At Last Cafe

• Cuisine(s): American, New American
  Hours: Tue-Sat 11:30am-8pm
  Price: $, $$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Attire: Casual
  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Catering, Wheelchair Accessible
  Serving: Dinner, Lunch
  Alcohol: Beer/Wine
• Reservations: Accepted, Not Necessary
  Parking: Street

Description

At Last Café's first-time customers turn into instant devotees. Every one of the 18 or so seats is filled nightly. Those who didn't think to snag a reservation either wait it out on the street or order to-go. Either way, budget about 30 minutes to find parking, which is frustratingly scarce and the inevitable topic of conversation for the first few minutes of your meal. The rest of the time, you'll talk about the food, about how chef John McLaughlin manages to charge a fraction of what other establishments of this caliber would. For example, his Brick Chicken: a deboned half-bird cooked flat under the weight of a brick, its crispy, mahogany skin reminiscent of the best Armenian rotisserie hen and meat so juicy it bursts. The cost for this soon-to-be-famous poultry is a mere $9.50.