I went to Smiley's for falafel and they were out of falafel. At noon. On a weekday.

Smiley's is a hidden jewel in Manayunk. The food is classic Greek / Turkish / Mediterranean. There are options for platters (served with rice, hummus, pita bread, and Greek salad), sandwiches/gyros, and sides. They also have banana bread, smoothies, and baklava if you're looking for dessert. I recommend the gyro platter, falafel platter, and the schwarma sandwich (comes with a garlic tahini sauce). BYOB plus you can smoke hookah there. Pretty sure it is cash-only, although they may be accepting credit cards now. (bring cash just in case). read more

I love Middle Eastern food! And now, I have a new favorite restaurant; unfortunately it is in Philadelphia and I live in Boston. Don't care--we were visiting and went to Smiley's in Manayunk for Middle Eastern food: THE best! Three of us went there sight unseen- it is tiny;TINY. Does mostly take-out (likely because it's tiny), but do NOT miss this little gem! The hummus is the best I have EVER had; the Greek salad is excellent (and NOT overly dressed) and simple; the falafel's were perfect, and because it was the owners' son's birthday, they plunked down three pieces of birthday cake for us. (By the way, their two young sons are adorable). The family is so nice and justly proud of their food. I am sorry I did not take any photos, but I'm hoping others will fill in the gap. Do not miss Smiley's! read more

OK, I'm going to be Debbie Downer. Awful coffee. Just awful. Maybe that's not fair. I have yet to sample all of their fare, and perhaps it's a bad idea to fit them into the mold that Mugshots (which was gone before I arrived in Manayunk) occupied. But in the end, they call themselves a cafe, which translates into a coffee shop, moved into the location of a former coffee shop and they include baked goods and coffee on the menu, so I feel comfortable in holding them to some standard. They were out of their banana bread. All of it. For all the flavors they described, they didn't have a single one left when I arrived. This is a significant portion of their menu, and they were out of all of it, which tells me that they have problems with keeping things in stock They had plenty of Baklava, but I'm allergic to two of the nuts they use in them, so even experimenting is a horrible idea. There was a small child running around screaming, and I could hear arguing breaking out as I stepped through the door with my coffee. I'm not saying that without empathy, but that is never something you want your customers getting to be a part of. Even if the food had been perfect, it would have detracted from the experience And...the coffee...I have to go back to that. I really do. If I has handed a mug of Starbucks and was told that someone had urinated in it, and my only other option was what I had here...I would seriously have to debate that decision. This is a horrible thing to say. It's cruel, and cruel honestly isn't that much more helpful than well meaning lies. It's even more horrible to look at in the cold light of day, and determine that it's still a correct assessment. But this is someone who, during his broke college days, would drink coffee through day old grounds. Someone who used an abandoned French press that was held together with duct tape, and I couldn't finish it. Seriously, it was that bad. I don't know how they did it, and that cup was an accomplishment in of itself. Maybe the owners are nice folk. Maybe, their Mediterranean food is really good, as other reviews seem to indicate. But they sure as shit ain't a cafe. If they want to be cheery, and have great falafel, they should do that. But dear God in heaven, who I have forsaken in so many ways, they put something on the menu so bad I am still shocked. Combined with a lack of stock and that atmosphere, I can't possibly give this place a good rating. read more

I wish I loved this place as much as everyone else seems to. Very average falafel, served slowly, and slightly overpriced. Banana bread was dry and overall not good. OK in a pinch but not anything to write home about. read more

Decent array of Greek/Turkish food, the falafels are a bit too dry, however. Good baba ganoush and hummus!

I ended up at Smiley's on a whim, and what a wonderful surprise. The place is on a strip of restaurants and is rather nondescript, but when one enters, one feels at home. One begins by ordering at the counter, and then the food is prepared while one waits. I ordered the falafel platter, which came with falafel, hummus, tabouli, and pitas. The man who took my order told me it would be enough food, and it was. All of the various foods tasted wonderful, and I even refrained from salting my food. The greater testament, however, was that all members of my party were satisfied. We are all from different place with different pallets, but we all walked away content. For those with families, this establishment is extremely family friendly, so if you want an informal place with good food where you can take your kids, this is a great option. Likewise, if you want to avoided this type of atmosphere, you might want to think twice. read more

Love this little place! I had the beef gyro, but I've had their chicken and falafel before too, and they're all equally tasty. You know you'll get a fresh meal here, and it's so cheap! The owner chats with everyone, and the atmosphere is welcoming. This is one of my favorite Manayunk spots. read more

I have wanted to try this restaurant for awhile now. I went here with my girlfriend after having tried a few other local Mediterranean/Greek restaurants and this was by far the best for the cost. The service was friendly and quick to prepare our meal (all fresh ingredients too!). We both got the garlic chicken gyro. It was very good, and tasty. The meat was shredded and not in chunks, which is how I have usually had gyros in the past. This was a welcome change! Gyro was tasty, although next time I will go with the non-garlic chicken, as the garlic could be overpowering with some bites. We sat outside at their tables on the sidewalk. read more

Great service! I had the falafel pita and they threw in a small container of babaganoush to try as they were low. I will definitely return.

Best Greek salad! They are owned by the sweetest couple and have great customer service. Food is always fresh.

I have to admit I'm surprised by my experience. When I saw this place had over 200 ratings and a 4.5 average I expected something more than what I got. I ordered the falafel platter which came with Tabouleh salad, hummus, mixed vegetables & a side of pita. As a whole, everything seemed to be at least a day old. Everything was very stale and just did not feel right as you attempted to chew it. If I ever storm a castle and have archers firing at me from atop a tower, I would like to be wearing armor made from the falafel because I would be unstoppable. The pita, I would not serve to small children nor the elderly because it's a choking hazard. It had the consistency of that fruit leather you used to get from the cafeteria in elementary school. You know how if you put a lot of sugar in your coffee people make that joke "You want some coffee with your sugar?" Well that's what they would say about the amount of parsley in the Tabbouleh. I understand Tabbouleh is supposed to have a lot of parsley, but this was to the point where I couldn't call it Tabbouleh. They just gave me straight up minced parsley with a countable amount bulgur grains that seem to have accidentally fallen in. The hummus was not that bad. It tasted like it had a bit too much lemon juice going on and maybe could have used a bit more tahini, but overall it was just ok. The overall taste of everything was not bad, but it did not resemble anything that I would call close to good. Think of a delicious cheesesteak from Pat's or Gino's or Dalessandro's that's a day or two old. It would taste like it's a day or two old, but you could still tell that it would have been delicious had it been fresh. I can't say that with the meal I just had from Smiley's. It didn't taste bad like I could not stand putting it into my mouth, but I can't say I found it even pleasant. I'd get as excited for it as I would for a plain bowl of oatmeal made with water. I think I rate very fairly and it hurts me that I have to give this establishment such a low rating. I will admit that there is a possibility that, given the other stellar reviews, I may have just had a rare bad experience. Unfortunately, that is all I have to go off of. I may try it again some day if I'm with somebody who really wants to go there. Until then, no thanks. read more

Decent Greek/Mediterranean food. We called in an order and I asked for the garlic chicken, with no rice, sub extra salad. When we picked it up, and my BF got back into the car I noticed that there was rice and no extra salad: so I had to go back in. They offered to give me an inky dinky pre made salad, and I opted to purchase a large salad instead. When they finished preparing the salad, I noticed they gave me a small salad. It wasn't terrible, but it was pretty mediocre food. read more

This place really isn't that good. The atmosphere is sweet, but the food is mediocre at best. I'm always disappointed when I type in middle eastern and this pops up as the best available, it's definitely not. read more

We've been back a few more times and I really want to point out the effort that goes into the smallest things. The presentation is always wonderful, even if the stuff is served in styrofoam. I don't really like hot peppers, but the pickled hot peppers he makes were delicious. read more

Dear, Mr. Smiley. Please please please consider opening another location in Abington. Everything you make is delicious and so fresh! Your staff is so friendly and the place is so cute. We need more places like this! read more

I love this place! Hands down the best gyro I have ever had, I have been here about 20 times and I'm still not tired of it. When my mom, who loves gyros, came to visit me from Florida, I took her here and she loved it as well. The falafel sandwich is also good, and the baklava is pretty melt in your mouth delicious. read more

Food is good but delivery literally takes over an hour so make sure to order it during breakfast if you want it for dinner ....I took it down a star after the delivery driver tried to say he doesn't have change so he thought he could just take a higher tip read more

Always so fresh and delicious and Smiley is just the sweetest, cutest man. You can't help but smile when you're waiting for your food :))) Everything is absolutely delicious. My favs are the Greek salad w chicken, gyros and hummus. In my opinion, this is one of the healthiest options for take out in the area. Can't go wrong with this place! read more

Food was nice, service was very attentive. For two people, our total meal was $19. We were the only people in the cafe at the time and got to talk to the owner a little bit. Very nice man, very cool story. Before we left, he said, "welcome to your home away from home" -- treats his patrons like family, truly read more

Best. Service. Ever. The five stars could be given to this place based on service alone, but the food speaks for itself. Try anything: sandwiches, platters, and even the smoothies, and you won't be disappointed. What a fantastic place tucked away in manayunk. read more

Delicious, authentic mediterranean food at fantastic prices served with great hospitality!

Operated by a super sweet family that goes above and beyond in their customer service. The food is pretty amazing too. Greek salad or platter with chicken are my goto but I've also had their hummus, baba, and grape leaves which were also great! read more

Smiley's has been great to have in Manayunk. Delivery around here tends to be mostly fried foods and pizza so it's nice to have an option that is fresh and healthy. Nothing here has disappointed us yet and today I discovered 2 new favorites. The falafel here is awesome and the iced coffee is BY FAR the best I've ever had! Also the delivery through Grubhub took 30 minutes-- unheard of around here! Definitely try this place out, you won't regret it! read more

I have a severe addiction to Smiley's Cafe, and living literally a block away does not help. Not only am I obsessed with their food (STRONGLY suggest ordering a beef schwarma sandwich), but Smiley and his wife are the friendliest people you could ever meet. Wish I could rate more than 5 stars. Its definitely deserved! read more

Love their food. I work nearby so we order from them all the time. The chicken platter is my favorite but never had a bad experience. The owner is a great guy, always pleasant. Small little Shop but the downstairs is extra eating room. Strange but effective if you wanted to eat and hangout. read more

All around the service and food was good. Just two complaints the chicken was a little too dry for my liking and the basmati rice was uncooked. Everything else was pretty good. I had also order a veggie platter and falafel platter with a greek salad. Both platters came with hummus which by the way was very delicious. Going forward I dont think I'll be ordering the chicken platter or rice. (maybe it was just an off day) The service was fast the young lady that helped me was nice. We actually held a little convo while she prepared my order. I went there around 4 pm on a Wednesday it was no one else in there. PLEASE TRY the pinepple lemonade it is to die for.The lush in me wanted to add a splash of rum.. LOL.. however its was very refreshing! read more

No phone number update. The number doesn't work. Came by a few weeks ago and was closed. How is it possible for a business to not have a working phone number posted online?? Great food but I can't understand a business in 2017 not having a website or phone number. Don't bother. read more

Stopped here after looking at the great reviews. Ordered the garlic chicken, beef gyro hummus and falafel. I don't know if it was the time (8:30pm) or day of the week but everything seemed to be over seasoned. The garlic chicken had some sort of garlic paste on top that was entirely too potent. Same thing with the falafel. The gyro sandwich was toasted? Hummus was okay though. read more

I used to work at a Lebanese-owned Mediterranean restaurant, and it's hard to find that delicious home-cooked quality in most Mediterranean joints. This one deserves its already solid reputation though-- it is Lebanese owned, delicious, and well priced. Even though the atmosphere is a very low key, coffee shop/diner vibe, the food makes it great. I tried the Chickeb shwarma and grape leaves. I wanted to try all of it afterwards, but I was way too full. read more

The reviews are right! Possibly the best gyro sandwich I've ever enjoyed in my life, and the shawarma was also a delight. Smiley was super friendly and welcoming as others have noted, and it was obvious he takes pride in his business! And they deliver now! I will be a frequent customer for sure. read more

All of the food is very good and their fresh smoothies and lemonades are awesome. Smiley, the owner, is an absolute delight. Service is pretty fast as well, and there is a little lounge/dining area. The place used to be a mugshots cafe so it's fairly comfortable to relax in. There seems to be new people working frequently, not sure if it's because they're opening for longer hours or if there's turnover, but the new people could be trained better for food consistency. I've had rice that was a little underdone and salad drowned in dressing, but 99% of the time it's great. read more

Smiley's deserves five stars simply because of the genuine, feel good experience and quality of food they provide. It's the kind of business you feel good about supporting, especially on Main street that is so full of other restaurants without the "soul" of Smiley's. You get the feeling that he's in business to serve, not to empty your wallet. read more

Had lunch today. It was good middle eastern food. Had the felafel sandwich. Very good but could have been better if they had heated the pita. The tabouli salad was excellent . The parsley was chopped fine. The downstairs seating seemed like someone's basement. Odd to say the least. They should have hot sauce and pickles to make it authentic but one of the better versions and very reasonably priced. read more

Last time we were here we got the worst case of food poisoning. It hit 2 out 3 people in our party. It was the worst 2 days of my life. I understand that these things happen at restaurants like cross contamination and such. But I never had anything like this in my life. Our food was reheated by a bunch of college students working the front. I should have trusted my instincts and walked away. read more

Love this place. Owners were so nice , greeted us at the door , with a smile (Classic) Food was fresh, gave my friend a piece of falafel to try (cuz she wasnt sure if she liked it) Food was ready quick too!! Will be back. First Yelp review for a reason. Gotta check this place out read more

I just stopped by here today and the minute I entered it felt like home. A family run business and I was welcomed so warmly. The portions are healthy and the falafels here are to die for! I got fresh falafel batch of the day. It was so delicious, you could tell they were home made; very flavorful. I also tried their berry lemonade (again home made). So delicious! Highly recommend this spot for delicious Mediterranean food. read more

I don't understand how this place has so many stars. I just had the most disgusting meal of my entire life. I ordered the beef gyro platter & a strawberry banana smoothie for delivery. The platter had hummus & a Greek salad with it. The gyro wasn't even on the pita, the pita came on the side. I could barely chew the pita and it was as tough as cardboard if not tougher. The hummus was half water and the salad was horrendous. The dressing had my eyes squinting and the lettuce tasted VERY old. The rice was good but that's about it. read more

I don't know where does this place get all the good ratings from! The only edible thing they have is Baba ganoush! That's it.. The girls were sweet, the food was disgusting! Chicken shawarma tastes funny! beef gyro tastes like it's been reheated 100 times! Falafel doesn't look nor taste like falafel! Will never try it again read more

The food here was very good, but I went to the wrong address at first. There wasn't much seating inside, and I couldn't access the wifi, but the food and service were good, and that's what restaurants are for, right? The pita was a little stale, or else this may have gotten 4 starts rather than 3. read more