Mamoun’s Falafel

First review, though I’ve come here many times over the years. The food is reliably very, very good. Not too spicy for me and my tummy. The selection is varied, vegetarian & meat options, but no alcohol.
I had the lamb kabob on a plate with 2 each: grape leaves, felafel, some hummus, baba ganoushe, & salad. Accompanying pita slices were warm and fresh. Dessert was almond baklava, which II’d never had before! It was very good– better than pistachio baklava, but below walnut.
Very few decaf beverages– no decaf coffee unfortunately, as I wanted to try their Turkish coffee but didn’t want to be up all night.
Noise: very quiet to quiet, depending on how many diners and how the music is adjusted. The very pleasant owner would probably adjust it, if it was a problem for you.
This is an iconic Albany restaurant. Don’t miss it!

We had heard about you through your underwriting of WAMC and came here early before a show at The Linda this past Fall. We really enjoyed our meal and super friendly service. Our dishes were super fresh and flavorful! I highly recommend the sampler plate as it had a little bit of everything and what a great combination. For desert you have to have the home made halvah. It was so good! Your support of WAMC pays off! Highly recommend! Yummy

Great for lunch. Try the cardamom tea and save room for baklava.

It is one of the good and clean restaurant in downtown Albany. Family owned restaurant

The food is delicious, especially the lamb shish skewers! Everything is fresh and the rice they give you with your entrée is so flavorful! Most middle eastern restaurants give plain rice. Service is good and the staff is very friendly and kind. My least favorite entrée is the lamb seekh (ground) skewers but they are still good. Dining here is an overall pleasant and satisfying experience. It’s perfect for a date and good for small groups. Not too fancy, but still classy. Also the baklava is PERFECT! I want some meow!

Rarely give 5 stars on here– but this place deserves it! Best middle eastern/​Mediterranean food I’ve ever had, including that from New York City. I got the chicken-​falafel pita sandwich platter, hummus appetizer, and Turkish coffee. The hummus was creamy and had a wonderful nutty flavor to it. The warm pita that was served with it was a perfect complement. The chicken-​falafel pita sandwich was absolutely divine, let me tell you! First, the falafel was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside– exactly what you want for a perfect falafel texture. It was perfectly seasoned and the flavors blended perfectly with the chicken stacked on top of it. The chicken was tender and fresh and also very well seasoned. The veggies on the sandwich tasted like they were literally just plucked from the garden. The tahini sauce atop everything really made the sandwich. Everything combined made the sandwich a perfect symphony of flavors that made music in my mouth! The Turkish coffee was also amazing, nice and strong but still had its own sweetness and decadent flavor. The waiter (pretty sure he was the owner) was extremely kind and accommodating. I can’t wait to come back to this new found glory!!!

Great homemade Mediterranean food. They don’t deliver, but pick up is usually fast and there is often room in the dining area to sit if you want to eat in. The kafta falafel is our favorite — part ground lamb patty, part falafel stuffed in a pita with some veggies — an awesome combo of flavors. Don’t forget to try their desserts!

My wife and I had lunch here and the food was average. We had tabouli, falafel, hommus and mjadra. It was good but not outstanding. It also was very dark inside the restaurant.

Never judge a book… I’ve been past here countless times and gave this restaurant little thought or attention. When my husband and I were craving Mediterranean and the ability to ride our bikes to get, we decided on Mamoun’s. So glad! We both got the combo platter. The skewer of chicken was some of the best chicken I’ve ever had (and I’ve eaten a lot of chicken). Moist where liquid comes out when you pierce with your fork, and seasoned nicely. Will be a new go-​to spot! Only slight negative is service was a little slow which isn’t necessarily a downfall, we were just really hungry even before we got there.

falafel sandwich
shish tawouk
legit mediterranean food.
seasoned just right,
prices are very reasonable.

I would post a picture of our dinner but we pounced on it like starving wildebeest upon the first tender shoots of spring grasses after a long dry season. Dinner arrived soon after ordering, was admired, then consumed in a delighted frenzy.
Kitty and I are falafel chicks and there is no falafel to touch Mamoun’s. I ordered the platter – served with pita chips, pickled carrots and hummus. Kitty went straight for the pita sandwich, perfectly assembled with fresh tomatoes, tahini, and lettuce.
It is such a pleaure to return to a favorite place, to be greeted by the warm and accommodating Mr. Chater, and to know that what you will be served is exactly as it should be.
Kitty enjoyed the Turkish coffee she’d been craving for a week now. I had the perfect glass of brewed iced tea.
We decided not to order the baklava because we both want to eat fewer sweets and one must draw the line somewhere. Then we had a good laugh, decided to draw the line elsewhere and ordered it anyway! It’s Mamoun’s baklava! How could we turn that down? Flaky, not dried out like diner baklava, and dripping with syrup and walnuts. Bliss.
We won’t let Central Ave. parking deter us again. Though the lot next door is now reserved for Albany County Employees (What? Are they more deserving of falafel-​convenient parking than I??), we had no trouble finding parking on the street at mid afternoon on a Sunday.
Go, my friends. Enjoy!

This place has really the best ambiance for a middle eastern joint. The food is reasonably priced and hits the spot. I highly recommend it.

Fresh, homemade Syrian/​Lebanese food with an old classic décor! The hummus and baba ganoush are light yet tasty, and meat is tender. I’m a fan of their kafta kabob sandwich. Couscous is amazing, too! The portion of sandwich platters and lamb/​chicken dishes seems smaller than that of entrees. The owner is always friendly. Can’t wait to come back and try other dishes!

I finally came here after four years of undergrad at SUNY Albany and then post year and a half of graduation … and boy, was I missing out all of this time! My best friend from college and I came here for an early dinner on Friday, and unlike some of the other restaurants on the block, Mamoun’s Falafel had a large sign that signified that it was open. Freshly made falafel and other Lebanese/​Syrian food? Yes please!
My friend and I were the only ones at the restaurant, which normally makes me feel kind of funky, but my friend was so gung-​ho about eating here that I couldn’t detract from his excitement. Why not, right? We ended up ordering the Baba Ghanouj appetizer and my friend had the curry plate while I had the falafel and eggplant sandwich platter.
Everything was so delicious! I wish I could write more about it, but it was just so good that I just want to tell everyone to go there and try it! You’ll understand what I mean when you go — it’s just too good for words! Everything was freshly made and all the flavors just linger in your mouth. The portions were very filling and for the price, it was extremely cheap! I’m upset that I didn’t go there sooner! Ugh, Albany!
Probably the best Lebanese/​Syrian food in Albany. I definitely would go back again. Even though it was super good, super fresh, with great wait staff, I couldn’t give them 5 stars because it’s Albany.
I never give anything in Albany 5 stars. Womppp

The kabob is great! Perfect amounts of veggies to go along with the lamb. The owner is wonderfully sweet but quiet. We have only ever seen one person working because it is a family business. I had been to the location in CT while attending college there. Whenever we go for dinner it wasn’t busy, maybe 2 – 3 other groups.

Amazing! Food! It’s hard to find a restaurant that cook Middle East food properly. Mamoun is my favorite spot for a taste of back home. The atmosphere here is subtle and relaxed. You won’t be disappointed! I promise!

We’ve been stopping here for lunch or dinner several times a year when passing through Albany for the past 15 years or so. Great middle eastern food — favorite is the Urfa Kabob — egg plant and pita chips with lamb. Quaint early 20^th century interior and beautiful tin ceiling. We highly recommend a visit.

Best falafel in town. Loved the kafta-​falafel pita sandwich, olives and grape leaves appetizers as well as the Turkish coffee!
This place would make a fortune on Lark Street although they are just around the corner on Washington/​Central Ave.
Definitely a must if you like Lebanese/​Syrian food.
Great food, great service, not crowded.

The portion of tabouli is huge and pretty good, I like that it’s not too oily but could use a little more flavor. The lamb kabob was super tasty –comes with some hummus and a few roasted veggies. Plenty of seating inside but I took it to go, food was prepared quickly and the staff was very nice. Really it’s nothing too remarkable, but I would definitely order again for good run-​of-​the-​mill middle eastern food when I’m in town.