Finding a delicious lunch joint is always an adventure working in midtown. -The delis are mostly bland. -Its too hot or cold (depending on the weather) to wait for the street meat guys. -Pizza gets boring fast...especially the cardboard being served at Pronto. Anyways...the guys as Dishes make the most interesting and tasty sandwiches around. Most are $8.50/$9.50 similar to 'wichcraft but far better in taste and in quantity. My goal for August is to try every single one. read more

Huge selection of fresh, self serve hot and cold foods. Very good coffee, especially the Ethiopian. Coconut Bundt cake was a winner. Definitely going back. read more

Ridiculously expensive, but healthful salads. I tried to combine three salads of the same price ($5.50 for 1/2 lb each of them) in one plastic container. I was told that this is not only good for the environment, it also jacks the price up to $5.75 per pound!! Wait. What? Why? Nobody knew. I called both locations and still nobody could tell me why it was cheaper to purchse three plastic containers. I suggested perhaps I was being charged for the cost of each container's weight... . and maybe that's why combining equally priced salads into one container would cost more. "Nope," I was told, "not that." Well, I just can't go back until this mystery is solved. I feel stupid enough paying $11.00 per pound for salad. Don't make it worse by charging me more to cut down on waste. I don't care how locally sourced and healthy your food is. read more

This is next door to my work, literally the closest place I can go for lunch, yet even when it's pissing rain or snow outside, I refuse. Past the semi fancy names of their pre-made food, beyond the "just chill" satellite radio, and the cheesy modern decor trickery... this place is a fucking dump. Ask for a smoothie and actually watch as they try to find an employee to make it during lunch hour. Oh hey, here he is, fresh from handling the trash. Surely he'll wash his hands. No? No, just straight to handling raw fruits and vegetables. No wonder TWO of my coworkers got food poisoning from their prepared salads (at separate times no less)! Aside from the obviously lax sanitation standards the food is, in midtown tradition, ridiculously overpriced. That'll be $16.74 for your e.coli infection. And the place turns into a such damn zoo at lunch. Seriously, it's like ordering food on the L train at rush hour. Their employees even share their attitude with those at the MTA! read more

I don't have patience for the lines here at lunchtime and peak hours but when I need that special brownie or dessert fix, I will pop in here if I'm in the area. Valrohna brownies, oh mee oh my. Cheesecake brownies, oh mee oh my...the desserts here are all high caloric and will induce a stupor that is part ecstasy and sugar high. If I'm feeling a need to detox, I get something like grilled asparagus or beets from the great buffet selection. It is a little overpriced, but the quality of the food here is gourmet and I've never had a bad dish. read more

Four stars because it's always sooo crowded! I love everything here! For lunch I love the fried cocunut chicken strips and sweet yams....my favorite breakfast is scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, tomatoes, mozarella in a pita and don't forget the tangy sandwich spread! MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm good! read more

Food is okay. Selection is good but I ended up paying $14.15 for a pound of food and I can definitely get better food for cheaper at Cafe Manhattan just a block away from Dishes. The music is playing way too loud. Love the decor and the fresh look. read more

The food that was supposed to be warm was warm and everything was absolutely heavenly! Unfortunately, it's hard to tell how much a pound of food is so the price smacks you in the face at the end. read more

My basic chicken noodle soup had such a funky smell and NO crackers or bread. I get it - they are one of those places that has this healthy, fresh, and clean food, but this stuff is just pretentious to me. Way too overpriced for what you're getting, not sure if I'll be back. read more

High end. Good food! The best freshly squeezed orange juice and New England Clam chowder! Love it!!!

I used to work around here and come here often (this was 6 years ago) and I'm in the area again due to a dentist apt and am lucky that I have enough time to get lunch. I haven't been here in a few years and man the place has not changed. This is HIGH QUALITY FOOD people. So freaking delicious. I always get the hot bar food where you pick your own items. Still freaking delicious but also expensive, I spent $17 - ha I guess I was hungry and missed this place so much I had to get a little bit of everything! A lot of my favorite items remained the same (coconut chicken strips, swoon so good) and I also tried fresh new items which were so good. This place is still just as crowded during lunch as it was 6 years ago. I wish there were more places like this in the NY/NJ area. read more

One of my favorite lunch places during the work week. If you want healthy, fresh food takeout and something different from the ordinary sandwich/salad places, Dishes is highly recommended. I personally always get something from the buffet and often a soup as well. The great thing about Dishes is that you never need to think about what you feel like eating before choosing to go there. You should however check your wallet. Quality comes at a high price tag. Also, this location is extremely crowded between 12-1:00. read more

Ok just put on your aggressive heels/hat and get into Dishes. Yes it's crowded (hi- its midtown) and sure the lines make no sense but c'mon the food is so tasty! What I like best is that I have options. If I want to eat healthy I can choose the cold salads, humus, fish, or the make-your-own garden salads. (If you're going to do salads...add the grilled corn!) If I want to eat like a child, I can have chicken fingers and mashed potatoes. Dishes provides for whatever mood I'm in. I always get it to go and always choose the line at the back of the restaurant because it seems shorter and quicker. Get in there, grab your food and get out. read more

The best deli ever! They have salads, sandwiches, buffet, and dessert. I've only gotten from the buffet food and it's the best deli food I've ever had. The prices are the same as any other deli, so why not! It does get crowded though, so keep that in mind. read more

The last time I was here one of the workers hit me in the back of the head with a food tray. The workers should exercise more care about their customers' safety rather than rushing to refill an empty food tray. read more

Macaroni and Cheese. Thats all you need to know about here. But shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit yo! Its expensive. read more

Dishes--Coconut Salmon Udon soup is a-MA-zing. I can't write anymore because it is the equivalent to XXX, yet attractive/classy, porn and I am sitting at my desk getting turned on by thinking about it. By turned on, I mean hungry. read more

I used to come here to get breakfast or lunch during workdays. However, my recent bad experience with a horrible piece of grilled salmon is keeping me away from Dishes! I watched a staff member put the plate of salmon down in front of me before I scooped it into my plate. So it was definitely a new plate, and yet it was not fresh and absolutely disgusting. For a place that prides itself on uncompromised quality, this is just horrible. In addition, customers pay by weight, and therefore meals here tend to be on the pricier side. Not worth it anymore to me. I will never be back. read more

I LOVE the food here. I really do. But what I can't stand are the lines (there is absolutely no order - or space - in there to maneuver all of the people) and the staff. First, there is not enough staff. That is clear from the discombobulated lines that stretch the salad/soup/Asian soup lines. There was NO ONE at the regular soup section so I hopped on the Asian soup line to try and get that staff's attention. Of course, the folks ordering in front of me had a ton of questions on the noodles and made the poor guy go back into the kitchen to retrieve udon noodles. Wonderful. Then he's juggling back and forth and getting regular soup for a customer (oh my goodness! I was on "line!")! This back and forth went on for almost 20 minutes before I even got my medium African peanut chicken soup - from the same guy! Today, I decided to brave it at 11:30AM. Score. Rather empty. I'm one of THREE people ordering a sandwich and the staff seem to be more concerned with fulfilling a catering order. They ignore our orders well after we paid and insist they're, "making it now." BS. I can see behind the counter and ALL of the sandwiches being "made now" are going into a bin for a catering order. I spot another guy making the Vietnamese sandwiches for a catering order. Why can't they just give me one?! One guy finally sees me eyeing it and does exactly that. I'm sure the workers here are pressured to finish these sandwiches and they're miserable but Dishes, wtf? Don't leave your other customers hanging. Maybe treat your workers better, staff up and pay a little more; incentivize them! I'm heading to Gotan. read more

Dishes - Banh mi! - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

I love Dishes and apparently so does everyone else because the lines are insane. This place is perfect for a quick-high quality lunch via the buffet. They'll also mix you a salad or make you a sandwhich. It is a bit pricey but always worth it. read more

This is my go-to lunch spot in Midtown East. Everyone in my office loves it and sushi fridays are incredible. Its kind of a frenzy in there with the large crowds but totally worth it- their sushi is extremely fresh and I'm a big big fan of the salmon and cream cheese roll. The hot buffet is also great, coconut chicken fingers with the green dipping sauce, the grilled eggplant salad, and the seaweed salad are all personal favorites of mine. I would recommend this place to anyone, the only downside is the price. I probably go here once a week for lunch because it is close to my office and should come back for their breakfast read more

The ultimate quick salad place for midtown lunchers. Salad was really good., but I went with a work friend, who somehow managed to spend 15 bucks on a salad. Ouch. They nail you for every ingredient. They do have some unique choices, ahi tuna in the salad for example. But else, its pretty standard salad. Also, I went here in an attempt to be healthy, but as you hit the cash register, there are tons of desserts that look awesome. I didn't cave in :) But be prepared to salivate... J read more

Here's a little anecdote that summarizes how I feel about Dishes. I bring a colleague from overseas to Dishes, thinking the buffet and variety of foods (noodle bar, sandwiches, soups, salads etc) would appeal. He spends over $20 by accident at the buffet (which is not hard to do). He never lets me select our lunch spots again. Embarrassingly expensive. What is crazy is how accustomed people get to $11 salad or $15 buffet food... There are other choices, even in the food vacuum that is Midtown East. Maybe I'll start bringing my lunch :( read more

Have been coming here for lunch almost every day for the past 6 months and have to say everything is absolutely fresh and delicious. Very healthy options and always a variety of nice things to choose from. Best place for breakfast/lunch in Midtown; once you come here, you will never want to try another place... read more

(please note this review refers to the location at 45th between madison and 5th.) Excellent, though somewhat pricey ala carte spot for midtown lunch! Dishes, which you may recognize from the fast serve station in downstairs Grand Central, has a wide variety of tasty, fresh food, hot and cold, as well as a very large dessert variety. The space itself is very modern with white plastic-molding everywhere and decent music playing. There is seating for 25-30 people comfortably though it seems this place is more of a "to-go" joint. Dishes' mac&cheese was absolutely delicious. I'm about to go for the 2nd time but think people need to know about this place. The lines can get a little long, slow-moving, annoying, but in the end it's worth it. Just pay attention to how much food you're putting in your container as the prices go up quick, especially with the heavier dishes like mac&cheese! I got so excited my first time I dropped $13 without even realizing it! read more

Top-notch lunch delivery place in midtown. I have had numerous sandwiches, all of which are good with a particular enthusiaism for the Cobb Club Wrap. Recently decided to venture out to the asian noddle soups and I was very satisifed. Note: it is a little pricey read more

Disgusting quality of food!!! I found a fly in my soup (not a punch line) and my colleague had a spider in his salad. Are you kidding me??? I'm willing to forgive the accidental hair in something, but two vermin in one lunch order is pathetic! read more

I really can't speak to anything other than their Very Berry yogurt smoothies, but that being said... Dishes makes, hands down, the best smoothie I've ever had. read more

Good options especially the coconut chicken fingers. A bit pricey and usually crowded.

Dishes is a delicious place for lunch, but ABSURDLY expensive, especially considering it's a glorified deli. Getting the sense that this place would be pricey, I tried not to load up too much on the gourmet salads the way I typically do at Duke or other more casual deli spots. Still, my lunch came to $18, which is pretty ridiculous, even by fancy midtown deli standards. But if you have money to burn, I do highly recommend lunch here; the Vietnamese spring rolls especially are fantastic. read more

Too good for Midtown Having such a clean, pearly white, modern buffet centric, lunch and breakfast oasis with bathrooms that rival nearby midtown hotels like the Algonquin, Mansfield and maid mad Hotel Sofitel makes Dishes a tough midtown fueling up option to beat. Plus, the desert cookies and morning muffin operation at Dishes doesn't sweat the Manhattan pastry chef transplants that set up dream bakeries in stroller mom central over in Park Slope either. Plus, the exotic veggie friendly soups like the mouthwatering, pumpkin bisque or tantalizing vegan, turnip, zucchini, basil soup looks down on any thin flavored, peasant stock that Hale and Hearty has to offer and laughs in the face of any overpriced serving of soup from the new Soup Nazi chain that is over hyped and lost that loving, sweated over feeling. For breakfast or lunch you can usually find a seat and grab one of the three big New York newspapers that rest prominently on the wall which injects panache into the Post, class into the Daily News and added respect to the Times. Pop open page six and enjoy a house made roast beef sandwich with garlic aioli, Italian fontina and pickled jalapenos while reading about Tiki Barber minimizing the loss from his hefty alimony payments by having his college sweetheart ask her parents to put her on the NYU dinning plan again. The Albacore tuna melt is repeat worthy and offers more substantial, memorable bites than the tuna melt on rye from Manja which is the only worthy competitor in Dish's league. Why is this tuna melt such a quality upgrade? Besides the tuna not being dried out from the panini maker after burn but nestled inside is fire roasted thin slices of charred, zucchini strips that add a nice crunch and zesty counterpunch that holds up well against the aged Irish cheddar that is housed between a loaded sesame seed concentrated, Jerusalem bagel which is half the size of a standard New York bagel yet the sesame seeds drip with a tip of sesame oil which produces a juicer, rounder bite. In between the bagel hole is where you get to taste the real moist money spot that makes this eating experience so much more titillating and worthwhile. The only drawback to Dishes is that the crowd is quite corporate and all of the good looking woman that work at JP Morgan and UBS congregate there and all seem to share the same organized brain because you never see them overfill their plates from the buffet which serves delicious chicken tenders wrapped in Panko breadcrumbs that comes with a coconut, parsley dipping sauce that is an addictive treat without the tubby after guilt as long as you add some yellowtail sushi rolls to your plate, barbecued slathered crispy rectangular blocks of soy and garlic blasted bushels of broccoli which is the type of green high you never have to make excuses for. Combine the green buds with their mac and cheese and you're partying like it's 1999 except you feel more pampered than you did living with your Hawaiian freshman roommate that moved slower than Bob Marley's pet Jamaican snail. Lets face it, midtown blows unless you get to perform at Radio City, work on SNL or make millions for diamond Dave at JP Morgan which is the one bank that has still has a spec of integrity left. Madison Ave is full of Don Draper wannabes and PR honchos that spin news about celebrity clients and CEO's that will always be more popular than themselves. Being a partner at a high powered New York law firm is an impressive accomplishment but also a gold chain shackled life sentence. I can't think of one meaningful men's magazine to come out of Condenast and Bank of America is a retail bank at heart and defines suspicious activity as anyone that would open up a checking account with them when TD Bank is here to stay. Midtown Manhattan is littered with middle management minions, meek, meaningless sales pushers like myself and power hungry suit sales reps at Saks Fifth Ave. Midtown Manhattan is an overpopulated frenetic office park that is by far the lamest playground area in the city. But you can't always control where you work which is why Dishes seems so out of place here because the food is healthy and delicious and could be based anywhere else in the city and still make a killing. But the owners of Dishes chose midtown so the bankers can recapture some soul and get bailed out again yet instead of getting TARP money they get nourishing, life affirming, endless palate stretching dishes that lessen their over-dependence on generic, shitty, all in one delis and time sucking food truck lines full of New Yorkers that all seem to follow the same office workers on Twitter. Dishes is too good for Midtown. I just hope it sings her praises and doesn't take this bailout for granted either. read more

i love dishes! There is a good selection of buffet dishes. Everything is clean and well prepared. Trying to find a seat there during prime lunch hour is almost impossible. I think this is probably the ONLY time I'm glad I have a late lunch (around 1:30-2). Usually, they have at least a little bit of what they had during lunch and if not there is always an option of their Asian noodle soups or a salad. My favorite is the seafood tom yum noodle soup. read more

Up to $11 for lunchmeat sandwiches. Yeah, no thanks. Another one of these 'do a lot but do it all mediocre' lunch joints. Some of the employees, and some of the customers, aren't exactly the friendliest, either. I'll pass. read more

Way past lunch running errands midtown, I was really hungry and had no expectations finding anything in the immediate area, but I noticed the sign and it looked promising. This is not your average salad bar. Bright and airy, clean and neat, with a few tables and banquettes. I had a piece of juicy grilled salmon, tofu in curry sauce, broccoli garlic steamed to perfection, a little side salad with a homemade vinaigrette. The food was great. I also bought a homemade lemonade that was overly sweetened with stevia. It came to $14.75. Which is in the neighborhood of what you have to spend at Chop't and other salad bars. They have soups, sandwiches and pastries and a pasta station that looked equally good. read more

my company gets catering from here and we love this place! they have a goat cheese salad with dried cranberries and candied walnuts that is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE salad i've ever had. another chinese chicken salad is divine--it doesn't have the usual mayonnaise base and instead has a delicious light and toasty sesame taste with unique and fresh ingredients. there are so many other spectacular dishes to comment on but they're not coming to mind at the moment. dishes has an excellent variety of foods and everything is always so fresh! read more

45th st. Madison-5th location customer service really needs to improve. People at the register are so rude. Nothing wrong with the food but I don't think I'll ever go there again. read more

The lines are long at lunch, but so is everywhere else. All in all, it's a fun place with fresh food choices. There's a nice selection of noodle soups, but it's not an asian restaurant, so keep your expectations low, very low. I'd stick to the salads. read more

The sandwiches at Dishes are pretty good but the design of the restaurant are bizarre. The salad line mixes with the sandwich line and the salad bar cause major congestion. Even if you get through the food line quickly you have to get back in line to pay. They have bubble tea which I plan on trying one of these afternoons. read more

Love dishes. since i've moved offices i haven't been able to get it for lunch. found out about their online ordering and deliver. NOT HAPPY! I am still waiting for my lunch that i ordered at 11:30a! read more

Yes, the food is good, but you have to go there early because not only is this place super crowded during lunch time, ordering online and over the phone is just as exhausting and can be somewhat of an emotional experience. I've received wrong orders and orders that take more than an hour. When I call to check the status of my orders, I'm put on hold for 10 minutes every time. They never suggest a complimentary lunch or offer a deduction off your order for the inconvenience. And when I ask for the manager, they're never available (they don't answer e-mails either). Very frustrating; hence, my 1-star rating. Good food is one thing, but for the prices they charge, I expect a whole lot more from this type of food establishment. What a shame. As of 9/8/2014, I've changed my rating from a 1 star to 3 stars to be fair for the quality of the food, which is very good. I've stopped ordering and just go in person to pick up my food, and so far, I haven't had complaints. Not sure if they're improved in their ordering/delivery service. read more