Flying Star Cafe - Central Ave. SE

Well, if you like Flying Paycheck you might want to stop reading. Once a great thing, the prices have... more

Well, if you like Flying Paycheck you might want to stop reading. Once a great thing, the prices have climbed, the portions are still too small. The service is solid, the environment is great, a must dine place for those in their 30s to 60s who want to feel groovy. And the food is good (though, with tons of butter, salt, and sugar, most things can taste good). And Flying does do good things for the community…wait a second…you’re doing good things for the community. At 9 dollars for a lemonade and a refill, that’s YOU doing good things. And this is what we tell ourselves on the rare occasion that we still find ourselves in Flying Paycheck. more

Well, if you like Flying Paycheck you might want to stop reading. Once a great thing, the prices have climbed, the portions are still too small. ... more

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, I admit - and I eat breakfast every chance I get no matter what time of day. When I ate at the Flying Star Cafe in Albuquerque for the first time yesterday while on vacation, I expected the typical menu with the typical breakfast foods. When I looked at the menu I had a hard time finding something that I normally get so I tried something new: South by Southwest; a dish with a grits cake topped with a green chile stuffed turkey sausage patty, 2 eggs over medium then a creamy red chile sauce and cheddar jack cheese. I wasn't expecting much, as again I've had a LOT of breakfast dishes. When I took the first bite my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Stunning flavors, interesting & varied textures that worked together to create truly the best breakfast I have ever had. WOW is all I've got left to say. I'm only sad that they don't have a cafe in the Denver area. more

Can't deny that there are a lot of good deserts, but prices are way out of line and the food is just ok. Ordered Peach-Raspberry pie to go and when I got home discovered some weird rhubarb garbage. No AC when it's 95 degrees outside. Not even close to the same place I visited 6 years ago. You can tell how much it has declined if you haven't been there for a long time. You'll like it if you enjoy watching masses of the unwashed order coffee and take up a table for 3 hours. more

We were at a different location in town and loved everything about this place. I had the chicken pot pie and loved every bite of it. To finish things off everyone in our group picked a different dessert and passed them around. Make sure you safe room because they were all amazing :) more

Overcrowded, overrated yuppie hangout. Food was less than mediocre... kindof bad really. It smelled really bad inside, like sewage. The restroom was disgusting. The only positive... it looks good inside, and the desserts look good (didn't stay for dessert). But looks don't make it when you've come to eat food, not look at it. Pros: desserts look good Cons: food was bad more

Incredible consistent and amazing. Best key lime pie. Better than Florida places that specialize in it. Wonderful Russian coffee cake (lots of cardimun). Great cakes. Been consistently good for 18 years. We always go back when we are in town and its always as good. If you live here appreciate it since bakeries this good, with good cofee, good service are not easy to find. If youLve just found it you've found a gem. more

A good place for coffee and wifi. Desserts are on average $7-10. The food is decent, but way overpriced for the area. more

Had to sleep in Albuquerque and driving by down town stopped in a Flying Star. At least on that day the coffee was awesome (actually hard to find any better) and the muffins great. Food was just average. I live in SC and cant confirm my finding. more

If you plan a trip to Albuquerque you have to make sure to eat at least one of the Flying Star's around town. (Or if your a local hiding under a rock unaware that Flying Star has the most delicious food in town) The food is so good we actually ate there two days in a row and even got bagels to take home to Houston. My sister eats there every Sunday and always tries a new dessert which are made fresh daily. So far she has eaten half a dozen different types of pie, cake, and cookies and is eager to make it through the endless list to retry her favorites. The menu consists of breakfast that is serverd all day, traditional New Mexican dishes and some classics with a twist (Sandwiches, Hamburgers etc). The mac and cheese, yes mac and cheese, was so unbelievably fantastic that I even ate it for breakfast! The food is fresh, organic, locally grown and made to order. There are a couple of unique drinks, E-Tea and Red Stuff, which you must try. I have no idea what's in them but they are incredibly refreshing and yummy! Each of the restaurants has their own quirky interior complete with a LARGE variety of magazines to purchase and read. All in all I think I could happily eat here the rest of my life and never get tired of it. Pros: Local and Organic Food, Coffee, Desserts, Mac and Cheese, Ambience, Locations Cons: They are only located in and around Albuquerque, NM more

i've been a fan of flying star for many, many years. i've spent more time in their restaurants than i care to admit. the food is tasty, innovative. has quality ingredients. is well-prepared. lots of variety.\r \r but let me tell you, their coffee is awful. grossly overroasted. i'd rather consume office coffee that's languished on a hotplate for 4 hours than flying star's offering. i've never understood why the management insists on peddling that stuff.\r \r but it's about the only blemish on an otherwise fine dining experience. Pros: Creative menu, quality food, relaxed but tasteful decor Cons: Was that coffee or charcoal tea I ordered? Service can be slow. more

I use to frequent Flying Star in college when it was Originally called ""Double Rainbow"" located on Central Ave. I thought it was such a neat awesomely decorated fun place to hang out with friends and/or meet new interesting people. Now that they have many more locations the food has gone Downhill, the service is way too slow for today's hustle, bustle, hurry to work etc., (I have tried to catch a quick coffee drink on the way to work and FORGET IT - the service took FOREVER! and there we're many people in line before me - also I had to wait a long time while watching the server take FOREVER to make my latte!!!) Starbucks coffee drinks taste BETTER anyway! AND Starbucks provides FAST SERVICE for those of us needing to be somewhere. Every time I eat at Flying Star I am disappointed in the food - and my kids won't eat anything there! The french fries are even BAD. The desserts are way too rich - what happened to making a nice basic chocolate cake without 90% of it being MOOSE?! For 2 pieces of cake/pie, and two coffee specialty drinks you'll easliy spend $20 and then end up not eating all of it! Sorry, but we don't ever go there anymore it's just a waste of money and a disappoinment every time. (It's embarassing to bring company there - because the ambience is nice but the service and food are BAD! not to mention pricey. Pros: Neat decor, get to read all kinds of magazines, outdoor cozy eating area where you can feed the birds Cons: Expensive, slow service, desserts too rich, food is BAD more

I adore The Flying Star-every location. The food is excellent and the places themselves are gorgeous. Yes, it's a tad expensive, but not when one considers the quality and massive portions one is presented with. Anyway, $5 for a huge bowl of some of the best soup I've ever had is quite a bargain! And ordinarily I would agree with above assertion that $4 for a piece of pie is too much, but not when the pie in question is as deliriously delicious as the heaven-sent pieces at Flying Star. Best. Pie. Ever. Pros: excellent ambience, exceptional pie, dinner rolls Cons: tad pricey, often crowded as hell more

This is a great restaurant, especially those with a taste for interesting flavors and those who just want a good old fashioned meal. I'm a vegetarian and my boyfriend is not. He can get a big meaty burger while I'm satisfied with a yummy tofu entree. The Flying Star is a bit pricey, but for a treat, it's well worth it. I bring all my out of town relatives here for a bite to eat. The desserts are more of a feast for the eyes than for your palate. They tend to lack flavor. My Boyfriend and I met at the Downtown Flying Star and have been to every one in town! Food is great at every single location. The Italian Sodas (my favorite) tend to differ, they're great at the Downtown & Heights locations, but lack everywhere else. Pros: Big Portions, Great Atmosphere, Great Variety Cons: Crowded at Times, Disapointing Desserts, A Little Pricey more

Today I simply wanted to buy a cake. I don't mind the 10 minute wait in line. I don't mind that its right in front of the exit so you are constantly moving around. I do mind when a staffmember would rather give me a lecture on personal etiquette when I ask her for the price on a cake instead of saying hello. With a whole line of people behind me I didn't think hello was a priority. Thats ok there are plenty of other bakers that I can get a sunday cake. That would rather just have my buisness. more

Well, the prices are slightly steep if you plan on eating there on a regular basis. However, the food has never disappointed me and the bakery is, without a doubt, the best you'll find in Albuquerque. I haven't let a special occasion go by without dropping in to pick up a cake or a dozen of their giant cookies. The staff is never particularly in a hurry, so if it's crowded, expect to wait a bit. Pros: Personable staff, Good food, Great pastries Cons: Slow service, Somewhat Pricey more

Good food. Always a nice selection. HOWEVER, the desserts are not nearly as good as they look. The entrees are better. Try Assetts Bar and Grill. Better over all.... more

Being new to Albuquerque, I'm very gunshy about the restaurants here. I've been to quite a few bad restaurants. Flying Star, fortunately is not one of the bad ones. It's a great place for any meal. It can get crowded at times, so you may have a bit of a wait, but the food is worth it, particularly the chicken pot pie. Pros: Good food, pets allowed on patio, inexpensive Cons: long lines more

Upscale quick eats. I spend a lot of time eating great foods I have never tried before. The specials are always as good as they sound. If its Sunday morning and you can't decide where to eat...Flying Star is your restaurant. Take your pooch to the Rio Grande restaurant there is a really nice patio. Pros: Munchies, Dessert, Hungry Cons: Parking, Lines, Hungry more