The Good: Still like what it used to taste like from what I can remember. Hits the spot every time!…read more The Bad: Adel's is a fierce competitor a few blocks down with a long line. BUT, imho Adel's doesn't really taste as good as the original Halal Guys in terms of flavor and fragrance. The chicken from Adel's is in bigger chunks and some argue is more tender, but the flavor is definitely not close. Also, it's important that it comes with lettuce, tomatoes and a little onion to balance everything out. Finally, You must get both the spicy red and white sauce together to make it all come together! The Ugly: The smell is addictive, so if you walk by, it's hard to resist, even if you've just eaten a nice meal somewhere else. We couldn't resist. Gotta hit the gym hard for the next few days!

The guys working the cart are genuinely some of the friendliest people you'll meet in midtown…read more Always smiling, always patient, even when the line is wrapped around the block. And that line is no joke. You will wait. Plan accordingly. Here's my dilemma: every single time I eat here, my stomach lets me know about it later. Without fail. I've tried adjusting the hot sauce, going easy on portions... doesn't matter. Something about this food and my digestive system just don't agree. At this point I have to accept that it's probably not for me. So why do I keep coming back? Because at 2 AM after a late night, when everything else is closed and you're starving in Times Square, that platter of chicken and rice over white sauce smells like salvation. They're the only game in town at that hour, and honestly, in the moment, it hits. It's the next morning I regret it. If your stomach handles it better than mine, you'll probably love it. The food is tasty and the portions are huge for the price. I just wish I could enjoy it without paying for it twice.

I would say the food lives up to the hype. However, I don't think it's worth waiting in the…read morehour-long line like I did, just considering there are so many great halal options in the city with a much shorter line. I do think they do as good of a job managing it as possible, but it is still quite the long line. If you do decide to wait in the line, I recommend sending a friend over to Magnolia Bakery to get you a treat while you pass the time. Overall, the lamb and chicken were extremely tender and flavorful. The sauce and rice were great as well, complementing them perfectly. The service is very efficient, and they do have a few cards set up to maximize the efficiency. It was great, and I'd say it's worth trying if the line is short! Otherwise, I would pivot to another nearby great option that you can easily find.

Absolutely overrated. This place is probably overhyped thanks to Instagram and YouTube influencers,…read morebecause the actual food is nowhere near worth the attention. Yes, it's only $10 if you pay cash, but honestly, the quality you get feels like it should cost even less. There are plenty, and I mean plenty of other halal spots that are significantly better than Adel's. We tried both the combination plate and the falafel plate. The falafel was so bad we threw the entire plate in the trash after just one bite. It was oily, heavy, and downright disgusting. To make matters worse, they drown everything in a ton of white sauce, which feels like an attempt to mask how poor the food actually tastes. The chicken on the combo plate was extremely bland and dry. It didn't taste fresh at all . A lot of their meat is pre-cooked somewhere else and just reheated at the cart. The pita is clearly store-bought in bulk and has a cardboard-like texture. The rice was the only somewhat acceptable part, but even that was dry and underwhelming. I genuinely don't understand how anyone would come back here a second time when there are so many other halal carts that are easily 1000 times better. It's definitely not worth standing in line for 30+ minutes. On top of that, the staff is surprisingly rude and tends to snap at you, even when you are just asking basic questions. Skip this overrated cart and save your money.

Nothing compares to having Fresh Shrimp Cheong Fun drenched in extra sauce and chilli on a chilly…read moresunny afternoon. Made to order and piping hot! I am still thinking about it... Loooong lines that move semi quickly. The owner is so friendly and kind. Despite the long lines, she was super patient with everyone.

This cart (on Elizabeth, at Hester. NE corner) is OK. Average rice noodle, long line,…read moredisorganized. I got a classic dried shrimp rice noodle for $3.50 . I ordered in Cantonese. Minutes later I get my order in a plastic container. They didn't ask me what sauces I wanted (maybe I should have told them in advance) but they included some soy sauce on it already. What if I wanted hot sauce and or peanut sauce? Ample portion size but the plastic container is too narrow and makes the rice noodle lumpy. Large dried shrimp pieces but minimal radish or scallion, green onion. I know this is a cart but other establishments better in Ctown

I really enjoyed the onigiri here! My husband and I tried the following onigiri flavors: eel, ume,…read morekaraage and salmon. My husband enjoyed the ume more than the eel surprisingly! He said it had a nice pickled but also sweet flavor which complimented the salty rice. Unfortunately no pictures because we were so hungry we basically devoured them the moment we got them I enjoyed the karaage onigiri the most as the chicken was still moist and delicious. The salmon was tasty as well. The store is located in a bigger Japanese convenience store which sold other items like sushi and bento boxes, I also saw other food stores located deeper into the convenience store as well. I had my stroller with me and although it was a tight fit at times, I was able to get around pretty easily still.

Got the bomb brown which is brown rice with spicy tuna, salmon, and kombu. Rice was super well…read morecooked and had an a decent amount of filling for the price. My fiancée got the eel donburi in the hot prepared foods section. He said it was only ok and wouldn't get it again. He was drawn in by the jammy egg. Convenient place to get Japanese food in general but note it can get crowded quickly.

The line of people made me curious enough to stop. Staff members offered care matching what you'd…read moreexpect from the look. The meal offered good flavors and proper cooking. The dishes are delicious. The time spent there was satisfying.

Really enjoyed the scallion pancake burrito! The pork was well-seasoned, the guacamole smooth, the…read morequeso frito crispy, and the lemongrass chili crisp oil added a very creative touch, bursting with flavors. The tostone was perfect for snacking - crispy on the outside, yet firm and chewy in the middle. The green sauce was refreshing, so good for cutting through the grease.

On Christmas Eve, my cousin and I caught the Waffles & Dinges truck and decided to indulge--and I'm…read moreso glad we did. She got the S'mores waffle, and I went with the WMD, and honestly... both were so good. The smell alone was irresistible. It was the perfect sweet treat for the holiday. My WMD was loaded just right--fudge, whipped cream, bananas, and strawberries--everything you want, nothing missing. Her S'mores waffle had the whipped cream, graham cracker, and chocolate, and it was just as good. We were both very, very happy. It hit that perfect balance of warm, sweet, comforting, and indulgent without being too much. Exactly what you want when you're treating yourself. If you see the Waffles & Dinges truck, go to the truck. Don't think about it--just get you something delicious.

The flavor was good but the price was way overpriced. It's expected to pricey since it's the…read moreholidays but definitely not worth the price or long wait.

My favorite food cart in NY. The food is great and the price is insanely low for being in Times…read moreSquare.

Stopped by on a Friday night at around 9:30 to pick up a few platters. I just went with one…read morechicken, and one lamb - can't really go wrong with that, right? Well, they both tasted the same - I'm not even sure I could tell which was which, unless he just gave me two of the same things. It was also super oily, and not in the good late night platters way but in the I'm going to regret this in the morning way. I originally had this place bookmarked because of the great reviews but was disappointed. Next time, I'll stick to the tried and true Halal Guys.

I visit NYC every year and have stayed in the West Village the past 3 years. It took me 3 stays…read morebefore I was finally able to experience the deliciousness and kind hospitality of NY Dosas and the Dosa man, Thiru. I first had to find the cart's exact location in Washington Square Park--he's in the southwest corner by the playground. Then I had to find his schedule--he generally works 4 variable days per week from 10:30 am-2:00 pm. It's best to follow him on social media (I use Instagram) where he posts his working days. Then come early or be prepared to stand in line! He's a one-man show and waits of +1 hour are not uncommon. Pretty much everything is made to order. I arrived a bit after 10 am; Thiru was still setting up. He does have a helper for set-up. Three of us were early birds. He offered me hot tea for the wait, then shortly began preparing my pondicherry dosa. This man is such a kind, trusting soul! A nanny approached and wanted some samosas for her toddler. She didn't have cash or her phone (NY Dosas accepts Venmo and Zelle), so her gave her 2 samosas and told her to pay him later! Also, he does not seem to check if your payment went through. His love of what he does (he's been at it since 2001) shines through his actions and interactions with customers. He takes photos with pretty much everyone. This was my first dosa ever, and it was delish. Everything here is vegan/vegetarian. The rice and lentil crepe had a crisp texture and was filled with veggies and potatoes. There was a coconut chutney alongside, as well as a small cup of lentil soup with veggies and 2 sauces, a spicy green one and a sweet mango one. He has a variety of drinks available also. I also ordered a samosa, which are premade out of necessity, and it too was delish. Overall a great cheap meal made by a genuine star. Nearby Michelin-starred Southern Indian restaurant Semma also serves dosas, which I'm sure are also delish, but perhaps not star-made.

New Yorkers do not wait on a line for mediocre food so this is a big accomplishment for this food…read morecart. It is in WSP, where so many of the downtown workers and NYU students come to enjoy break. The cart usually has a 10-20 people line, ranging from 25-50 minutes wait. I must say that I get the hype. The ambiance is so lively, given that it's in WSP. I ordered the pondicherry dosa which came with a dipping sauce and coconut chutney. The flavors are beyond incredible and I must say that this is the best dosa I've ever had. This portion was around $12, and was super filling and satisfying.

Long ago, when I was a fresh-faced ad agency intern, I spent a summer in a dorm room at NYU. With…read moreno interest in cooking, I remember becoming a semi-regular at the Gray's Papaya located at 6th Ave and 8th St and always ordering the Recession Special: two dogs loaded with onions and a papaya drink. It wasn't the best quality frankfurter, but somehow it worked with my indiscriminate palette. Flash forward a century or so, and this is the only Gray's Papaya left in the city. Since I'm a survivor, I thought it only appropriate to take Jamie to the original flagship location and order what else but the Recession Special. Sure enough, they still offer it for $7.50. It was $1.95 when I was a child, but it's still a good deal consisting of 2 Hot Dogs (Photo 10) and a Medium Papaya Drink (Photo 9). The franks were the same as I recall, nothing special but if you add onions and pay an extra 75 cents for the chili, it just works. The papaya drink is not a fruit juice but a puree mixed with sugar and milk. It actually complements the dog in a guilty pleasure kind of way. There was a line but it moved fast. Plenty of room at the red mini-counter, so I was able to relive my youthful dining dalliance with little effort. FOOD / DRINK - 4 stars...forgive me for I have sinned AMBIANCE - 3 stars...looks the same as it did in the last century SERVICE - 4 stars...they're quick and not rude...decide what you want before you order TOTAL - 4 stars...hope it survives RELATED - Hungry in NYC? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/NKwFRfdezS

No frills corner hot dog stand but it gets the job done on a fixed budget…read more Don't order the papaya juice as it's over-pulped. Big sign on window warning price increase starting June 1, 2026. I'm not that worried about the incremental price hike, as it'll remain one of the most economical hot dog lunch spots in Manhattan.

Got a medium rice noodle (comes in a pint container) with all sauces included hot sauce. For $3.50…read moreit is a great value because it definitely filled me up. It also definitely hits the spot and reminds me of my childhood and is easy to eat while walking or standing in line. Service is quick and the man and woman manning the cart are super nice and efficient especially when there's a long lunch line. This cart is one I can depend on being there when I'm craving rice noodles!

A fresh noodle cart only in Chinatown NYC…read more My friend and I ordered the curry fish ball with rice noodles. Our total came out to be less than $5. What a great deal. This place is cash only and they sell out early. My friend and I arrived around 2pm and their rice noodles were all sold out, which was a bummer bc I was looking forward to the pork and corn rice noodle. This place opens at 9-3pm. I wish I had ordered more and tried the tripe bc that looked really good. come support this local vendor!