The Halal Guys

My first time at a brick-and-mortar Halal Guys restaurant. I’ve visited the food truck in New York before, and yes, it is definitely pretty good. That said, it’s not like *mind-bogglingly epic* or anything. Don’t get me wrong, I love their story and the hustle—they’ve definitely put in the work and really built a miniature empire at this point. This new store on 5th Avenue in Hillcrest is nice, super clean, spacious, and has a cool wall mural inside. It’s only been open a couple of months, and I stopped by two days ago to try it out. The girl with the bleached short hair was very friendly and informative—great customer service. I ordered a pita sandwich with spicy chicken BBQ, and got everything on it. I had the dairy-free mayo and the super hot sauce as toppings, too. It was tasty, and that hot sauce packs a serious punch, but it strikes me as mainly drunk street food more than anything. I mean, it’s good, but it’s not great. It’s in the right location to capture a lot of the partying crowd in Hillcrest on the weekends, though. The flavors are there, and it’s filling and tastes fresh, but ultimately it tastes mostly like halal street food. Maybe it’s the scaling that’s cutting into quality slightly, I don’t know. I’d say it’s worth trying out forsure, and definitely worth hitting up after a handful of drinks, but beyond that, I wouldn’t go too far out of my way for it.

I was really excited to see Halal Guys open in San Diego, but this turned out to be the worst one I’ve ever been to. I went on Sunday around 7pm and the place was almost empty, which should’ve been a warning sign. We ordered regular chicken platters and it was awful. Both the rice and the chicken were so dry and chicken had a weird fishy smell and taste. It was honestly disgusting. Nothing like what I’ve had at other Halal Guys locations. Total disappointment The person who took our order wasn’t friendly at all, it does not take much to be nice or smile, specially when the place is empty and no work pressure. When she placed napkins in the bag, the napkin clearly was dirty “sauce from their gloves” but both of us saw it and she did not care to remove it and place a clean one but just counted two of them and placed them in the bag the whole experience was just bad from start to finish. I’d rate this place a zero if I could. We definitely won’t be coming back.

Great opening night! Lots of people in line but not too long. Lots of people ordering for their big groups too. Also Lots of online orders. Not too bad of a wait at all! Excited to have Halal guys in SD! Got the beef/chicken and it slaps!!!

Finally!!!! The legendary food truck from New York City has finally opened location in San Diego and it was worth it. I’ve had Halal Guys for years and this location doesn’t miss you. I would do half and half on the chicken and steak. Always get the white sauce (vegan) and add some bbq sauce on top, so good! Enjoy!

Fantastic grand opening day. The food is amazing as expected. They have a new flavor called spicy bbq chicken which is really nice and saucy. We had the sandwich, a platter, and the baklava cheesecake. The meat was so tender and juicy. The white and red sauce combined with the perfectly cooked rice was delicious. Finishing with the baklava cheesecake - absolutely incredible combo. It’s kind of like a coconut/pistachio/carrot cake almost. Super nice and perfectly sweetened. Not overly sweet like some cheese cakes. We were completely stuffed but it was worth it. Lived up to the hype.

I’m so happy to have The Halal Guys finally in San Diego. Please open more locations here. Super friendly, clean, and welcoming! Food was delicious and the side of chicken wings soooo good. Thank you to the owner and to Carolina for being so kind and helpful!

I’ve tried multiple halal guys all over California, my best experience was at this one, So good to the point where I was there 3 days in a row. The workers are very welcoming and very attentive to detail when it comes to getting your food, Sara who took our order 2 times on both days gave us a Great experience, Asked questions all the way, and it’s so funny but I was literally thinking about more sauce and she walked behind me asking “would you like some more” lol. Taste wise, the spicy bbq chicken and gyro tasted amazing, a little bit of salt on that and it was delicious. In terms of portions they are well sized and if u ask them for a bit more they won’t charge you but will give you more. Cleanliness was on top, even when people were done w eating the tables were clean immediately. One thing I noticed that most halal guys don’t have is their lemonade and iced tea machine, I loved the mango and strawberry lemonade, made my meal 100 times better, Would 100% recommend that you guys get that. 9.5/10 experience Thank you Halal guys.

white lady with the hat was screaming at the Hispanic girl up front which was so off putting, I waited 40 minutes in a short line for MID food. I don’t like writing bad reviews but I truly had an awful experience the energy was extremely off. I understand it just opened up but treat your staff with more respect it was so awful seeing what I saw. Younger white dude up front was the sweetest tho props to him!

I came during the opening week and was disappointed with the quality HOWEVER, I just returned and it's back up to par with other locations. As delicious as usual, and staff was friendly!!

Our first rime trying The Halal Guys did not dissappoint. Luckily there was a deal going on and we were quickly helped by Josmar. We had a few questions and Amanda was extremely friendly. We will be back.

Everything was good including the service! I'll be back. Excellent establishment. It was nice and clean.

Love that they finally opened on in San Diego! I would always stop in OC to take some home with me. I always get a regular mix plate with beef & chicken + all the usual toppings. My boyfriend gets a regular beef plate add green peppers. Once in a while we will order the catering size of the white sauce. Because the packet they provide aren't enough for the both of us. I think they give 1-2 packets each plate. Some hot sauce too, but if you want extra then you have to pay per packet. It make more sense for us to grab a catering pouch. We always take it to go! I placed a takeout order for 9:45pm on a Sunday night. I came around 9:30pm and they said they didn't receive my order. But it turns out that my order printed out at 9:40pm and they only see takeout orders 5 minutes before they are suppose to be picked up. Parking can be kinda tough depending on the time. I had to circle around a few before I gave up and went into a lot. They are located on a part of 5th Ave with TONS of restaurants, so it can get busy. Inside had a bunch of seating. Would recommend. Loving coming here!

More like 3.5 stars but I'm rounding it up because The service was good. The guy who took my order was multitasking like a boss. The only issue I guess I had is with the food! We got 2 of the combo plates with the beef and chicken. The beef was good, no complaints there. The chicken was just a tad bit dry. We also got a side of falafel but it was extremely dry and the tahini sauce that came with it did not help. I recommend dousing your plate In the white sauce. If it looks like too much - it's not. Just drown it.

I stopped by The Halal Guys and had an awesome experience! The food was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly -- the gyro and chicken combo with extra white sauce hit the spot. The portions were generous and everything tasted authentic. Big shout-out to Stephanie for her amazing customer service! She was super friendly, quick, and made sure my order came out just the way I wanted it. It's always great when someone takes the time to make you feel welcome. Definitely coming back -- The Halal Guys never disappoint, and Stephanie made the experience even better!

Amazing service and good food. Fast easy fresh and tasty ! Parking is not fun in this area but if you're already parked and need a quick bite- get it!

My first time at a brick-and-mortar Halal Guys restaurant. I've visited the food truck in New York before, and yes, it is definitely pretty good. That said, it's not like *mind-bogglingly epic* or anything. Don't get me wrong, I love their story and the hustle--they've definitely put in the work and really built a miniature empire at this point. This new store on 5th Avenue in Hillcrest is nice, super clean, spacious, and has a cool wall mural inside. It's only been open a couple of months, and I stopped by two days ago to try it out. The girl with the bleached short hair was very friendly and informative--great customer service. I ordered a pita sandwich with spicy chicken BBQ, and got everything on it. I had the dairy-free mayo and the super hot sauce as toppings, too. It was tasty, and that hot sauce packs a serious punch, but it strikes me as mainly drunk street food more than anything. I mean, it's good, but it's not great. It's in the right location to capture a lot of the partying crowd in Hillcrest on the weekends, though. The flavors are there, and it's filling and tastes fresh, but ultimately it tastes mostly like halal street food. Maybe it's the scaling that's cutting into quality slightly, I don't know. I'd say it's worth trying out forsure, and definitely worth hitting up after a handful of drinks, but beyond that, I wouldn't go too far out of my way for it.

The Halal Guys opened a month ago in Hillcrest. Parking is challenge. HG is a franchise chain of restaurants, I've seen them in Los Angeles. Never stepped into any of them until now. I was cordially greeted by the staff. The menu is limited and their claim of fame is 'Halal meats,' similar to Kosher meat prep with slight variations, you can read more about it yourself via Google. Here, the meat options are shredded chicken and gyro meat, both didn't appeal to me so I chose falafel, a vegan option. I ordered a falafel plate, 2 scoops of hummus, lots of onions, jalapeño peppers and topped with garlicky white sauce. Also got the side of crispy chicken wings and a ginger ale togo. After taking home, and tasting the falafel plate: the hummus and falafel lacked flavor. The white sauce also lacked flavor and didn't enhance anything, I had added fresh ground black pepper and crushed garlic. The falafels were not greenish hue inside meaning it lacked parsley. Disappointed in the falafel plate, but if you're not as picky as I am with flavor intensity, you might like it as is, on the bland side. I suggest for togo orders, separate the hot foods from the plate with salad, the hot falafels wilted the lettuce...the untrained staff should have known better. Usually, not a fan of chicken, but since these a Halal prep, I felt comfortable eating these. The fried chicken wings were seasoned perfectly and were scrumptious, would return for those. Indoor only seating and interior was clean and lively music for cool ambience. Service by the staffers seemed disorganized, my order wasn't handled seamlessly. Until one of the owners, noticed I wasn't happy, he was proactive and made sure my order was completed, so I appreciate his efforts. The super nice owner, whose name I probably misspelled Shahid was very helpful and friendly made my visit more pleasant than expected. I am glad there is a place offering Halal prep meats and The Halal Guys is Worth a try.

Was waiting for Halal Guys to open a location in San Diego but maybe having had it Orange County the hype was no longer there for me, but decided to try it for the nostalgia. I wasn't sure what to expect since it recently opened, if it was going to be busy or not and to order ahead or dine in. I left it to the parking gods and lucked out with a meter still in the green! Came here on a Tuesday night around 7:30pm and it was empty. The staff were nice enough, place was clean but the food was not as good as I remembered it. Maybe it was the temperature of the food not being hot, maybe cuz it wasn't busy so the turnover of food was slow. I got the regular platter and got the chicken and gyro because I couldn't remember what I liked more, definitely the gyro over the chicken! Pita was hard, and hummus not worth the extra charge. I also don't remember halal guys charging for extra sauce, but also I guess nothing good is ever free anymore. I will say if you're ordering it on top in person they are generous. Maybe I'd go back, but definitely nothing I'm going out of my way for. Location definitely makes it less enticing due to the parking situation.

It's nice to see a new occupant in a longtime vacant suite in downtown Hillcrest. The popular NYC-based eatery, The Halal Guys, just debuted a few weeks ago where an unsuccessful breakfast joint had operated. I avoided the long lines of the grand opening and came a couple of weeks ago in the evening. The decor featured murals depicting the pride of how this business started as a food truck in the streets of NY with lots of yellow and red colors. The concept was build your own bowl, platter, or sandwich using vegetables and either beef, chicken, or falafel as a protein. Sides, sauces (including their famous white sauce), beverages, and desserts rounded out the menu. An army of workers were busy cooking the meats on different rotisseries, prepping the toppings, and assembling the customers' orders. It was no different than what you see at Chipotle. There were two platter sizes, small and regular. I picked the latter with a combination of beef and chicken for my meal. Rice, lettuce, tomato, two triangular pita pieces, and an unlimited dousing of white sauce were added to the top of the serving vessel which was a round aluminum pan. The sauce was mayonnaise based with a tangy flavor. For the quality of the ingredients, it ranged between three and four stars. The workers were really pleasant and even posed when I was taking a photo of their preparation area. The level of service was why I rounded my 3.5 star rating of The Halal Guys to four stars.

Felt a little rushed but everything else was amazing. Yellow shirt worker was super nice, and I can't wait to dig in

As a former New Yorker who used to carpool from Long Island to pick up the mixed platter as a college kid, I can attest this is legit. The portions are not as loaded as the OG cart but other than that, the classic flavors are all there. Best part? Look at that white sauce "serving" . They are thankfully generous with the white sauce serve. Ordered: Mixed platter with Spicy BBQ Chicken and Gyro, onions and bell peppers + plenty of white sauce and some hot sauce. You can also get hot sauce on the side. The platter assembly is done similar to chipotle and moves fairly quickly. All the staff that I interacted with were so friendly and happy to help. Will definitely be back when the craving hits next.

YESSSS FINALLY! I can't tell you how happy I am that we finally have a Halal Guy's in San Diego. THIS is a big deal in my opinion. I use to drive to Costa Mesa just to satisfy my craving. Food is simple but good quality halal food. Options between platters and sandwiches, with your choice of protein, beef gyro, chicken or falafel. Minimal veggies, with rice and a side of pitas. The white sauce is where it's at, they're known for their creamy sauce that amplifies flavor and if you're feeling spicy, the hot sauce will def come with a kick. Apply with caution, a little goes a long way. Ample seating to accommodate small and/or big parties. Originating from a food truck in New York, so excited that they made their way up the west coast. The location is cool too, so many other things to do around the area. You must come in and try!

Grand opening day! I got there about 9:45am. That 15min til opening seemed liked hours, but.. I was one of the 1st 50 people so I got a free small platter. Parking wasn't too bad that time of the morning. I parked on the street (metered), however they have a lot right across the street for a fee. Met the new owners who were very nice and grateful to open up in San Diego. Location is ok but I think parking will be a issue. I think breakfast bitch was in that location prior. Like someone else mentioned the ordering process is like Chipotle. It was crowded but organized. I won a prize and hope to win a bigger prize whenever the announce the winners. I got a combo platter (gyro and spicy chicken) for my freebie and the larger size I paid for. They were running a special on sides so I ordered some wings. Have I had Halal guys before, yes in NY and ATL. In NY, I've also tried another halal place called Bonjour Habibi. Is Halal Guys better than Bonjour Habibi, I don't think so. My platter was good. I would say serving size is decent. The spicy chicken had a little heat to it, and I mean little. I think I would go for the regular chicken next time though. I got the white sauce. The white sauce tasted different to me. Mind you it's been years since I had Halal Guys. It tasted more mayonnaise base. It needs more salt, lemon.. maybe yogurt/garlic base would be better. I also wish they offered the choice to have grilled onions instead of raw. Non the less I enjoy my platter and plan on coming back. Oh and the wings.. very good. Had a little kick to them. They're not on the menu but I hope they continue to serve them.

Just went to the brand new Halal Guys on 5th Ave in Hillcrest (Across from Chase bank) for their grand opening. Order my usual, Beef Gyro over Rice platter with extra white sauce because I love it when Halal Guys squirt their special white sauce all over my meat platter. They had a prize wheel today for their grand opening and I won a doughnut. It was kind of a weird prize but better than landing on "sorry" and not get a prize at all. Other prizes include free soda or $5 mini plates. The doughnut was definitely different. In comparison to the OG Halal Guys in Manhattan, across from the Midtown Hilton... it's not as good because the food here was served from a hot steam tray so you don't really get the char pieces from sitting on the grill a bit too long... but on the flip side you are allowed to customize your plate more with a Chipotle style assembly line. If you never been, definitely ask for extra sauce White Sauce packets in addition to what they put on the plate or wrap. Also ask for the hot / red sauce packet. The red / hot sauce can be really spicy if you're not use to it so if you never had Halal Guys before, I would just ask for the packet and not on the actual food. As for the white sauce, you can never get too much of the white sauce. The white sauce is to Halal Guys what the spread is to In N Out.

I visited for the first time a few days ago (I am used to eating in New York). I ordered the large plate. The meat was tasty, the rice was perfect, and the sauces were excellent. However, the portion of meat was really small and the pita was hard and not tasty at all. The staff was super friendly, the place was clean, but it was completely empty of people.

Great service and food! The sauce here is the best and the fries and wings are really good too.

I highly recommend to check this spot out. The food was amazing and the Amanda (who helped me out) was super friendly.

Made me feel very comfortable and welcomed + free baklava :) definitely will be coming back!

Love this restaurant super happy San Diego finally has a location! Dawn was amazing very kind and made for a great experience

The Halal Guys has finally made its way to San Diego and offers its taste that originated from that very food cart in New York. That was very first taste of Halal Guys in the early 2000s when I visited New York right after the bars and it sure tasted good back then as it still taste good today. My order is always the combo consisting of chicken and gyro meat. The nice juicy, saltiness mixed with the rice and white sauce fills you up quickly. As this was only their 3rd week open they were still figuring out the production line but it moved pretty quickly. I hope to be back soon to get my fill on my combo platter with the famous white sauce.

Finally!!!! The legendary food truck from New York City has finally opened location in San Diego and it was worth it. I've had Halal Guys for years and this location doesn't miss you. I would do half and half on the chicken and steak. Always get the white sauce (vegan) and add some bbq sauce on top, so good! Enjoy!

This was my first time ever at Halal guys! I came with my brother for lunch out of all the positive stuff. I'm gonna say in this review the only negative thing is their parking(there's none). He stayed in the car while I got our food. Blake greeted me and was phenomenal the entire time I didn't tell him it was my first time but I think he knew it was. He offered me some spicy barbecue chicken that was "fire" like literally in both ways haha! I ended up getting half beef and half chicken, which was an amazing choice. He hooked me up with the rice now, I messed up on the white sauce when I go back I'll definitely be getting a lot more, but I told him not to put any more. I should've stuck to my gut feeling and let him take over. I was actually a favor to the beef way more than the chicken and normally I'm a chicken kind of guy, but their beef was so good! The rest of the team was cool as heck as well. Many of them greeted me one asked about my shirt and the other one helped me check out and offered me dessert. Everyone was extremely friendly. I would 10 out of 10 come back again.

Does it taste like the one in New York? Pretty close--definitely close enough that you don't need to hop on a plane for it. I came through on their grand opening, and honestly, for a first day it went really smoothly. Service was solid and the food quality was still there. Overall, a great addition and I'll be back.

Nice surprise to see a Halal Guys open in SD! We love going to the LA and NY locations, and the flavors/portions are just liked I remember. We shared a regular combo (gyro/chicken) platter with white sauce and service is ala Chipotle style where you pick your toppings. Plenty of seating inside and some outside, don't forget to ask for your sauces on the side!

I was walking my dogs when I spotted this location and I'm like WHAT? THE HALAL GUYS...I've always wanted to try it! Their grand opening is not till the 16th however the kind employees in their training gave me some samples of their gyro and spicy chicken and damn it was good! It pays to stare at people through the window looking hungry lol. Open open open

Amazing food paired with impeccable and friendly service! Place is clean, ample street parking, and smiling faces

I had a pleasant dining experience! The food was good and well-prepared, though the flavors were a bit on the mild side. Our server was friendly and attentive, which made the visit even more enjoyable. Overall, it was a nice meal and a good experience -- I'd be happy to come back again. And the Cheesecake is super yummy!!

What's the point of ordering Halal Guys and paying for EXTRA sauce so you can end up getting NONE!?!! DO NOT ORDER DELIVERY!!!

It was amazing! It was my first time coming. Stephanie, Aden, Amanda, and Dave were very patient with the group I came in with. There were 7 of us and they were able to make our orders quickly. We all had the gyro platters and they were so fresh! Would bring friends and family here.

Amazing service , great food!! Reminds me of my first time trying it in New York!! Got the combo platter , all chicken with their white sauce ! And hot sauce on the side ! Food is fresh! And their hot sauce is notoriously hot! Great location ! Enjoy !

Amanda and Josmar were amazing and very quick! Delicious food and great deals! I would 100% recommend!

I have been waiting for its opening since 2023. I am not sure what was missing, but the food didn't taste the same as it does at other locations. Also, the veggie and dressing sections were not visible to customers, which made it difficult to choose toppings and sauces. I hope the missing ingredient issue gets resolved.

I've tried multiple halal guys all over California, my best experience was at this one, So good to the point where I was there 3 days in a row. The workers are very welcoming and very attentive to detail when it comes to getting your food, Sara who took our order 2 times on both days gave us a Great experience, Asked questions all the way, and it's so funny but I was literally thinking about more sauce and she walked behind me asking "would you like some more" lol. Taste wise, the spicy bbq chicken and gyro tasted amazing, a little bit of salt on that and it was delicious. In terms of portions they are well sized and if u ask them for a bit more they won't charge you but will give you more. Cleanliness was on top, even when people were done w eating the tables were clean immediately. One thing I noticed that most halal guys don't have is their lemonade and iced tea machine, I loved the mango and strawberry lemonade, made my meal 100 times better, Would 100% recommend that you guys get that. 9.5/10 experience Thank you Halal guys

Dave's service was amazing, walked me through and helped me with the ordering process. Very nice and helpful.

Found out they opened a location in hillcrest close to work and had to stop in. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I went for the chicken sandwich and added jalapeños which was an extra few but worth it. The restaurant was very clean but the only negative would be that the music was kinda loud and I had a hard time hearing the staff. Food and service were great. Go check out the new spot. You won't be disappointed.

Visited for the first time today, was helped by Dawn. Customer seevice was great and chicken was fresh. thanks

An awesome spot for a quick, tasty meal. The food is fresh, flavorful, and comes out fast, which makes it perfect for a casual lunch or easy dinner. The staff is welcoming, the restaurant is clean, and the portions are generous for the price. I'll definitely be coming back and recommending to everyone I know!

Very friendly and tasty food I'm excited we finally have one in San Diego! Lots of space to sit in and not too loud inside as well!

food was delicious! the workers were very polite and kind. and the restaurant was very clean!! we will come back again soon!

Trisha was super helpful. Nice beef gyro sandwich. Will come back again.... Thank you

Great service and great food! Definitely coming back again soon! Was surprised to have seen them in San Diego

Been wanting to try this new spot in my Neighborhood. Great customer service and prompt service.

Jesus!!! What the hell happen here? It's Labor Day Sunday and this place is dead! Absolutely disappointing!! Use to get halal guys from the carts in San Francisco and would wait in long line and be late for work and wouldn't worry cuz I know my lunch would be fire!!! My boyfriend now husband would get it for lunch at least once a week.. so of course here in San Diego we got excited! It was crap! lol sorry! Nothing was being made fresh. I saw one of the employees testing the heat on the grill more than 3 times while we were there. It's a new restaurant.. why are they testing anything? The service was ok. Had to repeat myself three times. Asked for extra white sauce twice and never got it! Wanted to charge me for a packet of white sauce. No thanks. The food was not as good as the food truck. The rice was hard. The chicken was flavorless. The beef gyro was good enough. We got the chicken wings. It was spicy! We asked for the sauce on the side. The batter must have been spicy. Also got the lychee iced tea. It wasn't good either and warm. The bathroom has a bidet. I probably won't go back.

Came here on their grand opening last week, and got two plates of the gyro. I think the decor and interior was very cute. I would love it if they had more spice for me but I also really like very spicy food. I think nothing will beat the original stall in nyc , but this is close enough for how close it is

Really wanted to like this place as I have had the cart in New York..but this just felt flat. Sauce is just heavy on the mayo and I did not care for it, veggies should be cooked just an odd combo of offerings, but the meat was good. For the price point there are better fast casual spots. Disappointing.

20ish years ago, I used to live/work a short walk from the original Halal Guys cart in Manhattan. The San Diego franchise tastes exactly the same as the original, best halal food I've ever had. I recommend the gyro meat with the original white sauce mixed with a tiny amount of red hot sauce (it's really, really spicy). I haven't tried the BBQ chicken because the cart never had that so I feel like it's blasphemy.

Very good food and service from amanda that's soo delicious it's amazing thank you halal guys