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Categories: Food Stands, Mediterranean
Neighborhood: GeorgetownTue-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Came here last Friday. And as the note suggested the owner was out, however since he was gone apparently they were outsourcing their falafel :-(. The man running the truck that day informed us it was no good and suggested we get the shwarma. Eh, I think worse things have happened.
The shwarma was good, though not uber awesome. The pita was also assembled in an odd way so that all the meat was stacked horizontally, making it awkward to eat. I don't know if this is a result of the not having the normal guy prepare it, but it was odd. The beats and pickles were nice along with the herb sauce.
Will return to try the falafel and the shwarma when the owner is back. If anything its a nice run out of the office. And having a bottled coke and sandwich while standing in the drizzle seems how very Seattle.
People thought this was:
How does this place stay in business? How many sandwiches do they sell a day, 15-20?
20 * 6.50 $206.50/day not very good
Anyways, went there last week, i suppose it filled me up, but the magic was gone. Maybe they're realizing a gyro truck in bum-fock Georgetown aint exactly the road to riches?
Here's a clue: sell some POTATO CHIPS or FRENCH FRIES. Its not like your service is fast or anything.
People thought this was:
Good: Delicious Sandwich
Bad: Service by tattoo'd hipster sandwich slingers. Dude, you slang meat and…
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How can you not love Hallava Falafel? The food is fast, amazing, cheap, and healthy. AND they sell real bottled Coca-Cola.
Schwarma is the new hot dog.
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Cheap enough to coax Saddam out of his foxhole; strong scented enough to drive Osama from his cave; tasty enough to bring the Prophet Elijah to the table. Hallava Falafel is one helluva place.
Here is my story:
So I bought my latest Sharma from Hallava Falafel yesterday with the unfortunate stipulation of needing to make a meeting with my boss on the eastside by 2:00pm.
First of all, I must say that if felt damn cool to import such a dynamic sandwich to the wasteland of Redmond. As I weaved by the Mercedes and minivans onto I-405 from I-90, I took my first bite, smothering my nose and lips with the delicious sauce that ties together the Sharma into one wallop of flavor. I got a taste of the pickle and beet which distinguishes this wrap from any other I have eaten, and the wonderful taste of shaved lamb.
Driving madly in an effort to keep my appointment, Sharma in hand, Minivan Mom's gazed aghast at my saucy lips. In response, I merely looked back at them with a self-satisfied sense of Sharma Schadenfreude: read THESE lips, mama!
When I arrived at my meeting, I had to stow the other half of the sandwich in my car and try to figure out how to prevent my boss from keeling over from the smell of the garlic laden sauce. Lesson to all Yelpers: eat the whole damn sandwich. Do not leave it in your car! My Honda now smells like a Gaza bazaar, providing sweet memories but also stirring an everpresent desire for more Sharma.
People thought this was:
Just went here with a co-worker for the first time. We both got the shwarma after everyone raving that it is so good. They were right, it is. A good amount of food but you don't feel too heavy after eating the whole thing. The meat is so good and the sauce...like a mixture of tzatziki and tahini...sooo yummy. I loved the beets and added goodies on it too!! Even the pita was delicious! I can't wait to try the falafel next time.
Be warned that the truck was not at the location pointed out on the map on yelp. It was on Airport Way a couple blocks south of the Corson intersection.
People thought this was:
The best falafel I've had in Seattle. Shredded beets and a pickled something made this falafel a lot classier than a lot of ones not served out of a moving vehicle.
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Yeah, falafel that tastes so amazing - I felt naughty after eating it. Saucy even, like a 70's porn movie. But instead of that typical moustache as the staple, there's falafel. Everywhere. You try and run, but there's no escaping it. The fried goodness drizzled with homemade sauce and stuffed inside that precarious slab of pita makes me drool just thinking about it.
Head on down to Georgetown, throw $6.50 (cash only, no debit/credit/money-transfer/exchange-for-illegal-b ags-of-"oregano") and grab yourself a falafel sandwich. Because each little morsel - from the pickle to the tzatziki sauce - is heaven on earth. The only real way life could get any better, is if you were stopping by this place on a date with yours truly. And I kiss on the first date.
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Yes! that is it. Seriously Rick has got it going. I've longed for a good Shwarma sandwich since I frequented a Middle Eastern Deli in Germany, almost 15 years have past and now I smell the spices and I am brought back.
I usually stop in once a week, sometimes there is a line, sometimes there is not. Sometimes the sandwiches are rushed other times they are wrapped to a magical perfection. I mix up the Shwarma with a Falafel every now and then. Both are excellent, messy and filling, certainly a must stop in Georgetown
Are you kidding me? Who puts beets and carrots on a falafel sandwich? GROSS. That's just the beginning.
- The falafel was only half-way cooked, RAW in the middle.
- Way too much garlic in the mix, tasted like "garlafel" instead.
- Did I mention the vinegary beets and carrots poured on top?
- The homemade tzatiki/yogurt sauce was like sour milk.
- Almost $7 (cash only) for a yucky, mushy falafel wrap that took almost ten minutes to assemble. Wack.
Aside from the guy's friendly service, there was just about nothing I like about Hallava Falafel. I tried it more than once (mainly out of convenience) and it sucked each time.
Yes, the size of the falafel wrap was big, but that doesn't make up for being all the wrong flavors. I give the guy credit for going out on a limb and trying some new stuff, but to me, it was all wrong. I'm going with a more authentic falafel place next time.
People thought this was:
Dare I say this was a "life changing" Falafel sandwich experience? Yep. It was that tasty and the ambiance made it that much better.
The Food: The Falafel was about as good as I've ever had. Perfectly fried for a nice crisp exterior and a moist, flavorful interior with great texture. All the accompaniments were there and everything was done in-house.
The Setup: It's a yellow van. BUT, it's actually a really well maintained yellow van (seriously!). They take cash only. The location is in the heart of Georgetown, not far from the 9lbs Hammer. Parking is ample, especially since the yellow van is in it's own parking lot. There are only a few chairs to sit, so you can either rock your Falafel standing up or sitting in the comfort of your car (I don't recommend the car, these sandwiches get messy)
Overall I loved my experience here. I'm totally coming back for some Shwarma action!!!
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After my last review the owner of Hallava Falafel asked me to return and try his falafel again. I am glad to say that, since moving into the neighborhood, I have stopped by a number of times and had several falafels, and I have completely changed my mind. This is, indeed, great falafel--some of the best I've had in Seattle. I still stand by my assertion, though, that the shwarma here is orgasmically amazing and meat lovers (wet?) dream. Have the falafel if you're so inclined, but do not, if you have any desire to ascend closer to Nirvana, miss out on the shwarma here.
People thought this was:
Okay, I gotta admit that I don't really get all the hubbub about the falafel here. It's good, but… Read more »
I freaking love this place. Vegan options, friendly service, I only wish it were parked in Georgetown full time.
People thought this was:
I know a guy at work who goes here about 3 days a week so I figured I'd try it. I like that there's only two options on the menu, Shwarma and Falafel. Price is great considering how much food you get. Remember, it's cash only.
It's a fucking truck so don't bitch about the surroundings.
I thought the lamb/beef could have used a little salt but other than that it was perfect. The beet salad was hittin too.
People thought this was:
Ok.. so I will admit upfront that the falafel is good... really good. But honestly... why are you serving up attitude with my pita sandwich?
I drive a good 15 minutes to get your sandwich only to wait over 15 minutes for you to make it when there was NO ONE else there. You chat with georgetown locals but never care to even make the sandwich I paid for! Then when I asked for my beverage, you were so rude to me that I was completely stunned silent..
I told all my friends how great your food was and now i have to tell them all how your attitude stinks!
Alright - this has been on my to try list for a long time (don't get down to confusing one-way street Georgetown often). It was actually really easy to find - told the baby to look for the yellow truck and she found it with no problem! Both girls were excited to try it - the baby eats anything and the older one thinks she's a professional "foodie" at 11!
The guy who runs the place was really nice - the parking lot (disgusting - dry gravel with yuck and lots of cigarette butts in it - so guess who had to play in it?......................).
It did take about 10 minutes to get since he cooks to order. I ordered 3 falafals (and yes, cash only $6.50 each). Well it didn't live up to the hype - the falafal was alright, the pickle was meh, the taztiki and pita good and the beet salad awesome. Hubby and kids didn't like (there's were really spicy) but I thought it was adequate and wouldn't go out of my way to eat again but if I was driving by would stop.
Back in my wilder days, when a weekend often found me stumbling down Pine in the middle of the night walking off a few vodka tonics and starving for something that didn't come from 7-11's rotating plastic case (though, trust me, I've been there), I was often bummed out by the lack of options. Cream cheese hot dog with a side of fistfighting teenagers, or the annoyingly heavy police presence after 1am at Dick's? Then one night, I saw it - the giant yellow truck hiding in a driveway and a little sign that said FALAFEL. My friends and I ran over and ordered one each, standing in silence with big, beet-salad-covered smiles between bites. Amazing! Due to the mental state I was generally in during these delicate hours of morning, I didn't remember much else about it, but I went back a few times before one weekend found the driveway empty - just like that, the yellow truck was gone.
So, imagine my surprise a year later when I was driving through Georgetown to get lunch at Smarty Pants and ... there he was! He of the magical midnight falafel. I vowed to return, and I made it so last Friday.
My date and I walked up to the truck around 2 - no line. There was a stand-alone grill parked next to it with a handwritten sign promising grilled lamb and rice after 7pm that night. We checked out the truck and I found it the same as I remembered (clearly, I'd drunkenly missed the shwarma during previous visits). We ordered one of each, and I used my sweetest voice when I asked him to omit the pickle from my falafel. His sweet voice must've been better than mine, because he somehow convinced me to leave it on ("You've never had a pickle like this before... trust me. It's Armenian.") and we got both items exactly as they appear on the menu. I have a feeling he gets his way a lot. They were as delicious as I remembered and I loved my falafel, even though I ended up ditching the pickle after one bite (sorry, dude). Slightly spicy with a perfect combination of ingredients - each was too big for either of us to finish on our own.
Four stars for the hours (open until midnight on weekends!), tons of street parking in the vicinity, great value and fantastic food. The fifth star is for the dude himself - he is clearly living the dream.
People thought this was:
Nice truck run by a nice dude. I could feel his blood pressure rise when I asked for a schwarma without Beets but he obliged anyway. Sorry brah, I just really don't like beets!
Keep on fighting the good fight, falafel man.
People thought this was:
Possibly my favorite lunch spot in Georgetown. I work at Boeing Field so I've been to all the spots in G-Town... the truck being one of the best. I love the Shawarma! Generous portions of meat and veggies on a fresh and chewy pita. Good price. Quick service. Convenient Location... and Rick is cool as shit. He may not bullshit with you but he serves a clean and mean sandwich!
Definitely one of the best falafel's i've ever eaten.Hhonestly i was a bit skeptical after all the raving on Yelp but it lived upto its reputation. We drove down from Seattle last night just to eat this fallafel & i have to admit, it was worth the drive. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends!
I realllllly enjoyed buying my lunch from this guy. Nice service, fun walk down the hill from my house, and the Falafel was delicious! I hope he stays around Georgetown this summer. It is cash only, so make sure you have it on hand.
People thought this was:
oh man i love those falafels, i discovered the truck like a month ago here in georgetown near where i work ... my boss came back from lunch with a falafel and the smell was just delicious i craved one since then.i had to wait cause the truck it only comes from tuesday to friday 8-2pm andit was the weekend
so about a week later i had the chance to get one and the wait was worth it
it was really yummy juice i had the shwarma one and its my fave now i get one or two very friday ;) its addictive once you try it,so eat at your own risk !!!!
$7.50 tip include($1) it just cash
IPB
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After all these years of pissing and moaning that we didn't have a Doner/Kabob place, one popped up near my work and even better they had falafel! And mighty fine falafel it is. Three huge scoops of garlicky, cuminy garbanzo goodness deep fried crunchy on the outside and perfect and moist on the inside. There was just enough cayenne to keep things interesting, which was nice since I forgot to request hot sauce to be added. An addition of beets was inspired, but at first the dill pickle spear bumped me as a little strange in a falafel, but I quickly got used to it, even started to accept it. The falafel is so good, it might be a while before I try the schwarma. My only criticism, even though it didn't affect me directly, is that, they are a little on the slow side, very, very friendly, but not exactly in a hurry. So if you are on a tight lunch break, you might want to skip them until you have more time. But given the final result, they can take their sweet time, that's all right with me.
Seriously, this is one of the best sandwiches I have ever had for lunch. It is super filling at a really great price. I love you Falafel Truck!
Hallava Falafel is a great lunch spot for anyone working in SODO - my only fear of posting that is that everyone in Starbucks center will be crowding the premises from 11-1. Yikes!
If I could, I would give this place 4.5 stars. I originally went for falafel, which was filling and tasty but a bit too soggy and salty for my tastes. I've been spoiled by Mamoun's in NYC which is crisp, freshly fried, lots of herbs and spices. Drool... Back to the falafel at Hallava, the pita and fixings were tasty, and I especially loved the beets, but the falafel itself is nothing out of this world.
The SCHWARMA, on the other hand, was AWESOME! The meat was thinly sliced, flavorful, juicy, not too sodium-laden... and the toppings just sealed the deal. Cucumber sauce is creamy and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and sink your teeth into this deliciousness.
Soooo Good! What's the deal with the truck at this time? Did it go to Portland yet? Or is it still at the Corson building as the My Space page says?
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I don't like Falafal....I EAT THIS FALAFAL!!! Great food, great price, nice guy runnin the truck(owner). What more do you want?
We need more street food like this!
The owners are awesome and the food was tasty and fresh!
There was a Middle Eastern guy standing behind me who said "this is the second best falafel in the world, the first is a little place in Paris."
Thats a pretty bold statement, but after the first bite I now know what the hype is about!
.. I asked the owner if he's been reviewed on Yelp and he told me that he has and everyone has given a 5 star, so I promised him a 5 star review from me. Thanks boss, for the great service to our community!
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Best. Falafel. In. Seattle.
The falafel from this truck is amazing. Beet salad, sauteed peppers, and a delicious dill pickle help fill the pita to the brim. The worst thing about the truck was that it was hard to find. But, at least for now, it shows up Friday and Saturday nights on Pike between 10th and 11th!
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This has ruined me for all other falafel. Not to mention the shawarma is fab. Seriously. I want another one. It's my birthday- go get me one!
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Oh my god falafel.
Somehow I always seem to miss the truck when in it's in Georgetown (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11-2 in front of the Corson Building.) Stupid work. Inevitably, at least a couple clients per week come strolling into the shop, Holy Grail of Falafel in hand, and I find myself pondering the socially correct way to tell them that if they haven't brought enough falafel to share with their esthetician, they should save the tahini for laters. It's just too distracting!
As of yet, I've come short on that one.
So, Imagine my delight when I spied the Hallava truck parked in front of the last RCRG bout I attended.
Now, the ladies kicked arse, as per usual, but the thing I really remember about that night is the falafel. It was that good. There was all manner of goodness wrapped up in that there pita, including some things that I never would have considered putting on my falafel, like the beet salad, but it all danced together on the palate and created the best damned falafel experience pretty much ever.
I wonder if they would cater my wedding . . . A bit messy, yes . . . but worth it . . .
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I love Rick's Shwarma. I pretty much walk over from work everyday. Rick is a friendly guy that puts his all into his biz.
If you see this truck, you have GOT to try this guy's falafels. You will find they haunt you, and you will want to stalk him. His falafels have just the right balance of spices, including a little kick of heat. The beet salad can't be beat. Same with the spot of sauces contained in this well-filled pita. All this, and the falafel patties/balls are cooked in olive oil. Good for 'ya & tasty, too. He's parked in the Georgetown area, usually near 9 LB Hammer, but I know he's also trying to get a stint on Capitol Hill where you may see him after leaving those bars/clubs late night. That's gotta be better than those hot dog stand options you usually run into. This guy's falafels are so good, my boyfriend doesn't even want me to try to make them myself in fear that I will just disappoint him. Halava Falafel has set a helluva high standard to live up to now.
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i've worked in the middle east for years and had a many great falafel. although somewhat americanized, hallava falafels are heavenly delicious! i hate that i rarely see the truck...but glad because i would be eating it 24/7! are they still hanging out in capitol hill on the weekends?
We discovered the yellow truck by accident when the Georgetown Truckstop was closed and I have to say this was the best Falafel sandwich I have ever had. Everything is made from scratch. The beets are fantastic, the yogurt sauce is nicely sour with herbs, and the Falafel fried to order for that perfect crunchy firmness. Seattle has such a lack of food on trucks and this one sets a new standard for everyday truck food done really well. Hallava Falafel will spoil you so that you won't be able to eat ordinary Falafel again.....
It was love at first bite! Emmmmmmm Falafel......
So from all of my drunken memory this is the best falafel ever. One night some friends and I stumbled out of the 9 LB Hammer in Georgetown and found this bright yellow truck parked outside. Between the three of us we managed to come up with $6. The very nice guy who works the truck took pity on us drunkards and gave us his last falafel before heading up to Cap Hill for the night. I have no idea how much they normally cost, but I'm sure ti's worth it. Sometime I might even try one sober when I see him early in the evening so I can remember more details of the yummyness.
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Gourmet drunk food. A bit pricey, but certainly the best falafel I've tasted in Seattle.
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