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Come enjoy a delicious drink at our bar - Dream Cafe, Dallas, TX

Dream Cafe

4.1
4.1
85 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Our restaurant is walk in only. During the weekdays there are typically no wait times, on the week-ends we do have wait times, but they are usually 15-30 minutes. You may call the restaurant if you have a large party and for those we require one check per table and add gratuity.
The Dream Café has been proud to filter coffee, not people, for over 30 years. We offer Healthy Global Comfort food made from scratch.
The atmosphere is casual, eclectic and welcoming, the cocktail list is fun and sophisticated and the menu offers a wide selection to please any mood and taste. Dream has been called a "hidden gem" and has stayed true to its original roots of serving unique dishes with a fresh-healthy twist. It has been voted: "Best Brunch", "Best Patio" and "Kid Friendly" and "Dog Friendly.
We moved to our new location on McKinney Avenue, with a trolley stop in front of us, and we have a courtyard oasis for those looking for a quieter experience. We hope to see you soon!

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Breakfast, Vegetarian / Vegan
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 7:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–3:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (214) 954-0486
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Owned/operated by
    Women
  • Executive chef
    Mary O'Brien
  • Catering
    Let the Dream Cafe can help host your next event in style! Offering everything from full service catering, corporate meetings to cocktail passed hors d’oeuvres and much more. Visit us at our website.
  • Private party facilities
    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate event, “Dream Cafe” can accommodate all your special event needs.For more information contact our Marketing Director:Ema Allinger214-215-3142allingerdream@gmail.com
  • Private party contact
    Private Event Coordinator: (214) 954-0486
  • Neighborhood
    Uptown
  • Cross street
    The parking garage is at Howell and Vine. We will validate your credit card
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    The McKinney Avenue Trolley stops right in front of the restaurant. Dream Cafe is on McKinney Ave at Allen Street. Parking is behind the entrance on Howell Street. The side street is Worthington and that will take you to Howell, turn right and look for the parking garage on your right, the entrance is right across from Trophy Fitness at Howell and Vine Streets.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 85 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1
4.1 based on all time ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 3.9Service
  • 3.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

85 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Birthday brunch with my hubby it was nice

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  2. Hoopster95

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on March 7, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    My husband and I had a delicious brunch at Dream Cafe. We started off with some NOLA beignets which were the best I have had outside of New Orleans. I had heuvos rancheros which were yummy however I prefer the corn tortillas to be fried for a nice crunch. My husband had the French toast with no complaints. We will be back.

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  3. KevinM

    Dallas

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on March 3, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Joe did a great job of providing excellent service.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 25, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Go see Mark!! He’s an awesome bartender TOO!! He makes sure everyone is well taken care of!! He knows the menu well and even have great recommendations!! He even remembered my husband and I from 3 months ago lol He remembered what we ordered more than we did lol! KUDOS TO MARK

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  5. Lisa

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 25, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Our server was amazing. She was very friendly and helpful. The atmosphere was really unique; we appreciated the modern design. This was a terrific experience and I can’t wait to return to dream cafe.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 11, 2022

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    It was nice

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  7. Luv2EatFood

    Dallas

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on January 28, 2022

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Went there for breakfast with one of my friends who flew in town that morning. I love the decor,menu options - especially the juices! The staff was warm and welcoming. I will be back

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  8. BradleyF

    Dallas

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on January 14, 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The back patio is great! Quiet and away from McKinney traffic!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 30, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We enjoyed sitting on back patio away from others. Host was very accommodating even when he couldn’t find my reservation on Opentable. I showed him on my phone but no issues. at all. The waitress was friendly, she made it a very nice experience. She continue to check on us. I really love this location on McKinney.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on December 26, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great Food and Service was spot on.

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  11. JonB

    Des Moines

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2021

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Overall a pleasurable experience! The food was above average and the service was excellent. I would suggest that management attempt to keep people from crowding at the counter which nudges out dinners sitting at the tables adjacent to the counter. Nothing like a butt in your face while you are trying to enjoy brunch. It was also difficult for the wait staff to navigate the area as well.

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  12. Mkla

    Dallas

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 12, 2021

    overall2food5service2ambience2
    We reserved a table for 10:15 yet all of the tables were completely booked so we had to sit outside in the cold.

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  13. LaneH

    Dallas

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Quaint but popular little spot in downtown Dallas. The me u and staff are full of diversity and fun to experience!

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    13 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on December 3, 2021

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Very congenial staff. Good food. Good Value

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  15. JGKMD

    New Mexico

    48 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    48 reviews

    Dined on November 28, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service from check-in, to server, to hostess thanking us for coming in and dining with them. Food delicious and presented well. The menu includes a few great options for vegan/vegetarians too.

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  16. PaytonF

    Dallas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 7, 2021

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I had the tomato soup with goat cheese and it was wonderful. I went on Saturday and they were having their Sparkling Saturday special so my champagne was half off! I went pretty late so it was very quiet. Would love to go back when it is a bit more lively.

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  17. JouetteT

    Dallas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 25, 2018

    overall5food5service3ambience3
    Introduced someone to Dream Cafe for their first visit and they loved it. A Dallas original. Service was spotty and we had to ask for things more than once, but food was great.

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  18. RKM66

    Dallas

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 23, 2018

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Overall good experience.

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  19. PFJRN

    Dallas

    24 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on March 26, 2017

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    Made dinner reservation on open table for Saturday night only to find out it was closed when we arrived! Someone needs to address and fix the issue Really disappointing ,

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 11, 2017

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    We showed up for our reservation and there was a sign on the door that the restaurant was closed for dinner for several weeks due to kitchen cleaning. It would have been nice to know before we drove all the way down there. I won't go there again. I am wondering if they got in trouble and got shut down due to a dirty kitchen. Not good to let customers make a reservation then be closed.

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  21. TexasTrojan

    Dallas

    165 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    165 reviews

    Dined on January 16, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I have a dream brunch.... on MLK day The ritz recommended this place. Try the cloud pancakes, the Austin tacos and the dream eggs benedict We will be back. 👍

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  22. jkr9

    Dallas

    36 reviews

    4.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on December 11, 2016

    overall4food5service5ambience3
    mystic pasta is my comfort food, they gave us 10% off as theater goers without asking!

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  23. JuliaR

    Dallas

    62 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    62 reviews

    Dined on October 8, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful fresh and tasty food, super pleasant and attentive staff, and impressive wine selections presented by a very knowledgeable and friendly wine steward. Loved it an we are thrilled to add this dreamy cafe to our list of favorites!!

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  24. Louisa

    Dallas

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I had the acorn squash and it was delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant.

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  25. Turtle

    Dallas

    34 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on July 14, 2016

    overall2food4service3ambience2
    I chose this restaurant because of the pictures posted on Open Table which were very decieving. We arrived for our 8:00p.m. reservation and the restaurant was pretty empty, there were only 2 other patrons there. The greeter seemed a bit agitated but we were seated immediately. We ordered the Crab balls as an appetizer, they were delicious, about 15 minutes later Brittany took our dinner order and it took 30 minutes to receive our food. I had a steak and my wife had Shrimp and Grits both were good but not worth the wait. We won't be revisiting this establishment. We were really disappointed.

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  26. OpenTable Diner

    Dallas

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 3, 2016

    overall4food4service4ambience1
    Not a good place for a business conversation... very raucaous and loud. Noise level also included screaming children. I would go back for casual dining or with friends, but never again for business.

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  27. HeritageTourDirector

    Dallas

    4 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2015

    overall1food3service1ambience3
    Our most recent return visit for early dinner with one of our tour groups following a theatre matinee on Saturday, October 3, 2015, was NOT pleasant and very disappointing, except for the food. The manager, Glenn, was short-tempered, snippy and downright rude, especially to me. He acted as though he couldn’t be bothered, even though it was early (around 5:00 pm) and the restaurant was not busy, with most tables empty both and on the patio. Additionally, the waiter simply could not do his job. He took our beverage order, one of which was for a 9-year old, and after 20-minutes without our having even a glass of water, I had to go inside to get the waiter to tell him to bring out the beverages. Further, no bread and butter were put on the table while we were waiting for our order. When I asked the manager, he told us we should have ASKED for it. We don’t agree. Our waiter also could not get each person’s order straight, and NEVER understood we wanted separate checks for 3 people but the rest of the group on one check. We told him THREE times. Instead he gave us a “running total”, on ONE check with a grand total. When I discussed this with the manager Glenn, he was downright nasty, hostile and angry about making the correction. If this is the way the manager Glenn treats customers and trains his waitstaff, it’s no wonder most of the tables inside and outside of the restaurant were empty by the time we left at 7:15 pm. CEO Americana Heritage Tours by Snobby Tours®, Inc.™

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  28. fman

    Dallas

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on September 26, 2015

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    We love Dream Cafe, very laid back and food is great. Not too loud either which is a huge plus in my book. Very helpful to us in choosing a wine, and the suggestion was right on target. Enjoyed the evening!

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  29. SBelle

    Dallas

    41 reviews

    2.0

    41 reviews

    Dined on August 14, 2015

    overall2food2service3ambience2
    We've been here at least five times in the last several years, because we go to Theatre Three, which is right behind the Cafe. It used to be hit or miss, depending on their menu. The last two times we've been, it's been "miss." Their dishes are just lacking something. Seasonings? There's not much flavor in anything. We've decided it's as though the menu has been developed by vegetarians who don't really understand non-vegetarian dishes. I wish them luck, but we probably won't be back.

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  30. goodworldfood

    Dallas

    30 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on June 20, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    We had not been to Dream Cafe for a while. Glad to see the stuffed Sonoma Squash was still on the menu - I am not a vegetarian, but happy to have this as a delicious and fulfilling meal. We were sad to see the polenta fries were off the menu. Hope they come back !

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  31. DDMillerTX

    Dallas

    17 reviews

    3.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on May 10, 2015

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    Found the Dream Cafe on Open Table while seeking an eatery near the Kalita Humphries theater on Turtle Creek, and we were pleasantly surprised. Initially Dream Cafe looks like a small-ish joint, so a natural assumption would be to believe the menu would be equally limited. Not true at all. We enjoyed the more quiet ambiance of the location, coupled with the innovative menu available for an early evening dinner. The wife had scallops in risotto that were beautifully presented and apparently satisfied my spouse' picky tastes. I went the "safe" route with the steak and frite, and was treated to a perfectly done mini-steak with a crisp and hot (no mushy or lukewarm here) mix of russet and sweet potato frite. The wine list was also impressive, and the special being run on 1/2 off Italian bottles was appreciated (though I settled for a glass instead, due to a tight curtain time schedule.) Worth a visit for certain!

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  32. LibraryMan

    Dallas

    18 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2015

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Two words: Mystic Pasta! Whenever I eat here, I always plan on ordering something else to eat. But why mess with perfection. As always, the Mystic Pasta is a delicious combination of perfectly cooked chicken, bacon, brie, and bow-tie pasta (among other assorted ingredients). I love this place, and it's probably a good thing that I don't live in the neighborhood. Because if I did, I'd eat hear ALL THE TIME.

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  33. chozieater

    Dallas

    34 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on August 29, 2014

    overall5food4service4ambience4
    Had not been here in a long time and it felt so comfortable to slide into my old booth. I was right at home and the food is still as wonderful. Never had anything i didn't like. My guest had the fried shrimp tacos which he said were wonderful. I had the chicken pasta dish. It was so large i had to take some home and my husband ate it. Said it was the best he had ever had....and he is very particular. If you are like me and haven't been in a while, go back and let the great memories soak in while you enjoy their delicious food and great atmosphere!

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  34. Disappointing

    Palm Springs

    75 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    75 reviews

    Dined on June 5, 2014

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    We were so pleased on our return trip to Dallas to see that the Dream Café was still there after all these years.

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  35. Luvfood

    Dallas

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2014

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Lovely, creative dishes and a terrific wine list!

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  36. Sarah

    Dallas

    19 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2014

    overall2food2service1ambience3
    We are regulars at the dream cafe and normally eat there several times per month. Lately the good has been barely edible, the service is unbelievably slow and the ambience is suffering. It takes an hour and a half to eat breakfast there which is just too slow.

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  37. CoryRX8

    Dallas

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2014

    overall1food3service1ambience1
    We were at Dream Cafe for Valentine's Day and got the worst service that I have ever received. It took 15 minutes for our waiter to even show up, and over 30 minutes before he took our order. We never saw him again after that. As a nice bonus, the fire alarm went off while we were there, and nobody even addressed it with the customers. Finally after an hour or so we got fed up, tracked a different waiter down so that we could pay for our drinks, which I might add had never been refilled, and left.

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  38. disappointed

    Dallas

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 15, 2014

    overall1food1service1ambience2
    No one ever came to our table. We never got water or anything. They also had a fire alarm go off and didn't know how to turn it off. Lots of tables walked out because of lack of service. I can't rate food since we never ate. But form requires me to pick a star.

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  39. WonderPen

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2014

    overall1food1service1ambience2
    Seriously. First we were rather abruptly seated exactly in front of the live music station and totally ignored for about 15 minutes - no water, no greeting of any kind. A distracted server took our order. We waited another 15 minutes just for my glass of wine + another 5 minutes for my husband's. After yet another 30 minutes (now one hour after we were seated) we received one mediocre wedge salad (no word on his appetizer) which we wolfed down while listening to some kind of alarm that mysteriously went on and on without explanation. We shouted for a partial check (which oddly did arrive promptly) and threw down some cash and dashed to the theater barely on time. Overall, something was seriously wrong. And this used to be a favorite place.

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  40. DaveP

    Dallas

    85 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    85 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2014

    overall2food4service1ambience2
    We had reservations at 6pm before a Valentine's concert. Food was GREAT. (I had Mystic Pasta; my partner had a Monte Cristo). Totally not worth the hassle or the grumpy manager. We asked for water to go with our beverages three separate times - ONE glass came with our check at the end of the meal. Monte Cristo did not come with fries. I had to go find our waiter. He literally took the plate out of my partner's hands to go 'discuss with the kitchen'. We were a little scared when he brought it back in 2 minutes or less - but the fries were great, too. Nobody checked on us. We had to go find the waiter again to get a check - and ask for water again. Manager blamed the crowd. Place was about 60% full; Used to be great, no longer!

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily

FAQs

Dream Cafe does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Dream Cafe also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (214) 954-0486.

Dream Cafe is rated 4.1 stars by 85 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Dream Cafe

2811 McKinney Ave, #22, Dallas, TX 75204

Additional information

  • Cross street
    The parking garage is at Howell and Vine. We will validate your credit card
  • Neighborhood
    Uptown
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 7:00 am–3:00 pm Sat, Sun 8:00 am–3:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Breakfast, Vegetarian / Vegan
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Public transit
    The McKinney Avenue Trolley stops right in front of the restaurant. Dream Cafe is on McKinney Ave at Allen Street. Parking is behind the entrance on Howell Street. The side street is Worthington and that will take you to Howell, turn right and look for the parking garage on your right, the entrance is right across from Trophy Fitness at Howell and Vine Streets.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Owned/operated by
    Women
  • Executive chef
    Mary O'Brien
  • Additional
    Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (214) 954-0486
  • Catering
    Let the Dream Cafe can help host your next event in style! Offering everything from full service catering, corporate meetings to cocktail passed hors d’oeuvres and much more. Visit us at our website.
  • Private party facilities
    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate event, “Dream Cafe” can accommodate all your special event needs.For more information contact our Marketing Director:Ema Allinger214-215-3142allingerdream@gmail.com
  • Private party contact
    Private Event Coordinator: (214) 954-0486
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