Sams Falafel & Shawarma

If I could give them 10 stars I would. The food was delicious and totally amazing. The falafels took me down memory road to Dubai. The staff was friendly and just awesome souls ... Thank you for the wonderful Arabic food. In addition to the food I took home some authentic Arabic sweets...

Best sharwarma in the US, and nicest couple I've seen. The owner couple have a great heart and a lot of interesting stories. I'm Chinese, and I'm permanently leaving the US soon, just wanna say this place gave me a lot of good memories and the owner couple inspired me a lot! Sincere wish for Gaza and Ukraine situation to get better soon!

So far, I have only ordered takeout from this place twice. The first time, it was so good that I forgot to take pics. The second time, I forgot to take pic of the falafel sandwich again but did for the lamb and beef shawarma plate. You can see that they do fill up the meat plate too.

Stopped in after a show at the armory. The food was great. I loved their cucumber yogurt dish, the falafel came topped with mint and a pickled vegetable that was great. This was already a regular stop of my friend when he is in town and I will have to add it to mine. Staff was very friendly.

the falafel platter was $17.63 in Feb '24, so don't trust the old menu photos!! the falafel & hummus were great. tons of rice, half a pita, pickled veggies & some forgettable salad. not bad, kinda expensive, a lot of food

Really tasty food. Had some excellent shawarma, some of the most flavorful I’ve ever had.

Customer service is respectfully and kind to all peoples. Food is stellar. Under rated boston location. The unspoken underdog of good eats!!! A1!! 10/10

Best shawarma plate i ever had. This was my third visit but it still amazes me how delicious the food is!!

On the go. Let's grab take out shawarma. Chicken was old, cold and rubbery. The customer service was nonexistent. Otherwise barely mediocre experience without sunshine, including cold pita. The high point was when I asked for crispy chicken and he told me it was already prepared and in the bin lol. So I knew it was a gamble out of the gate. However, not my first rodeo so I asked if it could be heated on a grill top or something and he said, "No, it's too small. It will fall through (grill grates)." That is true, small bits of chicken will fall through a grill grate but is there atl east a microwave to heat the bread and chicken? I'm certain that this place has had better days as it is especially difficult to mess up shawarma. But cold chicken and pita that you can bat a ball with is not good. Can't win them all.

I cannot had enough from this amazing food. Sam by himself welcomed us and we got served one of the best sharma and falafal in New England. God bless him and his amazing team. By the way we came all the way from Westford to his shop in Somerville and it worth it.

Best falafel sandwich in the area! Packed with flavor, sauces, veggies, and overall a very authentic taste. The Pita bread is fresh as well. The grape leaves were made to perfection. Highly recommend this place and can't wait to try more from their menu.

Oh man, my belly is so happy! I wanted to introduce my husband to shawarma, and this was the perfect place to show off how delicious shawarma can be.

Very impressed by Sam's! I ordered the chicken shawarma plate and was not disappointed. The portion was enormous loaded with tons of meat, and the entire meal was oh so flavorful! Will definitely be ordering from here again!

Mohamed is very hospitable and gave me a sample house fry in a tasty (mayo or tahini?) dip, falafel (crispy on the outside, soft in the middle), and even a cup of his home brewed coffee as I waited for my Uber. They were all fresh and delicious. I ordered a chicken shawarma plate as take out- it was delicious even though I only had it a couple hours later. The chicken was well-seasoned and juicy, and paired perfectly with the fluffy rice and cumato salad. The white sauce on the side was also very additive.

Best falafel and shawarma in the world, and the owner gave free falafel, very nice people.

Genuinely good shawarma, but weirdly it's the sauces that stand out to me. I don't know if I'll be able to enjoy other shawarma places anymore.

The food here was fantastic! I just returned from a trip to Greece and wanted something that tasted authentic. I ordered the chicken and lamb shawarma and rice with the hummus plus falafel and stuffed grape leaves. Everything was so good and fresh. The falafels were really Fresh and crispy and the leaves were good as well. The prices were fine, it's a good amount of food. I'll be back here at least a couple times a month!

The flavors of the food are rich and delicious. The restaurant is very clean and the staff is friendly. I highly recommend this place and I'm sure you'll become regular customers like me.

Went to this place today for lunch bc I really like falafels, came across it by accident due to me having work in the area. The falafel sandwich was great, but I definitely did NOT feel WELCOMED as a customer, not sure how many black people they encounter daily, but if it's more than myself they really need to get it together! Sidebar: The girl at the register was pleasant, that was their only saving grace. The food was definitely good and I looked forward to trying other items on the menu, but I'll pass, I'll stick to Pita in the South End where I am always welcomed.

So I'm new to the area and glad to see that Sam's Falafel place is quite within walking distance. I ordered through DoorDash but apparently when I got there the owner Sam (I assumed) were quite critical about DoorDash and I definitely understand it can be tough for small business to survive in today's COVID climate. So I would sympathize with him when he gets heated about the situation. Personally I'll definitely be ordering directly with them in the future. I had a wait a little bit when I arrived for food pick up but the wait was definitely well worth it. They were quite amazing. One of the most juicy and tasty Lamb Shawarma I've tasted and the Falafel was really tasty and fresh too and not dry. The garlic does seem a little strong but while they sandwiches are warm and hot they go quite well in my opinion. So I definitely wish them all the success and continue to produce delicious sandwiches.

Absolutely loved this place. Top tier spot. I got the Chicken Shawarma plate. It came with rice, hummus, pickles, tahini, and tomato and cucumber salad. The chicken shawarma was well cooked, fresh, and tasted delicious. I loved the fact that it came with a ton of sides. All of it tasted great and accompanied the chicken well. I also got some falafel which was very good. The only thing I didn't love was the tzatziki, it seemed a little bland but not a huge deal. The service was pretty good. They were very helpful over the phone and it was quick service. Definitely not the cheapest spot in town but you get a good amount of food that is worth the price in my humble opinion. If you're thinking about Sam's, go!

Went with my husband to Sam's Falafel and Shawarma in Somerville, it was a super nice day and the place had a very long line to the outside, within the 15 min wait there were almost 50 people who put in an order and got their orders quickly and efficiently. I got to eat my falafel with tahini and spicy fries with delicious garlic dip. I would've ordered the beef or chicken shawarma given they had it on the turning vertical rotisserie which would have guaranteed a moist juicy sandwich but I was craving falafel! I highly, beyond highly recommend this place! Sooooo good!

The food at Sam's was so good, it took me on a trip to memory lane! I'm from a Lebanese family in Paris France and I'm picky about my food. I went to Sam's after reading reviews and I was expecting good Falafel and good Mediterranean food, but not GREAT Middle Eastern food. Sam is a great chef and cooks the best homemade style dishes from his native Syria. The Falafel was refined with just the right mix of spices (not loaded with cumin as people from other regions make it), a crispy exterior and a moist interior. It was sitting on a bed of tahini sauce that also had the perfect amount of seasoning. The foul madamas brought tears to my eyes because I haven't had one like this in so many years. It was the perfect warm temperature, the Middle Eastern fava beans were flavorful, cooked to perfection, and again seasoned with just the right amount of garlic, lemon and olive oil. The olive oil itself had a great flavor, a sign that this kitchen uses quality ingredients, which makes all the difference. I also tasted a roasted eggplant in tomato sauce that was delicious and not as acidic as I expected. My husband and a friend had Shawarma sandwiches that were huge and they said were outstanding, with all the trimmings including pickled turnip. Another friend had "Sam's Special Falafel" which he absolutely loved although it was really spicy. Another sign that he knows his food: Sam's had 2 different of pita breads, including what is called "mountain bread" in Lebanon, a paper-thin type of pita that has a slight sourdough flavor. My only comment would be to add whole-wheat pita bread to the menu for those who eat only whole grains. Apart from that, everything was perfect! Shukran! Thank you so much, Sam, you made my day! I will be back for more!

Best chicken shawarma around. Real authentic food. Extremely flavorful. And the people are amazing amazing amazing. So sweet. MADE WITH LOVE

Sams is my go to falafel place! I love their falafel a lot. Good flavors and nice portion of food.

Amazing food. Some of the best shawarma in Boston. They almost always have my orders ready before the time it gives me. It's gonna be one of the things I miss most when I leave Somerville

I've found my new Boston shawarma spot. This place is amazing. I ordered the lamb and beef shawarma plate. It's served with rice and comes with hummus! As you can see the portion sizes are unreal, very filling so I would definitely recommend checking this play out!

The man who owns this place is so great, he has the best falafel I've had anywhere in Mass. Will be back.

Everybody raves about their meat/chicken and the likes and u agree, the shawarma sandwich is quite decent. Nicely packed with chicken and lettuce and sauces. I still found it to be a little on the dry side and got extra sauce to go with it. Overall 3/5 The real star of the place and the reason for 4stars though is the delicious, soft, amazing pistachio cake! It was recommended by a couple who was ordering it as their wedding cake! It's that good! Never tried anything like it and give honest it was amazing! Highlight of the place. (I took it to go so pictures don't quite do it justice)

Sam, my sincere apologies on the rash prior review. No one is perfect and I might have jumped to reviewing your establishment under anger. Makes sense about the restroom situation and I completely understand now. After visiting your restaurant again yesterday, I can't say enough great things about you and the business. I truly appreciate you welcoming me the way you did. The food was absolutely amazing! Keep up the great work and I look forward to visiting again.

Ordered via UberEats: the food was cold by the time it arrived, which is the worst possible thing for kebabs. The food quality is OK but the serving size is very generous. The plate comes with rice, salad, pickled onions and radish, half a pita, hummus and mix meat. garlic sauce that came with the plate was very good. I will definitely not order the mix plate again but may come back for the chicken shawarma as that, in my opinion, tasted best!

I go here almost every time I'm looking for some quick takeout. Sam and family are friendly and the food is great. Definitely some of the best falafel I've ever had.

Incredible Food, Super well seasoned, Slightly Pricey but serving sizes are quit large. Very authentic.

I've been meaning to check out this place for a while, as I am not too far and I live in a region with very little authentic middle eastern food. I happened to be in the area so took the family by to check it out. It's located in Somerville, not far from the Cambridge line with on street parking. It's more of a take out place than a dine in place, but there are a couple tables for a light crowd. While looking at the menu and deciding what to order, the owner said hello and greeted my children with some chocolates. It was a very kind gesture. He then followed up with a couple samples of their falafel, which were moist and excellent. I'm not usually a huge falafel fan but these could change my mind. I wanted to try as much as possible, so we ordered the mixed grill, the kafta sandwich and the lamb/beef shawarma. We also got some hummus and baba ganoush to start with. The hummus was excellent with just the right blend of tahini and garlic and the baba was too, with a nice smoke to the eggplant. The kafta was moist and spiced perfectly. Not overcooked like it is often served in a lot of the take out places. The rice, salad, chicken and shawarma was all very good too. The tahini sauce was delicious and the side of toum hit the spot. The entire staff was warm and welcoming and super nice to my young children. They made us all feel welcome, like family. Many thanks for that. If I had to be critical of anything, I could only say that I wish there was more diversity to the menu. The items they do, they do wonderfully, so I can only imagine how tasty they could cook up any of the myriad of delicious middle eastern dishes that are so hard to find around here. Two thumbs up. Great food, reasonably priced, and very nice people. I look forward to bringing my family back again soon!

Spectacular food. Their falafel wrap is generous, and a very good balance of flavors and textures. The falafel combines outer crunch and inner smoothness, and the veggies on the wrap complement it. The lamb and beef combo shawarma plate is deliciously seasoned, and comes with hummus, fattoush salad, and a side of rice or fries. So I realize that this sounds like a paid review. It's not. Here, I'll say something critical: Parking is scarce on Highland Ave, and there's a bus stop right in front. But...they are nice people, they make good food, and they're definitely worth a try.

delicious!! I'm always in search of good shawarma after spending a year in Jordan, and this hit the spot! I ordered in-store for takeout, and my order was ready super quickly. in the meantime, I had a lovely time talking to Mohammad, who gave me delicious free samples and a cup of tea. the food itself is fantastic. The chicken shawarma sandwich was perfectly spiced and very generously sized. I would highly recommend getting the super combo veggie plate -- you get to try a wide variety of their sides/dips (including hummus, babaganoush, and their amazing marinated eggplant) in addition to the falafel. can't wait to try more!

I got the lamb and beef shawarma plate. Really yummy! A bit greasy overall, but the lamb was really good and not dry. Portion size was huge, and I wasn't able to finish it all, it came with lots of rice. Service was great, they were super super nice and even gave me a falafel to eat while waited for my food.

Did a semester in London 15 years ago got introduced to shawarma's and have been looking for that flavor since then...almost gave up on my hunt until I found Sam's and can I tell you all I no longer have to contemplate a trip to London to get that flavor. Thank you Sam for having the best shawarma this side of the globe

Go to this place TODAY! The lamb shwarma was the best I've ever eaten. Really fresh, spiced perfectly and loaded with something picked and delicious.

Ordered take out during a weekend visit with our son and daughter. The online ordering process was so easy. When I picked up my order, the owner gave me a complimentary falafel with hummus which was so delicious. We ordered two chicken kabob plates, two veggie combo plates, lentil soup and fries. The food was authentic and delicious!!!! My son, who is a Cambridge resident, will be paying Sam a visit in the near future.

my husband and I just had the most INCREDIBLE dinner here, the food was unbelievable, the service was amazing and the presentation was 12 out of 10! we highly highly recommend as this is some of the best food we're had in and around all of boston!

I recommended this place 10/10 Lamb and beef shawarma is one of the best I've ever had. The falafel side and the Kanafe are also so yummy. The staff is super nice as well. This is my new fav spot

Customer service was great, but the food was absolutely horrendous for its price. 16 dollars for some overcooked chicken shawarma? Dont make the mistake I did, go somewhere else.

The sauce they put in their shawarma sandwiches is the best. Tangy with a very strong garlic flavor.

Sam's falafel sandwich is huge and delicious. We ordered that, in addition to the chicken schwarma and the lamb & beef schwarma, and the vegetarian combo plate. I think "Sam's" falafel sandwich might be the regular falafel sandwich with a lot of extra things thrown in. Whatever it is, it is huge and delicious. We really enjoyed Sam's falafel, and the schwarmas [I'm particularly fond of the lamb & beef] - we might've been too full to appreciate the combo plate, but liked the tabbouli and hummus! Tip - order extra pita for any "plate" bc it's a lot of food to try and wrap into the one they give you. Also, next time, order fries!

This is for delivery: I loved the food! I tried the lamb shawarma sandwich and the kebab lamb sandwich on two different days. Lamb cooked tender and juicy, just as it is supposed to. Very generous portions of the appetizers - great for sharing. I do recommend them!

Food um was gross and I am throwing it in the trash. Tasted old and off . I got the mixed meat plate lamb and beef with two chicken wraps and a beef and lamb wrap also, with the falafel plate. I have frequented many mediterranean food establishments in my life and have never had an off experience regarding mediterranean food until going to Sams. This was definitely not the place to go For mediterranean be warned the food went into the trash!

Omg... Seriously the best chicken shawarma ever! And get it with the hot sauce! My friends got the lamb and beef shawarma, and they were good but definitely nowhere near as good as my chicken one. One friend got the lamb-only shawarma (omitted beef), and it was okay. He got it out of curiosity to see what lamb only tastes like, and it was a bit dry and kinda tasteless. The pita bread was amazinggggg, fresh and warm and so soft, and perfectlyyyy grilled. The owner guy was so friendly and had a really kind, easy smile. Definitely would recommend this place to any visitors passing by this area!

Best. Falafel. Around. That's all you need to know. Eat the food. Feel joy and happiness. Repeat. Seriously, this place has great wings, and their sandwiches are to die for. You can't go wrong with it, and they're authentic people who know how to make what they're making and they do it well. This is a weekly staple.

We had some random cravings for falafel and the google search popped up this place. Almost 9pm and we drove 15 miles just to tried it. Hands down one of the best falafel we have ever had in the US, so garlicky and super moist inside. The owner was very friendly too. We also ordered the lamb & beef shawarma plate, everything was good but I think the meats need a tad more seasoning, although, that garlicky white sauce really pulled the dish together. We can't wait to come back. :)

First time ordering, did it on their website to support them, picked up since just 10 min walk away. (Highly recommend, messier or more complicated or hot food like the plates more likely to get damaged or be cold by overwhelmed delivery folks...) I got the meat combo plate (to try as much as possible on 1st try) with falafel and fries and mango lasse, my SO got the chicken shawarma sandwich, spicy fries, and pistachio cake. We shared some. SO and I LOVED the fresh hummus and kofta and the chicken kabob. (Which I got mistakenly, but win? Super-juicy!) SO also really liked the pistachio cake and liked the spicy fries. My fries were just kind of ok, a little lukewarm soggy. But the falafel were delish. My plate was a little confusing though because the menu said it was a mix of lamb and beef shawarma, kofta and lamb kabob. It looked and tasted like I got shredded beef OR lamb and _chicken_ shawarma, kofta and chicken kabob. Which is kind of a shame because I was really in the mood for trying lamb. Mango lassi was a little sad, pre-packaged with lots of sugar and unnecessary cornstarch; if you're a yogurt/lassi snob but don't make your own, better to get some at Desi Dhabi or the curry place in Union Square, or the stuff they have at Whole Foods. But if you just want something easy it's available. Some REALLY tasty winners anyway, though! So we'll definitely be ordering again, probably just double-checking we're really getting the lamb next time. Definitely getting the kofta and chicken kabob and hummus and falafel again for sure.

OMG!!! Best falafel wrap of all time! My boyfriend and I just moved to Aniston a couple of months ago and this has quickly became a weekly occurrence. It's delicious and a great deal! Their fries spicy, dolmas, wraps, kebabs, really anything is FANTASTIC!!!

Love this place! My girlfriend and I have lived down the street for a while and had never been. We stopped in one day and DAMN! These guys make some seriously good food. Sam's also my name too soo... instant points for that too. Give 'em a shot! You won't be sad you did!

So so good. Friendly service that genuinely cares about quality. Some of the best Mediterranean food I've had in a while.

I've lived in Somerville for over 4 years and since year 1 when I first tried Sam's this is the only Mediterranean I would ever consider ordering. Nothing in the area comes close. Fairly priced/even less expensive than other significantly less delicious Mediterranean establishments. I've never been disappointed.

Jerusalem is a new gem on Highland Ave! When we asked, the friendly staff informed us that they just opened 2 weeks ago and business has been going well - which was clear to see by the number of people waiting for food and the orders flying out the door! To get a taste of everything, we ordered a meat combo and a veggie combo. Both were a fantastic mix of food & flavors! The falafel were crispy and not too dry. The tabbouli and rice were divine. Lamb, chicken, beef, grape leaves, hummus, baba gannoush - literally nothing bad here. It also includes pita and sides of tahini, so you can get creative and create your own sandwich. And all of this (which left us with leftovers) was just over $20! So cheap & so good, so I'm sold.

I was expecting so much more from Sam's, hearing great things about it. Unfortunately I will not be returning for several reasons: 1) Inaccurate information provided - I wanted to use my restaurant.com certificate but the guy on the phone said they weren't accepting it anymore. Yet restaurant.com was still selling certificates! (at the time of this yelp review). Additionally the website says that a side is included with the plates; they are not, you have to pay extra to get another side that is not hummus. 2) Slow and inaccurate service - I had to wait extra 10 minutes after ordering online. They also forgot to put in the grape leaves I ordered as a side and I didn't realize it until they got home. 3) OK food for the high price point. There was a sh*t ton of what tasted like mayo on my chicken plate globe in the middle. I thought there was supposed to be tahini? The chicken was unfortunately bland and I suspect the white sauce is there to moisten up the meat which would otherwise by dry. The cucumber salad was decent. The hummus, though, is bomb. If you want to order something, just order the hummus!

Tasty falafel sandwich (in a fresh pita wrap). It had those awesome pink pickles in it, tomato, lettuce, and they added some eggplant too. I had it with hot sauce. The chicken shawarma looked awesome, and it looks like they have a good drink and dessert selection too.