First Avenue Coffee Shop

I would have loved to try this place based on reviews, but I walked all the way there from the Met to find out that it was closed down! So, I suggest not even going to look for it.

First Avenue Coffee Shop was a good greasy spoon. It wasn’t great food but it was cheap and quick.
But it closed down because of health violations. The owners don’t want to spend the money to pass inspection.

I’m not sure why this place has so many stars other than the staff are super friendly and awesome. The food though is very poor quality, especially the bacon, and you leave hot and sweaty and smelling like fryer grease. I opened my purse later in the day and the grease smell had permeated the leather and was still wafting out. There are other diners nearby that are much better so I wouldn’t bother going here unless you’re ordering delivery or something. I honestly feel bad though giving them 2 stars because the lady that works there is so sweet and nice! Too bad the food isn’t as noteworthy as her.

I honestly dont know what all the fuss is about, and have to agree with the others who have questioned the five star rating. Have ordered delivery a few times now because of all the great reviews and don’t think the food was that much better than some other diners on the UES, plus they screwed up on my orders three times now! Maybe they’re so busy being nice to the regulars who come in that they dont have time to pay attention to delivery. Definitely not trying delivery again.

Just okay.

Came here for breakfast the one morning. I sat at the bar & placed my order for eggs benedict. The man at the grill was entertaining & friendly. The food was good & the place was friendly environment.

This coffee shop is small and friendly.
They use fresh ingredients and eggs are not covered in greasy slime from the flat top. The staff is very friendly and their prices are cheap.

Great prices for sure, and nice people. But the food just isn’t very good quality. Awful coffee. Lox that was both salty and fishy. And to top it off, a dead bug on my bagel! Again, nice people who did the right thing (tore up the whole check), but still… I just can’t go back. Pay a little more for decent food.

I ordered a turkey panini and it came on flatbread. WTF?
Not outstanding, but it went in my belly & stayed there, which is always a good sign.
Decent coffee & pickle slice though.

Everything you want in a coffee shop; good food served fast and great prices. Sit at the counter next to the grill for an old timey experience. Breakfast for 2 under $ 15. Love this place.

I was there for breakfast today because of all the amazing reviews, and wow, guys. this is what five stars is for you? have you left your block? the coffee tasted like yesterday’s burned coffee heated up with extra water. the juice with a breakfast plate is good but comes in a shot glass. they found english muffins that are like, half the size of regular ones for the egg sandwich (is it cause i wanted one egg that i got a mini muffin?). the eggs are bagged, i think.
it’s cheap. the people working there were nice. i just wished they paid attention to their product.

Came here based on the Unilocal reviews; looking for a good breakfast place. Did not disappoint at all. Had a salami omelet that would have been at least twice the price and no better at a deli. Very friendly service, was not rushed at all.

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!! Stumbled across it after probably passing it a hundred times since I’ve lived here.
It’s a tiny place with a main counter in the front and a few tables in the back. The waitress was friendly and attentive, and our food was out within 15 minutes.
I got the Challah french toast, which was the best that I’ve had, EVER. Just the right amount of egg, cinnamon, and butter. My friend got the Chicken Souvlaki Platter, which was equally delicious. The white sauce was homemade, the pitas were so soft, and the greek salad was fresh. I ate all of my meal.
The BEST thing about this place is the price. You would get half as much food for twice the price at the many diners a few blocks away.
I would definately recommend it to anyone who lives in the area and is looking for affordable, quality diner food.

Was looking for a cheap breakfast, and found it. They offer some low-​key American standards; it’s not amazing (personally, I am just always difficult to impress with American breakfasts), but the owners are very hospitable.

Just moved into the neighborhood and I am in love with this place!
Everyone is so nice and friendly, the food is ridiculously inexpensive and good!
They have a great selection and they are always so damn happy to see people in their establishment!
I haven’t been on the weekend, yet, but during the week, I’ve had no problem finding a table.
It’s clearly a place for «regulars,» as they tend to know everyone who walks in the door!

A favorite local breakfast place. It’s nothing fancy but the food and the staff (Susie and Peter (the owner)) make up for the small space. If you don’t expect some exceptional food, but just solid, well-​prepared, delicious food this is a place for you.
My standard order is corned beef hash, which is delicious. Susie always remembers my order. My husband tends to skip around the menu — the French toast, pancakes, and the steak & eggs are delicious (the spices Peter uses for the stake are unique).
If you come before 11 am, you will get more bang for your buck for Breakfast (you get fresh squeezed juice w/​any breakfast order). There is a breakfast and lunch menu.
I’m happy this restaurant exists!

LOVE THIS PLACE! Not only is it «cheap» (or should I say, nicely inexpensive) for such awesome food, but it is so close to my apartment ;)
The first time I went in was my first week here, and I just was hoping to get a good meal at a good price, and I found it. Waitress was VERY nice, and seems to know everyone who walks in.
I also LOVE diners because they have everything, at all hours of the day. All in all, I go here on the regular and recommend them to everyone I know. Good job!

This place definitely has the small-​time charm that other reviewers have mentioned. And in some ways the quality stands out: The orange juice is in fact fresh squeezed, and everything is prepared after you order it — even tuna salad. Prices are very reasonable for this neighborhood.
Now for the bad. The service is exceptionally lousy. During our meal our orders were garbled more than once. The quality of the food ranges from poor to average; I would rate my hamburger meat as comparable to McDonald’s. They were short a number of items, including hamburger buns (they used english muffins) and onion rings. Finally, the interior is drab, with poor lighting and noisy equipment.
Overall, this establishment still has a place in the repertoire of UES restaurants, due primarily to its low price, but I probably won’t be returning soon.

peter, the owner cook of this place, is the sweetest guy on the planet, in a kinda gruff, almost sleazy way. and i really do mean that as a compliment. I love this guy. i knew him when he was a waiter elsewhere a million moons ago, and was psyched for him when he opened this place. suzie, the waitress is even sweeter than peter (see what i did there?)
the prices are half what you would pay for the same stuff at any other coffee shop in the hood. nothing is so outrageous you would talk about it 3 days later, but it is all solid — and you can grits with your eggs.
i never eat anything but breakfast food here, so i cannot comment on anything else. there is zero ambience here, but who cares? get some inexpensive eggs from nice people. ’nuff said

First Avenue Coffee Shop is like finding a $ 100 bill in a pair of slacks from Goodwill.
The food — I almost always get the same thing, but here’s a rundown:
Eggs: They can and WILL poach them. Whether they fry or poach them, they’re always how I ask them to be — runny yolk, stiff white. Perfect.
Toast: It’s toasted! They don’t mess it up. The butter tastes like butter. They ONLY have grape jelly, so if that’s a big deal, then this is not the place for you.
Potatoes: I like my potatoes cooked crispy, with skin on. These potatoes are none of those things. They are usually soft to very soft, skinless, and sliced thin. However, they have some sort of magic invisible seasoning on them that gives them a depth of flavor that I can’t quite get over (I know that it’s green pepper and onion, but it’s subtle.) They’re good even WITHOUT ketchup. I now like mushy potatoes. (They do get crunchy in a hash-​browns sort of way if you don’t mind waiting. Ask for them crispy.)
Coffee: The coffee can be hit or miss. Sometimes it’s delicious, sometimes it’s only OK. It’s caffeinated and it doesn’t ever taste TERRIBLE (which is more than I can say for my local Starbucks).
Juice: Did I mention the fact that I cried? I will, soon. This stuff is like crack, but it’s less expensive and comes with food.
So, why the five stars? THIS is why:
One cold morning in the middle of January, hungry, poor, and too emotionally exhausted to stare at yet another bowl of cereal, I finally gave in and came here for breakfast. From the outside, it appears that 1^st Ave Coffee Shop (the awning actually says 1^st Ave Restaurant) is just one of a million filler restaurants (aka restaurants that match bodegas in both number and quality of food) in NYC, with scary-​cheap prices. I was still in my NYC adjustment period with a recent job change and suffering from the heavy «breathing tax» (Seriously! Where does the money GO here? Keeping it in my pocket is like trying to keep a tutu on a greased cat).
Finally, what had kept me at bay for so long finally drew me in — I couldn’t afford to eat anywhere else! I sat down at the counter, and the cook came over to take my order. «One egg, rye toast, breakfast special with coffee please.»
He walked over to the sink, and with a few pumps of a hand juicer, crushed the life out of two of Winter’s sweetest gifts — fresh delicious oranges! I put the 4 oz glass to my lips… the juice was SO SWEET and SO FRESH and it was INCLUDED in the ridiculously low price! The night is darkest just before dawn? Well, there were tears of joy in my eggs that morning.
This might be the only restaurant on the UES that I will really miss when I leave. This is a genuine neighborly neighborhood joint — people feel at home and beloved. You can tease the cook and your kid will love the waitress. Not only do they take special orders (Tomatoes, no potatoes! Fry my sausage! Bacon and hashbrowns extra crispy!) but they ALSO (OMG!) give it to you the way you asked for it. The waitress calls you «sweetie.» Sweet!
A month ago I figured out that the cook (who is probably the owner but I can’t be sure) and the waitress (she sparkles, literally and figuratively) have exactly the same names as my beloved mom and dad. It suits them perfectly.