Mamoun’s Falafel

Mamoun’s is a hole in the wall, so tourists you are warned, and I mean a hole in the wall. I have never found a smaller restaurant anywhere from coast to coast.
The HOT sauce was much hotter in 1974, but try a little and see how you like it. My wife can’t take any hot sauce. Remember it is called HOT SAUCE.
But you will not find better falafel made anywhere in the US coast to coast. They make them without stop, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the last 54 years. PERFECTION
Ok, if you are from out of town, and I sent you there I hope I was clear this place is about the size of my kitchen. The entire restaurant is about 10′ x 14′. REALLY REALLY small, plan on eating in the street. As I only stop by when visiting NY now I eat in the car, and worry about the NY parking people. I always get a bag to go, for the ride home, the falafel are gone before we clear Jersey.
The first time I went, in 1974, it was crowded. Service was fast though so I didn’t have to wait long at all. I got the falafel sandwich and it was so great! It was my first Falafel. Now 40 plus years later I’m picky about my falafels. I’ve been there many times while I lived in NYC, and I always get the falafel sandwich. I have yet to be disappointed. I now live in Georgia the last ten years, and in Rome, GA one of the cooks is making falafel down here, it is not quite as good, sauces are off a little.
The last time I went, it was crowded, it is a never ending line, except maybe 5am, maybe.
I hit classy and upscale, it is intimate, like a old phone booth with five people in it. And it is romantic, as you will be close with the people around you, remember like a phone booth with 5 people.
waiter service?, HAHA, no add a waiter and there would be no room for customers.
Attire? bring cash, come naked, no one will notice, its the village.
Good for Groups? yes you can fit about 14 people inside, but usually 12 are already there.
Bike Parking? yes, but it will be gone by the time you come out.
Valet Parking, give your keys to the homeless guy, hello statefarm?
Take-​Out? yes it is easier than eating in.
Takes Reservations? yes taking them for January 2212
Outdoor seating? yes the curb is usually open
Accepts Credit Cards? PLEASE HAVE CASH, DO NOT HOLD UP THE LINE !!!

Amazing falafel at a hole in the wall and super cheap. Good sober or drunk. Yum.

This is definitely not the greatest falafel in town. I love falafel and I have eaten in many places. Sam’s falafel at Zucotti park is the heaven of falafel not to mention the crispness and the number of falafel so they stuff into a sandwich.

A Village institution. I dare you to find a better falafel or chicken kabob in Manhattan open very late. Friendly staff — I don’t know how they deal with all the late night drunks. It’s standing room only, no seats. I usually get mine to go. Watch out for the hot sauce. It’s good but incredibly hot. Just a little will do. You’ve been warned!
Sure — it’s a hole in the wall — but it could use a good scrub down.

Amazing falafels. The best in NYC. I stop here every time I’m in town. Worth the wait. It is a must have. Try the lentil soup and baklava too.

A gem in west village! I love their falafel sandwich so much. It is crispy, flavorful and great price. It fills you up in a good way! Service is fast and attentive. I haven’t dined in because the place is very small — but great for takeouts! Their baba is tasty as well! Last week I went 4 days in a row (kind of want one now). I could easily go here everyday to eat without getting tired! Win!

Mamoun’s is one of those history-​filled spots that I keep looking for in NY. It’s quite a small spot. There is just barely enough room inside to order and there are a couple of standing tables assembled by the door. There were quite a few people in line, but it didn’t take long. We came here for a quick snack to go and shared some falafel balls & baklava.
I don’t know much about falafel, or Middle Eastern food period. These fried, oily balls were pretty big compared to ones I’ve had in the past. I liked how imperfectly shaped they were. I don’t know what spices they use, but the flavors were strong. We weren’t hungry, so we planned to have one each and save the rest for later. But we kept reaching back in the bag for more. I’m not sure how many come in an order, but they gave us a few extras.
The baklava was even better. Such a great dessert for only a couple of bucks. Honestly, the honey walnuts were too sweet for my usual taste, but somehow it was addictingly sweet. The flaky, buttery fillo dough was great, and is usually my favorite part of baklava. Such a satisfying crunch. I momentarily forgot that Mr. Joy has a slight walnut allergy, but he loved the baklava too, no allergic reaction — whew

Delicious, cheap and the guys there give great service.
There may or may not be a line but the service workers there work hard and quickly and you can be assured your wait will be not more then 10−15min tops.

I was a bit skeptical because it’s so small, but I’m so glad I still gave this place a try. The first time I went, it was crowded. Service was fast though so I didn’t have to wait long at all. I got the falafel sandwich and woooow it was so good! I’m picky about my falafels and was not disappointed. The portion size was perfect for me and only $ 3.50. Carry cash! I’ve been there a few times and I always get the falafel sandwich. I have yet to be displeased.
And if it matters to you, Russell Simmons has been there and treated everyone in the restaurant to whatever they wanted.

You will not regret it! It’s my first stop right off the plane. Be amazed and watch how they prepare your food while waiting in line. It’s pretty amazing that they can serve everyone so fast and in such tight quarters. There’s tons of bars around, which is why this place makes so much money off of hungry and drunken bar patrons!
Try everything on the menu as well and enjoy the sweet sounds of their complementary ethnic music while waiting in line. There are other locations, but I haven’t tried the other ones since this is the original one. On weekends, prepare to wait in line because it’s often crowded! Happy eating!

Wahoo, this place is sensational. Poor people actually eat better than the rich at this famous falafel eatery. You gotta have cash in hand and preferably singles because it’s quick; no fumbling with signatures or designer handbags. I favor the lentil soup lately. The hot sauce is crazy hot and made me cry. Ha ha

So maybe it was because I was starving… or maybe because my sandwich cost less than $ 5 and was made in 5 seconds… but I thought it was pretty amazing! And I don’t even really like falafel. The hot sauce definitely made my eyes water.

For your drunken nights or late night eats in Greenwich Village, Mamoun’s Falafel comes to the rescue! I have heard this one is the best (there are other locations such as St. Marks, Hoboken, and Princeton, but I have heard this one is the best one.
FOOD: I got the shish kebob sandwich here. Complete with tahini sauce, warm pita, and all, it reminds me of the days in Europe would I would crave a doner kebob, which should not be confused with shawarma! The meat was pretty good, but the experience of the food is that it is all put together in a hot mess, which is great for a chilly day in New York. I think I got a tad more tahini sauce than I asked for, but nothing a few napkins can’t clean up. There’s also a spicy sauce they sell (and provide) too that people add religiously, but my friend told me it was quite spicy, so caution!
SERVICE: Super fast. The inside is small, so it is a quick rotation of people eating inside, or you can eat outside on the sidewalk.
CASH ONLY — there’s an ATM between Comedy Cellar and Mamoun’s on the left hand side.

I usually come here for a cheap lunch after my yoga class since I would be starving after class. Their pita sandwiches range from $ 3.50-$ 6. I have tried the falafel, lamb shawarma, tabbouleh, the kafta kebab, and the shish kebab sandwich. My favorite is the falafel sandwich and it contains falafels, some hummus, lettuce, tomato, and onions.
The place is very small and it maybe hard to get a seat. I have been lucky to get a seat during my visits here. The line is long from time to time, but turnover is pretty quick. I definitely recommend people to check this place out and you have to try the falafel sandwich!

Came here on a recommendation of a friend as Falafel is a must in NY. This is a hole in the wall with only a few stools for sitting. It’s literally the size of bathroom. 1 guy taking orders and 3 guys working the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong some of the best foods I’ve had are at dives like this; however, I can’t properly judge the food as this was the first experience I’ve had with this food. I can’t say that I was impressed or there was a wow factor.
The 4 guys that worked were fast and very efficient. There was a short line but the wait was quick. Most patrons ordered, got there food and left. It’s not the cleanest or comfortable place to eat. I guess Fallafel is meant for a quick meal much like a taco.
I’ll be better able to judge this location and Falafel the next time I eat it again.

Hole in the wall place with delicious food — I would say heaven for vegans.
Falafel wrap is served drag and hott and if you have courage to put some hott sauce go for it. I have a high tolerance for spice but their spicy sauce is wayyyy too spicy for me.
I also tried the stuffed grape leaves and I would give them a ⁴⁄₅.

Cash only
3.50 for a huge falafel angel sammy!!! No wonder you’re rated so highly how are you doing this?!
I mean all these reviews I am sure you get the picture — NYC has at least one delicious, AFFORDABLE, fast, God send food place. GO HERE YOU WONT REGRET IT!

I had a Falafel here. It wasn’t my favorite. It wasn’t bad by any means but just didn’t wow me as much as I woulda thought it would. I did find a falafel I loved in the city but this just didn’t get me.
Prices were good. And it seemed pretty fresh cause I had to wait for it instead of it being pulled from a heat lamp.
Now I will admit, I am not some falafel connoisseur so keep that in mind. And on our trip to New York we had lots and lots of really good food.
I’m sure I will try it again when I get back to Manhattan.

I was down to my last $ 10 in NYC and hadn’t eaten all day. Would I go into Artichoke and stuff my face with a vodka slice? Or go on a binge fest at Turkiss? Nope, I decided to try one of the highest rated places on macdougal street (which is pretty amazing) because I needed to know what all the fuss was about. I waited in a long line in the sweltering heat as I saw three guys chewing down shawarma after shawarma. I wanted to ask them what exactly they were eating but also didn’t want to disturb the choreography they had going on– sauce, bite, look at the sky in amazement, slap their knee, sauce, etc.
So I went inside and finally got to order. I told the guy I only had $ 10 if he could let me know if my two pita sandwiches would fit (did I mention I hand my eaten all day? Thanks, don’t judge)… So I got a shawarma pita and a falafel pita, no lettuce. The man at the front was very friendly despite being so busy one hand was bagging sandwiches and the other hand operating the cash register… I could have sworn he had another hand somewhere. Anyways the total came to $ 9.50 which was awesome! Now that I read the other reviews about a combo shawarma and falafel pita for $ 6.50, I am kicking myself but oh well. I went home and chowed down. The shawarma meat was so tasty and the falafel was so well spiced and flavorful that it didn’t really need the tahini or hot sauce on the side. This place is a must go! I’ll be back for sure.
***Update: Am I allowed to write about explosive diarrhea here? Noooo say it ain’t so! I will still be back I don’t care! I will wear a diaper if I have to!

Mmmmmm the hot sauce was awesome. Can that be my whole review?
To the families with the kiddos and the strollers: this is not a sit down restaurant. It’s barely a standup restaurant. You walk into a dark closet space and order. You may get lucky and find the benches free outside the restaurant but that is not guaranteed
The falafel: it was fresh and savory. It was very delicious and very hot. I left wanting more. (I shared with my husband). Do yourself a favor and buy some kind of coconut milk or something to put out a fire in your mouth before you come here. Then make sure you saturate your sandwich with their hot sauce. It wAs amazing.
The shawarma: i did agree with some of the reviews that claimed it was very fatty (the meat) but didn’t take away from the fact that it was very well marinated (or whatever) and also delicious. Again, put that hot sauce on it!
Did I leave here wanting more: yes, very much
Did I leave here with a Middle Eastern accent: Yassss sank you so mush
Did I wish I were the falafel in the hot sauce: FO sho
Do I plan on returning: yes
Was this place recommended to me: yes by Fox and Nick.
Am I grateful for the recommendation: heck yes

Unser Lieblings-​Falafel-​Laden in NYC. Einfach bei Mamoun’s kaufen und sich dann in den Washington Square Park setzen und dem quirlig-​turbulenten Geschehen zugucken: Es gibt nicht besseres in New York :-)