I was first introduced to East Side Pocket AND falafel when I for a very brief 8 months worked on Thayer St years ago.... I had never had falafel before and honestly I wish I never had it as East Side Pocket because no one can compete with their falafel. The huge pieces that look like little donuts are so tasty and have such nice flavor and texture. Whats even better than the falafel? the hummus!!! This is the best hummus I have ever had. Even my own hummus I make at home cannot be compared to this. I now live in Boston and will on a whim, get in my car and drive all the way back to Prov just for a pocket. Everything here is good. Their salads are awesome and so are their chicken wraps. When I am really hungry I get a combo pocket.... yum! The great thing about it is they are so nice in there (not outwardly warm) but when they can tell you have been there a few times and come often, you can tell they appreciate your business and love of their food. On occassion they might give me a free falafel to munch on while I wait or one time they gave me a piece of baklava to try. I of course have never really liked baklava- but I of course love this one! East Side Pocket is so good that everyone I bring there also falls in love with it. I love a family owned place that just wants to make people happy through their food and East Side Pocket is definitely does that. read more

The best falalfel wrap ever. I'm addicted. The workers could be a little more pleasnat though.

Best falafels and hummus around. Always a good bet for fresh ingredients and awesome flavor. Ridiculous value. Chicken kabobs are out of this world. Service is good too read more

I've gotten hooked on Mediterranean food since I found East Side Pockets and have visited a variety of similar establishments in other cities. This place remains the best, hands down. read more

Excellent food! The hummus is the best in town with home made pita chips. I've had just about everything there is to offer on the menu and have never been less than perfectly satisfied. The service is super quick so even on a really busy day, such as graduation, you can get a great bite to eat, very fast. read more

A Thayer St veteran. East side pockets is a great place for a gyro or falafel wrap at a great price.

I like this place, but let me tell you it's no Falafel King (Boston: Downtown Crossing). The gyros was the frozen strip kind, thank God I caught them pulling it out, so I could change my order. I ended up with yummy deliciousness. Next time I'm going to skip the hot sauce (too sweet) and I think I'll obtain perfection. read more

Yummy yummy in my tummy. Whenever I'm craving falafel, hummus or anything light and Mediterranean-like; East Side Pockets is the place to be. I've never had a bad experience here, except for maybe the occasional line out the door situation; but I suppose that's not really a bad sign, right? Anyway, some of the best stuff around. Hands down! read more

Love this place! The owner is soo nice- he gave me free baklava last time I was in and he always has a friendly disposition. I love that with all the business they get they also remember customers. THe portions are HUGE and the prices are right- AND CLEEEEAAAAN! This had got to be the cleanest place on THayer! read more

Great for a quick bite, anything Greek or Mediterranean is amazing in my book. I went with the meat combo over a salad because, well, I like meat. The Greek hamburger was tasty, although funny how it's served in strips. The chicken, which is marinated in olive oil and lemon, was equally as awesome. They tend to cover your entire salad with tahini, hummus, and whatever else you like, so if you want to taste your food, tell them to go light on the sauce. read more

I think it's the quality of the service and friendliness that gets East Side Pockets such a high star rating. But for the food? No. I'd probably have to be wasted drunk to appreciate the food here. The falafel is sub-average, the chicken wasn't so much kabob as more grilled chicken. Average pocket place, I would easily do Cheep's in NYC any day. read more

I miss this place (I now live in Boston, MA but went to college in Providence). Their falafel was a great standby, and their spinach wraps and chicken Caesar wraps were also amazing. The lines got a little ridiculous at peak hours, but they are super-efficient and the wait was never unreasonable. Love it. read more

The place to go for some inexpensive Middle Eastern food in Providence. Friendly staff, catering to your specific wants/needs. The inside is somewhat small-ish, but that's expected on Thayer St. The gyro meal is my fave. read more

a very well-liked very popular very basic very fast mediterranean place in the backyard of Brown (aka parking may be a problem) that does an excellent job for its efforts and is well under the $10 range for a meal. the hummus is very fresh, ditto with the falafel (very fresh and crisp, and not drenched in generic overused flavor-killing oil), wonderful hint of mint in the tabouli -- i imagine the rest on the menu must also be excellent. big portions! a must-visit! it's also right down the street from the post office, so if you're done with your mailing needs and are hungry, it's definitely not a bad idea! as for a quick comparison to other well-known cheap falafel places (think mamoun's in NYC and the like) -- mamoun's is more of a greasy spoon. it's extremely cheap, and it does the trick, and it's pretty fresh -- but east side pockets feels healthier and fresher. and for the price, honestly, it's quite good. read more

East Side Pockets and I met today. And it is somewhere that I won't soon forget. First I was a little turned off by the line out the door, I wanted scram out of there. But then my com padre and I realized that the line was moving rather fast. We both ended up getting the falafel wrap with everything on it and shared lentil soup. The way they made the wraps was so neat, so efficient, and so clean I couldn't believe it. The whole assembly and preparation of the food is like a very well oiled machine. It was also a delight that this amazing food didn't cost an arm and a leg. Com padre and I sit at a table and start to eat and instantly we are in love. We chowed down like there was no tomorrow. ESP had a steady stream of customers in and out, the dining are was packed as well. It is safe to say that they have a loyal clientele and a good reputation around town. read more

the staff here are so nice. they will recommend their favorite picks - everything is so yummy!! i love that it is on thayer, as it has so many things going on. their food tastes very fresh and quickly made. not a lot of seating - but still enough to fit a good amount of people. read more

While I don't consider this place a real "gyro" place, it still satisfies my craving for something similar. You basically walk in or run in (parking is a mess on thayer) and start your order. Behind the counter stands friendly staff ready to take your order. You can choose from a multitude of toppings for your chicken, felafel, lamb, or beef pocket. Try the hot peppers if you like spicy. I love almost everything on mine. I always ask for extra tzatziki (yogurt sauce). You can grab a drink from the fridge while they wrap up your pocket and off you go! Yes, you can sit inside in any of the limited seats or sit by the window (which is nice to people watch from). While I still miss fresh gyro meat spinning on a meat spool, the juices oozing down and offering amazing flavor to every last bite, I will settle for this place and only this place for a "pocket" in RI. read more

There's always a line out the door but it's totally worth the wait! Combo wraps are the best, with every topping! Felafel wrap is my fave, always a must go to after a great gym session! read more

Great wraps, great prices! Everyone who works here is super friendly. My favorite is the chicken Caesar pocket. I've been going here for years and I'm never disappointed. The baklava is also divine! read more

We went here today after a college tour. The restaurant was SO clean and the food was DELICIOUS!! The staff was very friendly and courteous, and the prices were excellent. I can't wait to go back. read more

Best falaffel in town! I love this place

This was the one place in Providence I had bookmarked before my trip because it got such great reviews, and I'm glad we stopped. Located along a great little street in the heart of Providence (close to Brown), it's surrounded by shops, nightlife, everything. I really wanted to hang around, but I had only gotten 1 hr of sleep the night before on the plane, so we took our order to go. My only complaint is I wish the pita bread had been grilled either before or after making my gyro. I really hate tortillas and pitas that break when you eat them. I want my tortillas steamed and my pitas grilled, though I'm sure they would throw it on the grill if you asked. I love the variety of things you can get on your gyro (or whatever you're getting)-hummus, tahini, tabouli, siracha, tzaziki (say that 10 times fast), all for no extra charge. I wanted to get everything, but figured my pita would be way too weighed down by the end. Their pita chips are really good, topped with some sort of spice, and really good with a side of hummus. Also, the staff was great. I loved the way the guy wrapped up my gyro in foil and then twisted it around, threw it back and forth between his hands, like a little show. I love when people have fun at their jobs. Best of all East Side Pocket is cheap! read more

Yeah East Side pockets! This shizzle was the dizzle especially for late night College Kid (JWU) eats. I don't think there was a thing on that menu I didn't try and loooooove! read more

Had a very good wrap here. Very healthy, very good chicken. Tzasiki (spelling) sauce was really good. Quick service, has a small seating area, and everything was fresh. read more

I was introduced to East Side Pockets a few months ago by an east sider. It was a busy Saturday night on Thayer, no parking & a line out the door, but she assured me that it was worth the long walk and the long wait. The line moved relatively quickly, and I played it safe by ordering the chicken kabob wrap with all the fixin' s . We got a few other wraps for others and got the falafel appetizer to share. So worth the wait! I can't wait for my next trip to providence to stop in again. read more

East Side Pockets is my favorite Thayer Street reastaurant. This place never fails whenever my stomach tells me it's hungry and I'm on my way to the Brown U. Sci Li. My fav is the falafel pocket on a whole wheat wrap minus the dairy--it's the perfect fuel for my afterwork study sessions for the MCAT. Go give it a try! read more

I always get the lamb pocket, because it's delicious. The falafel is excellent, too. I'd give them easily five stars if it weren't for the ever-increasing prices and the occasional long wait for service (goes to show how good they are, but the space is too cramped). read more

I wanted to love this place before I stepped foot inside. Here's what I liked-it's fast, the service is friendly and good. Everything looks and smells really good. I tried the combo salad with falafel and chicken kabab. And it was a good looking salad. The falafel fell a little short for me. The chicken kabab was decent. The hummus was ok. Overall it was fine but didn't blow me away. Would I go back? That's a solid maybe. I can see that this serves a need for the neighborhood-lots of college students who are looking for fast food. Not my favorite but definitely a solid 3 stars. read more

I ate at East side pocket on the first night they opened their door, seriously... I actually went to my favorite Cafe Paragon and they just closed the kichen after last call 1145pm. My favorite server sent me out to East side pocket. I love it ever since. They are family run business (seems like they all work there. Their kaboob (wraps) are all great, low price and tasty. It is clean, no fancy decor but solid popularity since they opened their door to public. read more

East Side Pocket, I miss you so much. Delicious wraps, nice staff. The wraps are huge, the ingredients are fresh and it's all relatively cheap. Definitely one of the few places I'd come to often on Thayer Street before a random party near RISD. read more

The guys that run this place are great! That's just a plus coz i'd come here even if it was ran by sadistic trolls. Everything on their menu is excellent. My boyfriend is from RI and this is his favorite place on thayer street. Probably the only place he goes to on Thayer Street. Just thinking about the falafel and lamb combo is making my mouth water. They arrange it just right with the right amount of everything. cous cous, tzatziki, hummus and then they grill it just a bit to make all the flavors mesh a little more. Perfection! read more

This has to be the best kebab sandwich place in New England! Like lily q says, get all the sauces and add-ons, its sooooo good. Top it off with the baklava. The first time I ate here was once in 2001..but didn't return to NE till 2006, I hunted this place down and it did not let me down! This is my out-of-the-way, pit-stop on my drives down to NY...is this love? read more

Wow, this was a good lunch. In town from Chicago, afternoon to kill, went to see Brown and its "campustown" and stopped in here for a bite. had a chicken/falafel wrap that was amazing. The secret is the combo of ingredients they include alongside the main part of the wrap so be sure to ask for everything, except maybe onions if you are planning on kissing someone later. read more

Quick, fresh, tasty and consistent. Have never been disappointed. Friends and I go at lunch and the worst part about the visit is finding parking. But the wraps make it well worth it. read more

Hands down the best falafel in Rhode Island. It's also reasonably priced as far as Providence is concerned, it's a must stop after work at least once a week. And like everyone else is saying, the hot sauce is kind of phenomenal. Don't forget that. read more

Get the falafel wrap. And don't miss the baklava

YES! This is the only place I've found to get a decent falafel wrap in town. And by decent, I mean delicious. I'm not the only person who knows it too. There is always a line out the door, but the staff moves everyone through quickly and efficiently. When you're there, do yourself a favor and order the homemade pita chips. They are greasy little crispy bites of Heaven. read more

I was expecting a lot after reading the comments here and East Side Pockets largely delivered. I got their Middle Eastern platter ($6) which is an assortment of the regulars (hummus, falafel, grape leaves, and tabouleh. While the sig other got the Greek Salad. The platter was great and a heavy amount of food. I couldn't eat it all but the thing which stood out the most was the clean taste of their hummus. The tabouleh and grape leaves were pretty good. Their falafel was different. It was somewhat mushy and not at all crispy. There was a huge line and the falafel just came from the fryer so we were wondering if they had simply undercooked them. It could just be how they're prepared and they didn't taste bad, just not expectedly crispy. Wouldn't hesitate to go back as a cheap eat or for good middle eastern digs but I also wouldn't consider this a must-visit while in Providence. read more

Best fast food place on Brown's campus. And prices are decent in comparison with the surrounding restaurants.

Delicious Middle Eastern fare and low prices! Having not eaten this type of food in a while, I had the combo salad, which is your basic salad ingredients with two choices from their main menu. I chose the falafel and dolma, which came on top of greens, tabbouleh, tomatoes, olives, pickles, and hummus. Yum, all the good stuff in one meal. The falafel was unlike any that I tried in the past. Made Syrian style, it looks almost like a small donut, with a hole in the middle. The texture was divine--not too oily, slightly crispy on the outside and a soft, chewy interior--cooked fresh to order (or so it seems). It's good to know that ESP fries their falafel in pure vegetable oil, no trans-fats! My bill came to around $7. Great price for a large serving. The service is really good too--the staff are friendly and will specialize your order based on your preferences. Definitely a restaurant to eat at when visiting Providence! read more