- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Azuri Cafe
Category: Restaurants Middle Eastern Middle Eastern [Edit]
465 W 51st St(between 9th Ave & 10th Ave)
New York, NY 10019
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
(212) 262-2920
- Nearest Transit:
-
50 St (A, C, E)
50 St (1, 2)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 am - 9 pm
Fri, Sun 10:30 am - 4 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
The Hummus & Pita Co. is a new fast-casual restaurant serving up 100% homemade, fresh and healthy cuisine in an inviting, contemporary environment.… read more »
116 reviews for Azuri Cafe
Review Highlights
-
"We come here every week for falafel Friday." In 72 reviews -
"Cozy la cucaracha colony with excellent Israeli food." In 5 reviews -
"and ezra has always been very sweet every time i've gone." In 13 reviews
Loading...
116 reviews in English
-
Review from Jeff O.
4/29/2012
I will be a regular here.
The tables are very limited, so it will be difficult to eat here every time I want to. Drink options are expensive, but food is reasonable. My stomach will be operating better thanks to Azuri. -
Review from John Y.
Manhattan, NY
3/20/2012
Bummer. I heard so much good stuff, but when I called for delivery, the guy was such an A-hole on the phone.
I told him that I wanted a falafel/chicken wrap, witha side order of falafel and diet coke, and he said "Nah, nah, nah....man the ORDER IS TOO SMALL!" and hung up on me.
You can't make this stuff up. -
Review from Cheryl P.
1/17/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I found this place through the Midtown Food on Foot Tour.
We split the falafel pita, which was SO SO SO orgasmically good. I guarantee that you won't want to have sex with your significant other if you had the chance to eat a falafel pita. It's 7.07 I think. I think the price is a bit steep, but once you eat it, you won't question. It's filled with pickled stuff and stuff and some more stuff - you have no idea what you're really eating, but every bite is just so perfect.
We loved it so much that we came back the next day to try their chicken shawarma platter, which is chicken shawarma with mixed greens and hummus and pickled stuff and stuff - you know...the stuff. Oh my god. Every bite was heavenly. Don't tell the bf, but I was trying to eat more than he was. This platter filled us both up and we left sooo happy. We also got one of their jelly filled donuts, which had a different texture than regular donuts, but also sooooo good.
Mmm...damn I wish I could have just one more bite now. -
Review from Rachel A.
Boulder, CO
5/20/2012
Best falafel in New York, full stop.
Some people are intimidated by the owner who is, admittedly, a little rough around the edges. I actually like him and have had several good interactions with him. (He remembered me as someone who used to come into his store all the time when I was visiting after having moved to Colorado three years ago.)
Still, I fully believe that even if you're intimated by the owner, this place is 100% worth it. Brace yourself, if need be, and then go eat amazing, delicious, freshly-made falafel in homemade pitas with tangy salads, and enjoy. -
Review from Robert L.
Manhattan, NY
5/13/2012
Always good. Yum.
-
Review from The W.
Cherry Hill, NJ
5/25/2012
Now, let's get on thing squared away from the jump. Ezra, the owner and the main guy making your food is cra-cra. He will insult you readily and make you smile easily. He is too many things. Rude as he wants to be all day, every day if he feels like it. I'm a female and he congratulated me on my pregnancy. WTF! Pregnancy? My stomach is not that big - I've got a muffin top Ezra, not a poundcake! And when I pointed this out to Ezra he asked me "if I was sure" that I wasn't pregnant! He is, like I said, rude and cra-cra (crazy). After I assured him that I wasn't with child, EACH time I came in to eat there, Ezra would stare at my stomach region as if to say without saying with his eyes "You LOOK pregnant!" such a hot mess he is - so brace yourself. However, the food is AMAZING, fresh, aromatic, zetsy and flavorful. You will not be angry about the price because at first bite you will KNOW that it's worth every penny spent. But, Ezra may pluck out your last nerve but, oh my dears is it ever worth it to eat this cra-cra man's food!
-
Review from Adam R.
12/21/2011
My impression was that Azuri is a lunch place that happens to be open late enough for dinner. That's what my shwarma tasted like at least. The spit was close to being finished, and I was hoping that the last bits would have benefited from a nice slow cooking throughout the day and be extra juicy. Instead, it was extra dry. Decent flavor though, and I bet it was better at lunch.
The falafel, which a lot of people seem to be in love with was merely "okay". This also could have been due to the fact that they were eaten at dinner time, but I'm less positive about it. The various salads that were served on the falafel platter were pretty solid though. Extra props to the tabouli and grape leaves.
And a note on the owner, he's not mean. He's just curt, and to the point. There's nothing wrong with this, and in a lot of ways it's better than the person who is all fake smiles but secretly hates the job. -
Review from Andy G.
New York, NY
3/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Azuri is a madman when it comes to his craft. Maybe the nicest old jewish dude i've met in the city so far. Even made me some special honey ginger tea!! don't know what bit him that day, so that he'd be nice to me... Ah, well I WAS wearing my sexy pants...
-
Review from Alexandra P.
Manhattan, NY
1/10/2012
If there ever was a Falafel version of the Soup Nazi, this guy is it. He is really not a happy camper and isn't afraid to show it, but he does make one tasty Falafel!
Unlike the others in town, his are flattened instead of the traditional large crouguette size which makes them extra crunchy. The Falafels themselves, and the salads and spreads have a really nice citrus tang to them as well. It's a good value overall - especially if you get the platter since even the small is a lot of food!
Also in terms of eating there, don't expect much in terms of ambiance, comfort or service. Still, definitely worth it for the delicious Falafel. -
Review from Nando C.
Manhattan, NY
4/12/2012
Decided to try it, because this is the closest place to my job for a falafel fix. Place was empty when I arrived. Waited about 15 min for an order of falafel on pita and fries. Way too long to wait for takeout lunch in midtown. Falafel was average, tasted better falafel at other places in NYC. Not sure, what all the hoopla is about this place. Won't be returning. Falafel is mediocre, at best.
-
Review from Mark H.
West Lafayette, IN
1/1/2012
What an excellent place for a Falafel Pita!!! We ordered an appetizer (Boreca - Meat Pie) which was ok.
Our entrees were the falafel pita n salad combo pita. The falafel one was by far the more superior. Also tried out the fruit drinks in the fridge which were soooo good.
Heard good things about the split pea soup n the mint drinks too.
Ezra may look grumpy but don't let his looks deceive u. He was really nice n we spent a good 15 min after our meal just chatting.
The super long trek from 5th to the 10th was for sure worth it. Would definitely eat here again! -
Review from Mark P.
East Hanover, NJ
8/16/2011
The GOOD: it's cheap and the falafel pita sandwiches are very very good, possibly the best i've ever had.
The BAD: everything else. As others have already posted, the owner (Ezra?) is a jerk with no regard for sanitation. He'll be outside on a smoke break while you wait and are not served, then come back in, NOT WASH his hands, put the exact same glove (yes, singular... his other dirty hand does in fact also touch your food, please watch for yourself when there) that he had on prior to his outdoor smoke break, then after making your pita, if the phone rings, rather than take your payment he'll leave you standing there for 2-3minutes while he talks on the phone before getting around to you when it's convenient for him. Think he washes his hands or puts on a new glove after handling your money? Again, I'll let you guys guess and see for yourselves.
OVERALL: just have the expectation that you're getting street-meat-cart prices, above street-meat quality and taste, but on par with street-meat sanitation. -
Review from Slowsteady S.
Plano, TX
4/2/2012
I hate falafels, i repeat, i don't eat falafels until i ate the falafel here!! It is very very good. It's so flavourful with all the spices in it. Each bite gets better and better, it somehow grows on you. It's moist and you wouldn't guess you're eating something made out of chickpeas. They blend it so well it just taste like a piece of a really good patty mediteranean style!
-
Review from Albert C.
Fremont, CA
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has character. You walk in, order and sit your ass down. It's small, rather cramped, but clean and if the chef (who's maybe 5 feet away) overhears you mouthing off about something restaurant related, can simply reach over the table and smack your dirty mouth.
For appetizers, I tired the potato and spinach (knish type foods). I think it's called a Spinach Burackas. Light, yet tasty with a slight crust, neither too dry nor too crumbly.
You can't go wrong with the Falafel Pita (unless you dislike vegetables). Unlike the standard Greek falafel, this has a spin with some different vegetables and sauces, making a strikingly different but great combination. They say California has the happiest cows. I say that Azuri has some of the happiest falafels. -
Review from Aaron R.
Hewlett, NY
2/17/2012
Stopped into Azuri Cafe in between getting our tickets for the Daily Show and the show starting. The restaurant is small, maybe six tables and 2 staff members. They serve a very good falafel, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The bread was fresh along with all the salads, which were provided in generous helpings. My only complaint is that there is no spicy sauce to add to the falafels. Definitely worth a stop.
-
Review from susan n.
East Rutherford, NJ
12/26/2011
I finally got the energy to hike down to 10th Avenue to try Azuri's famous falafel.
It was worth the hike and worth the numerous solicitations along the way!
$12.89 for a falafel and a chicken matza soup is about $2.89 more than I wanted to spend. But the food is good, and I would recommend it.
Don't expect friendly service at this hole in the wall, but expect good falafels.
The taboulleh is amazing, and really highlights the falafel pita. The falafel itself is a green small, flat-ish disc...flavorful, and not dry. Great toppings are piled up carefully. The soup is also flavorful and should be tried. Chicken, carrots and spices in a flavorful broth, with one matza dumpling.
Moshes falafel is bigger, but this is tastier. -
Review from Sasha B.
12/21/2011
Best falafel north of 14th st. It rivals mahmouns
-
Review from Steve M.
5/2/2011
Easily the best falafel I've ever had in my life, even after having visited Egypt and Israel. These pita sandwiches aren't like the average run-of-the-mill (translate "crappy") falafels you get at the street fairs. There is so much parsley in these perfect golden-brown disks that they are actually green inside. The taste is wonderful though and the balance of flavor between the chick peas and the spices is perfect.
Also, these falafels aren't your everyday sprout, onion and tomato ones. They are full of a myriad of pickles, vegetables and sauce like none I'm sure you've ever tasted anywhere else. The best part though is the pita itself. Rather than those hard little mini manhole covers you get at most places, these pitas are fresh fluffy flavorful little loaves, sliced open to be filled with Azuri's goodness.
Ezra the owner/counterman is indeed a dour individual - unless you happen to be female, then he's all smiles! If you're male, he isn't exactly disagreeable, just not over brimming with enthusiastic joy. It helps to just not be a jerk while in there. Then you'll be okay. I actually even got him to smile and act happy once when I ordered a platter to stay, and not only did I finish it, I wiped the plate clean with my pita! He even patted me on the back!
The place itself is about as big as a large walk-in closet, so I usually just get stuff to go then grab a cheap beer at the deli across 51st St. There is a housing project across 10th Ave with benches where you can sit and eat. Just make sure you clean up your mess - people live there!Listed in: Table for One, Eats for Out-of-Towners
-
Review from Mary S.
7/13/2011
Azuri serves up pretty damn good falafels (and I'm not even a big fan) I was quite impressed by the flavors and yummy pita. It's stuffed with pickled veggies, hot sauce and the oh-so- addicting tahini-sauce.
Be sure to have your cash ready and let them know if you want to sit or go b/c they will give you an attitude. (a bit like the Soup Nazi...only of Falafels.) -
Review from Allison C.
New York, NY
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Add this to one of my new cute, cozy, home - down, hole - in - the - wall food places in NYC.
Tucked into one small storefront just to the east of 10th Avenue, you wouldn't know this place existed unless you were specifically headed there. Upon entering, you have your choice of three small tables to sit at. Ordering to stay, my friend (who is a regular and greeted the staff by their names, and vice versa) and I got two falafel sandwiches in about seven minutes. Yes, seven. Yes, we were the only customers, but when you see what you get, you understand the wait.
The sandwich was filled with freshly - cooked falafel, homemade tabouli with fresh mint, veggies, a hot sauce (which I did not enjoy, but to each their own), and...pickles! I was not expecting the pickles, as I am not a fan in general, but my friend said if I was going to eat the sandwich, I had to eat it with the pickles. The ones I plucked I put back in, and yes, it was quite tasty.
I've had better falafel sandwiches in general...or at least ones that were more to my liking overall in terms of other ingredients, but I know were to get my fix the next time I'm in Hell's Kitchen. -
Review from Nick W.
Santa Monica, CA
2/4/2012
Great place. I note that it is small so prepare to eat on the go or take-out.
The food was fantastic and the portions were a good size for a 'cafe' style restaurant. -
Review from howard T.
Brooklyn, NY
1/14/2012
This is hands down the best Israeli style middle eastern food in NYC,
The owner Ezra is a gruff character but its worth the gruffness to get that food, everything is delicious and most everything is made to order,
I've had the kubea, a hot pocket of cracked heat with a deliciously spiced mixture of cabbage and chopped meat,
The stuffed grape leaves, fresh moist, perfectly seasoned,
The boreca, or spinach pie, hot crusty and fresh with soft melting cheese,
I've hand the lentil soup, lemony, with a hint of sumac, and zatar spice,
the chicken matzo ball, clear broth and a light as air matzo ball,
the Shawarma, moist, crispy perfectly flavored and garlicky
the beef kafta kebab, delicious, crunchy flavorfully spiced,
Falafel, hot crunchy, delicious, with a strong note of cumin,
Hummus, garlicky, lemony, perfectly balanced,
Babaganosh, roasty, smokey, flavorful, with a good valance of tahini,
but the best thing about Azuri is the Mezza or mixed salads you get along with the platters to eat with your falafel or hummus, there are spicy salads, mixed pickles, roasted vegetables, so many different tastes and bites the enhance the flavors of the falafel or babaganosh or hummus to a whole new level, its for lack of a better word fantastic. I could eat a large falafel hummus combination plate every day and did for a while when I worked in the area, it was just that good. Oh and some of the best freshest pita bread i've ever eaten.
Ezra is a very religious person so he close early on Friday and is closed Saturdays, the restaurant is a little crowded to get a wheelchair in, but we waited and some space opened up, the bathroom however is not handicapped accessible. -
Review from Daryll H.
New York, NY
5/25/2011
Ordered the large falafel plate. The owner filled a pretty big tupperware tub with a little bit of each thing they had, with a clear place in the bowl for each thing to live. Topped off with 3 small falafel patties and a pretty thick pita.
Lots of good, different flavors, and just enough of everything to give you a nice mouthful. I would've liked a couple more falafels for the money ($13) but it was a good, satisfying dinner.
Will check out the falafel sandwich next time. -
Review from Katy S.
7/4/2011
The food here was fabulous! I ate a Shwarma Gyros that was fresh and delicious. The owner was very friendly and wanted nothing more than for us to enjoy our meal. She explained how all of the meat is marinated and cooked in fruit rather than oil, the pitas are whole wheat, etc. She was focused on providing healthy and delicious food for her customers.
It is a hole in the wall joint that is inexpensive and satisfying. A great find! -
Review from A S.
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Falafel was just an ok in my opinion, having travelled extensively in the Middle East and also Edgware Road in London.
Visited the restaurant whilst on vacation in NY on the "Food Tour" -
Review from Franny A.
3/3/2011
A small Israeli restaurant with a point of view. Israel is a small country and so is this little restaurant. The displayed food looks very appealing.
Falafel, schwarma and the like though the veggie selection is pretty varied.
Ordered: veggie sandwich
Beans, hummus, many veggies and several different sauces on a dry, whole wheat pita(no choice offered). The filling was super tasty and the owner was notably gruff. $7 which was a healthy lunch takeout deal. -
Review from Sean H.
South Plainfield, NJ
2/6/2011
The food looked delicious. I say looked because after waiting and waiting and waiting some more I left hungry.
It's a hole in the wall with what looks to be excellent and fresh ingredients for the fare. I decided to head there for lunch.
This place looks quite popular as there was a line out the door and down the side. I waited near the front of the line for about 20 minutes while the owner talked on the phone and his workers walked up and down talking to regulars and taking their orders first.
After getting closer to the front, the owner looks at those of us near the front and says angrily "YOU WILL ALL HAVE TO WAIT!!!"
No kidding asshole. We waited 20 minutes for you to tell us to have to wait some more. I don't think your falafels are worth all that.
Service fail. Wont be spending my $$ there. -
Review from Jenn C.
11/4/2010
This "cafe" looks like a bodega, with one table jammed up against the display case of salads, and maybe another table or two in the back, so it's not very good for sitting.
There's an art to putting the falafel sandwich together- the proprietor opens up the pita and puts a little of this condiment, a little of this salad, a little of this, a falafel ball, more salad, hummus - this ritual goes on until your pita is stuffed with goodness.
Shortly after, you will shove the goodness into your mouth (pause that) and be content with the melding of all the meticulously placed salads, condiments, and falafel balls. Get yourself an Israeli fruit nectar drink thing and some hummus and you have yourself a meal.
If you're lucky (like me!) the guy will not be mean to you; I dont know why everyone says he's so cranky.
I'm actually taking a star off for speed (turtle paced, I think I might have to ) lack of ambiance and because for the neighborhood, it's slightly expensive.Listed in: Hell's Kitchen Lunch
-
Review from Paul B.
12/20/2010
Maybe today was an off day (sunday afternoon)? Got the large falafel platter. It came with three small flat oily and cold pieces of falafel that were just terrible. The bread was stale. The veggies were slimy. Can I reiterate that the falafel was cold? When did they make those little depressing discs of failure?
I want to give them another shot since my experience was so different than the other reviews. But was this horrible food really $13?
This sucks. I'm so bummed right now. -
Review from Garrett P.
Queens, NY
12/1/2010
Listen, I'm no pussy, but I can't bring myself to say anything to the guy behind the counter even though every time he rings me up I'm fairly certain I'm being overcharged.
Actually, he's like 65, so I guess I am a pussy.
Hands down the best falafel around though, and I would say it handily beats Taim's, though Taim trumps this spot if you just have to be able to pick from more than one type of falafel, for whatever reason that is. Also, I love stringing a sentence along with commas. Just saying. -
Review from Anthony A.
Brooklyn, NY
6/13/2011
As far as the falafel itself goes, I think I prefer Moshe's cart (slightly), but Cafe Azuri's falafel sandwich is, on the whole, a better, more feasibly edible item.
The falafel itself is quite good, but it's the freshness of the salad/toppings and the hearty, homemade wheat pita that they serve it on that really make the sandwich outstanding. Their hummus holds the whole thing together nicely, and I was able to eat it while walking without having it explode into stray cat food.
That said, it's on the pricey side for falafel (tax puts the sandwich over $7), and will likely remain a one-and-a-while joint for yours truly. -
Review from Maile O.
Manhattan, NY
2/26/2012
Azuri's is as good as it gets in NYC for falafels and all of the FRESH middle eastern small salads!!! I have been eating here for 15 years and Ezra always makes the most DELICIOUS food! Thanks, Azuri!
-
Review from miranda h.
Locust Valley, NY
8/14/2011
I haven't been here since my camel days, but if it's anything like it was a few years ago it is truly off the heeze. Everything I have ordered from this place was fresh, delicious, and naturally prepared. They are Glatt Kosher so don't show up on a Saturday otherwise you'll be forced to sleep outside or go elsewhere and come back. I wish there were more tables outside for seating. The only possible downside is the owner: and older Moroccan fellow who can be a tad gruff from time to time. I've seen him bark at a customer before although I can assure you that the person was a condescending asswipe.
-
Review from Tam N.
New York, NY
10/18/2007 ROTD 4/21/2008
Cozy la cucaracha colony with excellent Israeli food. Greg T. and I stopped by on our way to Terminal 5 to sample their abridged offerings.
Falafel are 4.5-stars. Five stars for their perfectly crisp exterior and perfectly moist interior. Four stars for their (mostly parsley) flavor. (Azuri's kosher falafel are second only to Holy Land's in Berkeley, CA - the latter's falafel flavors are more pleasingly complex.)
Platter pickles are also 4.5-stars: five for flavor, four for texture. Some of the pickles lack crispness, but that speaks more to my preferences than to their ability.
Chicken schwarma is tasty enough but dry (3-stars). Sambusak (savory meat pastry) is also okay, but it's the falafel plate that shines brightly here.
Baklava (3-stars) is more dense than flaky -- chock full of minced nuts and seasoned delicately with rosewater.
The owner, Ezra Cohen, is not at all unfriendly. Likely, it's the assertive eyebrows and the inelegant turns of phrase that make for this undeserved reputation. Let's just say your papa is stern like mine. If true, Mr. Cohen's terse affections will seem familiar, perhaps even lovable, by comparison.
Our interaction with him went something like this:
EC: "So you finish everything on plate!"
Me: "It was delicious!"
EC: "Yes. Delicious. I know. My delicious food, it make you hungry."
EC: "... So you like?"
Me: "Yes! Oh, it was soooo good ..."
EC [shrug]: "I know. I know. Already, I know." -
Review from David L.
5/21/2009
A friend and I went here tonight for dinner before a concert... Was it worth $30 (including tax and tip) for a falafel platter and a chicken shwarma platter? Absolutely no way Jose.
I've been previously, a couple of times, but only got sandwiches -- which come fully-loaded and aren't that expensive, for the usual freshness and quality of ingredients it's definitely worthwhile.
But tonight we got platters... The falafel platter had exactly three falafel balls -- the same amount as a falafel sandwich, only the platter costs twice as much and all you get in return is a little more salad... Same situation with meat on the chicken (which, today, was little more than over-cooked chicken thigh meat) shwarma platter.
I feel that the service is unnecessarily brusque and unavailable -- one guy doesn't speak any English, the other guy refuses to acknowledge you but instead points you to the owner, and the owner is standing there with a frown on his face the whole time... And they're very stingy with the ingredients: I asked four times "may I please have some hot sauce?" before he finally responded "it's on the salad." I asked for some more, and he said "you have enough." I didn't taste ANY... I asked if for two platters we could possibly please get more than only two pitas (most places give you two pitas per platter) and he said "you have enough..." I asked for water five times, which took 15 minutes to arrive, drank it then asked for more, he honestly said "I just gave you some."
I'm not going to accuse him of racism, but when a couple came in and, at first speaking English (saying, I overheard, "this is our first time here") then started speaking Hebrew, he immediately picked up their chairs and table then moved them outside... at the end of their meal he brought them dessert and gestured the Universal "it's on me, please, take it." It's not like they were regular customers, and they only ordered a couple small things -- why did they get far superior, preferential treatment?
For these prices you could go to a restaurant -- which gives you water and napkins and plates (rather than metal take-out containers) and has a functional bathroom and air-conditioning and leg-room and service with a smile... The food is good, which is why I'm giving it an A-OK, but I recommend you either stick to ordering sandwiches or just get take-out... Or maybe if you're wearing a yarmulke you'll get treated better.
Upon arrival my intention was to give 5 stars... But I left feeling otherwise. -
Review from Sarah G.
1/2/2008
I guess I must be very spoiled when it comes to Middle Eastern food.
I am originally from Michigan where there is a middle eastern restaurant on every corner (thats a little exaggeration ... but not much).
After reading the reviews I was very excited to grab some food from here. It was a freezing night...but we bundled up and made the walk over to Azuri.
We both ordered the chicken shawarma plate. It included a salad, rice, some hummus, a few pickles and other random things. It was ok. The chicken was pretty dry and the all the extra things that came on the plant were really nothing special. In addition...the price was pretty high for what we got. For 2 plates we paid about 33 bucks.
I really have nothing much to say about the place...it was nothing out of the ordinary and even though I love middle eastern food...I will most likely not return.
Just not worth the walk... -
Review from funda k.
Manhattan, NY
10/11/2007
I like calling it the Grumpy Falafel, not because the owner actually was a grump while I was there, but he always seems agitated at something, well, who can blame him?
The best falafel by far. The place is small, and not the most comfortable dining hall or anything, but the food tastes excellent. And it's easy on the budget, especially compared to what's around it. The garnish they put in their sandwiches taste good. Everything tastes good. It makes Oasis seem worse and worse. -
Review from Bess W.
Philadelphia, PA
7/10/2006
I went here on a Yelp suggestion (thanks Steve M!) when I was nearby. A bit of a hike to 10th ave on a hot day in heels.. then to deal with extremely brusque, grouchy owner who grunted between cigarette draws (inside).. but above all, it takes a LOT for me to approve of felafel that costs $5. But it's worth it. smoky, crunchy, and interlayered with a diverse mix of sauces and veggies.. not just iceberg and chunks of tomato like some places. Good thick israeli pita, too, though it wouldn't kill them to heat it up.
Still, I concur with others-- best felafel I have had in a long time, possibly ever. -
Review from Diana B.
New York, NY
11/15/2005
Agree re the owner/cook, but he can be nice, if you speak to him nicely. Who knows what he's been through?
The food is great, the atmosphere nil, the place very small. I saw a lot of takeout customers, but I don' live in the nabe, so ate in.
Kosher, too (meat). Particulartly good fried fish. -
Review from Pria P.
New York, NY
9/18/2008
Good falafel, but nothing mindblowing- definitely not worth the hike from the E. Vill. to HK.
I got the veggie small plate, which included a variety of salads: 2 types of cabbage, tabouli, fava beans, eggplant, pickles and cucumber/tomato, in addition to hummus/baba ganoush/falafel (sounds like a lot, but they came in very small quantities). The eggplant was not fresh, but I also went late in the day. Everyone who worked there spoke Spanish- not what I was expecting. But the falafel had really good flavor- good enough to eat solo, without sauce or hummus.
The prices were also not what I was expecting for this little hole in the wall: my plate cost $10. I'll stick to my $2.50 Mamouns falafel, thank you very much.
