Civic Deli
“but when i want to treat myself to some healthy veggies, this is by far the best salad bar in the area.”
“It doesn't hurt that they throw in free drinks with each sandwich.”
“Loses points for being incredibly crowded during the lunch rush, and for shutting it all down just a short time afterwards.”
Civic Deli
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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I have decided that this is my go-to deli over Arome. For a while I stuck with Arome but then I realized that Civic is much cheaper! And better! Not sure what was wrong with me. Arome has tons of seating upstairs which is great but it is rare that I want to sit down and eat my sandwich anyway.
Why are there no good food options around City Hall? Its either hot dog carts or places like this. Its actually better than half the other places I tried. But, wow, this area needs some help. This is your very mediocre hot/cold bar deli. And although it looks like you have many choices, in the end, everything is pretty bland and tasteless. I came here twice for lunch because I had no other viable options. The first lunch was white rice, some broccoli, a small piece of salmon and the dish came to $6. What a huge rip off! And on top of that, the salmon was extremely dry and I couldn't finish it. OK, I decided, let me give this place one more go. The second time I had some broccoli, a few pieces of chicken, and some mash potatoes. The mash potatoes was a huge letdown. Oily and crusty at the same time. I also had a cup of coffee, and it tasted quite stale. The looks of this place are deceiving. It gives you the feel of a high end deli bar, but the food does not live up to the ambience. And its pricey. I would skip this place altogether and walk down to Chinatown and get a real meal for cheaper!
Another Good Place to Grab a 2 Eggs on a Roll.
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.
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.
With the many generic deli's in the neighborhood, this one is no different from the rest. If you have been to one hot/cold buffet by the pound, then you have been to them all.
But I have to say that aside from their prices being borderline high, the set up is really nice. There is a decent sized buffet table setup when you first enter the store. My advice is to come early because this stuff can sit out for a while. Sure, the changeover is high during lunch but there is that lull between 2 and 5 where the food sits there waiting for comsumption and that can easily turn into a no bueno situation.
But this place has everything from salads, soups, snacks and coffee- not including the offerings at the buffet.
The ladies that work the register are quick and the line that usually wraps around the back of the store goes really quickly. They have mastered multi-tasking but do pay attention because sometimes they are too fast and over charge.
I have had the pleasure of working with them for an office event and they were very efficient and accomodating.
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.