Look, y'all. This is an important spot in the area worthy of your business. Just be chill enough to accept it for what it is: a no frills bodega/deli hybrid with hard working, nice, welcoming staff who are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and make sure you're happy with what they put in your bag/on your plate. Why is that crucial? Because this is an area where it can be challenging to find fresh, not fast (or chain) food at a reasonable price if you don't have a cushy salary. City Cafe has your back whether you're working to make ends meet or just trying to keep it frugal. There are also plenty of area places catering to just one type of clientele. But City Cafe welcomed every person I saw come through that door in the same hospitable way. Can you get better grub elsewhere? You could argue the point, but only for some things. I've tried a few items, and I'm about it, especially for the price. So for their affordable pricing, generous portions, clean store, seating in the back, and staff ready to switch up something on a moment's notice if you look unhappy? Pop on in and give 'em a solid try, folks. read more

Manager refused to honor a clearly advertised price on an energy drink, instead just saying "no" and removing the sign. Basically false advertising. read more

Found City Cafe by chance, so I stopped by. Had Asada Steak and it was great! The employees were nice, the service was great and I would go there again! read more

Great breakfast and lunch sandwiches at good prices. Spent two days at the Royalton and this place is just a few doors down out the back entrance so we had two wonderful breakfasts and a lunch while here. Everyone was pleasant and no issues whatsoever. read more

RIP OFF. Ordered a turkey Cobb wrap from the menu. At the register I was charged $2.50 extra. When I questioned the most unpleasant Asian cashier pointed out that avocado is extra. That would have been acceptable had I ordered avocado but did not. This occurred as I was paying and after waiting 10 mins for the wrap I was running late. That didn't matter as the rude cashier already moved onto taking payment from the next customer. The extra $2.50 is beside the point. The intentional up charging starts with the sandwich maker and the cashier had no interest in resolving it to the customers satisfaction. I work nearby and have advised coworkers to avoid this place and recommend the same to others. read more

Great food, great service! Both the breakfast and lunch food are awesome! We stop here every time we're in NYC!!

Very good breakfast!! I'm still nibbling on my bacon as I write this review. My daughter and had strawberry pancakes with bacon. Light fluffy, sweet, DELICIOUS!! Hubby had Western omelet with w/cheese which he really enjoyed. Nice place. read more

I came here with a friend to grab a quick bite to eat. The shop is mainly geared towards take out, and is adorned with metallic accents and large, easy to read menu banners. Most of their lunch combinations come with a complimentary lemonade. Upon inquiry, we found out that the sandwiches offered are the same price without the lemonade, and that they didn't have any lemonade that day. However, they did offer us a small selection of sodas as a substitute. Sandwiches come with a choice of cheese and bread. My grilled chicken sandwich was alright; the chicken had a decent char on the outside and was a slightly tender on the inside. The bread had a slight crunch, but was otherwise not noteworthy. All in all, even though the sandwich was decent, I felt like I paid slightly more for what I was given. Perhaps I would come back if I were in a time crunch. read more

City Cafe - Grilled chicken sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

Done with this place. The Latin lady at the register tried charging me $27 for an egg sandwich and a cookie. I pointed it out to her and she quickly responded, oh my mistake. I went to the office across the street and told 6 coworkers who said that happened to each of them multiple times. "My mistake" is sounding more like, "Let me charge what I feel like it and see if I get caught". No more City Cafe for me! The Asian lady never did that! She's a sweetheart! read more

I have been here a few times. The salad is a bit iffy but the sandwiches look good. The premade hot food is also bomb.com as well. I am a huge salad fan and it's just a little bit of a bummer that the salad game here isnt as strong as it could be read more

ANOTHER QUICK, REALLY CHEAP, CONVENIENT lunch spot near school basically your typical options: pizza, sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches i got one of their "european sandwiches," which is basically a panini on flat bread! ----monte cristo.. wasn't bad, wasn't good.. i probably wouldn't order it again though LUNCH COMBOS FOR LESS THAN 6 BUCKS.. my sammie came with a pickle & chips.. but the lady was nice enough to let me sub out the chips for a lemonade!! order at the back, pay at the front!! OH & seating available inside! read more

I waited 2 hours yesterday for a simple egg white & cheese sandwich (I also stepped into a work meeting and time went by). I called City Cafe and was told my order was "2-3" minutes away. 30 minutes later I called again and was told the price on Seamless' menu was wrong so they could deliver it then and I can pay the difference. I've ordered the same thing at least 2 days a week for like 3 months and now there is a problem? It usually arrives within 35-40 minutes, why on Earth would I want to pay a price difference on an order that was almost 3 hours LATE at this point because THEY have the wrong price on display? How am I being penalized for this? So I called them a second time and they lied to me again saying they tried to reach me and I didn't pick up. They've called me before to randomly confirm my order, I have not changed my number and know my number is correct in my account. I told them how disappointed I was and that I would never order from them again and the manager claimed she wanted to "make it right" since she knows I've been a loyal customer and so she promised she would delivery it anyway. Nothing ever came - I'm grateful Seamless was able to provide me with a refund. I will NEVER order from here again, totally not worth the trouble with so many eateries in the Bryant Park area. read more

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I come here about once a week and it's mostly out of convenience since it's on my way to work. The food is ok but the service is lacking. They make eggs in advance so that when someone orders it they just throw it on a roll or bagel. I like my food cooked to order not something that's been sitting there. I know they do it to save time but if it's not busy they should cook to order. Also they are very sloppy when wrapping up the sandwich. Most of the time my eggs are falling off the roll. The only good thing is lady at the counter is very friendly and understanding whenever I have a complaint. read more

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I really love this place. I know that there are a million other cafe's in the city just like this but for me, this one is close, convenient, and cheap. I always think about trying somewhere new for lunch but just end up here because I know what I'm gonna get. This is your typical, well city cafe (lol) they offer an assortment of bagels, snacks, sandwiches, burgers etc. They have a variety of breakfast sandwiches in the morning and then switch over to lunch at around 11:30. My favorite item to order is the large build your own salad (see pic.) For about $8.60 you can chose your lettuce, one protein, one cheese and UNLIMITED veggies for no extra cost..... even.... wait for it.... AVOCADO!! Do you know how rare it is to find a place that offers a delicacy like avocado for no extra charge?! They will probably hate me now that I'm sharing this juicy piece of info. Anyways, to sum it all up- the salads are always bomb. The guy who makes them is so quick and can really handle the sometimes long line. The cashier is always really friendly and gives you a free roll or sometimes lemonade with the salad. I recommend going before 12 or after 1 to avoid the long lines. Also, their bagels are pretty good too. They do offer some seating in the back and you can only pay with a card if it's over $5. The only reason why I didn't give them 5 stars is because I feel like they could work on their organization. Sometimes it feels like there are random lines + people going to different cashiers... There's always room for improvement! read more

City Cafe - Large house salad with unlimited toppings. . $8.60 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

So I get a bagel and extra cream. Every single time, they charge me a different price between $2.75 and $2.99. I finally called and asked, it's supposed to be $2.50.. Today, I got a plain bagel. They wouldn't take my card because there's a $2 minimum... There are zero signs of a minimum... They took my bagel to throw away... So let me get this straight, they'd rather throw away food than take my card??? Sure I could have gotten something else, but it's all about principal. DONE with this place. read more

Ordered a Chicken Salad & Fries OK I know fries but I had a taste for them and only ate a few!! They salad was good however I thought it would have chicken on it NOT chicken salad, was good but fattening. Fries were soggy b/c they put them in a plastic containter, paper bag would had been better, they had a nice seasoning to them Would get the chicken salad as a side...might order from here again? read more

I go to school right across the street so I come here a couple times a week whether it's for morning coffee, a bagel, or lunch. I love this place even if the prices have gone up a little since last year. A solid breakfast joint: $1.25 for a toasted bagel with butter, $1.75 for iced coffee, $4-5 dollars for a breakfast sandwich. I always get my iced coffee from the lady on the right because she melts my sugar before putting in the cold coffee ;) Lunch: BUILD YOUR OWN SALAD BAR. I love it. Most people I know like Chopt or some other place, but for a little cheaper, you can choose a protein and all the veggies and nuts you want. comes with a drink and a garlic roll (which is just okay), but I truly love their salads and I always get full off of half. Lunch: if I don't get the salad, I get the Parmesan ziti: a hefty portion of pasta, sauce, and cheese, and a baked parm chicken to top it all off. Love this place. Solid joint for all your meals read more

Unfortunately, I liked this place. The baristas and owner were always around til very recently. Today, I went in to order coffee, and there was no line, although there were groups of guys sitting at all the tables. As I started to order, two guys came up and started arguing with me, saying they were next. Another man was standing next to me, and got into the fray. The older man behind the counter did nothing, and literally all I did was get in line. After they left, I told the man behind the counter it was his job to handle that, and no customer should be treated like that-and he got mad at ME!!!! Customer service is clearly not even on the radar, and it's too bad, because I like the coffee. On the other hand, there's a Starbucks down the street, and about ten other places. Customer service is pretty much why people choose a place. He also was wearing a mask around his chin, and the guys arguing weren't masked, so it's for the best anyway that I lost interest. This place seems like a place the owners friends go to-and not many else. read more

Quick service great options friendly staff. Highly recommend anyone come here for that authentic New York deli.

City Cafe is right by my school, so I frequent it a lot and it is often my breakfast go-to. My breakfast sandwiches are always made very quickly, order is never messed up, and they are always very good! The bagels aren't the best quality, but a bagel with cream cheese is really cheap and a solid deal. Some items are a bit overpriced, but mostly everything is a good or average deal. Staff is very efficient considering it gets very hectic in the morning. read more

I had the pesto chicken salad sandwich (#21), which was very good. From the outside, this place doesn't look all that special, but actually, I think it's worth a try. Inside, there is actually quite a bit of seating room, and the employees are very friendly. As for the sandwich, although it only comes with lettuce and tomato, it's actually very tasty. The only complaint I'd have is that there's a little too much mayo on it for me. Also, I actually took my sandwich home and heated it up, which made a good sandwich better! The price is nice too ($6) for a sandwich that lasted me 2 meals and a bag of Lays. read more

His place is everything I love about NYC. It's fast, small, good workers working together to get people in and out so they can get to work and slammin' coffee. read more

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Good price for a good portion-sized meal in the city. The food is hot and if you're nice and they like you, they might throw in some extra veggies for ya. Just saying. read more

City Cafe - Chicken parm with penne alla vodka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

In general, the place isn't very clean, and the food looks like it's been sitting out for an extended period of time. I ordered a club sandwich, the guy didn't know how to make a club sandwich (at least not to look like the picture they have of their own club sandwich). I asked for a little mayo, he put a pile one. When I go to checkout, they'll only give me a combo price (I only asked for a sandwich), and the chips that come with it are in a special box behind the counter because they're tiny 1/2 ounce bags instead of the 1 oz bags on the shelves. And their canned drink selection to go with the combo was about 8 options (and nothing sugar-free caffeine free). Quality of food was low, the sandwich was soggy when I went to eat it 3 minutes later, the turkey was dried out, and the bacon was burnt. Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend it. read more

Ordered off Seamless and had issues. 10-25 minutes not accurate (basically the only reason I picked it in the first place). I asked for no tomatoes on the wrap and salad I ordered, both had tomatoes. I was called by the delivery person and when I went to the lobby he was not there. I went back up and called him back and he spoke in a very loud tone toward me, so I went back down and he just shoved the bag to me and left. I regret ordering from here and also regret tipping the remaining 5 dollars I had left on my account for the night. DO NOT RECOMMEND! read more

Open til 7, but only willing to serve cold food after 5:00pm. Staff not welcoming either. Poor experience for sure, the place absolutely needs to work on their customer service. read more

Typical lunch place. Stands out because service is super friendly and efficient! I go here to get my grilled cheese on. One time I got pizza. It was disgusting. After that, I stuck with their grilled cheese, and I've never been disappointed. There is a sign saying no credit cards for less than $3.50, but the sweetheart behind the counter is flexible. The way she says it, the sign is basically there for people who try to buy a pack of gum with a credit card. Prices are good. I can get a grilled cheese, with a pickle and a bag of chips for $3.50. City Cafe is the type of place you should try if you work in the area. Find something you like, and stick with it. If you're visiting or something, I would keep looking though. Unless you're starving and in a super big rush! read more

The staff here is so wonderful and helpful, the service makes you want to come back again, and makes your time so wonderful. The Gyro was to die for and the prices are fair for a busy city business! read more

The City Cafe is a great place to grab a quick lunch to go when you're working or at school. The cooks prepare everything quickly on the spot, and the cashiers move quickly too, so even though a lot of people come through during the lunch time, it doesn't get too packed. I order the tuna melt panino, which you really can't go wrong with. It was toasted exactly the way I liked it, with the right proportions of tuna and cheese. Neither one more than the other. The combo comes with a pickle and chips, but do be careful when grabbing the chips. Some chips cost extra, but they're all placed together so I ended up being charged more for the bag I selected. (I should have said something...) Definitely going back again to try something else off their menu! read more

A hidden gem on 43rd street. I find myself going here pretty much everyday due to the variety of lunch options and price. The food is flavorful and well made and the staff is pretty cool too. read more

If you work in the midtown east area, add this to your list of places to purchase a quick lunch and not break the bank. Since coming to work in midtown east, I got worried that the majority of the raise i got by switching jobs would end up all going towards food. Day 1 on the job, it cost $10 to find a small sandwhich, with no fries or anything. I quickly found city cafe. They have tons and tons of options, many of which are lunch specials which will include a drink or chips or fries or rice or whatever best compliments what you ordered. I've gotten out of here spending between $4 - $7.50 on lunch, which for this area, I will definitely not complain about. While I will mostly bring lunch along with me, this is a great option for those days where I just got too lazy read more

Come here every morning. It's very clean, well maintained and the staff is very pleasant. Definitely good prices for NYC and the food is delicious. read more

I have been coming here since 2007. Nina always know what I want when I walk in for breakfast. Very friendly staff. Extremely reasonably priced. Definitely recommend. read more

This is my favorite place to go for breakfast in NYC. The sausage egg and cheese sandwiches taste way better than anything you'd get at Dunkin Donuts or Burger King. Everything is prepared fresh and quickly right in front of you. They are like ninjas the way they prepare everything so fast! Wish I lived closer so I could come here for breakfast every day! I haven't gotten around to trying the lunch yet but I would love to get a chance to try it. read more

I ordered pancakes and bacon for my daughter and pepperoni knots to be delivered to my office. My daughter ate her food with a group of friends while I attended the event. When I picked her up, she said that she didn't like the pancakes. I opened the container and the pancakes WERE BURNT. All of them. I checked out the pepperoni knots and they had black specks on the side of them which I am hoping was pepper. After looking more closely, I realized that City Cafe had given me garlic knots with - not even cooked - cut up pepperoni sitting on top. I lifted one and the pepperoni fell off! This was, by far, the WORST experience I have ever had with a delivery IN MY LIFE. I will NEVER order from City Cafe again and I really would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Do not order from here. You will be deeply disappointed. read more

City Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - New York, New York

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This is a grab n go type place although they do have seating and the food is decent. They have decent prices as well however they seem to be inconsistent sometimes with the price of things and other details. One warning, as I said food is decent but DO NOT buy a burger, the meat they use looks and tastes like grade F meat. I work in the area and have eaten here about 6 - 8 times. I would have given this place 3 stars but when I get a chicken cutlet sandwich I expect it to be a hot sandwich. As i said inconsistent. I would not recommend this place if you have a better alternative however if you are not to picky and don't want to spend a lot for lunch or maybe you're in a hurry, then give it a try. read more

Standard bodega/deli food. Super convenient as it's right next to my office. Haven't been blown away by anything here so if you want an average, cheap, quick NYC lunch, come to City Cafe. read more

The service is the absolute worst of the 4 options in the area. They really should get a better cooking staff who knows how to work the grill and can keep orders straight. Receiving the wrong order 3 times in one visit or having them forget your order altogether is infuriating. And the new paint job isnt going to change that. read more

Food is decent and doesnt cost too much. Fast and quick place to drop in and grab your food and go. Pretty simple as it is here. Try any sandwich like the Cuban that I had or the burger which my wife had and they both tasted good and it was cheap and quick for us both. read more

1st of all, the employees are top notch and hard workers including the lovely ladies in the front office! I've never had an issue with the food and its always prepared right! I've been coming here for 10 years !!! read more