One of the places I miss the most about New York. Wish I could have one of their falafels now and such awesome people!

Hands-down the best falafel you'll find in the Union Square area. Friendly, family-run business. Their hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and cauliflower are not to be missed! My personal favorite is their vegetarian combo platter. And don't forget their to try their baklava if you've got room--everything they have to offer is top notch! Well worth the extra buck or two versus the so-so halal street carts that dominate the area. read more

Rainbow Falafel is one of the last remaining mom and pop joints in Union Square. It operates out of a tiny space on 17th street the size of a small car, yet brings flavor that tastes like it came from a kitchen full of expert chefs. I always get the Shawafel, a shwarma/falafel wrap hybrid that is filled to the brim with tasty meat, well-cooked falafel, lettuce, tomato, onion, tahini and other herbs and spices. For 5.95, you can't get as full of a meal for that low in very many places in this neighborhood. They have a bunch of imported candies and specialty foods as well, all crammed into this tiny space. Despite long lines at all the trendy salad places nearby, you can usually get in and out of Rainbow in just a few minutes as they adequately prepare for the lunch rush and keep traffic moving. Definitely worth a try if you are looking for something less corporate in Union Square for lunch. read more

holy balls was I surprised. It had everything going for it: A) ethnic food - which everyone loves B) one person shop - this man, he is an island C) cheap eats - the must-have quality of all NYC hotness D) on a side street - the grittier, the better But this was the worst fucking shwarma I have EVER had. Dry as a fucking bone and tart like a witch's pucker. the spinach pie was mulch. we literally had three bites and tossed it at an ugly-ass baby and we grew up poor! it is a sin to throw away food! damn it man, what happened! read more

Amazing falafel. Not-so-great (read not good) hummus (which I've tried twice now with the same effect). Fair babaghannouj. Great prices, charming staff, generous portions, tiny little place (you're getting it to go, kiddos). read more

This is my neighborhood GO TO falafel spot. It's good but NOT ALL THAT. My bar is very high when it comes to falafel on the cheap - Mamoun's is king of the hill and it's hard to beat. Rainbow has all the usual middle eastern plates you would expect at a falafel stand EXCEPT lamb shwarma (my favorite). I usually get the chicken shawarma. The last one I had felt rushed and on the dry side TIP - don't take any chances if you hate a dry falafel. Ask for extra tahini since they tend to go light. Mamouns - you're still my favorite. I'll take an extra long lunch break any day so I can savor your succulent lamb shawarma and creamy nutty tahini. Rainbow - glad you are only a few blocks away and there for me when I'm in a pinch but please get some lamb and don't be stingy with the tahini ! read more

Really great lunch spot! Great option if you want some good shawarma midday for a quick stop

The falafel sandwich is fast and great, and it's $4.75. They use a tahini sauce on green falafel, and their hot sauce is a great touch. That's a GREAT deal for lunch in this area, where crowds pile up for $13 "bowls" and "smoothies" of whatever. CASH ONLY! read more

Go for the falafel, lentil soup, and various pies (my favs are the zaatar and lahmajun). All flavorful and not particularly expensive. Also, friendly staff. read more

DISGUSTING! I wish I could give it negative stars. The chicken in my shawarma was dry and tasteless, the tomatoes and salad leaves stale and awful. Worst falafel place I've ever been to. read more

I love this place. I love the people who work here. I love the lentil soup and the pies. I love the falafel. I love that they sell kit kats and cigarettes. I love their sign. I love their grand arched entry. I hope you will keep them in business so that New York stays alive. read more

I'm a loyal customer at Rainbow Falafel and should have posted this review sooner - It's the fresh ingredients and the seasoning that's "Just Right", along with the very good people who work here, that make this place truly 'Woohoo! As good as it gets!' Highly recommend. read more

Rainbow gets 5 stars. Now, I'm not usually one to hand out a 5 star rating, but the combination of good food with a very affordable price is too much to pass up. I used to have lunch here 2-3x a week or more. You can get lunch here for under $5, a rare feat in the Union Square area. The lettuce is not always the freshest, but that's about my only complaint. Be sure to try their baklava, it's out of this world, and more than enough for 2 people to share. There's a reason the line is out the door. Hang out and laugh at the yuppie girls paying $12 for a salad next door at Chopt or whatever the heck it's called. read more

I want to Rainbow Falafel for my birthday dinner this year (and for *many* other meals) Yes, I *love* Rainbow Falafel. It's awesome and the people there are like family to me since I've been going for ~10 years. Yes, I did go there for my birthday dinner this year, out of all the great restaurants in NYC which I've known my whole life. Get the Vegetarian Platter - it's a perfect combination of falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, salad, tahini, lemons, peppers, ... great food! read more

I absolutely adore the Union Square area for exploring new places to grab a tasty bite. There are many ready-to-eat options, restaurants, and the Farmer's Market to boot. And I am rarely ever disappointed. So imagine my excitement when I read about Rainbow Falafel's great chicken shwarma! I really like chicken shwarma-- its intense spices and accompaniments (tomatoes, tahini, lettuce, etc.) are usually things I crave. I can't say I'll ever be craving the chicken shwarma at Rainbow Falafel, ever. It was just too salty. WAY too salty. For $5.75, I got a standard-sized pita brimming with lettuce, tomatoes, shwarma, and tahini (there was the option of getting hot sauce on it, but I passed). But what good is over-filling if you can't even finish a quarter of the sandwich because you can feel your blood-pressure going up with every bite of sodium-laden chicken? To Rainbow Falafel's credit-- and here's where the 2 stars come in-- the tomatoes were fresh, rough-cut, and delicious. The lettuce was cool and crisp. And the tahini was aight. Might have been able to eat a sandwich with just that. MAYBE I'll come back and give their vegetarian options a try, but boy do I hate the possibility of wasting money. read more

This place is easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. I've only gotten the falafel so I can't comment on any of the other food. Pretty good falafels though. More of an indoor food stand so I used to take my food to the park on nice days. Cash only too. read more

Best falafel plates and sandwiches with fast friendly service. I can't seem to stay away.

I have literally passed by this place for over a decade and have never stepped in...until the other day. A co worker decided to treat me to lunch and I was craving falafel, so we came here. The two men working behind the counter were super friendly and my falafel was created very quickly. I also added cauliflower on top of it to make it really tasty. Because I'm a glutton, I also asked for a baklava as well. My coworker handed them his card to pay, but alas, it was cash only! Fortunately I had cash, so nothing was lost. When we went back to the office to eat, I ate the Falafel, but I must say it was pretty underwhelming. Maybe because I'm comparing it to Maoz (which makes my stomach hurt, so no more of that), but the sandwich was pretty dry. The pita was thin and overall it was just okay. The baklava was super dry, like the honey just evaporated. I might come back and try them again...but not for a long while. read more

This is gonna be a short one. Good Fallafel and chicken. Very cheap great eat if I need something on the go. I question the cleanliness, very old school. Literally is a hole in the wall. Good is tasty and I was fine after so I would go again =D. read more

Wanted to give these guys another shot so went back and tried their Hummus Pita sandwich for $5. 1) way too salty hummus guys 2) pita isn't fresh at all, no falvour, don't cheap out on pita! 3) a mess. im trying to eat this at my desk at work and it's just dripping tahini everywhere seriously, how do you mess up a hummus sandwich? don't recommend this place even if it is quick and cheap. way better options in the area read more

Decent place. I remember it being better when I would go all the time (2002-2004). Got the chicken shwarma today and it was dry. Hardly any sauce or flavor. I'm not a big fan of dry. The owner was arguing (or having a heated conversation) when I came in and it was a little jarring to have to stop in mid sentence and say "Hello sir, what can I get you?" I mean, as if I hadn't noticed the yelling! Cheap sandwiches, thought not as cheap as long ago ($1 more, I think) and the platters are pretty expensive actually ($11 for chicken platter, $13 for the biggest platter). Not a bad joint, but not the attraction it used to be. read more

They are such nice people and have such great food! Their falafel is the real deal, and their hummus is the best I have ever had. I highly recommend this place! I have been going here for over a decade and will go for as long as they are around. read more

Considering that I am back from school and everything in the city seems more expensive, this place is ridiculously inexpensive! They sell vegetarian sandwiches for under $5, talk about bang for your buck! My friend was raving about this place and how badly she wanted the chicken shwarma. I played it safe and went with the original falafel. It was delicious and quite filling. There aren't any seats or a bathroom but Starbucks and McDonalds are located only 20 meters away. read more

Pretty awful shawarma and falafel. Also not cheap enough to make the poor quality okay.

By no means am I an expert in middle eastern food, but their falafel was amazing! I came here on a whim bored of my usual lunch choices and quickly realized that this is the kind of place that is known for one thing. They do it well and you are best to not stray off that choice. Luckily i didnt have to search far for what it was. *Hint: Right in the name* At $4.50 it is more than a fair price for a stacked falafel pita. Do yourself a favor and try one! ****Update**** Had their Chicken Shwarma. It is out of this world!!!!! They are now 5 stars in my book. read more

Alright. So I know that correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation, BUT the two times I've been here, the first time getting a quite delicious falafel sandwich, and the second time getting quite possibly the most disappointing chicken shawarma plate ever (It was tough, cold, bleh, meh, there's really not much more to be said. It was horrible), I have had violent food poisoning afterwards. And I got this for my lunch break, so I'm at work when I had to race (sprint) to the bathroom before all hell literally broke loose. This place deserves 1 star, but the falafel sandwich saved it and bumped it up to two. Definitely not heading back. read more

This little store, literally the front door of a disused entrance to an old building, has some of the greatest felafel's in the city. They're cheap and fast. Most days there is a line out the door, but they move pretty quickly. The lentil and pea soup is also pretty great, but is a little gritty. read more

It's affordable, it is a change from the Pret Medina-Ennju-Edo-esqueness of 17th street. They definitely have off days depending on what you get, but the falafel is pretty straight forward and passably healthy. How descriptive can I get. Its Falafel and I don't work for the food channel. It tastes like what its supposed to taste like. You should try it out sometime. If you don't like it; its not your fault. If you like it; you give me credit. Tip: Get there before 5 ish. They close on whim and....and....sometimes the trash gets lined up in front of the store...on the curb but its enough to make you not want to go to the grungy hole in the wall that is the awesome of Rainbow Falafel. read more

The goodness of Rainbow rests in your hands! If you think it's too dry ask for extra tahini or hot sauce, if there is too much salad ask for less....that's all you have to do. In my opinion Rainbow hits the mark, it's a quick grab and go pita and the falafel is usually fresh out of the fryer. I love it when the falafel is hot because it's the perfect complement to the cool creamy tahini and crisp lettuce. Also, ask for a few pieces of the cauliflower on top...it's really tender and delicious. If you're looking for a little bit more try a platter...it will certainly fill you up before you even done with it. I can't wait to try the baklava, I hear it's quite good. read more

Back in NY after six years. First stop: rainbow. It's every bit as awesome as I remember. The vegetarian falafel plate is some kind of juicy yummy spicy wonderful . Love it so much. Also hands down best lentil and split pea soups across the nation. Get your food and grab a bench in union square. Bliss. read more

Rainbow Falafel - Vegetarian combo - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Subpar. had a chicken shwarma at the beginning of the lunch hour - should be freshly made to get ready for the crowd onslaught. got extra dry chicken - felt like it was made the day before - which wasn't that flavorful with spice - something you would expect at a school cafeteria. regular run of the mill fillings - again nothing flavorful or exciting. pita was probably the highlight. Wasn't a steal either given lack of flavor. Don't recommend. read more

Probably echoing the same message as others but hey what the heck. Confirmation is always nice. I had their Combo Sandwich and a Falafel here on 2 separate occasions. This place is awesome. For a quick lunch I'd recommend this place. It's a very small shop so hopefully you aren't claustrophobic BUT service is unbelievably quick and owners are really friendly. I had no idea what I was doing when I walked in haha. Generous portions too. The Falafel itself is the star of the show. It has great flavor and in my opinion tastes better than Maoz down the block (it's also easier on the wallet!). read more

What a rare thing: affordable, delicious food in the Union Square area. I've been a fan of Rainbow Falafel for many years. This tiny closet-sized space manages to pump out some of the best falafels I've had in a long time. Their grape leaves & hummus aren't half bad either. As of the date of this review, a falafel sandwich is $4.50 and a side of 3 grape leaves are $3. I haven't tried their sweets but I'm sure they're good. There's usually a line out the door but don't let that discourage you as the interior can only fit 2 people. I'm amazed how they are able to make such good food in such a tiny space. Now if only I could figure out a way to eat a falafel without making a huge mess all over myself. read more

Just on the outskirts of Union Square there is a tiny hole-in-the-wall falafel shop called Rainbow Falafel. Their offerings, though, will leave you anything but smiling. I wanted to see what Rainbow could offer up, so I got their Vegetarian plate at lunch time to sample their Falafel, Hummus, Grape Leaves, Tabouli, and Salad. The Falafel was the only item in the dish that was even passably prepared, but certainly didn't warrant any type of recommendation or praise. For a plate to be so overwhelmingly packed with displeasing items was very surprising. This wasn't simply a matter of preference: the consistency, flavor, presentation, and quality of the ingredients were all lacking. Don't be drawn by the short line or the cheap pricing - this is a place to avoid. read more

This is one of those holes in the wall located within an office building that you just have to try because it might disappear tomorrow. Their specialty seems to be chicken shawarma, the other kind (I don't even remember now) did not look as good on the spit. You can get anything as a pita or as a plate. The plate is $12 or so, but contains an epic buttload of meat and a pita from a bag. Good if you are one of those protein freaks exercising and getting ready for a big event and don't want carbs, but maybe a little expensive otherwise. It's hard not to compare this to the Hummus and Pita Co., which is just 1 block crosstown and has a lot more variety and is potentially healthier. (Price is more or less the same.) But sometimes, you have to patronize the little guy even if it's not the superlative option. I don't think I'll be back super often, but I won't forget it, either. read more

If you need a quick fix and you're in the union square area this is a decent spot. But I've had just as good falafel if not better for half the price at Mamoun's. It's a completely to go hole in the wall that's not all that amazing. If you want a sandwich in the area for a decent price just go next door to Potbelly. It's the same price and obviously a much nicer environment. I'm all about supporting local business but there is no way their ingredients and overhead warrant the prices they charge. read more

People - get the falafel, this place isn't known for shawarma... Yes this is a tiny falafel joint - I gave it 5 stars for the falafel - obviously - it's not fine dinning but it's 5 stars for the quality of the falafel.. This is a consistently delicious falafel experience, soft, buttery moist interior perfectly spiced and including nice whole coriander seeds, giving each bite the fragrant real falafel taste that's sorely lacking in the chain falafel restaurants. This falafel sandwich is a standout for being genuine, tasty and consistent. Can't ask for more. read more

Inexpensive, quick and delicious. The falafel stated like it was made fresh and not frozen. Lots of great other options on the menu to try another time. read more

Is it an alley? Is it a magazine stand? No, it's Rainbow Falafel and the line around the block really ends there. Don't be intimidated by the stockroom-like interior, or the weird, non-food related items they sell there. This place is gold, cheap gold. Street food? Excuse me, there's a roof over this baby. And the line doesn't lie. I've seen Manolos waiting for that falafel, too. If memory serves, a falafel or chicken schwarma sandwich is all of $3, and plenty too. Get the spicy sauce. (It's not that spicy and zips up the tahini. If you're really, really hungry, throw in a lentil soup for another two bucks. You can't go wrong. Check the weather. Dress accordingly. And quietly say to yourself "The Health Department's been here" a few times. Yum. read more

I used to come here when I was broke, it really satisfied my hunger! Cheap and good falafel!