One of the historical places in cairo downtown. The vintage design is breathtaking however, I don’t like the food tase less than normal. Also the bathroom was not clean at all . Overall it’s a nice place to experience though I don’t recommend eating there.

Thanks to our Egyptian colleague Karim Khalil who uncovered this place with its unique rich cultural history.We learned that it used to gather generations of Egyptians thinkers and creatures in many branches of Arts, such as writers, actors, singers and others.Now it is a nice café/ restaurant where you can have a bite with a glass of local wine of excellent quality.If you read Arabic, you will find inside an excellent book entitled Rich Café, an Eye on Egypt. Ask the lady on desk for it.Absolutely recommend.

Tourists should avoid this place. The interior looks interesting enough to walk in, given there are few other options around.The service staff started and remained unfriendly. We started with an order of cappuccino, which this cafe failed to deliver over more than 40 minutes with us asking 3 more times. It tasted burnt and like made of instant coffee powder. We made the mistake of ordering food as well, which was of the cheapest quality. Our fries came with no condiments and asking for ketchup brought usanother stare down. The breaded veal was ok, it came with the cheapest sauteed vegetables, which looked like the most basic deep frozen pees and beans you find in the supermarket.Overall we felt very much uninvited as tourists, whilst service staff seemed to be nice to locals and arabic speaking people.

It is one of the old cafes in Cairo, but they should have a professional dealing with customers. I wanted to order a coffee, but he told me that there is only beer and i see they don’t want me to stay , I know the coffee For intellectuals and writers , But respect the other groups of society

An authentic cafe with great for and service.Limited menu written in Arabic, French and English. Their food is tastey. The waiters is always smiley even though the mask is hiding it.

The spaghetti bolognese pleasantly surprised me. I got a side of frites too, and finished with a muhallabia (which came early to my delight). This place has range.

It gives a classic vibe , the food is great , the crew are helpful.and cheerful, , the place has an amazing interior design, and the prices are moderate, but alcohol like anywhere in Egypt sucks big time

Unfortunately, this place doesnt live up to its great past. The server, dressed in a traditional costume, doesnt speak English (and this is a touristic place). The poor boy cant express himself and is completely lost. The manager, dressed in a pyjama, was smoking inside with his dog and his friends (we like dogs but not inside a restaurant). First, they put a basket of not so fresh bread without anything for the waiting time, then they served us a lentils soup without spoons. The soup was not good at all. When the main dish arrived, we thought it was a joke, we couldnt imagine eating that and left, even though the manager said it was for free for us. They completely killed the soul of this historical place. Maybe one day, the owner will put all in good order to honour the great past of this café. But for now, its not worth a visit at all. Just a place to avoid!

Nice elegant place but overpriced and not a high quality of drinks

First of all its an historical place with ancient history ambiance but the staff there is extremely rude especially with Egyptian national we head there and all of the sudden he asked me how many person I said 2 he said what you gonna get and I was almost still on the door Infront of other customersI said drink and snacks he said dont forget that its an restaurantI replied so what and I head inside he approached us and he said since you sit on the table I have to take your order while other foreigner they just order a bottle of beer and his silly smile on his face showing a warm welcomeIn very sorry to see the hospitality level goes below zero if I had to rate that place or a place had all the lovely memory since my father use to take me there and I use to hear the aristocratic conversationBy the way my bill was over 1000 pound while his beloved forginer customer pay him the bill in coins😂Now I can say loud and clearElegance, hospitality, kindness in Egypt RIPWont ever head there againNot recommended ever

The only positive aspect of this place is the fact that they serve alcohol. Service is terrible and the place doesn’t give out the most hygienic vibes, aka wouldn’t be tempted to eat here… one of the oldest cafes in Cairo would have much more potential…

We had good food and drinks but above all: what a helpfull owner!! He is by far the most helpfull man we’ve met since we’re in Egypt. He really helped us out to get a trustworth taxi.

Unprofessional behaviour, and they are very rude!I dont know why they somehow tried to kick me out, the waiter came and told me we only serve beer with dinner even though I went so many times alone or with friends and we only had beer, I also saw all the guests only drinking beer. I went to the management and they told me the same thing! Not recommended at all.Do you think that you are the best bar in Downtown to kick people out? There are too many adorable bars in Downtown by the way. And if you were the best one there you dont have the right to kick anybody out of your pub.

Highly recommended as a favorite for many. No recommendations here, I’m still waiting for the server to take a drink order. Two tables came in and had drinks before walking out. Not for anyone thinking they’ll get food within a reasonable amount of time. Can’t comment on the quality.

Amazing place. Seems disconnected from the world. Homey food and history filled ambiance. Definitely recommend.

If you’re coming here for the food then you’ll be disappointed. This place is for the experience where you’ll receive a glimpse of the old days. It’s a very authentic ambience.The food is mediocre. Beware, what you order will not be what you expected. Order the Mussaka with meat (eggplant with meat from the oven) with a side of white rice.The service is ok.

A Cairo landmark, Cafe Riche lives up to its reputation - average food and drink offerings but an above average atmosphere.As evidenced by the 10LE cover charge, you are here for the space and the history it embodies rather than for what’s on the menu.

Highly recommendable. Staff are friendly, honest and helpful. Service was excellent. The place tells of old times. An island of good spirit in an otherwise difficult world. Go there.

Very cool place. Appetizers potions are small but overall the kitchen is tasty, and tastes more like homemade food.

As one might deduce from other reviews found here, Cafe Riche is imperfect. It is however, like many though not all places in Cairo, able to find a good measure of greatness because of and not in spite of many of its imperfections. I am happy to visit regularly.

Awful, the place is more of bad fastfood but with mid range restaurant prices. Plastic cutlery, ketchup in sachets.Mains were ok, but nothing special, green salad was a few slices of cucumbers and tomatoes.But the worst were half frosen artichokes - this was really awful.Service very slow and lazy.Much better go to some nearby shawarma kiosk and have a proper meal.

Ordered the lamb chops. Fantastic. So tender and juicy. Will trade again.

Its a unique place. Very historic with a lot of iconic old writers gathering there in the past.The place still has its feel of old richness. It looks like s long train carriage in demensions. Waiters wear very traditional blue gold threaded gowns. They serve alcohol which is very unusual but common for downtown places like this and others that still exist since the hay day of downtown in the 20s-70s.They have an eclectic menu of home cooking and bbq items. Tried macaroni w bachamel sauce and dolma leaves. Both were good. Its a place where you come to study, chill or have an artistic meeting. Customers are much older and seem to be coming here for ages. The younger crowd is an eccentric one just from the look of them. I was neither not, just a passer by.

Not as good as it used to be... it lost all its magic. Just a beautiful old wrapping for a very casual restaurant

The history of the place prevents doubt. You might not find everything you ask for. Perhaps thats the originality of it. The owner is the descendent of the founder and keeps an eye on everything

The bathroom is in bad condition but in general they have good installations and very good food, sadly the service is terrible, there is no one in the door to take you to the table and once in the table they forget about you, so if you have limited time, don’t take this place as an option, you might be late. Oh I almost forget, they only take cash, so consider that.

An Iconic Cairo Cafe. in business from the last 100 years. Watch out for the cover charge they apply to each person.Things to try : beef in Madeira sauce and their home-brewed red wine.

Food was mediocre. Service isn’t great either, but It’s old school and you feel like you’re in a Time Capsule. Worth a visit for a coffee or beer!

Very incredible and historical place to visit in Cairo.

I drove half an hour for this?! Lousy service, bad food, small portions, high prices. Tax and service not included in the prices, so your check will be 25% higher than you think. All in all, a losing combination. Cash only - for good reason. AVOID.

Lots of griping in these reviews but for a relaxed, unhurried visit this place is fun and oozes 20th century history.

Nothing special. I ordered Bessara with bread and tea. They brought the tea without a spoon and old hard bread. One of the “First time and last time” places.

Authentic place with lovely ambiance. Known for its good ribs but unfortunately the haven’t any:/Fair prices and fair taste of food

Can’t say enough about this place. When you come to Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo this place is a must to come eat here! Authentic Egyptian food set in a beautiful historical building. This place has been here for a 100 years and may it be here a 100 years later! From the service to the food, Cafe Riche is 5 stars!

Nice place and reasonable prices but their was a discrimination for the treatment cause I was Egyptian not a foreigner.. In total the vibe was good

The worst ever staff you can face in your life are in this cafe , the staff are extremely rude and deal with the customer in a very bad attitude. Basic cafe with extremely poor menu to choose from. The bathroom is very dirty . No parking lot. Not recommended at all.

The test is so so normal ( nearly not good ), the prices is good, the cleaning is bad, alot of dust in the place and the table is not clean, also the service is not good, for me its first and last time

Café Riche which opened in 1908 at 29th of Talaat Harb Street, is one of the most renowned landmarks in downtown Cairo. At various times a meeting place for intellectuals and revolutionaries, the café witnessed many historically significant events over the 20th century. It is said to be where King Farouk saw his second wife, Nariman Sadek; where the perpetrator of the 1919 failed assassination attempt on Egypts last Coptic Prime Minister, Youssef Wahba Pacha lay in wait for his target; and where several members of the resistance during the 1919 revolution met the basement to organize their activities and print their flyers. Patrons included the political novelist Naguib Mahfouz and the then-future president Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Its a good place for having a drink or a snack but not the best option for dinner

Gorgeous elegant rich of history and memories of famous writers and philosophers

Great food, great service. Absolute must try.

Good service, but small proportion of food & kind of over price.

The food is horribly bad. It is just an authentic old place..no more. Again, the food is REALLY bad.

The food is okay. I would say abit hard and the gravy is not the best. Abit too pricey for the food quality and portion. The location is great and friendly staff.

A blast from the past..a real feeling from monarchy eygpt like time travelling. Am glad it was not renovated and kept as genuin

Nice old-classic atmosphere..Its a touristic place. Eating is a must its not a coffee shop only which is really disappointing

Im there atm there’s loads of food leftovers and garbage under our table from the previous customers and there isn’t another table free so I asked the waiter to call a cleaner and he said “well ur not gonna sit on the floor are you” in the rudest possible way! Obviously Don’t recommend it won’t be coming back.

Old nice restaurant, but service is so slow...

I didnt try the food. But the cafe was perfect and the whole environment was wonderful.

English menu. Food tasty and not exceedingly expensive. And you can smoke inside!

Unfortunately one of the most over rated places. It’s labeled as a cafe restaurant when it is mostly a bar.Food was very disappointing. Waiters are not welcoming nor nice. Unless you are a tourist they might pull a pleasant treatment.

Very average food. service was lousy. not really worth it

Very cool place to have a good coffee and fast and delicious dining

Wonderful place very friendly staff good location good value best prices Historical atmosphere recommend

Calm and spacious cafe providing a safe space when compared to noisy busyness of the Cairo streets outside. Food was simple and tasty, no-frills. The waiter was very polite and pleasant to talk to.

Staff are extremely rude, they are all acting as if they had been always dealing with high class and whoever coming these days are lower class than what they should serve !!!Although the place itself is very dirty and not well maintained, totally not recommended

Oldest bar in Cairo? Nice staff, good food. Beer.

Retro cafe with interesting ambience and good service. Worth the visit if you are visiting Cairo. Try the Creme caramel!

Let me make it clear this is getting 5 stars in so far as it is more that I expected. I dont think the place has changed in 70 years and you cant buy that type of authenticity. The food had a real home made feel to it and the waiting on staff were not too fussy just very matter of fact. I felt like I was in 1950s Paris.

A meeting place for intellectuals during the 1919 revolution...still a meeting place for the coffee lovers in the present day...

Loved the vibes and the history. Could use some live music.

Very good old style I loved.Nice people serve you.

Great place for a beer in a very charming and old fashion style! Not to miss while in Cairo!

I went there for that amazing old school vibe...Bcoz it was evening time i went for snack and coffee..but the waiter was too rude and said that without dinner coffe isnt allowed...his behaviour was too rude so we came out from the restaurant without ordering anything...i mean he could say that politely..i would ve ordered something heavy but his behaviour made me out of caffe....i went their before but that time there was no such rule..anyways not going back again...

Nice cafe! Pleasant service, tasty food and drinks. Especially, I like the interiors: old-fashioned, as the cafe was established in 1908. Prices is really affordable though. Would recommend to visit for a meal or for just a couple of drinks.

Historic place, sincere owners, great quality food

Such a good place, high recommend for visiters.

Ya gama3a ana da5l bs2l eza kan 3ndoko apple pie wlla la2 3shan ala2y nfsy bt3aml mo3mlt mogrmen 👽👽 ?? Pay in mind that this happened in less than 10 seconds as 4 reaction from the staff just pushed me away, i was fooled by the looks of the place to find it absolutely vulgar inside. Really wish they were nicer...

Went to the restaurant with high expectations because of its history but left with disappointment.They probably serve drinks that are sold in supermarkets. Very disappointed w/ the food as well.

Good place , but they gave me a wrong bill with an extra price ( 100 EGP ) if I didn’t review the bill I would not know ..Be careful during your payment

I love it. The place is cozy and you feel right at home. The staff is welcoming and the food tastes like home cooked meals which adds more to its homey atmosphere. My favorite restaurant ever ❤️

Absolutely love this place! super magical

Overrated, not a terrible place, but not meetimg the high expectations I had for it.Service was a bit late and the food was not as good.as expected.

I love this place. Its very old and they have all the old options. Usually I take my groups there. This place needs some more ideas to make it always better. The prices are very good.

Very good and quite place, perfect location in the heart of downtown and the stuff is very friendly

Good Mosaka, and weird rules of forcing people to have a main meal.

Definitely not as great as it possibly once was.Food is subpar.Coffee is an instant pack.They even charge a service charge for sitting (even if you are eating)Service was quick and kind.

Historical place, with a variety of food, sells alcoholic drinks as well.

Nice cosy place to experience local and historic culture of Egypt. Friendly staff and management. A must visit if in Downtown area.

Really nice Cafe. Suggested by a friend in Cairo. Told this is an intellectual hang out. Food was good and very inexpensive

Staff 1/5, food 2/5Awful experience

Old restaurant (30 or 40 years old if I remember well) where journalists and writers used to go to have drinks or to eat. We can feel that history through the architecture and decorations. Nice place to spend chilling time.

The restaurant is classical place, once you get in you can enjoy the atmosphere, and Egyptian artists photos.I can give the place itself the highest rate, but not for the cleanliness or the customer service.Unfortunately they don’t give the place as it worth.The food is amazing and delicious.Reasonable prices.

Disappointing food and service. Avoid if possible!Restaurant was not busy at all to account for poor service.Beef entrecôte was tough, fish filet tasteless, French fries lukewarm and soggy.Appetizers were brought after entrees were served.Tea was requested several times and finally brought at end of meal.“Mint tea”was Earl Grey tea with a few mint leaves.Waiter barely understood English.

We ordered a Pizza on our way to Museum. Waited for about 15 minutes for our pizza. On the first bite I was about to vomit. I had never had such a bad pizza in my whole life. We paid 105 GL and left without eating it. Noticed that the person before us had also left his/her cake almost untouched. Seems to be a place that rips tourist with garbage service. Never recommend.

I have been going there for years! Love that place & love their food & location ❤️ totally recommend it 😉

One of the best places in cairo , true authentic and amazing

Quite sad that this place was not run properly. This cafe is 112years old.The place is messy, some part of the ceiling is peeling. I hope they have designated smoking area. We were just inhaling second hand smoke the whole time.I ordered Karkadei, I was expecting a properly brew one,in stead I was given one with a tea bags. Their mellahaba was great though

Good place for friends and couples👍

I rarely review but this restaurant was so bad I felt I had to write something. We went based on the Lonely Planet having marked it with a star and talked up its neat historical colonial edge, well, the British empire has truly fallen on this place. My bf and I both agreed it was some of the worst food we have ever had, our sauteed vegitables were absolutely straight from a can and just reheated and maybe salted. I tried to order the lamb and they were out, as was the kebab, I finally got something similar and it was dripping in grease. Our painfully simple mains took over an hour to arrive (read an hour to open cans) despite only six other guests in the restaurant. The tablecloths were filthy with cigarette and stains, exhaust from the street poured in through cracked windows. Service was only prompt when picking up the cash left when paying the bill. Also, incredibly, there is a 10EGP per person cover fee tacked onto the bill just for the privilege of being in the restaurant. I could absolutely see how 100 years ago this place was neat, or ever maybe for a decade or so after independence but my bf and I both agree, after dozens of countries traveled and by no means a closed mind to food/experiences, this place was terrible and a street shawarma or even a hotel granola bar would have been immensely better. Lovely Planet, youve got to reassess this restaurant, weve lost faith in your star judgement!

Very poor food &bad quality& rude staffDont go

It was not good as before little food quantity high price and bad service

There are so much history and stories in the cafe, but it needs further attention in service and food.

I am into history and old places, unfortunately this place needs a new management urgently, place is dirty, service is totally unacceptable, staff are very slow and rude

Have always wanted to enter this place every time I pass by it and finally I did, I tried out their tomato soup, roasted chicken, vine leaves, grilled kofta and oven pasta and they were all lovely and I double stress over the vine leaves they were the best of all the only thing I see missing is that they definitely need to increase the portions either than that the food is good and the place is nice

Honestly I was quite disappointed with the food. I ordered spaghetti with with sauce and the literally just gave me boiled spaghetti with cold white sauce on the side.The decor is nice though and has a pleasant atmosphere.Also, good alcohol choices.

Old fashion egyption food. It was great.

Old fashioned elegance. Loved it. Only had a drink so cant comment on the food but I would expect it to be good as everything else was. Toilets are clean, and with soap by the wash basin, had to search for loo roll but it was available. Will visit again.

Although I like the old historic decoration in this place, but the current staff are rude and non-helpful. You cant order drinks without food!!! Tables are not clean. WC is dirty. Food are over-priced. Hopefully someday, better people would manage this historic place.

Delicious food and old authentic place