Great job, if you are the type to enjoy a face-paced environment. If not, you will definitely be quitting in 3 months. - Server Northstar Cafe Employee Review

3.0
23 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people work here- especially from the hourly team. When they say you will meet some of your closest friends here, they mean it. Not to mention, they do invest in you (if you are worthwhile to invest in). The pay is good, especially when you factor in full-time employees get benefits.

Cons

They expect a level of perfection on a day-to-day basis that becomes unsustainable over time. It is not a surprise because of how beautifully clean and well maintained every single Northstar location is, but it comes at the cost of (typically) overworked college students and highschoolers. Not to mention, being understaffed seems cooked into their business model- pushing every single one of their employees to do the work of what feels like 3 people. If you work here and are good at your job, you will live here. Honestly, this job really requires a certain person to be able to do it for over 2 years full-time, and if you are that person, you have transferable skills to any industry. Back-of-house has it much worse though- no one wants to close and if you become a closer, say goodbye to your social life outside of the restaurant walls. And while they don't say it explicitly, it sure does feel like they don't hire many POC for server positions at certain locations, choosing instead to push them to back of house jobs instead. Not a great look, to say the least.

Explore other reviews about Northstar Cafe

5.0
22 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-steady income -stable hours - always busy

Cons

- occasionally understaffed/ very busy

1.0
23 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great food Very clean Friendly staff Very organized and efficient (aside from hiring) Paid for trial shift.

Cons

I worked a grand total of one day here and left in tears. I applied to be a prep-cook/dishwasher and they had me work a little test shift. Fine, they paid me and it makes sense to try someone out before hiring them. The issue came when they put me on GRILL and shoved a greasy, barely functional Ipad in my hands with all the recipes and expected me to learn on the fly with 0 prior training during a DINNER RUSH. I finished my little test dinner shift and slunk out to my car and sat there in the parking lot crying because I needed the job at the time but knew I wasn't going to get it because I did not do too well. Obviously I did not get the job and wasn't what they were looking for in a grill cook which is totally understandable! BUT I DID NOT APPLY AS A GRILL COOK AND THEY DID NOT INFORM ME THEY WOULD PUT ME ON GRILL! I APPLIED FOR PREP AND DISHWASHER! I am autistic, I did not want to work in the open kitchen portion and would have done far better on dish or prep to avoid the noise and constant staring customers tend to do (not illegal to stare, food cooking is actually quite interesting to watch, just personally not a fan of being stared at a lot). Might still not have gotten the job, but at least I wouldn't have felt lied to and tricked. It was a miserable experience and I truly am still baffled on why the manager there did that to me. He was also not the greatest guy to deal with, but I think that was more a me issue and not anything he was doing wrong. The constant unwavering eye contact and lack of personal space and dismissive tone towards questions were mildly upsetting but nothing that I truly think a normal person would be bothered by.

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