Good falafel; very generous portions, and friendly service. What's not to like? Can't comment on other things on the menu, but I get falafel here frequently and always leave satisfied. Cheaper than any other place on 17th st. Cash only. Edit: had a chicken dish which was quite dry. Will come back for falafel, but not chicken. read more

it's good, it's cheap and the baklava is out of this world. it's practically dripping with honey and makes your belly very very happy. and mine. read more

Did I come on an off day or time? I don't know. Maybe I should have stuck with the namesake and ordered the falafel, however, I was itching for a chicken shwarma. It was the most bland, dry sandwich I have ever put in my mouth. It left my mouth tasting sandy- ugh. I don't think I'll be going back as I won't be working in the area much longer. read more

Big fat no to the chicken shawarma. I am sorry- I want to support mom and pop shops but I just ate an incredibly dry and tasteless shawarma- cubes of dried out chicken, tasteless lettuce and nice red tomatoes that were unfortunately as tasteless as the rest. If it weren't for the giant pepper on it there would have been nothing of note. Skip it. Maybe the falafel is good. I love arab food- and this was a sad disappointment. Sorry RF won't be back. read more

I was walking around Union Square looking for lunch when I stumbled upon this little hole-in-the-wall place with a line out the door. Not really knowing what to expect I joined the line (figured it had to be good if New Yorkers were going to wait for it) and discovered Rainbow Falafel. I've not had other falafel in NYC but I have eaten a lot of falafel and this was definitely top two that I've found in the United States. I walked back to the office and sat down for lunch, took one bite and immediately regretted not ordering two! Yum, yum and YUM. Shukran Rainbow Falafel for delicious and inexpensive food. A note...don't let the long line scare you away, they are really quick. read more

Small little shop, BIG ON TASTE! Loved my delicious falafel pita with both sauces! My friend's shwarma was excellent! This place knows hummus too. It's like a little teensy shop and they sell bottled drinks and smokes, no seating but you can take yours outside and sit in Union Square Park, like we did! Will definitely do again on my next trip to NYC! read more

Over the years and having worked in the area at one point, I would see the line outside this place. Anyone I knew on line was quick to brag, "This is the best falafel ever" with a tone that suggested they felt honored to be waiting. So yesterday, a Saturday, we walked past,hungry and noticed no line at all. The ghostly echoes of praise rang in my mind and, thinking we scored, chipotle stuffed burritos were passed up. The falafel tasted good by itself but the sandwich was scant and clumsy with tomatoes cut disproportionately to the rest of the ingredients. They were light with the sauces. The shwarma was awful and plain, essentially boiled plain chicken breast given a last minute splash of spices,which dripped right off, of course. The spinach pie was edible, thats all. Half an hour later I was hungry again. I'm only glad I didn't waste a lunch hour for this subpar sandwich. I'll forgo earning the bones of appreciating "authentic" falafel for others that stuff their pitas with more and better tasting food. read more

Have to say I was actually impressed. Decent Falafel near U sq was not exactly something I expect. So far i have had a hard time ordering anything other than the falafel but I feel it coming soon. For me the hot sauce is a must!!! read more

I was surprised to learn Rainbow Falafel is NOT a place for tahini hungry LGBTQI&P (the P is for parents) people to frolic about with moist pitas amidst a backdrop of Black Party bacchanalia. The fact is, there's no room to chill whatsoever. I once tried extending my arms here at full length and hit a wall and a stack of juice bottles. Get your falafel and take the party outside! read more

This place is a hole in the wall but I don't really expect too much from a falafel place. Tried the falafel sandwich with everything (tahini sauce, veggies, and hot pepper flakes) for $4.50. The tomato chunks were as large as the falafels. The falafel balls were quite flavorful and slightly warm but they were also soggy and the pita was cold. read more

Moist and tender falafel. Foodies in the area pointed this out. Inexpensive. Closet-sized.

This place is a closet of flavor. (Literally, 6 square feet) I ordered the vegetarian platter and enjoyed it thoroughly. Bring cash - they don't take credit cards! read more

Good falafel that was ready extremely fast - perfect for a quick lunch. I ate in the salad place down the street since there's no seating (read: barely any standing room) at Rainbow Falafel itself. Maybe not the best in NYC, but definitely the best in Union Square. read more

I have been going here forever and have never thought to write a review. The food is great and very reasonably priced for Union Square. Really happy to have them in the neighborhood. read more

I love this place, the family that runs it, the food and the physical place. Rainbow shines like a beacon in USQ. NYC realness.

I had a very dry chicken pita sandwich. Yuck. Never again. It is possible that the falafel is good but I don't recommend their checked sandwich. read more

Not only is falafel soooo delicious but come ON. A 4 DOLLAR LUNCH. Could you even get lunch that cheap in Mad Men days? Love this place.

I had the chicken shawarma plate which was made up of: dried up hunks of chicken sprinkled with spices, lettuce, tomato, onions, and cabbage slathered in tahini and white sauce. I couldn't make heads or tails of what was what sauce because everything had come together in a soupy mess. It was disappointing for 11.68... and it made me sick. So yeah I'll not come back here again. read more

I got the chicken schwarma....it was filled up..but the meat quality was some of the worst ive had in nyc. The service was not so much with a smile. Im not coming back. read more

One of the best deals for lunch in the city. Falafel sandwich for $3.50 with all the fixin's - shredded lettuce, tahini, hot sauce, etc. When I feel like I can't spend my ususal $6-8 on lunch during the week, I come here and get a satisfying and delicious meal. read more

This is a mediocre falafel. Too lemony for my taste, and way too pricey for what you get. There are much better falafel options in the city.

so i've always had this theory that falafel is a great idea at the time but i always end up regretting it in the end. although super yummy, the whole fried chickpea goodness never seems to sit well with me. i had a lunch date with a friend and enjoyed our take away in the park...it was a whole new experience like none other! for under $4, i enjoyed a falafel sandwich with the works and not only did i not feel like i was going to die after eating it, i've been craving it ever since! read more

It's quick, simple and decent. I only had the falafel and it was good but had too much cabbage. It would've been nicer if there was some more hummus because it was a but dry. The eggplant looks good so I'll try that next time. Oh, and if you ever need condoms, Rainbow sells them. It's across from the 5 Hour Energy. Awkwarrrd. read more

Great food, great price, great people. Try their falafel sandwich with hummus. It is delicious.

Best and cheap falafel place in the city!!!! It's the hole in the wall kinda place but who the f cares, it's good AND cheap. :D

Decent falafal sandwiches and veggie soups for fair prices at this hole-in-the-wall at Union Square.

I ate the chicken shawarma platter and was not impressed. The chicken was very dry and the hummus tahini was everywhere and very salty. It was like eating a dry, salty, hummus soup mess. Maybe just the basic falafel would have been better but I don't think I would ever eat here again. read more

Rainbow has a cheap but not entirely filling or fulfilling falafel. It's pretty good but super messy and dry as a bone on the bottom. The shawarma is so dry. Man, that was dry. But it tasted good where there was actual sauce. Place is good in a pinch and not nearly as long line as Maoz. read more

Want Falafel? So does everyone in that line. The falafel is good, good enough that when I asked a kart guy on the street for some of his, he just pointed me here. The line is out the door, but the service is quick and the staff seems friendly. The place itself is small, like size 5 times new roman small, but its friendly. I also ordered a small turkish coffee from here also, or as I realized when I was handed it, a shot of turskish coffee (very very small). This is a great place for a quick stop for people who know what they want, and good falafel! read more

Fantastically delicious tiny hole in the wall take out joint. Yes, their falafel sammies are delicious, as many have pointed out. As are their grape leaves. But for you foodies out there, here is the real joy of this gem. Try the Lahmajun. It is spectacular. Eat it plain, or wrap up some green salad in it. Lahmajun is very difficult to find in NYC, and their's is outstanding. Also, try the zaatar pie. Wow so good. Have it in morning, heated up, with a cup of very strong black coffee. Heaven. read more

Value for money. Super fresh falafel Nicest people. Smallest restaurant EVER! Say hello to Jamal. Discuss Syria and what is going on there. Enjoy home made freshly fried falafel. Super crispy fresh salad. Spicy dressing. And a lovely warm pita. $4.50? Insane! This is a beautiful fun worthy and interesting experience. Go now! read more

It was tasty...I felt I had some home made food... It tasted different from what I get from street vendors. read more

Just tried this place for lunch, and the platter was reasonably priced considering just how good the quality of the food is. Fresh, delicious, and excellent portions. I'm def going back. read more

Best Falafel in the Union Square Area....been going there for years

Run do not walk to here. Ate here yesterday and the food is amazing. FRESH, delicious and cheap. Take it out, no seating, and walk to the park, savor your food and do people watching. Order anything, it is all fantastic. read more

This is one hole-in-the-wall take out place that you don't want to skip. People will debate who makes the best falafel or shawarma until the cows come home. I'll let you figure out where you stand on who makes the best. What you will get from Rainbow is a long but fast-moving line, tight quarters, and a genuinely nice family serving good food at a reasonable price. Father and son(s) serve up the food while mom mans the cash register. If you are a regular, they recognize you, and it is nice to know that your business is appreciated in the lunch heaven that is Union Square. I'm a chicken shawarma guy and Rainbow's is pretty tasty. No offense to the old man, but the boys seem to make the sandwich better--more chicken, better packed pita, and more sauce. Great place to get some food for lunch in the park, just make sure you grab extra napkins. read more

First of all, I see here that people are saying that a falafel sandwich is $3.50 ... it is actually $5.50, so I'm not sure what the discrepancy is ... is the menu wrong? Anyway, I did not get falafel, so... I have been to Rainbow twice. Both times I had the chicken shawarma. The first time (last week) was GREAT. The chicken was tender and moist, and I requested a lot of hot sauce, and it was nice and SPICY! Today, the experience was AWFUL. The chicken was extremely dry and tough, it was cut into large bulky chunks, was not very flavorful, and there was a large piece of bone in one of the chunks! Here's the kicker. As I mentioned, I like my food spicy. So i asked the server (young guy) to add a lot of hot sauce ... he nodded politely. He put the chicken in and came over towards the counter to add the garnishes such as tomatoe, lettuce, etc ... and he asked me "everything?" and I said "Yes, and (once again) lots of hot sauce please". He nodded again. When I got back to my office to chow down, the sandwich had NO HOT SAUCE! Really? Come on! I said it twice, and he nodded twice, and the sandwich literally had no hot sauce whatsoever. It also had no onions, which were included the first time. So, it looks like place can be filed under "Hit or Miss". It's definitely not consistant, in fact, it's wildly inconsistant. I'll probably give it one more shot, because the first time really was tasty. read more

Great little place -- a hidden gem Take out only but the food is amazing. The prices are unbeatable! Love the eggplant pita and the falafel. read more

This place used to be OK, but the size is shrinking recently. Avoid the young guy who sometimes works in the place of an older one, he'll just give you a pita sandwich half empty, without all the ingredients that there ought to be! The quality of the pita they use is lamentable and you'll end up with tahini running everywhere on your desk. read more

Been coming here for years. Literally a "hole in the wall," but it's the best. I always get the same thing a falafel sandwich and a bakalava (sp.?). Both are great. One of the last real places in the neighborhood. Love you guys! read more