![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
NEW YORK — Just 400 feet away from Columbia University, Hex&Co.’s name and claim of “Manhattan’s largest board game cafe” displayed on the awning appealed to us as a refuge from the cold and a chance to bond over food and games. The cafe felt cozy, with warm lighting and floor-to-ceiling shelves of games, yet we quickly realized that the bar for their culinary quality was surprisingly low — the food itself felt like a hex that ended the warmth when our plates arrived.
While we had envisioned ourselves eating lunch over an intense round of UNO Extreme or Catan, we were immediately turned off by the $15 per person cost to access the board games. With only an hour to spare for lunch, we decided against paying to play. The games were intriguing, with classics like Monopoly but also countless we haven’t heard of like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mystic Vale. If we were to come again in the future, we would make sure to set aside at least three hours to make the most of the flat fee.
Since we shifted attention away from the board games, the food quickly became the focus of our visit. We started with the Hex Burger, priced at $13, expecting a juicy and satisfying meal because of the high cost. However, it proved underwhelming in both texture and flavor. The burger ingredients lacked cohesion in taste and presentation — it looked like the ingredients were quickly thrown together. The meat patty was the most disappointing. As the centerpiece of the burger, it was dry and tasteless.
The lettuce, tomatoes and onion lacked crispness, and the bland cheddar cheese failed to add any richness to the burger. Though the Thousand Island sauce managed to infuse some flavor and moisture, it wasn’t enough to balance out the overall dryness of the rest of the burger. Ultimately, it felt like a burger that we could easily make at our lunch cafeteria back at Harker, certainly not worth $13.
Coming in at $12, the breaded chicken sandwich also brought down our high expectations. The brioche bun was sweet and soft, but the chicken fillet was far less enticing. The chicken meat had a moist texture, but not the tenderness expected in a great chicken sandwich. The breading had a slight crunch, but quickly became soft and mushy. Chipotle mayo and pickles saved the day, bringing sophistication with their slight spice and tangy flavor. Overall, the chicken sandwich was slightly above average and therefore a bit pricey for its quality.
One of the only vegetarian options on the menu, the Cheddar and Parm Melt consisted of tomatoes and a thin layer of parmesan sandwiched between two toasted pieces of sourdough bread. While the bread had a nice crunch, there was not enough cheese to balance out the thickness and flavor of the tomato slice. The dish, priced at $11, tasted and looked like a basic tomato slice on white bread.
The two sides we ordered, Spinach Artichoke Dip ($5) and Mac Bites ($7), arrived significantly later than the main dishes, taking about 30 minutes.
After tasting, we felt that the dip was bland and too heavy on the spinach, and the cheesy element had an overly milky taste. The white corn tortilla chips were adequately salty, which spiced up the muted flavor of the dip, but still tasted exactly like a normal bag of supermarket chips instead of anything freshly made.
The Mac Bites were equally unworthy of the price tag. The order only came with six misshapen nuggets, looking and tasting like they came from a grocery store’s frozen aisle. The macaroni filling was cold and stuck together, and lacked the gooey and rich texture of a high quality mac and cheese.
Though Hex&Co. offers a strong environment to gather with friends and explore their large collection of games, it is best to curb your enthusiasm when it comes to the food. The menu appears to offer comforting food, but the execution of dishes falls short across the board. If you want to head to the area for a game night, we recommend eating beforehand and saving your money for the board games.
Additional reporting by Risa Chokhwala
