A lot of people really like this place and then also there are those who do not, but the ones who like it are defintiiely the majority...
One person says there was a piece of metal in their salad...now, that's a real turn off of course
Some seem to ADORE this place
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“...was very impressed with their fresh array of hot/cold buffet items.”In 5 reviews
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“This place seems like it will be a perfect lunch spot for the area.”In 6 reviews
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“...am in love with the roasted brussel sprouts in the salad bar.”In 3 reviews
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- Venkata M.
- Manhattan, NY
- 8 friends
- 305 reviews
Like:
Food variety - divided into hot & cold sections
Hot - Meats
Cold - Salads, fruits
Tables to sit and eat, good view of the streets
Don't like:
Very crowded (during lunch hours)
$8.9/lb -
- Quentin P.
- Burbank, CA
- 4 friends
- 110 reviews
I'm really impressed by the variety of the food offered at a reasonable price (especially by Manhattan standards). It's quick, easy, convenient, with ample seats and a good selection of beverages and snacks in addition to food.
Food isn't exceptional, but it's certainly not bad, nor mediocre.
Great value for money, and especially useful in a busy busy busy city like Manhattan. -
I bumped this up to a three star rating because despite how busy it looks, it is actually really speedy in terms of turnaround time to get your meal and go. There's also an incredibly wide selection -- salads, paninis, ramen, etc etc that you can choose from. It's also very convenient in terms of Flatiron location as it's right above Madison Sq Park, where loads of tech startups are.
But the food is definitely two stars. Came here at the recommendation of Nicholas S. for the Chicken Parm Panini and was thoroughly disappointed. Apparently the secret is to tell the guy to cook it a little longer so the cheese melts. My cheese melted but it was still a subpar meal for $6.75. Seriously, if you're going to get a sandwich or panini, might as well go to Num Pang for a real quality. And if you want quantity, Subway is a better bet... -
- Christopher S.
- Brooklyn, NY
- 0 friends
- 2 reviews
I really liked this place when it opened. It's near to my office, and the brick-oven sandwiches are (or were) good.
Unfortunately, the quality is declining. My last couple of sandwiches have been blah, and I just got one for lunch, took it back to my desk and discovered it's cold. I couldn't eat even half of it. There is one guy there (the short one) who does the brick oven sandwiches, and he just doesn't know what the hell he's doing. The idiot didn't leave it in the oven long enough.
For that matter, Bread and Butter has better sushi that Essen. Kind of surprising, since I consider Bread and Butter even lower than Essen. -
- Tracey S.
- Hoboken, NJ
- 1 friend
- 2 reviews
Until today, I was a HUGE fan of this place. Today is the third time in just as many orders that they've "missed" my online order and were unable to deliver it when I called to check on it. Today at 10:36 I ordered a simple egg and cheese sandwich. Nothing arrived by noon so I called to check. They told me that it can't be made because they stop serving breakfast at 11 (they can't fry an egg?!?) and that they'd refund me. I asked for an email confirmation in five minutes, and he said he couldn't do that either. Does any of that make sense?
They are really putting their energy behind their "slow" food tagline...
I will not be ordering from this location again. -
- Matthew L.
- Manhattan, NY
- Elite ’13
- 88 friends
- 100 reviews
What a joke. I come into this place and it's absolutely packed. I think that's a good sign.
A lot of the other reviews said that there's a lot of really good varieties of food. Sure...they do have that, but when I went to order two separate items on their menu, the chef there informed me that they don't serve that.
WTF? Why is there a menu for it then? If you don't serve it...don't leave it up on the menu.
My coworkers got some food here, they said it was decent. From their reactions though, I could tell that they were regretting paying that much more than Bread and Butter for it.
I would probably suggest this place to people if they want to partake of the hot food buffet, it's a more upscale version of Bread and Butter. More expensive per pound too.
As for everything else...quite disappointing. -
- Crystine W.
- New York, NY
- Elite ’13
- 398 friends
- 975 reviews
Essen's hot bar actually has some really good penne vodka and baked ziti. I like to visit when I'm in a rush or want a place with a lot of options. I trust that their quality is good and know that they will have me in and out in 5 minutes as long as I've decided what I want to eat.
Their options are very vast and varied: grill bar, sandwich section, Japanese, Korean, hot bar, tossed salads, etc. There's quite a bit of seating available as well, but it's difficult to find seating if you're coming during the regular lunch hours. -
Typical jack of all trades super deli / bordega / cafe / buffet that seem to be all around the city in highly congested business office areas. I just recently discovered Essen while wandering around my work neighborhood looking for something different to try for breakfast.
Essen seems to have stations for everything. Sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, hot/cold buffet, deli, sushi, salads, etc. There really is something for everyone here. It's like a brighter and cleaner version of Bread & Butter a few blocks away. They have a pretty big assortment of grilled chicken wrap combos and egg white wrap combos which is perfect for me now that I am trying to eat better and train for an upcoming Warrior Dash. Their smoothie bar can make all types of protein shakes too which is great when I need a mid afternoon healthy meal/protein jolt.
I have not tried the buffet yet but it looks ok. Can be a bit pricey here on certain things but pretty much in line with what's similar in the area. Very busy during lunch hour. Some seating too to wolf down your meal before heading back to work, but it does remind me of sitting in a high school cafeteria. -
- Nicholas S.
- Chapel Hill, NC
- 51 friends
- 45 reviews
Enough of the reviews that are like "Omg. I thought it was good and then I went to pay, but it was super expensive." Try not to be so daft next time. It's not like the food magically gets heavier when you put it on the scale. Just eat smaller proportions.
I love Essen. I have yet to have something from the bar that I didn't like-- the brussel sprouts are especially delicious. Of course watching how much you get can be a little bit tricky. It's an art that has to be perfected over time.
Hint: Always get some rice and only fill up the container about 3/4 to the rim. -
- EastCoast M.
- Philadelphia, PA
- 0 friends
- 54 reviews
Why isn't this place every where in America?! Everything you could ever want in one place, and it's fresh!! I'm begging... expand your locations over the East Coast! Please! -
- Adrienne M.
- Palo Alto, CA
- Elite ’13
- 479 friends
- 892 reviews
The pay-by-weight here is SO expensive for what is essentially fast food/carryout. The food looked great, so I helped myself to what I wanted and then I went to pay and it was....uh....$25 (I may or may not have a problem restraining myself at buffet-type things). I've had cheaper lunches at Michelin-starred restaurants. My husband was horrified that I had gotten things like pasta, rice and potatoes, which are apparently no-nos at pay-by-weight. You're supposed to go for meat and sushi and stuff like that I guess? But I can't help it, I wanted carbs! Its silly to eat at a place where you can't get what you want because its not a good deal.
Anyway, the food ranged from terrible to pretty good. The chicken franchaise and wild rice mixture was very good, the penne alla vodka was ok, and the Caesar salad was terrible (truly one of the worst I've ever had). Overall, it was a pretty mediocre lunch, not even considering the price.
Also, they don't have any water machines. If you want to drink anything with your meal, you have to buy it. If I'm going to spend $25 on stupid fast food lunch, you can at least give me free tap water!! Grrr. -
- Jillian O.
- Manhattan, NY
- Elite ’13
- 76 friends
- 109 reviews
I've walked by this place almost everyday since it opened but was always deterred by the crowds. Today I finally went in & now I can see why it's always so packed!
This place is like the Walmart of lunch spots for the local midtown/flatiron work force. They have just about everything you could possibly want & it's very grab-and-go, which is exactly what I look for most days when my workday is full. And with that said, the quality doesn't seem to suffer in this fast-paced food frenzy, at least with the hot & cold buffet. I'm totally impressed with their selection, with everything from penne vodka to roasted leg of lamb. I tried both as well as the chicken teriyaki, brussel sprouts with roasted garlic and couscous with feta & tomatoes. A+ across the board, they all tasted homemade.
4 stars for now; I'll definitely be back for an update! -
3.5 stars for this place. It's super convenient and has a nice selection of foods. It's my default cafeteria for lunch.
I usually get food from the hot and cold buffet bars. They have a pretty good variety of dishes and there's enough in the rotation that you can eat here almost everyday and not get bored. They have great pasta salads on the cold bar. I love the slaw with the slivered almonds. Also a nice selection of fruit. On the hot bar, I like the meats (lamb, strip steak) and they have some nice staples, like mac n' cheese and rosemary potatoes.
The thing that takes off points is that, while the selection is good, it's not great. I am more impressed with Bread n' Butter on Park Ave. And the food is decent quality, but it's nothing special. I'd never go out of my way to eat here.
It does get awfully crowded during lunchtime, but the cashiers move surprisingly fast. -
- G W.
- Manhattan, NY
- 2 friends
- 8 reviews
I FOUND A PIECE OF METAL IN MY SALAD
Up until today it was a regular lunch spot - until I almost swallowed a metal wire in my salad. When I brought it back, the manager offers me a sorry and a refund. 40 minutes of my day spent getting there and back, twice, for a 9 dollar refund. The great food cannot compensate for poor customer service and unsanitary conditions. -
My colleague introduced this relatively new and buzzing lunch spot. There are multiple stations and lots of options. It feels like a school cafeteria with different stations.
They do not skimp on portions, and the speed is pretty fast.
I'd say they have a small flow problem. It's not always obvious where to order, and it's surprisingly tough to get out of the store. (Note: I suggest you don't try to exit where the tables are. There's minimal space.)
I'll check it out again though perhaps not at prime time lunch hour so I can get my bearings. -
- Danielle P.
- Manhattan, NY
- 2 friends
- 7 reviews
I really like this place. If you work in the area and you're not invested looking for gourmet lunch, this is a great place to go. Prices are similar to those in the area - sandwiches and the like around the perimeter are fixed cost with buffet style by the pound in the middle. This is much better than bread and butter, or any of the other cafeteria meets bodega type of food places i've been too. There is a lot of variety and everything is fresh.
They have awesome breakfasts (4 kinds of oatmeal with unlimited toppings + egg whites and fruit!) yummy and healthy - but watch the by the pound because it adds up fast. Gets crowded around lunch time. -
- Shannon And Eric W.
- New York, NY
- 8 friends
- 77 reviews
Jeebus von Creebus (pardon my French), but what the hell is 'fast slow' food? Whatever it is, this place has it. Very much a dependable work-lunch spot. Great for those who are vegetarians, vegans, on the South Beach Diet, Kosher, recently widowed, pre-menopausal and/or gluten-free. -
I tried this place for lunch during their Grand Opening week where they had a giant sign that said 1/2 off. Now, to be fair they stipulated on the sign in the window that 1/2 off was for hot/cold buffet, sandwiches, soup...possibly something else, but the sign next to the door stated 1/2 off hot and cold food. Well...doesn't everything fall under hot and cold food?
I went in and it was packed of course. I decided to try their chow mein section and ordered basically lomein with teriyaki sauce. You get 3 vegetables and 1 meat. Fine. When I got up to cash register I got charged full price. When I asked she was like, no 1/2 off doesn't apply to Asian food. Ummm ok...so fine I shell out $8+ for what felt like a decent amount of lomein. Meanwhile my boss had ordered the ramen and he got charged half price...what? Is ramen not Asian? Did I miss something?
My noodles were just ok. They were definitely not outstanding and there is definitely better lomein/Asian type food elsewhere. My boss didn't like his ramen either. It reminded him of the cheap packages of ramen. That and when he asked the person at his station if they could make it spicy, instead of asking how much spice, the worker took an entire spoonful of spicy sauce and just dumped it in! Luckily he can handle a lot of spice and was still able to eat it.
We definitely prefer cafe 28 over this place. Plus, for Udon you can only pick 3 vegetables here. At cafe 28 they give you a lot and they are all included in the price! -
- mackenzie a.
- Verona, NJ
- 108 friends
- 41 reviews
Two things make me absolutely LOVE this place:
1. *OATMEAL BAR* for breakfast. so good and only $2.99 for a large. all topping including fresh fruit included in the price. fantastic.
2. Perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts as a you-pick-em salad ingredient! awesome. the salads also come with unlimited toppings.
I will be a regular here. -
- Alexandra S.
- Washington, DC
- Elite ’13
- 13 friends
- 172 reviews
What a great find! The place is set up with a bunch of stations you can order prepared foods from or just serve yourself at the buffet ($7.99/lb). For breakfast they have scrumptious looking pastries, 4 kinds of oatmeal with plenty of toppings, eggs all kind of ways.... I got a super serving of scrambled egg whites with tomatoes, feta and spinach, and could resist the fluffy croissant, with a large coffee I paid $11 and it was really good.
Clean and bright sitting area and free wifi. -
- David W.
- New York, NY
- 76 friends
- 139 reviews
First here?!
This place seems like it will be a perfect lunch spot for the area. Cafe 28 satisfies the needs of many of the needs that this palce does, but they seem to be a little cleaner here and brighter. The space is huge, and there a ton of options. I am sure there are a few things I might stay away from (IE burrito bar? no thanks). But the ramen I had was delicious and reasonably price. Plenty of salads/sandwhiches to try too. I will definitely be back. -
- Pia H.
- New York, NY
- 2 friends
- 2 reviews
I have been here quite a bit since they opened and have never been disappointed.
Today i decided to have breakfast delivered because i didn't want to brave the cold.
They really need to get it together. 2 of the 4 items i ordered were wrong.
Sausage, egg & cheese on a roll.
Simple?
I received egg on a roll.
Tea w/ lemon.
Simple?
Tea is what i got. Those lemons were MIA.
The little things and attention to detail goes a long way.... -
- Amy D.
- Manhattan, NY
- 1 friend
- 1 review
My co-workers and I descend upon this place literally every day for lunch. I particularly am in love with the roasted brussel sprouts in the salad bar. The only reason why I am not giving this place 5 stars is because they really NEED TO HAVE LARGER PLASTIC BAGS! After we all walk back to our office, the food in our containers have all shifted to one side as a result of these small, inadequate bags. So instead of chips and guac, I'm eating a chips/guac/brussel sprouts mush medley...
Essen - please start having bigger plastic bags for your takeouts. Thanks! -
decided to switch it up from my regular lunch spot and was led to what my colleagues deemed the modern version of our default; enter Essen. It is in many ways just shinier, better laid out, more windows, and clearer signage ... the offerings are standard - sushi counter, pasta bar, salad bar, sandwich fixens, and hot selections ... but sexy packaging is attractive and I'm a fan. No more old hat for me; Essen is officially on my radar and the sandwich bar was a good starting point (got the Essen - prosciutto, basil, tomato, mozz). Yum!
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- Herbert G.
- Queens, NY
- 3 friends
- 55 reviews
Just another expensive nyc deli nothing special here, I only come for bananas or maybe a vegi juice. -
- Idgaf B.
- Roosevelt, NY
- 14 friends
- 29 reviews
I work across the street and was happy to see the place finally open (no more walking around a construction site). They lured me in with the 1/2 off for the first week and I've been hooked ever since.
They are clean and have a wide variety of foods to choose from. I've tried things there that I would never have eaten anyplace else, like some kind of butternut squash soup wtf??? I ate it. It was good. I like them. They make me happy...mostly because they are across the street.
Breakfast is just as good as lunch. Even the sushi is on point. The whole reason I even decided to rate them is because I JUST finished a great chipotle grilled chicken hero with avocado slices and my coworkers were going on about how great they are...almost forgot about yelp altogether..
I haven't had any gelati or ice creams from them because it looks so rich and I'm SOOOO lactose intolerant. One day I'll come strapped with some lactaid pills and go HAM on that too...
Prices are decent and more than fair for what they offer but I can admit I was thrown off by the "$5 minimum on a credit card" sign...I didn't even think there was anything you could still buy in NYC for less than $5 that's not from Canal St....
**Disclaimer**
They got an extra star from me for being RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. -
- Dean H.
- New York, NY
- 3 friends
- 7 reviews
Essentially a food market place. I ordered the grilled chipotle chicken with avocado, jack cheese, and roman lettuce. It was a delicious sandwich and the bread was perfectly toasted. $6.95. -
- LJ H.
- Brookline, MA
- 1 friend
- 86 reviews
I gave them 3 stars today but I think that they need work with their customer service. I wanted fresh squeezed orange juice and the guy said that they were out of it...yet there were oranges all over. I finally got him to squeeze me a juice (please people, this place is open 24 hrs) which was great. But the thing is, then the cashier over-charges me at the register by a dollar...I suggested that she ask the manager and then he agreed to the regular price. It's ridiculous.
Also, they are not equipped for crowds on the weekend because it seems as though they are short-staffed. -
- Jessica L.
- New York, NY
- 18 friends
- 30 reviews
Stopped by 'Essen for lunch today and was very impressed with their fresh array of hot/cold buffet items. They also have a great deal of other lunch options from sushi to korean. I definitely recommend 'Essen for quick take-out or dining in. -
Nice, high-end deli that makes delicious breakfast sandwiches and offers a wide array of food and groceries. Love that I live right down the street from Essen.
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- Undercova A.
- Brooklyn, NY
- 0 friends
- 287 reviews
This is a wonderful new addition to the Flatiron district. 'Essen offers everything from Bibimbap to pizza. Featuring an extensive hot/cold salad bar ($7.99 a pound) which will has plenty of meat, vegetables, seafood and fruit. There is a morning breakfast bar which smells so good. Immaculately clean, efficient checkout and even a place to sit. -
- Jeanetta C.
- Manhattan, NY
- 0 friends
- 12 reviews
I go here about three times a week for lunch. You can't beat the pay-by-the-pound buffet of delicious favorites like grilled salmon, mac and cheese, and baked chicken finger. They also have several great specialty counters for sushi, sandwiches, and salads. The lines can get long for checkout but the cashiers have become very efficient at getting people through. No time for chit-chat!
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