The Cafeteria at the Metropolitan Museum Reviews

Yes, it's relatively expensive (they're relying on you staying put to eat) but it puts the food options in a lot of European museums to shame. Lots of choices, and the portions aren't exactly small either. We ended up treating this as our main meal for the day instead of a light lunch and getting snacks for our evening meal. I had a lovely pasta dish which was as good as anything I've had in an Italian restaurant. There's also plenty of space to accommodate everyone - this might sound like a minor detail but when you've been one of dozens of people sat on the floor to eat in the British Museum's cafe then it's a nice change.

We were hungry and exhausted. we were led to the dinning place. It is underground and no windows!! We ordered typical food like burger and chicken. It was greasy. Also was vey clear from the taste, that it came directly from the freezer. Prices were a bit hairy though (burger without side for 15 $)

A bit pricey for cafeteria food in my opinion, even for NYC. The portions were decent, though, so my spouse and I split a plate to hold us over. However, there's often food trucks parked in front of the museum if you're into that.

For what you get the place is a rip-off. I guess it is New York City but the prices needs to be more reasonable

super expensive and poorly made foods. cold sandwich with cold hard bread. 20 oz not finished soda bottles not allowed to bring back home

We were very pleased with our experiencewhich far exceeded our expectations. i would recomment factoring in a bite here as there is plenty to see in the museum

In contrast to the gorgeous Met upstairs, the cafeteria is bland and noisy. There are many food options, most of them overpriced. Although $15 seems to be the going rate for a sandwich in a sit down diner, charging the same price for a cold sandwich in a self-serve venue seems excessive. Fries were mediocre, chickpea soup had very few chickpeas in it. Definitely paying for convenience, not quality here.

The cafeteria is on the ground floor. It gets very crowded. It is typical cafeteria food. They have daily specials, a salad bar, and sandwiches.

I did mention this cafeteria in an other review. Of course it is a wonderful place for a lunch break during your visit at the MET. Try a table near the window with the view on the park. But, more then that, try the soup of the day and a nice sandwich. The choice is not great but how many choice will a men have ? Of course you take some time for a part of the museum (don't try the whole museum in one day, don't even try a complete floor), so make your choice (dutch painters, modern art, architecture, or what). Maybe your feet ask for a cup of good coffee at the end of your tour.

The Cafeteria at the Met Museum is located on the lower level. It's large and offers a wide selection of hot dishes, pastas, salads, sandwiches, snacks, deserts, beverages, etc. The food is better than most cafeterias. The venue is clean and staff are efficient and helpful. This is a great place to rest your tired feet before continuing your visit to the lovely artwork on display at the Met.

True it is crowded and may lack a bit in the design lay out but we found the variety and quality of food to be better than we imagined. When you are spending hours, and I mean hours, experiencing all the exhibits this basement cafe is a real convenience. Several different food stations with all sorts of ethnic foods. We had tasty marinated chicken wings and legs, roasted root veggies and bulgar. We really have no complaints other than finding seating was a challenge (but we did it) and it was not quiet but we didn't expect it to be. We visited the museum on a very rainy day and the indoor cafe on site kept us warm and dry.

I went tot he Cafeteria (11:30 AM opening) because it was the cheapest place to eat, according to the Met's own guide. Well, what is cheap in one person's eye, is NOT in mine. Paying $20.00 for a burger and fries is not my idea of cheap.

Expensive and nothing worth mentioning. except eat before visit. I must admit I was disappointed. there is so much room for improvement

The food here is fresh and of good quality. There are many choices to choose from (sandwiches, salads, hot dishes, pastas, etc). The price is right and there are an ample number of tables. People generally select their food, sit and enjoy it and move out quickly. There's just so much to see at the Met that there's no temptation to linger at the cafeteria when you're done eating. The price is right and the venue quite pleasant.

Convenient and quick bite when hungry. My observation was that he long lines where for pasta french fries and hot food. The lines for soup and salad are shorter and these are more dependable choices.

First of all it was about 85 degrees in the cafeteria and everyone had heavy coats. . The tables were filthy and the food was ridiculously priced. I took a vegetable sandwich that was $14 and inedible because there was some type of over salted pesto on it. There was also a horrible smell of rancid oil. . We just wanted soup but all they had was clam chowder which is not vegetarian. The “salad bar” was a bunch of sad looking wilted vegetables. My friends insisted on stopping here. I never would have eaten in such a disgusting place A real disgrace. I know know how the museum can justify offering such execrable food.

The food is average. Nothing special. It is very expensive! A small lunch for three came to $75. Definitely not worth it.

Despite some good quality foods, including the vegetarian menu, this cafe is very expensive, and has limited food choices, according to this critic.

This is in the basement of the museum and it does have a variety of options and some of the food is better than typical museum food. That said, it is extremely overpriced for average quality food with indifferent service.

The range of options for lunch is impressive, given that this a museum cafeteria in a very large museum. They served four delicious vegetarian antipasti, in addition to a full salad bar, a hot meal option, which includes a vegetable, and a couple of other options as well. The food was well-prepared, not overcooked and very tasty. The atmosphere is rather institutional and since it is on the lowest level of the museum, there are no windows, which is too bad, but the lighting is excellent. All in all, a great place to stop for a healthy and refreshing lunch break.

This is almost a joke writing this review - I have never visited a museum elsewhere in Canada, Latin America or Europe that charges visitors such an outrageously overpriced menu of cafeteria food selections at luxury dining prices. Your average price for lunch will run you about $35-60 per person!!!!!!!! You take a tray and select your foods, and go to cashier and over pay! The cooked foods are okay but over cooked in general so I would not really recommend. Most entrees are going to run you close to $20+ when you include fees and taxes. What a rip off. I think it a sham because there are very few places to eat cheap in this area of NYC and the very least the museum can offer after you just spent $25 getting in is a nice lunch at a value price (and overcharge the rich people who want to dine in the other bistros and restaurants upstairs!!!). The only food items that is fresh and prepared well is the salad bar buffet: fresh eggs, chicken, salmon, full range of fresh vegetables, cheeses, olives and some salad dishes with pasta. Sadly the price is very expensive as it is weighed by the pound at the cashier. The entree meals like pasta and meat and rice dishes are very overcooked and sometimes stiff and dry in the meats, boring and overcooked pastas, overcooked sauces, dried up rice - every time I go and have visited for the past 20 years the same condition of bad entree food. And horribly priced! Even the hot dogs are 3X more what you would normally pay. The most costly are the desserts! $7-10 for a cupcake??????? A cupcake! Please. And they have gotten away from offering metal utensils maybe due to cost (the museum is financially in trouble in debt by many tens of millions due to recession/mismanagement) and this may be a reason they are overcharging. You can find some stainless steel utensils if you ask or really look over the plastic. And there is no ice for drinks. I had to ask and wait for someone to get me a cup of ice for my bottled overpriced Coca Cola. The seating area was okay - nothing great to say especially for such a great museum - more Ikea in feel. Well at least the art upstairs is 5 star! So you had your warning!

Although it provides regular american quick meals, it has an excellent variety of healty options that you can combine and pay for the weight.

I love the Met, but the cafeteria is more like a huge room full of food which is weighed and then you find out how expensive it is! The food was okay but for the price, I would not use the cafeteria again. It reminds of an IKEA restaurant and as noisy and hard to find a seat.

The food wasmidrange and reasonable. Chefs grilled all meats in fron of customers. clean and enjoyable with security

This review is about the Eatery, a large dining room near the Robert Lehman collection. The food is adequate, but the prices are outrageously high for what's on offer. A tuna sandwich, two small cookies and a coffee came to over $30. How do families with children cope with such prices?

Wish I could give it zero stars. Worst, driest, most tasteless $17+ sandwich ever. Egad. Disgraceful. The museum is spectacular. Why tarnish guests’ experience with disgusting, overpriced food? The museum management should be ashamed of what it passes off as food to its guests. Do better!!!!

Great place to rejuvenate or just enjoy a good meal. Cuisine is standard and the waits may be long. Ambience consistent with trhe rest of the museum.

Everyone who reviews the Met Cafe usually agrees that it is hugely over-priced and over-crowded, but they give it mostly 3-4 stars anyway. Why? The food is ok, but not at all great. And since your ticket allows you re-entry, why subject yourselves to the long lines, sticker-shock and mediocre food when there are loads of other alternatives just a few blocks away? Unless you are really pressed for time and don't want to spend 20 minutes walking or driving somewhere else and back--in which case, why would you waste time eating anyway?--then use your head and eat somewhere else.

The selection is limited, and doesn't really live up to the promise. The Food was OK. The coffee not so. Location is great, and that would explain the eye watering prices for what is very average food.

Had a great breakfast here. Good portions, lovely food. Staff very friendly. Clean cafe. Good value for money.

The location is great with a view of central park. However its not very cosy and the food is only OK, the coffee terrible. The prices are definitely too high for what is being offered.

DO NOT EAT HERE. Inedible, overpriced stale airport food. No, that’s too kind. bus station food. Wait, gas station food. The Met should be ashamed of this place.

The food is pretty good here and the price is not bad for NYC. While visiting the museum, save your walking for the museum as it is a few blocks to get a comparable meal outside.

As a museum member , it pains me to write this but it was awful and overpriced. Minimal selection and small portions,

Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful food at the most outrageous prices. I had "chicken tenders" and salad, hoping for something reasonably filling and reasonably nutritious. It was neither. Chicken tenders were luke warm and like rubber. The salad was soggy and the dressing provided made it practically inedible. Worst of all though are the prices: I don't mind paying for entry to such a wonderful museum (although discriminating as the Met does between foreigners and New Yorkers is rightly controversial). But being stiffed for every single little thing once inside really grates.

It's a food court for a captive audience. That's sums it up. Common, you're in NYC, puh-leez don't eat here. Can you summon up the will to go 3 or 4 hours without stuffing your face? I have faith in you :) ZERO need to buy their over priced water either. Plenty of very clean water fountains in the building.

Too often, restaurants or cafeterias are way overpriced when located in major tourist attractions. This was decent food with decent prices. Not the cheapest but not terribly overpriced. There was a bit too much fried, greasy food and too little healthy salads or baked veggies. But at least there was enough of a selection for a vegetarian like myself. Otherwise, it was as one would expect. Large and spacious. Seemed clean as well. Howard S.

We had lunch outside in the conex boxes. It was fun to watch all the people go by and the busy street traffic. The food was good and the waiter was efficient. Many choices to pick from so you shouldnt go away hungry for sure. Enjoyed it.

The food offered by this cafeteria is great! Its healthy, fresh and a decent quantity. THere is plenty of seating and you sit in a foyer that has a glass roof thus seeing the park and the sky. its quite expensive which I guess is to facilitate the running of the museum but after a hefty entrance fee you'd think they'd have enough!

I really should give the place a 1 or a zero. But the service was pretty quick and there was plenty of seating, so that makes it a 2. The prices are exorbitant to the point of being ridiculous. I’m saying that because the quality of what you pay for is very similar to a hospital cafeteria. I should have known better, as I’ve never eaten a nice meal in a basement. If the food and ambiance is woefully lacking for a world class museum.

If you spend a day at the museum, you will not need to leave to grab a bite. The cafeteria provides a family friendly atmosphere to take a break during your day.

The Cafeteria at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a place to eat while in the museum. It appears to be very crowded. The prices can be a bit high.

I was afraid it was really only chicken nuggets and fries. But they had good, interesting choices. I chose small portions of baked acorn squash with sage, a rice dish with cranberries, some chicken salad. They weigh your plate whether you choose hot items or salad items. It was a little pricey for the amount of food I got, but it was tasty. I also chose a tres leches macaroon, which was a good macaroon with no trace of tres leches. They have serve yourself water outside of the paying line if you just need a glass of water. It was easy to get through despite the crowds. There were plenty of tables as people ate quickly and exited. If you are looking for kid-friendly, I saw many people with burgers, hotdogs, chicken strips and fries.

cibo tipico di mensa universitaria prezzi altissimi / typical food of the university canteen prices very high

Large, rather poorly organized self-service restaurant offering very average dishes in cardboard containers. Very expensive for what it is.

Nothing special, just decent cafeteria food when you need energy for the impressive collection at the Met. Not bad, but not special either

The Met is so large that you will inevitably have to eat or drink here. With the benefit of hindsight, the other restaurants are probably better, as the Cafeteria is the main restaurant for the Met and is therefore both huge and very busy. The food service could be far more efficient. It may suggest a quality food offering to have sandwiches made fresh as you order them, but it results in a large queue. Similarly, we gave up on the hot food because of the length of the queue and went for the pasta which had a shorter queue. The food was good and a large portion. We then discovered that it might have been better to go for the cold buffet as there was not much of a queue and this was self-service, being priced by weight. At the end, you feel that you have refuelled as you needed to, but have not had a noteworthy experience.

This is a standard cafeteria with good choice of food. It is set up so the lines don't get too long. Cost is not inexpensive. But, if you need to refuel during your visit to the massive museum, it is a good choice. Located in the basement...no views!

They have salad by the weight. I had a plate full and it was $16. I was not disappointed as everything was fresh and tasty!

Went here while visiting the MET. They have a good advantage as there are very few food places near the museum, so you are kind of compelled to eat there if you want to stay. However I would recommend you don't! Ridiculously expensive food! And also not all that great.. $14 for a small mozzarella and tomato sandwich.. not at all exciting or particularly tasty. I will not be returning.

Hubby and I decided to share a chicken marinara with pasta. The chicken was super dry and the pasta was overcooked. This terrible quality food set us back $25! I am only relieved we shared and didn't pay $25 EACH as losing $50 would have annoyed me even more than losing the $25 did. This was THE WORST MEAL of our whole trip. So extremely annoyed and disappointed. One of my pet peeves in the tourism industry is restaurants gouging tourists and overcharging. (We saw a $14 sandwich smaller than the 6" you get at Subway and $5 for a generic cupcake and giant cookie is robbery as well!) STAY FAR AWAY from this place. Eat at the food carts on the street outside of The Met... it is guaranteed to be better quality than what they served at The Cafeteria.

Excellent variety from snack foods to vegetarian meals. Comfortable setting fairly reasonably priced

Had a quick bite as we ran out of energy while at the museum. Good variety and selection of food and typical pricing for a NYC establishmen.

It was nice to take a short break from our viewing and walking and sit down for some food. There were stations with all kinds of food-from salmon to pasta to salads. If you want to eat surrounded by art, there is also a smaller cafe where we found typical snacks, fruits and pastries. It was lovely to be in an area open to the sculpture garden! But if you want more variety of food and a full meal, go to the cafeteria.

We wanted to spend the day at the Met and therefore, felt trapped to have a meal here. We wanted to eat quickly and opted for the cafeteria which was a huge mistake. The food was exorbitantly priced and of very poor quality. Nothing was appealing so we limited our exposure by going small. I had lemon tart and my husband had a yogurt parfait. Both were overpriced and marginally tasty. We love the Met and will be back; just wish there were better options at lunch time.

A place to rest your feet have a good coffee and a sandwich. Took a while in the line but seating was great with a view of the park.

My sister and I did not want to leave the various exhibits that we were interested in that day, we went there twice. We took a break and both a light lunch and hot tea to refresh ourselves to return to the exhibits.

I knew ahead of time that this cafeteria was expensive and that the food was awful, so I went safe and made my own salad. It was expensive, but I was able to clean my plate. The wine the I split with my daughter made the trip worth it though. It was the pick-me-up we needed after hours of looking at Michelangelo paintings. A friend had chicken fingers and fries and couldn't finish her bland food.

The cafeteria, in the basement of the Met. offers a great variety of choices at reasonable prices. It is comfortable, with acceptable ambiance. Self serve is the style of food delivery. It can be recommended without hesitation.

This is my second time to this cafeteria and I have had the same experience both times. We got in the shortest line for pasta think we could order of posted menu however they only had Baked Ziti which had way too much salt in it. Salad was ok but limited dressing. Staff was nice though.

The food was very good and the selections varied but also expensive. We had a delicious pasta dish that was large enough to split and some deserts.

I had a divine salad with baby arugula and kale greens, roasted acorn squash and asparagus, and flaky tuna. Yummo

The Eatery at Ground Floor of The MET. Cafeteria style , casual, family-friendly dining. Food are okay. It is expensive as expected for food at the museum. Convenient.

I only bought a coffee because of the prices. It was hard to find a place to sit due to the crowds of people. Had to change checkout lines because a rude employee stepped on my foot and started making racial comments towards me.

This was the second time I'd eaten the the Cafeteria at the Museum. It was very crowded but we were able to get a table. The food was average and we were happy to get to sit down for a while after walking for several hours looking at the exhibits.

We enjoyed the food at the Cafeteria- we were starving.... Simple fare albeit a bit pricey. Not very atmospheric. It is a cafeteria after all.

$13 dollars for a soggy chewy roll with leather like cheese (worst I’ve ever had, period) and $6 for a coffee. An utter low grade rip off. However, location was amazing

Mass catering performed with simple ease. (which is never easy). It was straightforward & easy to understand how to navigate the queues & obtain the food & drinks you wanted, the fayre was simple, but hot & tasty the staff pleasant & helpful.

We had a nice lunch, salads and sandwiches which were ok, good price, nothing special. Recommend for the being inside the museum so you can keep visiting.

We checked out all of the dining options at the Met, and chose to eat at cafeteria. Big selection. Decent price. Delicious veggies, very unique. Tasty pasta, made to order. Fast. Lots of seating. Convenient.

A convenient place to eat when at the museum. Not inexpensive. Good soups, good salad bar. You can probably find almost anything you want.

Food that will fill a hole when visiting the Met. It has plenty of kid items on the menu (burgers, chicken fingers, fries), and those are probably the best items to get. The line is long, it moves slow, and can be pricy for what you eat (but I guess reasonable considering where you are).

Before having the bad experience at the Petrie Court Cafe at the Met, we visited the underground Cafeteria that looks like any bad lunch catering ares at work. Smelling in the place is greasy and not encouraging, the view of the meals not appealing at all, then we left for a nicest place but an horrible lunch.

The cafeteria provided a welcome lunch spot for me, my wife, and our grandson, much more convenient than leaving the museum to find a location to eat. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of options and by the quality of the food. Hot entrees, sandwiches, salads all seemed freshly prepared. Attendants kept tables clean. Though pricey, as is to be expected anywhere in NYC, we enjoyed our lunches.

the Met is a nice place also have free wifi and the cafeteria is nice prices are fair for nyc go and try it

Each visit to the Metropolitan Museum we have lunch at the restaurant which is a wonderful experience and we DO NOT have to leave to find a place to eat!

Horrible service. So so so so so slow. We had to go up to staff and ask where our order was- two martinis was all, and one small appetizer. Appetizer never appeared. The manager comped is for the drinks, but that took too much “doing”. She brought us a complimentary small bowl of truffle popcorn to make amends. Then when we asked for another drink to share they brought us a GIN martini- we’d been drinking Kettle One martinis... My friend said she’d had poor service there before. Totally disorganized! The manager (Katie) apologized and truly sounded as if she wanted to make the place better. Well, all the power to you, Katie!

On the recommendation of a local friend we had lunch here deep in the bowels of the Met. It's not a particularly beautiful space, more functional than artistic, but the buy-by-the-ounce main course that I consumed (meatloaf, squash with pomegranate seeds and quinoa rice) was full of fine flavor. The prices are a bit high for the quantities received though not out of line with art museum eateries elsewhere. Plastic drinking glasses are stacked in trays for patrons to use but mine came with a crack that allowed most of the contents to pool on the table. Staff are watchful and wheel the used trays away as quickly as they are deposited in the mobile reception stands. Don't come expecting dining that matches the quality of the art on display on the floors above and you may have an agreeable time.

While it is simply a cafeteria it was not good food and the prices were fairly high. I'd rather pay more and get a better value, or buy a granola bar to hold me over until some better options were available.

We got there after the dinner rush, but before closing, so it wasn't really busy. Grabbed a couple bottles of wine and a fruit and cheese box. My husband ate a plate of rice pilaf. They had a pretty big selection of food - I saw fresh chicken and fish and lots of sides, plus all the usual snacks, but we kept it simple since we had eaten a big lunch.

Sometimes crowded, but always able to find something good. I like the make your own salads. Good fresh ingredients. Nothing fancy. Can satisfy hamburger eaters to minimalists like me. I have been here about 5 x a year.

If with youngsters this is the place to go. Good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Beer and wine selection for the adults who have to deal with the kids. Turkey sandwich fresh and tasty. An Oacis

The cafeteria offers a wide variety of options for adults and children. As with all venues where you are captive the prices are steep, but the food is adequate. Recommendation - eat before or after to save a few $$

The cafeteria at the Met offers a good array of choices for lunch when visiting the museum. But be aware that prices are quite high (e.g. small bag of chips are over $$).

This was not a cheap lunch. The lines can be long and the food is just so-so for what you pay. We ate here two days in a row out of convenience, which I don't regret especially since the money goes to support the amazing Met.

The nice lady at the entrance information booth recommended the antipasti bar so we were looking forward to a nice light meal, since the day before we had truly amazing lunch at MoMa's 5th floor cafe. Oy vey! We had a terrible meal and expensive too. Never again.

Upon seeing what looked like a nice selection of fresh healthful options, I was hopeful of good, if expensive, sustenance. I had sushi, juice, and water. About an hour later, I was on the floor in the bathroom at the Met, losing my lunch. Not how I wanted to spend my limited time in the museum. I stopped by to tell the restaurant so they could pull the sushi and protect other guests, but the manager only said she’d talk to the chef.

The cafeteria opens at 11 am and by then my feet needed a break from the massive collections of the MET. I loved the MET but you will need to pace yourself. There are smaller cafes throughout the MET, but the best selections are in the cafeteria. They have a large selection from spaghetti to sandwiches ands salads. They also have fantastic pastries but be prepared to pay a hefty price. They also serve bottles of beer and wine. You won't really have a lot of eating choices unless you want to leave the MET and then return. I suggest you suck it up and pay the prices and enjoy the whole day at the MET.

I had the antipasti - very good, light option. Long line for the grill. Salad bar, yogurt machine, pasta station - usual options. Didn't try any of these. Excellent large seating area at the back of the dining room. Space for kids and not as close to other diners as in the main part of cafeteria seating.

This could be a lovely museum cafeteria, but it's not. No, it's horrible and expensive. There is WiFi, and you can sit down and the window/doors let in a lot of light. I would never go here again willingly. All the questions at the end of the review are about entrance way for handicapped people. Not one about the food or people serving it hmmmm maybe no one want to hear comments about the food itself.w

We found the cafeteria at the Met very good for attraction food. There was a nice variety and the prices fair for New York City.

The Metropolitan has multiple self-serve quick cafes spread throughout the museum, so you're never that far from someplace to grab a quick lunch. The ham sandwich I got with lobster bisque was O.K., and better that walking back out to 5th Avenue to try the nearby food trucks.

It's ok to grab something to eat and not having to go far away from the museum. Dont' expect nothing fancy but you won't be dissapointed either.

Was with a group of high school theater students when we visited. They offer a bit of everything from salad bar to chicken fingers/fries, to more refined food. Some items are priced ahead of time and others are sold by weight (salad bar, certain entrees & sides, soft serve ice cream/yogurt) so you don't know exactly what you're paying until you have it weighed at the cashier. Just be prepared.

We stopped for lunch and were very pleased. The menu is mainly simple with a funky twist. Service was efficient and friendly, it was crowded but the wait was reasonable. Very clean and a good choice for a quick lunch.

Why is it that cafeteria food is so bad? My wife had the chicken fingers. Incredibly touch to chew and hard to describe how dry they were. I had an average burger. The fries were cold. Sigh. Our low expectations were matched.

Drop by, you can even grab some gluten free options. Team Angry dropped in for a quick bite to take a break from the chaos of the mid-day Met. Shook down the salad bar for some spinach salad with fixings and loved it. The coffee is over priced, but I needed it.

Lunch when your feet are tired is a wonderful thing -- my friend had soup, I selected antipasti and greens from the salad bar. There are several "stations," where you can order hot food, burgers, pasta and so on. The seating is generally sufficient for everyone who wants to be there, although at popular times you may wander through a number of tables before finding one for you. The food is of a generally good to excellent quality, but the prices are higher than they would be at a local coffee shop -- figure at least $12-15 per person, and no membership discount.

This is perfect for families and groups. No, it's not classy and there are no windows. But there is a fair amount of variety and you can see what you're getting. My wife doesn't care for it -- no atmosphere -- and it can be very noisy. It's actually the best bet if you're hungry and don't to spend too, too much, cause it's not cheap.

I was on a tour of the museum with Oasis Biblical Tours and we stopped here for a break. I couldn't believe how large the cafeteria was! Definitely lots of options. From salads and sandwiches to full blown hot meals. I wasn't hungry, so I just purchased a cookie and milk. It is a little pricey to eat here, but the portions looked like a good size. Plenty of seats in the cafeteria and complimentary water (close to where you exit). There are also street vendors out front selling hot dogs, gyros, etc.

I was ready to have a nice meal in the cafeteria there. However, when I found out the price there, I was shocked by it. It was not ridiculously expensive but the food doesn't worth the price. The food's quality is not good and I believe Gordon Ramsay would be upset about it.

We had lunch here; two sandwiches, a small bag of chips and a desert was $40. We drank water (they have free coolers and cups). Sandwiches were pretty good, but that's a lot of scratch for what we ate.

Went for a snack in the afternoon after a long day of museum hoping. Prices were high especially for the frozen yogurt. Tasted ok but nothing special for the amount paid.

It's incredible how they use the name of the museum to add "importance" to the food. Am I eating food or paying for the mass it represents? Because It's pretty sad you pay 5 dollars for a piece of bread. Many people here come to visit all day museum, and its so bad they have the strategy of taking advantage of human needs

There are many options for eating at The Met. I really like the cafeteria because the food is delicious and the least expensive. There are lots of food stations, and the lines move quickly. I made myself a delicious salad, all-fresh ingredients, and good choice of dressing. Yum.

Popping in for a quick beverage whilst walking around the MET. Got to drinks in seconds but waited 15 minutes to pay. The guy in front of us had soup which was cold before he paid. Beware slow and queuing to pay.

During each of my visits the past year the selections in the Cafeteria/Eatery seems to have decreased. Most recently (December '22) there wasn't a hot dish and the offering was burgers/hot dogs, pizza, sushi, salad or sandwiches (which were cold, uninviting and expensive). It would be nice to have something that's warm and healthy.

Used to be you could put together a pleasant lunch here. Overpriced, but I'll put up with that for convenience. But quality has declined and selection has dwindled, especially if you don't want greasy food. Prices have risen further.

While the menu is fairly typical options and the prices are a little high, the convenience of being able to find a meal within the museum and have a beautiful view of Central Park made the experience more enjoyable. Soup, salads, sandwiches.

This is a very large cafeteria in the basement of the museum. There is a lot of seating- I've never had trouble finding a seat. The food there is fine but overpriced. You are not allowed to bring food into the museum. If the weather is nice, save money by buying a cheap sandwich at the deli on Madison between 82 and 84th and eating it on the museum steps or in the park. The food options are: Kids meals in an adorable cardboard taxi A sushi station A "grill station" -hamburgers, fries, hot dogs, etc. Hot pasta A salad bar (good selection) Pre-made sandwiches Tea and drip coffee (I don't think they have lattes or specialty coffees here- you might need to go the American Wing cafe for that) A few pastries (not a wide selection) Bags of chips and candy Small bottles of wine

I definitely would not by anything more than something to hold you over if your hungry. Just a snack. Not worth the money you can spend here , especially if you are a family. Too many great restaurants in the city to eat here.

Hard to write 100 words on this. It is a cafateria with standard mass produced food. Better places to eat.

Spacious and bright but not really a highlight of the trip.Functional I suppose as well.I enjoyed the soup. My wife objected to the prices and did not buy anything.The delis/ diners neat Times Square have more merit value and character

Not the best restaurant in the world, but is is perfect for it's purpose. Good for a quick drink and a snack.

When tired of all the culture and art you may want to dig in into a nice part of American cuisine. Here you are at the right spot.

This cafeteria is so easy to get to and the food is fresh with a broad selection. Nice to take a quick break for a snack or drink as well

This is underwhelming dining at its "finest". The menu offered small lukewarm quiche for $14.00 and a small warm onion soup for $12.00. Plus taxes, it was $US 43.00 for the three of us! At those prices we decided to do without the overpriced drinks on offer. Ridiculous!! Then, when paying at a self-service, the payment machine asks for a 20% tip. I can’t believe the audacity of staff/management to ask for a tip for overpriced, lukewarm tiny servings. What a complete contrast to the magnificent art on display.

Spending an afternoon at the Met coincided with lunch. We managed to find our way to the basement cafeteria which closes at 4 PM. We were there around 3 PM and the salad bar was down to seeds and stems. There was no lettuce but I made a plate of other ingredients. It was at best an average salad. When it was placed on the scale there was sticker shock at some $18! The other entrees and sandwiches are similarly pricey. There was a pasta offering as well as burger bar. We went back later in the week because there was so much to see. Second time around I had soup and tried to find "light" ingredients for salad. Even skimped on dressing.That caution reduced the price to $12 for a less than hearty dining experience. The ice water is free.

Food is good. It's great because you can crab something to eat And return to museum,without leaving.

Not what you would expect at a museum. Hot and cold food. Pasta, burgers and buffet. Variety of desserts, and even saw Kiddies meal. Water station (Free), all types of drinks hot and cold. Not hungry lots of snacks. Portions are big.

Lack of organization. Low Quality food at a high price. Go anywhere else in the museum or eat before or after your visit.

Best to reserve a window table before going. Nothing beats sitting at one. Note though that only meals are served here. You can't come in for just a coffee and a cake. Which is why my rating is not 5 stars

Extremely overpriced. Paid $15 for 3 waters. Don’t come here. Food was decent at best. Only buy something from here if you are dying of thirst/hunger.

This is an effort to provide a place for families and folks who want a quick break and some food. There are some interesting choices like pasta and appetizers but the food is not what you will remember from the Met. It is OK. I had the hot dog platter and a coke. This is a familiar NY lunch with sauerkraut and onions. It was all beef but the onions overwhelmed everything else. It was about $16. The prices are a bit steep for what is served.

Choose between meals, pastas, sandwiches or salads. Pay by weight facility possible. This is a nice self service cafeteria between 2 sessions at the museum. A little expensive but affordable.

There are quite a few options if you need something to eat while exploring the met. From grab and go, to grilled options, soups & a salad bar. The salad bar is by weight and has a variety of veggies & chicken/tuna. I paid $21 for a salad, bottle of water & monster.

The food was average at the very best and it was expensive. The service was poor as they were probably feeling the strain of the crowd of people waiting in the line and the line was long. You do not have any options in terms of food outlets there within the museum.

The space is in the basement, can be very crowded,noisy and chaotic. The dining upstairs is a bit more expensive but much more civilized.

Why this even needs to be a review is beyond me. It's a cafeteria in a world-class museum. PUT THE RESTAURANT BACK!

Its NYC at a museum, so I had low expectations. Food was great but cost $85 for our family of 5. Helpful because we could stay and explore longer.

Although you never think about cafeterias this offers excellent salad bar. There of course are some other choices that are fried but careful eaters can get a wholesome meal here far cheaper than any of the places outside the museum. Know da gave their fried and burgers and hot dogs as well desserts. Can be a bit costly if you are not careful but all in all it is good

Not cheap but a great place to take a break from all the art. Go after lunch and it is less crowded. The sandwiches can be dry if they sit for too long. Salads and entrees are good choices.

Exceptional salad bar plus a plethora of other options. p.s. so appreciate the charging station - my phone looses it's power in an hour and now could post to #MetMoment! Be well and stay curious, Lipstick Warriors

A welcoming place where a varied fare is available. A selection of sandwiches, battered chicken and chips, burgers as well as sumptuous salads. For desserts you can take your pick from brownies, sticky toffee pudding. You can wash them all down with a variety of hot and cold drinks. I asked for decaffeinated coffee and non-dairy milk and expected the lady to apologise. But I was wrong, and oat milk was offered! The Eatery has observed Covid-19 precautions and the floor has 6 foot markings and mask is insisted upon. All very reassuring. Thank you.

Ouch - the food is ok but the prices are out of control - everything is overpriced and the signage down there is bad.

It was fine but quite expensive for cafeteria food - but then so is the rest of New York. Much better than the cafe at the Natural History Museum which was a mele of people with not enough seats.

The food here was much better than I thought. This cafeteria in the basement area has very good pasta. Salads and desserts. A bit expensive but quite good , even for the fussy ones and it is large enough to accommodate groups. A good idea is to schedule your meals at non peak hours to avoid waits. Good for tea or coffee breaks too and rest rooms are close by. Can be reached by stairs or elevator

While not inexpensive, you will find a wide variety of excellent offerings at this vast dining place. It can get crowded @ lunch hour, but it provides a great break from a busy museum tour.

Lots of kids eating chicken fingers, hamburgers, and pasta. But this restaurant had some gems too. The special at the grill was salmon marinated in pomegranate, served with a farro, almond, grape tomato, and arugula salad. Superb!

Got two hotdogs, french fries, coke and a small salad with no meat. The bill was $36.09. I about fell over. Worse than the price was that the hot dogs were not that good. French fries were OK but the salad really had no taste. East somewhere else but not at this place.

We ate lunch at the cafeteria on a rainy October day when hoards of people were visiting and the line to get into the cafeteria was long. Staff were challenged but efficient in keeping the line going and getting people seated in a reasonably timely manner. Food choices were varied, and included salad, sandwiches, burgers and pasta dishes. While busy and not gourmet, the cafeteria is a fine and convenient choice while enjoying the museum, especially on a day when weather is a factor. The cafeteria has a wall of windows looking onto the attractive grounds, which helps to create a pleasant ambience.

We made the mistake of not eating before we went in and had to eat there. A pre-made deli sandwich was almost $15. Everything was equally over priced. It was all average tasting cafeteria food. The place was packed so obviously it works for them since people end up in the same situation we did. Eat before you go!!!!

The food is standard but the prices are much too high. Eat somewhere else; the convenience isn't worth it.

Everything was okay. Mediocre. My husband had a hard time finding something that appealed to him. Wasn't what I would have chosen, but what we needed to do where we were with our visit.

What they have is good but they don't have much. They have salads, coffee, chips, and some more The only warm food they have is soup I suggest more variety. Maybe some hot sandwiches...

When you're hungry, you're hungry. With limited choices, you can either hit a Museum Cafe or the Cafeteria. My daughter spent over $14 for a ham/cheese sandwich on a little bagette. I wanted chicken fingers, but didn't want a tremendous amount, so I got the kid's portion. (It really was enough.) The sandwich was OK, I suppose. (What can you do to it?) The chicken fingers were pretty large and came with a huge portion of fries and a very very small drink. The packaging is cute, however (see photo)... A bottle of water was very expensive as well. Expect to pay a lot for a meal if you stay at the museum. (And, we looked up nearby restaurants and they seemed pretty steep too.)

A bowl of soup and a bread roll is really all one needs and that won't break the bank. Of course most people are eating fried foods out of cardboard taxis, but stay sane and eat well.

Eat before and/or after you go, and spend the extra time you would spend in the cafeteria on the art instead.

There is a wide choice of not-awful and not-too-expensive food, but the setting is noisy, crowded and banal. The experience breaks any spell cast by the museum's wonderful galleries. Since there are plenty of eateries from the sublime to the ridiculous in the neighborhood of the Met, and since your museum admission allows you to come and go all day, it's much better to take a lunch break elsewhere.

There are variety of food and healthy choices, I think the cafe is most reasonable eating place in this museum. I picked some salad, spring rolls, a little bit of lasagna, and a piece of cake which I shared with my daughter. The place has lots of seating but high time is really crowded, so go little earlier or later is better idea especially on weekend or holidays.

The Cafeteria at The Met is far from fine dining, and a bit on the expensive side, but the food is always hot and tasty, if a bit expensive. The convenience makes up for a lot, though.

Nice cafeteria with high end foods. But expensive. You can also get wine here. The good thing is you can sit as long as you like and you'll need to after touring the museum

I dropped in for a quick coffee while on an express afternoon visit. Due to time constraints I didn’t get to spend more than four hours here. A hot cup of coffee was welcoming and tasted great, can’t wait to go back.

The restaurant in the Atrium is a much better choice. For a quick bite it's fine. The Lily coffee is very good the danish at $4.95 each were of good quality. And the cookies for a dollar more were very good. It is mostly self serve excepting the hot foods.

Food choice was good but a bit on the pricey side, especially for families. I ate at an off-hour to avoid the crowds.

Surprised to find a fairly decent assortment of food...they even have a kitchen where they prepare different types of food...although expensive! Which why I gave it 4 stars

15 dollars for a subpar quality sandwich... As a European I don't get how this is allowed in a museum that's supposed to be accessible to everyone

The museum exhibits are the star attraction, food is secondary. The more time we could spend experiencing the museum rather than searching out a better meal was our goal. It was expensive but we shared a sandwich and splurged on a bag of chips. Rested and refueled we headed back to the abstract art.

Ordered from the pasta bar. All options contained cheese. I don’t understand why everything in America comes with cheese but there we go. Pasta very over cooked and so expensive for a cheap looking cafe! Two stars as portion size was big.

Large selection, hot and cold, full meal or snack. No order is too small or too big. Cafeteria style with plenty of seating. Not fancy but it does the job- tasty food, too. Love the choices on their salad bars.

VERY poor service, even for a cafeteria. The staff was way indifferent. The replenishing of items took forever.

With so many people visiting the museum and this Cafeteria, they should provide visitors a very good food, we just ate it because we were hungry.

Crowded, poor layout, poorly sign-posted throughout. Might be OK if you are only going for a coffee, but it is by no means a place to relax. Sad that a world class museum has such a shabby cafeteria.

The food is much better here than the restaurants around the area and the prices more reasonable. It is so convenient.

Food inedible. Thank God for the beer because I couldn't eat the outrageously expensive food. Don't eat at the American Wing Cafe, SAVE YOURSELF! Good food just down the street.