Monroe Grill

Nothing special here. They do serve more than just sandwiches and subs, and the prices are average. But, when there is a better deli just a block away, don’t bother coming here for a sub or sandwich.

Okay, so I’m going to give this place 5 stars for what it is… An Office park deli; because it’s one of the best (if not the best) I’ve been to that fits that category.
They have a huge assortment of lunch and breakfast choices — both hot and cold. Anything from bacon and eggs to a BLT to a Turkey Bacon Avocado to Hamburgers and Steak and Cheese with Fries. Did I mention they have Bacon? Although its not on the menu, I bet they would even put bacon on that burger for you, if you asked nice. :)
They also have a hot and cold self-​serve buffet line (with about 6 choices of each if I remember correctly)
I’ve only tried a couple things of the buffet, all of which were good. They had one marinated avocado salad with red onions and veggies and large chunks of avocado which was refreshing. They also had korean fried chicken which was very good — large chunks of juicy white meat with a thin and sweet fried coating. They also have sushi on it most of the time, which is kind of nice if you want a couple pieces alongside whatever else you’re getting. With that being said, every time I go there I notice something new on the buffet, which is awesome for those of us who like variety. You will usually see at least a couple Asian dishes on it. But I’ve seen other things on it such as fried pork cutlets, salmon, bbq ribs, a variety of salads, quesadillas,… okay, I’m going to stop, but you get the idea, it seems the ladies running this shop know how to cook just about anything!
They also run daily specials of Asian influence — Korean mostly from what I can tell. I’m going to go ahead and list them… if for nothing else, as a personal reference because I get Wednesday and Thursday mixed up in my head…
Monday — Bulgogi
Tuesday — Bibimbap (personal favorite)
Wednesday — Curry rice (tastes like a spicy/​sweet version of Butter chicken to me)
Thursday — Teriyaki Chicken
Friday — Spicy chicken
Of the specials, I’ve tried Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday being my favorite.
if you aren’t familiar with Bibimbap… its a big bowl (and I mean BIG bowl) of rice, julienned veggies, bulgogi (which is sweet marinated grilled beef) all with a fried sunny side egg on top. It also comes with a side of sweet/​spicy sauce (im not sure, but if I had to guess it’s probably like hoisin mixed with sriracha?). Basically, you bust open that fried egg yolk to unleash the gold, drizzle on the sauce and mix it all up and try not to get any on your work clothes while you dive in headfirst. Very good. I’ve had Bibimbap from several different places, and I think they do it well here.
Today, I had the Turkey Bacon Avocado on white. They are generous with the avocado and turkey. The bacon is crisp. They make it to order right in front of you so you can specify what you want on or don’t. Mine came out perfect — just what I was looking for. Hard to beat bacon and mayo on toasted white bread.
And it would be rude of me to finish this review without tipping my hat to the ladies that run this place. They really are so nice. Every time I come in they are happy to see me. They really aim to please. First time I came in, the lady came out from behind the counter and showed me the buffet and explained all they had to offer; really made me feel welcomed. Another time when I came in and asked about the daily special, she prepared a little sample cup for me to try it out so she knew I would be happy. When the line dies down, they will come out from behind the counter and walk the dining area and ask people if their food is right and good, etc. Really outstanding service for a little corporate deli, where generally all I would expect is a sandwich prepared behind a counter and thrown in a bag before sending me on my way.
Thanks Monroe deli, keep up the good work and I’ll keep coming back!

I want to make this clear, THE OWNER HAS CHANGED since the 11÷5÷2013 comment and I have eaten here atleast once a week since Nov’ 12. The old owner had a big selection and was decent at all her foods. The new owner went ahead and kept the big selection and just made everything better. Everything I usually order from breakfast to korean food to steak and cheese with fries has gotten worlds better. They also just added a hotbar with very high quality food. You don’t expect that kind of quality at a deli.
When I was working in the area I made it my goal to compare all of the delis in the immediate area. Why you might ask? Delis are the perfect places for lunch because you can get so many different types of food and the prices are always low. Usually the korean owned ones (ok lets be honest thats like all of them) have lots of korean food available along with the normal selection.
As for the results of my comparison, heres a high level breakdown of my results. I dont want to flame any of the other delis in the area so ill keep them anonymous, but I will say how monroe grill compares. I will highlight a few key points for the comparison which are the fries, the steak and cheese, the breakfast, and the specials. The reason why I pick these is because I think you can tell a lot about a deli from these staple items.
Fries:
This place wins in fries hands down, super crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Lot of places in the area burn their fries… YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
Steak and Cheese:
The meat has SLIGHTLY more fat in it than the other delis. What this means is that youre not getting a dry, crumbly, «steak-um“s like sandwich, but one that is juicier.
Breakfast:
Their breakfast platter probably has the largest assortment of breakfast foods compared to the others in the area. Their sausages are better than the other delis as well.
Specials:
Ok I have to admit, «the Alice» sandwich at a certain deli is pretty amazeballs but this same deli scores very low in the other categories above… especially the fries… YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!! Monroe Grill has DAILY specials that are sometimes korean food which, lets be honest, you really cant go wrong with. Their curry special is probably my favorite.

I could give this place anything from 2 to 4 stars.
4 stars: one of the few places within walking distance of where I’m working could convince me to bump it up a star. But, the folks behind the counter are friendly, the food is reasonably priced, and my first sandwich was decently tasty, so I could maybe see my way to 4 stars anyway.
2 stars: but then start breaking the sandwich down. The chicken was bone dry. OK, maybe not quite bone dry, assuming bones have almost no moisture at all. But pretty darn close. And I’m not sure about the food prep. Maybe I’ve watched too much «Restaurant Impossible,» but I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t have a tray of cooked chicken just sitting out on the counter. Maybe they were just transferring stuff around in the fridge when I was there, but it definitely made me a little more nervous to chow down on the sandwich.
3 stars: End of the day, I didn’t get sick (at least not yet). The sandwich tasted pretty good, and I’m suspicious that sandwiches may not be their strong suit anyway. I was the only person there (small sample size, granted) getting a sandwich. Everyone else seemed to be going for the special or a salad. I’ll definitely try a few more things to try to find a stronger dish, and I wouldn’t be (too) afraid to get the chicken sandwich again, though I can’t REALLY recommend it.
Bottom Line: Don’t seek it out, but if you are in the area anyway and don’t want to get in your car (or if you are at the Smart Tag place next door and get a sudden hunger pang), it’s not bad. But, come on: Herndon has some great little places to eat and Reston Town Center is 5 minutes away — You can do way better if you get in your car.

Good food, reasonable price, friendly staff, nice location, easy parking.

This is another of the corporate deli places that is near me. Its the one I go to the most, partially because its the closest.
That said, I do think they have some good items on their menu including a good selection of pita items. My favorite is the chicken hummus pita. They fill it up and then toast it for a bit.
They also have a bul go gi platter, nice to have that 5 minutes from my cubicle when I start getting the munchies.
Grace who owns and runs the place is very nice and remembers all the regulars. Their prices are good also.
I do this the Queen’s Deli is probably a little better for regular sandwiches (its a whole ten minute for me though :). And I like «Corporate Deli» for their teriyaki wrap.
When a group of us go out though, we get in the car and go to Thai Luang, Angeethi, or other places for truly tasty grub.