This review is for the second location that recently opened on 9th Avenue, near 42nd Street…read more I have had food from this African style self-serve takeout several times, and the food is very good. The spicing can be quite different from other styles of cuisine, but whether or not you like it is a personal decision. I liked most of the food that was offered. I found the baked chicken to be excellent. The stewed chicken and the goat dish were also very good. Vegetables are all excellent...from greens to cabbage to carrots...all are delicious. The whole fish has a distinctive strong taste that took some getting used to...perhaps a lot of paprika and red pepper, but I'm not really sure...certainly a nice portion size. Staff is very friendly and hospitable. Highly recommended.

I reviewed B&D in 2013 but have no memory of that. Buffet options aren't labeled so it might not be…read moreperfect if you're risk-averse or have health concerns but everything's good here. My last trip here included (I believe) cassava leaf sauce, chicken, beans and a fiery hot sauce.

Went to Zou Zou's for a little bday celebration with gfs and had a great time. Not to mention,…read morethere was such a sweet little bday care when we got to the table. So thoughtful, and such a great touch to start the evening for us. We decided to order the family style menu and we enjoyed the whole dinner. All of the dishes on the menu were really good and great price for $74pp. I wish we had a 4th in our party so we couldve had the duck, but we'll definitely be returning to do so. The dips were so good and so fresh! I think all of the dishes were perfectly seasoned. I get sad when dishes are overly seasoned or overly salty. Oh, and im not much of a sweet tooth, but their dessert was marvelous and the sweetness was balanced so nicely.

Mixed feelings towards Zou Zou's. Having dined at most of Quality Group's restaurants, we had high…read morehopes for Zou Zou's and booked a table for dinner on Easter. Walking in, it's a stunning restaurant and on this night, not too crowded which made us wonder why they would seat us next to the servers station away from dozens of much nicer tables. Note that I booked through Open Table where I have Gold status which I thought meant you get a better table. Next fail, we wanted to start with a Mediterranean dip, but they only offer that if you go with a $39 tray with multiple dips. Not something a party of two would be able to east, so we skipped apps altogether. Sucks too, because several tables had it and it liked amazing, just too much for two. For dinner I had the Yemeni Au Police Kebab, Filet Mignon which was absolutely delicious. The peppercorn Hawaii really sweetened the meat's flavor. So high marks for the steak. My wife had two small dishes which she wasn't as thrilled with, Grilled Artichokes which were too dry for her liking and Manti, which she liked. Main takeaways. Very pricey, beautiful atmosphere (if you get a nice table) and maybe a place that's better for a group than a couple.

Stopped by during happy hour at bar. Drinks and food were great! Edna was so nice. Cute place. Def…read moreshould stop by. Love the decor here, very art deco

Ed was a great waiter. The food was delicious. Highly recommend the mouse au chocolatread more

Stopped here on our first night to the city for dinner on a Thursday. Made reservations and swung…read morein right around that time. There was a short wait, but from what I could see, a variety of tables here and seating. Not the biggest place, dark, intimate, wood accents and small spotlights over tables. We ordered buns and spicy edamame to start. It seemed like we had just ordered when the food came out. Love that. Buns were incredibly good - a close second to a joint in Chicago we ate at last weekend. Succulent meat, plenty of sauce, and just the usual pillowy bun. The edamame didn't seem spicy at first - then my face melted. Still good but a deep burning spiciness to them as advertised. For my entree I got the beef miso ramen, adding corn and an egg. The corn wasn't just a pile of kernels - but a side slice of a cob. Cool presentation. Beef was good and the broth soothed my soul. Top 10 ramen places I've been - well done.

Nice spot with a variety of options across ramen and rice don bowls, tonkatsu, beef, salmon and…read moreshrimp. We tried the spicy shrimp (coconut based broth), spicy tonkatsu, and salmon miso ramen. The tonkatsu and salmon were both cooked well - tender and moist. Ramen noodles were thin and well cooked - more al dente. We also tried the karaage which had a thick crispy batter and a sweet glaze, with an optional spicy side sauce for dipping. They had a variety of sake and beer options. The inside is small but turnaround is fairly quick. Lots of two seaters and a large table that we were able to snag after just a few minutes of waiting. There was also bar seating. Pretty dark inside to add to the ambiance for a quick date or catch up with friends. Checked in to the waitlist via Resy because we didn't have a reservation, and it was a short wait. Service was prompt.

Finally made it to the new Rowdy Rooster. Forget everything you know about fried chicken--this is a…read morewhole different beast. ​I tackled the Big Rowdy with dark meat and that Hakka chili heat. It's an absolute unit of a sandwich. Replacing pickles and mayo with red onion and mint chutney? Mental. Chef is a straight-up genius for that one. ​Grabbed the mini samosas on the side and washed the fire down with a Thums Up. That soda hits way harder than a Coke--sharp, spicy, and high voltage. ​Shoutout to Eric for holding it down and helping me navigate the spice. The art is sick and the vibes are high. ​If you're tired of the same old bird, come get punched in the face with some actual flavor. This isn't just lunch; it's a heavyweight bout.

New York has no shortage of burger joints, but an Indian burger spot? It was a first for me, and…read moreRowdy Rooster made sure it was a memorable one. A classic NYC hole-in-the-wall, this place is almost designed to be missed. Blink, check your phone, or dodge one too many pedestrians, and you've walked right past it. Try not to, it's worth the stop. Pricing sits a little on the higher side for a combo, but let's be honest - this is New York. The burgers are bold, satisfying, and built to impress. I went for the chicken and veggie sandwiches, both dressed with a mango lime sauce that genuinely were very flavorful. The tomato aioli on the side was another win. And the fries? Crispy, golden, and dusted with a Cajun-meets-Indian spice blend that somehow makes complete sense and zero sense at the same time - in the best way. Rowdy Rooster is a must-visit: come ready for real Indian heat and flavor.

This outside truck spot can definitely have long lines and wait times. I luckily came right when it…read moreopened but I still waited around 15 minutes. I definitely recommend coming here right when it opens. For the food itself, I got the Mix Platter (Lamb and chicken) which was delicious and flavorful. It had a spicy kick, but it was still enjoyable. The plate was definitely loaded and I recommend getting it with the spicy rice. I definitely think it's worth the hype and would come again.

I feel like this place is a 1 and done - but not something that you have to have... more like, if…read moreyou have FOMO and want to try the hype. I feel like this place is good, but the white sauce is what makes it. Would I wait another 50 minutes in line, again? Heck to the no - but 1 time? Yes, just to say I tried it. I came in line around 9:45pm and waited approx. 50 minutes before being served. the line just grows and grows.... it is crazy busy! I don't get the line concept here. Because while I was in a long line, when I get to the front, there's another line to the left of the truck... and people seem to be getting their food faster, and the line is like 2x shorter. So that's kind of confusing. Ambience in line and ordering = chaotic. The line is quick in terms of when it is your turn, KNOW what you want. Because you have like 5 seconds to order and that's it. I ordered the special (the spicy rice, lamb and chicken combo, extra white sauce, 3 squirts of hot sauce, and a topped with fries). $13 in total. I would like to say, advice to folks to know what you want before you come. I did not look at menu options beforehand and I did fairly little research so I honestly did not know what to order, just looked at some google reviews and pictures. That is going to help you, in case you do not want the typical lamb and chicken combo. To the food - 1st - they don't care how much hot sauce you want. they're making these bowls in the masses and are just giving you a single squirt so they can make 20 bowls all at the same time. I was hoping for more spice in what I ordered, but it was very slightly spicy. I'm not sure if they let you serve yourself to more, but I'd definitely want more of the hot sauce. 2nd - I didn't taste any spice in the spicy rice. I'm not sure if, again, due to the fast production that it all just taste like regular rice? but didn't see what the hype was there. 3rd - I genuinely think the white sauce is what brings it all together. The chicken was OK to me. I didn't think it was anything special, and would give it a 3 out of 5. texture was OK, flavor was OK... the lamb definitely stole the show. The lamb was absolutely flavorful and full of delicious spices. This reminded me of what I've had in Dubai. Very rich in flavor and just the perfect amount of spices. Overall, I think if you wait for your food to cool down like 20 minutes, you'll get to taste the flavors more. Everything hot together, for me, just didn't allow me to really absorb all the food. But the rice was your average rice. Pita was deliciously soft and pillowy which complemented the white sauce. Chicken was ok. had an OK texture; nothing life changing. lamb was fantastic, and fries were just fries (nothing memorable). For a NYC experience, a 1-time, 50 minute wait is acceptable. And, for $13, that's pretty cheap for the amount of food you get. I would eat it again if the line was 5 minutes. Otherwise, I'm positive you will find similar food/better food elsewhere.

Had reservations for 2 on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. We got there about three…read moreminutes late, but they seated us within 5 minutes in a booth. It was our first time eating at a Friedman's location. It had a nice diner feel to it, with a mix of booths and tables. The brunch menu has a variety of breakfast items, salads, sandwiches and burgers, starters, and entrees (fish tacos, grain bowl, fried chicken). I like that several of the items are naturally gluten free, and some can be made gluten free by request. We decided to go with three breakfast items from the brunch menu: I got the shakshuka, my sister got the Nova Benny, and we got the lemon ricotta pancakes to share. All 3 dishes were great. The shashuka came with grilled ciabatta, perfect for dipping into the sunny side eggs and tomato sauce. My sister loved that the poached eggs and smoked salmon of the Nova Benny came on top of a crispy potato latke. The pancakes were fluffy and the lemon ricotta and lemon zest elevated their flavor. Our server was friendly and attentive, and he asked us if we had any allergies when he took our order. He came by several times to check on us and refill water. I would return to Friedman's when I'm in the Herald Square area, or check out one of their other locations in the city.

Came on a busy Thursday morning at nine am. Got a decaf iced vanilla latte and a nova Benny and the…read moreMac and cheese. And lemme just say the food came out sooo quick. The Benedict was so delicious. I've never had it on a crispy hash brown type before. It was good and a massive portion. Mac and cheese was alright, though I would probably opt out of it next time. I was so full I totally forgot to drink my latte but the latte was good too. Ambiance was nice clean and very busy.

The Good: Still like what it used to taste like from what I can remember. Hits the spot every time!…read more The Bad: Adel's is a fierce competitor a few blocks down with a long line. BUT, imho Adel's doesn't really taste as good as the original Halal Guys in terms of flavor and fragrance. The chicken from Adel's is in bigger chunks and some argue is more tender, but the flavor is definitely not close. Also, it's important that it comes with lettuce, tomatoes and a little onion to balance everything out. Finally, You must get both the spicy red and white sauce together to make it all come together! The Ugly: The smell is addictive, so if you walk by, it's hard to resist, even if you've just eaten a nice meal somewhere else. We couldn't resist. Gotta hit the gym hard for the next few days!

The guys working the cart are genuinely some of the friendliest people you'll meet in midtown…read more Always smiling, always patient, even when the line is wrapped around the block. And that line is no joke. You will wait. Plan accordingly. Here's my dilemma: every single time I eat here, my stomach lets me know about it later. Without fail. I've tried adjusting the hot sauce, going easy on portions... doesn't matter. Something about this food and my digestive system just don't agree. At this point I have to accept that it's probably not for me. So why do I keep coming back? Because at 2 AM after a late night, when everything else is closed and you're starving in Times Square, that platter of chicken and rice over white sauce smells like salvation. They're the only game in town at that hour, and honestly, in the moment, it hits. It's the next morning I regret it. If your stomach handles it better than mine, you'll probably love it. The food is tasty and the portions are huge for the price. I just wish I could enjoy it without paying for it twice.