New Deal Cafe

First time here and we loved here!
I had the tempeh bbq — yum! My companion had the bison burger and loved that too. Fries are great!
Our server Christopher went out of his way to make it a great experience!

A little disappointed in the mini burger this time. Too rare for my taste. Waitress did not ask how I wanted it cooked. Should have known better. My husband got the bacon blue cheese burger & it was grilled to his liking. medium well. French fries with aioli is always yummy. They do charge extra for a side salad instead of fries which is ridiculous! A dollar for just lettuce. Service is always friendly.
Girl’s Bathroom side note… door handle should be repaired, loose & unattractive, something pretty on the wall, & open trash container next exit to throw paper towel in so no one has to touch door handle when exiting after washing hands!

I really love New Deal Café, especially the Chocolate Mousse Bombe dessert, Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake, and the fries with lemon aioli. It is a little pricey, but they also have the freshest salads in town. (I understand the lettuce is locally sourced.

This is the place to go if you dont have anything to do on a typical day and just want to waste your time sitting at a table forever waiting for someone to come take your order. By the time your final order arrives you would have already eaten «buckets of fries» and your stomach is full. The only save is those buckets of fries are amazing.

My wife had been to Blue Gill and ordered a burger with a blue cheese sauce, which she declared was the best burger she had ever eaten. We knew that Mildred’s was owned by the same folks, as was New Deal, and since it’s more in our neck of the woods we decided to try the burger there.
Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately got a big whiff of cooking grease, which I couldn’t get out of my nose the entire time we were there. I put it out of my head because I was there to have a good meal, not to find disqualifying characteristics. The place really needs a makeover, as it presents more like a «stand» than a restaurant… not much atmosphere at all. The kitchen is essentially open to the restaurant, although there is a partition so you cannot see what’s going on… but you can smell it, as I mentioned earlier. There was only one server who seemed to be doing everything… taking orders, serving, taking money and running the register, etc. We both ordered burgers, done medium, with fries. I asked for unsalted fries, and the server said no problem. He was very nice — in general, we had no complaints with the service whatsoever.
The food came, and my burger was cooked perfectly… medium, as ordered. My wife’s burger, though, was «hammered,» as they say — well done and then some. Unfortunately, it took so long to get the food that my wife didn’t want to wait for a redo, so she ate it as it was. My burger, although properly cooked, was just «okay.»
So, I doubt we’ll be back. Sorry, New Deal.

Unbelievable place! Busboy was awesome, waitress was delicious and fun to flirt with. Fries bucket with aioli was life changing. I wouldn’t change a thing about the crispy cod sandwich. Greek salad was scrum-​didli-​umcious! Mini burger tasted fresh with a flavorful patty. $ 15/​person including tip. I can’t say enough good things. The ambience was perfect for a laid back date. OMGpop, I’d love to come back again.

This place is incredibly underwhelming. The menu is very limited and their burgers, while not bad, are nothing memorable. There is no personality to this place or its entrees. Their dessert is fairly good though so there is a lining, it’s just not a silver one.

Love New Deal for great burgers and fresh salads with homemade dressing. Soups are
also a big hit. Staff is always super helpful and attentive, but honestly, it’s the wonderful, consistent food that keeps us coming back. And we are big fans of their other two restaurants as well — Mildred’s Big City Food and Blue Gill Quality Foods.
Knocking off one star only cuz the restaurant could use some updating and a thorough cleaning.

It is a shame to see a good eatery going downhill. When I first discovered New Deal it was one of the best burgers I ever had. Not so much over the last several months. Today I decided to give new Deal another shot. They lived down to the last couple months. The meat was over cooked and the bun was actually cold. Like out of the refrigerator cold. I would have given one star but the waitress was very attentive and offered to get me another burger. I just did not have time to let them try to get their signature dish correct. Does anyone know where I can get a good burger in Gainesville?

The Gills are obviously good at what they do. Dinner last night at Mildred’s and lunch today at New Deal Café.
Had the curry chicken salad with side house salad for lunch (from the specials menu). It really hit the spot. Tasty, and a nice lunch size portion. The presentation alone let me know it was going to be good.
Service and attentiveness was great. I would stop here for lunch any time I come back to the area.

One star? Definitely. A friend and I went in for a burger. The staff was pleasant enough but 20 minutes after ordering, the host informed us that our order hadn’t went in. He apologized and offered us fries for our trouble. The fries we got were wet, cardboard cold. After we saw our burgers come off the grill, the cook dropped the new fries 5 minutes after and we were done. Sat there 50 minutes for profuse tea refills and cold fries. Never again!

The service was so bad that we ended up walking out. Mildred needs to do better. Gainesville has to many good restaurants for a sub par place like this to exist.
I am sitting at 5 Guys now waiting on my consistently good served burger.

Atmosphere:
New Deal Café is quaint with a local feel. Don’t get it confused with Mildred’s adjoined next door though. While they share a kitchen and some menu items can be ordered off the Mildred’s menu if you’re dining at New Deal (at least for dinner hours that I’m aware of), New Deal is more relaxed/​casual and a lower price point. Inside and outside dining available. There’s a large back room for private parties. I recommend dining outside (weather permitting) or upfront near the window to feel less enclosed as the backroom has no windows. A good place for a a couple friends, a date, a nice chat over dinner — it’s inviting.
Service:
I’ve experience hit or miss service at New Deal in the past, but last night, our server was «on point» as the kids say. He was all the upscale and class that servers next door at Mildred’s offer while still offering warmth and appropriate demeanor for how New Deal differs from Mildreds in it’s casualness and relaxed atmosphere. He checked in ample amounts, food was brought out timely, drinks refilled, table cleared. He did it right and with elegance and friendliness that we appreciated. We even stayed for hours longer after our meal chatting and he continued to come by to refill our waters, not rushing us out (granted the place was not busy, but still). I hope the service like this continues at New Deal. Our server from last night really set the bar high!
Food/​drinks:
The menu consists of salads, burgers, a few appetizers like calamari and a giant basket of fries worthy of sharing with the table, and flatbreads. Most menu items range from $ 9 – 13. I had the Beet & Goat Cheese Salad ($ 9) and added grilled chicken (extra $ 2). The salad was huge and filled with cheese, walnuts, lots of beets and the chicken added was substantial too. I couldn’t finish it. Came with two small pieces of bread & butter. My friend had the traditional burger (although wanted the Bison burger which they were all out of that night) although the server offered to ‘dress’ the traditional burger as the Bison burger would be & a side salad. Hefty portions on both his items as well.
Happy hour runs daily from 4−7PM half off cocktails & beer/​wine specials, too. I had the Classic Cosmo, he the Pomegranite Margarita. Decent drinks, although not terribly strong on the liquor — if that’s your liking. ;)
Dessert: I had the Chocolate Corruption Cake, he the Peanut Butter Cheesecake. WORTH-​EVERY-​BIT-​OF-​INDULGENCE. Beautiful huge slices of cake with chocolate sauce drizzled plates. The cakes at Mildred’s are well loved by locals. Whoever is their baker, is well loved by many fans in the community!
Why I’d go back… the superb service which I hope to see it continue with servers at New Deal in the future, too. It’ll surely keep me coming back! Also, the incredibly reasonable price point with large portions and the corruption cake. Obviously.

Ordered haddock sandwich, settled for cod. On another occasion I ordered a patty melt; nothing melted and the bread wasn’t toasted. As a matter of fact it was soggy. I did have a great piece of coconut cake, it was moist and the frosting was creamy goodness. The staff is great, the menu is eclectic and mostly interesting

I’m a fan of Mildred’s and Blue Gill, but I have never been to New Deal until today. The first thing I have to say is that I think I just ate the best burger of my life. I read the reviews about hit-​or-​miss burger quality, and have to say mine was freaking fantastic. I arrived and ordered around 2:45 and my burger and fries was ready in about ten minutes. I ordered it medium well and it came out perfectly. The fries were awesome.
The place wasn’t very busy-​only a couple of other people inside. The ambiance was nice and the service was friendly. I will definitely be visiting here again!

I cannot tell you how much I love new deal café. I easy there about once a week and never leave dissatisfied. It’s always fresh, made to order, locally grown, tasty food that can’t be beat. Their sister stores Mildred s and Blue Gill are great too!

Had the bison burger when we went to New Deal, and the burger was cooked perfectly. It’s rare enough to actually get a medium rare burger when you order one, but on top of that New Deal is local and actively involved in the Gainesville community. 5 stars for great food, 5 stars for supporting local businesses, and 5 stars for supporting a chef that works to better his community!

New Deal: kind of expensive, but pretty tasty. I’m glad I got to try it but I’ll probably not make this a regular

I am of the opinion that there are some really great places to get lunch and dinner here in Gainesville, and let me say that New Deal (the younger, less expensive sibling of Mildred’s Big City) definitely ranks among my top go-​to locations for a satisfying burger or sandwich. Between the in-​house focaccia bread and the rotating soup specials, there’s always something special worth having no matter what level your hunger is at.
The Space:
Literally conjoined with Mildred’s Big City Foods, New Deal snuggly in the plaza at the corner of University and 34^th. Upon walking up you will notice a few outdoor tables for when Gainesville’s crazy weather permits, and for the inside the seating basically extends through the depth of the building with the cook space being immediately visible on your right. Beyond this first stretch of seating in the back of the restaurant you will discover a more spacious room with a little bit less of a noise issue (not being next to the kitchen definitely helps). The amount of seating seems to accommodate fairly well most days, even when they are busier.
The Food:
My first (and many after) visit to New Deal I ordered the Chicken and Bacon with lemon aioli served on that aforementioned focaccia bread. The size of the sandwich was always more than enough to fill myself up and have leftovers. I figure the average person could make two meals out of the plate, considering it comes with a side. Speaking of sides, I almost always substitute fries for something more intriguing, and for New Deal that comes in the form of their caesar salad. I particularly enjoy their dressing, but the pickled red onions are a really nice acidic complement to the richness of a tangy, creamy caesar.
They have since removed this sandwich from the menu but (PRO TIP) you can ask for it specially and they will make it for you.
The other item I have had repetitively is the burger. Whether sticking to more classic combos like bacon and bleu or deciding to change it up for their Jamaican Jerk Burger, the quality of the meat, the size of the burger, and the quality of the preparation never leaves me disappointed. I have had better burgers at more expensive places, but for ~$ 10 – 12 receiving a substantial slab of ground beef with side gives me nothing to complain about
The Service:
I have ordered take out from New Deal and I have dined in, having utilized both options multiple times. When they get busy the staff can sometimes be inattentive. I have found particularly troubling service when seated outside or in the back room, but I this is not always the case. In fact, there are a few servers that recognize both myself and my roommate by face and are eager to start up some slow chat and speedy service for us. The food does not often take anymore than 15 minutes to arrive, and ordering an appetizer (side salad, soup, etc.) will eliminate any concerns for the hungrier patrons altogether.
I happen to live within 3 minutes of this fantastic establishment and go multiple times a month. The appeal of New Deal lies greatly, not necessarily in being the absolute best ever of Gainesville, but rather in begin consistently above average in a town where so many spots can develop a «hit or miss» reputation. Providing a casual lunch or dinner for smaller-​sized parties at an affordable price (and where you will not leave hungry), trust in New Deal for a satisfying experience.

We dined here last night, arriving around 8:45, and they close at 10:00. I decided not to sit outside with most of the other diners because I was not interested in eating a pollen covered food. The interior is very bright and can be somewhat blinding, as well as luring in every type of biting bug when the front door is opened. For café food, this place is not cheap. The menu is simple with salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and burgers. The open kitchen will leave your clothes and hair smelling of all their menu has to offer.
Everyone raves about the burgers, so I ordered the blue cheese and bacon burger. The burgers here are thick and juicy, and sufficient amount of toppings on a $ 10 item. I was wishing that the bun were toasted. It took them almost thirty minutes to cook a medium well burger and fries. We were the only customers seated inside, and there were only two tables outside that were about to leave. By the time we received the food, it was almost time for them to close. The fries were delicious, and the sea salt was a nice touch.
I also ordered a piece of Coconut Cream Cake to go. At $ 6.00, I do not know if it was worth it, but it was tasty. I am deducting one star for the bug bite I received while seated in their indoor dining area. Batting at flying insects is difficult while eating a two handed burger, and it caused me slight stress and disgust.