This is where it all started, the first in Williamsville. You have an option of dinning in or taking out your order.WIth fast and friendly service I received my order of the Chicken Souvlaki Pita Wrap it was so delicious. It has in it Grilled Mediterranean chicken with lettuce, tomato, onion, and feta cheese, topped with dill sauce and house Greek dressing to savior. read more

This is the original location. With speedy service and a smile I got the Kafta Kabob Pita Sandwich It had hummus, onion, and tomato. It was very tasty and enjoyable. This location is very clean and has indoor dinning or to go options. read more

Been going here for years - the original Rachel's - this location has a preset menu unlike the other Rachel's locations - which you have to build your own - the food is great but very pricey we paid $34.20 for a sub and a wrap. The workers are very nice and attentive. The location is clean and open. Overall a great experience when we order. read more

See all

This is the original Rachel's Mediterranean. If you've been to any of the brand new stores, this one is much different. It's a little storefront on Main In Williamsville NY. Don't expect any ambiance, it's just a place to get really delicious food on the run. The place lacks any decor but it is really clean. We ordered from a menu and the food is prepared in the back and brought to our table. On this day folks were ordering, then began chatting with other locals till their food was brought out. I heard the owner explain to another patron how all the Rachel locations are independently owned by the extended family. While we waited, we observed a healthy walk on trade for lunch takeout. My chicken shawarma pita was crammed full of tasty, thinly sliced chicken breast with pickles and a couple of French fries. My companion had a very delicious chicken rice bowl with a pita on the side. Every bit as good as any dish you'll find at Rachel's Mediterranean locations around Western New York. Kudos to a hardworking family with a great niche business' We recommend this location for a quick and tasty meal. read more

See all

This location lost the little faith I had left in the franchise. I had a good non chewy meal once, however no consistency. They expanded and food quality has been sup par. Paid extra for combo and gave me the nasties substitution. Should explain their gyro. Little Asian man looked like he picked through the scraps in back and tossed them on a to go container. Then he proceeded to go smoke. Nasty. Also called which Rachel was not friendly at all. Can be said nicely not rudely. Also this looked like dog food not their " typical" beef gyro. read more

Rachel's has been a staple in my life since I first visited in college at the UB Commons!!! A landmark back then. The OG Rachel's still stands tall on Main Street, but are leaving something to be desired. This chicken souvlaki wrap was $12.55!!! It's kinda tiny and wimpy. For that much you'd think you could get alllll the accoutrementies!! Still better than the chain Rachel's but just a little disappointing for the cost. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Chicken Soulvaki Wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

Over $45 for two rice pudding a Chicken souvlaki and a chicken pita wrap they charge you $1.50 extra for dill dip the salad consists of lettuce with three small dry stringy pieces of chicken the rice pudding is milk with no taste no one Olive and three pieces of tomato a waste of money and discussing go somewhere else read more

See all

Rachel's is by far my favorite place to get food when I'm not at a sit down restaurant. The flavor in all of the food is unmatched and the staff is always so friendly and patient! I love visiting rachel's. The atmosphere is so bright and friendly and the restaurant itself is always neat and well kept. This is definitely my top recommendation to my family and friends, especially those who like mediterranean food! read more

Back again! I'm reminded of my favorite order: Open Souvlaki w/gyro (omit feta) - like a big salad, with peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, 3 tender cooked to order beef/lamb gyro patties, and their amazing dressing. So good!! We also tried: Chicken Shawarma Wrap Sandwich - add tomatoes - a hefty wrapped in a big thin pita sammich, grilled chicken, fries, veggies, pickles and their amazing garlic sauce. Super good!! Falafel - a side of 4 crunchy pieces, w/tahini sauce & pita. So good!! The baklava was flaky & delicious as always, too. Every time I come here, I'm reminded that I could eat here every single day. This location is the original restaurant, not one of the many Chipotle-style fast casual locations. I appreciate that everything is cooked to order, and the faces here are always so friendly! The best!! read more

See all

The chicken souvlaki sub knocked my socks off. Tons of flavor. Nice and fresh. Wrapped nicely in tin foil and butcher's paper. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Chicken Souvlaki Sub - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

For a quiet and delicious dining experience, Rachel's is the spot. The location is perfect if you need to get some work done while enjoying yummy food. read more

The rice bowl I ordered was good. I really enjoy how fresh the ingredients used were. Another plus for me is that the staff is very friendly. You can dine in, but I feel this place is best for takeout. Unlike the other locations, this place is very dated. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Rice bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

This Rachel's location differs from the others because it is a sit down restaurant. You pay at the counter and they bring your food to you. The food is absolutely delicious and I totally recommend coming here. I typically order their open souvlaki with chicken while my fiancé gets the steak shawarma. My chicken was flavorful and tender. The portions and prices are decent. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Steak shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

See all

Great service and ambience. Great food as well.. Good to visit on a hungry day.. got the chicken soulvali and shawarma

The hubbs and I recently stopped by to pick up some Original Rachel's takeout. I've had Rachel's before on the UB North campus, but never this mothership location. We popped in during off-meal-hours, around 3:30pm. The dining area was empty, so we decided to eat-in. The small dining area is a bit dark and sterile feeling, but clean and comfortable enough. My husband ordered the Chicken Souvlaki Dinner. I ordered the Falafel Dinner. And we got an order of Greek Fries to share. All of the food was very delicious! My falafel were crisp and lite, and the grape leaves that came in my meal were very flavorful. I opted for hummus and a green salad as my sides, all very fresh. My husband's souvlaki dinner was large, with a generous chicken portion that was seasoned nicely. The Greek Fries were YUM--crisp steak fries with a soft middle, heaped with feta and a divine homemade dill dressing; WINNING! We enjoyed this food so much, I ordered a second Falafel Dinner to bring home to my vegan daughter. She liked what she could eat, as she wasn't too hungry when we brought it home, and my husband got to her leftovers before she could, hahaha. So a day later the dutiful dad went back to Rachel's Original to get our daughter a replacement Falafel Dinner, as well as a Chicken Finger Dinner for our son. The fingers were very good too, sizable and fried in a nice crisp batter. I'm a sucker for food with feta on it, and Rachel's Original, from the feta to the rest of the food that was under it, did not disappoint! Ordering at the counter or online ordering were both easy and fast, and the counter staff had a fun-sort-of-salty personality, which I'm down with. Prices are reasonable for the large portions of quality food you receive. Looking forward to more Original Rachel's takeout in the future! :-D read more

See all

The pressure is on. That's why I have to dig deeper for inspiration to write reviews from time to time. I want to be honest, but at the same time I especially don't want to hurt anyone or their businesses. In this case, I shouldn't be worried, because everybody loves Rachel's. I was always a big fan of Rachel's. There was a time when the location on Main Street in Williamsville was the only one existing and it was called Rachel's Cafe & Deli. We loved to visit them frequently to satisfy cravings for a good, solid Mediterranean cuisine. The food was great, flavorful and you could feel they really cared about the customers. Maybe because we are not regulars anymore, or maybe after Rachel's spread around the town, somehow the solid quality I remember got lost. I wasn't happy with my last experience. My falafel pita sandwich was dry like a paper with a very skimpy amount of fillings. I would have liked more tomatoes, lettuce or a bigger size of pickle -- not to mention tahini sauce which I couldn't actually taste much. We ordered a side of hummus which helped to swallow my first half of the portion. The hummus was more nutty and dense than I like. It was served with Lebanese style pita, which was similar to my sandwich -- cold and dry. They were offering in-house dining at the time we visited. Being asked at least three times whether we were taking out or staying in, we still got everything packed in styrofoam with plastic utensils. I couldn't understand why they even bothered to ask, if they actually didn't offer anything even close to serve someone inside the restaurant. We just used their table to unbox and consume some of our lunch. The restaurant was really clean and of course I noticed brand new dining furniture. The place was busy. Waiting for our food, we witnessed a lot of take-out action. People were ordering at the counter, then waited in the dining area, or some were just picking up their food coming in and out. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing that particular day, but I've always been glad with every choice in the past. Recently I spotted a new location to be open between Panera Bread and Five Guys on Transit Road. They are simply blooming and I think it's a great thing that they do well. We'll check the Original Rachel's someday again. I don't want to lose my favorite spot that I've always had sentiment for. read more

See all

This was a big disappointment. I have heard some good things about Rachel's but we had a bad experience. I ordered a gyro Rice Bowl. When I checked our receipt after ordering I noticed it said a Falafel Rice Bowl. I went back to the counter to make sure I would get the gyro Rice Bowl and the manager there said she would see to it. When I got was a Falafel Rice Bowl. The manager said she thought that's what I wanted. Perhaps she can't hear well with the big plexiglass divider that was between us. They took it back and gave me what I ordered but I was quite disappointed with that too. They use ground beef and lamb and I couldn't tell that from plain hamburger. It was nothing like the normal gyro meat that I consider proper for a gyro. The manager did offer us a refund but I was just glad to have some food at that point and I ate what I received. This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in years. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Gyro rice bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

Last two orders online for specific time pick up. Was late by five minutes getting to the restaurant for each order. Order both times was not ready for another 20-30 minutes- one rice bowl and one salad should not take that long. Meat is always precooked. read more

Rachel's is better than Rack Hell. Rack Hell is when you're female, and your upper female parts are so ridiculously large, that you can't participate in any sporting activity, because they get in the way and cause major problems. If you're suffering from Rack Hell, then eating Rachel's might help (if you only eat salads), but probably won't (if you eat other stuff), and might even make it worse (if you eat what I eat when I come here). What to get: Kofte Kebab Platter w/ Hummus & Tabouli, ask for garlic sauce. Also good: Lebanese rice. Ode To Rachel's: Rachel, Rachel, you're so special, How does your garden grow? With Kofte, Baba, Tabouli, Hummus, All in a box to go. Sometimes you overcharge me, Sometimes you're less than friendly... But your food's so good that I don't care, My tummy's never empty... This is my favourite Middle Eastern food in WNY by a mile. I like others too, especially Shish Kabab Express on Hertel (amazing and cheap), also Natalie's on Millersport. Why so good? Well, I've tried a few different things, always great. The Chicken Kabob (a bit like Souvlaki) for example. But there's one dish on the menu that effing rocks my world and stands head and shoulders above all else. The Kofte Kebab Platter. Btw: never order wraps at Lebanese places. The kind of bread used is not fluffy pita, it's the harder, chalky, thinner wrap-bread that Americans use, like faux-Mexican food, like Chipotle. Not my fave. Now back to the Kofte... This may be the steamiest, juiciest, most tender, delicious, well-seasoned, flavourful Kofte I've ever had. I already adore Kofte, but when it's made like this, I turn to jelly. Literally. (Quivers). (Is overly sweet). (Is eaten by kids). As I write this I am utterly starving (haven't eaten for 24 hours!) so I'm nearly crying at the thought of a Rachel's Kofte platter. Not cheap (13 or 14), but very worth it. The portion is generous (usually) and it's *divine*. No wonder they call the Mid-East the Holy Lands because their food is religiously addictive. I used to get Lebanese rice (delicious enough to eat on its own) and Hummus with it. Now I get hummus and tabouli / tabbouleh instead. It may be the best hummus I've ever had (on its day, when oily and fresh; sometimes it tastes store-bought but usually home-made and amazing), and the *best* tabouli (parsley & bulgur salad) ever. It literally made me fall in love with Tabouli. I dunno why, but it's incredible, you must try it. For service, Rack Hell scores 1. The emphasis is on hell. So be aware that you might experience this. They're often standoffish. I've had ugly conflicts with them over the tiniest things. For example, most Lebanese places give you a little garlic sauce. Lebanese Garlic Sauce *rocks*, maybe the most delicious sauce ever. Natalie's on Millersport always overcharge me for extra garlic sauce, but this place takes bad Garlic-sauce-service to the next level. I'd been given it with the meal the first 5 times I ordered it. The next few, it was missing. I started asking for it, so it started (usually) being included again. Then one day they tried to charge me for it, so I said I didn't need the garlic sauce, and didn't realize there was a $1 charge for it. The guy responded as if I was in an interrogation room, booming in a deep voice: "who has been giving you garlic with your meal? Do you realize it doesn't come with it? Do you realize it's expensive? Does another location give it to you free? Which location? Who at our location gave it free?" Dude, are you serious. Seriously, some would have never gone back. Also, I've been charged 12, 13, 14, even 15, for the same plate. The cute daughter is not friendly (and also gave me the 3rd degree about the sauce). Despite it being soooo good, I've stopped asking for it, due to how confrontational they were about it. And it shouldn't have to be like that. Treat me with respect. I'm not trying to get a freebie from you. A precedent was set: garlic sauce I never asked for, made me fall in love with it. I'm a repeat customer buying your food. Treat me as if you at least don't mind sharing a planet with me, please. Hostility, all is hostility. If you think experiencing bad service (I've been to and reviewed thousands of places, so it's bound to happen sometimes) is because maybe I'm not so friendly, you are (as usual) way off the mark. The businesses I visit couldn't possibly have too many friendlier customers, I really make an effort. I can be picky but always in a polite way, and not unreasonably so. But keep those punches coming, I like the attention :) So, no customer service skills, but since I *only* rate based on the food, it's a 5. The best Lebanese & Middle Eastern food in town, the Kofte Kebab platter is *the* best I've ever had. Now was that the most iffy 5 star review you've ever read? If not, I need to try harder. Speaking of harder. read more

See all

Food was great! Had a takeout bowl and it was super delicious. They didn't quite get the order fully correct for one of the items, but the food was still super tasty. read more

I previously tried a different Rachel's location, and I wasn't too impressed, but I popped into the Main St location one day for lunch, and I was not disappointed. It's a small location and pretty basic in the inside. You can sit down inside if you want, but I gather most people just get take out. The staff is friendly and personable. Rachel is who took our orders and served us, and I adore her. I get the sense that regulars come in often, and she familiarizes herself with everyone, which is one of the best aspects of a family-owned business. They treat customers like family too. I'm usually a chicken souvlaki kind of girl, and theirs looks delicious, but I opted for something different. I tried the steak shawarma, and it was delicious. The meat was so tender that it practically melted in your mouth, and the pita was soft and filling. The spices were everything. I tried some of the steak rice bowl as well, and it was delicious although not as hot as expected . The dressings are so good, and the portions are just enough. Both were very filling, and the prices are more than reasonable considering the quality of the food. More than anything, you can tell the food is authentic, and "Mom" makes it at this location which makes a world of difference. I will definitely return, and I'm happy I gave it another shot at this location. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Steak rice bowl. So very filling... - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

See all

I had driven past this place many times and decided to stop in one day for lunch. The young lady Rachel who waited on us was VERY friendly and is a true people person. We chatted almost the entire time between her taking customers. Several people came in to pick up orders and she knew them personally and had a very cordial exchange. Her mother came out a few times and was equally friendly. We decided to try the steak pita sandwich and the steak shawarma bowl. The food was delicious. The fragrant smell was wonderful! The flavors were devine and everything was very fresh. This place seems to stay busy especially for take out orders. It's a pretty casual place and in a decent location. While there is a seating area it reminds me a bit more of a take out spot. I will definitely be stopping in again. Ironically I have seen many Rachel restaurants and had no idea they were the same ... silly me ... read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

See all

This place is unbelievably good. The souvlaki's are delicious, the hummus is amazing, and the staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating! If you want a fresh souvlaki, this is the place to go! read more

Great place for quick good Mediterranean food. I ordered online and paid online so all I had to do was walk in and pick up my order which was right near the door. Easy in and out. I built my own bowl with the Original Rachel's Rice, Chicken Souvlaki, a bunch of veggies that I don't feel like listing, feta cheese and a side of dill and garlic sauce. Everything was great! The amount of food was fair for the price. The chicken and rice tasted great, all the veggies were fresh and the garlic and dill sauces were great! I couldn't pick a favorite between the two. read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Chicken Souvlaki Bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

Finally made it to Rachel's, we have been wanting to visit for a while. We walked in and were greeted with a menu and told when we were ready come back up to the counter. There is a lot to choose from, anything from salads, to rice bowls, to sandwiches - wraps, sandwicsubs. Really good food! read more

See all

This is the original and best Rachel's They are always so nice and the food is delicious I've been to the other locations but will only go to this one Inside seating is a little stark but the food makes up for it read more

This place should be embarrassed with what they serve/ call food The service was as rude as can be Dinners were skimpy & cold - rice and meat were dry, cold and tasted like they were siting out all day Pita tasted like it was from a week ago The falafel seemed like they were thrown into the fryer a second time to heat them up again but they ended up being as hard as a golf ball and tasted burnt I expected so much more from this place but should have known what I was getting myself into when I walked in at 6pm and there wasn't another customer in there... read more

I came here with my friend from work for the first time today for lunch. It was delicious! Service was pretty fast and the people were very friendly. I ordered a chicken souvlaki wrap and a side of hummus and pita. Everything tasted great and not as salty and sodium filled as some of the competing places in the area. We were both impressed and this place is now added to our weekly rotation for lunches. read more

This location is very near work. It's a great go to for takeout. Whenever the menu comes out people flock to order. I've only ever had takeout and every single time it has been fantastic. I love falafel so that my usual. The wraps are a nice size the ingredients are fresh and flavorful. Today I tried a falafel rice bowl, it was really yummy a nice change from the wrap. Also not to be forgotten are the hummus and tabbouleh....Dynamite! read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Falefel rice bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

The food is excellent. I love it and so do all offices when I cater lunches. It is crazy busy in there all the time so just be patient. My only note would be about the deliveries. Had multiple issues with timing and things missing. I still love what you guys do, and could eat the food any day of the week. I am very pleased to hear about the expansions and being in other venues. Love to see a local and family own place do well! read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

Great food and friendly service at this original location. Two of us had a hearty lunch: the falafel platter for me, and the chicken schwarma platter for him. Clever us chose different sides (each meal comes with two) so we could try more items. This way we tried the house salad, Lebanese rice, tabbouli, and hummus. Lots and lots of fresh pita bread accompanied our meals. Everything was delicious and the portion sizes were huge. We will definitely be back, again and again. read more

The Original Rachels is very good, and quite authentic. I usually order the open chicken Souvlaki with a side of falafels, and the chicken Shawarma dinner with hummus and Tabbouleh. Chicken Souvlaki-Nicely cooked, very flavorful, moist chicken. Salad mostly romaine lettuce, which is much better than the iceberg lettuce other restaurants serve. They also have ample amounts of other ingredients like Kalamata olives, Pepperoncini and Feta cheese. The oil & vinegar dressing is nicely spiced, and truly amazing. Arabic bread nice and soft. Falafels- My wife loves them, very flavorful. To be honest, I think there are other places that make better falafels. Chicken Shawarma-Chicken nicely cooked and flavorful. I don't care for french fries to be mixed in, not sure where that tradition started, but I think I heard somewhere that this is done in Lebanon. [When I had street shawarma in Jordan and Bahrain, it was so memorable. The beef/lamb was roasted slowly on a gigantic spit, dripping the juices onto the red onions and tomatoes below. The Arabic bread was soft, and ridiculously fresh. The sandwich wraps were layered with sliced meat, onions and then topped off with an amazing Tahini sauce. Outside of a major metropolitan city you just cannot find authentic shawarmas.] The hummus and tabbouleh are authentic. I highly recommend the Original Rachel's! read more

The workers in there are very hard at hearing. My order was completely wrong and they had little to no compassion for resolving their mistakes. A 6 year old probably could've done a better job than what the two incompetent workers did. read more

OVERRATED!! I placed an order @3pm , to pickup at 430 for a family party. Drove to wmsvl to pick it up and had to wait 25 minutes for it to be ready. I asked why it wasn't ready since I placed the order 1 1/2 hr ago and she they were busy. Basically they forgot my order and did nothing to make amends. Poor business. Wouldn't make a special trip for dry chicken again. Plenty of great greek restaurants all over Bflo to order from. read more

Rachels chain has become the Mighty Taco of the Lebanese quick serve restaurants, and that is NOT a compliment...they never get it right with service., quality, freshness...YUK read more

If falafel, hummus and chicken souvlaki are your aim, then Rachel's is your game. I returned here twice for the falafel and hummus with an extra side of pita. The hummus is creamy and lemony. The falafel is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Both transported me back to Jordan, where I experienced these culinary delights for the first time. This place is best for takeout. The inside isn't that great. You order at the counter, and they bring the food out to you. If you're looking for a takeout Mediterranean meal, give Rachel's a try! read more

The Original Rachel's Mediterranean - Falafel! - Mediterranean Near Me - Williamsville, New York

If you want a great meal at a great price, Rachels is the place. The first time I went there the food was awesome, and each time since it has been consistent as the first time. My recommendation is to TRY THE FALAFEL! you'll be glad you did! read more

I just realized I have never reviewed Rachel's! What a misstep on my behalf, so, apologies to the Yelp community! Rachel's food is absolutely amazing. If you love Lebanese, Greek, Israeli, Turkish, or any other type of Mediterranean food, go! I have ordered almost every single Mediterranean dish on their menu, and it never, never disappoints. While I see from other reviews, the service aspect has been undesirable, I say, whatevs. People have off days. That's all. As well, this is a family run business, and with the age of the owner's children, they have been learning the business from the ground up, and have progressed over the past few years. They truly love and care for the business and only want to see it flourish. They just needed to get out of high school. I absolutely love this place. The food is made with care, and is to die for. It's some of the best food I have had since I have been in Buffalo. The labneh, the tabouli, the kafte, the gyro, the falafel, the RICE, the hummus, everything is a party in your mouth, and home cooked happiness for your soul. Do yourself a favor and give them a whirl. While the decor is not ideal, the building is going to be ripped down by the landlord and rebuilt within the next few years. I can only imagine that making Rachel's an amazing, beautiful dine in experience to boot. It will be worth the wait. Nonetheless, support your local businesses and see what heart and soul is put into their food. You'll never regret it. read more

Heyoooo I just got OWNED by the yelp reviews here. The first time I went, they were closed when they weren't supposed to be closed. I finally ate there today and I wish I hadn't and so does my stomach and my vomit acid etched teeth. Their service was awful - our "server" was a high school girl who just watched us come in, came over to our table to take our order without giving us the menu. She also plopped down two bottles of water on the table when we asked for water with our order and she yelled across the restaurant to the workers/family? like she owned the place. Overall, totally felt like I should've walked out - they obviously didn't want me there or just didn't care. We got the Chicken Shawarma dinner with hummus and fries. The best thing on the plate was the fries, for sure. The hummus was not creamy nor lemony - actually didn't really taste homemade. The chicken shawarma was...holy crap...oily like nothing else. I put the chicken on the edges of the plate so the oil could run down. I ate some, but then had to blot the rest of the chicken with napkins. We couldn't finish it and we left a ring of hummus on the plate too that was next to the oil from the chicken. The one bottle of water was 1.59. Er...wth? Ok so no tap water = 1.59 bottle of water. We paid and they can take their tip our of the profit they made off their bottle of water. Never returning again. read more

Ordered steak pita wrap and steak souvlaki. Ordered meat medium rare. It was well done and inedible. Steak pita wrap had all of 2 green peppers and 3 onions, which were not even cooked. The steak souvlaki had NOT one olive on it. Requested pick up of food for a specific time. Arrived at restaurant to pick up at exactly specified time; both sandwiches were ice cold. All for $25!!! Horrible read more