The Flying Falafel

We had to wait 5+ minutes even though there were only a handful of people in the area which wasn’t ideal, but the Pita sandwich was pretty incredible. My girlfriend and I split one for a pre-​lunch snack and it was pretty filling. Would come back for a second if I was in the area.

I went to The Flying Falafel without knowing about its stellar Unilocal reviews. While the «show» was delightful, I found myself disappointed by my snack-​sized pocket sandwich, which was packed, but mostly flavorless and dry. A little extra sauce might have gone a long way, but I wouldn’t stop by to give this place a second chance.

A grimy hole in wall – not even sure if it’s sanitary, but nonetheless, we decided to try Flying Falafel because of the good reviews. There’s a lonesome table for four in front of the door, otherwise, you’re taking your falafel to go.
The portion was generous for the price. The pita was stuffed with layers of falafel and vegetables. I liked that they were smart enough to alternate toppings and falafel throughout, instead of some places that just stick all the falafels on the bottom and stack the top with vegetables. What is that.
The falafel itself was perfectly seasoned and fried. Not dried out and tough at all. The sauce poured liberally over the top, tied all the flavors in beautifully. Flying falafel is definitely good but… not the best I’ve had.

Food poisoning.
The place seemed pretty dirty but I was on the run to a warriors game so i had to pick up something to eat. It was more or less the only thing I had to eat all day and my stomach was upset right after I had it.
From a taste perspective, it’s really nothing to write home about either. I’m not sure how they are pulling a 4.5 star review average as I’m generally not a critical reviewer, but the falafel was quite dry.

Meh. Based on the reviews, I thought it would be the best falafel I’d ever have but I was disappointed. I thought the falafel sandwich was on the dry side. I wish there was more sauce throughout the sandwich, just not in one layer. The falafel itself was good but nothing different than other Mediterranean places.
It’s a good location if you work downtown but can get crowded since it’s pretty small. Be prepared to wait in line around lunchtime.

I didn’t see any flying falafel balls here. I guess it was because they were busy and didn’t have any time to play with their food.
The place is small. Inside, there’s only a place for you to order and pick up your food. No seating inside, hell, there’s no standing room either. Outside, there’s a small table with 4 stools to sit and eat your food… if it’s raining, you’re screwed. (Although, I hear it doesn’t rain often in California, yikes)
Most people took their food to eat on the go. I, on the other hand, am messy, and will drop food all over the place if I attempt to multitask by walking and eating.
This was my first meal in SF. Starving, it was a good choice. They made it fresh on the spot, frying the falafel and stuffing it into the pita. I asked for everything except for hot sauce. They also stuffed a few fries into the sandwich.

When billionaire’s row dissolves into skid row, you can find yourself in a virtual food desert in San Francisco. Which is how it happened on the way to a weeknight concert with my friend coworker. We walked from the bar to the venue, from hipster SOMA to one of the sketchiest sections of market looking for a bite to eat.
In the wreckage of boarded up buildings and makeshift villages, we found Flying Falafel. My friend thought it was dodgy and worried about stopping but I assured her that it had good Unilocal reviews.
Unlike a lot of places that make falafel, they only make only falafel! No gyros or meat at all. It could be for this reason that they have the best fresh made, moist, falafel. We got the snackers, which are advertised as half the size of a regular wrap sandwich. For $ 5, this is a whopping good deal.
Stuffed with falafel and layered with sauce and topped with veggies and French fries and another falafel, they were delicious and totally satisfying. Exactly what we needed. Even though they were just about to close for the night, the two guys graciously attended to a handful of other people that came in after us. More people rescued in the food desert!

We walked 20 mins to stand in a line for another 20 mins to order, and then wait about 15 mins for our food to be ready. So, Flying Falafel requires commitment. Pro tip: order online ahead of time, and you skip the ordering line & only have to wait in that «pick up your food» line. Huge difference.
A good falafel, plated or in a pita, is a thing of beauty. One of the best I’ve had was in Le Marais neighborhood of Paris, where there’s one legit falafel hut that people travel from around the world to patronize. Flying Falafel had a similar hole-​in-​the-​wall vibe, but the goods weren’t made with as much thoughtfulness as the Parisian version. Watching them «assemble» (or, more literally, throw together) our dishes was chaotic. Vegetables flying, condiments being squirted across the counter, falafel balls being plopped agressively into pitas. It was all a bit stressful, actually. I thought: how could something so haphazardly put together be worthy of such hype? Would it even taste good? And that extra sauce I asked for, did anyone pay attention to that?
In the end, our falafel plates were tasty, but I felt the sauce to veggie ratio was way off. There was a big pile of cabbage and carrots that just didn’t get eaten because there wasn’t enough condiments to go ’round. The falafel balls were nice and crispy though, so that counts for something. And the pita — noticeably soft and warm.
Compared to Liba Falafel in Oakland, with their impressive salad & sauce bar, Flying Falafel was just okay. Probably more authentic, but just came across as basic to my tastebuds.

Located on Market and Urine, this place is amazing! No frills, just food for $ 7. I am in love. They pack your pita with goodness and don’t skimp out on any ingredients. Probably one of the best unpretentious meals I’ve had in San Francisco!
The cashier/​staff/​superstar is very sweet and cute and handles assholes with poise.
Humble people. Honest living. I hope this stays alive forever.

I tried their dessert and milkshake…
the cinnabaklava is somewhat dry, but their milkshake is wonderful!

Okay picture this. Monday afternoon, I’m still slightly hungover from too much day drinking on Sunday and struggling to make it through the afternoon with hunger pains. FF to the rescue! This little hole in the wall tosses out some pretty bomb falafel (and all vegan!!!). I went for the platter and at $ 7.50 you get more food than I imagined. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, hummus, about 10 tasty little falafel balls all drizzled with a creamy sauce and warm wheat pita in the side. The FF soaked up my hangover and left me feeling great. A perfect quick lunch spot in soma that’s affordable, tasty, and great service.

I recently had a meeting at the federal building and the flying falafel was recommended for lunch. Of course I immediately Unilocaled it, saw the great reviews and decided to check it out.
When I walked up I saw that it was a hole in the wall shop with a line. Not a problem, just increased my excitement to try their food.
When it was time to order I decided on the falafel plate, just because I thought it might be easier to eat and take it back to the office since I was running out of time.
When they call your name you go up to the narrow counter and they individualize your plate with all the veggies and fixins you like. The falafels were nice and hot and the pita was sooo soft. Unfortunately, even with all the sauces (and I loaded mine down and told them to give me the works) I just felt that it was lacking flavor.
The staff however have a great system down and are all very friendly and helpful. They deserve 5 stars for their quality of service. However, I was just a little underwhelmed with my order. I would consider giving it another chance if I’m in the area and order the pita with the fries on top! Maybe that’s where I went wrong :)

Had a great experience at the Flying Falafel for lunch.
I love that everything here is vegan including the shakes!
I had The Flying Falafel Pocket Sandwich — A freshly baked pita filled with veggies & spicy falafel balls! I had it fully loaded with everything. It was $ 7 plus tax.
It was tasty & filling stuffed with falafels, lots of veggies, french fries, & with tahini sauce all in a pita. There is no seating indoors & just four chairs outside. Some people were eating standing up yet was lucky to get a seat. This is a highly popular place so expect a long line yet the line moved pretty quick as the cooks are efficient.

Got their spicy falafel sandwich 10 minutes ago! I ate it by all myself watching some cops chase down a guy. Dinner and a show, gotta love market street!
But I digress, the falafel sandwich is pretty bomb. My favorite is the pita bread! That pita pocket was super fluffy, thick, with a hint of perfect chewiness. The falafels I thought, were a bit dry and over-​fried, but still not bad. Also I really liked the fries on top and their spicy sauce!

Structurally advantaged falafel experience+ newly gentrified prime location on Market + Affordable
FRESH — I’ve backpacked the ME & lived in «Tehrangeles» in LA… I learned that that short time span from oven/​fryer to mouth usually makes for a good falafel experience. Given its high turnover from an awesome location, and the food stand layout, this place has minimal time from being heated to being eaten aka structurally advantaged
CRUNCHY — TFF differentiates from other joints with very satisfyingly small sized falafel pieces yielding a *high fried surface area to internals ratio” aka think fried wings versus fried breast at KFC
MIX — There is not too much disparity between chickpea/​bean mix at different restaurants, but this place managed to get the spices just right
If you’re familiar with LA, this is like the SF Vegan equivalent of Bella Pita.

Best Falafel I have ever had!!!
This is a hole in the wall kind of place. Be prepared to stand outside, even if it is raining. Even though all of that happens, it is all worth it.
Every time I eat here I am satisfied, every single time.
Each order is super huge. each bite is filled with tons of flavor and is spicy, well, for me.
Parking is kind of hard to find and there is no sitting area at all on the inside.
Eat this fast because it could make the bread that holds all of the ingredients inside will get soggy.
If you love food, or falafels you need to come here because you will not be dissapointed at all!

E for exceeds expectations
Been wanting to come here for the past 6 months. I work about 2 – 3 blocks away and finally had time to make a stop. The wait can be a bit long, so if you’ve only got a 30 minute break, might wanna consider somewhere else.
Flying Falafel is a little hole in the wall on market street. But if you love Mediterranean food this is the spot.
I got:
1) Pocket flying sesame falafel — STUFFED pita with like 7 – 8 falafels, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, and load on that yogurt sauce. pretty darn stuffing and only for $ 7.00. Make sure you have napkins. I was licking my fingers by the time I was done
I am so coming back here for the combo. Pocket falafel + 2 domas + baklava. Can’t wait.

Alas, my falafel did not fly, but it sure smooshed with aplomb. And that spicy sauce!
A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it HITW slings some seriously savory vegan fare. The pocket full o’ fried love came with unlimited toppings (get the works, chump) and a healthy helping of crispy falafel balls. I mega-​mealed to include two dolmades, a baklava AND a banana shake (hey, it was a long flight in to SF) and all that jazz still rung in under fifteen bucks.
By the way, that shake disappeared in two champion pulls from the straw. Delicious, and so creamy, you won’t believe it’s veeeeeeeeegan.
If the walk up and enter your own order system confuses or confuddles, keep in mind: they deliver. So you’re welcome to stay in your office. Just open a window and who knows what Falafel may come a-​Flyin’!

Un petit restaurant dans cette rue Hyper touristique, une belle découverte ! Leurs falafel sont top, très bon service et tout est fait sous vos yeux

The best $ 5 falafel pita pocket!!!
It’s gluten free, vegan, and extremely tasty.
Best bang for the buck. What are you waiting for? Go go go!
I hope you give this delicious inexpensive falafel place a try. Cheers!

Overview: The Flying Falafel is basically a tiny shack on Market Street with loud music and two guys making beautiful falafels as fast as physics allows them to. No seating, no service — just a line to order and a line to pick up. Be prepared to wait 15+ minutes as they often have to pause their pickup line to handle online orders.
The Food: Whether you get the falafel pocket ($ 7.50 as of Nov 2015) or the falafel plate ($ 8 as of Nov 2015), you’re going to be in for a great treat. My recommendation is to get the falafel plate. You’ll get a delicious mix of fresh veggies and some darn fine falafels and some magical spicy/​mayo sauces.
The Service: These guys are so darn fast but you’ll still wait in line forever due to their popularity.
The Establishment: Remember, there is no seating and no roof for you so this place is take-​out only.
Conclusions: With decent pricing and an amazing flavor composition, the plates and pita pockets here are some of the best examples of vegetarian food I’ve ever had.

super yummi and very friendly! :)
Ein Take-​away an der langen Market Street und nicht weit von all den Einkaufsmöglichkeiten entfernt.
Die zwei Mexikaner, die den Stand betreiben sind super nett und freundlich. Haben während der Wartezeit gequatscht und ich habe Falafel erhalten, währendem ich auf die neue Ladung für meine Portion gewartet habe.
Woah. Mega, mega guter und frischer Falafel. Alles vor Ort zubereitet und das schmeckt man auch.
Kann euch dieses kleine Lokal nur empfehlen! Ihr könnt euren Falafel im Laufen oder gemütlich am Stehtisch vor dem Lokal geniessen.
PS. Vegan!

Absolut lecker und frische Falafel-​Pita, habe ich bislang auf der Welt noch nicht besser gegessen. Organisation und Geschwindigkeit der Jungs ist einmalig.

Sehr gute Falafel. Schafe leider nicht wirklich scharf. Ansonsten Top!