I don't place blame on the poor service from the single person working. He was obviously over-worked and under-staffed. No acknowledgment that I was even there, so I just left. Amid staffing shortages nation-wide, larger businesses need to increase wages to attract more talent and keep their businesses fully-staffed. If that means cutting the multi-million salaries/bonuses/options for those at the top, that should happen. So far, halal guys doesn't seem to want to do this. I've frequented this location before, but don't have any plans to return anytime soon. read more

**The First Halal Guys in the West Coast** Finally the hype has brought its way over to Orange County. After waiting 3 months for the hype to fade...I managed to get my food without a line Ambiance: Parking: It can get pretty tight. Though it's in a plaza specific parking spots are reserved for certain stores during certain hours. Seating: Good seating for about 40 people. There's a bench outside as well. Generally great for pairs or groups of 4s. Feels: Quite the eclectic space. The colors of yellow and red are quite vibrant and the smells are quite delicious. The background music is quite diverse as it can change from r&b Janet Jackson to some country pop, Sheryl Crow. Food: Halal Guys Special (Chicken & Beef) (Recommend) Definitely recommended for first-timers since it consists of the best of two worlds. The rice is flavorful and moist. The meats are well cooked and the lettuce gives it a good balance. The sauce is the maker (white and red) sauce is the game changer (careful for the red sauce)! Customer Service: We received our orders quickly and our servers were respectful. Every 15 minutes or so they walked around asking if they needed extra white or red sauce. Overall: 4.5 stars. Price is reasonable, portions can last a meal or two, and the food was delicious. I wish I was able to compare and contrast the difference between the OG cart and this brick and mortar franchise. Whether you're showing around tourists or just in need of a good bite, this is a GREAT place to be. TL;DR Tips: * Ask for extra white sauce. * Careful about the hot sauce. It has quite the kick! read more

The Halal Guys - Combo with the bbq, white, and hot sauce! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

There really isn't much else that can be said about The Halal Guys that hasn't already been said. So let me recap: 1) Yes, if you've been to the original in NYC, it won't 100% compare. But this franchise location does a pretty good job honoring the original cart. 2) If you haven't been to the original, The Halal Guys serves delicious gyro, chicken, and falafel. You can get it in a platter or sandwich form. (Go with the platter). 3) The white sauce is dynamite and the red sauce is killer - get lots of the white to cool your palette after having a little of the red. I didn't find the issues with the line/wait or messing up of my order. Perhaps because I came on a Thursday night and they've been open for a few months now. There was literally no line and my order was prepared perfectly. Chicken platter with lots of white sauce and a hint of the spicy red sauce .... I was in heaven. A side order of falafel (just to try it) and I had the perfect meal. The staff were extremely friendly and I can't wait to come back to town and indulge again. read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken Platter ... That red sauce is lethal! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is so good. We've been coming here for years and the fact that we continue to do so even though it's a bit of a drive for us says everything. I can only have a few dots of the spicy red sauce before I hiccup. It is so good mixed with the white sauce, though. If it's your first time trying this place, ease yourself into the red sauce. Trust me. read more

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

Low Down: They have SANDWICHES and PLATTERS and some desserts, but go with the majority and get the platters. What to get: Their most popular menu item is the CLASSIC HALAL PLATTER. You can get a regular size $8.95 or a small size $7.95. Personally, I would go for the Regular size because it looks like you get double the amount for only $1 more. What it comes with: The Classic Halal Platter comes with rice, salad, chopped tomatoes, half chicken and half gyro, and your choice of sauce on top. If you don't want one of the meats, they can put a full serving of the other meat for you. They assume you want the WHITE & RED sauce, but I opted just for the white sauce. If you like SPICY, go for the RED SAUCE, but BE WARNED. Even the person serving the sauces was warning customers that it's pretty spicy. It definitely STINGS, even if you only get a little bit. NOTE: On the menu, it says "rice OR salad", but if you just say "Classic Halal Platter", they give you both. A little confusing, I know. THEY TAKE CREDIT CARDS!! - prices INCLUDE tax, so i paid a straight $8.95 for my platter. The service was phenomenal. I know they're super busy considering it's their Grand Opening is coming up soon, but everyone was super friendly and accommodating. I came in around 11:15 and I got my food by noon. Right after I got my food, the line looked a lot longer though. There's not too much seating inside, but that's because most people get their food to-go. I'll definitely be back!! read more

The Halal Guys - Classic Halal Platter Regular $8.95 - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Finally got the chance to see what is this hype is all about! Partially it was right, some wasn't quite what I expected. Went yesterday after being turned down on Fri after watching Lion King at the Segerstorm center. I was walking towards the line at around 1045-1050 and one of the workers told me they are not serving people anymore and only those in this current line are able to... LAME! I was already annoyed without even trying them So Sat, giving them another shot, and went around their "dead time" aka not as busy time - ended being about 20 mins, which isn't bad compared to 1 hr +! I'd never wait that long! EVER. Workers were friendly and they seemed pretty OK on pace, wasn't that horrible as what others are saying, just hard making sure orders are correct, etc. Got a seat, and got to dig in! Got their Halal Classic and LOVED their chicken! I can actually eat that without their sauces cuz it was flavorful and super tender. Gyros were just alrighttttt. The white sauce that EVERYONE seems to rave about is just okay to me, like I don't really need that much white sauce to eat it lol, hot sauce was wayyyy amazing - Just enough spicy! Salad was average, rice wasn't as flavorful as I imagined, it was average to me. They just need to punch up the spices on that and we'll be talking! Overall verdict, I'd come back still, 3.5 stars for me! I'd give them another try when the hype dies down... read more

See all

$10 dollars for a regular size original (gyro and chicken) to remind me of the real NYC Halal Guys... not bad but underwhelming compared to the real thing. I came this morning to avoid the lines today (sunday) at 11am. As they were opening there were only 5 people in line. Right as we walked in, you could tell they were definitely prepared. All the cut ingredients prepared on the warmers and then more actually being cooked on the grills. Assembly line process was fairly quick and efficient. The first guy gets your plate started by size and selection of meat(s). I could tell the people in front of me were regulars and sounded off exactly what they wanted and was quickly understood by the server. The person behind me had to be explained what regular and the meats meant which obviously slowed down the line behind her. I opted for the regular original and i noticed the serving size was alot smaller than the original and also with the higher price as expected from reading other reviews. As I moved through the assembly line, I requested the sauce on the side as the people in front of me did as well. Once brought home I opened in excitement and poured the white sauce with easy hot sauce. I only used one of two white sauce packets. Once mixed up, i went in for the taste... meh... it seemed like a little less seasoning, meat a little less savory and tender, the rice was a little more hard with less butter, veggies a little less fresh and pita a little more hard. It definitely got the job done but was just LESS in all categories including quantity/value. Might go back but it'll be a while. read more

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

I had a terrible experience here regarding customer service. I ordered my food and was waiting to pay but the staff members were talking to their friends as I stood in front of the register. After a couple of minutes and trying to get their attention several times, I took a seat. I waited until they finished their conversation about their plans for the evening. I approach the station and told the manager I have been waiting to pay. Another staff member mentioned he told a customer to get my attention when he was ready to ring me up. That is interesting, I didn't know customers had that responsibility. Anyway, they gave the food without charge with a healthy portion of bad attitude while avoiding eye contact. Constructive conversation and mature confrontation is not for everyone and I wouldn't want my restaurant to be employed with individuals who have a hard time dealing with unconventional situations. I'll give them one thing: the gyro is tasty. Unfortunately, I won't be going back to this location. read more

My BF told me about this place when he found out they were opening on in the OC. He really wanted to check it out and compare his experience in NY. The first time I had it was when his cousins from Hawaii were in town and waited two hours back in October. BF and I decided to go to the spot for dinner. It was a Saturday night so of course there was a line. BF didn't want to wait but I told him the line doesn't look so bad. We ended up waiting in line and getting our food in 25 minutes! Wohoo!! We both got the regular size Halal Classic which consists of gyro, chicken, salad and rice. I noticed the menu says it includes salad or rice and I remember my BFs cousin saying it's automatically included in NY - giving customers a choice maybe one issue of why there's a long line. Food is great! Something I haven't had and the white sauce is just yummy. The only complaint my BF had was that their portions are a lot less than NY. I guess in NY they fill up your plate but here you pay extra to get just as much as what you'd get in NY at a regular price. I see a lot of disappointment reviews of those who had the original in NY but that's how it always is - original is always better. Note: *extra white sauce packets are additional 65 cents!!!! Ask for extra sauce in your platter if you really like the sauce. If you want extra sauce after, you can ask for more on your plate if you dine in. *hot sauce, it's so hot you'll only need a few drops of it *not a lot of seatings *next door to creamistry Overall experience, I'd come back here again ONLY if the wait is less than 30 minutes! Can't wait when the hype is over so we can stop by and not worry if there would be a long wait or not. read more

The Halal Guys - The halal classic, regular (gyro and chicken) - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Hm, this place really has mixed reviews and I think it is because most people compare it to the New York's Halal Guys stands. Personally I haven't been in New York to try the Halal Guys there but I have friends who have and tell me that it is better than the California locations. Although this is my first time trying Halal Guys, I did have expectations of how it should taste from various Mediterranean cuisine and Halal Guys did not meet mine. My boyfriend and I came to Halal guys on a Sunday evening around dinner time and it didn't seem like it was a long line of people. It was less than you would find at a Chipotle, maybe not now but... anyway. We ordered the Halal Classic, Gyro and chicken combination. He claims they did not ask him if we wanted a small or regular sized platter and just gave us the regular and continued on with our order cafeteria style. They piled on the lettuce, tomatoes, and rice and added scoops of Gyro and chicken. Lastly they squeezed on their special White Sauce and handed us a couple packets if spicy red sauce. We sat down to try a few bites and the first thing my bf says is, "Is this Ranch?" I laughed and agreed that it is more liquidy than the tzatziki sauce we thought it was supposed to be. The Gryo had a good amount of flavor while the chicken was pretty dry and bland. Adding the spicy red sauce cranked up the heat but it didn't change the flavor at all. With the variety of colors from green lettuce, red tomatoes, orange rice, and white sauce, you would think that this concoction tastes pretty good but for us it was nothing spectacular. We had a friend dine with us that night and she had just come back from NY and had tried Halal Guys there. She said it definitely does taste different but she can't tell what it is. She also stated that in the stand, the plates were only around $7 while here in California the price is hiked up to $10. If Halal Guys here were the same price as in NY I would be a little forgiving about my experience. Until I try the one in NY and compare the two for myself, I will keep this at a 2.5 stars. read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken and gyro regular. - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My friends couldn't stop laughing when they saw me do the HAPPY DANCE when I discovered THE HALAL GUYS are in Los Angeles! Can't believe they have been open for quite some time and no one told me about me. If you have been to New York and a foodie-venture, THE HALAL GUYS was probably on the top of your list because it is a highly rate food truck located at the corner of Avenue of the Americas and 6th Street. People would line for for their delicious platters. I mean, it is only salad, rice, diced tomato, chicken and gyro, but their white sauce is so delicious! I always ask for extra white sauce and extra red sauce. Seriously, I like to drench my plate in sauces. The store itself is very small, they only have 5 or 6 tables and some standing counter. Definitely not a spot for you to stay too long. The line can get ridiculously during peak dining hours and the small parking lot at this shopping plaza doesn't really help the situation either. Nevertheless, loved it. loved it. loved it. Can't wait for the Koreantown store to open so that I don't have to drive 40 minutes to satisfy my Halal Platter craving! read more

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

Delicious! Simple enough I LOVE the pita and hummus. Very friendly staff and easy to order online! read more

Like a food truck and a building had the tastiest baby ever! I'm from NY but hadn't tried The Halal Guys until moving to Costa Mesa. The selection is great, carnivore to vegetarian they have options, and for actual "cook food" the prices are nice. But the staff make the experience. Bright and early this afternoon Adrian and Kyler took their time explaining all of the options, gave me time act out as I usually do when I'm picking up a great meal and they make the trip worth the price. These guys need raises STAT! Now I did leave without my baklavas but I was in there talking their ears off so I'm pretty sure I'm half to blame lol. Great spot, you should definitely patronize when you want good food at a good price. read more

The Halal Guys - Small gyro platter, rice, lettuce, tomato, white sauce, bbq and 3 lines of hot sauce! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Nahomi's night crew was great and attentive tonight. Made it super great to order. Will definitely come back again Beef Gyro read more

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

Wow first time in this location the customer service and the food was amazing Special thanks to reem who helped us get what we wanted very kind a polite Very happy read more

Licked up a chicken combo. Really enjoyed my meal. Tasty, fresh, and portion size was good. The workers here were so sweet and warm to my son. read more

Went today (10/3 around 12:30pm) and waited about 1 hour and 45 minutes. They have a sign at the end of the plaza (by the watch store) saying the wait time is approximately 2 hours from there & it's very accurate. The line moved every 10-15 minutes or so and it honestly didn't feel like 1 hour and 45 minutes. Come prepared with your phone fully charged or bring a couple of friends with you to chit chat :P Food: YUMMY! I felt like the one in NYC was more greasy but the flavor is just as good. Like other people said, they give less sauce. Just ask for more or buy extra, no need to complain. Service: VERY FRIENDLY STAFF! After waiting for awhile, I was very pleased with the enthusiastic staff and happy atmosphere inside! Great job! :) The wait really wasn't that bad, you have to try it at least once! I'll be back for sure, it was yummy :) read more

The Halal Guys - HALAL CLASSIC WITH CHICKEN AND GYRO! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I mean... it ain't the same as the cart on the corner... but a combo platter and drizzle both sauces on it and it's almost, sorta, kinda, not really the same. But it's good. I like it. Be sure to sign up up for their rewards. And be aware of their parking. Small lot. Lots of restaurants. read more

I LOVE this place. Basically picture chipotle but for more middle eastern type food. They get super busy and the parking lot here can get pretty crowded. That said I did just notice they had a "drive thru" in the back but don't know how that works. My one issue is that when they get busy and I ordered online through Yelp is has slipped through the cracks and wont get made until I am there. Ill let it slide bc we do all make mistakes and Ive come here enough to know it is not a regular thing. read more

Waited a while for the hype to die down because who wants to wait in a freakin long line...?!I remember Halal Guys was literally my first pit stop when I visited NYC. Felt like I had to check out the hype ;) well, lets just say I wasn't feelin it and tossed half the plate at the time... Now that they're in Cali, I decided to give it another try. Rather than a food stand, we now have an actual storefront in a stripmall kinda near South Coast Plaza. I visited on a weekday around 4 pm...NO LINE!!! The cashier said the rush usually comes a little later so thank gawd...! They serve a small and a regular ($1 more and feeds about 2) and you can choose from the Classic (chicken and gyro) or Chicken only. I got the Classic and it came with veggies, chopped tomato bits on the side, and a bed of orange colored long rice on the bottom. You are supposed to eat it mixed with their mystery creamy WHITE SAUCE and RED SAUCE if you like it spicy...beware..a little goes a long way for that red sauce. (Extra sauce is 60 cents). THEY TASTE THE SAME AS THE ONES IN NEW YORK....No difference in my opinion....maybe not seeing the actual cart in the street gives the food a different vibe? Dunno. But anyway, mixing together the meat, lettuce, tomato with the sauce makes everything super creamy and filling. If you haven't had it before, TRY IT. But honestly, its nothing I'd wait in a line for ;) read more

The Halal Guys - Regular size Classic-chicken & gyro - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I haven't been to New York so I just want to throw out that I can't compare the two. I came here for the grand opening (it took about 3.5-4hours wait). Besides the super long a$$ line, the place is a nice location. There's enough room inside to sit, but it can get tricky with parking. Please don't be one of those that parks on the side making a parking spot when it really isn't because you are now taking up room for people to drive. The food quality is great. The chicken looked like it had a mixture of white and dark meat and was cooked well. The gyro was also tasty and cooked through. I definitely recommend the white sauce. It isn't Thaziki (however you spell it) sauce. Apparently their white sauce is mayo based. Warning! The hot sauce is really hot. Don't put it on when they're making it. You can ask for it on the side. The portion is big! Especially get the double protein for only about $2! If you've heard of this place, try it. If you haven't, still try it. It is definitely some mighty good Greek-American food to eat #omnomnom read more

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

The last time I had Halal guys, my hands were frozen, my teeth were chattering, and I had nowhere to sit and eat except a frigid New York sidewalk. I eventually sought refuge at the nearest Starbucks to eat my Halal Guys in comfort. I'd say the change to a brick & mortar was an upgrade! Onto the food - my Halal Classic Platter tasted as good as I can recall! Except for ONE THING......NOT ENOUGH WHITE SAUCE! It is heartbreakingly NOT self-serve. Even though I asked for extra during the assembly line, my group of 4 ended up splitting an extra white sauce packet for something like 50 cents. I'm not complaining about the price, but since the white sauce is my favorite part of Halal Guys it put a mild damper on the experience. Hype seems to be slowing down - we showed up right at 11am on a Monday with only a handful of others already waiting. By noon, there was a small line that barely went out the door. All in all, I'm pleased with the experience but the location is extremely out of the way for me. In the meantime, I'll be waiting patiently for the Berkeley location to open (if the rumors are true)! read more

The Halal Guys - 12-28-15 The Halal Classic. It seems like a lot of white sauce before you mix it! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Was just ok for me... Not sure what all the hype is about?? -wasnt my thing i guess.. Got the mixed bowl.. With all veggies. The hot sauce is freekin HOT. It is for sure Not like sriracha.. Woza i almost had a panic attack it was soo hot. I put on small dots of it like i would sriracha big mistake.. Eater be warned ;) And i love all hot sauces! White sauce... Was just ok for me too. They need more seating.. For sure on the inside or the building needs to put more seating outside.. I went at 2pm and it was still packed inside on a tue. Had the baklava.. Meh.. Sort of tasted old. Looked really good in the case...Have had better in small mom pop shops. I wont be back wasnt my thing... Same thing for the pita bread dry and blah.. Have had better pita at the middle eastern markets around irvine.. read more

See all

always look forward to coming here when im in the area coming from san diego, but man oh man am i disappointed.. got the gyro platter it came with all lettuce and 50 grains of rice! you gotta be kidding me halal guys do better! read more

Always great food, great workers. Ordered online and did pickup. Order was ready quick.

The chicken is better than the gyro. Both are fine diced meat piled into a pita. While the tzatziki sauce is quality, the gyro meat and the pita seemed a lower quality, the latter of which was somewhat grainy and fall apart. read more

Been coming here lately for lunch. It gets super busy during lunch time. I've always used their online order to order ahead of time. Food has never been late. The white sauce completes each meal and my favorite is the combo platter (beef gyro, chicken and falafel). Make sure to add baklava to your meal. The perfect dessert with the right amount of sweetness. read more

Authentic as the one in NY!! Don't listen the the haters out there.. Greasy goodness that will cause a pimple on your face by the time you are done.. but welllllll worth it! Definitely will be back because it is just as legit as the cart in NY.. The wait was long but I was an hr early before the line even got longer. Took us like 30mins after the door open to get in and out. The hype is real and the food is legit! No wonder they are the true "world famous!" The best is the gyro plate $8.95 for a large (which is a regular to me). Staff was extra nice and friendly. Always a plus! Lastly the owner or shall I say franchise owner is super nice as well. All in all a great visit. Just make sure to have some green tea or soda afterwards, you will need it. Trust me. Coming soon to the location near you. Next up might be Long Beach and Koreatown! Yay. read more

The Halal Guys - My hidden stash from the hubs jk - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

All this hype for a couple of guys. Probably ain't even got 5 of 'em. No? Anyone? First off, the wait is craaaazy (30m for a Mediterranean Taco on a Saturday night) but let's just talk about the food. My rice was undercooked. It was a bit hard and tasted raw. For everything else, this place did not disappoint. The white sauce was a savory ranch-consistency sauce. I ate the Classic Halal and the lamb was soo delicious with white sauce. The lamb didn't have that "strong lamb flavor," which I despise. The chicken was dry, but tasty. The white sauce didn't add much to the chicken. Herbs and stuff made this stuff good, not white sauce. The falafel was good. It had no flavor but it had a sharp texture, there were a ton of crunchy bits mixed in. I liked it. The white sauce also goes well with the salad. Hot sauce was blazing hot, but I'm very sensitive. Good trip and worth the wait. read more

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

This place is not bad. Ordered the classic (half chicken half beef). The chicken and beef is cooked in huge huge batches. Still pretty flavorful. The veggies liven up the plate and the white sauce brings it together. The hot sauce is way hotter than you can imagine. The place isn't the cleanest spot lol but it works. There are a couple tables for you to sit. Overall: will probably not return read more

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

I went to Halal Guys when this place first opened and the line was out the door and I remember the food being very good. I went back today and it was like I was in a different place. I went around lunch time and there was no line and the food was not the same. I got a regular plate with a mix of gyro and chicken meat with the white sauce and hot sauce. The meat was dry, the lettuce and tomato tasted like it had been sitting out and the pita bread was stale. The only thing that still tasted great was their white sauce and hot sauce. Maybe got new owners that don't hold them to the same standards but I don't plan on going back any time soon. read more

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

Meh. I heard so many things about this place and put off trying it because there was always a massive line. I wanted to like it. I really did but it was lackluster. The flavor was lacking. The people were nice. The service was fast but meh on the food. read more

I was hoping to like this place more than I did. The beef and chicken were fine, but no outstanding flavor to either. Their "white sauce" was fine, but very high in fat and no special flavor to it. The orange colored rice did not have any particular flavor, either. The pita and hummus were very good, however, especially the pita which was soft and appeared to be freshly prepared. Service was pleasant and efficient. read more

Holla at the Halal guys! This is a major Hotspot for middle eastern and Mediterranean flavors in this modern age of casual quick service style restaurants. Once started as an NYC hot dog food cart, the Halal guys now thrive across the US serving long lines of hungry customers. If it wasn't for my friends, I would've never known. I went on a Saturday around lunch time and the parking lot was jam packed. It's a small lot. Fortunately there were a handful of people leaving and parking spots opened up left and right. There's also complimentary valet available, but you probably should tip. There's a lot going on in this plaza: restaurants, bakeries, tapioca express, creamistry. It's no wonder why parking is so scarce. Just keep driving circles and then stalk someone who is leaving. I found parking not too far from the Halal Guys. Before entering I noticed there's a little queue (that was empty) set up just outside the door and I got excited because 1) long lines mean the food is good, and 2) there was no line so I could enjoy my food sooner. My toes were curling. Upon entering I noticed the energy behind the counter. There was energy everywhere. They have such a huge crew they suck the long line from from right outside the restaurant. The lady behind the counter greeted us with a smile. She helped us with our orders and we all decided to get the same, Chicken and Gyro Platter, which also includes rice, pita, lettuce, tomatoes, and hot or white sauce (I chose white). You could see the meats cooking and everyone prepping, it was exciting to watch. I drooled hard. The space was small. Originally my friends and I planned to eat in my car but a table opened up just in the nic of time. I start to dig in on the meat and wow! So good. I made mini gyros with the pita too. I couldn't finish my food but I finished what mattered, the meats. It's crazy how busy this place could get. At one point a customer's bum was inches away from my food. I noticed the line was out the door. We were lucky we didn't wait that long. But the crew was cranking out orders like crazy so that line moved! When we left we noticed a lot of people were eating outside. Some were eating at other places, like Tapioca Express. Two women were eating Halal on a bench outside a bakery. Halal was everywhere. Hopefully in the future they will expand and add more seating. Outside we ran into the same lady who took our order. She too was enjoying her Halal and was sitting on a fountain wall. She greeted us again and asked us how we liked it. We loved it! 4/5 stars. Parking is so scarce and there's not enough seating to accommodate it's popularity, but people will still come. Service was amazing. The food, omg this is making me hungry, soooooooo amazing. I'm definitely coming back. I just wish they would expand into the IE. read more

See all

Came here for a quick eats after work. Got the combo platter with the gyro meat and chicken. The chicken came right off the grill and was moist and hot. The gyro was already in the warmers but still was pretty good. Neither was memorable alone but with the white sauce and the hot sauce, something about the combination of flavors made it really hard to stop eating it even after I was full. The yellow rice had a nice firm texture and balanced out the bold sauce flavors well. Needless to say, I was satisfied!! Solid eats for the price and speed. Also much cleaner than the street cart version in New York, though my kids still talk about the New York carts even 2 years later. read more

The Halal Guys - What a perfect blend with the meat, the white sauce and a line of hot sauce! - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Chicken & Beef Gyro Platter with hummus and babaganoush. Solid flavor and portions. Not a huge fan of the chips. read more

The Halal Guys - Chicken & Beef Gyro Platter with hummus and babaganoush. Solid flavor and portions. Not a huge fan of the chips. - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Halal, guys. Finally, it's here! Man, those guys sure know what they are doing. Came here and waited for 1 hour before getting our plates. The food is delicious! I got the chicken plate with white sauce and no hot sauce, but my fellow eaters let me try their hot sauce & I thought my tongue was gonna fall off! It is spicy! The chicken is tender and moist. The plate is big enough for two people & sharing is caring. The staff is friendly & work pretty fast considering the lines and what not. Maybe it's the experience or the atmosphere of NY, but I overheard a guy saying that it's cheaper in NY. I can see that. Anyway, great food & welcome to the OC Halal guys! read more

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

I finally got to try the hype! Even though Halal Guys has been open for a while now, there was still a line when I came on a Wednesday evening. The line moves relativity fast so don't worry! My friend and I ordered a large classic bowl (aka half gyro, half chicken). The portions are pretty big! I actually like it when you mix everything together so you get a bit of everything in every bite. The meat is really tender! And l like the beef more than the chicken because of the texture. The chicken mixed with white sauce kinda tastes mushy which is something I don't enjoy too much. But it's still tasty. The white sauce is to die for! We were trying to get some more, and an employee came out of nowhere holding the bottle of white sauce and asked "DID SOMEONE SAY WHITE SAUCE?" LOL. I thought it was hilarious because he showed up at the PERFECT time. Heads up, it's easy to overload on the white sauce which can kinda ruin your appetite because it will be TOO creamy. So be careful because that's what my friend did T_T Also, BEWARE OF THE RED SAUCE. Omg it should seriously come with a warning sign. We had 3 lines of red sauce, and it was PRETTY spicy. And I like spicy foods too! I recommend getting it on the side and adding it in small increments. The red sauce is a nice touch if you're looking for something to balance out the creaminess of the white sauce. I don't know how often I would crave this, but it's definitely worth a try. If I ever decide to come back, I definitely want to try the falafel and have a mix of that with the gyro! read more

The Halal Guys - Large classic bowl with some delish white sauce and some spicy red sauce - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

So now that the line is no longer ridiculously long, I think Halal Guys is a solid 4-stars. I've gone to this location a couple times - once when it first opened, and second time was last weekend. The hype lines have diminished a bit, but there usually is still always a moderate line during lunch times. I've stuck to the routine of getting the Chicken + Gyro platter, which will run you about $10. You can choose 1 or 2 items (chicken, gyro, and/or falafel), and they're served with rice, pita, lettuce, and tomato...and don't forget...their famous white sauce! Yeah, I said it. Heed my warning though..their hot sauce is not made for human consumption! It's so hot, I can only do a few drops of it in my platter. My chicken was a little dry last time, but I let it sit for a bit before eating it, so that may have been a factor. Parking is easy to find within the plaza next to Creamistry, and there are some seats along the restaurant interior. If you dine in, they have employees who go around with a white sauce bottle and a hot sauce bottle asking if you would like some more, +1 service. Overall, very good deal for what you pay...you'll end up pretty full. Disclaimer: I've never had the NY version to compare. read more

The Halal Guys - Platter w/chicken and lamb - Halal Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

3.5 stars.. round down.. I've actually been to the real deal in NY to understand the source of the hype. My first NY Halal Guy experience was mind-blowing with that rice, meat, salad, sauce combo in a tin. Maybe it was the fumes from the busy NY streets and the company I shared the experience with.. but I recall thinking yum.. i definitely need to come back for this again. I was thrilled to hear that they were opening up locations in the U.S. - specifically Cali - but decided to wait the hype out. Most reported back that the food served was no where near the NY Halal Guys experience and/or quality. I kept an eye out for the Yelp reviews and it seemed to consistently waver around the 3/3.5 mark. It was kind of disappointing to see that but I had to check it out for myself. Now that I've tried it for myself.. I agree. Something about the food/ experience at the Costa Mesa location doesn't quite elicit the same feelings of euphoria. Maybe it truly is all about the water that makes food in NY delicious. We arrived on a Saturday around 6pm, and there was a negligible line. We were maybe 2 parties away from the end of the counter closest to the door. The set up is very Chipotle: tell the first guy what you want and watch your plate / sandwich make it's way down to the register. You can see the large pile of chicken with pita cooking in the back, the rotating euro spit of an odd gray color, and the fryer since fries are apparently an option. The folks working here are your typical OC high school/ college kids needing a minimal paying job, who are as apathetic about their lives behind the counter as someone working in a mall food court. Hubster and I shared one mixed plate. Rice was hard and clumpy, chicken was dry and meh, and the meat was ok... reminded me of left over weirdly spiced ground beef. They're pretty generous with the sauce squirted on -- but less so with the packets which cost extra and are so not worth it. I did see one of the workers willing to squeeze sauce onto a lid if you were eating in which is an idea to avoid paying for the sauce. Personally, I recommend taking a Korean bibimbap approach and just mix it all together into this goopy saucey mess then it's all pretty tasty. It tasted better as left overs imo. It was okay.. but definitely not the same NY Halal Guys experience. It wasn't horrible where I was completely deterred and would swear to never return.. but it definitely wasn't worth where I'd drive up from San Diego just to get Halal OC Style. The food sits somewhere between a really tasty general Mediterranean place and Persian food... it's worth trying once if there's no line.. but nothing to go crazy over. 3.5.. round down cuz I was disappointed that Halal NY has to truly be experienced in NY. ah well.. :) read more

See all