#Good because it's real lamb chunks, rather than gyro filler. Who doesn't love #chunks? Also good because of the #tzatziki (yogurt-based) sauce. read more

Kwik Meal - Lamb & Chicken over Salad - Street Vendors Near Me - New York, New York

NOT YOUR AVERAGE CHICKEN AND RICE (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Rr55bXbJcfdm4lIf-1f0Qw?select=sHcoI6wrihUqob6NLLXxmw) By that I mean.. it doesn't taste super heavy and greasy as the other carts... In fact.. it tastes kinda healthy (as far as chicken and rice can be) The rice isn't yellow, the white sauce isn't nastily heavy, and the chicken isn't as greasy. Is this a good or bad thing? Depends. It's good in its own way.. I wouldn't be craving this style of chicken and rice on the way home from bar hopping, but it's something I'd grub on for lunch. ALSO, i like the fact that the chicken is cubed, rather than shredded, so you actually get the feeling of eating real meat as opposed to shreds of shadiness. SO FAR, my favorite chicken and rice is the one on 3rd and 14th outside of trader joes (if youre feeling like eating a butt ton of grease and tastiness), or this place for a more "healthy" option. read more

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Tried this place last night and it was delicious! I ordered a lamb pita and it was so delicious that I also ordered a lamb with rice to bring back to Boston with me. The quality of the meat was pretty good and the flavors were quite nice. The person making the food was friendly and the overall experience was very good. I also like that they accept credit cards. One of my better street cart experiences in NYC! read more

This place is just the best. Cheaper than Halal guys though only one location. Always fresh, always delicious. My first, second and last stop every time i am in the city. When I am not in the city I am thinking about it. read more

Great food truck! Service was pretty slow (despite there was only 2 customers in front of me and i had to wait about 15 min), but the two guys in the truck were friendly and nice. Portion is not big (I was hungry after 2 hours) but decent food. Flavorful chicken thigh with a lovely sauce. The greens on the side was good too (refreshing!). I will definitely be back! read more

The street meat quest continues. This time to the 2007 Vendy award winner, Kwik Meal. If this was the year 2020, I might be ok with paying $10 for a halal platter, but since this is 2014, and there are loads of cheaper (better) options, Kwik's pricing can be downright offensive. The goods: the little lamb pieces are whole and not minced, giving a high quality feel to it...The chicken is the same. The bads: the rice is plain white basmati (bland), the yogurt sauce is weak sauce, the green sauce is medium sauce, but lacking in other complexities beyond just hot. The portion is average. The price is astronomical by street meat standards. The falafel were so savagely over fried that these poor spheres of chick peas more closely resembled charcoal than foodstuff. The veggies weren't crunchy and didn't seem to provide any cooling effect or texture either. It'll only fetch two stars from me for its deep fall from its 2007 grace. The quest continues... read more

Kwik Meal - Lamb, chicken, falafel combo: Savagely expensive $10 - Street Vendors Near Me - New York, New York

Muhammad Rahman's Kwik Meal is the best street meat I've tasted in NYC! Whenever I have a guest, I would recommend trying their food. I normally go with the chicken over rice. They make it differently from the rest of street carts where the food is overcooked. The presentation is also very nice with the clear container that makes it look gourmet. All for $6 is definitely a steal. read more

OMG........!!!! You have to try the "Lamb" over rice..... It's worth every minutes waiting in line. If you're in Manhattan....this is where to get your Lunch.... Price is good....$ read more

Kwik Meal - Street Vendors Near Me - New York, New York

I ordered the lamb over rice. It was chock-full of juicy and savory lamb. The white sauce had a hint of yogurt like sourness that takes the dish to the next level. The spices were delicate and not too overpowering. The rice was fluffy and fragrant. Over all, a restaurant-quality meal in a truck plus the chef was so nice and gave me a free falafel while waiting for my order! (which they only cook upon you order so that you're assured of its freshness) read more

Pros: Not your average Halal cart. Some of the best halal cart food you'll have. Indian options also available, and probably good. Friendly and helpful chef. Cons: Higher prices. A bit of a wait, because the chef is actually cooking your food fresh for you. BUT, you get what you pay for, and the wait is worth it. I was playing Pokemon Go at the nearby Bryan Park lures when I was trying to figure out what to eat. I called my brother, who had previously worked in the area, for some suggestions. He suggested Kwik Cart, saying it was "more expensive, but very good". So off I went. And sure enough, the prices are a bit higher. I asked the chef for a suggestion, and he suggested lamb over rice. The price? $9. Most run-of-the-mill halal carts charge $5-7 for lamb over rice. So what goes into the ~$3 difference in price? Well, after I gave my approval, the chef took out a nice piece of solid lamb meat. NOT the usual lamb gyro mystery mix from other halal carts. ACTUAL solid lamb meat. He placed the meat onto the grill. After a while, he used a knife to slice up the lamb into smaller chunks. All in, the whole process of cooking and packaging onto rice/salad/sauce must have taken 4-5 minutes. I hurried over to the public plaza next to the HBO building for my meal. I opened the plastic container, picked up a piece of lamb with my fork, then placed it in my mouth. The flavors, THE FLAVORS. Just a beautifully spiced, deeply complex piece of lamb. Nice and juicy. A pleasure with every bite. Some of the best lamb that I've ever had, and I've had quite a bit of lamb. THAT, alone is worth the $9. But given the labor, I tipped the chef a $1 even before I ever ate. Maybe I knew it was going to be good already at that time. read more

My go to when walking around Midtown/times square. Lamb and Rice? Yessir. Falafel? Absolutely. My favorite kart in the NYC kart world thus far. Any of their plates coupled with a can of canada dry...just really works for me. Price is hard to beat in the over priced mayhem that is times square. read more

Just got the papaya lamb platter!! So tasty and the price was very reasonable. The chef was very kind--glad I stopped by.

This place has some delicious food without being overly rich. It's the type of food you don't expect out of a street meat cart and a restaurant. This is definitely a great and offers a better alternative to Royal Halal in my opinion. They are two separate flavor profiles so if you are in the area drop by both carts which are a block apart and decide for yourself! read more

I've been going here for almost 20 years and my god... it is the best cart in the city. Their personal and unique method of making their platters make their food incomparable to other carts (that serve meat or falafel over rice). Their homemade green hot sauce, delicious white rice, even their use of actual lamb and not just generic gyro meat, makes this cart stand out in every imaginable way. read more

This place is the best halal food cart I've been to. We ordered two platters: grilled lamb $9 and chicken $7. Both were amazing, and the lamb was better than the chicken and worth the extra $2. When ordering, I asked the cook if he recommended the chicken or falafel and he said something along the lines of "Falafel is vegetarian". When I said I know, he looked at me kind of confused and said "If you eat meat, get the chicken". The chicken was certainly the best halal chicken I've tasted and I'm glad I got it. But after reading reviews on here, I might try the falafel next time. Unlike him, I don't think meat is automatically better than non-meat haha read more

Kwik Meal - Grilled lamb platter $9 - Street Vendors Near Me - New York, New York

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Prior to heading to NYC I did extensive research into falafel places near my hotel. I heard from friends and read several articles about this street vendor that won this years 'Vendy' award for the best street food. The yelp reviews all proclaimed that the falafel was amazing but I was still dubious. After all, street food? Hmmm, I was sure I would prefer Moishe's $11 falafel meal to a $4 falafel wrap from an anonymous street vendor. They are on every corner in NYC after all, how could it possibly compare to my falafel staple?! I had no idea that the number one falafel cart in the city would actually be right outside my hotel. Literally! I stepped out the door and there it was. The folks that work/own the cart are so friendly and I love how the side of the cart is decorated with awards, press clippings, and photos. The falafel wrap was indeed the best I have ever had. Hands down, I have never had falafel this amazing. They cook the falafel after you order it and the smaller sized falafel balls are perfect for a wrap. They are crispy, spicy, and flavorful....I loved them. The first one I had (yes, I had many of them during my six day trip) had a bit too much sauce so I got it lite on the sauce after that. They add this spicy sauce to it which is amazing. They also warm up the wrap itself, which I loved! Paul got a chicken wrap one day which he loved. He agreed that it is best to ask for it on the lite sauce side but aside from that he really dug it. I love this place! It is seriously amazing! So fantastic! Best falafel of my life. Moishe's is still my West Coast favorite but it doesn't even come close to Kwik Meal! Sorry Moishe's! :) read more

This was my go-to spot for chicken over rice. But I haven't seen it in months. Has this cart moved or stopped operating?

This cart - which we at the office affectionately refer to as 'Street Meat' - serves up tastier lamb and chicken dishes than I'd care to admit. These dishes come w/ a tasty yogurt sauce, a salad and rice. Prices are standard for carts (aka cheap) - I think the lamb or chicken platter will run you around $6. They've expanded the menu over the years. I tried their falafel today and was pleasantly surprised. 5 smaller falafel balls came in a roll w/ the yogurt sauce and a couple nominal toppings for $3.50. Not enough to fill me up - and not as good as a House of Pita falafel - but pretty good for what it was. Also had a Chicken roll which was like their version of a Pearl Oyster Bar lobster roll. It was a hot dog bun w/ chopped chicken smothered in yogurt sauce and some lettuce. I'd pass on this dish. They have some other offerings like salmon and pastrami that I just don't think are wise to order from a street cart. Expect a line during peak hours but it isn't b/c these guys aren't efficient - they're just busy. They've got 3-4 people cranking through inside the cart - it's like a street cart meets a clown car in there. Note: They've got another cart on 45th and 5th. read more

I don't get all the fuss. First when you compare to other street food, the portion is really small (they don't really throw much meat at all in there for $7 bucks). Its more subtle than other street meat, but that's because they use raita (which cools spices) and some sort of coriander/mint chutney instead of the red hot sauce. Sure it tastes like it won't make you sick by 2PM, but isn't that taking away part of the fun of street meat? Okay, I'll give you this- the lamb is tender and very tasty. There just isn't very much of it. I also like the chef hats. read more

Good value and nice guy. Chicken was flavorful and love the white sauce (tiziki based) rice was soggy, but went at an off time so understandable). Will visit again! read more

Kiwk Meal Cart is slightly more expensive than the 53rd/6th cart and the cuts of meat are arguably higher quality. But the flavor is more tame. I mean, it's still in the top 3 of Midtown street meat food carts, but the mix of flavors/textures doesn't do it for me (but it may for you; again, it all comes down to personal preference). The chicken has less of a cuminy flavor, and the lamb is a bit chewier. I dunno. I appreciated the real basmati long-grain rice and the "white sauce" that tasted more of yogurt and less of mayo. But if I am looking for street meat, I am not interested in a healthy meal. Nor do I care about quality. Taste is key. I want my mouth to be on fire. And I want to wreak of street meat spices and smoky meat. If that is what you want, 53rd/6th still takes the gold. I will, however, give a small plug to the mint-chili hot sauce that is unique to Kwik Meal Cart. That's a great addition, although you have to specially ask for it and be persistent that they don't give you a whimpy serving. read more

I'm not quite sure why this cart is so highly rated. I wanted to try it since it won this year's Street Meat Palooza and I am sorry I did. My friend ordered the lamb and I ordered the chicken. The chicken wasn't bad, but the lamb was DISGUSTING! It was so chewy and tasted very gamey. And it was $8! Very expensive for street meat. My friend was so disappointed with his meal that he walked over 53rd and 6th for some real street meat. On his way, he looked for a homeless man to give his leftover Kwik Meal lamb and rice to, but apparently it was homeless holiday in NYC because he could not find one. The sad part is that even a homeless man wouldn't want to eat this crap. People do yourself a favor and bypass this stand and head over to 53rd and 6th. You won't be disappointed! read more

Today I was in the mood for a falafel, but it wasn't until I passed by House of Pita and Kosher Deluxe that I realized it was a Jewish holiday. So I stopped by the Kwik Meal Cart for a tasty little chickpea treat. I figured they would be preparing for the Vendies http://streetvendor.org/public_html/calendar_event.php?eid=20070817114421782, so they would be on top of their game. They were. Although the falafel balls are small, they are very tender, they fry on the spot most of the time, so it is hard to complain about that. The White sauce that goes inside it with the pita enhances the flavor to a new level, I like hummus and hot sauce at Kosher Delight, but this is something different altogether. Totally sublime. Although I need a bag of chips to complete my lunch, it is still a $5 meal, which is awesome. I have been meaning to try the lamb, it looks scrumptious. The guys working take pride in their cart and it shows, great service, great appearance and great food. This place really has become an institution in the Midtown area. Well worth the walk. read more

Wow - this is one of the best bites I've had in New York City, in the most unexpected places. SO. FREAKIN. DELICIOUS. It's definitely fusion Indian-Halal food and the sauces are amazing. read more

After watching the Vendy's Award segment on the Food network, I felt jealous of the people who were at the event living out my dream. Then training in NY gave me a chance to try it out. Coincidentally, the airplane magazine also did a feature on street cart food vendors. Now I had to see what the hype on the winner, Kwik Meal, was all about. A few blocks from the office, Kwik Meal stands above the rest with a luxury cart with a sign and tons of media clippings boasting their victory. Luckily the line wasn't too long and the wait is no more than a few minutes for the food. For about $6-$8, you can get a good rice plate with lamb or chicken. The chicken was seasoned well with spices and you can definitely taste the difference from othe halal carts. Only caveats, portions are a little smaller than the competition and the rice is a little on the hard side. Overall, good shit. read more

Kwik? Yes. Tasty? Yes. Cheap with the meat? Yes. Includes hair from the cook? Yes. read more

After hearing so many raves about this place and its proximity to my office, I had to check it out. Not being a huge fan of lamb, I got the chicken pita for $5 (the menu board said $4.50!! But I guess prices are going up everywhere)... and I got a relatively small roll filled with chicken, white sauce, some salad type veggies, and some sort of hot sauce. Initially, I was sort of disappointed. It was just so... small. And while I know that I generally can't eat huge amounts, I like to feel like I'm getting my money's worth (yes, this will result in my becoming obese some day soon). But the disappointment did not last long. The pita was fluffy, pillowy, and warm, unlike those dry, stale and sad excuses that you see sold in packages at supermarkets. The chicken pieces were succulent and juicy with an interesting spiced up flavor. The onion and lettuce was nice, and the white sauce delicious. I actually finished the whole roll (which is rare). The meal was just very interesting to eat, none of that bland American food business. There were so many flavors and textures, it was pretty great. 4 stars for great food for $5. I would eat here again if I were in the area, but I don't know if I would journey out here specifically for this. It was a good meal, but I don't know how memorable this is. P.S I came after 2pm so the line wasn't so bad, I hear it can be terrible during peak lunch hour. read more

I guess I'm whelmed, at time of writing this. Yeah, I'm full, and the food was pretty good, but I don't really know what to make of it. Good and somewhat interesting flavors, some decent spice and real chunks of mostly tender lamb and yet... I guess the disconnect for me here is that if I wanted to go out for street meat, this wouldn't qualify. It doesn't have the right flavors, textures and price. If I wanted what seems like Pakistani food from a cart, this would be my number one choice, but it just doesn't fit into my lunch street meat category. I got the lamb over rice (the rice was a bit wet, long grain, good though, with a little salad, and white sauce, also different and gratifying). However as some have said, this lamb over rice won't make you want to die after eating it, and its very finishable, as opposed to most meat/rice platters. I also wanted to try the falafel pita, because everyone talks about it here. I thought that shined a little better. The pita was delicious with little falafel balls and a ton of flavor. If I come back to this cart it'll be for the falafel pita. All in all, I'm sticking with Biryani cart or 53rd and 6th, but I get the feeling the falafel pita will find a way into the rotation ocasionally as well. read more

I've passed by this cart a few times and I've always been curious. I finally had the opportunity to satiate this curiosity at around 12:30AM on a Thursday after hitting up a local bar [Cock and Bull- also amazing!] i was expecting a Halal Guys kind of experience, but this was way better [mind you, I'm a huge proponent of the Halal Guys]. I had the chicken kati, which was pretty big considering the price [$3.50!!!]. It's wrapped in foil and paper, kind of like a burrito, so it's easy to take with you and eat it on the subway home in the middle of the night [which I may or may not have done..] It also fits nicely in your hand bag. The chicken was so juicy and tender [dark meat] and the sauce was spicy, but not the kind of where your mouth is on fire. I most definitely could have eaten another one, but I had no idea how much I'd love it in the first place. I loved it. A lot. read more

Disclaimer: This is not the average bland chicken with heaping amounts of white sauce and hot sauce slathered all over the top. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't the place. With that being said, I'd say this is gourmet chicken and rice. The chicken is obviously marinated and seasoned. The meat is made on the spot so it's nice and fresh. The sauce is not thick and heavy but light and flavorful. The green sauce is a must but it can be spicy. Portions are not as big as the usual trucks, but quality over quantity and I'm pretty sure it's enough. This is definitely one of those places where you won't feel like crap after eating it. read more

AMAZING. Just a little taste of heaven during a busy hellish day. Lamb over rice is definitely the way to go, extra spicy of course. Huge portions but too delicious for a food coma, lingering thoughts of the tender lamb will keep you awake. Definitely worth walking 2 aves and a few blocks for in the heat, in the rain, in the wind. read more

Kwik meal is an appropriate name because the $6 chicken over rice portion was a lot smaller than any other cart in a 5 block radius. Chicken was fine: didn't have a ton of flavor. Rice was pretty much just plain white rice. This is also the only cart I've been too where they do not finish your order by asking the obligatory, "white sauce, hot sauce?" I asked for the hot sauces, and the guy squirted a little green sauce on there. I asked for the red sauce too, and he said it was already on there. Where I got back to the office it was not. I will not get lunch here again. So many solid street meat options in the area. read more

There is no better gyro on the planet. In fact, there may very well be no better food on the planet. If I had to die tomorrow, I would select this gyro as my last meal and die a very happy man. The man that runs the cart is friendly and clearly appreciates your business. He makes each sandwich with such care. He lightly brushes each fluffy, warm, chewy pita with olive oil and uses perfect, tasty, thick cuts of marinated lamb, as opposed to your standard rotisserie job. Then he tops these beautiful works of art with a healthy slather of taziki. What makes this place truly special though, is their hot sauce. Ask for it extra spicy. I would happily sell tickets to my grandmother's gangbang for one of these gyros. Once you've tried one, you'll understand. read more

Being practically in love with the cart on 53d st I compare this to it. I had chicken on rice. The portion was much smaller. The rice was white unlike yellow rice on 53d. I had very small pieces, plus skin and joints. Just a bit of white sauce, no hot sauce. The price was $8 compare to $6 on 53th. And they are pretty slow in making it. So the only justification for my eating there is that it's practically impossible to find cheap and edible food around Time Square. This was at least edible... My friend says his lamb on rice was a bit better than my chicken. read more

The Halal Guys have finally met their match! Kwik Meal Cart (along with their sibling cart Kwik Gourmet not too far away on 47th and Park) is the true king of street meat, not that bland chicken and rice from the Halal Guys - the white sauce is all they've got going for them. Kwik Meal offers a wide variety of choices, considering its a food cart. You can go for falafel, salmon, or shrimp if you're not feeling the chicken or lamb, which you can't go wrong with either to tell ya the truth since they're all quite solid. Most halal carts won't serve seafood products, but the owner of Kwik Meal/Kwik Gourmet is Bangladeshi so that is something to note. Most people go for the wraps or the rice platters, which usually come with salad, a couple falafel balls, and that damn good green sauce.... Let me elaborate a bit on that green sauce, because it deserves a paragraph on its own. It's light and not cream based like those stodgy white sauces you always get at a typical halal cart, good bit of heat, and a really spot-on herb flavor. So yeah, ask for more damn green sauce cause you're gonna regret it if you don't! P.S. They also take credit card, which is awesome-sauce for a food cart. read more

Kwik Meal - Chicken and Lamb Combo - Street Vendors Near Me - New York, New York

This is the best halal in NYC hands down. Does anyone know where I can buy a giftcard to support during COVID?

Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Chicken over rice! Maybe it's the recessionary special..I feel like the food prices at this cart has dropped (at least comparatively to the previous reviews on this cart-of-foodie-heaven). $6.00 for a heavily filled box with marinated chicken delights. There are other options, and if you are willing to stray from the staple.... As a well deserved finalist for the Vendy Awards (its a ny food vendor competition)...this place is definitely a quick meal. mid town lunch hot spot anyone? yes...in 5 x 5 cubicle. yay corporate america..while it still lasts. read more

The guy who takes your order is named Muhammad. No lie. Kwik meal is near my office, and if its near your office then you should mark it as an eating destination for when you want to spend less than 5 bucks on a good lunch meal. I suggest you get the $4.50 chicken on rice platter which comes with a tiny salad side and some yogurt dressing thing. Unlike most falafel places, the food at the Kwik Meal won't give you diarrhea. Get there at around 12:00 - 12:30 to avoid the ridiculously long line of over-the-hill yuppies. read more

This was my favorite lunch in midtown for years. Great bread. Great yogurt sauce. Fast. I like the bread so much I skip the rice plates, and although the pita roll isn't as big as some nearby places it makes a filling quick lunch for $4.50. That said, I did once witness the younger cook picking at a bloody band-aid on his finger while cooking. I was so shocked I paid for the sandwich without thinking, only to throw it away when I got to a trashcan on Bway. Two months later, I went back anyway. read more

This was SO GOOD. I got on a line of about six people at 12:30 and by the time I got up to the cart there were 10 more people behind me - always a good sign for cart food. I ordered the veggie pita for $4.50 and scarfed it down as fast as humanly possible because it was so good. From what I could tell of its contents before shoving it down my gullet, there were red, yellow and green peppers, onions, lettuce, snow peas and eggplant possibly among some other deliciousness. They put some kind of feta-like cheese on top that gave the whole thing a great flavor. It was seriously good, especially for the price. I will definitely be coming back here. read more