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Chickpea
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
23rd St-6th Ave (F, V)
23rd Street (PATH)
23rd St-7th Ave (1)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- None
24 reviews for Chickpea
Chickpea is a great place to grab a quick lunch if you want something a little different for a good price.
For people who said they didn't get enough food, you should try getting the Salad option next time. It comes with a whole pita (so you could make your own pita sandwich and still have left over food). I loaded up my salad with all sorts of stuff, but it still came out to less than $8 (costs the same as the sandwich).
I recommend the Shawafel Salad because it's a combination of Falafel and Chicken Shawarma. The didn't skimp on the toppings, and honestly, my salad is pretty darn filling with all this stuff in it.
Here is the deal: I have avoided Chickpea for years because there always seem to be better options. But the night I decided to try them I had little choice as far as falafel goes. So I accepted that I would deal with this place.
And let me add, I've been eating falafel in NYC for years. I've had bad falafel at times, but nothing as bland and tasteless as what passes for falafel at this place. Holy crap! I even asked for hot peppers and hot sauce and it still tasted wretched. Not anything that will get you sick, but something so bland you'll wonder if you landed in the food court of a mall.
Absolutely never again. They are slick on store design and presentation, but past that, the product is a disappointment at best. I think a plain salad from McDonalds would have tasted better.
The BREAKDOWN:
+0 stars for taste
+1 star for health
+1 star for fast delivery
=2 stars
The GOOD: Super healthy. The falafel was baked. The veggies were fresh and plentiful. They offered whole wheat pita option. Fast delivery and reasonable prices.
The BAD: Falafel tastes way better fried. And seasoned. And not grainy like Chickpea's version. Pita bread was cold rendering my sandwich almost completely unpalatable. Baklava was dry.
The UGLY: Hummus that tasted like egg yolks. Oh eww.
As much as I value my health, I think that I can get equally healthy but far tastier food. Never again, Chickpea. Never again.
There are many good hole-in-the-wall places in the neighborhood that are far better (and cheaper) than this joint.
If you've met me, you know I have very low brow taste. Some might even say I'm tasteless. Tomato, tah-mah-toe. If you haven't met me, here's a little crash course 101: The only people who send me mail are Sallie Mae and Domino's. I really like watching young girls cry on nationally televised reality competitions. I've eaten at Wendy's for dinner. Alone. On multiple occasions. I will drink your backwash, dollar beer to get drunk.
Obviously you won't find me discussing theories of Deconstruction in the south of France while listening to Mozart or some shiz. Look, I can't even PRETEND to be pretentious.
So you'd think I wouldn't have a problem with Chickpea, but boy do I. I tried it for lunch since I work around this terrible-strip-for-food section of 6th Ave. I clearly should have saved my money and given it to the falafel cart right outside my building.
It's just bland. Each style of hummus is flavorless. I've tasted better falafel in my college dining hall*. And again, the prices are cray-cray. Charge me for crappy food, but please don't charge my dignity, which hasn't resurfaced since 1990.
The hummus plate is laughable in its serving size. The pocket is a Sad Sally. You just can't visit these terrible falafel chains and expect anything good. My favorite places for falafel have always been sketchy holes-in-the-walls where they give you a falafel to eat while you order and wait. Now that's high brow: stuffing your face BEFORE stuffing your face. Don't get it twisted.**
__________
* The same dining hall where no one noticed the DEAD MOUSE in the toaster for weeks.
** A quote from a certain reality competition in which young girls cry on national television. Juicy.
I work in flatiron so there are only a few places that i go to for lunch. Chickpea is close and fast and healthy. I always get the chickplant (roasted eggplant and hardboiled egg), since i am not too fond of the falafel's at chickpea. I also get the basil hummus (YUM) or the jalapeno hummus (not spicy at all). I also keep coming back because it is affordable. $6.45 for a chickplant sandwich with tax! can't beat that around this neighborhood.
maybe I'm biased because there aren't a lotta veggie-friendly chains, but I kinda like these guys. They're pretty damn tasty.
I got the basil hummus with chickplant sandwich. Yum. I will definitely be back to try those french fries next time!
If our foreign policy was dictated by where I ate, I'd have bombed the middle east back to stone age for inspiring this chain. It's a jihad on your wallet. Imagine if some American looked at the delicious falafal cart on the corner and said "hey, let's mass produce it, remove all flavor, and charge double?" Voila, you got Chickpea.
I had a shwafal pita pocket thing that ran me $9. I didn't even bother with a drink. I will give them that they have pretty extensive customization options for your order, but all of them lack any real flavor. All I could taste was hummus which was only a small ingredient in my order. "healthy" did not enter my mind in this establishment, which some would point to as a bonus. Ladies, d some calorie counting and you'll see it's going to turn you into a grumblechunks just as fast as anything else.
And yes, you're free to use the term grumblechunks.
Not impressed at all. I had a falafel pocket and it was bag. The falafel itself was cold! When I think Falafel I think hot, straight out of the oil, crunchy, yet soft inside. However they pride themselves on the falafel being baked not fried. I just don't understand that, sure it is healthier, but IT'S FALAFEL! That's like having pizza on lettuce instead of bread. It might make it healthier, but it is not true to the dish and it is a corner that should not be cut. The actual falafel, aside from being cold as I've mentioned, it was not crispy at all and quite soft. Not constant (each one was cooked differently), and not tasty either. Really boring falafel. In the Pita they put the hummus in side first, which makes no sense since all the hummus sits on the bottom of the pita leaving the falafel on top dry and boring. Even the sauce they used had very little flavor. I had the pinenut and basil hummus and I did not enjoy it at all, again BORING. I paid about $6.50 for a terrible falafel. Not recommended at all.
Keep this review short and simple; Chickpea is only okay. You definitely get good wholesome food, with lots of flavor and taste. It is different, creative, and tasty, but (and this is a big but) the regular pita with meat and hummus and all the veggies isn't simply filling enough considering you pay $8. I'm not even that big of an eater, yet I had to buy a 6inch subway nonetheless.
So only go here if the line is short, and you're only mediocrely hungry, oh-and willing to drop $8 to be only half full.
Chickpea,
What happened? You used to be cool. Your first location (now operating under a different name) had some of the tastiest shawarma around, cut and served fresh off the spit. And none of that pressed processed Spam-esque gyro stuff, either, but actual pieces of actual meat, slightly-charred and dripping with fat and oily goodness.
And now - steam trays. I mean, STEAM TRAYS. Seriously. Steam trays are what a public school cafeteria serves "shawarma" in when they've got some past-its-prime London Broil that they want to cover up by sprinkling cumin on it. The $3 roadside pita guys manage to grill their meat, why can't you?
Ma'a salama,
--Michael L.
I struggled between two stars and three because I won't go searching it out but do appreciate it in the sea of this part of town's delis and pizza joints.
I like the customizable pita/hummus/topping/sauce options (though tziki is sadly missed), but I'd prefer fewer options if it meant that each one was packed full of flavor. The flavor gods skipped Chickpea :(
Also, they definitely falls into the "easily a $10 lunch" annoying category that NYC has made so acceptable.
Preface: I'm picky about who's hummus I eat. So I've walked by, grabbed a menu to bring back to the office, and looked in the window at what people were eating... all on different occasions.
I ordered the chicken kebab pocket with original hummus, lettuce, tomato and cucumber on my visit. The dude was basically asking me as he was putting it together because I was clueless to the system of ordering.
$10.51 for my meal and I almost flipped because they charged $2.75 for the Honest Ade Limeade... robbery.
The packaging is adorable... and handy. I appreciate that it's not just thrown in an oversized box to then have it fall apart before you reach your destination.
Right, so the chicken tastes a little burnt. Ok, a lot burnt. That whole "marinated overnight" thing is overkill .. it's chicken for goodness sake. And the pieces are huge.. too huge.
So why 4 stars?? I have high hopes that I will thoroughly enjoy my next visit. I won't get the chicken kebab .. but maybe the shawafel or chicken breast.
I ordered a shawarma on a pita pocket with their original hummus. Price was decent, about $7, and I was first thrown off by their adorable packaging. You open the cardboard box in half and start eating, but then in the first few bites you realize "this is not working" and you end up having to get a plate anyways. Nice idea, but doesn't work!
Their pita was the most disappointing. It was hard and a bit chewy. I think pita should never be like that! Their meat was ok, but there were a lot of burnt parts. Nothing amazing or fantastic about it. And since I've heard that NY has great Mediterranean food so I don't think I'll come back because it just doesn't seem authentic. Kind of like the Taco Bell of mexican food.
I was bored of Chipotle, Qdoba, Lenny's and Rickshaw for lunch, so I walked on down to Chickpea for some delicious Middle Eastern food.
However, what I ended up having was a bland, overpriced pocket of blah.
I order shawafel pocket, which is a shawarma (chicken) mixed with falafel. I had the jalepeno hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, and added some onions and avocado to the mix and was looking forward to enjoying my meal, but not only did it instantly fall apart, the falafel was dry and the chicken not as flavorful as I would have liked, and it wasn't even spicy. And it was like, nine dollars. Not cool.
The restaurant itself was really small, and for some reason, it was constantly cold inside, like there was no heat at all. The glass was extremely foggy, and the seating uncomfortable.
I suppose I would come here again if I get bored with my usuals, but I will certainly order a different dish.
The "have it your way" baton finally got passed to the falafel people after having its sweet and savory way at Chipotle/Qdoba, Pinkberry/Red Mango, and every "cafe" with a tossed salad bar. Frankly, it was about time and if I had more Middle Eastern street cred and a mattress full of money, I SWEAR to tahini that the Chickpea concept would come out of my Chinese ass first. But alas, Chickpea has deeper pockets and now is slowly infecting, I mean, spreading through Manhattan.
Being unemployed, I am a particular fan of the falafel sandwich as they tend to be on the inexpensive side. One in the Village still costs about $2.00, but if you insist on having options, get ready to pay for it.
Walking in and seeing the menu above the falafel bar, it isn't actually very clear on how the chain expects you to order. Basically, ordering a "pocket" means ordering a sandwich made from pita bread. There is an option of white or whole wheat pita but it isn't clearly mentioned on the menu. I didn't get a choice because they were out of whole wheat already (at 1pm no less!) so then it was onto picking what kind of hummus I would like. There was a basil hummus that, being a traditionalist myself, I couldn't bear to look at because it looked like spinach vomit. Hummus should NEVER look that color, plus when did basil become native to the Middle East?! I chose "original" which should be called "classic" or "traditional" hummus because who can really claim their recipe is the original one? RIDIC.
Then I was given a choice on what kind of falafel would I like in my sandwich. One variant had pine nuts and there was at least another kind but again, being a traditionalist, I opted for old skool falafel balls. Mind you, Chickpea does not fry their falafel balls, they are baked. Well as healthy as that is, deep frying the falafel is much more flavorful and has a better crispy texture to it, which was lacking in my sandwich in general. Nonetheless, the falafel balls were delicious.
Then I was given options on what could be added to the sandwich (lettuces, tomatoes, roasted eggplant, avocado, etc.). I love roasted eggplant in falafel sandwiches but it cost a whole dollar extra, likewise with the avocado.
Then they actually gave me the OPTION of tahini sauce, which to me should NOT be one. It is totally essential to the sandwich and the only reason why one should NOT get tahini is if s/he has a fatal allergy to sesame seeds. (It must be FATAL, and not just one of those uncomfortable allergies that causes hives or closes up your windpipes for only a half-hour or so--WIMPS!). "Yes, please" I say for tahini and I'm ready to pay for my lunch. $6.99 for my falafel sandwich. $6.99 for a fucking falafel sandwich! I cursed my laziness for not going to the Village for cheap falafel.
And some other gripes:
1. Mango chutney sauce. It was an option. WTF? This isn't India!
2. No hot sauce. I mean, are they FOR REALZ?!
3. $1.00 extra for avocado and a $1.00 extra for roasted eggplant. That is ridiculous pricing!
3. Annoying chick sitting three streets down from me who was mockingly saying, "Oh poor Anderson Cooper" like some dumb non-sequitor.
4. No hot sauce.
5. No hot Middle Eastern guys working at this locations (that is RACIST!)
6. No hot sauce.
But all-in-all, the sandwich was still yummy. But still, I'd rather eat deep-fried, savory eggplant, hot sauce smothered falafel at the Middle Eastern food cart on Broadway and 39th St. Now that is--unlike your honor--a spot you can't miss.
it's good, it's fresh, it's cheap.
duh, it's not the most authentic or mind-blowing middle eastern you've ever had, but it isn't supposed to be.
i grabbed a falafel sandwich today for $6 and it was filling, yummy, un-greasy, and healthy.
the end. cool.
Needed a little something to absorb the libations before heading home.
And, came across Chickpea
Overheard, the owner bought the original Chickpea in the East Village kept the name, revamped the concept, opened 2 others in Manhattan in hopes to franchise down the road.
Philosophy: always baked. never fried.
Made to order using high quality, wholesome ingredients.
Just what I like and what NY needs. Healthier options.
Not pizza that's been made long ago that sits on the counter, reheated then served -nasty.
Ordered the Pocket, falafel with original hummus. (choice: roasted red pepper, basil toasted pine nuts jalapeno and scallions).
Wow, really nice tasting cucumbers (beyond the bewitching hour) tomatoes, lettuce and spices. I didn't think the falafel was the best (I prefer Mamoun's ) but to heighten the profile levels: I added hot sauce and tahini sauce which added a rounder flavor. The pita was on the thicker side, good for some but I'm just daintier. It was nice to sit in a modern vibe: chrome stools, cool light fixtures and price was moderate. Paper napkins, plates, utensils 100% recycled (?)
Anyways, good stuff here... check it out for your self.
I mean its a chain falafel spot. It's aight. It ain't too greasy, it ain't too fresh but I mean I got a $7 shwafel and it hit the spot. Would I come here again? Maybe yes, maybe no. It's kind of one of those spots.
This Chickpea opened up sometime last week, and always the curious one I decided to try this place out today.
Their claim to fame is that their falafel (among other things) are always made fresh, uses only natural ingredients, and (in the case of falafel) is baked, not fried. I was a bit skeptical at first but after trying some of it, I could barely taste the difference. You have a selection of four bases, a pita pocket, platter, salad, or hummus plate, then several fillings including chicken, eggplant or fafael.
The stuff is not bad at all and the price is reasonable (the hummus plate with chicken and falafel goes for 6 bucks and it's actually quite filling).
In short, not a bad place. Go check it out.
Part of falafel's charm is the crunch you get from the fried texture. While I respect this place's baked approach, for me it defeats the purpose of falafel. I thought that the extra flavors in the hummus would compensate for the bland texture of the falafel, but jalapeno had no bite. They say their pita is fresh baked but I could tell no difference from the store bought variety.
I tried this place for lunch the other day, had a pita pocket thing. It was pretty good, I think I put too many things together, but overall it was very good and very filling.
The people who were working there seemed a bit disorganized, but I'm pretty sure this place just opened at this location.
My friend got the plain hummus and it was delicious, if I went back I'd probably just get some hummus and it was cheap, I think $4 or so for a big thing of hummus (totally could be several meals) and 2 pitas.
I tried this place a few weeks ago for lunch. I got the schwarma which was really good and the best part was that there was no line. You got your choice of pita (like someone else mentioned, they seem to run out of whole wheat quickly) and the chicken and choices of hummus were all good (yes the basil looks a little weird, but it's good). Bad part was that on my second visit (after the holidays) the line was out the door.
Poor service. Tried the chicken kebab - which was cold and not well flavored. The hot sauce and tahini are also sub-par for new york. The pita (whole wheat) was disappointing as well.
At 7.50 for the kebab i would go elsewhere with my money.