Right,

Take the same you are all idiots tone that Denise takes.

You know know what they call repeating the same action expecting a different result right ???

Denise made a classic mistake of thinking she is what makes "Hon" Hon. Its the residents of the city is who. All us silly fools.

Fran In Baltimore

No way in hell am I ever stepping foot in that place.

I don't know Purple Kelly, but we agree on one thing. Baltimore has plenty of other places to eat.

I've eaten there two times and it was some of the worst food and service that I have ever experienced.

I went once, years ago, and ordered a side of fruit with my forgettable meal. They gave me a kid's bowl of fruit cocktail - about six pieces - and charged $5. I sent it back. They took it off, grudgingly. I never went back. Way better options in Hampden, and that was true even nine years ago.

I'm sort of glad to read over some of these negative posts, as I thought maybe I was missing something.

When I first moved here in 2001, I was working over at the Rotunda, so of course I ended up going over to Cafe Hon from time to time. My immediate impression was "I don't get this," as it just seemed like a pretty typical diner to me (aside from all the cafe hon decorations). Nothing wrong with it, but I just didn't understand all the fuss. So I just chalked it up as another one of those "Baltimore things," that an outsider would never understand.

Apparently my reaction is/was not so unique after all.

I know I've posted this before, but the last time we went there, we sat ignored at a table for 15 minutes while Denise read a paper behind the counter and the sole waitress busied herself with wiping tables, etc. We got up and left (never to return), and nobody said a word to us.

The few times I've eaten at Cafe Hon, I found the food just okay...and comparatively overpriced. I had a sense that I was paying for the decor and the shtick, not just my meal. Niether Hon's food nor its vibes can compete with such nearby alternatives as the Dizz.

I didn't go there enough to say that I'm actually boycotting it but, let's just say that the trademarked Hon thing isn't the only reason I don't go there.

$13 for a veggie burger and fries is too much.

There are so many better places in Hamden to have lunch. Frazier's has $5
llunch specials everday and the Dogwood across the street has comparable prices and much better food.
Plus you don"t have to put up with Denise and her rudeness.

Oh, hell.

I suppose I'll talk about the elephant in the room.

Cafe Hon could be Charm Town's El Bulli for all anyone cares (it isn't), but the real story these past few months has been Denise Whiting's atrocious public relations.

For all the shills and boycotts and protests, I can't help but sense that the most of the deeply negative reviews about food and service at Hon are motivated by public outrage, moreso than actual horrifically bad food and service.

I've posted before that people-at-large are free to make political decisions with their wallets. It's the very essence of free market economics.

But it's facetious and transparent to kick a place's food, just because you disagree with their politics. Calling Denise an exploitative, greedy miser shouldn't require calling her meatloaf bad.

Or is it somehow more face-saving for the Intertube to feign offense?

I don't doubt there are plenty of people who've had legitimately bad experiences at Hon.

I choose to not patronize there for reasons other than Denise's bad PR, but not because the food is horrifically inedible.

There's a reason diner food exists - it's hard to screw up.

So Kudos to Rob Kasper for staying on point, and reviewing the food, not the messenger. That having been said, I also can't help but sense he was being perhaps a little generous...

I also wonder of Rob's good experience was due, at least a little bit, to the fact that his face is known and may have been treated as a potential reviewer.

I'm shocked my this review. I agree with all comments about the crappiness of the food. It's not inedible, but it certainly doesn't stand out or is even worthy of multiple visits. And the prices are ridiculous for what you get. PS. I really don't care about the whole "Hon" controversy, I just like good food for a fair price. Which you won't find at Cafe Hon.

jt - I was wondering the same thing.

Ingratitude tastes sour and it abounds on all sides of the Hon "issue." Since when was Cafe Hon known for it's good food anyway? Fifteen years ago it was known as one of the ONLY places close-by with decent food and a good vibe. And c'mon, let's be real, this place was instrumental in the revitalization of the Avenue - a legacy that continues. Yes, the vibrancy was largely due to the clientele. And yeah, sure, after over a decade of patronage the owner doesn't know my name and has never even tossed a smile my way. But why can't we be grateful for Hon's role in the community, and why can't Hon muster a little humble gratitude for the role of the community in it's success? My patronage of Cafe Hon waned long before the controversy, but my gratitude hasn't. Certainly nature will take it's course regardless of our commentary on the side.