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Halal Guys

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Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Mediocre chain shawarma; it'll do in a pinch but if you have access to any local shawarma restaurants, buy there instead. Mostly famous because rich actors got paid to eat there in a comic book movie.
 
I had both the halal guys cart and halal guys restaurant food. The cart beats it.

Oh and the ass destroying red lavasauce is soo worth it.
 

jon bones

hot hot hanuman-on-man action
I'll stick with the food trucks in NYC but yeah they are pretty delicious. Since you happen to be in NJ checkout Mamoun's Falafel in Hoboken.

my man

Mediocre chain shawarma; it'll do in a pinch but if you have access to any local shawarma restaurants, buy there instead. Mostly famous because rich actors got paid to eat there in a comic book movie.

The Avengers didn't eat at Halal Guys...
 
Mediocre chain shawarma; it'll do in a pinch but if you have access to any local shawarma restaurants, buy there instead. Mostly famous because rich actors got paid to eat there in a comic book movie.
I mean, it was a series of carts with thousands of 4-5 star reviews on Yelp long before the Avengers. NYC institution for decades. Their first storefront opened in mid-2014, two years after The Avengers.
 

orochi91

Member
You want shawarma, you go to Mamouns. Not a cart.

I need to go to Mamoun's...

Been hearing about this place for a while, but unfortunately they don't have any locations here in Canada/Ontario.

I feel it would be super irresponsible of me to drive out to NY/NJ just for shawarma, lol
 
They opened up in Las Vegas recently (~2 miles off the strip in chinatown) and I tried it a few months back, wasn't that impressed. Meat was decent but nothing special, there are 3-4 different local med/greek places that serve a lot tastier shawarmas and gyros. There's a local place I go to, Stephanos, where the meat seems to be rotated on that thing a LOT longer and they put a better rub on it, to the point where I could devour a plate of just the meat due to how juicy, rich, and flavorful it is. Halal Guys wasn't even close.

The rice was pretty good, the best thing I liked was their really spicy sauce. Holy shit, that was LEGIT hot, like sweat on your forehead within seconds hot. I eat extremely spicy food and the halal sauce was right on the verge of never again for me. Loved it.

I guess its like in n out, when you want consistency no matter where you go its pretty decent but yeah I wouldn't go back in my local area.
 

dallow_bg

nods at old men
More of these opening in Dallas area.
Anyone know of a good alternative in DFW? Preferably North Dallas to Frisco area?
 
Not sure how their NYC location is but their other locations are kinda abysmal. the Houston and California locations taste watered down and there's better halal carts even just on my campus (UC Davis).
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
Mediocre chain shawarma; it'll do in a pinch but if you have access to any local shawarma restaurants, buy there instead. Mostly famous because rich actors got paid to eat there in a comic book movie.

they werent eating at halal guys and i wouldnt call it shawarma either.

the halal guys mixed gyro plates are different than your traditional shawrmas. The chicken and lamb over rice is like a mix of arab and pakstani/indian cuisine. it was initially created for pakistani cab drivers who probably wanted the meat and rice combo to taste more paki/indian than arab.

A lot of other gyro carts basically serve chicken tikka and lamb tikka over rice, and taste better because of that.

EDIT: There are no halal carts in Ohio and Halal Guys hasnt expanded to Ohio yet, so my only option is a local pakistani chain that makes a killer mixed gyro. Had Halal Guys in LA Korea Town a couple of months ago. it was $10 dollars which is fucking ridiculous, but while i wouldn't call it my favorite gyro, it tastes uniquely different and still delicious. I accidentally asked for two lines of hot sauce and that nearly killed me.
 
I've been waiting over a year for one to open up near my university. It's on the street where I work too so it'd be the perfect lunch. Still waiting though...
 
I like eating shawarma here in the U.K. as much as the next guy (not sure how it is vs US) but there's nothing like eating it from the ME in my experience.

Yeh I get you. Who cares if it suffers in pain for the last moments of it's life. Nice one.

Don't want to get too OT, but please, that's not what I said at all. I was specifically referring to the part where you said "you know..." like, what else are they going to do to the animal? Give it a gold star? XD

If you were implying it about the meat being 'halal', well I can tell you that Islamically, like Kosher, the animal should not suffer at all before it's killed. There are many rules e.g. Animals shouldn't be killed in prescence of other animals, shouldn't see object of slaughtered, should be fed before they are killed. And this list isn't exhaustive at all.

Now compare that rationale to the meat industry in the US...you're in for one nasty surprise mate :p
 
they werent eating at halal guys and i wouldnt call it shawarma either.

the halal guys mixed gyro plates are different than your traditional shawrmas. The chicken and lamb over rice is like a mix of arab and pakstani/indian cuisine. it was initially created for pakistani cab drivers who probably wanted the meat and rice combo to taste more paki/indian than arab.

A lot of other gyro carts basically serve chicken tikka and lamb tikka over rice, and taste better because of that.
This man knows whats up.

I was surprised to read people thinking Halal Guys is shawerma. Its just chicken and gyro platter over rice. It's cab driver's dream food.
 

Razorskin

----- ------
Had it in Montreal, wouldn't know how it is in New York, but over here it was nothing special compared to the other shawarma restaurants and was more expensive.
 
How much for that platter?

931d4eaa740f0f7aba5eea9661841456.jpg
 
I think I ate at a Food Truck in Boston last year. The name sounds familiar.

It was really, really good. And we needed it badly after wandering around Boston the entire morning, and touring Harvard (where the food truck was)
 
They opened one of these across the street from my office in LA.

It had a HUGE line for the first month, every day at lunch. Eventually people started going other places again, but it still remained pretty busy.

I would eat there 2-3 times a week, I liked it, a little expensive, but not too bad.
 
Halal Guys is great but they used to be much better before they expanded. The meat slices were chunkier.

That said, I think my favorite chicken and rice spot in NY is the King of Falafel in Astoria. Its glorious.
 

rpmurphy

Member
Anyone try the new Atlanta location? I think reviews on Yelp were mixed but I already those with a grain of salt. Baraka shawarma in Stone Mountain (I think they have an ATL location too) has some of the best shawarma I've had since living in NYC.
It's alright. They opted for beef and chicken here, and the beef tastes rather dry and the bang-for-your-buck isn't as good as compared to the 53rd and 6th location in Manhattan. I still go there for late night food though. Their spicy sauce is hell on earth and it's nice (you can ask for packets of them).
 

Zabka

Member
Halal Guys is great but they used to be much better before they expanded. The meat slices were chunkier.

That said, I think my favorite chicken and rice spot in NY is the King of Falafel in Astoria. Its glorious.

I hit their Ditmars truck a couple times a week, sometimes just for a sack of falafel to go with dinner. It's so good.
 

Amagon

Member
They reduced the portion a few months ago and stopped seasoning the rice as well now...
Use to be my main takeout place of choice...
Really?!?! I hadn't been there in a while but I guess I need to find out if that is the case.

*unbuckles belt*
 

andycapps

Member
that kebabs are classy exotic nosh in america always takes a moment to adjust to.
Who in this thread has said that "kebabs" are classy, exotic nosh in America? It's definitely food for the common man. Inexpensive, filling, decent tasting.
 
one opened up in merrifield va in the mosaic district. it's aight. i could definitely see it being good drunk food but i don't feel any desire to go back and try it again
 

Winters

Banned
It wouldn't be Halal if they stun the animal, so no they don't.

Kosher food is also similar just that they don't say a prayer as they cut the animal's throat.

Yeh 'shrugs' I know. But when I think how far humanity has come with the likes of climate change awareness, moving towards further equality and multiculturalism.....such out of date barbaric medieval like traits should be finally put to bed.

Of course I believe everyone has the right to express themselves whether that is with religion or not - it makes us a richer society for it. But when animals are involved I have to take a hard stance on this.

I hope you and others understand my views on this.


*BTW I am not Ricky Gervais
 

Dali

Member
Funny you should make this thread. One literally had their grand opening the other day where I live.
 

rackham

Banned
Go there a few times a month. I live like 20 min away. Their spicy sauce is awesome. Can ruin your plate if you put too much. Love taking newcomers there though.

Feel bad for anyone who hasn't been to NYC
 
Really?!?! I hadn't been there in a while but I guess I need to find out if that is the case.

*unbuckles belt*

They use to serve the gyro platters on the larger, wider plates on the left. Which is enough food for 3 people.
https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kabab-paradise-lake-hiawatha?select=ITyAOEhlcX8SPrAXO-KSQw

Now, they use the smaller plates that are on the right, which is just about enough for 2.
Supposedly this is how they've been serving it at the South Boundbrook location all along.

Meat is greasier and the rice is not as well seasoned now.
The only upside is that is is now 7 meat: 3 rice, which I guess is a good thing if you prefer more meat.

You probably can't tell if you only go once in awhile, but it's been pretty jarring for those of us that get food from them 2-3 times a month.
 
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