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 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.

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.

I've gotten adels every single time I've gone to NY…read more Yes line is long but this is the best halal cart. Workers are super nice too and friendly. I get the chicken and gyro mix with spicy rice. Rice is not spicy don't worry. Also their chicken is like marinated unlike some other halal carts. I get all sauces except bbq. The gf does all the sauces except red sauce cause that one IS spicy One time they accidentally put fries on my plate but now it's a non negotiable for me. Ask for it on the side if you don't want it to get soggy. If I'm feeling extra big back I throw some falafel on that shi too. If you wanna skip the line, just order on Grubhub. It's more expensive yes but worth it if you're not tryna wait an hour

Yeshh another location for tofu pudding!!! I ordered a large serving for $4.75. It can't get any…read morebetter. Silky, smooth, perfection.

They sell soy milk and soy pudding. The soy milk is pretty good, my second favorite in NY. Soy…read morepudding contains a bit too much liquid although still pretty good. They are a bit hard to spot. I have walked past it multiple times. Theyre also cash only.

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 decided to hit the Peking Duck Stand outside of Shanghai You Garden for $2.75 per piece during my…read moreNYC visit in 2025. They directed me inside to pay, where it became $2.99 after tax. It was yummy but messy with too much hoisin sauce.

Perfectly soft and balanced Duck Bao's for $3 each. Rating 9/10…read more Pros: Taste, price, quick service. Cons: No seating, cash only.

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.

Delicious hot dog, gotta get it fixed all the way. Billy was so kind and gave us our chips for…read morefree! The prices are so reasonable and he's right by the park for a quick little meal while enjoying the park.

Very good hotdogs and sausage. Billy is a very nice guy. Must try in New York City!!!read more

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. It still consists 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 mini-counter, so I was able to relive my post-adolescent dining era with no 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.