New American Cafe

First, let me start by saying that we did not eat here so this is not about the food. I love the Boston Art Museum, just not this place. We got to the museum shortly after opening and decided we wanted to have a cup o joe before starting our tour. The restaurant itself isn’t open but you can sit at the bar and sip your coffee, no problem. The only reason they get 2 stars is because the coffee itself was pretty good.
The first thing I can say about it is the staff isn’t very friendly. Smiles were not available that day, maybe because it was New Years Eve and nobody wanted to be there. I can’t say I blame them. Also, and I’m sure there are people who will take exception to this but I’m really ok with that. If I’m sitting in your presence, please don’t speak to your coworkers in a language that is foreign to me. It’s rude and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
OK. So, the coffee itself was pretty good and we didn’t have a problem with that. The problem is that the server said absolutely nothing to us the entire time. Worse yet, there was no offer for a refill. Now mind you, two cups of coffee with tax was $ 6.31. I be like, what??? We left $ 7 and I have absolutely no idea why. $ 7 for two coffees? Really. After this experience I would never even consider eating there. It’s kind of weird anyway. It’s a fancy schmancy place right in the middle of a cavernous room that shares space with other things and there is nothing cozy or intimate about it. No thanks.

It’s a great place to spend $ 20 on a $ 10 sandwich.
I thought I had review this before. I guess not. Two stars seems slightly harsh — 3 stars a little too generous.
It wasn’t horrible.
The service has always been fine.
But.. .the food.. .it really isn’t great. And one tends to judge a bit more harshly with the prices one is asked to pay for said food.
Quality can be very hit or miss depending on what you order. I’ve eaten here 4 or 5 times in the last couple of years, due to the fact that it is a really nice atmosphere.
Bravo is way too expensive and it’s hard to get a reservation, the cafeteria is cafeteria food, the garden café is mostly just coffee and stuff.. .New American Café menu really fills the need for a decent place to sit down and be served some food and drink without too much or too little fanfare. And a nice view.
Today — my daughter ordered a strawberry lemonade. Last time we were here, it really tasted like real lemonade, with some strawberry syrup in it or something. Today — she took one sip and made a strange face.. .“Country Time. This.. .is some powdered stuff”, is what she said.
Sure enough — it looked like it had before with a MAJOR quality downgrade. It tasted like stale powdered lemonade with some kool aid powder added for color. Blech. $ 3.25.
My beer came out of a bottle and was fine. $ 5.50
We were served Big Puffy Buns with Very Sugary Sweet Butter (complimentary)
The burger was tasty and juicy. Smallish. Cost $ 18. Came with chips and a pickle.
My cuban pannini was ok. It was.. .blandish, slightly soggy ok. It was $ 16, and I had to pay $ 3 extra for a tiny side salad to replace the chips.
I want to like it. I really do.
I’ve had fine glasses of wine here.
I’ve had a good salad here.
I’ve had crappy stuff that tastes like it’s been in the display case of a bakery for 3 months here, I’ve had good cheese here.
The salmon last spring was 3.5 stars and I’d get it again.
I will continue to like the atmosphere.
I will likely go again and have coffee, wine, tea, or beer and a little food pick me up.
I won’t ever again order the strawberry lemonade.. .
And I will bless my wallet on the way in and ask it for forgiveness later.
Since there’s no question that everything ELSE will be ok, ahem, when I pass through the pearly gates and am weighed on the value scales, whether I ever really got what I paid for at New American Café will probably be the thing that decides my fate.

After seeing the wonderful Class Distinctions exhibit of 17^th century Dutch painters at the MFA we walked upstairs to the beautiful New American Café. The light pours in from every angle and the towering art objects glisten in the distance. T

We ate here mostly out of convenience after over 2 hours in the MFA late on a Wednesday afternoon. There was a short wait. After we were seated, it took a while to talk to a waiter; they seemed a bit short-​staffed. Once we ordered, there wasn’t a huge delay on the food, though. Portions were neither huge nor tiny. My salad and side was good. My daughter seemed to enjoy her fish. It was a bit pricey, but given that you’re dining inside the MFA, that’s somewhat to be expected.
Overall I was satisfied. Depending on your schedule, this would be a fine choice for dining during your museum visit. It appeared semi-​popular as a date-​component from what I could tell.