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Moody's Falafel Palace
Categories: Restaurants Fast Food Restaurants Middle Eastern Fast Food, Middle Eastern [Edit]
25 Central SqCambridge, MA 02139
Neighborhood: Central Square
(617) 864-0827
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western Ave @ Kinnaird St (64, 70, 70A)
Western Ave @ Green St (64, 91)
River St @ Pleasant St (70, 70A)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Thu, Sat 11 am - 3 am
Fri 2 pm - 3 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
337 reviews for Moody's Falafel Palace
Review Highlights
"I can't wait to try to lamb shawarma."
(in 28 reviews)
"It's definitely worth the late night trip."
(in 42 reviews)
"For a dollar extra they'll mix in baba ganoush."
(in 9 reviews)
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337 reviews in English
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Review from Rebecca N.
Cambridge, MA
10/24/2011
Always delicious for a quick dinner or for a snack late night. Staff is fast and friendly. Lots of vegetarian options, which I very much appreciate. So glad I live so close to this place! It is an important staple in Central square; the other fast food places in Central are chains like McDonalds or Wendys.
Thanks Falafel Palace! -
Review from Eric M.
1/24/2012
When it comes to falafel, I've been spoiled my whole life. Growing up as a strapping Palestinian lad, I've been given some of the finest falafel around, whether it be from my mother or from delicious restaurants that my family has frequented.
So I came to Moody's with a pretty high standard for what "great" falafel should taste like - and came away mildly disappointed. It was very dry and the tahini was nothing to write home about either. But at the same time, the prices are very fair and they give you a fresh product in about a minute. So I can't really be picky here - this is very much a 3.5 star place, but unfortunately I can't round up here.
I'll go back and hope to upgrade my rating after. -
Review from Roscoe R.
Cambridge, MA
1/14/2012
The food has always been mediocre at Moody's -- not great, but not bad. I'd give the food itself 2.7 stars. The main reason I often returned to Moody's was because they were open past midnight and because they were pretty cheap. Basically, it was either Moody's or 7-11.
I used to get the chicken shwarma, lamb shwarma, or kafta kebab sandwiches (tried a foul sandwich once, when I was in a veggie mood, but the foul was indeed foul). The lamb was usually fatty/gristly/sinewy -- pretty gross having to spit stuff out a lot -- so I preferred the chicken (which was often dry/overcooked) or the kafta (made to order). And the sandwiches were way too "americanized" for me -- other than tahini, they came only w/lettuce, tomato, and supermarket pickles on them. Moody's never offered cumin-marinated onions, garlic paste, etc.
I stopped going to Moody's entirely last year because of too many bad experiences with service. Enough is enough. Too many of the guys who work there late at night are surly assholes, too distracted by their loud music and friends to provide decent service, and so I'd rather spend my money supporting other Central Square food places. For example, if you want similarly cheap, mediocre food in Central Square but with GOOD service, visit Mass Chicken, which is 1 block away. It's worth noting that Moody's USED to have some really nice, courteous employees -- Sami comes to mind, and so does Danny -- but a bunch of them left, and some started working at the (MUCH better quality) Falafel Corner in Harvard Square when it opened about a year ago.
Two bad (but typical) Moody's service experiences come to mind. The one and only time I called in an order, to avoid waiting in line, guess what happened when I showed up 30 minutes later (they had said "15 minutes," but I knew better than to trust that time frame)? They said, "Oh, yeah, we didn't make it yet, we're pretty busy."
The second bad experience that comes to mind was the occasion that led me to not come back. I went there one night and ordered my 2 sandwiches (you need 2 to fill you up because they don't have much meat on them, so I'd get 1 lamb and 1 chicken). I asked for "just a tiny bit of hot sauce, just a little," like I always do (because their hot sauce is super hot). A few minutes later, I'm watching the guy make what I think is my sandwich, and he puts a TON of hot sauce on it -- I'm talking SPOONFULS. I say, "Is that mine you're making?" He says, "Yeah." I say (very politely), "Oh, well, I had asked for it with just a little hot sauce, and that's way too hot for me." He says, with considerable attitude, "Well, just try it anyway" and handed me the sandwich when he was done making it. [He re-made it without comment after I did try it, handed it back to him, and said, "Yeah, it's too hot".]
I don't know who owns Moody's, but it seems like the owner spent little or no time on-site late at night.
Again, if I were rating Moody's on food alone, I'd give it a higher rating -- 2.7 stars -- but the service is the dealbreaker. -
Review from Andy C.
Quincy, MA
1/2/2012
Pros: quick service right near the T. Open till 3am.
Cons: Overfried falafels that are a bit expensive.
I guess you can't complain too much at 2 in the morning when you've got a hankering for a falafel wrap. -
Review from Ron W.
Revere, MA
2/8/2012
First off the owner who I don't know his name but he is a real cheap prick! Why am writing such a bad review. Well a couple of years ago I went to this place ordered a chicken shawarma with a little extra tahini sauce. When I asked him for a little extra tahini sauce on my vegetable salad with chicken bits "shawarma sandwich" and he told he needs to charge me $0.75 extra because he has overhead, (his words) "if I don't charge you than everyone else will want extra". I objected why the higher price and what I got was a whiny response that already left a bad taste in my stomach even before I ate. Believe me this guy must have had the violin sob music playing in his head and it was never ending because I just asked why? Not that $0.75 is a big deal but it sent a bad vibe down my back that I am dealing with another CHEAP business owner who likes to cut corners and is interested only in nickel and diming his customers for more profit rather than a good experience. I know it sounds like I am against capitalism but I am not. This guy has a monopoly because there is no other falafel shacks around open late. I went in a few weeks later ordered a sandwich and the guy in front of me was an Arab speaking fellow and he and the owner were conversing in Arabic some and mostly English. I ordered and paid for my sandwich with an extra squirt of Tahini sauce, $0.75 extra squirts worth. The Arab guy after me and the owner were speaking and ordered the same sandwich with extra, tahini, a little extra meat and so on. The owner did not mention a word of the sob story on why he "has to charge everyone extra for extra condiments on a sandwich" but not a word of charging extra. I watched as the owner handed the Arab fellow his much larger sandwich with extra everything on it and charge him just the normal price. At this time I was finishing my sandwich, saw and hear the whole transaction/conversation. When he charged me and didn't charge him extra I spoke up. "What is this? You charged me extra for an extra squirt for tahini sauce and your Arab brother doesn't get charged extra for everything else. I told the owner straight out he was fair with me and that he price gouged me many times in the past including today and right away the owner was saying "I am sorry but you know how it is sometimes I got to charge people different prices". I didn't understand what he was getting at but I said to him "I am not upset at paying an extra $0.75 on a sandwich but when you skimp out on everything els, nickel and dime me for every cent you can and not do the same to your Arab brother how do you think I am going to react". Again I get the story of why he has to charge me extra and he pulls out of his register a dollar bill and tries to hand it to me. I said to him "keep it because you need it to buy some business etiquette lessons on customer service.
I went' back there on 2/4/2012 at 11pm with my wife for a late night sandwich only to be disappointed again from RUDE CUSTOMER SERVICE and less than par chicken shawarma sandwich with barely any (less than an ounce) of dried crunchy chicken bits and a lot of bread. The sandwiches Lamb and Chicken really SUCKED for the amount of money you will spend here. I asked for shepard's salad on my sandwiches and the responce I got was that I have to charge you $1.50 extra. This was a latino speaking guy with real rotten attitude. I said forget it. I was nver so angry over a sandwich but more so the attitude I got.
This PLACE SUCKS. Find another place for Shawarma. -
Review from Nikhil P.
Boston, MA
1/24/2012
Decent food but nothing to write home about. Coming from downtown Toronto, land of the shawarma, this was kind of imposter'ish. Good for a quick bite though -- fast, affordable food, just nothing that'll knock your socks off.
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Review from sierra l.
Boston, MA
1/15/2012
their shawarma omg so good. I travel from roslindale to that part of town for that kind of food so yummmy
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Review from Neal W.
Setauket- East Setauket, NY
2/2/2012
The food is not bad, but their menu is very deceptive. The owner claims many of the prices on their menu are old and charges a higher price at checkout. For example, I ordered a spinach pie, which was advertised as $2.25 + tax. The owner charged me $3 + tax. While the amount of money involved is small, this sort of underhanded tactic just shows that the place is run by really unscrupulous people.
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Review from Arnie F.
Cambridge, MA
1/18/2012
Great food at a reasonable price. Friendly staff
There is no room, however, to eat inside the restaurant. -
Review from R. M.
Cambridge, MA
1/2/2012
Tasty and well-priced. Good for vegetarians, too, unlike a lot of places that are open late. The place has been renovated and so looks a lot better and cleaner. Staff is friendly. Whomever runs the place has been making careful small changes to improve presentation (my order now has a little plastic baggie around the aluminum foil to catch stray tahini! good idea!) which is great.
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Review from Matt S.
Arlington, MA
Updated - 12/26/2011
WHAT HAPPENED?
I go away for a couple of years and you've gone to crap?
You used to have the best baba in the area--now I go back and order baba and it tastes like mashed styrofoam marinaded in miso?
The lamb was good, but much sweeter than you used to have. And no tahini? Also, your eats are no longer that cheap.
I had big hopes when I saw that you'd remodeled. But the new inside is sterile. All the heart--and all the flavor--was in your place circa 2008. I'll just cross the square and go to Andala.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/7/2010
Best cheap eats in Cambridge. Really good falafel, great shawarma. The baba ganouj is the best in… Read more »
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Review from Joojoo R.
Quincy, MA
10/8/2011
Let me just start off by saying every Friday I religiously visit Falafel King in Quincy. I decided to venture out here and see how it compares.
I'd better not compare...
TINY PLACE. It's the size of one-person bathrooms at restaurants. Not that they need to be huge to be good, but it was good.
That's it. It was good. You can sit outside. Lots of weirdos walking by, perfect for people watching. -
Review from Kenny C.
9/17/2011
I did not like this place at all. Friend and I came here late night after not-so-heavy drinking and each had the chicken shawarma wrap. BIG MISTAKE.
The chicken was dry, the sauce was flavorless and runny, and it made me bloated and feeling like crap until the next afternoon (so much so that "chicken shawarma was a bad choice" became an inside joke).
I've had good shawarma before, and this place does not make it. But what can you expect from a place that spells it "falafal" instead of an "falafel" on its storefront sign? -
Review from Paul M.
8/28/2011
In a land that public transportation shuts down at 12:45 am, bars at 1 or 2 am, and other restaurants usually 10:00-11:00 pm Falafel Palace stays open to the wee hour of 3 am. Not only that but today, on the heels of the remnants of Hurricane Irene, when every other restaurant seemed closed, Moody's was not.
They serve a variety of Middle Eastern fare from their namesake falafels to shawarma to tasty desserts like baklava and bird's nests. They serve the food cheap. They serve the food in a mini-castle in the middle of Central Square. That's why they've been a staple of the area for years. I'm pretty sure Matt Damon loves the place. I'm sure that a lot of other people do too. Count me among them.
There are some cons- the quality hasn't always been exactly steady. Sometimes the chicken just isn't as good as it usually is. Sometimes the lamb isn't. Sometimes it's the falafel. But nevertheless any of their dishes are generally excellent. And be careful, the wraps can get mighty soggy at the bottom. -
Review from Heather G.
Boston, MA
11/2/2011
Why do you go to Moody's Falafel? Well because it's open until 3am in Central square. Just to give you some perspective, the only other thing open at that hour is 7-11. What would you prefer to satisfy your late-night drunchies cravings with? Bad shawarma or taquitos that have been rolling around in the incubator for approximately 18 hours?
You go for the subpar shawarma, of course.
Moody's gets my 3 stars if only because of its late closing time. After a night on the town, this place tastes amazing. Sober? Probably head elsewhere.
A few things to note:
1. they put pomegranate seeds in their salad. Not sure how authentic this is, but it was certainly a welcome surprise for me.
2. On the topic of salad, theirs comes very heavily dressed, so try and remember to ask for it naked.
3. Rice pilaf on the dinner plates is very dry, but with the aforementioned drippy salad, they make a good balance.
4. The chicken shawarma is extremely dry. Perhaps not a high enough fat content on the rotisserie, but these chicken shavings were too dry to choke down, even with the small little container of tahini they give you. Ask for extra tahini. No wonder they charge 50 cents extra for it - brilliant marketing, guys. You'll certainly need to splurge for the extra and will happily pay for it if the alternative is dry chicken.
5. The rollups are actually pretty good. The moisture ratio is more balanced than the dinner plates, despite the large pita they're served in. The lamb is especially fatty and juicy. No, this is not high-quality tasting lamb, but it's greasy and has some nice flavor.
The women behind the counter are certainly not friendly by any means, but they're polite and serve your food extremely quickly.
This place is certainly in my regular rotation, if for no other reason than because they're the only kid on the block after hours. -
Review from Boberella B.
Boston, MA
6/13/2011
Moody's is a old time standby for those late night, post-party snack attacks, or a quick, inexpensive bite on the go. I have many a fond memory of late nights when their chicken or lamb shawarma rollups have provided the perfect, savory exclamation point to a great night out.
Lately though Moody's has really been letting me down. What's up with pre-made sandwiches unceremoniously handed over the counter by some uninterested grunts after being half-assedly rewarmed in a sandwich press? What's with the babaganoush and falafel rollup I ordered not having any baba despite my having paid an extra $.50 for it? (it's not the money, it's the principle). That sandwich was pretty awful, actually. The bread was soggy from sitting around for a while, the lettuce was wilted, and those tomatoes were, well, kind of gray. I don't even want to talk about the soggy, listless falafel patties. I can forgive a mistake every now and again, but this is getting to be more of a rule than an exception.
2 stars cause I know you can do better, Moody's. -
Review from Joseph G.
Cambridge, MA
7/25/2011
Falafel Palace is awesome. Perfect meal, perfect snack. Always cheap.
Personally I almost always get the lamb schwarma rollup, because it is just too delicious. When you walk in the door and look at that giant spit of meat roasting in front of you, it's almost impossible to buy anything else. That said, I have also had their falafel as well as their hummus and tabuli and it is all tasty as can be.
Not too much in terms of seating, but you'll probably end up scarfing your food down before you even realize that you want to sit. -
Review from Kimberly H.
Cambridge, MA
8/25/2011
THE BEST LATE NIGHT FOOD IN ALL OF CAMBRIDGE!
Falafel Palace delivers consistently every time. Before you assume your experience is going to be perfect, beware of the following:
- Long lines, especially around 2am
- Juicy, drippy falafel wraps
- No space inside to eat
If you're prepared to endure those hardships, then you're ready for:
- Amazing, quality falafel (I've been to Israel twice, I know my falafel)
- If you ask for extra anything (I highly recommend pickles), you will get an abundance of that item
- LOTS OF FOOD for CHEAAAP
- Homemade baklava
- If you ask for spicy, you're going to burn your mouth
For a while I only ordered the falafel wrap with tahini sauce and extra pickles, but the other day I branched out and got the vegetarian plate (which is a healthier option). I have never been disappointed at Falafel Palace. The owners are awesome, too. -
Review from Sarah d.
6/7/2011 5 Check-ins Here
We go back a ways, Moody's and I. How many dalliances can I have with them before I just come right and admit that I love them? No more, that's how many.
I eat their shawarma when I am coming home late and hungry from the bar. I eat their shawarma when I can't think of anywhere else to go for dinner. I eat their shawarma when I don't feel like cooking. I ate their shawarma when I lived in Quincy and I sure as heck eat their shawarma now that I live in their neighborhood.
This is my midnight snack of choice on the weekends and my dinner of choice when left to my own devices. It's fast food i guess, but it's so darn good. I love the pickles, by the way. Lamb is tasty, chicken with hot sauce is maybe tastier, but i will eat it pretty much however it arrives.
I have no idea whether it is authentic or traditional, but it is definitely delicional (YUP). -
Review from Che S.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
7/21/2011
Definitely....
lamb shwarma plate.....
I could go back for more. -
Review from Nitya D.
Cambridge, MA
7/29/2011
Moody's is basically a hole in the wall and might as well be the smallest eatery establishment in Central. Don't let that fool you though because the portions are large, the quality is great, and it's really cheap (I don't think I've spent more than $10 there and that's the upper limit).
You won't really be able to snag a seat given that they have only 4-5 chairs, but it's great when you just want to grab a wrap to go. So basically, the ambiance is completely underwhelming, but the food totally makes up for it. -
Review from Adriel I.
Cambridge, MA
4/23/2011
So you took her on a date. Why not? Not the prettiest girl in the world but she laughed at your lame joke, and there was something about the way she twirled her hair. So the date went well. And so did the second. Didn't get past second base, but meh....there was just something about the way she smiled at you. You think. Maybe it's just because she lives just down the street. Or maybe its cause she always answers the door, even if it's 2am in the morning. You don't know...hell, most of the time you go see her, the room's spinning from one to many at Redline or Middlesex Lounge, and you can't be bothered to think about why's and hows. Until suddenly you're walking down the aisle and her gap toothed smile catches the corner of your eye from under her veil and you think to yourself "how did it come to this?!" And you know it's gonna be lamb roll ups for the rest of your life.
Yep. Moody's is kind of like that. -
Review from Kim S.
Cambridge, MA
3/20/2011
Being new to the area, I stumbled upon this awesome place on a Saturday night, after contemplating another late night session of mediocre pie at Hi-Fi Pizza down the road.
Even around 2 am, this place is bustling with a combination of locals, visitors, and falafel enthusiasts, who are looking to satiate their post-revelrous adventures with some authentic middle eastern cuisine.
I tried the lamb shawarma, and it was deliciously cheap at $4.99 for a reasonably sized wrap. And the variety of options offered for such a small place was pleasantly surprising. They offer everything from traditional falafel, to baba ghanouj, and of course, hummus.
And although there was a bit of a line outside the door, it was absolutely worth the wait. This palace just gained a new regular customer. -
Review from Jen T.
Newton, MA
3/27/2011
There is no other place to get falafel in the area. I mean, there is, but there may as well not be. This place is cheap, fast, delicious, AND open late. And if you're familiar with greater Boston, you may know that the last thing is the hardest to find.
I've always found the portions here to be huge and can rarely finish my huge wrap even after some hunger-inducing drinking. My advice is to wrap it back up in the foil and be delightfully surprised when you wake up the next morning and find it in your fridge :)
The night time crowd can be fun or annoying depending on your mood, and sometimes you really have to force your way in to get served. -
Review from Brian D.
Cambridge, MA
2/26/2011
Good spot for late-night lamb shwarma or falafel, but my satisfaction with this place is always correlated with the # of drinks I've had that night...
None-1: I really wish this place tasted like the deliciousness of Israel and Greece. 2 stars
2-4:Why do I sometimes get so frustrated with this place? It's pretty good. 3 stars
4+: This is AMAZING and a perfect late-night drunk food spot. 5 stars! -
Review from Bruce M.
Auburn, MA
5/25/2011
From the heat emanating off the shwarma racks... to the glass enclosed display of baklava glistening with honey... to the generous portions of hot felafel... to the gregarious owner greeting you warmly... to the Arabic music straining from the speakers... Moody's Felafel Palace is simply the best felafel west of Aleppo (which is where owner Chaled is from--mention Aleppo fondly and you'll have a friend forever).
I had the felafel platter with a side of tahini and hot sauce--although the sides are a extra $.50, they're absolutely worth the investment and complement the food well. My partner had the lamb shwarma, which after I took a bite I regretted I didn't order. Order a lemonade to take some of the bite off the hot sauce, and don't skip the baklava for desert. Between us, $15 for dinner. And Worth. Every. Penny.
After you're done, tarry a little while to talk politics with Chaled: After all, you can't spell Middle East without "eat", and--like hole-in-the-wall felafel joints the world around--the post-meal kibitzing is almost required. -
Review from Orian I.
1/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Value +excellent quality food = happy tummy.
We trampled through the snow to grab a bite for dinner. my boy regailing me with tales of late night study sessions at MIT and running down here, or drunken stumbles here on the weekends.
The place is just the right size, it's tiny and cozy and the incredible spice filled air wraps you up like a blanket. We got the veggie combo and the lamb shawarma. The rotating spit is filled with that delicious perfection the quick attentive service. delicious rice, fantastic falafel. great salad, great tabouli salad. mmm mouth watering. next time i'll get the wrap, i'm a sucker for pickles and hot sauce. this is a little gem.Listed in: Eastward bound
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Review from Jeremy S.
Somerville, MA
3/24/2011
Boston doesn't have an abundance of late-night food establishments, so the Falafel Palace in Cambridge gets 5 stars from me simply for being open (the fact that its tasty, honest, and trustworthy are also good attributes).
Other reviewers are right: this place is at its best after a night of moderate to heavy drinking. It's cheap, quick, and far better than pizza for a 2AM snack.
Still not convinced? Hit up a live show at the Middle East, then wash it all down with a $5 shwarma before hitting the hay. The Palace will feel like Heaven. -
Review from Anthony C.
Cambridge, MA
The food has gone diwnhillnover the last year. The last several lamb roll-ups I've ordered have been so sinuey I couldn't even bite through the meat. Awful! What the heck happened!?
1 Previous Review:
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5/11/2011
Really good food-- this place is original and a landmark. Run in and order a Shawarma roll up!
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Review from Liz S.
Cambridge, MA
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I haven't tried every falafel place in town, but of all that I've tried, this is the best. Delish!
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Review from Sam S.
Cambridge, MA
12/4/2011
Great reliable food, but a 15 dollar minimum on credit and debit with everything on your menu under 10 bucks, come on!
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Review from Michael P.
Cambridge, MA
11/4/2010
*The ONLY late night pit-stop for REAL food in Central Sq. ("Real" as in none of that pizza down Mass Ave). It's definitely worth the late night trip.
*Lamb Shawarma! Thumbs up! Good solid wrap. $5. Beware that they usually run out of this; so it's not available after midnight ish on busy nights?
*I prefer not to get the combo plates; the food is too compartmentalized and the take-out box is bulky. The wrap is where its at. All the delicious ingredients are well-mixed and bundled into a ready-to-eat form (oh, and grill pressed too right before it's served). Moody's is afterall a food pit-stop: order, grab'n'go, and bon appetit! -
Review from Krystal T.
Cambridge, MA
6/22/2011
What happened to this place?!! It recently either changed owners or staff and it went from a 5+++ to a mediocre 2. My husband and I use to go to this spot every other day since we live 2 steps away, but after last nights meal we have sworn not to return.
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Review from Thomas B.
Cambridge, MA
12/2/2011
This is one of my favorite places for a quick lunch. The falafel sandwiches are always great. I recommend adding hummus or baba ghanoush or both like I do!
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Review from thermopylae x.
Boston, MA
7/25/2011
first in line of many; ordered
14 people afterwards got their food, fast
after inquiring about our order, a hermetically-sealed bag was pulled from behind the counter with cold shawarma, turkish coffee and warm cucumber salad
couldn't even rectify in english, as the 3 employees only spoke spanish -
Review from ThePainfulTruth X.
Boston, MA
9/26/2010
Extremely rude counter worker. Flat-out refused to recommend something fast.
I was on the way to a dance class, running late, and in need of some quick food. I wanted to buy local, so I stopped in at Moody's Falafel Palace. I approached the guy behind the counter, smiled and said: "Hi, so, I'm running late, what can you make that is fast?" The man says, bored, "everything we make is fast".
I hardly ever eat Middle Eastern food so I couldn't really remember what was fast and what took time to cook. I said "Um, I know some things take a while to cook, can you tell me what is fast?" He said again, "everything is fast". I had been scanning the menu until this point; I looked him in the eye, pleading, kind of shaking my head, like, "what's the problem?" He shoots me a nasty glare and says, "I think you should go somewhere else."
I have never been treated this way in a restaurant. Every restaurant I've ever visited in a hurry, the server has been able to recommend one or two menu items that suited my needs. I recommend you avoid this establishment and the rude guy who works there!Listed in: Crappy Food
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Review from Dee P.
Auburndale, MA
8/12/2010
Did someone really just say they got "two falafels, one lamb and one chicken" here? Um, people unclear on the concept, perhaps?
Pretty damn good falafel here (which is CHICKPEAS for the clueless), good tahini, EXCELLENT prices (can you walk out of any other place in the square with a full meal for less than $5? I think not).
Cute longhaired arabic boys who are nice to flirt with. The staff generally remembers regulars and are super nice. This is a family-owned place (run by the original Moody's cousin) and it could surely use a re-decorating venture and a deep clean (the hanging decorations haven't been dusted in millennia) but the food is good and one of the best deals in the area.
The only cons: the spinach "pie" has no cheese in it (sacrelige)
and the salad that comes with platters is super watery so it leaks all over. Oh and they still use styrofoam, sadly.
The falafel comes with pickles so make sure you specify if you don't like those!Listed in: Central Square
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Review from Meg B.
Everett, MA
9/11/2011
Oh, Falafel Palace, how you've gone so far downhill.
This used to be my go-to spot for a delicious, reasonably priced lunch.
Now, the wraps are soggy, the chicken and lamb are over done, and the quality is just nowhere near what it used to be.
The final straw was when I went for lunch with a new colleague who was craving falafel. It was 12:30 on a beautiful Friday afternoon. We tried the door. It was locked. We knocked on the window and gestured to the staff. We got a surly response that they would be open at 1:00. Seriously?
I'm done with your shenanigans, Falafel Palace. Done. -
Review from Alex P.
Watertown, MA
10/28/2010
Home of the toasted falafel. I can say from experience that this was once of the best falafel places in the world. Today, it's hit or miss.
Perhaps lacking the toppings panache of Moaz in Isreal/Barcelona, without the savory street tang of roadside schwarma stands in Aleppo or Damascus (which, incidentally, is where Moody's takes inspiration from. See the wall photos...) and not quite as fresh as its nearby cousin Sepal of Watertown, Moody somehow rivaled the best of them with a perfectly toasted wrap and tahini sauce that would make angels weep.
Today's it has succumbed to wilty lettuce and lemon juice concentrate for zest. I believe original owners took a back seat to the day-to-day operations some time ago, and with them went a special concern for quality and freshness. You can still get a world-class falafel at the Palace, but you'll have to get lucky.Listed in: Falafel
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Review from Allison T.
Allston, MA
Updated - 7/15/2010
What the HELL happened to my go-to lunch place? I was a serious Moody's patron - I loved the great food, the friendly staff, and the generous portions for cheap prices.
But what. the. hell.
I go away on business for a few weeks and come back to the brat brigade running the place. Seriously - try to call in our lunch orders (as usual) and no one picks up the phone. Figure that they're probably slammed so I walk over. Not a soul in sight waiting to order.
Two attitudey youngsters are behind the counter arguing with each other, rolling their eyes at customers asking questions or trying to pick up orders, and letting out loud sighs every three seconds (we get it, it sucks having a summer job).
I order my usual, pay, run an errand, and come back to a wet, disgusting, half portion of what might be the salad that I usually order. I get back to the office, realize it's missing pretty much all of the key ingredients, go back, get tons of eye rolls and some arguing while I try to just get the sides of what I have already paid for...argh.
Go back. Try to eat it. And wow.
Just gross, spoiled vegetables and sour sour tahini. I couldn't finish it and I vomited.
What. the hell.
The brat brigade just lost you a five year serious patron Moody's.Listed in: Late night eats..., Falafal, Falafel, Falefel,…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2005
I really liked this place. The food was cheap, filling, and the service was quick. They have a nice… Read more »
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