Not as good as the original, but still good enough to be 5 stars. The hot sauce still burns my tongue... Please be careful when using it. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

What a great place to get food from everything on their menu is delicious. If you like spice I recommend asking for some hot sauce it will definitely give you a kick. I'd also like to highlight the services here they are quick friendly and fast. And the manager Tony does a tremendous job making sure everyone is greeted and satisfied. Well done with this location read more

YOOO REAM AND EVERYONE CLOSING (5/11/22) CAME THROUGH FOR ME TONIGHT. a doordasher had picked up my food then cancelled the delivery about 10 minutes before closing. I called to see if i could come to pick up the order still and they made it happen such good customer service, seriously made my night. thanks so much guys read more

I do not understand the hype of this place! :( I came here for the first time a few months ago. The line was out the door and I was pretty excited to try it out. I ordered the regular classic plate with chicken and gyro. I was super disappointed when both meats lacked flavor and were dry. They only put a little bit of the white and red (spicy) sauce which was the only thing that was giving it some flavor and keeping it moist. I was in the area last weeks so I decided to give it another shot. This time around there was no line which was great since I was starving. Again, I was sorely disappointed. I really do not understand why people enjoy The Halal Guys. The meat was dry and this time I had them put on tons of white and red sauce. The sauce was the only thing keeping me going until I was just sick and tired of it. They really need to season the meat better and it would probably be a good idea to cook the meat in smaller batches to give it more flavor and keep it from getting so dry. I always tell myself to try things twice before never going back, but both times were just horrible to me. I definitely won't be back again since you can get much better food elsewhere for the same price if not cheaper. read more

Excellent and quick service. I love coming here! The food is always fresh. I will definitely be visiting soon.

I've tried the original Halal Guys in NY and I have to say this comes pretty close in taste! Portion wise, they give you way more in NY for a cheaper price, but this place you can actually sit down and eat your food inside so can't really complain. The combination platter is a must with white sauce. Get the red sauce on the side because it's super spicy. You can choose to have extra white sauce on the side for $0.50 (if you ask for white sauce on the side completely, they won't charge you). They also have sides! Love the fries. It's crinkled cut and super crispy. They give you a lot! Parking is horrible here, but they have complimentary valet which I makes it bearable. read more

The Halal Guys - Combination platter - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is so great! I've been wanting to try it for so long and the hype is definitely real. I think the food itself is pretty generic but their white sauce is AMAZING! I literally asked for extra packets because it was that good. It's really filling and everything tastes so fresh. The service is also great and the line moves pretty fast, which is definitely a plus. And their rewards program is always a plus! read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken platter - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

After hearing so many raving reviews about Halal Guys, I had to give it a shot. I've heard horror stories about how long the lines could get so I was bracing myself when we finally got to the restaurant. Luckily, there wasn't a long line at all. As soon as we stepped in the place, I immediately felt overwhelmed. For it being my first time, I had no clue what to order, what the steps were, etc... Yes, the service is fast and extremely efficient, but I couldn't even breathe before an employee asked what I wanted next!! I don't even think I remember what the menu even looked like after they just fired question after question... No time to process anything. I felt super rushed to make any decision with my order. Onto the food...I got a regular platter of chicken and beef with rice, lettuce, white sauce and a hint of the red sauce. The rice, chicken and beef are really dry and bland. I couldn't imagine the bowl without the white sauce. They are pretty generous about pouring on the white sauce so I would definitely take advantage of that. It really compliments the bowl well. The red sauce is ridiculously spicy so I would advise to be cautious about how much you decide to smack onto your bowl. I've heard their NY food cart trumps any location in SoCal so I might have to hold off on Halal Guys until I'm in NY. read more

The Halal Guys - Regular platter of chicken and beef - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Ordered halal guys through door dash since it is raining and I didn't want to drive out. Ended up getting a stack of lettuce instead of any tomatoes. Just super disappointed with the lack of efficiency because my order never said I didn't want any tomatoes. Please hire more competent workers or train your employees to do better. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I came into the store at 11AM and was immediately greeted by staff. The staff were so helpful and polite! The staff worked quickly to get my meal out. Also, the food was tasty and fresh. Great service! 10/10 staff on first shift read more

The food was so good and well made. I was amazed by the size of the portions I couldn't finish my plate. Last but not least the customer service was second to none. I have to say one of the best establishments I ate at in a long time. Thank you Michael read more

Absolutely delicious and great portions. Thank you so much for the 5 * customer service on point truly appreciate todays visit Michael.

Halal Guys is a great casual dining place located in Costa Mesa. What makes this place great, is that the food is consistently good, and I haven't had a bad experience eating here. They have various halal food offerings, all of which are pretty tasty. Whenever my girlfriend and I order here, we usually get the chicken platter. I usually substitute the rice for more salad, and that's never an issue for them. My girlfriend gets the normal chicken over rice platter, which is probably the most popular dish here. It's always tasty, and I never had an issue with the quality of the food. Halal Guys is one of this places you have to try if you're in the area. I recommend stopping by for a casual meal, or for takeout if that's what you prefer! read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken Platter, no rice, extra lettuce! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great service and lovely staff, the place is clean and well taken care of and the food is amazing

Been coming to this Halal Guys location for a while now and they never disappoint. Boyfriend and I are very satisfied both with the taste and quality of their food. Since the pandemic, we have been ordering ahead on the app and picking up. Our food is always ready when we get there and the accuracy of our order is always on point. If you've never been here before, I'd say that it is definitely worth trying. And of course, don't forget that white sauce - it's the absolute best! Today I actually realized that there is an option to add chopped green peppers (bell peppers) to your platter and it was the best decision I made! I liked the flavor it added to our already delicious platter. Not so hungry? Get a small. Really hungry? The regular platter will do. Oh and if you like spice, note that with their hot sauce, a little goes a LONG way. And I am not exaggerating when I say that either because I can handle my spice. One pocket of hot sauce for their regular platter is plenty. read more

The Halal Guys - Don't forget the white sauce! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Halal guys always hits the spot, perfect for lunch or dinner. Gotta get the beef/chicken combo and with extra bell peppers and extra extra hot sauce and white sauce. You can order ahead but they are so efficient here you might as well go in and order and enjoy the scene ! read more

The Halal Guys - Quick! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Busy place and for good reason! It's in my top ten favorite quick bites and I wish there was one near me in San Diego. Please come to North County, SD!!! This location takes the health and safety of their employees seriously. You order at the door, no one is to enter the facility. At the door, between you and the cashier there is a plexiglass screen and a table. The cashier is using gloves and there is hand sanitizer provided for guest. Waited outside for my name to be called. Next time I come in, I'll take a photo of my meal to share!! So good, I always forget to snap a shot. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great quality quick Mediterranean food and very friendly staff, highly recommend to anyone craving Mediterranean

Absolutely love Halal Guys!! There Combo bowls and Beef Gyro sandwiches are amazingly delicious!! I love coming to the Bristol location because the it's very clean and the service is great! All the staff are extremely nice especially MAX!! Max discounted my meal & added some chocolate cookies for my wild daughter (running around)!! Man how awesome was that, a small gesture can truly make someone's day. Thank you Halal Guys & Max for serving amazing quality food for the family and I!! Appreciate it! From a returning customer! I recommend Halal guys to anyone who loves Mediterranean "Rice bowls" or Gyros (BRISTOL) location by far my favorite to go too!! read more

The halal guys has finally made it out to southern California! Woohoo! I was fortunate to try them a few days before they officially opened (5 minute wait time) and didn't have to deal with the insane 4 hour line that people are experiencing now during their grand opening. The food tastes EXACTLY the same as The Halal Guys (THG) food cart on 53rd and 6th that I frequented so many times when I visited NYC!!! One can order either a sandwich ($6.95) or platter, but I would pass on the sandwich and go with one of their famous platters. THG offer 4 types of platters in two sizes: regular ($8.95) and small ($7.95). The platter comes with rice, salad, soft pita bread, lettuce and tomatoes topped with your choice of protein: --Chicken --Gyro (beef) --Falafel --Halal classic (chicken and gyro) The regular size is exactly the same size as the one being offered at the NYC street carts and has plenty of food to fill up anyone! Extras include fries ($2.50), protein ($1.95), and sauce packets ($.50). There was no charge for the sauces if the server applied them, but they charged for packets. I would not recommend the falafel as it's dry, and am pretty sure it wasn't offered in NYC. I strongly recommend getting the halal classic and topping it with a TON of their white sauce. The sauce is a mayo based sauce similar to Greek tzatziki sauce in terms of consistency, but the spices used are different. They also offer this insanely hot RED sauce. It provides an INSANE amount of heat, so use sparingly. The chicken has mild seasoning and is tender. The gyro meat has a good amount of flavor and tastes great as well. Taste wise the rice is similar to a plain biryani rice. Combining both the meats, rice, the white sauce, and a little bit of red sauce and one has a WINNING combination. There is a decent amount of seating inside. Some of the negatives that I noticed were that portions did not seem to be consistent. There seems to be a 2 item per person limit during the initial opening. Hopefully this can be remedied and that they can pick up the pace when putting together orders. The guys in NYC were dishing out food so fast and were always so generous with the portions. I do understand that the staff here is all new and it will take a little bit of time to get properly trained. Overall I am ECSTATIC that this place has arrived on the scene and that the food tastes just as good as the original! This will definitely be a weekly stop for me once the lines start to go down! read more

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"Yelp challenge 2015 244/365 *sing along* Halel Guys, Halel Guys Whatcha ganna do Whatcha ganna do When it comes to Cali? The hype, the hype Watcha ganna do Watcha ganna do When it catches you? I'll tell you what your going to do. Your going to wait. And wait for a long time. Anywhere from 30 minutes to hours. When there is this much HYPE the food better be Foodgasmic...as in mouth watering explosion bursting on my tongue and all over my mouth. It better be the best I've ever had. It better be well worth the wait. So, I was in the area after a training and stopped by. The line was not as long as expected. Around 8:00pm there were about 40 people in front of me. People of all ages. A few of them should of been in bed already. There were a few cutters. Shame on them!!! And All I could smell was Vape. But I was in and out in less than 45 minutes. So was it Foodgasmic? Not for a first timer. My 2 halel classic platers were nothing special. Kind of like a blind date that you are really excited about that ended unexpectedly when you figured out you are better off as friends. Yes I like you, but I don't think I want to see you again. The food was scooped into a pie like dish. Everything kind of going together. The meats pilled on top of some over cooked rice. The lettuce and tomatoes reminded me something out of Del Taco. The chicken was not very flavorful or consistent in texture, some pieces were chopped, some were just huge hunks. The beef gyro was super chopped and extra crispy. Since the food was to go, it came with 2 packs of white sauce, and 1 hot sauce. It was more than enough. And a little squeeze of hot sauce goes a long way. I really don't see what this fad is all about. Sadly this is the shortest food relationship I've had in a while, that took way to long to figure out. If you are eating here, know there is limited seating. Most take it to go. Service was good. Employees are engaging and friendly. They seem to be moving fast. A plus for them. Who knows, maybe you will love it. Maybe I came on a off night. It just was not that perfect match for me. Maybe the hype ruined it. When you expect a great time, and the spark is not there, it makes me sad. I guess I need to go to NY for a true experience. #727 read more

The Halal Guys - Do you squeeze it out in your mouth? - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I've been to this location once a while ago. I went with a couple of friends I was chaperoning. I haven't been back in awhile, nothing wrong with the place. I just need to find the time. With that being said, I remember ordering the chicken platter and their fries. The fries are shareable, as well as the platter. But who wants to share a platter when you can have leftovers for the next day? Haha anyway, It was quite delicious! Their hot sauce was pretty spicy. It definitely packed a punch on the tastebuds, but wow! I kept adding more. Don't ask me why, but it was very tasty. Can't wait to go back and try their other dishes. read more

I have been to Halal Guys truck in NYC, so I was excited to see their storefront open in Costa Mesa. HG is in the same strip mall as Anjin and Hashigo Korean Kitchen on Bristol in Costa Mesa. They offer halal chicken, gyro and falafel. I ordered a regular Halal Classic ($8.95 | chicken, gyro, rice & salad). In addition, I had my sauce on the side (white creamy sauce or hot sauce, that is very hot). The meat was very good, and the gyro was probably the best seasoned gyro I have ever had. However, the chicken was kinda plain w/o the sauce. On the other hand, the rice was better compared to every other Middle Eastern place that doesn't serve taddiq. The salad & pita bread were very basic: 4 Stars overall. Regarding the ambiance, it is very casual. Nonetheless, you can see your food being prepared. The line out the door is crazy. I arrived @ 10:15 on a Fri (45 min before opening), and I was 10th in line. However, shortly after me, 40 more people came: 3 Stars. The service is efficient and friendly, and the staff is really nice: 4 Stars. I wouldn't wait more than an hour in line for Halal Guys. I've heard peeps wtg up to 4 hours!!! The best time to hit this place is around 10 to 10:15 on a weekday. It opens at 11 am. The food is really good, and the service is nice. TIP: Only two entrees per person! read more

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3 stars plus an extra half star because I didn't have to wait. And just to make things clear, I would NOT wait more than 20 minutes to eat here. I didn't have to do that in NYC (not once) for their $6 overflowing portions of honest to goodness delicious gyro and chicken, not to mention the soft fragrant yellow rice and all the extra white sauce you want on the side - for free! Fast, affordable, and scrumptious street food is what The Halal Guys cart is about, no matter what the weather is or time of day. And just eating this on the streets of Manhattan is a whole experience on its own. Yes, they are different! Different because you get none of that over here. To be fair and realistic, the food cart part is just not possible in OC, however, there is no excuse for the quality not to be the same. To carry that brand name, you are expected to deliver exactly the same product especially to your loyal customers. I guess you're lucky if you've never had it because you really don't know what to expect without having anything to compare it with. If you think that was delicious, surely the stand on 53rd and 6th will blow your brains out, let alone how fast those guys are serving and packing up food. They'd be laughing at the assembly line over here with how slow and skimpy they're measuring everything to the tee. I'm fortunate I didn't have to waste my golden time for a small portion of super greasy food, under cooked funny-textured rice, and extra white sauce which I had to pay for. For a $3 price hike from what I'm used to, I expected the same or a much better product! And the gyro meat is not lamb people, it's beef. The 2 item minimum per customer is fair with the current wait but to make short cuts with the food for faster service won't cut it for me. Be fair to your customers and give them quality food for the hours they waste waiting to be fed. It's bittersweet, really. I'm a big THG fan since I've first had it in 2008. My subsequent visits to the Big Apple always included them in my itinerary and I would fly home with 3-5 trays of these babies back to OC almost each time and they never disappointed me. My THG moment here was a bit of a letdown. I couldn't even finish an order and that's unheard of - the loaded grease was my enemy. But I'm not losing hope. Maybe one day when the hype dies down and they've ironed out the kinks, I could shell out an updated and better review. For now, they are A-OK. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

October 2nd, 2015. Today marked the monumental Grand Opening Day of The Halal Guys [So Cal] and I was so excited to come and support this new franchise after eating their Chicken and Lamb dish from the original 53rd & 6th location in NYC. My thoughts? [ Taste ] OK, so it doesn't exactly taste the same as how I remember it from the little cart in NYC. Perhaps I was hyped up from all the build up of their West Coast debut announced on social media. --- Chicken: very bland (only good with the sauce) but, hey, good for those on a low/no-salt diet! --- Gyro: well marinated --- Rice: perfectly cooked --- Pita: pillowy soft but were small in size --- Falafel: too dense and dry --- Tahini Sauce for Falafel: so-so --- White Sauce: Great with the chicken and gyro platters --- Red Sauce: Spicy! [ Wait Time ] Goodness gracious! We waited almost 3 1/2 hours!! We expected a long line but we didn't know it would take more than 3 hours before we made it into the doors, which were manned by an employee allowing a couple people in at a time. It was insane! [ Grand Opening Day Perks] The Halal Guys did have some great music playing to keep the crowd awake and in good spirits. They also had a photobooth which allowed you to take a single portrait in front of a The Halal Guys step-and-repeat banner or take an animated gif with 4 photos stitched together. [ Tips ] - 2 order maximum on entrees for the first month - Wait times are long so bring something to keep you busy and keep hydrated! - No parking? No problem! There are a few spots in the Dunn Edwards Paints lot. - Spend the extra $0.50 on sauce packets. Without the sauce, you just have bland chicken and rice. Overall, as insane as the lines were, it was still a great experience to be able to take part in their Grand Opening Day madness. Welcome to the West Coast, The Halal Guys! read more

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The tales of Atlantis, El Dorado and the Fountain of Youth are legendary and fabled. Although they don't exist and The Halal Guys does, that's what it was, a mirage in my mind. I only heard countless stories about how incredible the food was, how heavenly the white sauce tasted and how the line were hours long. I had to go on my own Kevin Sorbo epic journey to find out. When a friend mentioned that the grand opening was in exactly a week in Orange County, I wasn't surprised, but casually nodded and noted it in my head. Similar to Inception, he unconsciously planted the idea in my subconsciousness. It started as a casual idea, and me noting, "Oh I got to try that." But that was only the beginning I tell you. That idea grew and grew to the point that the only thing on my mind were three words, "The Halal Guys." It became uncontrollable, unbearable. I had tunnel vision. In a recognizable silver bowl, meat (chicken, gyro, chicken & gyro, falafel) is piled on a bed of vibrant orange rice that's moist and slightly curry flavored, there are vegetables (chopped lettuce and diced tomatoes to be exact) on the side, a red sauce that literally everyone mentions that it's out of the ordinary spicy (you get to choose how much you want on there), and a glorious white sauce (tell the counter to be very liberal) that harmonizes and bonds every ingredient together. People are getting on and off the subways, sounds everywhere, streets jammed with cars and taxi cabs, New Yorkers scrambling to get to work, the tourists trying to get the perfect shot for their Snap Chat, Instagram and Facebook accounts with the city vibe in the background. With the distractions, we human beings yearn for cheap comfort food. It's rare in NYC, but there's an answer. Combine all the circumstances together, The Halal Guys are the smoking gun. I get it. Platters - This is the option that comes with the aluminum tin bowl. Served with rice and salad. Rice - Can be easily mistaken for Spanish rice. It was moist and had a slight curry like flavor. Salad - Nothing special here. It's chopped lettuce and diced tomatoes. Small $7.95 Regular $8.95 - Go for the regular and take the food home if you can't finish it. I don't know the science behind it, but there are certain foods that taste better when you eat it as a leftover. That's like that for me with Benihana leftovers, here and a few others. It's astonishing. Chicken - Looks really dry, but surprisingly tender and moist as you chew. It's a common and neutral protein base option for the people that don't want to crossover to the lamb/gyro or just chicken lovers in general. You know who you are. Gyro - Lamb cuts from the middle eastern shawarma style spit. It's seasoned well and flavorful on it's own. I prefer this over the chicken. Halal Classic (chicken & gyro) - The best of both worlds. It's for the people that can't choose. Falafel - For the vegetarians. Extras Fries $2.50 Protein $1.95 Sauce (white or red in to go packets) $0.50 I'm a sauce enthusiast. I'm the type of person that gets every sauce at Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A cashier: What sauce would you like? Me: One of each please, including the honey roasted BBQ that comes in the packet. *Surprised look* Chick Fil-A cashier: My pleasure. White sauce - It's the legend, the titan, the icon and the idol. It's a universally enjoyed sauce for the masses. It tastes like a milder ranch sauce with less tang, a creamier flavor and a liquid consistency. You can drench as much as you want on the bowl, but the to go packets are $0.50 (same with the red). When I first had a spoonful with my rice, I wasn't impressed. Unknowingly, I kept adding more. It grows on you after each spoonful. Trust me. Red sauce - A super concentrated chili paste like hot sauce that everyone describes how spicy it is. Use the white sauce to cool your palate or the red sauce to heat it up. It's the perfect paradox. BBQ - No where to be seen. Drinks Fountain $1.50 Bottles $2.25 Water $1.50 (water cups free) Sandwiches $6.95 Served with red or white sauce and choice of toppings Chicken Gyro Halal Classic (chicken & gyro) Falafel Go for the platters. Choose the dish that made The Halal Guys famous and not infamous. Yelpers use the term, infamous, for some reason. Spreads Hummus $2.95 Tahini (sesame seed sauce) $2.95 Baba Ghanouj (roasted egg plant) $2.95 It's an assembly line that's like Chipotle but sort of not. You don't have too many topping options besides the rice, lettuce, tomatoes, proteins and sauce. However, you can add olives and jalapenos, but this has to be requested and you can miss it because they're not clearly visible. New Yorkers can sit down on the curb and consume to have a moment of nirvana to themselves. After the hefty meal, the regular size is plenty to feed any hungry man or woman, it's off to hail and flag down the next available taxi cab or catch the subway ride back to the office. The experience is perfection. I get it. read more

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I want that white sauce all over... just make it rain white sauce... all over my rice! I have heard my friends rave about the white sauce at Halal guys and I seriously thought to myself, how good can some sauce be?? Well it's amaaazzziiingggg!! It's probably the biggest winning point that would bring me back to Halal guys. The Halal Guys is located in a tiny plaza in which they share the same parking lot with Hashigo, Capital Bar Noodle and Hakata Ikkousha. A few years back this plaza was definitely dying out but all of these businesses came in and the parking lot is worse than ever. They have complimentary valet but the space is still very limited. We had to circle the plaza a few times to finally get parking. Fortunately there was no line during the time I came here. There have a fairly efficient production line, but their workers were less than friendly. If I went out of my way to fight parking and potentially get in a long time, I would at least hope for decent service if they expect customers to return. Their grumpy behavior didn't even help their efficiency because the customer in front of us had his order mixed up with ours and there was some switching around required. This is the primary reason I'm taking away a star. We shared a side of the hummus ($2.95) which came with pita bread. I thought it was okay. Not that bad, but nothing to rave about either. We both ordered a regular Halal Classic ($9.95) which comes with the chicken and the gyro. The menu says these platters come with rice OR salad, but they actually come with both unless you ask otherwise. It also has a few slices of pita bread. I had mine with only white sauce and the other one had both the white sauce and the red sauce. I was told that the red sauce was not spicy at all. How disappointing. Good thing for them the white sauce was DELICIOUS!! It's creamy and garlicy!! I didn't care too much about their salad but I still ate it because I liked the sauce. Next time I come back I would probably just get my order with only rice and only chicken... and extra white sauce. By the time we got to the end of the unfriendly production line, I asked for the white sauce packets that everyone seemed to have. Apparently this sauce is an extra $0.60 unless you didn't get any during the production line. Well I wish someone mentioned that to me sooner because I would have rather had it on the side in case I was taking it to go... not to mention I would put it on prettier for a picture. And in all honesty I can care less about $0.60 but it was the way he said it that really irritated me. I can't resist the white sauce so I'm sure I'll find myself coming back here. Hopefully the service will improve. No need for amazing service or anything, I'm just looking for "not bad." Is that too much to ask for? read more

The Halal Guys - 2 Halal classics: one w only white sauce and one w white and red sauce - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

It's drunk food. In New York, people eat this stuff after a night of drinking, and it tastes fantastic after a few beers. Yeah, I had heard all about this new place in Costa Mesa. All the hype. The long wait for the food. The food...how it was to die for. I figured what the heck, I might as well try it. I came here for lunch on a Friday and arrived at 11:30 AM. Not a parking spot in sight. I finally found a spot in Santa Ana and walked. The line did not appear too long. But, the seconds turned to minutes; and the minutes turned into an hour. Luckily, I was in line with my smartphone in hand to play Ingress and text my little sister, who was texting me her order of food. But after capturing and burning out the Orchid Portal, I got bored. It was interesting that there were no Halal guys or Halal girls in line, just a bunch of Asians. I did get to meet and talk to the attractive Asian girl in line behind me, who thought the world of The Halal Guys. It took me 1 1/2 hours before I got to order my food. I ordered 2 Halal Classics with sauce on the side. The Halal Classic comes with gyro, chicken, salad, and rice. When you get sauce on the side, they give you two packets of the white sauce, and one packet of the red sauce. Additional packets are 50 cents each. Service was good. The servers were nice and interacted with me. After getting the food, I drove as fast as possible to deliver the platter of food to my foodie, little sister. The food was such a letdown. Perhaps it was because I ate it at 1 PM, and was not yet intoxicated. I'm sure it would've been better after a few beers. The chicken was tasteless. The gyro was not much better. This was after drowning the food in their white and red sauce. The red sauce? Meh....I've had spicier. The red sauce is overhyped like everything else. Bunch of wimpy Yelpers can't take anything on the Scoville Scale. Why is my rice fluorescent orange? Is this really the same exact food like they have in New York like all the Yelpers are saying? I sure hope not because if it is tasteless here, then it must be tasteless over there. I didn't like it. I didn't even get a chance to ask the attractive Asian girl in line behind me her name and if she was an Elite Yelper and if she would be my Yelp friend. What a waste of an hour and an half. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Everything you heard about Halal Guys is true... except for the cart, they left that on 53rd and 6th. I have been to the original cart in New York City so I'll give you my comparative thoughts. Probably and possibly California's most anticipated opening ever of a fast casual dining franchise, the lines all day on Day 1 have ranged from 2.5 hours - 3.5 hours. Just imagine if In-N-Out Burger opened in NYC, it's the same as Halal Guys opening in LA/OC... THE CITY WOULD GO INSANE. And yes, Costa Mesa is going insane. I anticipate the madness will remain the same for the first couple of months with best case scenario maybe getting down to only a 1 hour wait at off peak times. I arrived at 6:30 p.m. (when the line was at the curb on Bristol Street and snaked around the side of the jewelry store) and made it through the doors at 9:00 p.m. That's 2.5 hours. When I left, the line was considerably shorter, about an hour wait at almost 9:30 p.m. on a Friday. My advice? Go at 3:00 p.m. or after 9:00 p.m. As slow as we all felt the line was moving on the outside, once inside I could see that the workers were moving fast. Fully staffed with 4 workers cooking the meat, 5 people packing for the line and one cashier, they had their assembly line like process down. When you're inside, it's surprisingly not hellish as they don't try to squeeze a million people inside. It's packed, but there's an empty seat for you because more than half the people get their food to go. It's nice that there's a door monitor that opens the door for you when it's your turn to go in. I like my Halal Guys like I like my hotels... with doorman service. Halal Classic Platter (Chicken, Gyros/Lamb, Rice, Salad, Pita - $7.95 small, $8.95 regular) - In NYC this was called the combo, here it's the platter. If it's your first time here, you have to go with this. The regular is equivalent in size to what they served in NYC. If you are eating it at the restaurant, you can have them put your white and red sauces on top, if you are taking it to go, make sure to ask for the sauce on the side. Whether you liked it sauced for you or not, you should always get the red sauce on the side. That stuff is so hot that you want to be able to control how much you can handle if any. One packet of the red is more than enough for anyone. As for the white sauce, they give you one big packet but I recommend adding on an extra white sauce for $.50 if you like it a little more saucy (I went through 1.5 packets of the white for my regular sized platter). Lamb Gyro - This was my favorite of the two meats here. The gyro is rotated on spit, then chopped and cooked more on the flat grill until it has a little crisp to the edges. Chicken - This is where there is a big difference between the cart and the franchise store. At the cart the chicken was chopped, chopped and re-chopped as it cooked on the flat grill. The chicken was chopped so fine that it resembled carnitas (that was a good thing), even down to the crispy ends. Here at the restaurant, the chicken is chopped into chunks. The bigger pieces do not have the same texture or charm that the nearly shredded chicken does. I don't know if having bigger pieces is the new recipe or if it's done out of necessity since the lines are so long. Who has time to chop and refine when there are 200 people waiting? They have other items on the menu... Fries, Hummus, Babaganoush, Baklava, Falafels, but mostly everyone sticks to the platters. If you've been to NYC and had the cart before, your long awaited dreams have come true. If you've never been before, you will probably think this is good, maybe great, but you'll wonder why people would wait 2 hours for this. It's really a combination of things... The food was good, it's cheap and people have happy memories hitting up the Halal Cart at 2 a.m. to sober up after a night of bar hopping in Midtown Manhattan. Is it worth eating? Definitely. Is it worth waiting over 2 hours for? No. Is it worth waiting over 1 hour for? Probably not. Is it worth waiting 1 hour if you've never had it before? Yes. Costa Mesa wait time at 6:30 p.m.? 2.5 Hours New York City wait time 6:30 p.m.? 2.5 minutes Tips: ***Be prepared to wait. If you just passed the door to the jewelry store, the wait is about 60-75 minutes from that point on. If you are at the street curb, the wait will be at least 2 hours.** ***While there is a good amount of food, they do not pack it with as much rice and meat as the original street cart.*** ***Parking is hell. This center had limited parking as it was. Now add in Halal Guys, Creamistry and a Capital Noodle to Anjin and Hashigo Kitchen, it's going to be as bad as the Camp. There is no street parking nearby.*** read more

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I somehow stumbled on a window where I waited in line and received my food in under 14 minutes. It was Tuesday at 9PM. I don't think I've ever been more excited about seeing a 15 person line! So did it live up to the hype? Yes! Now I haven't been to the NYC locations, but compared to other places, Halal Guys was pretty freaking delicious. Dare I even say the best gyro and chicken plate I've had?! Gyro meat is too often dry and bland. This was the opposite - great flavor and melt in your mouth soft and juicy. I liked it better than the chicken. This is saying a lot, because the chicken was outstanding as well. Good smoke, but slightly dry. The white sauce was good, but the meat was the highlight for me. No extra sauce needed. The red sauce was actually pretty spicy so I enjoyed that. The pita was fine, though it would have been better with more chew and less mushy mouthfeel, if that makes sense. The lettuce and tomatoes tasted out of a package, but who's focusing on that? I got a side of falafel as well - best decision ever! My Lebanese boyfriend has turned me into a picky falafel eater. I only like freshly fried falafels with a super crunchy outside and a very green interior. The more parsley, the better. While not the greenest falafel I've had, this was right up there with the best. As delicious as this meal was, I still wouldn't wait more than 30 minutes for it. But that's just my personal opinion. read more

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I regret not ordering 10 Classic Platters. Lines were ridiculously long and we were Starvin' Marvins, both Gavin and I. We left Santa Cruz at 4:30AM and only stopped once for gas. We got there after 12:30PM and I forgot to factor the lunch rush. Still we stood in line because I somehow knew in my heart (and tummy) that this place would be bomb. Luckily we were in line for about 25 minutes. The guy behind me clued me in so I would know what to order. Gavin makes friends everywhere he goes.. the perfect wingman, haha. But on a serious note, the guy advised to order the combo plate (chicken and gyro). Each order comes w/ their flavorful al dente rice, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and their white sauce. The chicken was tender and the lamb was awesome. I'd pick just the lamb next time. Gavin and I enjoyed our meal on the bench outside because the place was packed. It is expected and I do admit that the hype is true and well worth it. Service is non-existent when you have an endless sea of people asking for this and wanting to substitute something. The few that assembled my order together we're just focused on the order and speed. People need to appreciate that. Don't want to wait? Fucking go somewhere else. P.S. Parking is a nightmare. read more

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Home away from home is what I would call this place. Chicken with rice is similar to what I used to pick up after a drunken night out in New York so there's no complaints there. After all, I can't expect them to be exactly the same. What pisses me off though? The fact that they have the nerve to charge me $0.60 for an extra pack of white sauce when they literally put 4-5 light streaks of white sauce. My boys in NY will tell you how it's done, they never let me ask for extra white sauce cos they're always gracious enough to OFFER to put more. I mean at $10/platter versus the $6 I used to pay in MANHATTAN? Take a peep at the photo to see how much white sauce they put and tell me that I didn't deserve just ONE pack of white sauce on the side. Plus the workers here are just rude and unaware of what customer service is. I mean, at this point, the three stars are solely based on the food and not the service or cleanliness of the store. Pro tip: Harissa (red sauce) is not for the faint of heart. I suggest asking for a pack on the side if you're not a fan of heat/spice! read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Oh the hype! I was elated that The Halal Guys finally decided to franchise and move to Orange County. When they opened, I heard the horror stories of ridiculously long lines and over a 2 hour wait for a plate of chicken and rice. What in the world? Why would the wait be this long when 3 guys working a food cart in NYC can pump out enough food to feed the entire financial district in 1 hour? Halal Guys Costa Mesa is NOT Halal Guys NYC. It's almost like they're imposters but they get to use the same name and wear the same Tshirts. Nothing is cooked fresh and made to order. The West Coast version of Halal Guys is like a Halal Guys Chipotle burrito. All the rice, chicken, etc, are sitting out in little warming trays and just scooped up into a foil container. Because nothing is made fresh, the rice is lukewarm, the meat isn't hot and crispy along the edges or juicy. I was handed a plate that looked similar to the NYC Halal Guys but lacked the freshness and tastiness of NYC. They even want to charge me for extra packets of secret white sauce or hot sauce? Man, the guys in NYC are GENEROUS compared to these Costa Mesa imposters. NYC Halal Guys don't charge for extra sauce! I am largely disappointed at the gross changes in food production and inferior quality. If you're going to do something half heartedly, you might as well not try at all. The West Coast got stuck with an imposter and I'm still craving the real deal 2,500 miles away. If anything, management needs to take a field trip to Chipotle and see how they serve folks at lunch time. There's no reason a chipotle version of Halal Guys should constitute a 2 hour wait. For all you folks who have never tried the real Halal Guys in NYC, it's probably better that you don't know what to compare it to. Consider yourselves lucky. read more

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I know this place has gotten lots of hits since they opened on the West Coast, so I felt a little lucky to have finally visited without a substantial line. There were so many people working behind the counter, but placing an order took a while. After the order went through, the process to the register went by pretty fast. Got the regular Combo Platter that comes with both chicken and gyro, salad, and rice to go. I am a sauce girl. The white sauce really makes the meal and I made the mistake of not getting an extra packet. That being said, the sauce alone shouldn't have to save the rest of the ingredients. It's hard not to compare it to the NYC carts. Would still give it another go the next time I'm around the area. read more

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I love Halal Guys!! Usually order the normal chicken platter with everything inside. Such a fresh and yummy comfort food meal, could easily eat it a couple times a week. Perfect blend and amount of chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, and rice! read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken Platter - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is overhyped, I've had great middle eastern food and this is like the McDonald's of gyros. The staff were friendly but really unorganized, like chickens with their heads cut off. I ordered a beef gyro, a chicken gyro, and a baklava cheesecake. The steak was so salty it was hard to eat, the chicken was fine nothing special. The white sauce that's supposed to be amazing was just so so and most fell off when you tried to eat. The best part was the baklava cheesecake. The worst part is that my stomach started cramping within an hr of eating and I've had To be by the bathroom since my visit. read more

The Halal Guys are starting their invasion of Southern California with their first location in Costa Mesa. They opened early in October with 3+ hour lines around the block. Their second location will be opening soon in Long Beach. If you didn't know, the Halal Guys originated in New York City and have been feeding the masses for years. People wax poetic about their food. I've never had the opportunity to try them until yesterday in Costa Mesa. I arrived at 6:50 pm last night and got into line. There were maybe 4 people in front of me at the door and once inside, there was also a line along the counter to order. The line took about 10-15 minutes before I was paying so it was not bad for me at all. Your experience may vary. I ordered 2 regular classic platters at $9.95 each. The classic platter comes with both beef gyro, chicken, rice, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, along with that classic white sauce and spicy red sauce. The red sauce you should use at your own discretion. The sauces are piled on with your approval. Extra sauce costs an extra $0.50 per packet. The food is piled on along an assembly line and it looks like they have an efficient system in place. Once I paid, I grabbed a seat at one of the tables. Grace C. arrived shortly after me but since I made it through the line first, she had my second classic platter to avoid the 15 minute wait. Everyone has a different way of eating their platters. I tried it with just the sauce and the meat. Then I started mixing everything together. The red sauce has a kick to it but I could have probably used more. They have someone stopping by the tables asking how everything was and whether or not we wanted more sauce. They had two squeeze bottles in hand ready to accommodate. We had a great meal catching up and the restaurant was consistently busy. By the time we left, the line was still short but it was constant. read more

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Been eyeballing this place through the countless check-in's from other yelpers for the past couple of months. Last night, I finally had the chance to see why this place was hyped up soo high. After eating the plate, I still can't put a fork into why it is. Parking: Might have a problem finding parking in this small parking lot that is shared with 5 or 6 business shops. Perhaps go at a non busy peak time? Yeah, I would encourage that. Type of restaurant: It has the feel of a Chipotle, but with Mediterranean food. Wait time: Depends on what time you go. As for us, it took about 15-20. Ambiance/Decor: The waiting line and few seats/bar area made me feel a bit claustrophobic. You might be rubbing shoulders and elbows with other patrons. Service: I actually liked the service. The staffers were worked hard to satisfy all the patrons. Assembling the plates was a fast process. Wished there were napkins dispensers throughout the store. Found it quite inconvenient to ask for more naps at the cashier area. So ask for more napkins before you sit down and eat. Food: Ordered the classic platter and hummus: 1) $10.... Halal Classic Platter (chicken, gyro, rice, and salad)- Thought it was just okay. Tasted like a basic chicken rice bowl with gyro. I'm guessing you're paying for the expensive gyro, chicken, and white and hot sauce. The chicken and gyro had a small trace of flavor. They gave a lot of rice and less salad. I'll probably ask them to put less rice and more salad next time. The white sauce was okay and red sauce was mouth numbing (people that like spice will love this). I would recommend not putting sauce in the platter and ask for the sauce packets so you can gauge how much you want to put in there. 2) Hummus- Just tasted a little too commercial for me. I guess I prefer mom and pop Mediterranean restaurants for that. Overall, it was an O-K eating experience for me. read more

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Fast halal/middle eastern food! This place is a bit too fast paced, so if you are a newcomer you should probably check out the menu before coming in. We basically asked the staff what was good and he recommended the Halal Classic, which includes pita, rice, salad, chicken and gyro. So yummy! We are grateful the chicken was moist enough and the flavor of the gyro was so savory. The white sauce it came with complemented it very well. It may have been tahini? I wish it didn't have food truck prices ($10 for the bowl, $8 for the sandwich) but we enjoyed it. Luckily we shared the bowl between the two of us. We're definitely coming back! Tip: go at opening time, which is what we did. Half an hour into the meal it got so crowded with the line going out the door. read more

The Halal Guys - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Unfortunately, I haven't tried the original cart in NYC when I was there years ago so I can't make a comparison. Looks like they have a lot of mixed reviews from people who've had and haven't tried the original cart, so you should definitely try it for yourself. Overall, I thought the classic plate with chicken and gyro was good but not let's stand in a long line for over an hour good. Luckily the hype has died and when I arrived for lunch it was an easy peasy in and out in 10 minutes. Taste wise it was good but not amazing flavor wise. A lot of white sauce added more depth to the plate though. I got their regular classic plate which comes with rice, salad, tomatoes, chicken, gyro, and pita bread. You can add as much white sauce on it as you want, so definitely get alot because it rounds out all the flavors. I went back and asked for more to go, but they'll charge extra since it's in packets. He said he can add it directly to my plate free of charge, so do that to save some change. They also offer their chili sauce which is super firey hot. I added a tiny squirt and it was enough to overwhelm the dish. It's a good place for a quick lunch if you're in the area. It was a tad difficult to find seating to dine in since it was pretty busy and they only have about 8 tables and some bar seating. Self parking or valet in a shared lot with other businesses in the plaza. read more

The Halal Guys - Regular classic halal plate with chicken and gyro, $10.75 after taxes - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California