YUM. Dishes is probably my favorite place to go for lunch -- the options are endless and all quite good. It's several steps up from Pax, Cafe Metro, and other pedestrian lunch joints. The buffet table is always stocked with interesting options -- coconut chicken fingers? spring rolls? macaroni & cheese? -- and there is also an extensive selection of made-to-order soups, salads, and sushi. One of my favorite dishes (ha) is the coconut chicken soup from the noodle bar, which also offers udon and soba noodles with a variety of different add-ins. The only major drawback to Dishes is the crowds! Go on the late side (after 2:00 pm) if you want to snag a table or avoid people bumping into you at every turn. read more

Whoa. Totally packed at lunch time, like almost unable to move packed. But that is usually a good sign for a restaurant, epically in the doldrums of Midtown. I mean it gets really crowded, and people queue up for tables, so I feel bad trying to relax after eating at a table as you get some stares when you do. Big time selection, food bar, salads, deserts, soup, sandwiches, there is something for everyone. I opted for the food bar, and at $5 a half pound you better watch what you get before you have a $20 dollar container! They do have scales to curb you intake. The chicken I had was prepared well, the flavor was good and the meat tender, had a nice Asian/Barbecue tang to it. Broccoli was nice, and the crab cakes were pretty good, had a few capers in them just to keep you on your toes. Hummus was rather bland, I do not know if it was off today, but was very bland. Pita chips were good, but the hummus was so below acceptable. The service is fine, I don't venture to the salad/soup/sandwich stands so not to much interaction, they all wear chef's jackets which is a nice touch for a lunch place. The deserts looked fantastic, but I need to lose some serious pounds to lose so I had to pass, and it still kills me... The catering is also very good, we have had some luncheons done by then that are all better than any thing in the area for sure. Restrooms are tucked away in the back on the right before the seating area. Private Stall, stocked, clean, 3.5 Flushes read more

GREAT FOOD - If you can get to it. Amazing breakfast selection - very fresh. Lunch is a little too busy. The ingredients used in the offerings at the buffet are fantastic and everything is usually delicious and more or less healthy. The only con about this place is that the lines around the buffet at lunch are about 3 people deep and it gets VERY pushy. They also run out of food a lot and when a new plate is put down it's like bees descending on a hive. The pricing for lunch is moderate to pricey...but very worth it. Overall, worth the lunch crowd push or just wait until 230ish and have a pleasant dining experience. Also, the dining areas is nice and in a separate room from the buffet which is nice - limits the noise. read more

Dishes - Excellent source for vegetarian options. - Delis Near Me - New York, New York

Seems overpriced for what it is. Don't get me wrong, the food here is very good (and fresh / healthy tasting) - I liked every item from the daily special market salads I got (portobello mushrooms, georgina beet and walnut coleslaw, chinese chicken salad with toasted almonds, jalapeno and cabbage coleslaw) - but with the prices per lb here, you will quickly find yourself spending $12-15 for a fairly small selection of food. The custom made salad is also quite pricy (although it looked good!). Why can't healthy food be cheaper? read more

I went to the Dishes at Grand Central. It's like unorganized chaos at this place. Almost $12 for two smoothies too. I handed the guy my card like wtf? It better be a damn good smoothie or I'm gonna stick YOU in that blender. Ooooh it was good I tell you. I went back the next day to get another. read more

Totally delicious!!!!!!! I love the variety and quality that they have here. Some of my favorites are the fried coconut chicken fingers, crunchy chicken salad and cold poached salmon at the buffet section and my newest discovery - salmon coconut soup noodles at the noodle bar. The salmon noodles are AWESOME, the flavor of the curried soup is perfect and the serving of salmon is generous (slices of raw salmon that are poached by the scalding broth) and the noodles are packed separately for to-go orders. I especially love the crispy shallots that are sprinkled on top as a condiment. The beef pho also looks just as tasty although I haven't yet tried that one. I'd totally recommend this place as a gourmet alternative to the usual midtown delis. read more

Sometimes it gets so packed that it isn't even worth it. And people don't make lines...do like the sign says and just DIG IN! (aka..don't scowl at me if I cut you off to the coconut chicken strips or mac and cheese). I've got a sandwhich here too and it really wasn't that good or worth the wait. A friend got udon noodles and the random deli is probably better for that. The salad tossing station doesn't seem worth the hassle. Basically go there for the counter buffet in the middle and get some hot food or a little mix of cold salads. read more

This is my go-to place for lunch, which means by default, I am always here. Everything I have had is delicious. People always complain about the prices, but I would pay the premium for the gourmet food. On Fridays, they have sushi which is really good with the special Dishes sauce. They also have mac and cheese which is amazing, especial with the bread crumbs on top. I also love the roasted salmon at the salad bar. They have a noodle bar, which I always order pho. Obviously, it's not going to be very authentic as a fusion-Asian lunch place, but I still love it. When I crave it, it always hits the spot. The smoothies are really delicious, and I have such a love-hate relationship with the guy who makes it. He's pretty rude to me, yet he makes the best smoothies. For dessert, I love the tapioca with mango, the greek yogurt with pinenuts and honey, and the Tahitian pudding. I don't typically get sandwiches, since I'm not a big fan, but I've heard good things about it. Minus one star for how packed it gets. read more

When I feel like spending a little more for a buffet lunch in midtown, Dishes is where I go. I am boring and usually get the same things every time, but any and all of their hot pasta is delicious. I always get their coconut crusted chicken fingers and deviled egg salad and other salads. I usually treat myself to a chocolate cream cheese brownie which is so tasty. I can never spend less than $12 for lunch but I am always satiated. Don't be intimidated by the line, it goes pretty quickly. Overall, they have plenty of options and use fresh, higher quality food. read more

I used to love this place. Not so much anymore. I took a hiatus from it awhile back because work got busy. And then each time I was able to go, each visit was worse & worse everytime I went. I mainly go here for their breakfast buffet (my favorite item being their maple-cured super-crispy bacon). Over the years, everything seems to be going downhill. First, a few years ago, they took the oh-so-delicious maple bacon away from the general (help yourself) buffet area & moved it to where the omelette & sandwich station is (where you have to ask for it - & you get 4 strips for $2.50). I realize this was probably because people were grabbing so much that they had to constantly refill it. But now when I want some bacon, I have to go wait on the omelette station line AND can't get just 2 strips (or 6!) & am forced to get it in batches of 4. Second, the level of service has gone down. I asked someone today if the French Toast tray will be refilled & the guy was basically stumped. He mumbled something about how the guy who refills it will come back around. Duh, really? I then ask a guy who looked like a manager & he says there's no more French Toast & proceeds to have a sarcastic/annoyed smile the whole time he says this to me, like he was annoyed I even asked him that. And they put a lid over the empty tray but didn't remove the French Toast sign. My friend wanted to get the pancakes, but they only had 2 left. And they were stuck to the tray, so she wound up not getting them because they broke when she was trying to take them out of the tray. Third, the buffet lines. I HATE the buffet lines here! I know they encourage people to not form lines & to just jump in whenever to grab what you want (& even have a little sign saying this), but some of these customers take too much advantage of this & just push their way in front of you to grab some food. Manners, people!! The food I got today wasn't as good as it normally is, too. Sad because this used to be a great place to get breakfast food. It is on the pricey side, but sometimes is worth it. read more

Overall, not bad. The buffet bar is like Whole Foods quality but it's more expensive per pound at Dishes. It adds up so quickly to $10+ if you want to get a decent amount for a meal. The salad bar is probably my favorite thing about this place. The ingredients are fresh and they offer a variety of things, from curry tofu to artichokes. It usually end up being a $10+ salad too... This place gets so crowded during lunch time but the line moves pretty fast so it's okay.. There's no customer service at all - they are always in a rush.. Also, I do feel like it's a rip off when I take some heavier stuff from the buffet bar and a pasta with veggie meal ends up to be $20.. I could have gone to a restaurant for that money.. Anyway, that feeling at checkout sucks.. read more

Pros: Food is truly great! Especially for a buffet style lunch joint. Found eggshell in my egg salad Clean Friendly crowd Cons: Lunch crowd is just too crowded! A long queue forms between the delicious drumbstick and me $$$ - I could have gotten the same amount (weight wise) at Food World which is one street over for 4 dollars less. Observation: The majority of the crowd spoke french! When one of the trays were running on empty, it took about 5 minutes for the chef to bring out a new tray read more

DIshes is my go-to place when I want to treat myself to a delicious lunch. Fridays is my go to day because they have sushi. Come early (1pm is usually a crazy busy time) if you can because hoards and hoards of people come for the sushi! My review is solely for the hot/cold buffet. They have something for everyone and the quality is consistently very good (kind of hard to find for this area). The coconut chicken tenders are my absolute favorite! I love that I can have chicken tenders with a side salad (Caesar, greek, etc), some fresh garlic broccoli, cold sesame noodles and Portobello mushrooms. It's pay by weight, so beware cause it could get costly if you're filling up the entire box! read more

I came here for the first time for lunch a couple days ago. I wish I had come sooner - the buffet has a fantastic selection to select from. Yes, it'll set you back a little more than the overpriced soups at Hale & Hearty or the sandwiches at Metro, but it's worth it. The food is pretty fresh, and there are some very nice finds here that are worth the extra. The teriyaki-glazed haddock was delicious and tasted fresher than the fish at a place like Dainobu. The coconut chicken fingers are full of epic win...on a good day, I'd probably have taken a full box out with me (along with the coconut cilantro sauce, which is a very solid dipping sauce). The only thing that is a drawback is the $11.50/lb price, which definitely make you evaluate just how much food you're stuffing into your box. That said, it's a great place to grab a bite for lunch, and the food tastes markedly better here than a lot of other spots. Plenty of checkout spots, so lines move pretty quick. Their brownies are a bit cake-y, but they are pretty solid. I plan on being back every now and then...not all the time because I can't justify spending too much on lunch, but every now and then. read more

Yep, good stuff. I am a fan of the coconut chicken soup, but everything else looks great too! The salad bar is small, and definitely pricey! I haven't seen a sign with pricing by the half pound on salad bars before. They also have the create your own salad bit like every other place, and sandwiches. Beware going at the typical lunch rush time, you will get shoved around and wait forever. It's definitely pricey, my fave soup costs me about $11, and compared to pho in Chinatown, it's totally a rip off. However, this is midtown, not Chinatown, so I suck it up. Side note: I believe the one I went I went to is actually on 54th and Park, but I may be crazy. read more

Normally i grab lunch in a one block radius but for Dishes I walk 5 blocks.... because its sooooooo good. Get ready to spend at least $10 on lunch, probably more like $15 with a drink.... it's worth it! It's super overwhelming when you first walk in. There are so many options. I recommend going to the the salad bar because this isnt your average salad bar. It's gourmet and its fresh and its delicious. read more

Good clean food, with a nicer selection than that of the neighboring spots. On the pricey side, but hey this is mid-town Manhattan. Because of that, Dishes draws a nicer crowd of ppl (no weirdos or riff-raff) Go at the right time, not during the lunch rush. Otherwise you'll feel like youre clubbing in the MPD, getting bumped into by people in every direction with weird techno music in the background. Def worth a try read more

Good food, terrible service if you are planning to place an order online. The online ordering system is very bad. If you are planning to make any modifications to your order, forget it. The system does not know what it is. I tried calling right after I placed an order to make a few simple changes to some of the entrees, and guess what, 15 minutes on hold for nothing. The girl I spoke to said she was going to "write it down". When food came over an hour after I placed an order, the order was never modified. There is also no way to mark which food belong to who. If you are ordering for large groups like me, this is crucial. Conclusion....? get a better online ordering system! read more

Club D - I gave you four stars because I adore buffets and yours is the best in Midtown, by far. However, I have a few bones to pick with you. First - consider your nickname. All the regulars call you "Club D." That isn't a compliment. Just like most people who actually live in Manhattan don't spend their time in velvet-ropped clubs, we don't want to go to restaurants that mimic that feel. I don't expect you all to do anything about your white and green clubby, faux-futuristic, aughties-like decor - but do you all really need large, burly men in suits with CIA-like earpieces monitoring the food? Also, why don't you all do a better job of crowd control? I can think of a number of ways to configure different lines so I don't end up with my box of food jostled out of my hands by an overeager trader busy talking into his headset. Finally, why don't you all allow samples? I understand you don't want people eating and leaving - but given how overpriced all of your food is, it wouldn't make a huge dent in your income to let people sample the food. And I'm not talking about sampling in a gross, health violation kind of way. If I put a bit of food in my box and then try a little bit before deciding if I want to ladle in more, that should be OK. I shouldn't have a bouncer suddenly over my shoulder reprimanding me. Perhaps I would even buy more food if I could make sure I liked something beforehand instead of tentatively dropping a few pieces in the box for fear of ultimately throwing the food away. Beyond these complaints though, I must say that the food is really quite good. You all have mastered the art of the buffet. Everything seems fresh, is held at the correct temperature, and represents a variety of different cuisines and dietary preferences. Some of my favorite dishes include the coconut chicken fingers with green coconut dipping sauce; banana pudding cups; macaroni and cheese, deviled egg salad (although my devotion to this waivers); Chinese chicken salad (I regularly get this at the Grand Central location to take home with me); Chinese noodles with sesame tahini sauce; rigatoni with eggplants, tomato, and feta cheese; and the array of tofu dishes. The only other improvement I would suggest would be to add segmented containers for buffet food. People hate to have their food touching. Even three compartments within a box would be great. read more

Awesome place to grab lunch. This is a block away from where I work in midtown, which is dangerous because I might just go here everyday. They have a wide array of foods to choose from - tossed salads, sandwiches, pains, hot food bar where you can take what you want and they weight it later. I ended up going with the last option because it was so overwhelming. The food bar is awesome, you can put as much as you want on your plate, but you pay by weight and it can get pricey. I paid $14, plus $4 for a juice my first time there. I went here for breakfast once as well, and they have an amazing almond croissant that's to die for. It wasn't too pricey either. I think it might have been $2.75. I got a smoothie as well, but it wasn't worth the $5 I paid. It was delicious and not too sweet, but I can go to Jamba Juice, get something similar for three times the size. Overall, great place, and will be back here again, especially for that food bar. read more

The Mangia-Killer otherwise know as Dishes. Dishes is did what the old Mangia on 48th street wanted to do, which is be good at everything. Definitely one of the few places where they do just about everything very well. They made to order salads are very good They have a wide selection of home made soups that include asian inspired noodle soups The hot buffet offers a variety of international influenced flavors and good ole southern fried chicken. The cold buffet ranges from cold seasome noodles, hummus to greek salads. Friday's is sushi day. Then you also have sandwiches. Did I mention they also do green juices what they don't make is change. Lunch with a drink can easily run you $20 but everything is pretty dam good and the place is clean. Because of the crowds there is good turnover regarding the food. None of the food on the buffet has been sitting there for any length of time. I think the best time to get there is 11:45 otherwise expect a subway car like experience of wall to wall people. The only difference is, the crowd is comprised of the beautiful people in midtown. There is sitting but unless you get there early don't count on getting a seat. read more

If I could eat three meals a day here, I would. Salad bar, Asian noodle soup bar, hot and cold buffet, sandwich bar, and eclectic desserts. All fresh, well prepared, and expertly seasoned. Will not let myself go on Fridays, as the fried chicken and Mac and cheese are as good as it gets. I've sampled so many things here-can't remember one that wasn't special. A little more than the surrounding competition, but worth every penny... read more

This lunch place is right around my office, so I like to come here for their buffet as a change from the usual sandwich/salads/soups that I normally get {although they do have these things here too}. Everything is always very tasty and you leave feeling like you have had a very balanced meal. My personal favorites are the mac and cheese and the coconut chicken fingers. The reason I only come here every once in a while is twofold. For one, it's veryyy expensive for a "to-go" midown lunch. The buffet is by the pound....and at a very steep $12 a pound. I never get out of there with a bill less than $14 after taxes. The lines also get ridiculous so I refuse to go unless I can manage to step out of the office a few minutes before twelve to beat the rush. Not only is the place very crowded, but the way management runs it drives me crazy. What most people do is wait their turn to go around the whole buffet table and make their selections. What management instead advises is to walk around the table and step in to take what you want. When most people are not doing this {b/c it's just rude} it is extremely annoying when you have someone step right in front of you as you are about to take the last chicken finger. read more

Poorly run mad house. Impossible to find out where to order. Over priced. If you want stress. Go here. read more

great place love their smoothies, and they will make the one you want too if you don't want to pick off the list the soup is amazing always. (probably so bad for you cause they are so good) the cream of wheat or farina is the best I have ever had read more

Awful, awful, awful. Stay away. The food is okay but the service is deplorable. On Thursday, February 21 at 5:45, the woman working the register was so rude to me, I put my $25 worth of items down and walked away. I've never done that before, and I was very hungry. The service is regularly less than satisfactory. There are too many options in grand central to put up with such attitude and disrespect. read more

I don't work in the area but I met my girlfriend here for lunch today since I get Good Friday off (and she doesn't, booyah!). The line to pay was not long, but we had to wait 5-7 minutes to find a free table. Also, It's undoubtedly pricey, but I personally did not mind spending $14 on such a wholesome lunch. To recount my lunch platter: mac 'n' cheese, potato & leek quiche, thai noodles in peanut sauce, spanish yellow rice, 3 pieces of sushi, grilled sweet potato, penne w/pesto and pine nuts and hummus w/spicy chips. Truly global cuisine, and I've got to say, everything was fresh and delicious! The potato & leek quiche was a tad bit on the salty side, but I have very low tolerance for salt, so I'll take the hit for that one. read more

OK. Food is great. Definitely better than your typical lunch buffet/salad joint. However, you'll be spending a bit more here than at your typical lunch buffet/salad joint. The manager-guy (it's gotta be him, he's there everyday in a suit) must see what's going on here. Place is a madhouse at lunch. I can't imagine how many customers get "sauced" by workers shuttling trays back and forth between the kitchen and the buffet. Place is just . . . too . . . crowded sometimes. Need to find a larger space fellas. Or a better layout. read more

Initial Thoughts: 1. Wow, this place is clean! 2. This buffet is going to get me in trouble 3. Soup bar?! 4. PHO IN MIDTOWN?!! 5. Too many choices! I ultimately ended up at the buffet and tried to do my best to get a good sampling without exceeding my $10 lunch limit. I selected some spicy peanut noodles, a black bean/corn salad, seasoned brown rice, a small piece of some kind of roasted chicken, and a couple pieces of broccoli. I then took my food over to the counter to wait in line where Dishes continued to tempt me with offerings of hibiscus ginger tea, vietnamese iced coffee, and a wide assortment of pastries, cookies and cakes. Somehow, I managed to resist and made it to the register with just my carton of food. The total came out to $10.40 (so close!). Everything I got was very good. Definitely not 5 star food, but impressive coming from a buffet. The chicken and rice were very flavorful and not salty. The corn/bean salad (which also had string beans and chick peas mixed in) was also seasoned well. My favorite was the spicy peanut noodles. I wasn't expecting them to be spicy, but they had a nice kick, and spice is always a pleasant surprise. Eating them has given me the urge to try and recreate them at home. I'll definitely be back to check out their other offerings. Use caution at the buffet! I can see it could be very easy to spend upwards of $15 by getting carried away. read more

= SANDWICHES REVIEW = IN A NUTSHELL.... It's worth walking 1 block more... and paying 1-2 bucks more... for a SAMMICH, that has meat and cheese NEATLY placed, vegetables that tastes FRESH, and CUT in a perfectly, symmetrical halves, and FOLDED so nice it feels like handicraft. Yup it just feels so NEAT and when I bite it to destroy its NEATNESS, I feel AWESOME. (Ofc if u eat it everyday u won't feel this way. Good for 1 or 2 times per week?) read more

Dishes is great, good food and friendly staff. I come here twice every day because it is across the street from my office. They have great fruit, coffee, parfaits, and a wide selection of hot items for breakfast and it usually isn't very crowded in the morning when I go (around 8:30am). Lunch is sometimes overwhelming because there are so many people but the lines move very quickly. There is a hot buffet option which is good, but can get pricey. I tend to get a soup or salad, which are very delicious and filling! They also have great smoothies and pastries! It is usually most crowded between 12-1:30 so I usually try to get there around 1:15 or 1:30 and the crowd is usually dying off by then. Also every Friday there is sushi, which is great! read more

I was turned on to this joint by a co-worker I was visiting for business. I was warned before I went, so now I'll warn you, little traveler. Be prepared for: extremely long lines, especially during the lunch hours, and an oh-my-god pricing for the hot/cold buffet. So we get to the place and there are lines up the wazoo. I didn't even know where to start, which must have been obvious because people would just push by me, grab a plastic to-go box and head over to pick out their food. Well, you don't need to slap me twice. I jumped right in and had some baked salmon, orange-baked sweet potatoes, brown rice and brown-butter edamames. I pile this into my little take-out box and go stand in the line to pay. I get to the counter and they have scales on which to place your food, then watch it get rung up at something like $8.39/lb. Yep, your peepers saw that right - nearly eight and a half dollars PER POUND. For a buffet. But believe you me, the food is awesome and worth every dollar you spend. I think my total was like $15 with tax and a Vitamin Water. One word of warning - go here once and you'll be hooked. You've been warned. read more

The food is amazing but the lines and crowds feel more like Rockefeller Center at Christmas time. And, 10$ for a sandwich? Come on. You can find better spots in midtown. That said, sacrificing yourself, your wallet and your body for one of their delicious sandwiches does it make worth the trip...sometimes. read more

My new favorite lunch spot. The buffet is feast for one's eyes and stomach. Always changing. Always delicious. A new found gem is the Asian Noodle Bowl station in the back. My fave is the Tom Yum Chicken bowl; it is very flavorful, filling, and yet (surprisingly) healthy! Let's just say, I get excited every time I walk to this place. And you should too! read more

Quick and clean space. Nothing outstanding, typical NYC fare though - expensive and mediocre. Didn't impress me and I probably wouldn't go back. read more

Food for my taste was just acceptable. Ordinary that you can find in a lot of similar places in New York Not really impressive. As for value for money I have some complaints as for this quality and quantity I think it is a little bit on the high side. If they pay attention to these two remarks and improve certainly I will pay a visit again to reconsider my first review. read more

great Food, Expect crazy crowds durning lunch. Personally Fav- the Pumpkin corn bisque and African peanut shop. the main food bar in the center features cold and hot items. So are there all the time, so are not. Sign up for the fax updates if you plan to become a regualer. Huge Smoothie bar, nice looking desserts. Make your own salad also seems to a line every time I have been here. expect to pay a little more then you would think but it all taste great. read more

This is a great spot for lunch - it's not cheap but definately worth it for the quality and the variety of foods on the salad bar. I actually don't mind paying by the ounce either as it forces me to be selective about what i get and the portions I heap into my container. Everything i've had has been yummy. I really wish Dishes would release a recipe book with some (all) of their salad recipes. read more

I love this place. Yes, if you get heavy food at the buffet it can be astronomical. But I have actually had a full meal from the buffet for under $5! The key is to get a pita and make a sandwhich. Fill it up with greens and add some meat and you have a cheap 5 star meal. Yep I've thought about it, and experimented that much. Of course you are going to be shoved and crowded out, but what do you expect from a great lunch place at noon in NYC. Come on, just pretend it is a big food-loving group hug. I did take off a star for the incredibly rude staff. I stood for almost 5 minutes and actually asked a question to the smoothie people and they flat out ignored me. read more

I frequent dishes a lot and I have to say my fav is the coconut crusted chicken fingers with the cilantro sauce and the orange glazed sweet potato. And although i love this place it is a bit overpriced. The quality of food is good but come on $12 a pound for a buffet. Although the price will set me back a little I will continue to crave the chicken finger and the sauce. After my diet is over, I will look into trying the breakfast buffet!! read more