Red Eye Cafe

My 3 year old daughter walked in here, opened her arms and said «I love this place!» Its got a good energy. I have had many items. The latest was a VEGAN brownie and I just could NOT believe how incredible it was.
There is a blueberry sandwich that is great! I haven’t had anything I didn’t like. Maybe the only draw back is that it can be crowded and a long wait time. I order ahead or eat outside on the side of the café but that’s bc i Have a toddler.

I absolutely LOVED this place when I had the pleasure of visiting it a couple of weeks ago.
It is located on a side street, away from Montclair’s main downtown area, but near a few other restaurants and shops. That whole street is almost its own small downtown area which is very quaint.
Since I was not able to try any food when I went to the Red Eye Café this review is solely based on the coffee i ordered and the exceptional service I received. I was in the mood for a sweet coffee that day and the barista recommended their vanilla chai latte, which she said tasted like a graham cracker: she was absolutely correct. It was as if I bit into one. Delicious.
I could tell the quality of the coffee itself was excellent as well, not just the flavoring. I am sure you cannot go wrong ordering whatever java concoction you prefer here.
The service was also exceptional and everyone was very friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to go back and try more things!

Came here on a date for brunch and it was the perfect spot. Small place with an Indie vibe, friendly staff, and good food for a great price.
My date ordered the breakfast pie which was, I believe yogurt, granola, fruit, and something else? I was lost in conversation to take notice, but I do know he enjoyed it. I also forgot the name of my dish but it was basically two over easy eggs atop roasted parsnips and sweet potatoes? Simple, healthy, and good. Come to think of it, I should have finished it but was caught up in my date!
We took a long time to order as we kept talking and there were ppl waiting for a table, but never did the staff rush us as other places usually do. Note: this place smells like fresh ground coffee beans which is pure awesomeness. We requested the check when we were ready rather than being served it. A++ for the customer service!
Keep in mind this place is in a residential area so street parking may be a couple blocks away to find. Meters are free on Sunday and Label street has parking if Walnut street doesn’t.

This place does everything well. I’ve been here for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. I’ve always been very please with the food and service. Went here today for brunch and had the huevos rancheros and the sunrise quesadilla, and my usual iced dirty chai. The food was perfect and tasted so fresh. I can’t recommend this place enough for any meal of the day. Outdoor seating available and a byob.

This is a really nice place in a very cool area of Montclair. This area has become vibrant with the restaurants and bakeries which have opened up. (Check out the donuts at Montclair Bread)!
I stopped in for lunch and had a red eye sub with a cappuccino. Both were delicious! The sandwich was definitely unique. Fried eggs with runny yolks along with hash and potatoes on a roll… I told you it was unique! Cappuccino with cinnamon on top was perfect!
On a weekday at lunch, the place was packed. The staff was very attentive and friendly. I really like this place!

Been coming here for a while now, always for coffee and always to go. The food looked excellent every time I would stay while waiting for my coffee to be prepared, especially on weekends.
Well, I finally decided to come out and grab brunch here this sunday. The wait was only 10 minutes which is amazing as its usually 30 minutes to an hour at these times. I attribute it to the rain. There is a little breakfast nook with newspapers that you can read while waiting for your table. Be prepared to wait if its packed as people do not rush out here and take time to sit down to chit chat and enjoy their coffee and breakfast /​brunch.
I came in determined to get the french toast which is my go to and it looked amazing when I saw it here. Once seated they had the Pastrami Smoked Salmon on the specials which completely threw me off and that’s what I ordered. We also ordered the Huevos Rancheros which were huge and very tasty.
Will go for the French Toast or the Waffle next time. Also, don’t forget their amazing selections of latte and coffee especially the sludge!
They offer free WiFi so ask anyone for the password.

One of the absolute gems of Montclair! Came here for the first time last year and have been back many times since. Always the first place I recommend when someone is looking for a cozy café with great atmosphere. Staff is always friendly, especially Holly!
Whether for coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert you will not be disappointed. I am partial to the vanilla chai and their brownie melt is one to abandon all diets for. My favorite dish is their French Toast with Honey Whipped Cream and Strawberries with a side of the best candied bacon around.
You owe it to yourself to stop in, especially during warm weather with the quaint outdoor seating area. I’ve been to many places in Montclair but this one won my heart.

Met up with friends here for brunch. Street parking only. Meters on the main road, but they have open spots without meters on side streets. You’re welcome.
Ordered some coffee at the counter when I was waiting for the table. They will bring it to your table if you get seated before your drink is ready. Solid service.
Food was delicious. Would definitely recommend the corned beef hash as they use large corned beef chucks rather than the usual beef/​potato purée. The sauce on the hash was also very good.
Shares some Brussel sprouts and veggies with the table as well. Both excellent.

Coming here for a simple black coffee gets my morning on a great path! I just recently tried the dirty chai and love that for a special treat.

Great smoked salmon sandwich
Street parking
Credit card ok
Bathroom clean
Small place so Sunday has a 20 minute wait
Would return

banging banging banging! what the F is there not to like here. Great inexpensive breakfasts, brunches, and sandwiches. I grabbed a coffee served in a huge coffee mug, and had the highlander, while my lady opted for the smoked salmon and cream cheese on pumpernickel. Both were amazing and I could honestly say that the highlander could be one of my top 5 best breakfasts. I would also say it’s a great hangover cure as well. Red eye keeps tons of Cholula hot sauce too which is a total plus as I like my shit a lil spicy. The table adjacent to me got the pancakes which also seemed amazing looking and def worth a pic on the gram. BTW if there is a long wait like when I went, Montclair bread company’s delicious dough nuts are right across the street too.

Stopped in for a grab and go coffee over the weekend. The Red Eye Café is a tiny café with lots of cool old wood and subway tile décor.
I was surprised that the coffee selection seemed pretty straight forward. There weren’t too many blends to choose from but that’s not a big deal for me. I went with the «Red Eye» which is an espresso shot in the house blend of coffee. Great cup of coffee and didn’t leave me feeling wired!
I will have to revisit to do a full review on the food but at first pass I could see myself coming back to enjoy the REC.

Everyone I know from family to friends to neighbors loves this place at a 5 star level. I think the coffee is pretty good… though it could be stronger. I’ve been here many times since it opened. I’ve come for lunch, I’ve met business clients here for lunch and coffee. I’ve had breakfast while killing time after missing a train. I’ve grabbed countless lattes to go in the AM. Most recently, I reconnected with a family member here over lunch. She absolutely loved lunch. Me, I’m not too into the menu beyond the coffee. That being said, the place has wifi. Of course, it also is kind of cramped with those little tin foil tables you find in public spaces in Manhattan. For some reason, I pick up on some really strange vibes from the help. But, that’s likely some kind of passive aggressive thing they reserve for me because I don’t fit some sort of cognitive profile they have in mind, so I’ll give the place 3 stars just for satisfying the rest of the world.
I thought bestowing this café with 3 stars was the fair and objective if not overly empathetic thing to do. I gave the spot a solid 3 just out of acknowledgment that most people are quite happy with everything about this café. I commented on how the coffee is pretty good and its availability is dependable. I recounted my memorable experiences. I should really be consumed with whether or not I feel well served though, yes? The food is not really something I care for, but I have enough self awareness to know and to state that this is just my personal taste. Plenty of other people are happy with the food.
But, then I get passive aggressive comments left by the owner, basically confirming the disagreeable energy that I had picked up on in this place. I’m the last person on Earth that needs to be lectured about how «the help» is somehow an offensive term. As an undergrad, I French Served in a tux, valet parked cars, worked in customer facing positions and generally built character and served zealously as «the help» without ever feeling the least bit shameful, so don’t project that nonsense on me. When you are providing customer service, the customer should not be made to feel conscious of your discomfort with serving or your neurosis about being a server. Nobody spends their hard earned dollar to be made to feel uncomfortable. This is especially true for those of us who are sensitive to our environment.

First time at this place was today at 7:45 am I little quiet but by 8:30 or so it was hopping. Please try the green eggs and ham. You won’t be disappointed. The green part of the recipe is kale… Just sayin’.
Wished it wasn’t 25 traffic lights from where I live or I’d be a regular.

AMBIANCE: The place is small but cozy. The décor is really nice and welcoming.
SERVICE: The staff was really friendly and helpful in answering our questions about the menu. Our food arrived fast despite the place being packed.
FOOD: Delicious! The comments about the Dirty Chai are all true. It’s so so good! The Sunrise Quesadilla was EVERYTHING! The tomatillo sauce really took it over the top for me. The Huevos Rancheros were also very tasty. They had the right amount of heat and the tortilla was perfectly crispy until the last bite. The prices were reasonable and the portions were just right.
I can’t wait to come back and try the some other items on the menu.

I was encouraged to try this place after reading a number of reviews. First attempt to eat here was on a Saturday when it was hell-​hour, too crowded. So tried coming again on a weekend and same deal, too busy and long wait time. In between the two weekend trips, I went in to order the house dirty chai latte. Very well executed! Good about of spice and bitterness with the espresso. The last time I went to try the food was mid-​week during lunchtime (around 1:30/2pm) and there weren’t many people.
Ordered a few specials off the daily menu: my Mom got an omelet platter with the cranberry walnut toast (by request) and I tried the chicken salad on ciabatta bread with a muslin side salad. My sandwich was less than desirable. I didn’t expect my ciabatta bread to be hallowed out and panini pressed to a thin board-​like texture. And the chicken salad was more like a whole chicken with a mayo dressing topped with muslin greens paired with a huge side of muslin covered in EVOO… don’t know what they were thinking with all that other than be healthy! On the other hand, my Mom’s omelet was really good especially the cranberry walnut bread — sweet, tangy, and crunchy due to the nuts. We also ordered coffee — was given way too early and unfortunately the waiter never offered us a refill — not sure if that would’ve cost more?
Its a small place with decent mellow-​ish music, lots of Radiohead and alternative, ambient stuff. Staff is nice but to themselves for the most part. Not into chit-​chat. Price is a little on the pricey side but it is Montclair. Worth a trip to check out the coffee for yourself and I might check out the food again but not if its going to be such a hassle.

Solid Montclair café. Reasonably priced, great ambiance, and delicious dirty chai lattes. I’ve been twice in the two weeks.
FOOD: On my first trip I had the Waffle Sandwich. I saw the «spicy maple» sauce and wanted it. Sadly, it was not spicy, and not quite my taste because it was more so sweet than savory. The waiter brought me hot sauce when I commented on it, which helped. My dad had the shiitake salad, which was good. Needed more dressing in my opinion, but I ended up ordering it when I went the next time. My friends ordered pumpkin pancakes, which were really good and very fluffy. Blueberry pancakes, also fluffy. The Elvis, which was pretty «meh» in my opinion.
COFFEE: Get the dirty chai. It’s great. Friend’s regular chai was okay, but low on spice. Friend’s hazelnut mocha was very good. Red eye was too weak for my dad.
AMBIANCE: Hipster in the good way. For sale art on the walls (although I didn’t care for it), casually dressed and nice waiters. In the summer time they have a nice outdoor patio area with a «Before I die» (inspired by artist Candy Chang) chalk wall.
SERVICE: Good! Very friendly and checked in appropriately. Very nice waiters who surprisingly didn’t rush us out the door considering there was a long line, which was appreciated here.
TIP: Avoid weekend bunch. If you don’t, prepare to wait a very long time. They don’t take reservations over the phone! But you can get coffee while you wait.

The Red eye café is simply dope! We had this spot on our radar for a minute. Then my boy Jeffrey S got ROTD, so mi lady and I finally decided to dine in red eye style! Get it??? Hahaha late dinner.
Anywho, I felt a bit off as everyone recommends breakfast and brunch here. Lemme tell ya, dinner is amazing as well. The establishment is cozy, friendly and artsy!
On to the food! Omg dinner was great. I felt a little dash of salt was needed seasoning wise, but hey it’s better to add than not being able to eat it!
— Lentil soup — very good. Enough lentils to fully get your bean on and added a dash of hot sauce to kick it up a knock!
— Shrimp and Grits — AMAZING! The coconut curry flavors were flawless. At first the portion looks off, but this dish is fulling folks! I would eat this again for sure!
— Carrot cake — sweet, moist and creamy! An awesome way to complete a meal.
— Dirty Chai — a world of awesomeness! Get the medium. It’s chai with a lovely shot of espresso. Paired well with carrot cake and was a lovely finisher to my night!
Don’t sleep on this spot for dinner folks. I can’t wait to try breakfast and brunch. Hope you enjoy them well.
*** side note *** they showcase local artwork every month, so the décor constantly changing which is think is hella cool.

I wanted soup and found this place in my bookmarks. I noticed this place was known for brunch, but the soup was a calling me. So we went around 8 or 9pm to get a soup and sandwich, but did not go as planned. Instead we ordered something completely different… dinner!
I ordered the crab cakes and my boo has the shrimp and grits. The servers are very attentive and service is quick. I have to admit was not sure how dinner was going to be because everyone was ordering dessert and coffee, but I was very happy with meals and so was he.
The crab cakes came with arugula, 2 crabs cakes, 3 slices of avocado and a lemon capers mayo sauce. the combination was awesome and I really enjoyed the meal. I normally dont like mayo, but the sauce was seasoned well that you could barely taste the mayo. The meal was filling to me and allowed some space for dessert. The crab cake was seasoned well enough that you could taste the crab and it was fresh.
Now for my ohhhh sweet dessert… brownie melt and vanilla ice cream with whip cream. The brownie was warm so it allowed the ice cream to melt a little bit. The size was just right to fill my stomach and feel satisfied after a good entrée. He ordered a carrot cake and dirty chai. The carrot cake was so moist and fresh.
The restaurant has artwork for sale that changes from time to time with different artists that is cool. The place is cool and laid back… place to grab a coffee, dessert… read book or type a paper. I love the portion sizes because it allows you to eat a little bit of everything and not feel overly stuffed.
I really enjoyed coming here! The brunch looks awesome, but its seems you can only have breakfast early in the day. Also parking sucks in the area, which makes it difficult to come at certain times of the day, but would be willing try.
Definitely recommend this place!!! Bön Apetit!

I’ve been meaning to try this place for literally years now. Had dinner here outside on a Saturday night. WOW.
Food was outstanding. Service was super friendly. I had the chicken, spinach and artichoke special. I’m not sure what kind of sauce it was in, but it was absolutely phenomenal. I’m not even a huge fan of artichokes and they were amazing.
The outdoor area is a perfect garden oasis in the middle of Montclair. I think they don’t get nearly enough credit for dinner. If breakfast is what they’re known for, I know I’m in for it next time!