The Halal Guys

To ease the folks looking for the entrance to this place from the street, look next to 7 Leaves. It's in that same little area with the fountain. Upon entry, I was greeted immediately, and the actual restaurant felt nice to be inside - good vibes immediately. For the mobile order folks, they have an area dedicated to those orders, and they make it easy to sort yours out from the rest. I ended up getting a Beef Gyro Platter, Mango Tea, and some Baklava as my meal - the beef itself I have no issues with, it's seasoned and cooked well, and works in tandem with the other ingredients with one hangup. I'm not sure if it was just mine, or this is just how they cook their rice, but mine was especially kind of crunchy. It made it really difficult to judge the dish in a vacuum, because it really detracted from my enjoyment of the other flavor components. Again, hopefully a one-off. The Mango Tea was fine, a bit on the subtle end of flavor - had a nice balance to it, though, especially for tea. The Baklava was a nice capper to the meal, just be careful about residual honey on the boxes if you get your meal to go!

We are extremely disappointed with our experience at Halal Guys yesterday. We tried to redeem 50 points for a free drink, but their POS system wasn’t working properly. Despite this, the app still deducted the 50 points, and ended up having to pay for the drink out-of-pocket. It was very frustrating not being able to use the points we had earned. To make matters worse, the staff member we interacted with was incredibly rude. When we asked for a receipt, she told us the printer wasn’t working and refused to provide the original receipt. She gave us a temporary paper receipt. When we requested to speak with a manager, she claimed there wasn’t one available and they don’t have a manager. Her sarcastic response when we asked when we could come back to get the receipt (“I don’t know when we will have a printer”) was unprofessional and added to our frustration. We were patient and polite throughout the interaction, but the attitude of the staff member made the entire experience unpleasant. This is not the level of service I expect from Halal Guys, and I hope these issues are addressed promptly.

I am Middle East and I know Middle Eastern food. This is the worst place I’ve ever been. I’m not blaming the workers but I ordered a falafel sandwich even though they charge for the falafel sandwich they want to charge $2 extra for a splash of Hummus on it we’re supposed to be included in the sandwich. We ordered chicken sandwich and absolutely pathetic. There’s nothing on it as a dry chicken and disgusting toppings. This is a disgrace for any Middle Eastern food please don’t eat there.

Overpriced franchise chain with horrible service and okay food. If you think Chipotle is Mexican food then you'll love this place. Caters to the folks who like bland flavors. There staff is all college aged kids with zero knowledge of customer service. They could care less about helping or serving you. They serve a chicken bowl for $13 and only give you three little pita triangles with your food 🤦🏽‍♂️ Overall, this place is not the vibe. Why come here when just a few blocks and less then 5 minutes away you can get way better tasting/quality and cheaper food from Elias Pita on University or way better service from workers that will happily welcome you and treat you like family at the Falafel Spot on Iowa. You've been warned, don't be shocked if you are disappointed after coming here like I was.

Quality at this location has hit the dirt. Lettuce looked old and was chopped into slices way too big for usual standards. Meat was also cut into chunks and not the usual shavings off the rotisserie. Worker was on their phone leaning over the counter when i got there and i tried being optimistic, but the plate ended up being the worst halal guys bowl i’ve ever had. No wonder it always looks so empty.

Honestly, the food here was pretty good. Not really authentic, but it tasted great. I got a beef gyro with olives and onions lettuce and tomato, baklava, and a side of babagannouj. It was a little on the expensive side, but well worth it. Very filling and the baba came with a side of pita instead of charging extra which some places do. The baklava tasted really good I was surprised and I liked how that and the forks were individually wrapped. Place seemed pretty clean. You do have to speak up when ordering because it is a little loud and hard to hear but otherwise I enjoyed it. Next time I want to try the baklava cheesecake. I would love to see more topping options here in the future maybe.

The food is GREAT! I have always loved hummus and falafel especially together but never tried the white sauce til now and it's a whole nother level!! I am going to be here from now until Friday (their grand opening) because I am guaranteeing my spot to eat here for a year! Definitely worth it! Even in this cold 🥶❄️

Probably the worst experience I ever had at Hala Guys. We came in a little bit before 9pm, one hour before they closed. The service was sub par. While the server was preparing the platter I noticed that he was scooping the gyro and chicken meat from a covered bin vs fresh off the vertical broiler. Once we sat down and started to eat the food, all the meats were barely room temperature and were very dry. Some even too hard to eat.

Fair warning: parking around lunch time is difficult. The staff is nice. It's a clean place. The beef is delicious. They have quite a few sodas to choose from. They also sell baklava.

I placed an online order to cater at a family party. I went to pick it up at the set pick up time and they had no idea about the order. I had to wait for them to make the order. I suggest you call instead of ordering online. Lets hope those food is good.

This is currently one of my favorite places for a quick meal that is a short walk from UCR (and open in the evening). I like the combo platter, and there are currently some special options that I don't believe I saw on Yelp before visiting.

The chicken was waaaaay too dry. Usually halal pulls through but this one was not it. The service was good and the seating inside was clean. I think the meat has been sitting awhile and it definitely wasn't fresh.

I was greeted at the door. we had three bowls to prep. he was patient and nice. I just love this place it's so fresh and light. my son wanted two falafels I asked for an extra to try it. I loved it he didn't charge us mine, it was a sample. the place wasn't to busy. So dinners were casually sitting but plenty of tables available to dine in. Place clean and welcoming.

The staff here are absolutely amazing, we had an issue with the Catering order and they took their time to assist us to make sure that we had everything for the birthday party. We truly cannot say more about how much we appreciate them for accommodating us and for providing us with the fresh food that we needed!

Used to be good, went in tonight to have crispy rice, tiny portion of meat and all salad. 16 dollars for just me and I basically got all salad. Complained and the guy who served me a tiny portion as if I'm not a grown man give me more rice. Not coming back, I was so excited; I even came to their grand opening. Was rooting for them. Now I'll just stay in and eat.

First time coming here for dinner. I had their beef gyro platter. Friendly staff and the interior was nice. Staff ( I counted 3 workers ) did a pretty good job maintaining composure and patience since there was a line wanting to order. I'll come back to try other items...

Excellent food at Halal Guys! We are trying this Halal Guys for the first time located at the University Village and the entire experience was excellent. Great food, generous portions, friendly and efficient customer service, coupled with a nice clean dining area.., everything was seamless and on point. We opted for the Chicken Platter with all the fixings and it was DELISH! The food was flavorful, not greasy, and tasted fresh and clean... we are super happy and will definitely be back soon!! By the way, their Baklava is also very good. :)

I have always been to this location but a few days back I went after a long time and there was a new manager I believe. Super stingy and rude. Barely put a scoop of rice and chicken in our bowl and did not let us get extra even tho we were willing to pay and were told " Let me make the bowl shush" Unbelievable!! My friends that went with me also experienced the same service.. Paying $17 for a platter and drink and there is barely anything in the platter. He was also making unnecessary comments about our order as well. Super disappointed.

I've been a loyal customer of The Halal Guys, but my recent experience left me deeply disappointed. I understand that inflation is impacting everyone, but it's frustrating when prices go up while quality and portions drop significantly. I used to love coming here not only for the food but also for the cheesecake baklava. At $5.95 per slice, it was worth the indulgence. A few months ago, the slices were substantial and delicious, and I even inquired about ordering a whole cheesecake. When I learned it would cost $100 (discounted to $75), I decided to stick with buying slices. A day before Thanksgiving, I drove 30 minutes to pick up five slices, but when I saw what I was paying for, I was honestly irritated. The slices were barely an inch thick, the baklava topping wasn't even on the slice--it was soggy and sad-looking. Despite the disappointing quality, the price was still the same. Even the employee seemed embarrassed, as if they knew this wasn't up to standard. If the cheesecake baklava isn't going to be prepared and presented with the care it used to be, I suggest you stop selling it altogether. Charging full price for something that looks and tastes this poor is unacceptable. I really hope you take this feedback seriously because I used to enjoy coming here, but after this experience, I'm hesitant to return. just make it fair! On your menu, your slice of cheesecake looks a big size and delicious so that's exactly how you guys need to sell your food. That's why Taco Bell got sued because they kept promoting their delicious bomb food and then when you go there they're barely any beef so the same goes for every restaurant. I don't mind paying, but my slice or anything that I order better look like the picture if not, don't tell anything.

Updated review! I haven't seen the worker that was rude. I have been multiple times and the food and service is amazing! So good and line goes by super fast. Def recommend:)

Quick easy and their prices have stayed consistent over the years too. Can't go wrong w halal guys frfr. Food here always hits the spot.

Food is good but customer service is lacking, I was new and had some questions, felt like I was a bother. The workers uniform was also filthy which made me question the food quality

I didn't realize HG opened up a spot in RivCo (interesting that the IE managed to score this biz and its neighbor before the SD market) until I had a platter craving and yelped that this is the closest place than my occasional drive to East LA). Given that it's at the edge of University Village facing the main road, I'm sure they get a lot of foot traffic from campus clientele. If driving, the gated lot offers an hour or two of free parking during the day for customers. I pre-ordered my beef gyro platter for pickup so it was ready when I arrived. There's a very slight variation in product among SoCal locations (I've accepted it'll always be different from enjoying it from the Halal carts in NYC), but in this particular plate the meat wasn't as tender as I've known it to be--that could be due to being recently opened and still getting bearings in the kitchen. Sauces (white and red) are in packets so that'll always be consistent; it's just a matter of how much to top food with. 3.5 for now, but may change when I drive up again.

The food is great and the staff is amazing. I would recommend the platter with rice and the combo meats. The falafel is good and hummus is a must try. Very clean with ample seating definitely coming back again

Great food with quick service. The food is flavorful. I will be visiting New York in a few months and I will be comparing tasting notes from their original locations which are the food carts in NYC. The location is clean. I had taken our food to go. I could have used more garlic in the hummus, but that is just me.

Sadly, workers need better training. I saw them use the same gloves at the cash register to grab my falafel before placing it on my tray.

The ambience was perfect. I enjoy a small place to eat. You get better service and the quality is great. This place lived up to its New York counterpart. And shout out to Bavly who was friendly from the start. The ambience was

Finally got to try the food after driving past it all the time. The staff was very friendly when I was placing my order so that made my first time here better. It was lunch time so the rush was just coming in so I got in just in time lol. I ordered a regular chicken bowl, frys and the falafel I think it was called. If your a fan of heat then definitely get the hot sauce on your bowl! To me it was pretty hot but also had some really good flavor, the white sauce had some great flavor as well. The fries were really really good and held up the temp and the crispness all the way home about 15-20 mins away. The location is small but was very clean inside so it would have been good to eat inside if I didn't have to go home. Anyways, definitely will be back to get some more delicious food!

Service is horrible. Workers need better training and a better manager. This place is HORRIBLE. DO NOT GO HERE. The workers cross contaminate constantly with gloves . Managers seem RUDE. I was here last week.

I'm not one to complain about the service and I understand people having bad days but I think management needs to train employees on how to be nice to customers. The one employee that served my sister and I had a straight face and looked annoyed we were looking at menu. I asked for a regular platter and he was speaking so low I couldn't hear what he was asking for. Then he proceeds to ask me rudely , "tomato and lettuce"?! So I felt pressured just to order quickly because it felt like the employee did not want to be there at work. I work in customer service too and I have my bad days but I never take it out on the customer. Management needs to really train their staff on how talk and interact with customers. The employee name is on receipt.

This meal was disappointing. It was late in the afternoon when I arrived. They served me the last of the rice which was hard...I asked for chicken and beef. Was charged for chicken and beef but only got chicken in my plate. The bread was hard and the "side of humus" was put inside the plate over the salad which was awful because it was impossible to actually eat the salad with the amount of humus they give you... y'all should consider putting "sides" in a separate container. Half my meal went in the trash because it was an inedible mess. The store looked clean. The fries were good.

Horrible service employees should be trained better and should have someone here that knows what they are doing seems like no one knows what's going on very unorganized

First time trying this location. My family and I frequently visit the Costa Mesa location so we were so hyped that this came to a town closer to us!!! I will say the ambiance of this location looks way nicer, more decoration/art. The food on the other side, was not up to par with the other locations we've went to ;( which is the main reason I'm subtracting a star. For some reason it seemed like there was a lack of flavor. Also the cut of the chicken is definitely different than the other location. They seemed to cut it up more dice like, here it was bigger pieces of chicken.

I went here last month, and got a very meager amount of food in my platter. I thought I'd give them another chance, because I've never had a complaint with any other location. I bought 3 platters, paid extra for large, asked for extra lettuce and the tin is half full, with barely any meat. I expect a lot more for $15. Will not return to this location.

The halal guys is always a solid meal for me, but their prices have really increased so much that they aren't as worth it anymore. Will still come here when I have the cravings but at this point they're just like chipotle... high prices but the amount of stuff is not enough to make me want to come often.... I miss the one in Orlando that always gave great deals and Groupons, this one is super stingy, especially on the meats!

So, to ease the folks looking for the entrance to this place from the street, look next to 7 Leaves. It's in that same little area with the fountain. Upon entry, I was greeted immediately, and the actual restaurant felt nice to be inside - good vibes immediately. For the mobile order folks, they have an area dedicated to those orders, and they make it easy to sort yours out from the rest. I ended up getting a Beef Gyro Platter, Mango Tea, and some Baklava as my meal - the beef itself I have no issues with, it's seasoned and cooked well, and works in tandem with the other ingredients with one hangup. I'm not sure if it was just mine, or this is just how they cook their rice, but mine was especially kind of crunchy. It made it really difficult to judge the dish in a vacuum, because it really detracted from my enjoyment of the other flavor components. Again, hopefully a one-off. The Mango Tea was fine, a bit on the subtle end of flavor - had a nice balance to it, though, especially for tea. The Baklava was a nice capper to the meal, just be careful about residual honey on the boxes if you get your meal to go!

I ordered a beef sandwich. The price was $13 after tax. The portion was very small. I had to order a burrito from the place next door to fill me up, and I wasn't even that hungry. I'm not a big eater; I'm an average Asian guy.

Halal-lujah! The food at Halal Guys always hits the spot. The beef gyros had me saying, "Gy-whoa, that's amazing!" It's like they "shawarma"-ed their way into my heart. The service provided by Bav was exceptional. He went above and beyond to ensure that my order was perfect and that I had a great dining experience. The level of customer service he provided truly stood out. I will definitely be coming back for more flavorful meals and outstanding service like this! A falafel-tastic experience I'll "kebab" talking about!

If I could give 0 stars I would . I came in with my pregnant wife because she had been craving some halal guys. The worker who spoke VERY LOWLY served us palm sized portions, DO NOT come here if you want to spend $13 for the smallest portions you can get. Horrible service. I hope in the future this issue can get rectified because it is the closest location in the IE. Until then, I will not be returning.

A 1/2 star would be more than what this place deserves. Staff is completely inept. Waited over an hour for 5 individual items. I was told 20 minutes. Came back in 25 to be told they didn't start the order because "others came in to order" as I watched about 20 people order and leave. After an hour, asked if it was ready... "uhhhh no." Haven't started it. Now waiting another 30 minutes for 5 items. 3 sandwich's and 2 platters. Don't waste your time when you can get better service on a to go order at a mom and pop shop where you will get better food and better service. Complete waste of a lunch h

We were pretty excited when this place opened because we were unable to go when we went to NYC. Overall, it did not disappoint! the service was excellent and everyone was so nice. Juliette and Richard were very friendly and explained every about what we ordered.The place was very clean and bright. for the food, we couldn't decide so we got the chicken and beef gyro plate combo. Both types of meat were excellent! Can't really put one above the other. The white sauce on top is a definite must have and get a couple lines of red sauce if your looking for a little kick. Will definitely be back here again!

This place is newly opened but it's just as good as the other locations that I've been to! I honestly love halal guys and you can't go wrong with it. The only thing I was thrown off about is the other locations tend to ask me if I want vegetables / salad (I don't). So I had to ask them to remove it from my plate and they were very chill about getting me a new one. There's only a $1 difference between the regular bowl and the upsize, so I definitely think the upsize is worth it if you like leftovers! I love getting a combo of their chicken and beef with extra white and hot sauce. Just be careful because apparently their hot sauce is really spicy, but I think it tastes great. Also, my friend got the wrap but he said he probably would've preferred the bowl-- so maybe that's the safest way to go if you're new here.

If I could give 0 stars for their garbage service I would gladly do so. This location is a joke. I placed an order through their website and when I went to go pick it up they had a nice handwritten note on the door stating that they are closed due to being understaffed. When I called to inquire about my refund I was told to send an email with the proof of my order (which I included almond with a picture of the sign on the door stating they were closed) and was told I will be called back within a few minutes. I gave them 3 hours and decided to call them back but their phone was now miraculously not working, and never heard anything back. I have sent multiple emails and still nothing. Not to add I received my food with hair in it just a few short days before this nonsense occurred. Still waiting to hear back about my refund or just hear back in general.

The customer service was great, the guy that helped me was super nice. I give him five stars. The food is a zero... it's not bad chick or rice but it's not Mediterranean food. The "white sauce is caesar dressing... the hot sauce has no flavor. The chicken has very little flavor the rice is Spanish rice. I've never been so disappointed with spending 30 other than the time I tried to get my pet tarantula ; Rawanda, conversion therapy. The white sauce should have been garlic sauce, and it's not free. If you like Mediterranean food. Stay way from this spot by all means.

Love Halal guys but unfortunately this place falls short! Do not eat here if you see this lady. She is definitely one of THE rudest people I have ever met. Purposely put very little meat on my plate so that I would have to pay extra for more smh. Fire her or retrain her sheesh!

I was craving falafel, gyro, and hummus. Service was fast and friendly. The taste of the food and portion size did not disappoint.

Mike had good service. Will come back!! Love the food and I will be coming back any time I am in town!!

Amazing service!!! I love this place!!! A must must try! And they have baklava cheesecake. Like omg never have I ever had such an amazing experience

Quick service, quality, tasty food, and for a reasonable price. Careful with the red sauce, it packs a punch!

Very salty food. No good taste. I got disappointed. Gayro machine is there but no meat, instead of fresh cut from Gyro machine they cook on some area. Service is average. Ambiance average. No worth to come back.

Ordered online and they did not follow through with what I ordered. I asked for Tahini sauce but my platter was dry as bones. When my husband went to pick up the food the 2 people working were rude and the place was empty so they were definitely not busy and did not need to be rude or lazy since we were actually giving them some business.

Love Halal Guys! Usually I have the best service, but tonight I had a new person helping me, she was like goth and she was so rude!!! Ewww no one wants good food with a side of attitude

GOOD: Heard Great things about this popular Spot. In LA I think. *But* never eaten there* NOT So great: I'm near Tampa* Gotta 2am call from card company saying somebody used my card here "Was it You?"~Nope but used Yelp to find precise location...Then I craved a Pita..

On 4/30 in the afternoon I went in and saw a worker prepare a big amazing platter, unfortunately I got the manager and he serves the smallest servings ever. I paid $14 for a "large" platter and you could still see the bottom of the platter. Like one scoop of rice and one small scoop of beef. I don't know if he doesn't like me or he was having a bad day. I will definitely be trying to find somewhere to replace this spot that used to be my favorite spot ever. Just avoid it and find somewhere with good customer service.

5 stars for Staff. They were polite and prompt. 3 for food. So let's even it out at 4 stars. A place to grab a quick bite. Definitely not the same feel as the Halal Guys Cart in NY. But I'm glad they expanded the chain. Good A/C and location.

Ever since The Halal Guys announced they were opening here, I've been so excited to come. I am so glad they finally opened one here in Riverside. It's located in the University Village Shopping Center right next to UCR, so it's a great place to eat for students. The service was fast and everybody was super friendly, especially the lady who helped me with my order. The vibes and interior decorations are amazing, with every part of the restaurant matching the culture of The Halal Guys. The food tasted amazing! I got the combo platter with both beef gyro and chicken along with all of the toppings. Make sure to get their signature white sauce and hot sauce, but be careful because the hot sauce is super spicy! Looking forward to coming back here many times in the future.

Okay Food averages everything. Not a big fan of this place. I feel like this place is okay when you don't have any other halal restaurants near you. Average everything.