I really liked this place! Smaller than the nearby Bread & Butter, Essen has, in my opinion, a better selection of options perfect for lunch. They have juice, salads, sushi, you name it, as well as a selection of snacks throughout the first floor. Their Spicy Salmon Kimbap was great and while there are better prices for sushi nearby, I would come here again for their salads and other quick meal options. Lines move pretty fast and it can get overwhelming inside around lunchtime hours. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Spicy Salmon Kimbap - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Fvck this place! ! It's 4pm and the guy is cleaning the floor while you're eating!!!! Chairs up, dust being swapped and you're supposed to EAT in this? Their cold overpriced food?? Disgusting. They should close down. Fvck that Asian greedy clueless manager. Zero basic hygiene and manners in this place. Just stealing ppl money. read more

For a buffet, the food was not that bad. I had some meatloaf, kimchi dumplings, penne vodka, teriyaki chicken, and some rice. As per my photos these were small portions (the $13.99 per lb) price didn't help. I get it though, I'm in Manhattan. My meal came out to $14.41. They do have an area to sit and eat as well as bathrooms (you need the code to get in). It was good, not excellent but I think I would've spent a little more and went somewhere else for buffet food. read more

Early in the morning there was no crowd but the cashier was rude and hurried Food fresh, place clean read more

If you are eating at Essen it's probably because you work nearby and need lunch, and that's as good a reason as any to eat well. Essen is a cafeteria style restaurant with a salad bar, hot food bar, salad station, noodle station, sandwich station and a juice station, with dozens of options (you can also generally build whatever you want within reason). At the end of the day you either go up to a station, get what you want, and pay, or else you go to the salad bar and fill up your pound of food. Once you've picked out what you want, wander on up to the front of the store and meet the cashiers, who will VERY efficiently ring up your meal and send you on your way. By default they'll package you to go, but there seems to be a way to eat in as well. You can take your food upstairs if you want to get some time away from the office, or just head on back to the grind. Overall, this is a great option for a quick lunch alone or with a group (everyone can get what they want). It's hardly gourmet, but it's quick and reasonably cheap ($20 for lunch in midtown seems good to me). read more

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The food is slightly overpriced, but it's solid quality, so no real complaints. The hot buffet options are great, and the location right outside the office building is very convenient. Overall, it offers a good selection of food, and the space is clean and well-maintained. read more

Super convenient place to eat and grab a snack. They have a huge selection of food from hot sandwiches, salads, fruit, desserts, drinks, and ready-to-eat meals. Today I had their Tuscan panini ($9.25) and it had: fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil, spinach and sun-dried tomato with balsamic, served on European flat bread. The sandwich was a good portion and it was super satisfying. I also ordered a Joe Peach Tea which was super refreshing since today was so hot/humid. I love how there's plenty of seating upstairs and the overall cafeteria feel of Essen. Highly recommend if you want something fast on the go. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Tuscan Pressed Panini ($9.25) - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Believe I was overcharged significantly - asked for a sandwich to be served in a bowl, was billed $24 as they said it was to be billed by weight. Unsure why that is the case when ultimately the amount of chicken was that of one sandwich. Also, staff is reluctant to be proactive in offering help as when inquiring for help they pushed back and I was met with silence, until I asked for assistance the third time. read more

Have to make sure the cooks and preps are caring for the peoples food. I had egg whites, turkey bacon and red onions on rye bread toasted with butter delivered and as soon as I finished eating I threw it up read more

Essen is a pick your own deli type of eatery. I've been here several times for lunch and they have a wide variety of food. All very good. I am a regular for breakfast, they have a fantastic assortment and my favorite is the oatmeal bar, they have several different varieties of oatmeal and toppings. My favorite is the oatmeal with coconut milk, brown sugar and cinnamon and fruit. You make it yourself so you can perfect it! read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Oatmeal with coconut milk, strawberries and bananas, brown sugar and cinnamon - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for lunch while working out of the NYC Amazon office, it's good, but nothing outstanding. It kind of reminds me of the Whole Foods cafeteria / hot bar! I actually prefer doing a true fast casual place (Cava, etc) or just the real Whole Foods hot bar. read more

I've been to an essen in a different part of the city so I knew what to expect going to this one. However, there were lines all over the place, so I didn't know what to expect in that case. There are many cash registers, so the line goes fairly fast. There are various areas to grab food such as hot bowls, noodles, sandwiches, pastas, etc... if you would like to dine in, you may. But a lot of people just take away. All in all, it is a bit pricey, so I'm not sure I would be back considering g there are other food places exactly like this in the area. read more

decent selection of foods but a tad expensive. also use cash if you have it. they dont tell you they add an extra charge for credit card, even though legally they are supposed to tell you. read more

What a bunch of thieves they make salads and doesnt inform you about extras all of a sudden cost you $$$$ for a simple salad. not professional at all. Stay away read more

For a lunch place on a work day, this place has everything - sushi, ramen, udon, sandwich, pasta, etc. In such a prime area the price point is reasonable, the quality of food is in general not bad either. I would avoid the coffee, but otherwise a great lunch takeout spot. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - a bowl of pasta and a cup of coffee - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

This is a great quick spot for lunch in the city. There's options for everyone and the food comes out quick regardless of what you order - whether it be the stir fry station or the sandwich bar. The food is good, not amazing but it hits the spot after a long day of meetings. There's definitely no space to sit, it's more of a grab and go spot. read more

This is another one of those high-end cafeteria type of places that has prepared food sold by the pound in a very wide variety On this particular visit I was looking for something later and found it in the sushi section with a pretty good seaweed salad and tuna avocado rolls Probably about 40 feet of cold cases of various type of bottled and canned beverages to go with your meal selection I was in the gap between lunch and dinner so plenty of staff to take care of you and chefs on the standby to make your salad or other hot entrées They had both a hot buffet with everything from chicken marsala to Chinese food as well as a cold buffet with a large selection of salads and fruits Bathrooms are for customers only and they print the door lock code on the bottom of the receipt which seems like a pretty decent idea They also had a very large upstairs seating area with tables from 2 to 10 people and a good selection at this time of day read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Upstairs eating area - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

a bit overpriced but it is midtown. the food is good/fresh and can get hectic during lunch hour.

Its NYC week, and the start of five reviews from my recent trip to the Big Apple. There was a deli next to my hotel, but the guy at the front desk said go to Essen instead. Essen was overpriced & mediocre, so I can only imagine how bad the other place is. Its located on 5th Ave b/t 40th & 39th. I bought a freshly made bagel w/ lox spread ($2.75), and grabbed a parfait on the way out ($3.96). Essen also offers pre-made warm food to grab on the go, and other hot dishes made to order. The bagel was very pedestrian, and the parfait was overpriced AF. I should have gone to McD's on the corner of 5th Ave & 40th: 3 Stars. Regarding the ambiance, its big in here. Its easy to get confused. I believe there is seating upstairs: 3 Stars. Likewise, the service was slow. My bagel took a while (there was no one in line), there was only one cashier and ta long ass line @ 7:30 in the morning: 2 Stars. The guy at the front desk made a good rec w/ Stout for a sports bar, but Essen was almost Two Stars. They should rename it Essen Fast Mediocre Overpriced Food. If I had more time, I would have went to a real deli like 2nd Ave. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Parfait ($3.96) & bagel w/ lox spread ($2.75) very average bagel, parfait overpriced AF - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Great variety of stuff but it's pretty expensive. It's about a dollar or two ouch on each order. I do not mind coming here.

PROS: Amazing buffet place, none like it in the area. They have a wide variety of food to choose from and for a picky eater like myself this place is the go-to. Their staff is always nice and they not only have the buffet, but they have grill and sandwich stations too CONS: They overcharge for the food that you get and there's not enough space to put more tables in and during lunch time all tables are taken OVERALL: Despite high prices if I were to come here I would just bring the food back to the office. Great place to come read more

Luxury Cafeteria Food ! Their range is unmatched breakfast or lunch I'm sure you'll find something you like. However I'm knocking a star off because of pricing. Clearly they're competing with Whole Foods because wow. I can spend $30 here easily. The food is good , I generally enjoy most of the things I get. For breakfast I almost always get their crack potatoes I'm obsessed. Lunch is anything that looks yummy on the hot bar , salad , or sandwich. And this is usually when I lose my mind the SNACKS. They have almost every snack you can possibly imagine. International snacks as well. They also serve up pretty delicious fresh juices my favorite happens to be the beat , celery and apple called Red Power. So yumm I love beets now because of this natural sweet juice !! read more

I had the chicken panini sandwich and chips from meal pal and I brought 5 dumplings which came out to 5$ and change. This place is good if you want something hearty and quick but I would skip out on here because the quality of food is very cheap. It tastes like fast food and not very good. The place was packed so I'm guessing I got the wrong things but I prob won't come back unless I'm broke and starving. read more

Jack of all trades deli/buffet in mid town. Avoid the animals during lunch hours here as these spots get very busy. Typical jack of all trades deli / bordega / cafe / buffet that seem to be all around the city in highly congested business office areas. I dropped in to get some lunch after my dentist appointment as it's right across the street. Essen seems to have stations for everything. Sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, hot/cold buffet, deli, sushi, salads, etc. There really is something for everyone here. 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. Some seating too in an upstairs area to wolf down your meal before heading back to work. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

the truth about Essen. (do not work here or support this business) I worked at the establishment for almost a year. Yesterday I was fired, however, they did not give me a specific reason or tell me what I did wrong- which is completely unjustifiable since I also suffer from a health condition (high blood pressure) where I was worked to the bone such as having to work with others with no prior experience to the food industry. I endured long grueling hours where I was given an abundance of tasks while my other coworkers got to do very little and fooled around. I was being paid 17 dollars an hour, yet I was doing work that should have tripled this price. Even when I was getting fired, they did not follow the right protocol- no two weeks' notice or any given anything for compensation. Finally, I found out from a coworker the real reason I got fired was because I knew too much regarding the corruption and sexual harassment that goes on in our workplace. I have seen my manager of the work establishment finger one of our female employees- continuing to constantly harass her and the deli manager harassing 3 other male employees. I even have heard him saying to one of the male employees "The only reason why you work here is because I want to fuck you". In addition to him making unwanted comments and gestures toward a previous employee that left. I even had asked the Deli Manager himself "Why does he do this to the male employees?" and this nincompoop response was "Because they like it". Yet this says otherwise when visible discomfort and violation are displayed on these employees' faces and body language. This is the everyday reality that goes on within this establishment and the type of environment they continue to constantly allow and nobody steps up to do anything. I've had it with the constant unfairness I had to endure and to see mistreatment go on. Most importantly, to see fellow employees of mine being physically harassed and touched by the appalling higher-ups of this job. read more

This place is a superstore of cafeteria and quick even by the NYC standard. Second floor has tables for enjoying your meals. They have pizza, hot subs, soups, noodles, tossed salads, salad bar, etc. etc. all under one roof. I went for their mixed vegetables sub sandwich which gets toasted in the brick oven. Zucchini, mushrooms, and mozzarella sandwiched and toasted between two halves of focaccia breads. I loved the warm but still tender veggies but definitely request a longer toast if you want melted cheese and well-baked veggies. All this for less than $10 and in less than 15 mins during peak lunch hour. Not too shabby. read more

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Spicy chicken over rice is basically chicken breast tossed in spicy Mayo. They put some vegetables that are tasteless and big amount. Waste of money read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - a bowl of chicken, broccoli and cauliflower - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Right next to my work.. Good to stop in and grab something quick. Lots of variety. The pre-made veggie sandwich is amazing.. I love the bread. Good soups. The hot food bar is okay.. but really greasy. And not too much heathy, vegetarian in the wells. But pre made sandwich and soup... Good =) Mostly this place is just reasonable price and gives good variety. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Lunch - veggie sandwich and misc veggies. $12 total. - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Let's just say that the grill staff are NOT friendly at all!!! They like to pick on the customers who are still deciding what they want. read more

I often frequent essen for lunch during the week. I usually think they provide Madison Avenue with a nice Buffett. Yet recently I have not been so fond of Essen. The chicken that they put in the salad has been quite bad. It is always mostly pieces of chicken that are mostly made up of cartilage. I find myself spitting them out constantly. Also, the sushi on my last trip to Essen made me sick. The fish tasted terrible and was clearly not fresh enough to serve. What a shame. read more

The sashimi salad bowl was a great pick for a quick lunch. Healthy and fresh, and priced appropriately at $12.95. The fish was fresh and the ginger dressing was great. This place is a great place to grab a quick meal. No lines or crowds (at least when I went). read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Sashimi Salad Bowl - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

Essen is a multi-cuisine hot buffet / salad bar / sandwich station / asian stir fry-noodle station kind of place. Nice, big, clean. This outing I opted for a large salad, which ended up being raaaather large haha. You get one main protein (all types of chicken, tuna, cheese, tofu, etc.), 2 secondary ingredient (e.g., avocado, egg, cheeses, and unlimited fillers (greens, peppers, mushrooms, onions, carrots, beans, etc.). I went for the pesto chicken with egg and avocado and pretty much every fixing I could imagine fitting into that large plastic bowl. When for light honey dijon with a bit of balsamic vinegar. And have a giant bread box right there - free to take (baguette, whole wheat, raisin...). Hearty, reasonably priced, quick. Good stuff. read more

Essen is like a box of chocolates, you're never know what you're going to get - in this case good food or bad. Sushi is a no - dried out rice. Hot sandwiches is a no - turkey BLT was bland. Really not coming back and it's sad to see coworkers coming her for convenience sake. read more

I ordered a Cobb salad for lunch using MealPal. Picking up at the cash register to the left was quick and easy. The restaurant itself was pretty packed, but there was only two people in the line to check out and four cashiers, so I expect they move quickly. The cobb salad itself was HUGE. Spinach topped with chicken, bacon, blue cheese, lots of avocado, and a hard boiled egg. I am super stuffed after eating it so I am not sure how healthy I ate. That being said, I have no regrets. If you are looking for a fresh delicious and filling salad, definitely give Essen a try! Although I didn't try it, all of the food in the buffet looked and smelled delicious as well. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - Cobb salad - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Visited Essen on one afternoon for lunch. I have to say that I got a distinct feeling that this is well oiled factory with every station being it's assembly line, which works well during the rush but leaves something to be desired in terms of quality of food. My wrap wasn't exactly what I ordered, or may have been what I ordered but the description of what I ordered wasn't what I got. The place was busy because I think they don't have much in terms of competition in the area because I was hard pressed to find something other place to grab lunch from and it actually showed in service and quality. Honestly though I can't complain about fast though not very slow food since it probably was one of the very rare occasions that I will ever visit this place. read more

Solid BEC for $5.17. Essen was unusually empty for a workday morning. And had very fast service because of it! read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - BEC - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

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Just had the worst egg sandwich I've ever had. Ordered a turkey sausage, egg and cheese on a roll (which was on the menu). The turkey sausage was slices of grilled turkey sausage links, like the tough kind you'd make on the grill for dinner, with unmelted thick american cheese, scrambled eggs on an untoasted roll. They put it together in 5 seconds so I'm not surprised. The eggs on their hot bar are much better. Steer clear of the sandwiches. read more

What a disappointingly ugly place with disappointingly mediocre food. I was fooled by the catchy branding but this is just another run-of-the-mill deli/buffet outfit. Nothing special. And what makes it even worse is awful SLOW service full of employees who just don't care. read more

Essen Fast Slow Food - The omelette. Save yourself and never come to this place. - Bagels Near Me - New York, New York

$9.49/lb here. Better than Dishes and many other Deli's. I average between $9-$14 a lunch The best deli in mid town! They seriously have everything on their buffet you could ever imagine. They have a salad buffet and an entree buffet. There are about 20 different kinds of salads everyday. Not just leaf salads like mix green and kale but seafood salad(s), quinoa, pasta, lentil, and more! The entrees are many different kind of grilled, baked, and fried chicken, steak (which is a MUST), pork belly, vegetables, and pastas. There is dinner upstairs which is large and comfortable. They have 4-5 soups everyday They have any kind of iced or hot coffee juice, tea, or flavored water. They have hot bars where you can get sandwiches made to order. They have a salad bar where you can have salads prepped to order and chopped. They have Pizza and many more options! 5+ stars. If you work in midtown this is a must for takeout lunch! read more

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Hidden gem. Great find for quality, quick food at a reasonable price. We ate here three times during our 4-night visit. Huge variety of pre-made and customizable options like an upscale cafeteria. The bagel sandwich with egg, meat and cheese for $5 can't be beat. Large beverage case or coffee bar with juices and smoothies. Going to miss having this around the corner from us. read more