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    Sammy's Halal Food

    3.9 (470 reviews)
    InexpensiveHalal, Food Trucks
    Open Open 24 hours

    Sammy's Halal Food Photos

    SAMMY'S HALAL FOOD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    the food truck
    Emely R.

    BEST HALAL FOOD CART IN ALL OF NEW YORK!!! The rice is seasoned with so many spices, the white sauce is to die for, and the chicken is marinated and seasoned with species the the perfect touch. I already tried so many Halal food carts and this one is by far my ultimate favorite. They have even won awards for the best Halal in the city so you know that means they are phenomenal (:

    Combo over rice
    Jose C.

    This is my first time trying the NYC popular "over rice" street food. I was going to be in Queens for the day so I wanted I wanted to make sure I picked the right place. Sammy's was the lucky one this time. Like any street food, it's cheap, quick and very filling. I will admit though, I was already kind of full from eating pizza and a bagel in other places so I by the time I visited Sammy's, I really didn't want to eat anymore. I tried to get a few fresh bites in, and damn was it tasty. I ended up ordering their combo over rice. Which I honestly regretted. The chicken had so much flavor, and the lamb was just gyro meat, which I do enjoy eating, just didn't want to eat it with the rest of the dish. The chicken alone wouldn't have made this dish perfect. The white and red sauce also added so much flavor to this dish; and you get plenty of rice. I read that the red sauce was spicy, but it didn't have any beat whatsoever. The lettuce at the bottom kind of threw me off at first but didn't end enjoying it at the end. Overall a really good dish and now will definitely want to try some more when in the city. Luckily there's a Halal Guys back home that I will be interested in trying soon.

    cart
    Jando S.

    Had this review been from 10+ years ago, Sammy's would have been an easy 5 star review. At the height of their success, they were a Vendy award winning cart and one of the most underrated Halal options in all of NYC. Fast forward to the most recent iteration and my experiences have been a little less stellar than before. The mixed combo (lamb + chicken over rice) was always my go-to, but the chicken lately has been dry and the same goes for the lamb. Moreover, much of the platters have been a tinge bland. While the chunky onions in the lamb were never my favorite, I always loved their basmati rice and a thumbs up on their white sauce. Inflation hasn't been kind either, as prices for most platters have close to doubled since then. Things seem to be good for the brand, as they still have active carts in the West and East Village. I have maintained that this OG cart was always better than anything in the city, but suddenly now I'm not so sure. I've been bringing friends here for tours / food crawls in the neighborhood and hope to continue to do so, but I'm really hoping they can recapture the magic from yesteryear sooner than later.

    Sammy's for chicken over rice!
    Lori C.

    Totally more than 5-Star worthy! Sammy's is the perfect combination of savory and spice. I'm only here in NY for a couple days and heard about Sammy's- specifically their amazing sauces- on several YouTube foodie channels and other reviews I read. I knew it would have to be one of the first stops I made. My husband and I arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday evening. There were about 3 people in front of us. We waited only 5-10 min to place our order. The guys were really friendly and worked quickly to get our food ready. We found a seat on the edge of a nearby planter to eat. No need to add sauces, Sammy's puts them on for you. That combination of the red, white and green sauces was addicting! So so good! The chicken and rice was abundant and flavorful. The little bit of salad was needed spice relief and welcomed for me but if you don't want it, ask them to leave it out. Sammy's has canned sodas and bottled water offered to go with your meal too. I'm going to be sad to leave NY and not have access to this food cart at home. Sammy's, please bottle your sauces so I can take them home with me!

    Combo Over Rice ($5.99), comes with a drink! See how neatly they put it in the box?! AMAZING!
    Cynthia L.

    Note to future self when craving halal: Don't give anymore chances, don't do it. Mushy and wet rice and chicken. It wasn't good. :(

    chicken over rice: so good!
    Josh B.

    Soooo good! My new favorite spot for Halal. Ordered the Chicken Over Rice which was the perfect amount of food, packed with deliciousness. The chicken was so juicy and all the sauce mixed together was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. Will definitely be back!

    truck

    when i tell u i dream about this white sauce. also this chicken was qualityy. i have eaten from a bunch of trucks but i am pretty sure this is the most tender, well cooked, well seasoned chicken yet. and the rice was tasty and that white sauce again it was thick and creamy and delicious sorry not sorry. quick service too like i looked away and bam it was ready.

    Chicken over rice with white sauce, green sauce, and hot sauce.

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    3 years ago

    Amazing food and they never leave out the white sauce. Chicken over rice is my go to order and it is some of the best that I've had!

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    6 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Muhammad S.

    Thanks for your time

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    4 years ago

    Sammy's def not how it used to be. It's OK. Only spot that was open at 4am. Mahmoud's over Sammy's any day of the month.

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    4 years ago

    Really good, I had mixed with falafel. Among the best Halal food I've had. Some more words so Yelp is happy.

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    Page 1 of 12

    Sammy's Halal Food Reviews in Other Languages

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    Ambiance (5/5): The inside is very pristine with an elevated feel. The staff wear suits!…read moreService (5/5): To circumvent the Friday night wait time without a reservation, we chose to sit at the bar top seating. It was uncomfortable since our knees bumped into the table. However, we did not have to wait! We had immediate service any time we wanted it because someone was always behind the bar. Food (5/5): This is the best Indian food I've had in Queens!! Every since dish is packed with flavor, depth in the sauce and meats, and reasonably priced!! I liked how much sauce was in every dish. Samosa was perfect. The Goat Mandras was my favorite with a sauce that has spice but not super spicy considering the red chili symbol. Chicken Tikka was also very good. My garlic naan was SO good, has a crunch on one side but airy soft to bite. Unlimited little rice bowls?! This will be our go-to Indian after our first experience.

    3.5 out of 5 stars for lack of AC and keeping the kitchen door open without a proper exhaust and…read morefilling the room with burning onion. Food was delicious and came out fast and staff were exceptional, especially given the circumstances. Used to come here before they redecorated and renovated and the food has become more upscale with micro greens for toppings and new menu items. If you want to make it more upscale you have to take care of your Kitchen staff and have a proper vent and turn the AC up. Will come back for the food and staff!

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    Sumatera Restaurant NYC

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    4.5
    (240 reviews)
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    New favorite Indo spot!! The Nasi Padang set gives a great bang for your buck as you get to try a…read morelittle bit of everything. Rendang was super tender and every other dish hit the spot too. Chicken wontons were fried super crispy. The Indonesian bbq ribs were falling off the bone--so tender and flavorful! Very authentic Indonesian food. Casual dining. Service was good. Will be coming back very soon!

    Sumatera (formerly Sky Cafe) has new owners but they've retained the Chefs from Sky Cafe!…read more Sumatera's menu is slightly different, portion sizes are slightly smaller, and prices have gone up (as with every other restaurant now a days). BUT the food is still fantastic! Great Indonesian restaurant with an intriguing menu! This family run restaurant is smallish but can probably seat around 26 people. Probably not ideal for multiple large groups at the same time but we made reservations early, and easily got a reservation for 8ppl. These were our shared menu choices (shared by 4ppl): ~ Salad Daun Teh Hijau $14 (green tea leaf salad w.cabbage, tomatoes, beans & green chillies): tasty Indonesian version of the tea leaf salad! I prefer the Burmese version but this salad was pretty tasty! ~ Nasi Lemak Rendang $17.75 (Beef Rendang w.spicy egg, anchovy, pickles; w.coconut rice): the portion size of beef rendang was very small but this dish was probably not meant for sharing, and more of an individual plate. It was delicious, nonetheless less! The accompaniments were terrific!! ~ Nasi Iga Bakar $22 (BBQ Ribs w.white rice): after seeing an IG video, this particular dish was on our radar! As with most social media, it heightened our expectations but it did not meet those expectations. Don't get me wrong: this was still a delicious dish; just not as great as depicted on those dang videos. lol The ribs could have been cooked a tad bit longer for tenderness but the flavors were great! ~ Nasi Goreng Petai $19 (fried rice w.shrimp & stinky beans): I've never had this dish before and the "stinky beans" weren't Stinky at all! Hahaha The large shrimps in the fried rice were perfect. Tasty dish! ~ Mie Goreng Belacan $17.50 (stir-fried shrimp paste noodles): This was a fave dish amongst the group. So flavorful and satisfying! * Don't sleep on the two hot sauces provided on your condiments tray! The bottle of Sambal Asli hot sauce was great; slightly sweet but spicy! BUT... beware of the other nondescript hot sauce in the squeeze bottle...which was FIRE!!! If you can handle this FIRE, then go for it...otherwise, proceed with caution! Hahaha. You've been warned! Service and hospitality were great; friendly, welcoming and efficient. I look forward to a return visit to explore their many other menu items!

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    Interior
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    Thai Nara Halal Restaurant

    Thai Nara Halal Restaurant

    4.5
    (101 reviews)
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    Great little halal Thai food spot in Woodside. They've been around for years and you wouldn't even…read moreknow it was there passing by on Broadway. Cozy little hole in the wall place with very kind and friendly staff. Food comes out pretty quickly and portions are on point along with the tastiness. We ordered - Wings, Calamari, Thai Fried rice w/beef, basil fried rice w/chicken, drunken noodle w/shrimp, and Siam (I think) noodles w/beef. All were good - the Siam noodles were okay for me because it tasted like maagi noodles IYKYK. #nostalgia Parking is a bit difficult to find in that neighborhood, but you'll get it a block or two away. They are also due for a complete renovation. Nontheless, try them out!

    In those moments of doubt when I fear I won't reach the 85-character minimum, I'm fortunate to have…read moremy Standard Spice Waiver to get over the line, reproduced thusly: "Spice tolerances vary and it is recommended that you take a small bite (or sip in the event of soup) before proceeding. Josh B.'s spice proclivities, included only as a general estimate and not a suggestion for your spice intake, are as follows: as of March 2025, between 0 and 3 may barely register but 8.5 or higher may induce crying." Thai Nara's heat level was ideal for me. The Thai soup was fragrant and tangy but not overpowering. I'm sure the other soups are fine but how often do you get to have galangal and sambal oelek? The roti was chicken was excellent. I don't know if it legally counts as roti canai but this delightful coconut-based creation was at least roti canai-adjacent.

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    Clear Noodle Salad
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    Takeout including Pad Thai and Basil Fried Rice

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    Levant

    Levant

    4.5
    (53 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    Levant is one of my favorite new spots, and a great addition to the neighborhood. The feteer game…read moreis stronger than ever. First off the place is so cute, it's a long narrow restaurant with a good amount of seating, and you can watch them make and bake the feteer fresh to order. The people are so nice there and the food was DELICIOUS I do recommend setting aside some time or calling ahead if you can since it can take around 20 minutes to assemble this delicious creation. Get the mixed meat one and you will not be disappointed. The melty, gooey cheese runs throughout the large hefty chunks of meat sandwiched within this rich, delicious bread that keeps it all together. I ate the whole thing myself in a day. Don't forget to throw on the hot and white sauce on it too!

    Ordered: Mixed Feteer (~$25): filled with cheese, ground…read morebeef, sausage, pastrami, tomatoes, peppers, olives; with Levant sauce & white sauce Mix Grill (~$30): chicken kabab, lamb kabab, beef kofta with 2 sides (rice & fries) and pickles; with Levant sauce, garlic sauce, and white sauce Zaatar Manousheh (complimentary) Aya's take: Levant is located in the heart of Steinway and has become pretty popular for their Egyptian feteer, Lebanese bread, and mixed grill meats. It was #25 on The New York Times' 2026 list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, and being Lebanese myself, I wanted to finally check it out. The service & hospitality is amazing; you can't beat Arab hospitality. As we were waiting for our food, one of the workers gave us a fresh Zaatar Manousheh. It was incredible! The zaatar was just as good as it is in Lebanon and the dough is fluffy, light, and super fresh. The Mix Grill was smaller than expected for ~$30. The meats were all tender, well-seasoned, and juicy. They have a few sauces to choose from and all were good. I would get the Levant sauce and white sauce again! If it was a sandwich, I would definitely get the garlic sauce again. There was so much rice and fries left compared to the amount of meat we got. It just felt like something was missing or it needed more protein. The Mixed Feteer was so satisfying! Everything here is freshly made and it's evident from the crispy feteer exterior to the cheese pull and steaming ingredients inside. The white sauce helps cut through some of the fat and the Levant sauce added a slight kick to it. Both were delicious! It's loaded with ingredients and easily shareable among 2-4 people. Although space is tight, I would recommend coming with friends or ordering to go so you can try more items since they have so many delicious options on the menu. There's so much I still want to try; I would absolutely come back!

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    Lotus Feteer. $23. Not too sweet even with the biscoff and powdered sugar. Excellent
    Lotus Feteer. $23. Not too sweet even with the biscoff and powdered sugar. Excellent
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    Red Chilli

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    0.2 mi
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    The Food Was TOO DIE FOR! This my first time having real authentic Indian Food with my girlfriend…read morewe absolutely loved it! Was so much food we couldn't even finish it. Butter chicken 1000/10 garlic naan 10/10 lychee drink 20/10 very flavorful Chili Garlic Fried Shrimp 1000/10 Dani Puri 9/10 mango mojito 10/10. Overall everything was 100/10 I will definitely come back and is open minded to try more food off the menu. Dominic was absolutely amazing 1000/10, I believe he knew it was my first time he was very patient with my girlfriend and myself. With an amazing smile and was just happy to help. He helped me pronounce the food items I couldn't get correct. Overall he gave me choices and options that were great that I really enjoyed. I don't remember the bartender names but he was great as well. His drinks were perfectly blended I felt like I was on vacation on a beach having them. But when I come back I definitely want to choose them! Ambiance was LUXURIOUS. Very clean, utensils were very clean as if it the a grand opening. I love the aesthetics and the color coordination and to the plates and silverware. Overall I recommend anyone especially if it's your first time. The people hear are amazing food is even better. 100/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

    Unfortunately, this was not a great experience... However, I'm going to touch base on both the good…read moreand the bad, although at this point I do NOT plan to return here. Pros: seated quickly, ambiance was lovely, appetizers came out quickly, the Lasuni Gobi was delicious. CONS: My husband and I waited 40+ minutes for our main dishes (dal + rice and the Paneer Tikka dish) to arrive....... And we watched the people who were seated AFTER us receive their MEAT dishes before we got our ours and we most definitely ordered first. We asked our server MORE THAN ONCE what was taking so long and we got the same answer each time "I've told the kitchen to hurry, it'll be out soon" To make matters worse, the person who brought us our dishes (maybe the chef? Maybe the manager?) brought them without the naan that we ordered. When I asked, "where's our naan?" He had the audacity to rudely say "it'll be out in a few minutes", as if we hadn't already been waiting 40+ minutes for vegetarian food that I could've whipped up myself in 20 minutes. His attitude towards us was so unacceptable considering the circumstances. We have absolutely no idea what happened or why it took so long for our simple dishes to arrive. It's especially perplexing considering that the people who came in AFTER us got their meat dishes first. The server apologized and decided to bring us some kulfi (ice cream) to try to make up for it, but we try to avoid eating sugar so that was useless. I felt bad for the server because it wasn't his fault that our food took a ridiculous amount of time to make it to our table, and it's not cool that a manager never stepped in to try to reconcile. As someone who waited tables for 8+ years, I was shocked at the lack of support this server received from his management team. The dal and paneer tikka dishes were average tasting at best (and overpriced), making another trip here completely unfathomable, most especially considering how we were treated. Note to management: do better. Support your staff and step in to reconcile with unhappy guests if this happens again.

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    Red Chilli
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    Sammy's Halal Food - halal - Updated July 2026

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