I cannot express to you the love I have for this place. I have been coming here since junior high school. The food is fresh, plentiful, and has a variety of options. The falafel is the best I've ever had however I always opt for the chicken kebab. Grape leaves are to die for and they have some of the best cucumber sauce ever. A secret is if you tip them a couple of dollars, they will give you either a grape leaf or two for free or some baklava. I am hungry right now just thinking about this place and I'm leaving to go get some dinner now! read more

East Side Pockets has been a staple on Thayer Street since the Second World War. They have served all of Providence. From little Brown turds that are now heart surgeons, scholars, wizards to little Joe Shmo's such as myself and my hoodlums. Always with a smile on their face. They could probably curse me out every time I go in, and I would come back for more as my gluttony knows no boundaries when it comes to their Gyros and Falafels. It's just so good. You think you know what a good gyro is, but if you haven't been here you don't know sh*t. Lamb and Falafel combo, extra hot sauce, extra yogurt. BAM! This is what dreams are made of. Sometimes I get a side of Falafels....because apparently a wrap the size of my forearm isn't enough. I eat it all, and wobble to my car in shame. And a week later, I do it again. read more

East Side Pockets - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Let me make one thing clear: I love me some East Side Pockets. I crave the falafel wrap on the regular, and wouldn't know what to do without their tzatziki. Unfortunately, after a slew of nasty parking tickets due to there being absolutely no parking within a 100-mile radius of the joint, I must (much to my chagrin) remove a star. It's not as convenient as it once was. If take-out were more convenient, it would be an issue, but when one DOES take-out, the falafel gets soggy and you more often than not wind up with a parking ticket or parking a mile away. This breaks my heart, as ESP's falafel wrap is, without a doubt, my most favorite lunch in the entire state. No lies. read more

Vegan review. BEST FALAFEL EVER! Seriously! I have been coming here since 1998! This is my favorite Falafel in the world. I have had falafel in over 20 states, 5 countries, and 3 continents; this is still my favorite. Vegans get the falafel pocket with no tazaki sauce or the falafel plate. You won't be disappointed. The side of Jedra is great too, get it will hummus and hot sauce. I have gotten mixed report about the baklava style treats having honey or milk in them, so thread carefully. In my opinion, East Side Pockets is a must stop if you're visiting Providence. Edit: Another thing I want to point out is how impossibly clean the kitchen always is. Seriously, just look at it! read more

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I can't say enough about this place. The falafel is amazing and for $6.50 the falafel wrap they give is both generous in size and fresh in flavor. Even when the line is practically out the door the staff are efficient and friendly. The ambience is causal and the place clean. No matter the time of day the service and food are excellent and consistent. Don't walk, run. Now. Do it. read more

East Side Pockets - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

just stumbled upon this place at lunchtime, there were quite long lines, so, waited patiently. I got falafels wrap, it was enormous! for the price. Falafels were not great flavor for itself ( preferred more parsley)but in the wrap , it was okay. all other ingredients were fresh, ( cuz i saw the guy was chopping right front of me) extra tahini was must! ( but my preference) . At the cashier, i asked what was front of me, ( cigar looking) she said it was baklava, and she gave me a few to try. ( How nice ) But the way it was so awesome, i sent my husband back to get me more!! Overall, great customer service and volume of food, really recommended! read more

Great price. Middle Eastern Kabob, with a Big Mac type of sauce. I enjoyed it, as did my wife.

They serve you your moneys worth and they use real chunks of chicken breast and it's really good I had the chicken rice bowl

I've been going to East Side Pockets for over 20 years. I LOVE their falafel and chicken meal combo and salad. I love much of their foods --- quick, healthy and well priced. If you want something filling and delicious, and you're interested in expanding your pallet to include flavorful, middle eastern food, this is it! read more

I was craving a fresh lunch and Mediterranean/Greek it was! After reading a few reviews from Yelp and viewing the menu, I knew I had to try this place out! I had never tried the Falafel and I am glad I did. The clerk also let me sample a Falafel (mini shaped donut of chickpeas), and it was love at first bite! We ordered the falafel combo comes with 6 mini donuts, a side of humus and a side of dill dipping sauce. And a Gyro wrap with all the toppings, I couldn't be more satisfied with our meal. On a side note, seating was limited, so many people were taking their food to go. And parking was metered, so be sure to have change ready. read more

East Side Pockets - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

What can I say....ive been coming here since I was 16 and a student at hope high school....for it to still be as busy as it was then as it is now...speaks for itself. I have never once had a bad meal at this place and the falafel hands down one of if not the best I personally ever had. These are the gems that I hope these "covid" times never destroy read more

They don't seem like much and it seems complicated at first but thankfully they have helpful signs for how or order. The portions are huge we got wraps and a plate and nobody finished their food. I won't be concerned about sides but more power to you if you're hungry. The food was flavorful and delicious, I understand why it was so popular. There is limited seating and parking is a challenge since near Brown University but it's a great place and well priced. read more

Never a huge fan of the falafel but the injera (rice with caramelized onions and lentils) was always my fav. Something here for everyone living on College Hill. Make sure you get the yogurt sauce instead of the tahini, add side of pickle. read more

Best gyros around! Fresh ingredients, good value and always consistent. Staff is friendly and if lucky often receive complimentary baklava!

My third time here, I keep trying to give it a chance but I CANT TAKE this DRY chicken any longer.. like wtf WHY do you make ALL of your chicken ahead of time and let it just sit there and get dry and burnt on the stove? WHYYYYYYY??????? Oh and not just the chicken. The past 2 times I've had a combo plate with Kafta and that shit is just as DRY. Maybe Bc I'm not getting it in a sandwich so not a bunch of sauce but like wtf.. your meat shouldn't be dry and burnt REGARDLESS. You might've won awards and been on the good network but your food sucks. Tell your Hispanic chef's Mediterranean people don't like BURNT DRY CHICKEN ;-) read more

East Side Pockets - Chicken/Kafta combo... so dry and delicious. NOT - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Any of the wraps are absolutely delicious and the felafel is out of this world. I also highly recommend getting an order of hummus for later on you won't regret it. read more

Fantastic falaffel and chicken and all fresh ingredients, my favorite!

Make sure to specify you don't want no Ketchup on your Gyro.... Not that you'd have any reason to assume they would add it, but here they do... read more

Came in for a quick bite for lunch. It's a popular spot for brown students and I'm not surprised. Their food is phenomenal and healthy for a reasonable price. The food was an easy 10/10. It was delicious. I ordered a chicken wrap and it was healthy, light, and super tasty. My wrap cost about $7 so it's very affordable too. I was very impressed with the service as well. When we walked in there was a huge line, but the line moved very quickly and the food came out almost instantly. The employees were very friendly as well. The only problems I had with the store were that I had to pay for bottled water and the store is pretty small, so it can be hard to find a table. While they may seem like kind of petty things, I felt like no tap water annoyed me enough to knock off a star. read more

East Side Pockets - Chicken wrap - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Best falafels money can buy.. :) Great fast service. Choose wrap/salad, you can't go wrong.. read more

Food was so delicious chicken shawarma & kibba was so nice and the portions are huge price very good for the portion staff was so friendly

Love their shawarma wraps and hummus with pita. Very busy during lunch time but wit is totally worth it.

Fast, tasty, loaded with tasty flavors of your choice, and filling...this place will have your taste buds dancing! Was very happy with the recommendation to grab a bite here. Can get pretty busy but definitely worth it for the outcome! Found a table outside on the street to sit and enjoy and could only eat half! Had the other half a little later and it was just as delicious. read more

East Side Pockets - Preparing my gyro! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I've been fiending for falafel and Mediterranean food since leaving NYC, where the options are out of this world. I went into this experience thinking, this is not gunna be up to par, but boy was I WRONG. I've now ordered from here pretty much monthly. The portions are generous, the falafel crispy and delicate, the hummus and tzatziki creamy delicious. The pita wraps are the way to go, but everything I've had here has been good: the falafel greek salad, the platters. The distribution of veggies in the pita is perfect. Lotta places just load them on top, but every bite of this wrap is consistent. One thing that I do miss from my old haunts are the pickles. The pickles here are excellent but just your run of the mill dill pickles. If they did pickled turnip, carrots, etc, watch out. The only other small critiques I have are: 1. the white pita - I ordered this by mistake cause I usually do wheat but it was so tough and chewy. Maybe I got a bad pita tho. Stick with wheat 2. The hot sauce - it's interesting. It's like a tomato based hot sauce - not my style. I think if they elevated their hot sauce game it would take this food to another level. My favorite halal places in NYC are my favorites because of their sauces I.e. Halal guys OMG the sauces! I usually just dump their tzatziki and Franks over each bite of my wrap here and it's great. Honestly, this place has to do nothing differently and I'll still be a regular. But those are just some tiny critiques. Get food here, you won't be sorry!! read more

Eastside pockets jus got YELPED! My second time ordering take-out food. Love the salad, combo salad wit lamb and beef steak laid on top of a bed of romaine lettuce juicy tomatoes fresh pickles onions blue cheese and etc... I used my own dressing from home. I like the humus dressing but not for my salad. The service was quick. I was in and out for the pick up. A very big bulky salad which lasted me for about 2 days, flavors blended together made the salad worth the wait to eat. read more

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Can get busy at times but overall fast service, friendly staff and falafel wraps are great. A must try living in providence over 15yrs of quality services read more

East Side Pockets - Grape Leaves with Greek sauce Hummus Falafel Wrap - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

So fast and consistently good. I like the chicken from there and I like the falafel. They offered to give you lots of extra sauces which I like. Their hummus is a little runny but that's OK with me. read more

Every time I visit East Side Pockets I ask myself why I don't come here more often. You won't find a more fresh, filling, and delicious meal for under $10 on Thayer. First of all, bless ESP for opening at 10am, on Memorial Day no less. I forgot to eat dinner and woke up ravenous, and for some reason a kafta plate seemed like the perfect breakfast. Actually, it's kind of appropriate that I went here for breakfast, since their falafel is doughnut-shaped :) For those who don't know, kafta is like a ground beef patty with warm spices. This version had a great sear on it from the griddle, even if it meant I waited around 5 minutes for my food. One of the really friendly employees (possibly the owner?) offered me a sample of falafel hot out of the fryer while I was waiting. A plate costs about $9 and contains a ridiculous amount of food: lettuce, pita, rice with lentils and onions, and all the toppings you could want. The ingredients are all super fresh: I have no idea where they managed to get such ripe tomatoes this early in the season. Their thin, crispy pita chips and hummus make a great appetizer or crowd-pleasing snack. Take some to go! It's no wonder that this place is so popular: the food is delicious and the people are so nice. You can tell the owners really care about the food. Just watch out for the lines around lunch! read more

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Talk about a great deal!! I've heard time and time again to come to East Side Pockets while in Providence. When I walked through the door I saw quite a long line. For some this might be disheartening, but I knew this was a good sign and meant good food. Now this is more of a fast-food joint in the sense that it's counter order and pay. There are a few tables inside, but it can be loud and busy. The line moves very quickly, so don't worry about waiting too long. I got the salad with gyro meat and chicken. It was enough food for 3 meals and I paid under $10. Quality and taste were not sacrificed for such a delicious meal. Can't wait to come back for the 3rd time! read more

East Side Pockets - Middle Eastern Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Fast, great prices for huge wraps, no complaints!

Amazing place in College Hill, this has become my go-to place for Middle eastern food in Providence! Small space with limited seating with good food. They are usually packed and it might be better to get take out and there's always a line. I've eaten here so many times and usually get just the falafels, falafel pocket or falafel gyro pocket. The pockets are delicious and pretty big / amazing. Its stuffed with lots of goodness (hummus, spicy sauce, garlic sauce, tahini along with salad). They have a lot of vegetarian options as well. They're open till 2am which is awesome. I'd say they're usually good 8 or 9 times out of 10. read more

This used to be one of my favorite spots on Thayer but I feel like the quality has gone down in recent years. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but I never feel too good after eating here. Maybe some of that is in my head. The food is tasty though and the portions are generous. My go-to's are the combo pocket with any combination of gyro, chicken, and falafel (crowd favorite) with everything but pickles. Always get the hot sauce (it's not really hot at all) and then ask for extra. Not sure what it's made of but it brings your food to another level. Grab some napkins because chances are something from the pocket will get all over you. More recently, I started getting the plate dinners which come with basically everything you'd get in a pocket with salad and Jedra (rice and lentils-really good) over Syrian bread, for a tiny amount more. During peak lunch or dinner hours, line is out the door or more commonly wrapped around within the cramped store. Avoid coming right on the hour when students get out of class to save yourself some time. Some seating in the back (booths and tables) and in the front (along the window, facing Thayer). The people who work here are polite and efficient. If there isn't a line, give it a try! read more

The people are very pleasant! quick service! I ordered a chicken salad it was good. The fallafel was ok not a huge fam of it but it was fresh! read more

Went there twice... First time, I just ordered a gyro which tasted good... The owner also gave me a Falafel to taste!! Priced right and good quality food, made me go there again last night with my colleagues... We were dining late and since this place was open till 2 AM, it was a default choice.. We weren't disappointed at all, one of us had soup... That was also nice... If you like Greek food and are looking for a value for money option, this is the place... read more

Ordered a hummus and tabouleh wrap. Person who made my wrap wiped their hands on the bench onto my wrap and I personally found it unappealing. Flatbread was not soft. I ordered a side of olives and it was not good. Hummus was the only decent thing in my opinion. Place is affordable for around 6 dollars for my wrap. In my opinion, just look out for those things . I wouldn't expect the best quality. Anyways, pretty mediocre. read more

Their falafels are great and its definitely my go to spot when Im in the area. Im updating my review because the owners are great and they really take time to listen to their customers. I appreciate when they want to know how the experience was and to want hear feedbacks from their customers. They get extra stars for customer service from me read more

For some reason the tracking or the creamy sauce they put on the chicken kabob wrap, ALWAYS tastes past its fermenting point. Adds a really unneeded bitter, ball-sack like taste in your mouth. Whatever that may taste like. read more

So good, literally the best falafel wrap I have eaten in my entire life. I would have taken a picture but it was gone in a second.

This is our go-to spot each time we visit Providence for Newport Folk. We can always count on fresh ingredients and quick service after a long day of music. 3 dinners in a row of deliciousness! (And they even threw in some complimentary baklava on one visit...) read more

The food was great! I ordered a chicken shawarma wrap. The banana peppers were slightly overpowering but apart from that it was a delicious wrap. Their baklava was also inexpensive and delicious! read more