Downstairs Cafe

I’ve eaten here a lot over the years and it’s always been great. Until today. And don’t get me wrong my sandwich was still good. However the sandwich and my drink rang up to $ 10.11 after tax on the register. I paid with a card and when asked did I want a receipt said no, as I often do for small purchases — at which point I was rung up for $ 12.99 on the card machine. I thought I’d seen him key in that amount but surely I was mistaken. Then later when I checked my online banking there it was. I have limited options in this area for lunch, but I’ll never not ask for the receipt again!

I can’t stop eating here.
The food is simple, but good. I alternate between the spring salad and greek salad. Their tuna is really delicious, with a ton of celery (and no onions!).
I’d recommend getting here before noon if possible as it gets really busy. Somehow, though, Stavros manages to get everyone through the line and with food in their hand in a timely fashion, it just gets a bit chaotic for my taste.
Bonus — they occasionally have gluten free cookies for sale. So good.

Totally reliable. Conveniently located.
I work nearby and love to drop in and hear Stavros shouting orders up in his incredibly friendly tone. He’s incredible at customer service.
But the food! It’s mostly great and occasionally meh.
Meh — the subs are straightforward. Just one metric sub. If you want a really tasty sandwich for a little more, you should go to 2^nd Street Café. If not, rock this spot.
Great — I regularly eat the mixed green salad «with everything.» That includes avocado, walnuts, tomatoes and goat cheese. Add some of the incredibly seasoned grilled chicken and you have a meal right there.
I also love the gyros — they’re dead on target.

The architecture in the building is gorgeous, and there’s a cute indoor seating area right outside the café.
Service is incredibly fast and courteous. I’ve only been twice; last time I had the chicken kebab, which was OK but kind of bland. Hoping other stuff on the menu is more flavorful.

I love this place, Stavros is the man!
I always get the cheeseburger club, so I really cant comment on any of the other food, but damn do I love that cheeseburger club!
I used to work across the street and we would go 2 – 3 times a week, now I work in Central and I still drive all the way over to Kendall for my cheeseburger club!

Stavros makes the whole experience of the downstairs café! The food can range from «okay» to «amazing», I usually stick to the daily specials and more often than not they’re pretty damn good; oddly enough, one of the best things I’ve ever ordered from there was a fish special that I did on a whim.
Love this place!

You can’t beat Stavros (owner) «What will it be my friend.»
Don’t be afraid of the man behind the counter, he has a heart of gold!
The food is convenient, quick and tasty. Stavros has many pictures of Greece framed around his café and has a story for each.
Stavros understands what the people want. The people want Specials!
«Ooone Tuna Speciiaaall, on White or Wheat!!!»
Love this place. The Café is more about Stavros than it is about the food.
Enjoy yourself!

Stavros and co are the best in the business at what they do! Quick, cheap, and VERY tasty food is the order of the day. Combine that with their excellent customer service and Stavros’s boisterousness and you’ve got the makings of a restaurant style atmosphere that’s hard to replicate! Eleni always has homemade pastry’s made that vary in type but are consistent in their sumptuousness. I highly recommend it for anyone that works in the area, or needs to take care of catering needs. Best Turkey Club in Boston for the value. ¹⁰⁄₁₀!

Stavros!!!
Although my name is still Buddy… he knows my voice so well all I need to do is call up and say HELLO!!! and my order is ready when I get to the office (egg white western omlette no cheese no butter no onions add mushrooms wheat toast). Now that is service!
To be fair, I haven’t had anything more complicated than an omelette, wrap, or salad… but it is perfect for a weekday go-​to place. Cheap too.
Keep up the good work my friend!

I work upstairs from Downstairs Café, so my review is probably a little (ok a lot) biased. The sandwiches are solid, the prices are right, the people are really friendly, and it’s always quick.
Some of the food is downright fantastic– the grilled chicken and the eggplant/​chicken parm are always spot on and delicious. The cold cuts are good, the sandwich toppings are always fresh and tasty. The salads could use a little more imagination and a little less iceberg, but throw some of the awesome chicken on top, and it’s a great lunch.
Breakfast here is pretty good, the bagels are standard supermarket-​type, nothing special but when you need a bagel it’s there. The egg sandwiches are huge and nice and greasy for those special mornings when you want to be anywhere but in an office.
I can’t say I’d go out of my way to frequent the Downstairs Café, but if you work in the area, it’s definitely a solid lunch spot.

Dear, dear Stavros, you steal my heart with your Greek charm, smile and friendliness.
A year of working in Kendall Square has drawn me to this rather obscure location for various reasons:
1) Quick food
2) Succulent chicken
3) Chicken noodle soup for those sick days in the office
Come here for these reasons, but do not expect gourmet food. Stavros, in all his awesomeness, is still human. Sorry, buddy.

I’d say this is the best of breed among quick lunches in Kendall Square.
1– Taste is way better than the food court
2– Price is more reasonable than Cosi or ABP
3– Line moves much faster than at the food trucks
Really solid Gyro sandwich, fresh salads, haven’t had any unpleasant surprises. Also, owner Stavros is a total G.

I should preface this by saying I completely missed this place the first time I went looking for it, because I had no idea it was in the basement of an office building that was 50ft back from the road. Okay, so there was a sign near the road, but it was too low to the ground and I’m a tall person, so I didn’t see that either.
Once I found it, I realized this was more of a cafeteria for the office park than a full-​fledged restaurant. They have a small space in the basement level of the main office building, with one table and bar stools around the walls. The service was great, as others have said, I had no problem ordering and getting my food in about 5 – 10 minutes. I ordered the chicken kabob plate with fries and a salad, and an iced coffee, for $ 10. The chicken was very heavily seasoned, almost too much so, but it was good. The salad and fries were nothing special, about what you’d expect from any sandwich/​subs place. There are definitely better lunch options if you work more than a block away from here like I do, but if you are in the area, there’s no reason not to try it.

As the other reviewers have mentioned, the place can get pretty busy but the line moves fast. The guy behind the counter is super nice.
I usually get the special — ½ salad, ½ soup (if the soup is vegetarian), with a pita bread. It’s cheap, pretty tasty and filling.
Food isn’t amazing but for the price and service — it’s worth it.

First I should say I don’t go out to lunch a lot because it can quickly and easily sneak up on your wallet. I usually bring my lunch to work, but when I forget I don’t even think of another place to go. I walk right over to the Downstairs café.
First, I go because the price is reasonable. It is cheaper than the other sandwich shops around Cambridge, and the food is great. I usually get the turkey club sandwich with fries for 6 bucks and change. I feel full after the meal, and its so good.
Next the food is good and the service is fast. There is only one guy working in the kitchen and I don’t know how he does it but I never wait more than 5 minuets, and it gets pretty busy. Don’t be turned away the line moves fast. If you go after the peak lunch hours they’ll bring your food out to your table. «Go sit down buddy, I’ll bring your food out for you»
The guy who works the counter and takes your order is the owner as another reviewer said, there is a newspaper story about him on the wall there. He is fast at taking your order, and must have a great memory as he can take multiple orders at once. Don’t be surprised if he yells, «Next please» and doesn’t even turn around. Just tell him your order, regulars know this.
This is a popular place to get lunch. They accept credit cards if the order is above 8.00 (just buy a drink).
Fast. Tasty. Cheap.

This is a reasonable place to pick up lunch if you work in the area. Nothing spectacular here, but they have decent subs, salads, pizza, and a few other items for a very reasonable price (cheaper than most other places in the area). The staff is nice, particularly the guy who is behind the counter most often (I think he owns the place, but I’m not sure). It can get busy around lunchtime, but they fill orders pretty quickly. They also have breakfast, but I’ve never tried it.