Falafel Restaurant

Sadly this Place is GONE, Rest in Peace… Drove by Boarded Up… too bad… Phone Number is Disconnected too…

There was an ownership change. Half my favorite dishes aren’t on the menu anymore and the new owners are very awkward. Food was sub-​par. I will not be returning.

Sorry to tip the review scale again but unfortunately our experience here was not that great. It might have something to do with the fact that I’ve eaten many a great kebab (gyro/​shawarma) while in London so perhaps that is why this place doesn’t stand much of a chance by way of comparison. Granted the people were nice and very accommodating but ultimately it almost always comes down to the food.

all i remember is… do not go here, ever!

My coworkers and I are literally having lunch here as we speak and are terribly disappointed. The food quality is poor, the food is salty, the price is definitely not equivalent to the portion. I paid $ 14 inc $ 2 tip for a shawarma plate that included cheap scraps of beef, salty spinach, ok okra, and cold pita bread. I would’ve been more satisfied w a Big Mac from McDonald’s.

GROSSEST FOOD I’VE EVER HAD!
My brother and I had the chicken and mixed shwarma, hummus, baba ganouj, salad, and fries. EVERYTHING WAS NASTY! Never had middle eastern food this bad. The meat was dried out and just unpleasant.
I believe this place is now called Taval or Tava. Whichever. Don’t care. Never going back.

So I came to this place based on how many positive Unilocal reviews there were. Upon arriving I was surprised to find that apparently ownership has changed and it is now called Java Restaurant. I go to the restaurant a little before 1 pm and it was completely empty. I couldn’t help but notice that the prices for everything were $ 1+ higher than on the pictures posted here. The guy who helped me was friendly and helpful. While placing my order and hearing another couple, who came in after me, I realized that they didn’t have several of the items that were on the menu. (some sides and apps)
Considering it was so empty I really expected it not to take too long to get my order (1 beef shawarma plate, 1 falafel platter, 1 beef shawarma a la carte and a side of fries). There were several things about the way my order was given to me that bothered me. First of all, the guy helping me scooped hot sides into a to go container before the main entrees were even started. Minor quibble for a to go order but still. Second, they apparently needed to change the oil after making the falafel and the first order of fries and tried to tell me it would only take an extra 3 minutes to make the side of fries. I have worked in restaurants long enough there is no way you’re gonna change oil in a deep fryer and bring it back up to temperature in 3 – 5 minutes. If I had known the situation I would have left because I needed to get back to work. The thing is I would be sympathetic if they were busy, but considering that the entire crew was outside smoking when I got there its kind of hard to be.
In the end, it took almost an hour to get my food and they still did not give me the shawarma a la carte even after I asked him multiple times to make sure he understood my order. While they did discount my check, I simply can’t overlook the fact that the food was mediocre for Mediterranean/​Arabic food at best and the absurd amount of time it took to make my food considering the only things that were getting cooked to order were some beef, some falafel patties and some fries. The people were friendly enough and I really had high hopes considering there isn’t too much diversity in the area but, I won’t be frequenting this establishment.

The name and management changed but the food still very good!

We went here for lunch and ordered a Beef shawarma sandwich, hummus and baklava for dessert. All the food is authentic and the family that owns this place is really nice. They have a lunch buffet for $ 9.95 with quite a few choices that are made fresh daily. I would definitely go back!

Food was really good, and also good value. Buffet is $ 9.95. One meat, and at least 5 vegi dishes. Hummas, baba ganouche, etc. Also ordered a kefta plate, came with 3 sides, and grilled vegi, pickles. Very friendly service. Restaurant is very clean.

This will be a quick review as I just grabbed a short sit-​down lunch with a co-​worker last week here.
To avoid overeating and the resultant food coma, I skipped the buffet and ordered the mixed Chicken /​Beef Shawarma sandwhich with a small side of fries and a can of coke. The total price was around $ 8 bucks so skip the drink and you have a fantastic lunch value.
Only knock on this experience was the proprietor (owner?) handed me the wrong sandwich, plain chicken instead of mixed as my co-​worker got the chicken/​beef. The chicken was fairly moist, pretty tender but next time I’d just get the beef as it is more flavorful. The tahini-​yogurt sauce was too thick in the back but overall a good meal considering the value.
Next time I’ll get the Gyro-​style Shawarma plate with fries included to see how that is.

The food is excellent, tasty and healthy! I have been there several times and have never been disappointed. They have the best Chicken Shawarmah in the city. It is very juicy and tasty! I highly recommend you check it out. It is a great value for the food quality.

Food — First time I ordered a chicken sharwama and a side order of hummus for a lunch takeout. Um… very good. Huge sandwich and very tasty. The small order of hummus was very generous. I had leftover hummus for dinner.
Food II — A buffet plate. Everything was good. Fresh salad, tasty chicken bryani, nice and crispy falafel, and more hummus! Wow good deal on the buffet! I’ll be back to try different stuffs.
Service — nice and pleasant folks working here.
I’ll be back for lunch again. That’s a guarantee! Well, it’s only 5 mins from my office so why wouldn’t I come back? :) Still, this is not a fancy place to take your date but a nice small restaurant for lunch. For dinner, I wouldn’t dine-​in but rather opt for a takeout.

This place has both things required of a place for work lunches: cheap and fast.
This will definitely be my new go-​to restaurant for Mediterranean food during the work week. I had a chicken schwarma wrap and bottled water for $ 6 total… six. bucks! It was filling, tasty and fresh. I tried my bf’s beef schwarma and it was good as well. It had onions on it, which almost gave it a «philly cheesesteak» flavor. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful without being pushy in the least. I was even more impressed when I saw the way they handled a group of six elderly women who came in for lunch and didn’t know a thing about Mediterranean food. They unpretentiously explained what falafel and hummus were in such a patient way, it warmed my heart… haha.
It’s not necessarily a place you’d drive out of your way to eat at, but a viable option if you’re in the area. Considering the lack of Mediterranean options in the area, going back is a given.

The first time I came here I was hesitant to try anything because it didn’t look really appealing. I am a fan of Arabic food so I knew what it was supposed to look like. I had the buffet for $ 7.95 and surprisingly it is by far the best Arabic restaurant I’ve been to. The food has flavor and was fresh. It competes with Fadis and phoenicia deli. They have the best falafel and hummus in town :). The best thing about this little restaurant are the prices where sandwiches start from $ 3.95. You definitely have to try it out.

The lamb appareently flys out the door fast because i’ve been here a few times and they ahve always run out! Staff is very friendly, the lady at the coutner always smiles at you. The food is delish and the prices are reasonable. It is all fresh so you can’t beat that!

Very personable staff in this mom and pop establishment, which is my favorite type of restaurant. Decent sized, well-​priced all-​you-​can eat buffet which is served Luby’s style. This may be helpful to those who are new to Greek food as they will helpfully suggest what starches go best with what proteins. Fresh food is to be had here, nothing is prepackaged. The first portion served in the buffet is monster sized, good luck getting seconds, but do try. TIP: They have delicious Turkish coffee spiced with cardamom.

The price was good and the service was extremely fast & friendly. Not bad, but certainly not a 4.5 star Mediterranean joint. We ordered from the all you can eat selections to try as much as possible and everything was slightly on the bland side. A squeeze of lemon or a shake of salt would go a long way. I’m kicking myself for going all you can eat & not ordering shawarma off the menu.

I love this place! I’m new to Houston and this place opened up only a few weeks before we moved into the area. The price really can’t be beat and the service is amazing, all the people that work there are incredibly friendly. The food is good, I wouldn’t say it’s the most amazing food I’ve had in my life, but I think my standards are a little high since I have been to the Middle East, but it is definitely good food. I especially love the chicken shawarma sandwiches and their babaghanouch is really good. One reviewer commented that it tasted like barbeque, that’s because the eggplants are grilled before being put in the dip, that is how it is prepared. Their sweets are FANTASTIC!

Place has only been open for 4 weeks. «All you can eat» buffet for 7.95 (as if you can get past the 1^st plate)
Mom & Pop Owners/​Chefs are very nice, took the time to explain each dish before lovingly loading up your plate. Best Lamb Shank I’ve had in a while. Flavorful and tender, not bland and rubbery. Owner insisted we try his homemade hummus so he brought it out to the table with pita. It was incredible! Also his wife brought out her falafels «a la minute» drizzled with tahini sauce. They were outstanding and I broke a few off in my greek salad. At the end, his wife also brought out her homemade baklavas which could make a grown man weep they were so good. Would strongly recommend this place. Also they have BYOB and hookah service. Tres authentique!