Civic Deli

Lovely salad bar for avocado addicts– you get HALF an avocado. MonCher across the street only gves you a few pieces and they sometimes give problems if you ask for double avocado. Civic salad bar is usually cheaper anyway– they are pay per topping toppings range from 50 cents (most veggies) to 1.50 (meats). Spending $ 7 on salad gets you a free drink.
The paninis and sandwiches are good too. Paninis come with chips (can substitute pickles). They’re very generous with the cold cut sandwiches. Spending a certain amount ($ 6 – 8?) gets you a free drink too.
I find the burgers and hot buffet food here to be less greasy than other delis.

On the surface this place looks relatively clean but after speaking to one of the Spanish speaking workers I was told a different story. Yet the food tastes good and is even fresh so I don’t know what to believe.

I come here pretty much every day for breakfast. I always get two bagels and cream cheese. They charge $ 2.00 for a bagel with cream cheese, which is a good deal. The only thing I don’t like about the breakfast service is that when the man behind the counter sees me on the line he starts preparing the bagels right away, so they’re ready for me almost immediately.
(I know most of you would consider that excellent service. And you’re right. But what if I wanted something else instead? I’d rather say «Gimme the usual» even if means I have to wait another minute or two. But that’s just me.)
Lunch sandwiches are good. I’ve had bologna and cheese, ham and cheese, and tuna with mayo. Be aware that if you ask for mustard on your sandwich you’re going to get the spicy kind. Even if you ask for just «a little bit» you’re at their mercy as far as their interpretation of «a little bit.» (This is true at any place where someone else is applying the condiments.) If you like spicy mustard, no big deal. If you like plain yellow mustard, as I do, they sometimes have packets available — but check the packet to make sure it’s not spicy.
The free can of soda or water deal is good. You have to spend at least $ 6 on a sandwich or $ 7 on the salad bar to get the deal, but it helps to increase the overall value. I once ordered a bologna and cheese sandwich from another deli (a place on Duane Street), and was shocked to find that they wanted $ 6 for it — with no free soda! I walked right out of there and left the sandwich on the counter. At Civic it’s $ 5.50, but with, uh, «tax» it comes to $ 6, making it eligible for the free drink.
Seating area, as others have pointed out, is virtually non-​existent — a few stools alongside the window with a head-​on view of the Federal Building across the street. If you’re looking for a place to have a sit-​down meal, this is not the place. Most people get their orders to go and eat in a nearby park or bring it back to their desks.

The best part of this place is the quick service and salad tossers. You grab a lettuce bowl and pick your toppings. The guys toss it in a large bowl with dressing so you don’t have the awkward situation where you’re tossing your own salad in a tiny bowl and not getting all of the dressing on each of the ingredients.
I can’t vouch for the hot bar, but I usually stick with salads, mainly because of their lingering ‘B’ health rating that has yet to be revised after months and months. It’s pretty inexpensive and a decent choice for the cafeteria style joints in the area.

You guys need more seating, but other than that, really good spot for fresh food and variety without breaking bank. So far I’ve tried their grilled cheese (a bit small, and didn’t include the promise of veggies on the menu…), their fries (kind of bland, but OK), and their veggie burger (decent, just make sure you add some sauce to it yourself). Prices are decent, and you get a free can or water.

For downtown NYC they have decent prices and great sandwiches here. I come here when I am in town for work and have never had a bad sandwich here. I usually get a panini of some sorts and it comes with a drink for less than $ 8. Pretty much a bargain in this area.

This place is crawling with lawyers and police officers (so be on your best behavior! jk). A typical hot-​bar and salad restaurant, what Civic has that really puts itself above the rest are: 1) the free drinks with $ 7 purchase, 2) super fast lines, and 3) delicious hot sandwiches. I normally don’t come here for the hot bar food, which usually runs dry and tough by around 1:15 when I arrive. Their selection is also pretty repetitive and doesn’t change. I would recommend the sushi, the pastas, and their fish, but stay away from their calamari and fried «shrimp» as those are either really tough or a bit funky.
My usual order is the small bowl of salad with bacon, fried chicken, sweet corn, avocados, and low fat ranch (muy delicioso!) and even if the lines look a little daunting, it’s all pretty quick. The Chicken Colby, the Roast Beef, and the House Special sandwiches are all great too, but those usually take a little bit longer to make. The meatball is also pretty filling. All of these sandwiches are massive and an intelligent man would split it into two meals but… yah… I’m as smart as a fish and if I see food, I eat that shizz.
If your order is over $ 7, which it almost always is, you get to grab a soda or a water on your way out. Sweet! A way better deal than you will get at most places.

Common deli in the area to go for lunch. Good buffet food and good sandwiches, salads and wraps. Always very crowded and busy but the ordering and line goes very fast and smooth. Come here all the time and will continue to.

Starting with the good, busy busy spot so the food is fresh. Great looking hot plate buffet as well as sandwich making stand.
The bad, not orgenized you are never sure were the line starts and ends, no WiFi which is a must for a place in NYC.
The ugly, NO CUSTOMER RESTROOM HAAAA REALLY, this is a major reason not to come back here, followed by the fact that there are very limited sitting spots inside.
The only way to eat what you buy is the plaza across the street which is nice on a sunny day but not ideal.
Its a nice spot for grabing a tight to go lunch nothing more then that.
Lots of better options around.
Fixing the restroom issue and sits would have been a much bettet exp.

Clean, well run, friendly and good food. Everything a Manhattan deli should be (but often aren’t). Been coming here off and on for almost 6 years. Grill guys are cool and competent, buffet is a little short but then again so am I. Great for locals and visitors alike.

Another Good Place to Grab a 2 Eggs on a Roll.

I like Civic Deli. I’ve been there multiple times and I really like their hot buffet selection. There are other deli’s right next to it, but I think their hot food section is the best among them.
You also get a free water or soda if you spend over $ 7 on the hot food so its a pretty good deal. I like it, and go there regularly. They have soups and salads and a sandwich counter, but I can’t really comment on those since I’ve never tried any of them — I just really like the hot food plates :)

I have been eathing breakfast and lunch here a few days per week and spend at least 50 per week, as does my co worker. You need to ask for a receipt as they are less than honest about the prices and move the line so quickly that it is difficult to check. I started asking for my receipts for lunch and guess what, the price went down by about a dollar every day .
They also dont care about regular customers. I bought a salad for 6.95, and you get a free water or soda of you spend 7.00. They said take a water, but charged me for it .
I hardly go there any more

Every time I go here, there is something that they refuse to do for me. The men behind the counter are extremely rude and will not go above and beyond for the customer. I have walked out of this place unhappy about 5 times this month.

i loooove their pay by the pound buffet bar. the cold section is stocked with fresh fruit, salads, vegetables, and korean banchan like kimbap and japchae. the hot food section has corned beef with cabbage and potato, chinese bbq ribs, broiled fish, jamaican chicken, etc etc. i’ve tried everything and have not been disappointed by anything. my only reason for not eating here everyday is the price. i have never been able to escape $ 7 even when i have a tiny plastic container of vegetables. but when i want to treat myself to some healthy veggies, this is by far the best salad bar in the area.

I had resigned myself to suffer through Corte Café’s offerings during my internship at 60 Centre St this summer, but thanks to Civic Deli I don’t have to!
They have a great hot and cold buffet, which charges by the pound, and always ends up being reasonably priced. I particularly enjoy their veggies and salmon, as well as their rice pilaf salad. My coworkers say their tossed salads and sandwiches are good, and they have a deal where if you spend $ 7 at the hot food buffet, you get a free water or can of soda. It’s much more affordable than other places in the area, and the food is fresh and delicious. What more could you want from a lunch place?

Don’t come here if you’re in a rush to get to work in the morning. The workers here are very disorganized and SLOW. Just to get a breakfast sandwich on time I have to come into the city very early it’s ridiculous. I complained to the manager of this place and nothing has changed. I don’t come here for lunch due to the crowds and the salad bars ridiculous prices. 6.59 per pound is not a bargain to me especially when you’ve gotten one piece of chicken some pasta and one asian dumpling

There’s a lot of salad bars in the Lower Manhattan vicinity and some better than others. Civic Deli has a good variety of hot and cold salad bar selections for $ 6.59 a pound.
I’ve tried some of the vegetables and hot food. They have a terrific baked salmon that is thick and fresh. Be careful of the bones, as it is not deboned for you. Still this is by far the best salmon quality I’ve seen in the salad bar and some restaurants for that matter. The fried plantains, yams, roasted veggies, are pretty tasty. The Korean mini pancakes have good flavor too. There are bits of vegetables in there like zucchini and onions. The maki rolls are only okay, some better than others. The inverted roll was better than the regular futomaki.
Not all selections are always available, but there is a good variety to choose from. If you buy 6.00 worth of salad bar food or sandwich over $ 5.00, you get a free soda or small water. There is also a counter for sandwiches and create your own tossed salads. Lining one wall are several refrigerators for drinks and an open refrigerator for popular beverages like coconut water, flavored teas and waters. In the back, there are shelves of chips.
Dependable and convenient, I find the food tastier here than the other 2 salad bars located a block or two away. They make sure the wait to pay is almost non-​existent with their speedy efficiency.

My ace in the hole for a quick easy lunch. All the sandwiches rock and the service is what I like.
BUSINESS OWNERS who claim to have a «New York style deli» across America… take notes. And be sure to also note how they get you in and out at sonic speed. People don’t want to f*%k around on their lunch break. Drop the politness and just give us quick service.

Civic Deli is currently one of my favorite take-​out places for lunch. I try to beat the lunch rush by heading there a little before noon. (Btw — early birds arriving before 10am get a special discount on the hot bar items.)
There’s always something new that appeals to my appetite. Fresh salads can be purchased prepacked or can be custom made by specifying the ingredients as individually priced on the list. Same thing with the tasty sandwiches, and I love the super mini sandwiches. They make perfect snacks. There are plenty of sweets, chips and drinks, and best of all, a huge salad/​food bar with a variety of cold and hot entrees. I haven’t tried many of the items, but so far, so good. Over all, good prices and clean atmosphere.
Well, okay… So I do have a minor complaint… only one so far. And it’s the size of the dining area. There are small tables against the window with a few chairs. Clearly, it’s not big enough.