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Jerusalem Pita & Grill
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Restaurants Kosher Mediterranean, Kosher [Edit]
10 Pleasant StBrookline, MA 02446
Neighborhood: Coolidge Corner
(617) 739-2400
- Nearest Transit:
-
Coolidge Corner - Outbound (Green Line)
Coolidge Corner - Inbound (Green Line)
Harvard St @ Beacon St (66)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 10 am - 10 pm
Fri 10 am - 3 pm
Sat 6 pm - 12 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
About This Business:
Twin hard shelled Maine lobsters for $24.95 (over 2 lbs of lobster), Shrimp with Chinese broccoli in ginger and scallion sauce, whole steam striped bass… read more »
69 reviews for Jerusalem Pita & Grill
Review Highlights
"I haven't had falafel as good as this anywhere else in..."
(in 31 reviews)
"Also, they have a good selection of Israeli beers."
(in 11 reviews)
"...very good sandwich, but the "salad" bar and the staff make..."
(in 7 reviews)
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69 reviews in English
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Review from Vlad B.
Watertown, MA
12/19/2011
Don't listen to the naysayers, the food is just as good as, or even better than Ramis.
The hummus is definitely more authentic Israeli-tasting, which is a rarity in the States. The entrees are larger and more creative, with surprisingly tasty grilled veggies on the side as opposed to the standard salad mix. Ramis is still great for shawarma fans, but there's more to the Brookline Kosher scene :)
Visited with 5 co-workers on a busy night, and the service was completely fine, nothing to complain about.. -
Review from Philippe B.
Brookline, MA
12/14/2011
Love the place, would go there any day of the week (except Shabbos).
I think it 's a really nice and timely addition to the Boston kosher food scene. After Zaatar's Oven disappeared and then Ruth's Kitchen I really didn't feel that drawn to any of the kosher establishments.
Jerusalem Pita has changed all that! Nice, homey atmosphere, I've eaten there a dozen times and never been disappointed in the service, they are always extra compliant when I am "in a rush", and as an aspiring vegan I have a number of options although the meat-eaters of the party always seem satisfied too.
The add-on salads are nice and the laffa really takes the cake, if you'll pardon my mixed metaphor. Falafel is as it should be and the soups are always hearty and warming.
Now that I live around the corner this is my new watering hole. Sorry Veggie Planet! -
Review from Steph L.
Brighton, MA
8/17/2011
The food's great. Service, not so great.
The food - falafel laffes are awesome, the bread is fresh and really great and the free salad bar (all pickled veggies) is pretty kick ass. But the service is pretty bad. We were there yesterday around 7 for dinner and the place was packed, which is always a good sign for a small restaurant on a Tuesday night.
We scooped up one of the last available tables and ordered a plate of hummus, and two laffes - one chicken shawarma and one lamb kabob. The hummus arrived about 25 minutes after ordering and the sandwiches arrived close to 45 minutes later. That's a really long time for hummus and sandwiches. The two waitresses, while friendly were busy and forgot some things, which is understandable. But ultimately, I think they really need to figure out how to get from kitchen to dining table in less time. Most people around us ordered pitas and laffes. The kitchen didn't seem very short staffed, so I don't know why things were so delayed.
Skip dining in and grab some take out. -
Review from irfan m.
Boston, MA
2/8/2012
I love this place. Again did you hear me haters ...I love this place. Kitchen is clean as hell. Are you seriously kidding me about their Falafel, its freaking awesome. How about when you are their they have some patience too on menu. They make their Laffe(Israeli Wrap). Way better experience than RAMIS for sure. This is place is Kosher if you care.Try their Falafel Laffes.... Seriously they are changing lifes by one laffe at a time.
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Review from Ash G.
Brooklyn, NY
1/29/2012
I've been to Boston several times this year and the selection of kosher restaurants aren't much but the food at Jerusalem pita is heaven I met the owner as well who was courteous enough to deliver the food we ordered to the hospital.
Some of the critics on here are correct by suggesting that the service is real slow and confusing at times
A salad bar with out pickles is ridiculous I come from ny which has all ethnic types of restaurants and all of them serve pickles
Smart owners should wise up and don't criticize the reviews take it with pride and walk away learning because ultimately its your customers. -
Review from Ella P.
Boston, MA
7/20/2011
I'm partially writing in response to clarify the owner's comments to Mike K's review from 3/14/11 (which got filtered). The delay is so long because I hadn't noticed the owner's response and the subsequent filtering until now.
We went to Jerusalem Pita on 3/13, and the fine print on the coupon said 3/14. However, we did not notice this and the owner is flat out lying when she wrote that the waitress informed us about it. We gave the waitress the coupon BEFORE ORDERING, and she did not mention anything about the date on the coupon until AFTER she gave us the check without any discount on it. She took the printout before we ordered and took it to the back room. Only after a while did she come back and actually take our order with no mention of the date mix up. That is why we were so angry.
About an hour later when we she brought the check and we asked why there was no discount, she came back with the coupon, which she had highlighted and underlined. Obviously, she saw the date issue, and didn't tell us (if she had, we would have stayed and used the coupon later). Not only that, but when she was explaining why there was no discount she initially started with telling us that the coupon was for take out only (which it wasn't).
On top of the coupon fiasco, the service was pretty bad. Just read all the reviews! There's a nearly unanimous opinion about the horrible service. It was extremely awkward with the waitress disappearing for long periods of time (and a nearly empty restaurant, there were only 3-4 tables taken). The issues included me not having silverware (we ended up taking it from another table because when I asked for some she disappeared and never brought any out), and her taking 15 minutes to appear after the meal so we could ask for the check (even though she took our empty plates earlier).
I understand that we screwed up the dates and that Jerusalem Pita "couldn't" honor a coupon that wasn't in effect yet. However, they could have saved themselves bad publicity and extremely disappointed customers by offering us a nominal discount (or at least a real apology) as the waitress clearly screwed up. She knew about the dates and never told us. The owner wasn't there at all (there was no manager), we never spoke to anyone other than two waitresses, so please take what the owner wrote with a grain of salt. -
Review from Tim M.
Marblehead, MA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great laffa, friendly owners, kosher galore, whats not too like? Food is of a regular mideastern variety, they do have an optional salad bar as an add-on for entrees. Very tasty pita, it is served hot and puffy, more of a Syrian kind than lets say Greek
Small detail is that one expects kebabs to be served with onions and parsley, in this case they come naked, but still taste great though.
I don't care for falafel in any shape or form, so no comments on that, but it seems to be very well put together.
tl;dr - great inexpensive place, come on down when in Brookline -
Review from Morgan H.
Brookline, MA
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ordered a falafel on a pita to go - I don't know if they understood that concept. Service was ridiculously slow. Also, it was a freakin' furnace in there - I just wanted my falafel, not the authentic Israeli experience. In the end the falafel was yummy but I'd never go if time was at all a concern....
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Review from Arinne B.
Needham, MA
3/29/2011
This place is fabulous--and kosher to boot! My absolute favorites are the decadent eggplant rolls, the amazingly moist and flavorful chicken shish kebab, and the tasty hummus & warm pita (that I think I heard was imported from Israel), and for dessert--the baklava and mint tea.
I have a ton of food allergies, and there's always something I can eat there. As a result, I visit weekly, and Jeru. Pita never disappoints. I also love how they're always experimenting with new menu items. I forgot the name of it, but there was an AMAZING fish dish being offered the other week that I'll definitely be on the look out for again, and an impressive soup collection.
As for the service, I'm really confused by some of the other posts here. I've been waited on by several different staff members, and they've always been courteous, sweet, and timely. Maybe the issue is that people should know it's a restaurant, not a "fast food" place. I get take out from here quite regularly, and my food's always waiting for me, nice and hot.
Check it out for yourself...you won't be disappointed! -
Review from Kurt R.
Brookline, MA
8/18/2011
I'm rating it on a variety of things. Here goes.
A: I love the food so I'll give that an A
D: Disappointed that the salad bar is always missing some key ingredients like pickles or Olives. Come on guys a Pita place with no pickles or olives is not okay
D: Service is horrifically slow. While waitresses and owner is very nice, if you have anywhere you need to be do not go here.
B: You can not eat any sandwich whether in a Laffa or Pita when you take it to go. It becomes soggy especially if they put the works in the sandwich. I don't know if this is entirely their fault but you cant wrap a hot wet sandwich tightly in tin foil and not expect this to happen
Overall I like this place but they really need to work on the service because you can not take it to go because it will be soggy. So improve the service and you'll get 4 stars. and if you want 5 make sure the salad bar has no empty containers and always contains pickles and olives.
Good luck. -
Review from Cassie H.
3/5/2011
My husband and I grabbed some lamb pitas from Jerusalem PIta & Grill on a lazy Friday night for dinner. The bread was soggy with hummus and juices from the vegetables and meat. My biggest complaint was that the meat was in very large pieces (not bite size), which wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't the toughest piece of meat to bite into. In a desperate attempt, I had to basically eat my sandwich with a knife/fork (which I think defeats the purpose of a sandwich).
The best part about our meal was the french fries... -
Review from Roxana F.
2/6/2011
The food here was great and the server was attentive. I got a falafel sandwich and asked for it to be made a certain way, and the server was really nice about it and my food was excellent. For a falafel sandwich it was DEFINITELY better than Rami's around the corner, which everyone raves about but through my own experience was definitely not as good, and Jerusalem Pita is much cheaper as well.
My only problem with the place was that it didn't seem very clean, but other than that this is a great place for takeout and falafel! -
Review from S M.
Los Angeles, CA
8/24/2011
Disappointing hummus and baba ganoush. Frankly the worst I've ever had. Ordered the fish cakes - mediocre. A bit salty actually. Was hoping for something special because everyone who works here and is in here seems to be from Israel. Did not meet my expectations. The laffa was good - that's about it.
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Review from Chris C.
11/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Food is a 4
Service is a 0
So I ended up here for dinner because one the need to get kosher food for a friend.
So the restaurant is tiny and looks like it caters more to the take out crowd. The tables are very small and a bit on the crowded side. Those weren't that big of a deal though. The issue was every time someone opened the door the whole place dropped about 5 degrees so we ended up leaving our coats on through the whole meal.
That said the food was really excellent. We had the cold appetizer platter and the kubeh. Both were very tasty although they only brought us out one small pita to share for 3 people. We had to ask for more which they brought out after an extended period of time.
So once we finished our food we asked the server for the check and she said no problem. After about 10 or 15 minutes of waiting we asked her for it again. After another 10 or 15 minutes we asked again. Then after another 5 minutes we tried to get her attention again and she ignored us again. So we left about what we figured dinner came to on the table in cash and went left. The server saw us get up and start to walk towards the door and still made no effort to either check with us or stop us on the way out the door. It was very weird to say the least.
So the moral of the story is get take out and enjoy the great food while skipping the terrible service. -
Review from Dan L.
Cambridge, MA
11/16/2011
I had very high hopes for this place but it was a complete disappointment. The service was fine but the food was not good -- the schwarma was cold and just not that tasty, the falafel plate included no fresh vegetables (only highly greasy grilled ones), israeli salad, or hummus. I truly wish I could recommend it but I most certainly cannot.
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Review from Elizabeth R.
Newton, MA
11/8/2011
Nice casual cafe great food, beer and wine, and open late Saturday nights. There are many selections on the menu. The eggplant rolls were OUTSTANDING. The service was attentive and good.
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Review from Mike I.
Brookline, MA
5/26/2010
I understand the allure of this place, as someone who spent a few years only being able to eat meat out at kosher restaurants. If I still kept kosher, this place would get a default 5 stars because the food is pretty good and when you get kosher meat cooked by someone else, it doesn't much matter how much it costs or how long it takes.
However, I assume that most of the yelping world does not keep kosher, and for this part of the eating world I am writing this review. I went here once a few months ago, the food was good but a little pricey. The service was really slow, and there were a bunch of families with little kids so the dining room, which is about the size of my living room, was really noisy and crowded. If I wanted middle eastern food, there are a couple other places in Coolidge that are better and cheaper and even more choices when you venture a mile or two away.
The real problem with this restaurant was the other night when my girlfriend and I went in to grab some takeout on our way home. There were five employees that I could see when we were standing at the counter waiting to order: two waitresses, a woman who was assisting another customer at the register when we came in, a cook behind the counter, and the owner of the restaurant. For nearly 10 minutes, no one made eye contact with us or said a word, they just brushed by us as if we weren't there. Another couple had come in around the same time as us and they had a similar lack of interaction while sitting at a table. We left after 10 minutes and went next door to get sushi, and still had no interaction with anyone in the restaurant.
I can't say I'm surprised by this experience, but I'm never setting foot in here again without ordering beforehand. I've got a gift certificate, so I will call ahead and maybe even get in the employees way until I get my order. -
Review from graceypoo m.
Boston, MA
8/16/2009 ROTD 4/23/2010
Delicious falafel!
I'm quite unsure if I was being a bad Catholic or an expert Filipino (or college student on a budget). There were concurrent "meet+greet" events today held for new students: one was a Catholic mass-then-lunch and one was a free feeding by the Jewish kids.
The J-organization advertised "Free FALAFEL" so I made sure I woke up and got fresh & clean just for that. I know I'm not Jewish, but people should not advertise "Free Food" in common areas if they don't expect me to crash their party. That... and I was unsure if the post-mass lunch with the Catholic kids was free. The choice came down to acknowledging the intersectionalities of my identity: I'm a Filipino Catholic, triflin' student. All of those suggested that I go to the free feeding.
They bought the falafel, pita, hummus, tahini, cucumber salad, +different veggies/fixin's from Jerusalem Pita & Grill. I love the fried goodness of falafel and was impressed at how delicious J P&G's falafel were. I mentioned to a classmate how hopeful I was becoming about Boston eats (having recently moved from the culinary locale of San Francisco, CA).
My belly full of falafel is helping me ease a bit of the Catholic guilt for missing mass.
( | )Listed in: undeserving ROTDs
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Review from Julia F.
Updated - 1/19/2009
I understand that this place is new. I do. But there were more than a few things in my experience that fall into the category of "fundamentally wrong" for a restaurant.
I don't think even if I had to keep kosher it would be "kosher" for the staff to be eating and drinking behind the counter. It is a dirty, sloppy, unhealthy business practice. It makes my skin crawl. I almost wanted to tell them to forget our orders entirely- but considering the 30 minute wait, I think they already had.
My sister and I ordered two falafel plates. Which seemed a little pricy but judging by the amount of people who were in there it seemed like a safe choice. Two sides come with the entrée, making it a supposed meal the cost of which is a whopping 11.95. Totally bullshit.
We sat down to wait, and were moved around so people could be seated comfortably, an idea which is laughable if you see how many chairs and tables are crammed in this joint.
We were served some strange salad while we waited by an unapologetic lady. The plate that housed the salad was about the size of a small saucer, slippy olives (which tasted amusingly like banana bread) went flying in every direction. She also was seen dropping salad fixings on a counter open to the public and picking it up and putting it back on the plate and serving it. Disgusting.
In the end, the falafel was cold, the rice was dry, the veggies ok, the fries - unavailable. The woman who rang me up (you must wait until the food is ready to pay,a practice I dislike) was on her cellphone and totally ignored me during the interaction- if you could even call it that. In an economy like this I can't really see them making it charging 25.28 for two dinners when they don't believe in tahini sauce and make crap hummus.
If you are into some sort of self-harm, not unlike described in DSM-IV-TR, then this is the place for you.1 Previous Review:
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1/14/2009
So unimpressed.
I will write more later, when my stomach calms down.
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Review from matt s.
Newton Center, MA
6/17/2010
I have never in my life encountered such an enormous shawarma sandwich! You have the option of ordering your sandwich on a pita, which makes for a reasonable, very delicious portion, or you can order the laffa and gorge. I opted for the latter. When my sandwich arrived at my table, I was shocked. It must have been a foot long (a value at $11 and change).
The laffa was soft and warm. The shawarma was tender, perfectly spiced and just a little fatty. Topped with an interesting variety of pickles (turnip, pepper and cucumber).
Jarusalem pita is damn good shawarma. -
Review from Josh M.
Somerville, MA
8/3/2010
You know, the service WAS kind of weird. The lady said "YEAH?!" when I came to the register.
Anyway, I liked that I could get a side salad with the meal, which KIND of made up for how expensive it was.
But I'm really giving this place four stars cause the Pita bread was friggin amazing. Unusually thick (is that a good thing??) and fresh. The falafel seemed serviceable. Not too dry.
As a Jew, I felt bad that wasn't donning a Yarmulke, since every other male Hebrew in there seemed to be adhering to the head covering rule. -
Review from Alyssa J P.
Brighton, MA
10/29/2009
My boyfriend and I came here for a snack before going to the Coolidge for a show. We figured we'd have plenty of time as we were at least 45 minutes early for our show.
I ordered hummus, and the waitress seemed astonished that we didn't want to order an entire meal. She didn't take our menus, and came back several minutes later to ask us for our order. I told her we were just getting hummus, she looked surprised, and then finally took our menus. We had to wait several more minutes to actually get the hummus, which was quite delicious and creamy. There was only one small piece of pita with it, which was just not enough. We had to eat the rest with a spoon.
After trying to take a full order again, the waitress gave us some sort of appetizer dish, I think pickled veggies (they were okay), and disappeared for a while again. I really wanted my check, and the next time she came around I was able to ask for it. At this point we had been in the restaurant for half an hour, which seems like a long wait for a tiny dish of hummus.
You can't pay credit card if your order is less than 10$ or 15$, so I had to run to CVS in order to pay. By the time we got to the Coolidge we had only a few minutes before the film started. Not a huge deal, but who wants to spend 40 minutes getting a snack? Next time I will just go to Trader Joe's and buy a package of pita and hummus for a lot less money and expense of time.
I looked at the menu and as a vegan I wouldn't want to eat a full meal here, because most of their menu items seem pretty meat-centric. The other dishes, like falafel, are just too expensive. There are plenty of fine falafel shops that are more reasonably priced.Listed in: Best of the Worst
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Review from Cate N.
Brookline, MA
2/19/2009
I also had a terrible experience here. My boyfriend and I waited over 30 minutes for our food even though only one couple had placed an order before us. I was beyond annoyed and had I not already paid, would have left.
The food ended up being really disappointing, they gave us the wrong $8 side salad, and no one so much as apologized for the delay.
I know this place is new, but some things are common sense -- employees shouldn't be eating while making food, employees shouldn't ignore customers waiting to order while on their cell phones, and asking someone who has been waiting 30 minutes to please move to a more convenient location to wait is just rude. -
Review from Anya S.
3/17/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Absolutely adorable and delish.
Went here with a few friends on a Saturday night. The fact they open right after Shabbos should at least give them two extra starts. Obviously, they are 100% Kosher and my Rabbi would approve!!
The waitress was a sweetheart. Yep, I said that , and if you read my other 200+ reviews, you can see that this particular compliment means that the waitress not only good, but really really good.
The kitchen staff is great, we never had to wait for our food. Food comes up fast and the portions are generous.
I also love the cute little decor and murals on the wall.
Now, the food.
SOOO delish and yummy, Ive been back twice already and I love it.
Ive tried the hummus, which was the best hummus Ive had outside Israel. The falafel was delicious, and the rice that came with my chicken shawrma definitely had kick to it. The shwarma was delicious, yummy and tender.
Basically I heart this place.
Come here and eat up!! -
Review from Basil C.
Brookline, MA
9/30/2010
It's small, it's convenient and it's kosher - but it's not cheap. Located right where Pleasant St & Beacon meet on the east side of Coolidge Corner, Jerusalem Pita & Grill features a tasty selection of Middle Eastern food to tease your pallet with flavor and small portions.
Yes, small portions. If your object is to not eat too much, you'll probably succeed - most of the dishes are tiny (e.g., single knish, single bureka per order). If in doubt, definitely ask - the staff are quite helpful, but there's a huge variation between the (mostly) small dish and the occasional fountain of hummus. Do get the falafel; do get the shawarma (one of the few giant dishes on the menu); do order at least two potato burekas and eat your mate's. If it's your first time there, get the baklava for your first dessert: they bring four pieces, each of a different variety of baklava which will send your taste buds to YHVH. Just remember to ask about portion sizes for each new dish, because you never know quite what size it'll be 'til you've had it.
Downsides? It's small, can get rather loud, and the wait times can be a little much. The rich flavors of the food is worth the cost, but if you order the smaller dishes to get full it adds up a lot faster than you'd guess.
Note #1: They keep the place kosher, and mean it. Goyem are welcome to come and eat, but please don't bring your (non-kosher) groceries from Trader Joe's inside. They'll ask you to take them out, you'll be tormented by the aromas wafting around you, and you'll have to wait that much longer to eat.
Note #2: The best time to come is for lunch on a weekday. No wait, choice of seating and a faster turnaround time in the kitchen. -
Review from Al E.
Houston, TX
1/16/2009
Wow!! Who knew a felafel could even get more expensive than at Rami's??
I ordered the Shakshuka...literally two eggs in a plate of tomato sauce with stale pita on the side for $11!
They made us move tables (right next to the door) after the food arrived and then a woman asked us how much longer we thought we were going to be eating because she wanted to know if she should wait. Not the restaurant's fault, but who does that??
The ambience is fine, kind of feels like Jerusalem actually, but unless you keep kosher, it's not worth your time, money, patience, stomachache... -
Review from Scott F.
Brookline, MA
6/10/2009
These guys got a write up in the Globe, so I figured I'd give 'em a shot. I've been going to Rami's forever, and I actually felt guilty getting stuff somewhere else.
That being said, I ordered the chicken shwarma and a side order of babaganoush. Total cost: $16.70 ...
The shwarma was a bit on the dry side, and while the portion was generous, I'd rather have quality over quantity. Flavorwise, it was really nothing special. The babaganoush was "just being made" when I ordered it, and it was way over-seasoned with cumin. I waited a good 10 minutes for them to finish making it.
The place looks nice enough, and the staff seemed friendly, but all things considered, just go to Rami's. Tastier, less expensive, and Chaim's a helluva nice guy... -
Review from Rosie F.
Brookline, MA
1/14/2009
If you want to wait 30 minutes for horrible and overpriced food while the waitstaff is talking on their cell phones, while holding strange cleanliness standards (i.e. food to counter, then food to plate) and their family takes up most of the table space - this is the place for you.
Taking in to consideration that this place is new, and has time to improve - I am completely underwhelmed. -
Review from Jeff E.
Boston, MA
8/26/2010
If you're turned off by bland pita and hummus you get from supermarkets -- my only exposure to it before a Jewish friend took me to this place -- you've been missing out.
It was all excellent. The pita. The hummus. The kebabs. The pita pockets, which are way overstuffed and delicious.
I really like this place a great deal, and the waitstaff is friendly, if a bit scattered. -
Review from Aia Y.
Brookline, MA
4/22/2010
The food is not isreali at all more indian and I'll know I grow up in tel aviv
The place to small over price and the waiters so stupid! Russian who have no idea who and how -
Review from Julia T.
Allston-Brighton, MA
10/9/2010
Located just east of Coolidge Corner, Jerusalem Pita serves authentic and delicious Middle Eastern food. It has the best Falafel in Boston, amazing pita and laffa bread, creamy hummus, tahini, full salad bar, pastry appetizers and more. I can't emphasize enough how much I love the food there!
Also, for those of you with dietary restrictions, it is Kosher (dairy-free) and very vegan friendly.
Although the service can sometimes be slow and the prices aren't fast-food cheap, the quality food and the friendly atmosphere more than make up for it! If you haven't tried this hidden gem yet, you have to ASAP! -
Review from Jamie G.
12/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Actually a 2.5, but since the service was really ridiculous, I rounded down.
So came here with a friend who eats kosher because it was one of the two kosher places open on Saturdays. The place is tiny, which is awful on a cold day because everytime the door opens a huge gust of cold air greets you at your table. We wore our winter coats during most of the meal because of it. And the service was absolutely ridiculously awful. Took us forever to have our order taken. Then we ordered a huge appetizer sampler with tabouleh and hummus etc etc and there were three of us but we only got 1 piece of pita, and it took awhile to get more. And we didn't get little plates until halfway through our eating (so we were eating of our napkins). But the worst was I must have asked for the check 5 times and never got it. Other customers had gotten theirs and left but not us. We estimated out bill was about $20 so we left a 20, got up and left... and the waitress STILL didn't stop us or give us our check or anything!! Unbelievable!!
However, the food was pretty good. The pita was thick and soft, the hummus, tabouleh, tahini, babaganoush, and carrots were delicous. The beets and the salad thing were not very good. We also had the kubeh, which reminded me of Jewish corn dogs :) but were tasty. Gettings apps to share was great because it was cheap and filling.
Pretty sure the only time I'd come back is if its a Saturday and I need kosher food. -
Review from Dan S.
3/16/2010
Easy title for this place: Food good, kitchen service bad. 50 minutes to wait for a main dish? Perhaps if youhad to find the chickens, but really? And yes, we had a big group -- 10 people -- but even so, the food came out over a 10 minute span AFTER the wait. Oh, and the tables were shaky and the decor is non-existent.
BUT, if you're not a rush (or want take out), and need kosher food, the food was good, above-average even. The cold appetizer plate was the typical middle-eastern fare (but with fresh pita, yummy). The mushroom soup had a nice spice to it and its meat platter (chicken, lamb, beef served with two sides) had enough for a second meal. They also have different fare for those keeping kosher and a kids menu (hot dogs, chicken fingers etc) too. The falafel got raves too.
So if you're in town, or local and need a good kosher place (and you're not in a rush), it's a good choice. -
Review from Gen M.
Allston, MA
6/30/2009
Oh lord, how good this is this place! I was texting and writing to people about the lamb schawarma. I was plotzing as I was eating. The food came out to a bit more money than I wanted (for a glass of wine, an appetizer and a meal it was $31), but it was so delicious and I was so pleased with everything that I did not mind.
1. They achieved an oddly pleasing medium between fast food/family and elegant bistro atmosphere. It's because you can see people cook behind the counter (good!) and they give you soda out of the soda fridge in the dining area. I like it -- it's clean, it's crisp, it's amazing but there are a lot of families that dine there and the place is kind of small.
2. The food is fantastic. The lamb schawarma is amazing! I'm ill informed as to how they achieve perfection. The falafel is heavenly.
3. The waitress was VERY sweet and accommodating. The staff seems sweet and nice. I don't know who "shat" in the cereal of the people who left a bad review, but the place is very amazing. I had stuff at Rami's. It's comparable. Rami's is a fast food place hands down, it doesn't have a bistro atmosphere at all. Besides it's similar price. I have never tasted anything that curled my hair and toes at Rami's.
4. I ate the leftovers today and they were still fantastic to eat. The veggies were still springy and delicious, even better than fresh. The salad still rocked and the meat and falafel -- still amazing. I love them all! -
Review from Dorise G.
2/4/2010
Man, I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews of this place!
My sister, a VERY religious jew who keeps pretty intense levels of kosher, came in from out of town to visit. We met up with our second cousins for what was a totally delicious, lovely meal.
The falafel are extremely fresh, soft, and herby - totally unlike the poor excuses for falafel you tend to see in the States. The pickled cabbage, beets, olives, etc they bring for you to nosh on upon arrival are satisfying (though it would help if we had small plates from the get-go so we weren't all poking used forks into the same dish - this IS flu season, after all). The pita is outstandingly fluffy and light, and the Meorav Yerushalmi - beef/lamb/chicken/onions/spices in a pita is perfect - tender, juicy, flavorful, and a perfect serving size.
I've begrudgingly accompanied my sister to kosher restaurants before and have always been tremendously disappointed by the quality of food, but this is a kosher restaurant I'd eat in even if my sister weren't around to accommodate.
Pricing may be a little high, but that's typical of kosher restaurants because the ingredients are so much more expensive. I think the quality of the food definitely makes it worth the price, and I will absolutely be back for more authentic middle-eastern delight!
Celiac-friendly note: many of the cold apps and entrees are gluten free, just ask your server! -
Review from Tad B.
Maynard, MA
1/27/2011
Great spread of pickled vegetables, excellent falafel, and generally authentic israeli-style food. I disagree about the service, I think it was good - but then again, I'm well acquainted with middle eastern and western european service, so maybe I don't expect much! don't go for the service or atmosphere, go for the delicious food.
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Review from Rani P.
9/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
After eating middle eastern food in Israel- my expectations were high, but my mouth was salivating for the flavors and spices of the east. Walking past Jerusalem Pita & Grill in the past, I assumed that it was solely a take-out place. I was surprised to discover the hustle and bustle of the two, nice waitresses in the small but busy restaurant. It was packed for a weeknight- but soon we found out why. I could have just ordered appetizers and went on my way, but how can you not order about 10 things off the menu? Falafel, Potato Burekas, Shawarma, Schnitzel and 2 bottles of Goldstar Dark Lager.
I haven't had falafel as good as this anywhere else in Boston.. it wasn't too fried, or overly seasoned- they were perfection. I wanted to bundle them up in a napkin and take them home with me, but they were just too tasty and delicious I had to devour every last crumb. The falafel came with a plate of hummus and tahini and absolutely phenomenal pita bread- warm, fluffy, rich- they basically could have floated away from our table. But don't you worry- I caught them and ate them almost as fast as the falafel. They had no chance of survival. The potato burekas were also authentic- although the portion size (1 on a small plate) was the worst tease imaginable. Once the Shawarma and Schnitzel came- all I wanted was more falafel and burekas. The shawarma was aight- the laffa was HUGE, and the schnitzel was ok- but both got so soggy near the end and collapsed from the weight of the tahini and cucumber salad.
Favorite place for falafel? Jerusalem Pita and Grill.
Best pita in Boston? Jerusalem PITA and Grill- go figure.
Do I want another Goldstar Dark Lager? Sure.Listed in: All Time B-Town Favorites
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Review from rachel d.
Princeton, NJ
2/15/2010
I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant. Out of all the places I have been to in Boston, this one was my favorite. We had their lamb Kebab entree with rice and vegetables. It was enough for two people to share. The service was great! I've noticed that there is a lot of negative feedback about the service here on yelp. People have bad days - we have to remember that. Bad service on one occasion doesn't necessarily mean consistent.bad service.
The food was fantastic. Kebab found outside of the Middle East is generally a million times worse. But this meal was comparable to anything you'd find on the streets of Jerusalem.
They had a nice salad bar where you could take seconds of cabbage, olives, and marinated other things.
And to share they gave several pitot even though I wasn't aware that we ordered any.
If I lived in Boston I would be dining here as much as possible.
Delish. -
Review from Todd C.
Medford, MA
3/13/2009
I ordered a Falafel Laffa ($1 more than the pita, but worth it considering the larger portion).
Liked:
Israeli salad and green spice (?) were very good
Fries can be added to falafel sandwiches at no extra cost.
Wait staff was friendly
Disliked:
Falafel balls were not seasoned well (needed salt)
Fries were mushy and bland (also needed salt)
Service was disjointed, not fast for falafel sandwich
It is pretty obvious that Jerusalem Pita & Grill is run by first time restauranteurs. Certain things that are often taken for granted (properly layering a falafel sandwich), aren't done particularly well yet. The place is laid out inefficiently for seating, and with its glass counter, appears to be more of a take-out or fast food operation, which it definitely is not. My experience wasn't as slow as some of the other reviewers, but not as fast as most other comparable falafel/shawarma restaurants.
While I think the portion was good enough, the fact that the falafel balls themselves were bland is discouraging. The texture was very good, but I had to add salt to my laffa, which made it pretty decent. But I shouldn't have to do that, right? The hummus was also virtually non-existent, which was a shame.
Until they work out the kinks, I'll go to Shawarma King for falafel in the area, as its cheaper, and tastes better. -
Review from Matt B.
Jamaica Plain, MA
6/2/2009
The food is quite good, particularly with the $1-extra laffah bread (it's almost like a poofy tortilla. Emphasis on "almost"). I've had the shawarma and the lamb-turkey-beef thing (I'm blanking on the name). Their Israeli salad I think is particularly good, and my eating partner was quite fond of their baba ganoush.
Two quick notes: the restaurant is Kosher, so the food is more expensive than at a non-Kosher Middle Eastern place. Also, "traditional" Israeli service is not what I would call the most accommodating. I'm a patient man, however, so I just see it as part of the ambiance! If you don't like waiting, go for an early meal.
