I just realized I'd never reviewed Falafel King before, which is amazing because I've been coming here for years now. Located in the old portion of Butler Plaza, they've become known for their quality Levantine food for quite some time. I guess the falafel is the main attraction however I normally get the kofta kebab myself. Their hummus is top-notch and I strongly suggest getting a dinner platter whatever main dish you select--you'll get hummus, pita, and very good yellow rice with the platter. In addition, they make their baklava in-house instead of ordering it from Jacksonville or heaven forbid, Michigan, as do many Middle Eastern restaurants in Florida. Most of the time, the baklava is very good however, they do have a large selection and look: if it doesn't all sell in a timely fashion you could wind up with a piece that is stale and tough. So if the baklava counter in the front seems about half empty, you've been warned that they are probably about to make more and what's there is kinda old. They have very good--and properly prepared and served--Turkish coffee, as well, and I'm quite picky about Turkish coffee, you see. Here it comes in its cezve as it should and often they'll bring out a very cute, fancy, delicate little china cup for it as well. Sometimes, you'll instead get a very plain white cup, but recently the china ones have been making more frequent appearances. Perhaps along the same lines, they've rather recently renovated so the rear part of the restaurant feels more open and the restroom no long is a case of nearly falling into the dishwasher to get in the door. In the rear space between the front counter and where that restroom and the kitchen are they have a small grocery section of imported Middle Eastern goods, including the Turkish brand Tamek's outstanding sour cherry preserves. I would suggest going and giving them a try if you like Levantine cuisine. They're by no means at all fancy, but they are certainly quality and the staff are friendly and upbeat. read more

Falafel King - Turkish coffee and baklava served. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

This is my first time trying out Falafel King even though I've passed by it multiple times. I just never found the opportunity to try it out with someone. But today, I walked in and found it to be a small little restaurant. You could definitely tell it was more of a family-owned business. I ordered a falafel platter combo with a pistachio baklava dessert and a soda. All of this was about $10. Although when I received it I didn't think it was going to be very fulfilling because it was only 2 falafel with hummus on the side, salad, and pita bread, I was actually satisfied with the portions after I finished the meal. As for the flavoring I would say it was different from what I usually ate (which would be Asian food and American food). I thought it was interesting the way they made the sauce on top of the falafel. But nonetheless it was good. The only thing that tastes strange to me was the salad that came with the meal maybe because I wasn't used to it. It had a tangy garlicky flavor that I decided to mix in with the hummus. The dessert, the pistachio baklava, was very delicious though! It wasn't too sweet and has a nice flaky pastry. I would definitely come back sometime to try different thing. It is overall a very interesting restaurant and the prices are mostly all under $10! read more

Falafel King - The falafel platter. It includes pita bread that is not pictured. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Amazing food & very large portions. The Mediterranean platter comes with tabbouleh, grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanoush. Very flavorful and fresh! read more

Falafel King - Mediterranean Platter - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

What happens when you don't get your pistachio baklava fix while overseas? You turn to yelp and find the nearest shop that's still open at 8:30pm and hope they have some. I mean it's the middle of Ramadan and that was the reason I couldn't find it a few days prior when I was out of town... Well, just peering in we weren't sure, but after trying to find this little place for a while (it's tucked into a shopping plaza with cici's), I sent my friend in to investigate. She returned a few minutes later with the last 3 pieces. We split them up and were really content; we decided at some point during our weekend in Gainesville we would revisit for a proper meal. Two days later we came in for lunch. We ordered a chicken sandwich, a kofte wrap, a cheese pie, and more baklava. I can only comment on the chicken sandwich, and while it was good, it wasn't mind-blowing. I will say I was really happy with round two of the baklava. The people working here are nice, it's decently quiet, and it was nice to poke through their grocery section. I will definitely keep this place in mind if I make it back up to Gainesville. read more

I ordered a gyro on line with 352 delivery. I am so upset. There was barely any taziki sauce at all. I was clear on my note no onions but its a 9 dollar sandwich that had 1/2 a slice of tomato, I am so upset. I have ordered from this place for almost 40 years and this is the first time I threw out the sandwich for no sauce!!@@ sloppy and lazy and expensive throw away lunch! the meat was uber salty without sauce. also the pieces of the baklava HAVE SHRUNK!!! charge me more for the regular size of desserts! don't rip me off further! I am so bummed and probably won't ever order from them again! its been an hour and I am still furious ! read more

This place is a mom & pop place for greek food and it definitely gives you that local vibe. Their falafel and gyro platters are so savory and gives you a good amount of sides as well. Top it off with some pistachio and walnut classic baklava for dessert! It's extremely moist and gives that extra sweetness at the end of a delicious greek meal! read more

Falafel King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Tried the Gyro, baklava, and spinach pie. The first two were phenomenal!!! Placed our order and within minutes our order was ready and brought to our table. The gyro with the yogurt sauce was absolutely amazing and only $6.95. *mind blown* you must try this place. Only down side was that I hoped they had fries as a side and they did not, and the spinach pie was not a favorite. Wish the spinach pie had more flavor or a cheese/sauce to not want you to reach for your water after every bite. read more

Blink and you'll miss it, sitting right next to larger places, like the 4 Rivers Smokehouse One of the better Lebanese/ Middle Eastern places I've been to, especially in Florida. It's certainly not a fancy, dolled up place, but the rice, tabouleh, chicken, etc., are all so perfectly done, you don't really care. The little grocery store in the back sells some interesting items from the Middle East that you won't necessarily find in Publix. Wish I'd found this place well before having to move or of town. read more

Falafel King - Chicken platter, with hummus, pita, tabouleh salad - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I really like their food. However I can't go back because twice in my last pick up --I had to ask each of the employees to pull up their masks! Having a mask around their neck doesn't make it. SAme was true of two previous visits! They have signs that customers must wear masks -- why aren't they? Let me know when you be enforcing for employees. read more

Have only been once, visiting from out of town: Only one con, but it's a big one for a place styled "Falafel King" : the falafel itself is awful. Good Falafel comes as small, freshly-fried balls, that are moist and tender on the inside. The falafel here is dry, crumbly bits (maybe they smash up day-old balls as I arrived soon after opening?) scattered throughout the wrap. Kind of like damp chewy sawdust. On the plus side, the wrap itself was decent, and the veggies and tahini sauce were fine. After a few bites of the wrap, I returned it, complaining about the falafel quality. The staff seemed concerned and said they'd make up a fresh wrap for me. I saw a microwave oven being used in the process. One staff said something about putting "more sauce" on the wrap (presumably to offset the dryness of the falafel?). In any case the 2nd wrap contained the same dry falafel crumbs, perhaps with a bit more tahini sauce. Still awful. I gave up on obtaining any good falafel that day. Have heard from friends that the Gyros are good, but... Reading other reviews, there are several complaints about rude staff. I did not experience any of that on my visit - both staff were friendly and engaged. read more

Honestly, mediocre at best. I opted for the gyro platter. Gyro meat was swimming in tahini, tabouleh was dry, hummus wasn't bad. Process was decent, but if you don't enjoy the meal who cares about the great price? read more

Falafel crumbled apart immediately and was way undercooked, so it was very hard to eat. Pita bread was cold, stale, and it was like the "skin" of actual pita bread. Couldn't finish the meal. read more

I love this place!!!! I can't understand when these big restaurants with all the resources in the world get food wrong. Here we have Falafel King, a small restaurant making the best Falafel Sandwich I've ever had. This place is great, fresh ingredients, tasteful, simple, light, excellent food. We definitely will be back. read more

Falafel King - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Got some yummy take out while charging our car at the supercharger nearby. We got a falafel wrap, a baba ganoush wrap and some deserts. Wraps were a bit messy but delicious. Definitely add hummus and feta cheese to your wraps when you order. We will be back! read more

Went here a few weeks ago and really loved the food!! Didn't take any pictures and we got take out but this is a small restaurant with amazing food. The service was great too, the guy behind the register was very nice to us! Will definitely go back again :) read more

Excellet food, and great choices for grocery for persian,turkish and arabic/lebenese items.

This place is a hidden gem! Their food was delicious and service was just as great! Definitely going back.

Best little quick service Turkish/Mediterranean Food in town! I was in G'ville recently to tour campus with my daughter and was so happy to see this place was still open. I live in Orlando and we had these restaurants here in the 90s but they have all since closed. Can't wait to move my daughter to UF soon so I can go back and get some more tasty wraps ToGo. Just wish they had more locations. read more

excellent food, value for money. they put lots of meat and have great choices. They also have a middle eastern grocery that we can pick up what we need and we don't have to go far away to pick essentials we need read more

I really like Falafel King. It's no frills dining for a really good price. I like to order the falafel wrap because it is tasty and a large wrap. This time I also ordered their hummus and pita. They gave a decent portion of hummus and I ended up finishing the pita before I did the bowl. This restaurant also has a small grocery section. The only downside to this place is that they can be a little slow and take a while. It's worth it but can be a little bit on the annoying side. I like to go to Falafel King for a good and light dinner! read more

See all

We ordered a meat platter and a falafel platter The meat platter was great. The falafel has sauce poured over the top which is a very non traditional way to serve them because falafel need to be crispy. Yes, these falafels were not fried, they were baked, but they got super soggy with the sauce. If you don't like to eat your food on styrofoam, you need to request it be served on a plate. My request to the restaurant, for dining in, please don't serve on styrofoam. read more

amazing! the garlic chicken panini is 1000/10. i love to get it with an extra side of the garlic sauce. soooo goood

I love Mediterranean food and had been meaning to try this place for a while. I finally popped in and the place was filthy. The beef/lamb for the gyros had gotten on a shelf and a fan and overall the place wasn't clean. Then, I saw a worker take out a trash bag (the flex ones with the red drawstring) and stuff it with freshly washed parsley. I'm thinking - there must be food grade storage options. Still, I decided to try the food. I already placed my order. The falafel didn't taste like falafel, fell apart, the hummus was ok, but the pita was paper thin & dry. After seeing the parsley in the trash bag, I didn't try the tabbouleh. I threw the whole thing in the trash. Wasted $13. read more

Wow!! Wonderful food! Had the Falafel plate. Excellent taste and service! Taboulle was fresh and wonderful. Will definitely be back :) read more

I have been wanting to try this place for quite a while now and decided to go check it out during my lunchtime. I ordered the gyros wrap, which comes with marinated beef and lamb with tahini sauce and then some vegetables like onions and tomatoes. Honestly, for the price I paid, I was expecting a little more than what I received. There was some meat tucked into a giant pita bread and it was not warm at all. The employee was not very friendly and I have definitely had a much better experience eating a gyro at other places around Gainesville. I do not think I will completely cross this place off my list because I'm thinking that maybe I need to try a different item off of the menu. In previous reviews, it seems as though the platters and falafel is recommended. I was not a fan favorite of the gyros wrap, but I think I will go again and try something different! read more

I got a bite of the food but before we could begin we realized that we ordered fries and we got rice instead. After realization we realized that the cashier due to an accent misheard rice instead of fries and failed to mention that he misheard us or that it wasn't even on the menu. If he would have communicated that with us in the beginning we wouldn't have ordered fries. My brother got up to discuss this miscommunication with he cashier who discussed this matter with his co worker. His co worker was very rude from the first approach. My brother in a very communicative manner discussed that it was a miscommunication and he wanted to clarify the matter. The co worker kept on making rude comments to us and eventually stated "eff the customer". My brother simply said this is not the way to speak to a customer and the co worker said "I am an American you shouldn't tell me how to speak to a customer" We were very disappointed with the entire scene and the way the co worker spoke and cussed us out. We will never go back again because a food scene isn't just about the food but also the environment that the company creates and portrays. read more

I did not get to try any of their food due to them being out of both Tallulah, chickpeas and tahini. The staff told me everything was vegetarian despite a great deal of the menu had meat. I might go back sometime and see if they have supplies. read more

This place is horrific. The tables are very Dirty. We ended up having to clean our own table to sit. After we ordered and payed the person at the registe4 told us they did not have any of what we ordered prepped and could not provide it. With no options for my vegetarian wife we asked for our money back. The person tried to beg us to take a different dish. All remaining dishes had meat and he refused to listen to my wife's request for money back. After I spoke with the one in charge they voided our order but the charge was still on my card. I had to file the paperwork with our bank of their fraudulent charge. read more

I don't get it. I just don't get it. I have heard great things about Falafel King so when I found myself starving and on Archer I thought I would pop in for what is one of my favorite things ever...Falafel. I was underwhelmed from the get-go. While I was greeted immediately, I still stood at the counter for a whopping 7 minutes before my order was taken. Obviously the woman working was alone and left to make the food AND take the orders, but 7 minutes is a bit excessive for a lunch counter place. Perhaps it would not have irritated me so much if she had been sporting a smile. I ordered the Falafel Wrap and Stuffed Grape Leaves, two of my very favorite food items. While I waited I browsed the grocery section of the store, which offers a variety of Middle Eastern specialty items. I picked up a bag of Israeli couscous and was greeted by what seemed like 100 tiny bugs that had found a cozy home in the pasta bag. GROSS! I tried to push the bug situation out of my mind, hoping that the rice and pita had not met the same fate as the couscous, but it seriously affected my appetite. Regardless, I decided to risk it and started with the grape leaves. They were fine, overly acidic, not enough sumac, not great but fine. The Falafel wrap was disappointing, There was way too much tahini, the pita was stale, and the Falafel was dry. The dietitian side of me was excited by the concept of a baked Falafel, but I would rather have the extra calories and a moist Falafel than that dry mess. All in all I will not return to Falafel King, the combination of bad service, bad food and BUGS has completely turned me off. read more

Great local restaurant! We have been coming for many years. we love The gyro sandwiches and plates with tzasiki sauce

I haven't had a gyro from Falafel King in a while because I usually opt for the falafel -- delish! I agree with Coty S. -- tell 'em to hold the pickles! I usually take my food to-go because the dining area is pretty nondescript and seating is limited. There is also a small grocery section with goodies -- fun to peruse while waiting for your food. read more

Is Falafel King fancy? No. It's a carry-out Lebanese place with a small grocery attached that happens to have a couple of booths. It's not the type of place you visit for the atmosphere. But it's worth a try if you feel like getting some Middle Eastern for lunch. One thing Falafel King has going for it is that the pita bread is baked on the premises, and you can tell. It's fresh and delicious, with enough chewiness to resist falling apart when wrapped around the falafel. And it is the falafel that you should get here, by the way. I often end up ordering a kofta (spiced ground beef) sandwich, just because I love a good kofta that much, but they call it Falafel King, not Kofta King, for a reason. If you want gyros or other meats there are better options for you elsewhere in Gainesville. (Word to the wise -- the sandwiches all come with pickles inside, though the menu doesn't spell that out.) read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Gainesville! The restaurant is modest and the people who run the place are super sweet and polite. My favorite item to order is the falafel platter. Doesn't seem like a lot of food at first glance, but I always manage to have leftovers for later. The falafels are delicious, not too dry and drizzled over with yummy tahini sauce. The hummus is absolutely amazing. I get the combo with a drink and the baklava dessert. All for $10. Its a great deal! read more

Very friendly servers and I think they have good food. I think the pita needs improvement- they have to make it fresh. However, the chicken rice platter is very delicious. Chicken wrap is very good and the baklava is very good too. read more

Falafel King - Malisha stays chicken is amazing. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

See all

The food was easily a 1/5. I got a gyro and a side of falafel. The pita was stale and dry, the meat flavorless and CRUNCHY, and the falafel was crumbly and also flavorless. This was by far the worst Persian food I've ever had. I'm giving Falafel King a 2/5 for the little ethnic grocery in the back, which had some unique items for pretty good prices. read more

SALTY! That's the only word to describe our food today. Both of us got the gyro platter and regretted it. The tabbouleh was flavorless, the hummus was bitter, and the tahini that was drowning the gyro meat wasn't much better. Many reviews complain about poor service - this was not a problem today. We placed our orders, browsed the groceries, and then took a seat; our food came almost immediately after. However, no amount of good service can make up for the awful-tasting food. Gyro Plus, we're sorry we strayed from you. We've learned our lesson. The Falafel King needs to be dethroned. read more

Good gyro sandwiches that I wouldn't say don't get if you're in the area. Meaning, if you're in the area and want a gyro.. just get it. It's no Gyro Plus but it'll do. I haven't had falafel for a while so when I do try it I will update this. read more

Falafel King, you have warmed our hearts, but not for the standard reasons. Your falafel is so-so, tasty and healthier but NOT fried or crispy - this is a different style than we are used to. Tabouleh was AMAZING and fresh and was probably the highlight of the meal. The rest, even the baklava, was just so-so. Gyros Plus is far and away the best place in town for falafel. BUT, Falafel King, your best kept secret is your GROCERY SECTION! We've been searching in vain in G'ville for years for zaatar (if you don't know what this is, you are missing out - this and olive oil is a dish in itself). Amazing feta cheese and many other goodies available, including the most delicious tahini yet to be found on the side of the Mediterranean. They don't bake their own pita bread anymore, and what they are getting isn't the best, although we did buy some to take home. In short, go for the groceries and eat some tabouleh while you are there! We are happy we found you Falafel King. read more

Severely overpriced for blah food. Took 20 min for them to scoop hummus into a styrofoam box , throw tabouleh and two desert dry falafel along with it. How can you as a restaurant sell falafel as your business and have it be so bad? $9.50 for the vege platter that is really only half a meal. My gosh. Go to chipotle. You'll have TOO much wonderful food for only $7. read more

Had the falafel...would pick gyros plus anyday (sooo much better). Tasted like cat food. My friend and I didn't even finish ours (and I am by no means a picky eater). We ended up going to McCallisters and getting something else to eat (and that's saying something since I'm a poor college student). I will admit I only had the falafel but if the item you're supposed to be "the king" of isn't good...well..... read more