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Falafel 54

4.1 (108 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 7:30 pm

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Falafel 54 Photos

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FALAFEL 54 ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Falafel 54

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Reviews With Photos

Beef & Lamb Gyro Wrap
Jaclyn N.

I ordered Door Dash and have to say, I won't be back. I decided to try this place after having really good luck at Mediterrasian Bistro. I should have stuck with old faithful. I ordered a gyro wrap and a side of fattoush. The side was 3.50 and the portion did not match the price. I am glad I decided to order pita and a dip because I would have still been hungry with just the wrap. The taziki was sub par as well.

Outside. Storefront. Located in the Triangle Village Shopping Center. Limited patio seating.
Daniel B.

I thought the food from Falafel 54 was OK. My wife liked the food more than me. The service I experienced was good; however, after looking back at the menu, I think the restaurant staff missed a couple items in our order. Also, the menu pricing was inconsistent in-person vs. on Falafel 54's website (not a third-party vendor). From the looks of it, this is a humble, "mom and pop" type Mediterranean restaurant with a buffet that is (or was) popular. It appears the buffet was an office lunch crowd favorite, pre-COVID. Not sure about these days, but it was open during my dinner takeout visit. Also, I don't believe this business was always open for dinner, but it was when I went. I called before my visit to make sure they were open. They closed early for dinner, at 7:30pm on weekdays. Falafel 54 opened in 2015 in the old Baba Ghannouj Mediterranean Bistro space near the corner of 54 and 55, just off I-40 exit 278, so it's relatively easy to get to. When I visited around 7pm on a Thursday, I was the only customer for the duration of my visit. It looked like the two workers were preparing orders that had come in after mine, from online. I saw the online menu, but it was confusing and looked like it was for large catering orders only. Therefore, I decided to order in-person and wait. I ordered a wide variety of items for my wife and me. We're both fans of Mediterranean food. Here's what I got for us (takeout): Platters * Gyro Platter ($11.50) - seasoned strips of beef and lamb, Greek salad, hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, and pita * Kabob Platter ($11.50) - chicken kabob skewer, Greek salad, grape leaves, cilantro hummus, and pita * Curry Chicken Platter ($11.50) - tender chicken in mildly-spiced curry, basmati rice, fattoush, tabbouleh, and pita Sides, etc. * Falafel (two orders, $3 each) * Baklava (two orders, $2 each) Through the above platters and side choices, we pretty much tried almost everything the restaurant had to offer. The same can also be accomplished by getting the buffet. Several of the items packed in our takeout boxes actually came from the buffet. During my visit, the buffet was all-you-can-eat / unlimited and priced at $13.50 per adult and $8 per child (age 7 and under). You could also take out from the buffet for $9 per pound. I'm guessing the buffet can work out to be more economic depending on what you select. Mask and gloves were required upon each trip to the buffet. I would have felt a little gypped if everything I had ordered came off the buffet, but fortunately that wasn't the case. The server, Sergio, and his female coworker fired up the griddle and cooked some things fresh including some of the meats and the lady made sure to toast and slice the pita. I appreciated all of that. My wife commented that generally the food was tasty, but not amazing. I think part of that was because I showed up about 30 minutes before closing and some of the food had been sitting out on the buffet for a while. However, nothing was bad. If anything, I would have liked bigger portions. I don't mind paying a premium for good food, but for what I paid, I'm not sure the value was there, quantity-wise. I'm glad I ordered that third entree and those extra sides because one entree and two sides alone was not filling to me (and I don't eat as much as I used to). The Gyro Platter was my favorite, but compared to other Mediterranean restaurants, the portions of shaved gyro meat were somewhat lacking. The meat itself was delicious, especially with the tzatziki. Hummus was listed as one of the sides for the Gyro Platter, but we did not receive any; only the baba ghanoush. The Greek salad was crisp and refreshing, with dressing served on the side. A noticeable amount of fat from the gyro had built up and solidified underneath the salad. The Curry Chicken was flavorful and a pleasant surprise. The sauce soaked into the bed of basmati rice. The chicken came with a side of chutney which we weren't expecting. It was packed with flavor and went great with the chicken. I did appreciate the portions of fattoush salad. The salad was packed in a separate container, not in the standard three-compartment foam box like everything else. The tabbouleh had a very strong parsley taste which I enjoyed. The Kabob Platter was alright. Not bad. Our Kabob Platter was missing the Greek salad. The number of stuffed grape leaves received was two (didn't seem like enough). This was our least favorite side and I don't recommend them based on how they tasted. The cilantro hummus was a different story and fared better. It had a really unexpected spicy kick to it. For a restaurant with "falafel" in its name, Falafel 54's falafel wasn't great. These falafel could have been crispier on the outside, more moist on the inside, and more flavorful overall. That said, I still think they're worth ordering. They were appetizing enough and came with yummy tahini on the side. As for the baklava, it was delicious. You can't go wrong there.

Side of Baba Ganoush
Preet K.

This was the first time I've had Baba Ganoush that tasted sweet. I added salt and lemon juice, it was still pretty sweet

Falafel, humus, Greek salad,
Missy V.

Wow the food is amazing! So fresh and delicious. I couldn't eat more then half, but I am looking forward to left overs. Wish I had one in Maine. Might order again Sunday before I leave back to Maine.

Shawarma sandwich
Koury K.

Let me start with the service: horrible! I made the order and made it clear to the cashier/cook/server :) that it is a dine in. After a long wait, I saw him calling me to come get the plates! I think it would be best to take out the tips off your receipts if you want us to do the work! Fattoush is not really a fattoush, far away from it! It did not taste good at all, so I left it as is. Falafel sandwich was okay, but not done right. The bread is what made it okay. The falafel was not done on the inside. Shawarma sandwich was much better than anything else. I would come back for it. The bread was exceptionally tasty! Maybe the best I have ate in North Carolina. Hence the 3 stars :)

David L.

I went to Falafel 54 at around 1pm for lunch. It's in a little mall area next to a car repair shop so while there may not be many parking spots immediately next to the restaurant there are plenty nearby. You can order individual entrees or pay for the lunch buffet. There was plenty of dining area and the buffet trays were fully stocked. I ordered the chicken gyro, fries and sweet tea. Like much Mediterranean food- it wasn't cheap. The cost was a little over $11. The sweet tea was ok. The rest of the food took 13 min to be ready. I always love their fries- they are extra crispy on the outside- probably double fried. The chicken gyro was decent- not mind blowing. The chicken was perfectly cooked though I wished it had more seasoning.

Cold Buffet
Bridget K.

Don't let the outside of his place fool you. I found it in a beat up shopping center after I Yelped restaurants. Since I wanted something different and it had four stars I thought if give it a shot. It's a very plain jane Mediterranean buffet eatery. Nothing special about the outside or the inside but the food was delicious. I first ordered the Gyro platter but the owner talked me into the all-you-can-eat buffet which was $12 for an adult. There is always Gyro meat, Curry Chicken and two other dishes that I can't remember and he rotates the other hot dishes. The eggplant was mouthwatering, I did go back a few times for that. There is also a cold buffet with cucumber and Greek salad, fresh hummus and sauces plus a few desserts. Let's not forget about the grape leaves. I love those. You can either eat in or take out and there are many selections if you don't want to do the buffet. It's definitely worth trying!

Chicken kabob plate

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6 years ago

It's an amazing Mediterranean buffet! Definitely try it. There's a good variety of both meat and vegetarian options to try.

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Mediterranean Grill & Grocery - Chi ken shawarma platter with hummus and falafel - lifewithhanny

Mediterranean Grill & Grocery

(421 reviews)

$$

Small and very clean, almost hole in the wall kind of place in an old shopping center in a…read moreresidential neighborhood. Arabic music playing. Service is very friendly, and as quick as possible, considering that stuff seems to be made to order. I ordered a chicken kebab platter which comes over a bed of basmati rice, possibly with saffron. Whatever the rice tasted great and it wasn't dry like at a lot of places. The chicken was marinated in a tangy yogurt-spice mix, grilled and topped with a tahini sauce. Delicious! As sides I got mujadara and roasted vegetables which were also tasty. I'll be back for takeout for sure in the future.

"Bodega-like Mediterranean Grill & Grocery in Parkwood area of Durham"…read more This place is WAY off the beaten path for most, but I'm so happy to have gotten to try it out. Nestled in a little strip between a Muslim school and a mosque is this grill and grocery. We came on a Wednesday evening, and almost every table was already taken by diners. You order your food at a counter, and it has the Middle Eastern foods you'd expect-- kofta, shawarma, gyros, falafel, baba ghanouj, hummus, baklava, etc. I opted for the lamb gyro sandwich with a side of baba ghanouj, and my dining partner had the falafel sandwich. They call your number when it's ready. Food took maybe 10 minutes to receive, so we browsed the market area. It's not a huge selection, but very traditional-- nice seeing so many labels in Arabic, and along with standards (e.g., canned fava beans for Ful Medames), they also had things like frozen chopped mulukhiyah leaves-- that's definitely a rarer sight. Lots of good spices too. The food was EXCELLENT. The lamb was juicy and perfect (unlike what another Yelp review said), the tzatziki sauce was delicious, and the baba ghanouj was perfectly cooked and textured. I had a small bite of the falafel, and it was indeed one of the best I've had in the US. Price was fair, too-- the sandwiches are all under $10 before tax and tip, and making it a combo with side and drink cost just something like $2.50. And service was friendly-- although they called out numbers, they did walk out with the food to try to find and bring you your dishes. And while it was an older space, it was overall still generally clean. Overall, I'd VERY happily come back.

Nikos - Short ribs

Nikos

(132 reviews)

Bottom line: An amazing Sunday brunch visit to Nikos, I can see why they are included in this…read moreyear's Michelin Guide. From starters, beverages, and meal, it was very pleasing. My Knufe Pancake was just the right mix of sweet and savory, an unexpected hit. I give all five stars for this visit! The Deets: Some friends in Durham invited my for brunch and we decided to hit the Sunday brunch over at Nikos in Brightleaf Square this time. This Greek restaurant has recently been included as a "Selected Restaurant" within the 2025 Michelin Guide so with that and seeing their pretty interesting brunch menu, I was in (considering Greek cuisine is usually not one of my go-to foods, I was still intrigued). We had a reservation right as they opened and it did not take long at all for Nikos to have almost every table full quickly so the word is out. The atmosphere is very bistro like in feel and appearance. Our very helpful and positive server Maggie made sure we had our menus and took our drink/starter orders. I went with a hot latte that was perfect when delivered. I also enjoyed one of their mocktails in the Athena Blush (muddle cranberry, lemongrass, apple tea, and club soda) in that it was a great combination of flavors with successfully avoiding being too sweet as mocktails most often can be. We noshed on some great tzatziki (Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon) for starters that came with pita but we also ordered their sourdough bread. It took a bit longer to get that sourdough loaf but it was so worth it...warm, fresh, and so delicious! For my main, I went with the Knufe Pancake (filled with mozzarella cheese and kataifi, topped with pistachio praline and served with a side of warm lemon maple sauce). I loved it. It was just enough sweet and savory both to satisfy me. I am glad that the warm lemon maple sauce was served on the side...I took a few bites with it and liked it but I found it much better for my tastes to be paired with the pistachio praline that topped the pancake. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their selections (see my pics for their meals) as well. I am so glad I ventured a bit out of my comfort zone and went with brunch here at Nikos...it was wonderful, I highly recommend!

We chose this restaurant to celebrate our daughter's graduation because we had such a wonderful…read moreexperience there previously. Unfortunately, this visit was extremely disappointing, especially given the importance of the occasion and the amount we spent. The service was very slow, and the overall experience simply did not match the standard that brought us back in the first place. While the manager did apologize and brought an extra dish to the table, the repeated apologies did not really make up for the poor pacing and frustration during brunch. The menu has a lot of variety but there are no substitutions or adding protein to a salad.... But the food was good! Since the food took a while -spirits were dampened. This is a great place for two to four people but since we were a party over six, our server was guaranteed a 20 percent tip -so maybe there was no incentive for great service.

Littler

Littler

(150 reviews)

$$$

Littler is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Durham! The menu is New American with a focus…read moreon seafood and seasonal delights. The restaurant itself is cozy with warm accents, brick walls, and wood paneling. I feel like I'm visiting a good friends home whenever I visit here. As for the menu, and I say this without exaggeration, the carrot cavatelli is one of the best dishes I have ever eaten in my life. I seriously dream about that carrot cavatelli. Here's some of my other favorites: Smoked Hamachi Puree- the toaste brioche goes perfectly with this pate-like fish dish, so insanely delicious Caramelized Onion Tart- the robiola foam is a dream and pairs perfectly with the apple Carrot Cavatelli- I would literally write the chef personally if this item was ever removed from the menu. Trust me, just order this for the table. King Trumpet- there's not much better than a grilled trumpet mushroom Seared Scallops- such a fantastic dish that comes with creamed greens and little pasta to accompany it Braised Beef Short Rib- meaty and delicious, exactly as you would expect Chocolate Mousse- a delicious, decadent dessert that's the perfect way to end a meal All in all, you can't have a bad meal at Littler. Plus the service is always excellent and they pay their staff a living wage! Definitely a do not miss in Downtown Durham

Incredible service from the staff + a cozy ambiance (perfected by the unique napkin rings and…read moredishware)! We were pleased with all the items ordered - especially the carrot cavatelli and escarole. We had the early spring 2025 menu to choose from. Entrees were delicious but slightly smaller than expected, which was the only downside. The bill definitely adds up if you have a drink with entrees

Falafel 54 - buffets - Updated May 2026

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