Cheese Burger @ The Coffee Shop
I stumbled upon this cafe in New York City’s Union Square neighborhood by happenstance. We were on our way to scope out the place where I need to go on Wednesday. We were so hungry that as soon as we emerged from the bowels of NYC, we went into the first cafe that we saw … “The Coffee Shop” on 16th St. and Union Square.
The ambiance was nice, sort of loungy, with a bar and several booths. There were people there, just hanging out, reading the papers on their Kindles, or mostly texting or Facebooking, even Foursquaring, on their smart phones. Your typical neighborhood bar where people on the bar seem to know each other.
And … lots of tall, thin pretty women with long hair and nonchalant attitude coming and going. I was thinking, hmm, maybe they are models.
I immediately went to Foursquare to see what’s going on there …
And yup, it turns out, this is a place where you can ogle at New York models. Most of the waitstaff are working as models as well. So, if you are a Modelizer, this is one place to be.
Tips from users of Foursquare warn that the service here is horrible while the New York magazine says, “poor service and unpleasant encounters with attitudinal (but often pretty) people.”
I beg to disagree. The guy who served us was pleasant and attentive enough, when he got there 
. He was in fact helpful when asked about the neighborhood and even opened the door for me when we were leaving. No attitude there. (The bus boys and kitchen staff looked Pinoys, btw.)
As for the food, it was above average. The burger was good and the herbed fries were terrific. Ron’s bagel with lox was standard, nothing to write home about, but solid and looked and tasted like how a NY bagel and lox should be. Price is relatively inexpensive (by New York standards).
It was a good lunch and I definitely would go back there if I am in the area.
Inside The Coffee Shop
Subway entrance
Union Square
Farmers' Market in Union Square
Cheese Burger with the famous herbed fries
29 Union Sq. West, New York, NY 10003
at 16th St.
