Falafel Boy (Oakland)

Love Mediterranean food and different dishes. Happy I came across Falafel Boy. Staff was very friendly and helpful. I tired the Chicken Shawarma and Lamb & Beer Wrap! Highly recommend and adding extra meat. Worth a try for anyone in Bay Area

Nice spot, so close to my workshop. Last time I came here, I didn't like it so much. But this time it was fine. I ordered my food online and walked down to pick it up. Luckily for us (I ordered for a co-worker and myself), they had plenty of gluten free options to choose from. I got a couple of salads which were good and filling. The people who work there were nice and welcoming. They were working on my order as I arrived. I was ab le to pick it up easily. It's a tight spot where they are located, so there really isn't room to eat inside. They had some chairs outside, but with the cold weather that wouldn't be an option. Luckily they were half a block down or so from where my meeting was. I didn't have a car with me to drive anywhere. I wanted to go further away, but I'm glad that I didn't. The food here was fine and while I have another place I like more for Mediterranean food, if in the area and I needed a quick healthyish bite, this isn't a bad spot for that.

Got the chicken shawarma wrap which had chicken, pickles, and tomatoes! The chicken was a bit sour so it didn't pair well with the pickles and hot sauce, and the side of arugula didn't add much to the dish. It would've been nicer if there were more tomatoes for moisture and just to give it a bit more depth. I do like how the wrap was grilled; it felt very sturdy in my hand. Overall, I found the meal to be a bit dry and one-dimensional buuut the chicken bowl looks so delicious with all that sauce 0: I will be coming back to try it next time!

The food here is great. The portion sizes are decent; I almost feel like I'm getting my money's worth. (My brother treated me, and Bay Area places always feel too expensive to me.) It has a handy-dandy parklet, but said parklet is poorly furnished. They should have gone for three small tables instead of one small and one unwieldy large. This should be a four-star review, but they force you to order at a touchscreen. I have no idea why; it's a tiny place. If you're parking on the street on a Sunday evening, don't. My car's quarter panel got shattered, but the would-be thieves didn't actually steal anything; they just broke the window and reached in to see whether there was anything in my hatchback. Of course, there wasn't anything to steal; I've lived in San Francisco for twenty-one years. But apparently, breaking people's windows when THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CAR is something that Oakland thieves do. And here I thought San Francisco tweakers were the lowest of the low.

Disappointing. The falafel was not freshly made and seemed to have come off from a microwave, it had lost most of its juice and crisp. If you're calling yourself falafel you better get the falafel right. I got it in a salad bowl which was mixed with some sweet balsamic vinegar which did not go with the mediterranean tastes for me and I managed to get thru it only because I was quite ravenous.

Disappointed. I love wraps, but this place lacks major flavour, extremely bland, very dry and lacks the taste of freshness. The food was made quickly so...one positive. There's no where to sit inside, but a small table outside.

Great flavor. Fresh ingredients. Open late. Honestly, best place in Oakland to get your hummus fix.

This review encompasses two visits, I ordered the grilled haloumi cheese wrap the first time, and the grilled haloumi cheese plate the second time, both for takeout. The food was ready quickly both times, with compostable containers and utensils provided, and while the prices for the food are a bit higher than what I normally go for, the quantity is actually huge. Typically I can make close to 2 meals out of one takeout order, but with Falafel Boy, I think I could actually make it last 3 meals. I felt both the cheese plate and the wrap were quite good. The halloumi cheese is very dense, thick, and has a strong sour flavor (it's a goat or sheep milk based cheese), so some may not like it, although mixing it with some of the plainer ingredients like the cabbage slaw, eggplant, or hummus can help balance out the flavor. I don't even like cabbage or eggplant but I think they did a good job with the ratios/quantities of the different ingredients. The pita was also pretty good, firm but not too hard. The main difference between the grilled haloumi cheese plate vs. the bowl is that the plate also includes cabbage slaw, pita bread, and turmeric rice. My partner has had the lamb and beef shawerma bowl and the lamb and beef shawerma plate, so I included those in the photos in case anyone is curious. I tried a bit of the meat which is more on the tough side but otherwise good.

I got this to go when I was working in office. It was the first place I saw that was closest and had vegetarian food. I was glad I got food here as it turned out to be really good. I got the Vegan Plate as I read other reviews saying that it was the bang for your buck. The best part of this plate was the cauliflower. Not sure if it was the seasoning or the char on it, but it just tasted great. The Falafel was Falawfully good too! Def would reorder this too. I also got a side of fries for an extra $2.50. I'm not sure what they do to the fries, but these were some of the best french fries i've had. It was dangerous eating them because I could've ate them all day. This will be my go to spot every time I got into office at Lake Merritt.

So this place is solid. The service is decent. I've only ordered to go food over the phone. It always busy here so that's what drove me to the location. My fiancé got the falafel plate and I got the kabob plate; the flavor is there it's ok however the portion are small in my opinion and this place is just ok. The chicken is seasoned well, it's cooked to perfection. I like the plate and the salad. It's pretty standard. It's not the best but it's certainly not the worst. So this is just my opinion. The flavor is there tho.

Self serve ordering, grab and go. Food is hot, yummy, fairly priced. Service is quick- no nonsense.

Walked by and saw falafels so decided to get lunch here and overall it was great. Got the vegan bowl and the flavors were not too strong and salty but I found it right. The rice was delicious and it was a good amount of food. They filled the bowl to the brim. The falafels though were not the best: dry and crunchy and dark in color. But I wouldn't have that prevent you from trying them out. Also very quick service.

Got some takeout here the other day, and was very impressed. We really enjoyed their bowl options. And let's not forget the fries. You can add fries to any order for only $2.99 and they give you a huge bowl of it. These fries are crispy outside, tender inside; and that's even after delivery from doordash. The only negative was I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl, but they gave me lamb and beef instead. Luckily it was yummy. What we ordered: + Lamb and Beef Shawarma bowl - you can choose salad or rice (or 1/2-1/2) as your base. Then they pile on the meat, veggies and sauces. They give you a lot and it's all yummy. + Veggie bowl - I didn't order this but I sure was eyeing it. The cauliflower is roasted and seasoned. + Lamb kebab plate - tender, flavorful lamb on skewers, under a bed of rice. Comes with a little salad and pita bread. + Lamb and beef shawarma wrap - this was the least successful. There's no sauce, so it was dry. + Don't forget the fries!

Check your to go order before you walk out the door, you may want a refund. This place gets cheaper and cheaper as far as portion size in the meat servings. Today i went in, ordered about $40 dollars worth of food, tipped as always, was polite as always, and when i got home my shawarma bowl had maybe 3 tablespoons of meat maybe, 98% rice, nice job, you guys just lost your tips from now on, this isn't the first time I've been ripped off here. Ive always tipped and always been polite, not any more though.

I dropped in here because I was at a meeting down the block on a Saturday afternoon. I saw some decent Yelp reviews and realized that I could order in advance on DoorDash. I was in the mood for Chicken Shawarma. At $13.99. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't crazy. Click, done. Ready in 15 minutes. Perhaps I should've gone with a falafel, per the name. My shawarma came with a little bit of coleslaw and a lot of hot sauce. I would say that it was an average shwarma, but there are so many better places in Oakland! The only reason I'm giving them three stars instead of two is that I haven't had a falafel here yet. And I will reserve further judgment, until I have one. That is, if I ever come back. I rarely will do this in review, but this calls for it. Here's a tip. If you're looking for a schwarma when you're in the neighborhood, just go up the street 2 blocks to Shawarmaji. That place is amazing.

Food arrived cold, obviously packaged for DoorDash long before it was picked up. Pitas were stale, day-old at least. Overall quite disappointing.

By coincidence, I recently reviewed my breakfast at Pancake Boy, and now I'm reviewing my dinner from Falafel Boy. Probably because I grew up on superhero comic books, I kept picturing Pancake Boy shooting pancake batter from his fingers, and Falafel Boy throwing torpedo-like falafel balls in their joint effort to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. They probably don't know each other because Falafel Boy is all about Middle Eastern goodness, Lebanese in particular. I had a couple of plates delivered to Jamie W. and me for a hearty dinner that we hope to replicate one day at the restaurant itself. The first was the $18.99 Vegan Appetizer Platter, quite a robust offering that featured five vegan, gluten-free items (photo: https://bit.ly/3VSjWEV). They were the usual suspects.. Hummus, babaganouge, fried cauliflower, five pieces of dolmas, and five falafel balls. It was all quite tasty. However, I think the true scene stealer was the $15.99 Grilled Halloumi Cheese Plate as it was a true entree, turmeric rice topped with slices of grilled halloumi cheese accompanied by fried eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and tahini sauce along with hummus and cabbage slaw (photo: https://bit.ly/3ZjwAzQ). Quite filling and tasty. FOOD - 4 stars...robust platters of Lebanese specialties AMBIANCE - n/a...food delivery SERVICE - 4 stars...everything was packaged tightly TOTAL - 4 stars...Falafel Boy, meet Pancake Boy RELATED - Hungry for Middle Eastern food? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2Evmcwa

Had the lamb and beef plate. Was hoping for the thinly sliced meat and theirs were cubed/diced. It was good. I also tried the haloummi cheese. Great and a bit salty which was fine for me. Love the chili sauce that they give with the meals.

ive never physically stopped by the storefront but have ordered falafel boy with my friends for delivery. i ordered the chicken shawerma bowl (hummus, tomatoes, sumac spiced onions and tahini sauce) and it was fireeee. i really enjoyed everything i had ordered and would 10/10 stop by again or order takeout again.

***4.5 Stars*** Yeeeeeppp! Falafel Boy got that good, good! Mm hmm! The food is straight up BANGIN'! They may be called "Falafel" Boy, but everything has been tastin' delicious up in this joint. I've been meaning to try this spot out for a while now, but just recently got acquainted with them for the first time a few months ago. We were short staffed at work and couldn't leave the office. Short staffed days = Doordash lunches. After perusing through the options, we decided to try out Falafel Boy. My employee ordered their fire grilled shrimp plate and I had the lamb and beef shawarma plate. First things first; the portions go crazy! I was able to enjoy this plate twice since it lasted for two meals. They definitely don't skimp on the portions here. The lamb and beef shawarma was very flavorful! It was a tad bit dry but the the tahini and spices kind of helped to minimize that. The falafel tasted incredible! It had great flavor and it was still crispy even after being delivered through Doordash. The hummus tasted very fresh as well. Aside from the meat being a little dry, my meal was very tasty. My employee raved about her fire grilled shrimp kabobs. Also, can't forget to mention that baklava! It's usually hit or miss when it comes to baklava for me, but this one was so yummy! It was so good that I ordered it again on my next visit there. I decided to return for a second time about a month ago. This time, I decided to try the fire grilled shrimp. And wheeeewww babyyy! They were SCRUMPTIOUS! They were glistening in spices and charred to perfection! Their little shack is pretty tiny and they don't have any indoor seating, but they do have one or two tables out front. It's best to take this food to go. It's located right in the heart of Oakland's financial district, so the parking is tough. I lucked out and found a spot right in front. Service is nothing too special, but the staff seems to work pretty hard. Honestly, I feel like I've finally found a great casual Mediterranean/Greek spot in Oakland with this place. It's been a long time coming, but I'm so glad that Falafel Boy is here.

Got the chicken schwarma bow and it was so tasty and flavorful! I was going to take a picture to post with my review but it was soo good that I devoured it before I remembered. lol.

While I don't review as often as I used too, today I felt compelled to share. This may have been isolated but you only get one chance to make a first impression... and I wasn't impressed. 3 stars for the mediocre food but only two stars because my order was wrong for such a simple thing. I walked in on a Wednesday night, with 45 minutes left till closing. It wasn't busy at all and I purposely went in because I wanted a Shawarma plate with salad substituted for the rice. Not complicated but I couldn't see how to order it online. The order was taken and passed along and clearly I wasn't the only one who DID NOT check the order because when I got home I found that I had ALL RICE and NO SALAD, exactly the opposite of what I wanted. (SIGH) As for the food, it was mostly edible but average at best. Some things were remarkably over or under seasoned. Again, not inedible but I wasn't going to waste my time choking it down. - Lamb & Beef Shawarma: Ok, but chopped small so it dried out easily on the grill - Hummus: Ok - Falafel: Ok but dryish - Rice: Ok - Salad: Wish I could tell you - Haloumi: WAY TOO SALTY (and I'm a salt FIEND :-( - Garlic Spread: Flavorless white paste (so disappointing because I paid $1 extra for it and garlic spread is usually GLORIOUS... but not this time) I ended up adding some Greek yogurt and salt as needed. I survived. I accept this adventure for what it was; a learning lesson. I could have gotten over the salad/rice mixup but the mediocre food is not worth a second experiment. While this review won't make a dent in their star rating, I hope it might help someone else avoid wasted money and calories. Cheers!

What the Falafel! We ordered Falafel boy for delivery. The food was delivery service was expeditious and well packaged. The chicken shawarma dinner was generous. The chicken was seasoned well and moist. The rice was tasty and not salty. The hummus was creamy and smooth. The sleeper was the red cabbage salad which was a great palate cleanser after a few bits which helped elevate the flavor of the rest of the dish. My only criticism, 1/4 of a naan bread was included with the meal, for the price I think a whole naan bread should be included.

These complexity of flavors create a complete, filling meal that will ease your hunger in the healthiest way. Shown are: - 4 Falafels (2 for $1.99) - Lamb & Beef Shawarma Plate ($16) And oh wow, was this good. The falafels were crisp and standard for what you expect from a falafel. The shawarma plate was filling for two! Two pitas, soooo much meat, saffron rice, onions, tomatoes, side of red cabbage, and dollops of hummus. This is a Mediterranean galore of food, and it amazes me how they were able to get my order in less than 3 minutes. The pitas were soft and buttery, dipping it into hummus' cream fully elevates the flavor. The meat was charred and seasoned to perfection; the lamb not tasting gamy. All of the vegetables' crunch and zest made this a delightful meal that touched all types of tastes. Falafel Boy is a must go if you're near the Downtown Oakland area!

I've ordered a few times hoping it would get better but it's just disappointing every time. It doesn't do justice to middle eastern food at all.

I ordered a halloumi salad and paid for add on of cauliflower. It was missing the included hummus and cauliflower on the delivery order. They promised on phone to either send a refund to CC or send a gift card electronically neither were done. I tried to call back and no one answered and the voicemail box was full. My friends did like their orders.

I passed by this shop on a weekend and decided to give it a try. Service: Very nice and efficient staff. There is a kiosk outside the shop to order food. I received my food pretty quickly. Food: I got the Chicken Shawarma Plate and a baklava. They give a good amount of food for the price. The chicken was tender. The sauces and hummus were delicious. The baklava was amazing! I loved the taste. It was flaky and had the perfect amount of sweetness. Will definitely be getting this again. I highly recommend coming here to try the food! They have kebabs, rice plates/bowls and wraps! Next time, I will be trying their falafels. After all, their restaurant name is Falafel Boy! Gotta try what they are known for!

3.5 stars rounded up for friendly staff We came here after watching Check, Please! They made it sound so good, which may have hyped us up too much. Since it was the weekend, the area was a ghost town. At the time, we sat outside and had some transient people walk past us, but it wasn't anything alarming. I think there is a lot of indoor seating now, which is great. The service was very nice and incredibly friendly. I also really liked seeing the vertical meat spinner behind the counter. LUNCH Appetizer vegan platter- hummus, dolmas, falafels, and babaganoush Chicken shawarma plate I enjoyed the food. I was really expecting something super stellar, but unfortunately it fell short of that mark. The flavor profile was missing something for me. I can't put my finger on it, but something just wasn't quite what I was hoping for. On the plus side, however, I appreciated that the meat was not dry and really enjoyed the appetizers. I was indifferent about the hot sauce, but other people liked it.

Although Falafel Boy doesn't offer a dining area inside for dining in--only a couple tables on the sidewalk--the food is very delicious. So far, it's the best falafel wrap I've had in downtown Oakland. The wrap had a good tahini sauce, a nice spicy dip on the side and delicious pickled turnips included in the wrap. I now can't wait to return to try the shawarma wrap!

Ordered thru door dash, and it was way better than expected! Freshly made, great flavor. Plus, their pita bread taste delicious and went perfect with the chicken shawarma bowl.

Love this place...consistent and good This place is so good I started ordering vegan dishes just to try them out. IM NOT VEGAN!

I have had falafel boy a few times and have yet to be disappointed. I get the vegan bowl, which is amazing. They also have a vegetarian option with cheese, eggplant, etc. Service is really good and fast. Highly recommend!

I love Falafel but most times it is a chore finding a place that makes them the right way. Sometimes they are too dry, sometimes too crunchy etc. At Falafel Boy I was pretty happy with my meal. I just got a Falafel wrap and the flavors and textures were good. The only issue I had was with the wrap itself. It was very tough and took me out of the experience. I would be willing to give it another shot though, given how good everything else was. I also ordered the halloumi which was a little too charred and honestly not salty enough. Still, it could have just been an off day.

First time here ...and I Promise it wont be my last time. This Spot is Fiiiiiire and Healthy. Cooks were great and very helpful with the menu. I had the kabob plate - chicken - Lamb- Sirloin steak over rice, the meats were cooked and tender I really liked the chicken kabob. Also tried the chicken wrap with curly fries cant go wrong with that. The fries are not like other places its different they are crispy n great tasting. I recommend trying all the locations, each have different vibes. You wont be disappointed. So good had to post a lengthy review !!!! #WEOUTHERE #Letitmarinate #Healthyeating

Falafel boy is very good and a weekday stable for lunch. The meat is flavorful and the plates are hearty. If you join their email list they will email you the occasional discount. It's in downtown Oakland so parking can be difficult so consider delivery or pickup.

Chicken sharwama is very dry and has no seasoning. Falafel is also very dry, it was pretty much inedible. Save your money. Would not recommend this place.

I thought I've previously reviewed Falafel Boy but I guess not. So long overdue! I've ordered plates from Falafel Boy several times (usually through food delivery apps), and I'm very satisfied with the quality and size every single time! The meat are pretty good. Chicken schawarma is a classic and it's done well. I also like the beef/lamb schawarma. I got the beef kefta last time - I will say it's not as good value as the other two - but it was still tasty. And I love the rice, hummus, cabbage salad, and hot sauce that comes with it. Try it! I think Oakland lacks good, fast-casual mediterranean food, and Falafel Boy fills that need!

Ordered via door dash last night. The order was ready SUPER fast and delivered quickly as well. Somehow the food was cold on arrival but we were able to reheat some items. I am grateful that Falafel boy included hot sauce in my bag even though I forgot to request it. Both items we ordered were good, bf had the chicken shawarma plate which came with chicken, pita, salad, rice and hummus. Bf prefers halal and enjoyed his meal. I got the lamb and beef bowl with all salad (no rice, you could get either or half and half) which tasted pretty good. There was a sweet dressing in there that I would have preferred on the side but the meat was cooked and seasoned well and I liked that there was hummus in the bowl. Pricing was also affordable and not outrageous. I'd definitely order a bowl from here again. I especially appreciate the option to order all salad without having to make a special request, makes things easier. I'm curious about the Oreo baklava, might need to try that too!

We came across this place as we were looking for a late night bite after gym in Oakland. It was one of the places that we saw on the way back from the gym and we were wanting a somewhat healthy meal. The service there was great and we got the chicken shawarma plate and it was delicious and very well-balanced! The sauce and tahini were delicious and complimented the chicken and rice. The ambience was nothing special, it was a small takeout spot but the food was outstanding.

Falafel Boy is a small and casual yet delicious eatery for Lebanese street food like falafel, pita, hummus, and kebabs! The Appetizer Vegan Platter came with five falafels, five dolmas, fried cauliflower, hummus, babaganouge, and triangles of grilled pita. The plates here were served with turmeric rice, hummus, cabbage slaw, and pita, along with a choice of protein. I tried the shish tawook (chicken kebab) and lamb kebab, but my favorite meat was the lamb and beef shawarma, which came with generous slices of juicy meat topped with onions and an herbed tahini sauce. Everything here also went nicely with the red chili sauce that came on the side, which added a nice spicy flavor to every bite! There were only a few tables and chairs outside for seating, but the tasty food came at a great value and with friendly service too!

I wish I liked this place more. I've gotten the falafel wrap 3 times now. Each time I think, maybe it'll be better than last time. The truth is the falafels themselves are mediocre. They don't have much structure, substance or flavor. The wrap is thin and the additional ingredients don't spice it up much. It's on the smaller side, especially for the price. And every time I give it another chance, it disappoints. You might want to keep on searching if you're really in the mood for falafel.

The food is good but quality control needs improvement. My side of falafel balls with pita and tzatziki had no tzatziki and therefore it was dry to eat. Had it to go; so found out back home. Check your order and sides during pickup.

Super yum falafel wrap. The wrap itself was not too thick, the falafel was flavorful, the dipping sauce was spicy, and I loved the pickles!

My coworkers have been raving about this place, and it truly lives up to the hype! I got the Vegan Falafel Bowl, and it was loaded with a bunch of delicious ingredients. The sauces brought everything together, and I highly recommend adding in the hot sauce if you like it spicy :) As a fun-sized person, one bowl is enough to last me two meals, and they also give plenty of falafel! The half salad and half rice option was also great, and I feel like I got a good portion of veggies for the day. Would definitely come back soon!

Cute name, but pretty average food in my opinion. I ordered the beef & lamb wrap, and did not enjoy it as much as I hoped. The beef and lamb are chopped up into tiny bits and were sort of dry. The wrap itself was thin, where I prefer a fluffy sort of pita bread. The main thing that was missing for me was some sort of creamy yogurt sauce or hummus to cool it down, because the red chili sauce and pickled veggies were super aggressive on the palette. I felt like I was being attacked in the mouth. My family all ordered the bowls and were very pleased with their meals, so maybe I would try the bowl next time.

4.5/5 Falafel Boy is a very solid spot for some delicious schwarma, kebabs, pita, falafel, and more! I came here on a Friday night with a group of 4 for a casual dinner. The place is very small inside so planning to dine-in here involves placing some tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside. Despite the area not being the most scenic or nice (being across from what appears to be a parking garage), it did feel nice to enjoy their food outside on a nice day. The workers here being friendly, the fun decor, and the quickness of the service all added up for a great experience here overall. I was able to try a variety of dishes here including their vegan appetizer platter, chicken kebabs, lamb kebabs, and their lamb and beef schwarma plate. Everything was solid here and each of the plates besides the appetizer came with some pita, hummus, turmeric rice, and coleslaw. All the variety made the meal feel very fulfilling and balanced. What I especially enjoyed was that the rice included small chunks of fresh tomato which livened it up quite a bit. The kebabs are great for those who enjoy good sized meaty pieces of chicken, lamb, etc but the real star of the show was the lamb and beef schwarma. That plate is definitely a good bang for one's buck as it came with a hefty amount of both beef and lamb. Not only that but I found the meat on the schwarma plate to be the most flavorful and delicious. The lamb for both the kebab and schwarma did not have a strong gamey taste which is perfect for those who aren't into that kind of flavor. Overall, Falafel Boy is a great place for a flavorful yet healthily balanced meal that is perfect for takeout. I can easily see this place being a go-to usual spot for anyone living in the area as they provide great value in portion and quality at a reasonable price.

Solid 4 for take out. Fast, never get my order wrong and tasty! It would be 5 but it's purely take out! Love them

A hidden gem in Oakland with great lunch options, they are quick and do a great job. One of my favorites is the falafel wrap dipped into the spicy but not too spicy sauce! Addictive!

I am a huge falafel fan, and was very happy with my meal at Falafel Boy! They had multiple vegetarian options (!) and the service was very quick. I ended up ordering the Falafel Wrap, and enjoyed my pick a lot! It tasted fresh, well seasoned, and was not too dry (which is sometimes the case with falafel). Also, check out the sear on the pita - yum! The wrap also comes with sauce and a side salad. I thought the term "side salad" was a bit of a stretch since it's a small portion of cucumbers and tomatoes. That being said, the side salad actually complemented the wrap really well due to the contrast between the moist cucumbers and the dry falafel. Covid Note - Falafel Boy is open for take out. When you receive your food, they provide a paper bag, utensil, and napkin so that you are all set to eat it as soon as you arrive home. (Or maybe even sooner...)