Mamoun's Falafel

This is the best falafel in town. They arent all that great for the shawarmas but if you looking for only falalfels look no further! Their hummus and tahini (which i feel makes or breaks the falafel) is one of the best ive hever had..

i'll tell you what the big deal is, it's cheap. and that about sums it all up. food's edible, service is negligible, value has already been covered, and the atmosphere is, in a word, greasy.

I'm visiting from out of town and I'm from Los Angeles. We have a handful of falafel/gyro places here which are pretty decent. I went to mamoun's after hearing about all the hype and was really disappointed. The falafel was alright I thought for the price, good value but the shawarma was just disgusting. Half of the meat was just fat and had no flavor at all, my girlfriend got the same thing and hers was the same way. We both had to pick through the meat and take off the fat and then we had a really messy meal. When my girtfriend went to complain about the shawarma, the guy just offered her money back in a somewhat rude way, instead of doing the proper thing and offering a replacement or admitting that his shawarma was a scam.

How good is Mamoun's? One time many years ago I walked into a London felafel joint and started talking with the owner. After he sussed out I was from the US he told me, "My falafel is ALMOST as good as the one at Mamoun's in New York." I haven't been to the Mid-East but Mamoun's is the best falafel I've ever had anywhere. My choice is the falafel-hummus combo sandwich...they go so well together it's almost sinful! Besides the terrific food, I owe Mamoun's a lot: when I graduated and didn't have much money I went there 5 times a week, back in the day. They kept me alive. The falafels were 75 cents then. They've gone up in price but are SO worth it.

Don't go here if you are looking for atmosphere. Don't go here if you are looking for a cool place to hang out. Don't even go here if you plan to sit down while you eat. But if you crave full, delicious meals for about six bucks, you will be a regular here. The kabob pita and the falafel are mouth-watering. If you're brave enough, squirt some hot sauce on your pita, and munch away.

I've been going there since I stepped foot in NY. My former roommate gave guitar lessons to the owner for a few years and I got to know the whole staff pretty well. Like any old-world-style joint, there are inconsistencies from time to time but to me, that's a good thing. They don't serve a reconstituted chickpea batter "product" or lamb spam. It's handmade and it shows. I usually get the falafel with hummous and extra tahini sauce. Watch out for that red chili sauce! It'll getcha! A line out the door is a common sight no matter the hour. That's a welcome sign of a healthy business but it's the cramped interior that sometimes gets me. When it's really hoppin', there's barely room enough for one row of people, let alone two. If I have stuff with me like a gigbag and a backpack, it's very difficult to get back out once I've gotten my order (it's hard enough to do as is). Despite this, there's something about that place that keeps me coming back. I've tried taking falafels home on the train but they usually lose much of their initial sophistication (get soggy). Recommended that you snag a seat or find a nice curbside locale to enjoy your meal. :)

What Mamoun's lacks in atmosphere (that is to say, a miniscule, hot, crowded, noisy space with just a couple of seats that you have to wait/fight for) is compensated for in the efficiency and prices. The line is consistently out the door, but at least your order never takes more than a couple of minutes to land in your hand. The falafels and shish kebab sandwiches are fantastic, cheap, and well worth the little adventure of getting in there and making it out un-tussled.