut, ample portion of meat, with a little cheese and a little dressing, which is how I want it. How I need it. I would go back for dinner, if only they were open. My only complaint is that their mimosas were $ 7.50 each and I wouldn’t have had as many had I known that going in… Seemed steep for what they were.

Locally owned! The owner was friendly and present, he would walk around and check in with the customers. Our waitress did a fine job assessing our needs and did not check in on us unnecessarily. I had the Chutney Chicken Salad Sandwich and while I did enjoy it, I found it to be bland in taste. The prices are reasonable and I enjoyed the diner atmosphere. My husband and I sat in the covered corridor between the two indoor seating areas, the curtains were pulled back and we enjoyed the cool breeze and sounds of traffic. I will certainly visit again

Ever have one of those spots that EACH time you visit, you know you just belong there? Uptown Café is one of a handful of those spots in TLH for us — and very likely for you.
Why do we love this place so much?
1. The kitchen delivers a consistently good (and innovative) dish, time and again.
2. The service is courteous and swift.
3. The ambiance (whether inside or al fresco) is always comfortable, well lit and upbeat.
4. (Here’s a VERY particular one, but it merits a bullet-​point) The iced tea is without equal. My wife, a renowned Iced Tea Snob (ITS), seeks it out. The «secret ingredient» (it’s not so secret, mint leaves generally taste like mint leaves) provides the perfect note that makes ITSs return again and again.
5. The smoked salmon alone — could replace the four points above (for me). Uptown Café smokes their own salmon. That’s right.
I took a series of photos today, so I’m not going to go on and on a la Tolstoy. Take a look at them, and perhaps the previous reviews. If you’re unfamiliar with Uptown Café and you like what you see in these photos, then you should probably check it out. Right?

I originally walked into the establishment impressed by the modest structure that clearly stood the test of time as it has been serving the Tallahassee community for over 30 years, but it would take much more than a quaint patio adjacent to the bustling Tallahassee traffic to win me over. I initially decided to not survey their coffee, but the chill of the November air on my back quickly changed my mind so I order a cup. Black of course to be able to adequately evaluate the quality of their roast. It was a mild blend with an aroma a likened to a medium roast maxwell house blend. After perusing the menu for a few minutes I determined that a selection from «Nic’s favorites» would be the best route for determine the true grits of this brunch establishment. I do not know who Nic is nor do I understand why I am to trust his opinion, but I did and decided on the bacon pancakes with a side of grits to satisfy my inner country. My food arrived promptly, and was delivered by a friendly waitress who understood that key elements to good service include a good smile and leaving me the heck alone while I am partaking in a grub session. The flapjacks were fluffy and the quietly nestled in the center was, as promised, a piece of bacon as crisp as a cold winter morning just as the dew begins to defrost from the first crack of daylight. The grits were as expected, but the opportunity to incorporate hot sauce and over easy eggs made the side particularly sexy. All in all, I will give Uptown Café a ⁴⁄₅ stars for a tasty and creative menu supported by a fair price and a friendly degree of customer service.

Overall average experience. Food was very mediocre. Service was slow, long wait according to the traffic. The coffee was watered down. The mimosas were basically orange juice. I enjoy dive-​bar atmospheres, but this place was a little weird for me.

In all the years I’ve lived in Tallahassee, I never came around to having brunch here, and after having done so today, I’m upset for not doing so sooner.
Uptown Café is located in what appears to be a 50s strip mall. It has two very pleasant outdoor patios and ample indoor seating, including an overflow space they rent out for private functions.
Today (Sunday) there was about a 15 minute wait for brunch.
I ordered the blackened chicken hashbrowns (pictured) with a side of grits. Had I known the portion was so generous, I probably wouldn’t have ordered the grits – which were great on their own. The coffee was good, and the fact each table has its own creamer is a small detail that I appreciate rather than those nasty artificial creamers.
In short, the food was great, and for the price, you can’t beat it.
As for the service, I have to say the food took a little more time to arrive than I’m accustomed to, but given its high-​quality ultimately, I think the extra wait was well worth it. The hostesses and waitresses were very sweet and upbeat.
This is definitely one of Tallahassee’s best brunch places.

I was excited to grab my lunch at Uptown Café because I read so many positive reviews on Unilocal.What happened???
I ordered the cashier’s recommendation, which was the «Option» sandwich. I did not care for the bread selection chosen for the sandwich, so I asked if I could switch to another type of bread. I was told I could, but it would cost extra. I ordered the sandwich on the bread of my choice, which was the multi-​grain ciabatta. I was surprised that for a sandwich that comes with nothing on the side, I was charged over $ 9. To make the meal a «combo» (which includes a small drink and a bag of chips), they charge an additional $ 2.85.
For dessert, I also ordered the cashier’s recommendation which sounded delicious — a chocolate chip/​butterscotch chip/​peanut butter chip cookie.
I «tried» to eat my sandwich, but between the sogginess of the bread that was drenched in a mixture of liquid and grease, I took one bite and immediately discarded the entire sandwich. To me, it was simply inedible.
Famished, I looked forward to dessert. Sadly, that was all wrong too! Instead of the cookie she recommended, she gave me a cookie that was nothing like she described. It tasted like a spice clove. There were no chocolate, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips in the cookie. I tossed the cookie too! I had to leave and eat at another establishment.
Obviously I will NOT be returning to this place. After reviewing the Unilocal reviews further, it is evident they are more popular for their breakfast than lunch.

The beloved, homegrown diner has generated a cult following of sorts over the years. Yet, the more I frequent Uptown, the more I discover new walks of life. This is the place where you bring your parents when they visit for the weekend. Uptown’s food is current and dependable, while not ever being boring. The enticing eats and genuine hospitality elevate the bar. No wonder why the business continually flourishes.
Uptown used to be dirt-​cheap. I remember the days when you could walk out of there without even noticing a hole in your pocket. Within the last year, they’ve increased prices and updated their menu. And when I say, «increased prices,» don’t run for the hills. An entrée and unlimited refills on coffee doesn’t even break the $ 10 mark.
My last visit was simply splendid. All of us enjoyed our meals, while soaking up the outdoor patio. If traffic and loud noises aren’t your thing, then I recommend not sitting outside. Smack in the center of a busy intersection, Uptown is surrounded by high intensity motorways.
Anything from the Johnny Cash to the Uptown Benny to the Mancakes are delicious breakfast alternatives. I’d recommend Uptown to out-​of-​towners, locals and my closest friends. I’m a huge fan of your operation, Uptown. Fresh, local cuisine at its best.