King Falafel

I'm sad to say that this once-beloved shawarma place has really gone downhill. For years, I raved about their shish kabob platter—the meat was always incredible, and it came with a generous helping of fresh peppers, onions, and other vegetables. On my last visit, however, the vegetable portion was practically nonexistent, just a few sad-looking slivers of zucchini. Furthermore, my "king kebab combo" was missing the promised shawarma, which I only discovered after getting home. With so many other restaurants now offering better food at lower prices, and without shortchanging their customers, it's hard to recommend this place anymore.

The Middle East is not only a cradle of civilization but also the birthplace of an immensely influential style of cuisine. The food is a tasty tapestry of fresh ingredients, traditional cooking techniques, and bold spices. Its specialties are as diverse and distinctive as the cultures of the 18 countries it comprises. Located off of Route 46 West in Elmwood Park, King Falafel is where I decided on takeout after a 5-year hiatus. Upon arrival at a laid-back, clean, and casual vibe before the lunch crowd, I placed an order of falafel and Greek salad with the friendly chef/owner, Sami, and exchanged a few words. Their menu offers a wide range with options for vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free. The falafel was crispy, not dry, well-seasoned, and served hot with sides of tahini and spicy sauce. The portions were huge and very tasty. The Greek salad was made to order without onions and green peppers. It was large enough for a second meal. The quality and care the kitchen puts into each dish truly set them apart, and it’s authentic. The service was quick and accommodating. The price was reasonable, and one is getting every penny's worth, which I can continue to recommend.

I came to King Falafel with my family and we had a wonderful experience. We ordered the King for 2 and the Shish Kebab Platter, and both dishes were absolutely delicious! The portions were generous, the flavors were authentic, and everything was freshly made. We all really enjoyed the food, and the service was excellent—friendly, fast, and welcoming. To top it off, the Russian ice cream they had was fabulous! It was the perfect way to end the meal. Highly recommend this place for anyone craving great Middle Eastern food and a sweet treat afterward!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I tried King Falafel in New Jersey and honestly, the food was super tasty! I ordered the Schnitzel Platter – the chicken was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the rice had great flavor. It was a full, satisfying meal. I also had the Mix Shawarma Platter (chicken and beef), and it was delicious. The meat was well cooked, juicy, and full of flavor. The sauces on the side made it even better. The service was fast, the staff were friendly, and the place was clean. Prices are fair too. Highly recommend for anyone who loves Middle Eastern food. I’ll definitely come back!

I wanted to have something different today. My son said how about Juicy Platter? I said wait, I have really been wanting to try King Falafel. Definitely did not disappoint. I never had Falafel better then this!!! I had the schnitzel chicken sandwich So delicious and my son had the kabob platter. Definitely coming back. The guys were so nice as well. There were so many things on the menu I wanted to have. Can't wait to go back. Great food and great service. 👍❤️👍❤️

Absolutely delicious! The falafel was crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside — easily some of the best I’ve ever had. The meat shawarma was also outstanding — juicy, well-seasoned, and cooked to perfection. Everything tasted fresh and made with care. The hummus, sauces, and pita were all top quality. On top of that, the service was amazing — warm, welcoming, and fast. You can tell they really care about their food and their customers. Highly recommend this spot for anyone craving authentic, satisfying Middle Eastern flavors!

Food is really great from the hummus which is very creamy to falafel very crispy and creamy cooked inside. All the sides are great and well seasoned. The meat platter very tender and good portion for 3. The homemade pita bread is phenomenal. The best always is the hot mint tea at the end. Very recommended place staff and owner very friendly and know what they are selling and serving.

Young woman who sat us and took our order was welcoming, attentive, and kind. Inside was very clean. They also have outdoor seating. Portions are large. We ordered the mezze platter, foul medamas, and meat platter for two. Also ordered Arab coffee and knaffeh. Coffee was nice and strong and believe had cardamom. Loved it.

Well well well if I would've known they was making their own grape leaves I would've been here a thousand times already!!! The grape leaves alone will have me coming back but let's talk about the hummus it was creamy and dreamy and fabulous!!!! Usually I do not like tahini at all but I got a small side of it and dipped my finger in it just to taste and DAMN I drank it lol !!! I can say I will be a regular customer after today !!!!

The food is amazing here - the ambience could use a little work. It's definitely a take out place. The service is good but could be better. I highly recommend the falafel and they have the freshest salads.

Small casual Middle Eastern eatery. The food is very tasty, always prepared well, and the ingredients are always fresh. The establishment is always clean and the staff is always friendly. My go to order is usually the Mixed Shwarma in a Pita, their other menu items I've had in the past always taste great as well. There is something on the menu for everybody, even if you have somebody who might be fussy or not that adventurous when it comes to eating. Highly recommend!

Fresh, delicious, and served in a hospitable, family-run atmosphere. I eat a lot of falafel wraps. This one set itself apart: a tangy white sauce for terrific balance against the chickpea umami, fresh pita bread, and all served at the right temp for instant devouring without losing flavor or burning the roof of my mouth. I appreciated that the hot sauce was actually a terrifically hot housemade green salsa and not a red runny something that came out of a packet. I wish I'd ordered fries to go with it!

I don't know how I have lived in this area for so long and never visited King Falafel, because I love falafel. It is casual but very clean, they also have a covered area outside with tables. The staff was so friendly and helpful. I ordered a small hummus and falafel. The hummus was the best I ever had. The falafel was freshly fried, and the pita was like a fluffy cloud. They also have garlic and hot sauce you can put on your food. I also got an order of baklava to take home. I can't wait to come back and try everything else on the menu!

I used to come here wall the time pre-pandemic and I recently craved their shawarma sandwich. I remember them being packed to the brim with flavorful shawarma and fixings inside a fluffy pita. I recently ordered exactly that but it wasn't exactly as I expected. It looked the same but the shawarma was lacking flavor. I also found too many pieces of fat in the sandwich I constantly had to fish them out. I don't mind some fat since that's what adds flavor but it was a bit much for me. The pita was HEAVENLY! it literally felt like I was eating a cloud, so delicious! Overall I'd probably return to try the chicken shawarma and other sandwiches since service was so good.

By far one of the best places to eat at. They also offer delivery and take out. We have eaten in, taken take out and had delivery. The freshness of the food is never compromised with any of the options. We do a lot of catering from them as well. They make every so delicious and very easy to serve to your guests! The meats aren't dry. They are very opposite; very juicy! The salads are very good. We always get the Arabic salad and it is always on point! The sandwiches are very good! Their pickles have a little spicy kick to them that make they delicious and I don't typically like spicy and love them! Anything you order from them you really won't regret! Always have a great experience! The staff is always very nice! I highly recommend this establishment if you're looking for some good middle eastern food! You won't regret it!! Thank me later!

The food is great but their homemade hot sauce is even better! Their falafels are the best I ever had! The service is consistent. I usually order take out and the food is always ready and delicious.

Amazing food and great service, love this place has never disappointed me and my family, definitely recommend this restaurant great ambiance

Amazing food amazing portions never a bad meal ! The best around. The shawarma is so tasty! Every dip is so good too

decided one day that I wanted to give this place a try, and they did not disappoint ! I tried the falafel sandwich in a pita, and it was so good! I can't wait to try more options from here.

Service very bad falafel dry and over priced Will never go back . They need to work on their people skills

Good and fresh food. Easy to park friendly atmosphere, service is pretty fast. Definitely coming back to try more

Honestly, still have such delicious food, amazing portion sizes, 100% order from here. My only wish is that they had an option to order extra pita. It's so good and there's never enough. Our go to items: Tabouli, kibbeh + garlic sauce, hummus, mixed platter or platter for one or two depending how hungry we are lol. Love the vegetarian combination app too. Sandwiches are great too.

Excellent customer service and wonderful food! We needed a quick break from the highway and stopped at this simple, clean spot and had amazing falafel and hummus. Highly recommend!

amazing people amazing food amazing service everything they are very good people very helpful. Make a good living to everyone and they are violence of violence.

Finally got to try this spot out and it wasn't disappointing, the food and service was great!

Excellent Falafels and salads.. Good friendly service. I really enjoy my time there.

Great food! Nice ppl ! Great customer service. Ordered through yelp and delivery was fast .

My frequent dose of true Mediterranean food!! From their delicious pita sandwich's to their appetizers and entrees, everything is perfectly prepared and always fresh! Plus, the service is always top notch even though it's a casual atmosphere. Love this place!!

This business name is right on point! I came here strictly to try out their falafel, and I was glad I did. Even though the menu is vast with Middle Eastern cuisines, the name says it all. Who doesn't love a good falafel? I can tell you that a good falafel is definitely hard to find. Located on Rt. 46 highway, it can be missed if you have never been. This shopping center has a few stores, and has a small parking lot. Due to Covid-19, there was no seating indoors, but a decent seating section outdoors. Down to business... The falafel is made fresh to order. It's moist and flavorful on the inside, and has a nice thin crisp outer layer. Not over fried, and not over seasoned. What makes it even more unique is the side tahini sauce & homemade hot pepper sauce. When I was asked if I wanted "hot sauce" I figured it was the generic red liquid hot sauce. What I got was this robust hot pepper sauce that had bite! Not overwhelmingly spicy, but just the right amount of kick to pack a punch to a tasty falafel. I will be back for sure for those falafels, and hopefully to try out more of the menu.

The food and drinks were delicious, we had a huge platter. The platter is called King Kabob combination and humus. The platter was well prepared with beautiful presentation. The service was amazing, the woman that was serving us gave us compliments and let us try new foods. I recommend this place.

Very good middle eastern food. Have only tried their sandwiches but everything has always tasted fresh and authentic. I've been coming here for years and they might have changed ownership during that time but the food has always been very good.

Wow what a gem! The restaurant was clean and staff was so friendly and thankful to have us there. A must for a fresh and delish Falafel pita with the hummus and you must ask for the in house green hot sauce! It took the sandwich to the next level. Def a keeper and spreading the word!

Still hunting for perfect falafel drove from fair lawn to try..customer service was fantastic. He added some yummy sauces on the side with my falafel platter. You get two sides. I chose salad - very fresh and perfectly chopped, and the hummus - so creamy, best I've had in a long time. Portions were huge. Dinner tonight but I have a full lunch tomorrow all for $19.

Sometimes, a restaurant goes from your "go-to" place to "that place we used to go to," and it's hard to remember why. A recent visit to King Falafel on 46 East in Elmwood Park, New Jersey reminded me and my family why we've chosen to avoid this restaurant. When King Falafel first opened, we provided one of the first Yelp reviews. The food was flavorful and delicious. The owners and staff were colorful, exuberant - just a delight to sit with and have a few laughs. But, something changed a few years ago. A new owner and an interior renovation gave way for negative attitudes (primarily from the owner) and a bland, flavorless, and overpriced cuisine - a far cry from the NYC-styled doner we'd grown accustomed to enjoy for this side of the Hudson River. Frequent, hand-written changes to published menu pricing colors the posted wall sign, more prevalent than red pen teacher scribbles in an urban English classroom. With the looming threat of competition from other Halal establishments - some of these places are within walking distance - King Falafel provides a practical example of what not to do; do not add to take away from the messy charm of a dive restaurant; do not revamp a menu, only to take away from its deliciousness; and, do not uncage an angry, bitter owner to address customer complaints in view of the public. Folks, if you are willing to pay over $40 for an authentic dose of shawerma, go over the river, and dive into the city. But, if you're settling for corporate Halal, there's a Mamoun's within a few miles, Halal Guys, or the within-walking-distance Gyro King on 46 West. Let's let (new) King Falafel fizzle or make changes, based upon the negative customer feedback it richly deserves. What a shame.

Hole in the wall with a small interior and some outside seating. Best falafel we've had since Cairo. Fast and friendly service. A couple of people speaking Arabic came in while we were there so you know it's authentic.

Been here a few times. Last time I was there the food was all a bit uncooked and ended up eating a second meal after. The staff is friendly and generally they don't make mistakes

I absolutely love this place. Ever since they opened a few years ago their food has been consistent. High quality food, fresh ingredients, great prices and great customer service. From their falafel, sauces, salads, sandwiches, vegan options etc etc. Once you try this place, you will be a customer for life.

My parents always brings food from kings falafel as they love this place. I ones tried it and I feel in love with their food. Very flavourful and tasty. I ordered a takeout and it was a decent wait time. Food was fresh, hot and mouth watering. It's a small, clean shop but they do have tables for Indoor sitting. Big menus with option for different Mediterranean food. I loved their falafel, flavored perfectly and cooked for right time. Definitely go visit the place, it won't disappoint u .

We ordered a few sandwiches for take out- falafel, shish kebab, kufta kebab, chicken kebab. Overall, the flavors were really good! The pita was phenomenal. Super soft yet sturdy. The only complaint was the sandwiches were lacking in any kind of sauce so it felt dry. They did give us small sides of garlic sauce, green sauce (I can't figure out the taste- it was spiced and herby, it was our favorite) and what I think was a white tahini sauce. They only gave one small container (ketchup container) of each sauce so it wasn't enough for 4 sandwiches. We also ordered a side of pickled vegetables that we didn't get. It's a small thing so we didn't bother calling or going back for it. All in all, the sandwiches were really filling and the flavor was delicious.

Called in for a pick up lunch order the other day. It was my first time ordering from here and the lady on the phone was very patient and nice. We ordered 8 falafel sandwiches and 6 pieces of falafel, with sides of tahini and spicy sauce. They prepared everything for us in under 25 minutes. The sandwiches were packaged nicely. In my sandwich I added labneh and it was sooo good. They also had pickles in the sandwich which was my favorite add in. Will definitely be back to have this again!

Picked up take out last night (King Vegetarian Combo + Chicken Shawarma Sandwich + Fries) and it was AMAZING. Their hummus/falafel are so on point. I wish they sold their hummus in pints because I literally cannot get enough of it! Tbh, I was a bit worried because the last time I ate here was back in 2017 and we were ordering take out instead of eating there, but their quality and portions have not changed.

This place uses very high quality meat with wholesome bread. It has been my go to place for all types of shawarma and falafel. The service is excellent and always provide a good portion of pickles and olives on the side. Chef Sami is awesome and personable. One day, when I can have sweets, I will try their fresh juices and sweets.

We were told the Hummus here is supposed to be the best ever. It is very good but also very different from my favorite place. This hummus is bold flavored with tahini, very smooth and pita was awesome. I had the kufta kabob, beef was delicious and bigger that it seemed. I was stuffed. Greek salad was awesome also. Chicken shawarma was very good, the spices were perfect. As we paid, I noticed the mint lemonade, it was, again, different but worth the extra time to wait for it to be made. In addition to the mint, there was another flavor I have not had in ages, rose water.!!! It made the drink worth sticking around for. Will definitely be back!

Great falafel options. This is set up more like a take out joint, but you can also eat inside.

The mushroom hummus is amazing. It is the right size portion at a good price. You will come back for more. Unfortunately, the grape leaves are tough, needing more olive oil. The spinach pie is excellent, but they are out of it every time we order. Pick-up is better because they have forgotten dishes doing delivery. The owners are very kind and I will continue to support this local business.

So I came actually not for their falafel but their kibbeh! It's a small joint, hard to see the entrance when it's your first time, literally slow down on 46 & turn right after you go under the bridge. It's a strip mall, there's outside seating. Small place, looked empty but there was a family dining. A young man kindly took my order, I asked for kibbeh & cucumber mint yogurt dip which he said does come with pita & lentil soup. I gave 15% tip on the spot. Took about 15 mins for my to go order to come out but no pita bread. The young man wasn't around but a lady & she said that the yogurt dip doesn't come with pita. So what is it? At this time, I regretted tipping was worth it. Kibbeh though, more pcz than other places who give two for the same price. But it lacked flavor, though had the right texture & was crispayy. Won't get my kibbeh fix here tho-- but will come back to try their renowned falafel.

Food was great and I highly recommend the king platter along with the peach iced tea!

The King of Route 46 and beyond!! While in the area and looking for something vegan what better place than falafel. I read all the great things and decided to stop in for a quick bite. While the menu is very large I wanted just falafel and hummus with some hot sauce. I haven't had such a meal in a very long time and it went beyond expectation. Other than the food the people were so warm and friendly which made the experience that much better. The only problem is that it's far from where I live. So if I'm passing by again I know here to stop. The house made hot sauce is a must do with whatever you order.

Delicious food! Everything I've had is so good!! The hummus is the best I've ever had ... always nice and accommodating.

I've been here a few times and the food Waac great. They have a nice selEction and thE prices are fair. We even dontakeout hete once in a while, but I'm not a fAn of cold Falafels. I will continue to stop in here on occasion.

This place is so amazing. The food is so amazingly cooked. The service is absolutely outstanding. There is a specific waitress, Miriam. She is the most kindest person ever, she will hook you up with the best recommendations if you don't know what to choose from the divine menu. I recommend the King Platter for 2. It is absolutely delicious and a perfect serving size for you and your special person. This place is so amazing, I recommend coming here, and its a great place for special occasions. The owner Sami, is such a great person, he puts smiles on peoples faces. I LOVE THIS PLACE. I come here about twice a week after work. I told all my friends and family about this place and they absolutely LOVED it. I mean what can I say mediterranean food ALWAYS hits the spot. If I could, id rate this place a 100/100. Absolutely Magnificent.

Love the sandwiches from here. I have had the falafel and the lamb. Both are very flavorful and a good value for your money. I have only stopped in around lunch time so I hope to go for dinner soon and try the platters and some other items. They have a couple outside seats for nice days which is a good option.

I have been coming here since they opened. The Shawarma sandwich is excellent. If you like hot sauce get it on your sandwich. It is to die for!

I ordered a hummus and falafel sandwich also a mint lemonade. Hummus was good. Pita bread was nice n warm. Soft and crispy in the edges. I didnt finish the hummus because the falafel sandwich was huge. Falafel sandwich was good. Mint lemonade was good although it was at room temp. After enjoying my meal i felt soooo stuffed. Overall it was good. Pretty decent. Wasn't the best falafel or best hummus but it was okay. I think they put too much tahini in thier hummus. The falafel didn't have that crunch when you bite into it and inside was a bit too mushy. I don't know if it was undercooked or they added an ingredient that isn't a traditional falafel

The best falafel place in town! I have tried several famous Middle Eastern cuisines in New Jersey, but this is my favorite. I ordered the falafels, french fries, mozzarella sticks, and the infamous baklava. The falafels are made to order, which makes it fresh and more delicious. The falafels are perfectly crispy with a crunch on every bite and explode with flavor. The french fries and mozzarella sticks were delicious as well, with some seasoning on top. The baklava is one of my favorite sweets. The multiple layered, rich, sweet dessert pastry was packed with chopped nuts and covered in honey. In addition, the customer service is top-notch. I would highly recommend visiting this restaurant.

Being that we celebrated our Valentine's Day dinner yesterday, I was in the mood for some falafel. Last month in the local newspaper, they advertised the 10 best restaurants according to Yelp for 2019. After checking the address on the web, I learned that it's now permanently closed. So I went to my go to place right on Route 46 West in Elmwood Park, NJ. We were last here 2 years ago where the kitchen was exposed to the public. They have since renovated where there's now a door to the kitchen and the place looks great. I even got a chance to speak briefly with Chef Sami. I ordered their falafel platter to go which comes with 2 sides. I opted for the rice and salad. With this meal, they have included 2 pita breads. The falafel had a bit of a kick to it. But with the tihini white sauce, it cut some of the spiciness. On the other hand, the rice needed just a tad of seasoning as it was bland. Nevertheless, I wasn't disappointed and had my fill. If anyone is interested in Middle Eastern cuisine and is around the area, I can recommend this place.

Best middle Eastern food in NJ. Pretty much everything on the menu is great Pitas are incredible