Don't let the gas station scare you off. The food is so good. The staff is efficient, nice, and always helpful. So reasonably priced. We love this little hidden gem. read more

Stopped there for lunch a month or so ago and one of the filthiest and poorly maintained place I could imagine. No cups for drinks, tables not wiped down, staff totally uncaring. How this place passes health inspections is a complete mystery to me. read more

Just picked up food from here for the first time and very unimpressed. Just moved to the neighborhood and was excited to try as I am Lebanese. The flavor is good but I ordered the gyro salad and hummus platter and they didn't give me any pita or chips for hummus and the salad was abysmal..... not worth the over $20 order. Also was heckled at gas station to pay for someone's gas who kept asking for more money. Didn't leave with the best vibe. read more

Papu’s Cafe - Gyro salad and hummus platter with no pita no nothing - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Best chicken shawarma sandwich in town. Such a perfect hidden gem. Fresh ingredients. Warm pita. And tons of meat! So so good

OK, snigger away. Make your jokes about gas station food. Papu's Mediterranean Café takes up most of the convenience store part of a Shell station in the Waldo neighborhood of Kansas City Missouri. It's clean, the staff are helpful and pleasant, and the food is first rate. Whenever I'm working that part of town around lunchtime or even if I'm just driving past I stop and have either a gyros or falafel sandwich. The falafel is noteworthy because it's hard to find good falafel sandwiches in the Kansas City area. The servings are ample, and if you're not a sandwich person they serve the food on a bed of rice or a salad instead. One whole wall has coolers filled with bottled water and a variety of soft drinks. There's a few tables for dining in and I see a lot of people coming in for carryout orders. Try it, you'll like it! read more

Reminiscent of the original Oklahoma Joes (Joes Kansas City Barbeque).... excellent tasting food from inside a gas station. I've been coming here periodically for well over a decade and only had a non-fantastic meal once or twice, max, when someone was "filling in" as cook. The female chefs are supurb - creating gorgeously presented, completely satisfying, well seasoned, freshly made meals. Sitting here today, the only ones eating in, there has been nonstop takeout activity. A testament to this hidden gem! read more

WOW! The flavor, portions, and freshness all get 5 stars. In an unassuming gas station you will get some of the best Mediterranean food in Kansas City! They cooked the falafel and chicken fresh after we ordered. As someone that is very picky about where I eat and what I eat, this place exceeded my expectations! read more

This hole in the wall Mediterranean restaurant is a can't miss. It's clearly a beloved place in the Waldo neighborhood because people walk in going for an immediate hug with the owner or anyone behind the hot grill and counter. The restaurant is part of the gas station, which, they have dedicated tables for patrons to eat there. My friend who is vegan, said the falafel is incredible and was what every falafel should aspire to be. I had the gyro salad. It was flavorful, filling, yet not heavy for the amount of gyro you get with it. The owner greeted us, gave our table samples of the new grilled chicken they're offering as a special for, and gave us all free rounds of hot herbal tea. This place is AWESOME, and we can't wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

Papu’s Cafe - The owner gave us samples of their new grilled chicken tikka they're adding to the menu, plus hot herbal tea. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Wow. This is my new favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. While some people may view its location as less than immediately appetizing, the food served inside is authentic and delicious. I arrived after what seems like the local official closing time for nearly all restaurants in this area, so the fact that Papu's was still open factored into my decision to try it. I'm glad on both counts (that they're open until 9:00, and that I made the move to try a place I'd previously overlooked). I consider myself somewhat fluent in Mediterranean cuisine, so seeing Baba Ganoush on the menu decided to try theirs. Again: wow. It's fantastic. Some folks may balk at a $7 appetizer that looks like fluffy peanut butter with splashes of olive oil and lemon juice. But if you know this dish, I can confidently say that it is simply excellent here. Such a dish requires real culinary skill in the eggplant roasting process, and they nailed it. So upon being given a peek at the already-cut (near the end of day) gyros meat (after I pointed out the clean gyros rotisserie) I opted for a Gyro ($10 and worth every cent) plus a serving of Baba Ganoush. So yes, my bill with tip approached the $20 limit I'd preset on this meal in my mind, however it was a feast that made two delicious meals: that night's dinner and a tasty filling lunch the next day. I must confess that I eagerly licked the styro tray of Baba Ganoush to eat all of it, too. Wow. Just wow. 5 enthusiastic stars! read more

Wonderful prices (felt like it was 2010 when I saw them), but average (at best) falafel, and rather bland hummus.

Papu's hits that unique niche of being gas-station restaurant that pulls it off pretty well. I love Mediterranean cuisine in general, so I've visited Papu's a handful of times over the years. For starters, you can order online and I really prefer that for takeout. It's a well oiled machine and makes for a quick pickup. The food can be pretty good for a fast option; the chicken shawarma flavor is pretty good. I have some constructive tweaks on some other items. The shawarma sandwich has good flavor but everything could stand to be cut up a bit more. Huge long strands of lettuce and red onion, and large chicken chunks make it hard to eat. The hummus is rough here. It has very little flavor, and it's gritty and watery. While it'll be hard for me to be a regular here, I'm always open to giving a few other menu items a try here and there. read more

I've ordered gyro sandwiches from Papu's for years, and did so again today. I've recently noticed that the quality of my food hadn't been consistent with my previous experiences and today's was absolutely the worst. Barely any meat and what was in there had the texture of beef jerky. Probably the time to find a new place to get my gyro fix. read more

Papu’s Cafe - Gyro - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Friendly counter staff. I ordered the appetizer sampler with baba ghanouj, dolmas and falafel, and then a separate order of hummus. The falafel was moist and good! The hummus and baba ghanouj were both ok- a bit on the runny side. The baba was quite tart with lemon juice I think? The creaminess was muted by that. The dolmas was bad... really mushy and wet. They use styrofoam containers too. :( If I go back, I will try the shawarma, but the appetizers were not my jam. read more

The JOE'S BBQ of Quick Mediterranean Cuisine I had NO idea this place was even here until I was visiting a business across the street and needed some quick cash; was SO surprised to make this find. Just a no nonsense quick grill with a fantastic menu (see the pix). We got Gyro's and they were stuffed with meat and some of the usual veggies and a wonderful tzatziki style sauce. One was all we needed! Be prepared to get a beverage from the service station fridges and eat there if you want or take it with you. LOOK - It's NOT Glamorous - It's In A Friggin Gas Station - But Joe's BBQ Started Out That Way !!! All I'm saying is give them a try on a drive by !!! read more

Papu’s Cafe - Menu w/Prices & Phone for Ordering - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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I love this place and can't recommend it enough! Every time I come I get the shawarma sandwich with a little extra mayo and it hits the spot every time. Prices are also very good. I had a great conversation last time I went in with the owners and they wanted to make sure everything was to my liking. He also let me know that everything is made from scratch and that the meat is never frozen. I'll definitely be returning as it has quickly become one of my go to spots. read more

Everyone raves about this place and we happened to be in the area so we finally grabbed lunch to go. This review is a tough one because I've been to Greece and had the real deal, so Greek food always has a high standard to live up to here in the states. The salad dressing was super bland and the falafel- I've definitely had better. The portions are great, definitely enough for another meal! They give you a great amount of meat! The meat was the best part for sure. The babaganoush has a smoky, rich flavor I would not make this my go to Greek restaurant unfortunately. But it's great for a quick meal with enough for a second later- so it's affordable for sure! I might stop in again when I'm the area to give it another shot because at least the meat is worth it! read more

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One of my "Top 10 Sandwiches in KC" for sure! If you're not alarmed by grabbing a quick lunch at the same stop that you fill up your car and buy your cigarettes then Papus is for you! It is the best gas station grub in Missouri (see what I did there, left the Kansas spot open) If lunch is the meal you seek then the gyro plate is the obvious way to go however, don't count out the sharma! The pita Papus uses is spongey and springy, a great utensil for picking up the mild, creamy hummus on the gyro platter. Also, they serve a sambol-like condiment on top (I always ask for extra to top off my sandwich) which is unique and different. The salad served with the gyro and hummus is tossed is a zingy vingrette and makes the meal well rounded. The meat options at Papus are always fresh and never dried out like the jerky sold in the aisle to your left. I recommend both the gyro with tender strips of spiced lamb and the sharma, especially if you're one of those chicken for lunch types. read more

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Papu's in located inside a Shell gas station. That normally wouldn't turn me away because I firmly believe that you can't judge a restaurant by it's cover. Unfortunately, Papu's food did not live up to its hype, in fact it tasted like mediocre gas station food. I have heard so many good things about this place and there is always a line for take out orders as there are really no tables to sit. There are even framed newspaper articles about this restaurant hanging for décor. I wanted to like this place so much but I simply did not enjoy anything we ordered. It was all fine, it wasn't outright bad but it was just fine. Each thing we tried that was a sense of maybe this is what everyone loves about the menu, only to start chewing and realizing that nothing is better than mediocre. While I was eating, I thought of all the other restaurants in KC that serve similar dishes but better. It clearly has a following because they are always popping which is great but I rather go to a handful of other places in KC. read more

I'm very impressed by the Gyros and grape leaves at this hole in the wall place (inside an shell station). The Gyro was perfectly seasoned, very satisfying in every bite. The grape leaves were also perfectly balanced. It's very easy to overeat here. Since it's located inside the gas station, you order the food at the counter, but get your drink and pay at the front register. I can't believe I never knew about this place before! I highly recommend giving it a try! read more

Papu’s Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Absolute hidden gem. In a gas station, doesn't look special but I'm a big of Greek food and if you're in the mood for a good Gyro, look no more. They created a outside area to eat and if you want to, the inside is really a gas station with a few tables, but the food is phenomenal. Service is great. They have never messed an order up for me, it does not take long, and everyone is extremely nice. Highly recommend it all restaurants Ive rated read more

The location of this place is interesting as it's inside a gas station and when the hype goes major for food from a gas station and it being Mediterranean, I definitely had to check it out. We ordered the "Shawarma platter" that comes with chicken shawarma sandwich, pita bread, hummus and tabuleh salad. The food was extremely disappointing as the sandwich was loaded with big chunks of chicken (some of which hadn't cooked through) and the sauce dripping from all corners making it not just impossible to eat but not having the flavor even though each ingredient was loaded. The tabuleh salad didn't taste anything like one and the hummus was absolutely bland tasting like grinded chickpea slurry. I would like to think it might be the day that I went in where the food turned below average as I've seen raving reviews about this place and hate to give such a rating especially during this time but I have to be honest about my opinion. The portions are huge and pricing is unbelievably low. read more

Papu’s Cafe - Chicken shawarma platter. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Definitely lived up to hype. The atmosphere is as you'd expect when eating at a restaurant in a gas station- it looks like you're eating in a gas station!, so for that alone maybe I shouldn't give this place 4 stars (I do prefer some ambience with my food,) but the food was so dang good that I'm sticking with 4 stars. I ordered the gyro sandwich platter, and it was HUGE. Definitely enough for 2 meals. I wish they'd served more of the creamy, cucumber-y tzatiki (or however you spell it) sauce with it, but that's s a very small complaint. The hummus had a nice spicy kick to it, the gyro meat was fresh and savory, but the big star was the pita bread- fluffy and warm with the perfect soft/crispy ratio. The 3 people I was dining with all enjoyed their food too. I had a bite of the chicken shawarma and it was great- tender and infused with just the right amount of curry. I'll definitely hit this place up again, and recommend it to others. Come hungry! read more

Papu’s Cafe - The huge gyro sandwich platter. Best pita ever! - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

OMG! A restaurant in a gas station! For real! It's in a gas station! How's that for irony! The food is great, but it's like, in a gas station! So cool. I can gas up, buy some cigs, and get a plate of falafel and shawarma all at the same time! Did I mention, it's a delicious restaurant IN A GAS STATION! What a perfectly quirky concept! read more

Very interesting. I'm usually pretty hesitant about gas station , but this one was pretty good. I should have tried the wrap instead, though. read more

Papu’s Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Was expecting more from this place. When I first entered was expecting someone from the Middle East and not from India. The food was decent enough but when you have different ethnic backgrounds trying to make Greek or Middle Eastern food, there's always something missing. I asked for garlic white sauce and I received something totally different. I ordered a chicken shawarma. Greek salad was rather weak as well. read more

The gyro meat was delish. The Greek salad was brown, tomatoes & cucumbers were soggy.

Some of the best BBQ in KC comes from a gas station (Joe's), so why can't some of the best gyros in KC come from a gas station as well? How low to no expectations when ordering Papu's for the first time, but I was pleasantly surprised. The gyro meal was a great deal and came with sides and a drink for a very reasonable price. The gyro was fantastic! I've now started recommending Papu's to everyone I know. read more

I'm sad this was so bad. We ordered salads, sandwiches, rice plate and apps. The Hummus was wet... why is it wet? There shouldn't be water but in the app dish we ordered as well as the side that came with the rice dish it was wet and very bland and tasteless. The salad dressing that came with the Greek salad tasted like store bought bad Italian dressing and the baba ganush was also bland and oddly wet. The gyro meat did have nice flavor so kudos for that, but come on, a Mediterranean place that can't make hummus is not a good sign. Lots of better places so I'm sad this one disappointed. I am a rare bad reviewer but this meal deserves it. read more

Officially off of my 'go to list'. $8.00 for a single skimpy gyro that had old crusty, un-edible meat. (Used to be a full, fresh gyro & they were 2 for $10!) Done with this less than friendly, no equitable value food. My salary has not gone up as much as these have been up priced and pared down! Forget it. There are other better spots. Sorry to loose the Waldo spot. read more

Get food here!!!! It's unassuming inside of the gas station/convenience store, but there's a reason Papu's has such solid reviews. I ordered the chicken schwarma platter which came with hummus and pita and a tabouli salad. The salad was a little heavy on the parsley, but it blew me away. Not overly dressed, with the perfect amount of salty feta and fresh cucumbers to add texture and a balance of flavors. The chicken was insane. Not overpowering in spice but just the perfect amount of flavor. The sauce on the chicken schwarma was creamy and delish, and the pita was perfectly fluffy. Outstanding super friendly service. I can't wait to come back! read more

Papu’s Cafe - Chicken schwarma, with the sauce, tomatoes and onions hiding. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This is my favorite hole in the wall in KC. I grew up on their lamb gyros and Greek salads!! The staff are always nice and personable

My shawarma platter (sandwich, salad, hummus and pita for $7.99) was delicious. The hummus was fabulous, with a nice, spicy red sauce, while the salad was fresh and tasty. The sandwich was nicely sized, with a generous amount of white chicken chunks, a tasty curry sauce, and fresh veggies. The pita bread was incredible. It was warm, fluffy, and delicious. The dining area was spartan (it's inside a gas station after all), but clean, while the service was friendly, but somewhat slow (13 minutes). BTW, order at the counter, enjoy your meal, and then take the bill to the convenience stork clerk to pay. Overall, very nice! read more

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This place is inside of a gas station. The parking sucks. They don't have efficiency down -- you order where you pay for gas, then wait in line to hand in your ticket, then wait for your food. My former experience in every food service wanted to say "you're doing this wrong..." The people who are cooking/working work incredibly hard and are very sweet, apologizing for the wait and doing their best to work in an unorganized system. This ambiance here is, well, there isn't one. Fluorescent lighting. Backdrop is a fridge of soda and RedBull, or the empty boxes of stuff that were sitting on the floor next to a very full garbage can -- so, get it to go. Now to the more important stuff - I got a Schwarma ($7.50). It was delicious. Pita fresh, perfectly seasoned, tender meat, crispy veggies. I think the price was a tad much, but I'd get it again!! So, don't judge a book by its cover. read more

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So I'm sad to write this review as I've eaten here for years. I have absolutely always loved their food. So we had food delivered this evening I ordered dolmas, baba ganoush (which is my fav) & a half a pound of gyro meat. The dolmas came in a red tomato sauce which I've never had it served that way before it was okay. The gyro meat was fantastic came nicely warm and delicious. Unfortunately the baba ganoush was absolutely flavorless I could tell it was eggplant but it tasted like nothing was very disappointed in that. Yelp which use GrubHub and they delivered 15 minutes early so kudos to them. I will order from them again or perhaps I need to go in but I was disappointed with the quality of the food delivered. read more

As another Yelper wrote in his review, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Zero charm. Zero ambience. But clean and well lighted? Absolutely. Perfectly prepared tabouli and hot, fresh shawarma? No doubt about it. Yes, it's inside a gas station. (Hardly what I'd call glam.) And yes, the prices are VERY reasonable. (Huge portions, too!) We love to drop by when we're in from OKC. (Both my brother-in-law and sister-in-law live in the KC metro -- one in Independence and one in Overland Park.) Never disappoints! read more

We have a friend who loves this place so I wanted to try it. Picked up carry out from here for dinner. I got the gyro sandwich platter, which came with a giant sandwich, side salad, hummus, and extra pita. I would say the value is good for the money because the portions were huge. The food itself was decent, but not the best in the area in my opinion. The sandwich was pretty greasy and I prefer the meat to be sliced a little thinner. The hummus and side salad were ok. read more

Great food easy location to carry out prices good. Highly recommend gyro salad and falafel

Papu's has been on my list for years and I regret not trying it sooner. The restaurant is just a little walk up counter in the shell gas station. I ordered the Shawarma sandwich plate and a side of dolmas. The shawarma was incredible. It was saucy and flavorful, probably the best shawarma I've had. The plate came with hummus and tabouli. The tabouli was fine, but the hummus was really good! It came with harissa on it which gave it a good kick. The pita they served with it was delicious, soft and pillowy. My one qualm is with the dolmas. They are vegan dolmas which I usually love but they served them with a tomato sauce poured over them which I did not love. The sauce had an off putting flavor so I ended up not finishing them. However, I wouldn't let the dolmas stop anyone from supporting this awesome little restaurant. The shawarma might be on my top 5 list of best sandwiches in the city! I can't wait to try more items on the menu. read more

The best most delicious food I've gotten from a gas station (next to Oklahoma Joe's). We love the chicken shawarma platter - it's our go to order. The hummus pita and salad are delicious too. Everything is fresh and made when you order... love papus! read more

So often I don't review the really great places. I've been eating here for the last 8 or so years. It used to be a Friday night staple for us when we lived down the street. The pita bread is soooo soft and slightly crunchy. I think dinner time is the best time to go as there is a gentleman there that really piles it high. I always get a gyro and my wife gets the hummus sandwich and falafel. She says they have the best falafel in town and I think they have the best gyro. If you have a chance, go there. You won't regret it! read more