One of my favorite places to order from (especially late nights). The portions are huge and at a very affordable price, and their garlic sauce is delicious. The food is good overall and it's a place that I've ordered from several times a month for the past few months. read more

Love this place and seems like everyone else in the neighborhood does too. Always packed, I'd recommend ordering first if you're picking up. I've only tried one thing, the shish taouk plate and it's been incredible every time I get it. Definitely recommend it, will continue to eat from here. read more

You know when you've been disappointed so many times to the point of NO RETURN? I just crossed that line. I ordered the usual, chicken shawarma and hummus. Both used to be my favorites. But now, after consistent de-evolution in their kitchen over the years, they've evolved into tasteless concoctions, that only invoke regret and disappointment. I don't know what happened since the old days, when I used to love to eat there, but this place has morphed into a machine that does not care about its creations. Most sandwiches in NYC cost less and have multitude of flavor & character. The hummus on the other hand, let's just say, Costco frozen section dishes out better hummus than this monstrosity. Be mindful, I've eaten in Jordan, Kuwait, Syria and Lebanon, this shop is a fake and does not know how to replicate the magic made back home. After paying $12 for this disaster of a sandwich, and $7 for a small place of the so-called "hummus", I can say with conviction, Karam NO MORE, forever! read more

Do not eat from this place. Never in my life have I had food poisoning until this past Saturday. Saturday night I experienced one of the worst nights of my life after ordering from this restaurant. I ordered the chicken Sharma over rice with a side of hummus. Shortly after I went to sleep..but not for long. I woke up having to vomit and other (which I will leave out) at the same time. With no sleep I ran to the bathroom 30 times. On Sunday, all day I had a fever, felt week, could not eat and could not leave the house. I know it was this place because for one..all I had to eat all day before this was a couple eggs and toast I prepared. Two..my roommate also had ordered same and he was I'll as well. My advice would be to stay as far away as possible. read more

I would come here more often, but I always feel out of place ordering from here. The food is good, but the service is lacking. I ordered a whole chicken and waited for my order. A lady behind me by 2 minutes put a whole chicken order after me, and got hers first. I didn't say anything because she was complaining about getting different sauces that didn't come with the order. To make matters worse, the guy who handled the money also got the pita bread barehanded. That's very unhygienic and can get people very sick. read more

Best shawarma in the neighborhood. I order from here frequently and the food is great. The rice is fluffy and their garlic sauce gives a really nice flavor. Their pita bread is a bit thin, I prefer the thicker ones such as the type of pita provided from greek or halal style cuisines. Otherwise everything else is phenomenal about the food from this place. read more

The chicken shawarma with extra toum (garlic) is a spiritual event. I've also had other food there and it was all great... but that sandwich is FIRE. read more

Awesome awesome awesome. Love this place you wouldn't know it by it's appearance but go in! They have awesome pita with the green spices and seasame seeds(I forget the name) but delish and I get it with their babgonoush which is an eggplant spread. It's a great deal for what you get. My boyfriend gets their schwarma which he is also obsessed with. If you like and know good Mediterranean food this place is a must!! I would recommend take out since it's a small place with one small table but wow awesome take out and a great way to try a lot of different things for an affordable price. read more

Karam Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The best hommus I've ever had, hands down. My parents and grandma demand to come here whenever they're in town. They've told every relative about this place. Some of the best Lebanese food in Bay Ridge for sure. read more

Amazing food!!! What a gem! On a trip of NYC we walked upon this restaurant. From the outside it has a Carry-Out side and a Dining side. We got our food to go which took less than 15 minutes. We ordered a Chicken and a Lamb Dinner Combo. The meat was seasoned to perfection and the side dishes were delicious as shown in the pictures. The grape leaves were so soft and packed with flavor! The best dish I have ever had. We will definitely stop by this restaurant every time we visit NYC. Would recommend to anyone visiting or living in the area! read more

Karam Restaurant - Chicken Dinner Combo with salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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We often get kebabs and wraps to go here. There babaganoush is hands down one of the best on the east coast. The chicken wraps with everything are really good fresh too, not for carry out thou or they will get soggy. Grape leaves here are not my favorite but their lamb chicken and dips all make up for it. The staff is also super friendly and nice. Order ahead and pick up is best. read more

Doesn't look like much from outside it is a fairly small eatery on the avenue near 86th street but their food is amazing and portions are always great, the meat is always cooked to perfection I've tried almost everything on the menu 10/10!!!! read more

Simply amazing... hits the spot every time. Rice is amazing. garlic sauce is amazing Hummus is amazing Salad herb thingy amazing The meat balls..idk what it's called but very similar to a Puerto Rican version of the same shape..man this place is so good. Come here stop reading and just eat it ! read more

If u want great authentic halah food this is the place to go I drive about 40 mins if I want this food it's just to great fresh and the white sauce it's the best it's not like that bottle one u get from the karts in the streets 100% better read more

Going to 86th St is often an unavoidable necessity--Century 21 is the only place nearby that has that stupid crap you need, like a new coffee pot or sheets or picture frames or replacement headphones. But it just sucks so hard, with long lines, all the crazy people, and if you take the bus like I do, it just is an awful little trip. The only thing that can really, truly make the whole thing--the long line, the crazies, the bus--worth it is a stop at Karam. Arguably the best schwarma in the city, and the zataar is tops as well. With each bite all of 86th St melts away! It may not be worth the train ride on its own, but if you find yourself in the mire of a painful shopping trip, Karam could be your haven! read more

If there's anything I learned about good restaurants: You know a restaurant is good when it's patrons are locals. Now on to the review... A quick introduction to this place. My parents and I have been frequenting Karam ever since. It's absolutely delicious Lebanese food. The people who work behind the counter are hilarious, and are convinced I'm Lebanese and refuse to speak to me in English. The shawarmas are fabulous, I have never had a problem with any of their lamb based dishes, but the thing that keeps coming back here is their whole roasted chicken. Thats right. their CHICKEN. Forget that rotisserie crap they sell at your local supermarkets. The way the prepare the bird that is bland if not done right is absolutely amazing. It's juicy. It's a kick of flavor. And when you order one of their birds, it comes with trimmings which includes pita bread, pickled radish, and this AMAAAAAAZINGGGG garlic sauce that I swear is laced with crack. Quick tip: Take your order to go. The restaurant is tiny. read more

Karam is Middle Eastern food but cooked in a Lebanese style. Lebanese is Middle Eastern but a very specific style of Middle Eastern. I do like Lebanese food specifically Lebanese Kibbe. However when it comes to Shawarma I have developed a taste for Israeli Shawarma. So I know I am one of the few that didn't love it but it has more to do with personal taste than quality. Here is an interesting forum about the types of Shawarma. http://forums.egullet.org/topic/59286-good-shawarma-in-nyc/ Most Lebanese Shawarma uses a lot more vinegar than my taste buds can handle. http://www.mamaslebanesekitchen.com/meats/beef-shawarma-recipe/ Israeli Shawarma uses less. http://shawarmarecipes.blogspot.com/2012/06/lamb-shawarma-recipe.html Israeli Shawarma tends to be chicken , lamb and turkey. Lebanese Shawarma mixes beef with it. So as I said it is more of a personal taste. The Falafel was ordinary I could have made it at home. I know I am one of the few that didn't rave about it. But I never follow the crowd anyway! read more

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Oh man. Karam is one of the biggest reasons I miss living in Bay Ridge. This place offers cheap but fantastic Lebanese food right outside the 86th Street R stop -- a total hole-in-the-wall open until really late at night. At first I was intimidated by all the men hanging around outside, but they were all friendly and helpful in suggesting what to order. Definitely check out the chicken shawarma plate / sandwich and the parsley-and-mint super-infused tabouleh. The meat kebabs are very tender and juicy, especially the lamb -- get them with light, fluffy, savory rice, pitas, and their creamy yogurt-cucumber sauce. The spinach and meat pies are crispy and crunchy -- flavorful with good texture, but a bit dry. I'm not sold on the falafel, nor have they ever had french fries when I've gone. They offer a nice selection of Middle Eastern sodas and bakery goods (baklava is only the tip of the selection). But oh -- how I could write sonnets praising the Lebanese garlic sauce, called toum, that they serve with the platters. The stuff is so spicy and garlicky and addictive. It's not for the faint of heart. Make sure to remember your Zantac! read more

Well I just ruined my chances of a random New Years Eve midnight smooch, unless I happen to meet a girl with a garlic fetish. I'm usually not one to crave middle eastern food, but if this place was nearer I might be going there once a week. The shawarma was delish and popping with flavors, meanwhile there were a lot of other treats on display that also looked good. Service was a bit muddled, possibly due to people coming in to stock up on New Years fare (so I can't judge just on this visit). So even though I'm now a breath of stinky air, at least I finished the year with a great meal. read more

This review is based solely on the delivered food --not eat in. I ordered the Mixed Grilled combo for my boyfriend and I to share. It took 2 guys to take down my order --language barrier, but nothing that will stop me from ordering again. The second guy who took my order told me to give him about 25 minutes for the food to be delivered. .........an hour and 18 minutes later...........the food arrived. It wouldn't have bothered me much that it took that long if the food wasn't extremely cold, now THAT was very disappointing. This explains the loss of that 5th star. However! when we bit into the food, it was amazingly delicious! I'm not a fan of Mediterranean food but this was just very enjoyable (cold and all)! The hummus was perfect, the Italian beans were surprisingly tasty, and the meat were just full of flavor. I plan to order from here again tonight, but this time I will ask them to please make sure my food arrives hot. This is a must try! read more

I just visited NY for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Had the pleasure of staying in cute little Bay Ridge. I was informed by an obviously misled local that there wasn't "any good food in Bay Ridge"......well, that guy turned out to be an idiot and for more than one reason.... SO, the food.......BLEW MY MIND. I was in NY for 4 days, and pretty much had one of the chicken sandwiches every day, no lie. The flavor, the freshness, the rude new yorker at the counter. PERFECT. I would return to NY just for one of these. I'm definitely going back. read more

Wow! Great delivery experience! My fiancee and I both ordered falafel combos. One with yogurt sauce and hummus, the other with tabouleh and baba ghanouj. Everything was FANTASTIC and super flavorful! And each order came with 2 pieces of pita, extra lettuce, tomato, onion, and tahina on the side. And the delivery was super quick! I really don't know what more to say except that we're both sitting here with super full bellies, some food left over, and smiles on our faces! We will *definitely* be ordering from Karam again! [Edit] Re-ordered from Karam, and the food was still good, but the "yogurt sauce" which they describe as tatziki or cacik, was horrific. It tasted like someone just poured yogurt into a container. There was no mint, no dill, no oil, no garlic. It was literally just a tub of plain yogurt. Definite disappointment. read more

If your idea of a meal in Bay Ridge means eating Italian food under red lights, then this place may not be for you. When I go to Bay Ridge to eat, whether it's a Hummburger from Family Store, or a falafel combo from King Falafel, I'm looking for something inexpensive, made fresh and on pita. You can satisfy all these things at Karam, and snag a decent stool seat at their front window anytime. I've known about their Zatar bread for some time now - beautiful, spice covered flatbreads full of sweet-salty goodness. Earlier today, I tried their meat schawarma. I didn't have any cash and asked about a credit card minimum. The guy at first said yes, a $10 minimum, but then asked what I was getting. I told him a schawarma sandwich and he agreed. $7 would be fine. I was appreciative of his attitude and took an iced tea and to-go tabouleh as well. While waiting for my order, I see they've been written up in the Times. They apparently serve all sorts of offal. Crazy stuff. Marinated cow spinal cord. Brains. Tongue. The schawarma I ordered was simply called meat schawarma and it looked fine - a big slab of meat rotating on a spit with some flaps of fat on top for moisture. I wondered what cuts it was, but it looked just fine. I am sure they would have warned me if it was the cord. I wasn't asked what I want on the pita. It was just given to me, wrapped in foil on a plate. Inside, was delightful. Generous cuts of meat, fresh, pickled pink things, a delicious white sauce, some lettuce and tomato, done just right. I wasn't asked to pay until after I ate, which I liked and made me feel at home. I have a feeling that everything else they sell is wonderful, too. The guys that work there are putting out fresh, inexpensive meals made with ingredients they take pride in. The tabouleh, which I am eating now as I write, is hands-down the best I have ever had. Lemony, not grassy like when I make it, and not cut too small. Even with an on-coming head cold (or worse...) it's extremely tasty and extremely good. read more

I have to admit I really enjoyed the pickled beets in their Chicken Shawarma Sandwich. It adds that extra crunchy and salty touch. Nice balance. However, I can truly do without all the garlic in the white sauce. OMG, two days later and I still taste the garlic in my mouth. It is safe to say, I will not be attacked by the Twilight gang. Tip: White sauce is great, but ask for it on the side to add on as desired. read more

Every time I leave this restaurant with my breath reaking of garlic sauce (extra garlic which I always have added to my shawarma sandwich) I tell myself, "it was worth it". I absolutely adore this place and have taken quite a few people there who agree with me, it's incredibly delicious. It's my favorite hole in the wall restaurant in the neighborhood and the price just can't measure up the the quality and flavor. As Liz Lemon might say, "go to there!" read more

Ive been coming here since i was a kid for the last 21 years. I am so disappointed that the guys i know that always work here are almost all gone and that this restaurant is under new management. The food definitely tastes different not as good or hospitable as it use to be. This was my favorite spot. Now it just feels different the atmosphere feels cold and the quality and taste has definitely gone down. read more

The food is pretty great, however I've only had the falafel and the Zaatar bread. I got a tray of their apps a while ago, and was largely disappointed. The 2 star review is for their shoddy business practices. On the menu, an item reads 3.00 for a zaatar with vegetables. DO NOT CHARGE ME 5, or 6. I will yell, and you will honor that price, this type of service is ridic! They take card, don't let them fool you into thinking otherwise. read more

Hands down BEST CHICKEN SHAWARMA SANDWICH EVER!!! I tried a bunch of other places and all lack compared to Karam. The place is tiny, but I take it home so I dont care. Their baklawa is pretty damn good also, so are the spinach pies and falafel. It's 9:45am & I want a sandwich now. EAT HERE!!! ITS CHEAP & ITS MARVELOUS!!! read more

Ordered the beef/lamb mix shawarma with garlic sauce on the side. Unbelievable. Went back and tried the chicken shawarma and falafels. Awesome. If that garlic sauce was any stronger, it would kill you. Just how I like it. 5 stars. I love this place. read more

I bet if we actually went to Karam instead of always getting it delivered, it would get at least another star. That said, the garlic sauce is soooo good. It makes you fart pure garlic for no less than three days, but it's so worth it. Don't order the hummus without this sauce, because you need to mix it together so the hummus actually has a taste. Don't ever order assuming the estimated SeamlessWeb time is remotely accurate -- 90 minutes is the soonest you'll get your order, if you call twice after the allotted time, they will tell you both times that the delivery guy "just left", although by the temperature your food arrives, and the flaccidness of the fries, it's almost believable. I've actually resorted to reheating upon arrival. Also, sometimes the falafel tastes like pure cinnamon. But, damn, that garlic sauce. read more

Just off the major 86th Street commercial strip in Bay Ridge, Karam is a tiny Lebanese place I've done takeout multiple times from, and eaten in a few times also. For eat-in, they have about 4 tables crammed on one side, and a few high seats at the window. On the other side is the food prep and takeout counter. A fridge in the back has drinks, including housemade ones. The takeout traffic here is brisk so eating in usually means having people jostling right by you while they wait for their orders. By recommendation, I usually get the chicken shawarma. The chicken isn't fabulous every time, but most of the time, its deliciously juicy and combined with tomatoes and other veggies, turnip pickles, and garlic sauce, and wrapped in a flatbread. I've also tried their meat pies, stuffed grape leaves (vegetarian much better than meat), string bean salad, and babaghanouj. I tried the lamb shawarma once and was unimpressed; the chicken was much better. Also usually get the housemade lemonade, nicely tart. read more

This place is awesome - fantastic food - really nice, helpful staff. Incredible bang for your buck.

I FREAKIN LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! Can't say the same for Bay Ridge but I love me some Karam's. You know what's random....I did not like Lebanese food when I was Abu Dhabi/Dubai, but I had a life altering mouth watering (pause) experience at a little Lebanese spot in hills of Montreal. And so here we land at Karam's. I actually ended up here after a Yelp Elite event, that I came late and left hungry from. Karam's is right by the train, so I stopped in and had the sharwma. You know it's good spot with it's clientele is heavily made up of it's own ethnicity. As in people, who know how to make this food on their own, still come to Karam's regularly....because it's good. I live no where near Bay Ridge...that is by all accounts out of my way. But I've found several reasons to happen pass Karam's and try the grape leaves, meat pies and sausage (forgot the official name of the dish). I love it...a lot. Shook rahn Karam's! read more

I walk past this place almost every day, but don't often stop in. I was in the mood for some Tabbouleh and decided now was a good time. I had been here before and wasn't a huge schwarma fan, but I figured that you need to try more than just 1 thing to know what a place is about. So I grabbed some of my usual favorites, the Tabbouleh, some Hummus, and some Kibbe. The Hummus was above average, the Tabbouleh needed some lemon and salt, and Kibbe was pretty good (worth stopping back through for). Growing up on all this food and having it always made fresh, I am a little spoiled. Although Karam wasn't anything special to me, it was pretty good overall. read more

Obviously this place is known for it's delectable chicken shawarma...I love it sooo much however the garlic sauce always gives me heartburn...so be sure to take tums before and after if you have this problem. The kebabs here are good but not worth the cost...the Lebanese "pizza" is also good as well.... read more

The food is good, but the service is crap. They really need to upgrade there service, they treat the costumer as like he's getting his meal for free read more

A cab driver told me that the falafel here was the best in the city. I asked him if he was sure this was the best and he raised an eyebrow at me in the rearview mirror and said simply, "I'm a Lebanese cab driver." Am I going to argue with that? No. So, I made the trek out to Bay Ridge just to experience Karam falafel for myself. I was not impressed this time around. I'm willing to give this place another try on the strength of his recommendation, but so far, Karam has been a big disappointment. The falafel platter comes with five large balls of falafel on rice, with two sides, and two warm whole wheat pitas. I chose meatless stuffed grape leaves and baba ghanoush for my sides. The grape leaves were sour, limp, and slightly slimy inside. They didn't taste bad, but the texture was off-putting. Stuffed grape leaves should be firm to the bite from a sturdy rice core and wrapped in a tender leaf. Karam's grape leaves were tough on the outside, slimy inside, and really greasy. The baba ghanoush was the best thing I ordered. You cold taste smoke and eggplant and not too much filler. The falafel balls were soggy and gritty. Not like "whole grain" gritty, like "little flecks of sand" gritty. Every two or three bites some tiny particle would crunch unpleasantly between my molars. Yes, the falafel balls contained sesame seeds and an interesting blend of spices, as the cab driver promised, but they were spongy. Spongy is falafel death. read more

Never would have known about this place without Yelp! Cheap and delicious chicken shawarma. Bf loved the beef. The pita wrap was so different than others -- so thin and a bit crispy. My only complaint is they needed to put more garlic sauce on it -- then it would have been perfect. read more

It's hard to not join the chorus of reviews based around the chicken shawarma, especially since I prefer lamb most of the time, but it doesn't lie. The garlic sauce and parsley are a good part of the charm and stuff you likely wouldn't get at your friend's go-to halal cart. Their lamb and beef shawarma is nice as well. Go for the kafta (pita sandwich or rice plate) if you like Iranian kubide. Also, they really lucked out on location. It's very convenient for anyone transferring at 4th Av and 86th St. Now with WiFi at every underground station you can order while you're on the way on the subway via the Eat24 app, too. read more

I had an absolutely fantastic experience at Karam's Restaurant. There's no mystery that the sandwich to get here is the famous Chicken Shawarma, which is rated to be one of the top sandwiches in NYC. The shear quantity and variety of ingredients within the sandwich is astounding. The garlic sauce, pickles, parsley, and tomatoes compliment the chicken in such a perfect way. All of this is wrapped in a classic pita. It only took me about 5 minutes to wait for the sandwich to be made, and there was essentially no line. The Bay Ridge area isn't the most crowded area in NYC, so take advantage of this hidden gem! read more

Karam Restaurant - Karam Restaurant - Middle Eastern Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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