Moody’s Falafel Palace

This place went from one of my all time favorites to a low quality place. I’m sure the regular patrons have noticed a change in management and staff, unfortunately for the worse. Staff are unprofessional, the cashier (I believe he is the new owner) is somehow unprofessional and, worst of all, the food has changed for the worse. My favorite middle-​eastern shawarma is now looking/​tasting like a burrito. Also, the quality of meat has declined dramatically.
This is not my beloved Moody’s falafel anymore.

Used to be the BEST quick lunch in central square, hands down. Now I see reviews saying something change. BUT! I walked in today and they were closed and changing things around. Maybe they’re going back to the former great way??!

Damn. I used to eat here 2 – 3 times a week. It is a shadow of its former self. They should honestly change the name.
30% higher prices, 25% less food, and the quality has dropped as well.
RIP Moody’s, you used to have something good here. Shame.

The hot sauce is good, the ambience is cute, the server (who I’m guessing was the owner?) was adorable but the vegetarian falafel roll-​ups weren’t great. :(
I came here expecting some authentic quality but I’ve had better stuff in Boston. Friendly on the pocket but disappointing on the whole.

Place is not as it used to be. falafel are so bad with two small pieces in it.
Hummous is extra??? Seriously and the it tasted like the worst Flafel in my life.
Shawerma was horrible too. I’m disappointed

Moody’s– a place I found myself seemingly attracted to for their high quality middle eastern quick cuisine has now left my sphere of go to places. Moody’s has a wide variety of fresh menu items but they come at the cost of extremely rude and hostile ownership and customer service. While I ordered my dish I asked for an additional side I was told was free and then I questioned being charged for it. I did not argue, use a hostile tone or criticize their mistake. However, the supposed owner bullied and berated me for complaining at the price surge. Calling me rude and greedy for simply asking a question of the price in mention Is behavior unacceptable for any respectful Business and urge anyone thinking of Moody’s to boycott this behavior in order to leave room for independently owned restaurant who properly treat their customers.

I got the palace roll up (all the awesome veggie fixings in one wrap) and it was super solid. Way better than Life Alive, bigger portions, and at the same price!

I am not sure exactly what happened to this place. I visited for the first time today after several months and the food is DEFINITELY not the same. The meat is not freshly cut and now sits on trays. The quality of the rice is as different as day and night (not great). Quality of the food drops as the prices increase — riddle me that. They ruined what was once a staple in the Central Square area… I do not think I will be returning in the near future. Folks are already starting to notice the difference. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.

The falafel wrap was good actually but small. Also got a beef kefta shwarma. 3 pieces of small beef for $ 10. All in this was a $ 17 meal. And then we walked to another place and paid another $ 17 to complete our meal. Won’t be returning because I no longer enjoy being gouged so I won’t anymore. If they didn’t mark this up I would return 3x over, as I’m sure many others would too. Not sure why so many places are all about the markup these days at the detriment of customer loss.

I have been coming to Moody’s for several years, and when I moved to central square a year ago I ate here several times a week. As others have stated, in the last couple of months this has gone from one of my favorite places to eat to a place I don’t consider at all. The prices have gone up and the portion sizes have tanked right along with the quality of the food. They often run out of ingredients before the day is up, and the shawarma is no longer freshly cut off the spit but added to large trays and doused in yucky broth hours in advance. The trays used to have segments to keep food separate but now have been replaced with tiny metal dishes that mix all the food together into a gross mess.
As a (former) regular I have noticed that the employees are different as well, and I haven’t seen the old owner in a while so my assumption is that this place is under new management. What a shame. I still stick my head in the door every now and then to see if there’s any improvement but after several disappointing meals I think they’ve lost both my husband and I as customers.

More More MORE!!!
We were in town from LA, looking for apartments, and stopped by Moody’s Falafel Palace for a quick lunch. My sister lived in Cambridge for several years and told us «GO!»
Yummy deliciousness wrapped in foil. CASH ONLY. The employees were soooo nice! The Turkish coffee was a delight. Believe me, when we move to Cambridge, we’ll be regulars.

Sad but true, portions sized downward and prices raised upward. What were once filling portions have been significantly reduced and are now unsatisfying. Containers that used to separate various foods have been replaced with aluminum containers that are smaller and result in mushed together dishes. We have lost our go to place and will now walk on by in search of another.

Tasty, filling, and portable food. Reasonable prices. Expressive people behind the counter. A very nice contrast to the slow, expensive restaurants filling up most of Central Square.
My office moved to Central a month and a half ago and I’ve been looking for lunch places comparable to what I’d find around South Station /​Chinatown. Moody’s is the only place so far that satisfies my need for good, fast, affordable food.

I’ve been coming to Moody’s for 25 years, but they’ve hit a low. The falafel roll up has gotten positively tiny. You can eat it in about 3 bites. And the falafel balls are ice cold. Gross. I won’t be coming back again. Bummer.

When we first moved to the Central Square area, my husband and I loved this place! Unfortunately, I am so sad to say that it must be under new ownership now because things have changed in all the worst ways. Even if you ignore the fact that the prices are up and the portions are down (which they are), you can’t ignore how bad the food is now. I didn’t even finish my lamb schwarma roll-​up tonight because the «lamb» was just gross. If I hadn’t paid so much for it, I probably would have tossed it out right away.
It looks like a lot of other people feel the way I feel. I hope the new owners see these recent reviews and recognize that the killing they are making now by charging high prices for crap food is not sustainable. They will be losing customers left and right if things continue the way they are now.

Echoing other recent reviews, I use to love going here, but it’s really gone downhill. The prices have gone up, the portions have gotten so small, and the food has gotten a little funky. Still cash only. I am steering clear until something changes. Hoping they’ll wake up and smell the baba ghanoush.

Falafel Palace used to be synonymous with central square cheap eats, however unfortunately as of late this loved staple has gone down hill.
Not only have prices gone up for their falafel roll ups, but their portions have also dramatically decreased too!!! Roll ups are now much smaller and their plates are served in smaller containers… What gives?
I’m a bit heartbroken and now will have a hard time justifying visiting this once loved eatery after 8 years of joyous chickpea goodness.

They have good food, but given how often they are out of ingredients hours before they close, it doesn’t make much sense to go here since you never know if you’ll actually be able to get the food you want.

Best Falafel in Boston. It is hole in the wall restaurant owned and operated by a guy from Syria. Open till late. Prices are quire reasonable also but they take cash only.

I’ve had lots of falafel from a lot of places, but this has to be the worst falafel I’ve ever had. I couldn’t even finish the sandwich it was so bad. I had two or three bites and threw out the rest of the sandwich. Perhaps it was an off day or bad batch of falafel mix, but I have no intention of going to this place again.

I was super excited to come here after a long night of dancing. Sadly a 200lb employee with a short beard yelled at a friend of mine for doing an activity that didn’t bother or effect him, or anyone else. It ruined our experience and I dont plan on coming to falafel palace ever again. I am giving you two stars because I appreciate restaurants open past 2am and I understand the kind of stuff you have to deal with. That being considered, there is no reason for an employee to treat someone that way.

It’s a great small shop in Central square and with some great tasting falafels. Everything I had there was delicious. My friends all enjoyed what they got. I had a falafel wrap and my friend had the veggie super special or something like that. Some come with grape leaves and the tabouleh was amazing. I’m not a vegetarian but we all said we would be if we had someone make this for us everyday. The cashier was super nice and said he doesn’t take orders on the phone or delivers cuz he wants people to eat it fresh.

I was first introduced to Moody’s Falafel Palace back in 2006 when I was attending college in the area and me and my best friend got a craving. Away we went to the establishment which was emanating a fantastic aroma two blocks before we got there. When I got there and ordered the Shwarma Wrap with steak in it, I was shocked at the price and the size of the wrap. It was the same as a Taco Bell Steak Grande wrap as it was folded and grilled to make it nice and crispy. Well, I have to say that it was the tastiest $ 5.50 I ever spent in my life. This is one of the hidden gems of the Central Square area of Cambridge and one that I have been to many times over. Many people in Cambridge complain that this establishment is cash-​only, but so what? Get your cash, get your food.
I am giving Moody’s only 4 stars instead of 5 for two reasons. One, is that the size of the wraps has shrunk since I started going there in 2006, and they don’t even bother to toast them anymore. That was something that shocked me over time. Secondly, the prices have soared up significantly in the last few years. Having worked in Cambridge since 2009, and been a regular since ’06, I have not had the experiences of others with food poisoning or Salmonella. I am not discounting those experiences, but I have only had a good experience with The Palace, and I am continuing to go there. I also agree that the layout of the business is not for large crowds, which is sad because they are one of, if not the better, of the falafel places in the city. Try them out and see what you think.

Do not eat here unless you want a free side of food poisoning! I ate here with friends late night on ⁹⁄₄ who became violently ill for the next week

I’ve never seen a 10 $ falafel plate come with only one falafel ball… But now i have! Shawarma plate had only one type of salad and babaganoush had a strong burnt taste.
I don’t recommend this place, worst value for money… I don’t usually write bad reviews but we just ate there and we were stunned at how bad it was! Just to warn people about it…

I have never given a review of a restaurant (call this place that if you will) before in my life because I have never felt so passionately about an establishment. I ate at this «restaurant» last week with friends when we were in town visiting two of our fraternity brothers. All four of us had falafel, and all four of us were unable to go to work all week because WE ALL HAVE FOOD POISONING. It’s a damn shame that this goes on in a great state like Massachusetts. This type of treatment is not the America I have come to know and love. Please change your ways. Customers beware. I would give negative 5 stars if I could.

Myself and 4 other friends ate here last week, and about a day or two later, we all got crazy food poisoning. I got salmonella, haven’t been right all this week and have been out of work because of it. This place is usually fine, idk what happened. I called the Cambridge board of health, hopefully they can straighten things out.

Myself, my sister and a friend got some of the worst food poisoning I’ve ever heard of from this place Friday 9÷4÷15. We have each been sick for 4 days and have all made trips to the hospital for IVs.
I have eaten here several times and is generally good, but this was an awful disgusting experience and I will never go back.

Myself and two friends ate at Moody’s this past week. This was the only meal that all 3 of us ate together.
We have all contracted salmonella which has lasted 5 days and counting. This is the most sick I have ever been in my entire life, I can’t even describe how painful it was. We all needed to go to urgent care for IV drugs and fluids.
We are starting to hear from at least 10 others who have had the same experience. Please contact Cambridge restaurant inspections if you have gotten sick too 617 349‑6124
Salmonella can kill people, this business really should not stay open after this.

LOVED this tiny falafel shop, one of many in a city that can’t possibly appreciate the richness of its Middle Eastern culture! Our wraps were perfectly proportioned, easy to eat without making a mess but packed to the gills with a symphony of contrasting flavors and textures: smoky grilled meat and baba ganoush, creamy tahini and hummus, lemony tabouli, fresh vegetables and falafels that were dark and crispy outside, tender and herb-​flecked within. Wow.
They were so good, in fact, that they rate four stars despite some pretty serious problems. The most egregious is that they’re cash-​only, forcing a couple of us to zip up the street to an ATM. I get why small places do this, but I think it’s causing them more harm than good, as I tend to avoid them even when they’re as high-​quality as Moody’s. They really aren’t equipped to handle large groups (there were eight of us) as there is no space to eat inside and only a tiny table outside — we had to look elsewhere for a picnic spot. And I felt the prices were a little high: $ 8.50 for a smallish wrap (I ate mine and split a second with a friend; others in our party ordered two) and $ 2.50 for a can of soda.
Knowing all that, if the circumstances were right, I would definitely return. Well done!

Can’t be beat for inexpensive delicious food in central square.
After a while they did start to recognize me when I came in, so obviously I am addicted. (and maybe biased)
Tiny interior space. Food is great — best baba ghanoush in town. Super veggie plate is where it’s at.

Amazing little place on a corner. I think it is operated by the same family that first opened it many years ago. The food is incredible and the prices are fair, for Cambridge.
Try the felafels ! I had the shewarma.

Best falafel in Boston. Get the King’s Wrap up and ask for extra taboli!

I used to live over in allston nearby the «Garlic & Lemons». First time I had shawarma was there. I have to say Moody’s doesn’t live up to Garlic & Lemon’s standard. Price-​wise its pretty decent. Food quality however I would have to give a ³⁄₅. They also only accept cash FYI.
I usually order the lamb shawarma plate. Not much sauce is provided, hummus is extra. The meat is precut and stored warm which actually I’ve found to taste a bit drier (G&L keeps it intact and cuts it when you order).
Honestly its not an incredibly cheap place and with the food quality so-​so. I think there are better alternatives.

This is absolutely my favorite middle eastern takeout spot ever!!!
Love that it’s open late!
It’s so tasty I’m always extremely impressed. I’ve tried practically every dish there.
Love the small local vibe. Great hidden gem in Central.
Highly recommend. I have recommended many!

Falafel here is pretty delicious, but the service can be so-​so. I stopped in here at about 9:45pm one night because there were so few other restaurants (with vegan options) open at that time. I wanted to get a rice and lentil dish to go with my falafel but they were basically out of everything except wrap material. If there wasn’t much of a demand at night, I could see why they wouldn’t want to make more. But several people kept coming in asking for non-​wrap items so clearly they could have made more and sold it.
Also, it’s cash only which is always a drag (though I understand why small businesses do this.)

Moody’s is your typical hole-​in-​the-​wall restaurant — tiny, hidden, dingy, but the food is oh-​so-​delicious!
I came here on a beautiful fall day. There was a long line, so I waited a while to place my order and get my food. I got a chicken and lamb shawarma (couldn’t choose between the two so why not get both?!) I think it was only around $ 6 – 7. There was barely any space inside the restaurant to enjoy the food, but I planned on getting it to go anyway, so I didn’t really mind. It was a short walk to the Charles river. I sat down on the bank, enjoying my shawarma while watching the Charles Regatta.
The shawarma was so flavorful! Both the chicken and lamb were marinated and quite juicy. The veggies balanced out meat, so the wrap was not so heavy. I absolutely believe it when other Unilocalers say that the falafel and shawarma here make some of the most glorious (and cheap) drunk food. But hey, they are pretty damn tasty when I’m sober too!