Another great place to eat in North Market! Hit up Firdous Express for lunch, and got a good combo of chicken, garbanzos, side salad and couscous. Pita was decent, but the special of the day was good - although a bit light on chicken for a chicken dish. Good couscous. Overall, good tasty food at a reasonable price! You might have to wait in line to get food, but the line moves pretty fast: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-XsgHkrblivxrbJptoHURQ?select=7cETrh24Vxeen8_LZVcMoQ http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/-XsgHkrblivxrbJptoHURQ?select=CmZRgxOktjaSplj7yA5r_g Next time, I'll try some of their baklava (which they have a whole case full of) read more

Firdous Express - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Food: 4 Decor: 4 Service: 3 I decided to get lunch from here, even though I was really tempted by Clever Crow like always. 1. Chicken and beef combo Not bad. It came with a small salad and rice. read more

I just stopped at the booth they have at Comfest and was very disappointed. I ordered a gyro and a drink. I paid and waited. A few minutes passed but no food. A person ordered a gyro after me and a minute later had it handed to him. I threw my hands up in disbelief. There was a guy shaving the gyro meat and thought i was waiting on that, but after i complained, one of the employees said "oh, are you waiting on something? " I said yes, a gyro. Then he just lifted the lid on a roaster and pulled out one of several premade gyros wrapped in foil. It was barely warm. And the gyro inside was rolled up like a burrito, with sparse meat and toppings. Total waste of $7.00. I know sometimes festivals get busy and you need to prep ahead, but this was Friday at 1, and there are barely people here. They could've made a fresh gyro. And for having about 6 employees in the booth, there's no excuse for forgetting my order while I'm standing right in front of them. Avoid this place at all cost. read more

Firdous Express - Comfest booth location - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

With so many Mediterranean and Greek and Middle Eastern food options in the city this one is just not good at all guys... it doesn't cut it, the food is always dry and flavorless and has no soul it's a shame because the staff here is probably the only redeeming quality about this place they've usually very friendly but that's about it every time I went there the meats were dry I had no the rice was cold the pita bread was dry not fresh you break a piece of it tends to crumble's dry and cold everything here is dry and cold which is the opposite of anything Mediterranean. No flavor. Shameful. read more

The photo does not do this place nearly enough justice. The food for one is all incredible. Fresh made, home cooked, clean ingredients. Just the right size portions. Everything is delicious and unique. From multiple chicken to veggie options, this is by far the best Mediterranean cooking in columbus. The service is phenomenal. They are always quick on orders, smiling, and so kind. Patricia is one of the head cooks, and she runs the place so smoothly. They work hard, and it shows. This is my favorite food to get out, I go daily. I crave the chicken kebab and bubaganush. I highly highly recommend. read more

I visited North Market for breakfast but this place caught my eye because it was halal! I ordered the Shawarma Combo but our server messed up my order and made me a Veggie Combo Platter instead. However, after I let him know he corrected my order and gave me the veggie combo for free! The vending booth did not have their own sitting space so we went to the dining area upstairs. The pita bread and the Greek salad weren't anything special and something you could get at your local supermarket. The gyro and chicken shawarma meats were very juicy and tender and the Tzatziki sauce gave it just the right flavor. It was evident that the hummus and baba gannoush were made fresh which was impressive for a fast food Mediterranean restaurant. The falafel was a little tough but eating it with the Tzatziki sauce softened it and also added more flavor. The portion sizes were decent but it seemed as if they loaded the plates with bread while I would've preferred to have more of the shawarma meats and spreads instead. read more

Oh wow, what a great place @North Market. The baklava was absolutely amazing!!! The service was excellent, so friendly & helpful. Was wishing I'd brought some baklava back to Atlanta with me! read more

Firdous Express - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

MEH! This is another restaurant located in the North Market that my husband really wanted to try. The theme of his life is heavy carb, so he ordered the Moussaka to go. It came with a fresh green salad and a vegetable rice. The vegetable rice was delicious, very light and flavorful. The green salad looked very fresh and my husband seemed to enjoy it. I felt that the Moussaka was too heavy with too much of an emphasis on the béchamel sauce and not enough attention to the appropriate balance of ingredients. It simply needed more protein and the vegetables needed to be prepared in smaller more manageable pieces. This dish was just a mushy mess with little substance so I cannot recommend it. I really was not impressed with the employee who was impatient and had a curt manner about her. Luckily, she was waiting on my husband because I have zero tolerance for attitudes and I would have canceled the transaction. Please work on those customer service skills. read more

Firdous Express - The salmon is probably a better option. - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Delicious Mediterranean food. We've ordered from here many times. The chicken kabobs are delicious , succulent , and large. Excellent lentil rice , and other sides like hummus, salad, pita bread , and tzatziki. A Very consistent vendor at North Market,...For many years. Don't miss the excellent handmade desserts. Baklava , with or without chocolate. Other Greek desserts as well. We'll be back soon. read more

Firdous Express. You've got it tough. You're nestled in the North Market among so many scrumptious culinary treats it's hard to stand out. You're a doe-eyed beauty among debutantes. . . . A mathematician among Mensa members. . . . A body building brute among bronze metal winners . . . OK you get the idea. . . But you've got something no one else has. One of the best things I have ever eaten: Honey mustard chicken and saffron rice. The first time I had this combo was after hitting a few bars and being low on fuel. I stumbled into the North Market and picked the first thing I saw that also had coca cola and carbs (see: pita bread). I couldn't believe how good the honey mustard chicken was, I had to believe that I only devoured it with such intense adoration because I was inhibited and hungry. Weeks later I went back and tried it again when I was sober and sane and felt the same deep passion. It has a very sweet flavor that I am sure is not for everyone, but coupled with tangy Greek salad, soft warm pita bread and a scoop of warm saffron rice. . . it is very hard to beat. read more

The previous 2 reviews were so short, that I wondered if they were subconsciously influenced by the "Express" in the restaurant's name. =P 3.5 stars, but i'm feeling generous so I'll round it up to a 4. I got the "beef*" shawerma entree (~$8), which comes with pita, a salad, and hummus, along with the beef. The meat was decent and the hummus tasted like it was heavy on the tahini. Another day, I tried the shawerma gyro, and it was alright. Again with that hummus! So much tahini! The chicken kabab looked pretty good from what I saw. I would love it if they made koobideh and barg kababs...because I initially went to this stall hoping that they'd have it! *Mixture of beef and lamb read more

I tried Firdous for the first time today after passing it up time and again for years. I had the roasted eggplant with, I believe, Algerian rice? The meal also came with a small side salad and some pita bread. The roasted eggplant was delicious. It had onions, red peppers and green peppers in the mix, and a sauce with the consistency of a lot of the sauces in my favorite Indian dishes. There was a slight bit of spice, just a mild hint; it could have been a bit spicier. The rice was good as well, and complimented the entree nicely. The salad, on the other hand, was a bit bland. It could have used slightly more dressing, cucumbers and carrots. The pita bread was downright awful. I was served four pieces, but didn't even eat all of one. A fair amount of food for the price, but not the best around. I'll probably go back to try out their falafel, but I won't expect much. read more

I'm not sure why - but this is typically where I end up eating (main course) when I go to the North Market. Second meal and dessert is a different story. The food here is good and service is quick. Nothing extraordinary but I'm always pleased with my meal. Not a bad deal for the amount of food either. Most recently I ordered the chicken shawarma entree with a side of saffron rice, hummus, pita and salad. These sides come standard with an entree much to my delight. Not my favorite Mediterranean place in Columbus but Mediterranean food is my favorite so I'm a tough critic. I'm sure I'll be back. read more

Firdous Express - Chicken shawarma with saffron rice - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Highly recommended and good middle-eastern food. The shawarma has the right spices and the Greek salad and Algerian spicy rice are mouth-watering. Perfect for a weekend lunch at Short North! read more

Firdous Express - Gyro shawarma platter - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This is my favorite Mediterranean food in Columbus. I work downtown so we're close enough to walk to the North Market (where Firdous is located) for lunch. It's always a very busy scene and there's usually a line for Firdous. Their selection is huge - all sorts of stuff, but the dish I can not pass up every time I go is the Honey Mustard Chicken with Lentil Rice, side salad with their house dressing and a side of hummus and pita. INCREDIBLE! At one point I was going so often the staff recognized me and started making my lunch for me before I could get my order out of my mouth. Delicious! read more

OK here is my disclaimer for my review. My dining partner actually ate there and I had a bite or two of his dish which was very yummy. However as a treat he got me a piece of baklava since I adore the stuff. So my review is based solely on the baklava and the experience it provided. I don't know if they make it themselves or have it brought in but either way you absolutely must try it. So I'm sitting in a very over crowded North Market having just finished my Polish lunch and about to gormandize on my dessert. Upon the first bit the crowds faded away and the din was replaced by chirping birds and a delightfully babbling brook studded with mossy covered rocks and dew covered trees. Time slowed to a stand still and the world waited as I enjoyed the most fabulous piece of baklava I have ever placed in my mouth. I know that sounds like a feminine hygiene commercial but it is that good. You must stop and treat yourself to the delicious baklava and you will thank me later I promise read more

Disclaimer: This review is only for the baklava. We were wandering the market looking for dessert and the large platters of baklava seduced us. At $2.00 a piece, it is quite a steal. Unfortunately, we've had better pre-packaged baklava. I went for the chocolate and nut variety and the Boy had a piece of walnut and a piece of pistachio. We were both underwhelmed. There didn't seem to be enough of that glorious, sticky syrup on any of the pieces and mine just tasted stale. It's a shame because it was beautifully presented. read more

Firdous is my go-to for super-healthy food at North Market. So much variety in their dishes, with tons of vegetarian options. Both their vinaigrette and creamy dressings are good, and I'm a fan of their salads in general and tabbouleh in particular. (Who doesn't love to head back to work with green stuff stuck in their teeth?!) The spicy chicken and any of their lamb dishes are great, and they'll do half rice, half salad or only salad if you ask. Their only downside is their pre-packaged flatbread, which tastes like cardboard and does not work well to absorb flavors. A large display case holds an array of desserts. The baklava is pretty good, I must say. You'll be able to get a healthy, filling meal at North Market, a little dessert and (maybe) not fall asleep at work with a Firdous meal. Okay, probably not, but you can avoid most of the gut bombs and feel better by quitting time. read more

I have always liked this place. If is dependably good. It's just not knock my socks of, get cravings for it good. I like the saffron rice, and the hummus is good. I usually get the Tunisian chicken. It's usually spicy and nice, but today it was less spiced than usual, which was disappointing. The salmon looked amazing, and I will probably get it next time. (I have the feeling it will be good enough to make me throw another star on there!) read more

I have been here on many occasion and never thought to write a review. I had a craving for falafel and decided to head on over to firdous as I was at the Market with a few other people. I believe I make the same mistake each time though, I get the falafel, realize how dry it is, then just settle for that. The thing is, it is really dry, they skimp on the tahini, the lettuce is always fine, the pita is pretty decent. For the price though, I would expect better falafel. Also, I ordered an unsweetened iced tea, the guy gave me a lemon iced tea and said they were out of unsweetened after charging me.... There is a DISTINCT difference between lemon and unsweetened pal. So that service just went out the door. Before I went veg, I did try some other dishes, swarma, gyro, greek salads, which are all good and never seemed to be a disappointment. They also have great baklava. So if I had gone off this one experience, it would have been 1 or 2 stars, but since I do have a past with the place... I will give it three stars and hope they improve. read more

This restaurant is tucked away in the farmers market, and from the outside appears to be unassuming. However, looks can be deceiving. This place offers affordable, but delicious Mediterranean food. The meat dishes are halal (for those whom it may apply for: verified verbally by the staff). I ordered a gyro salad over a fried pita bowl, which was excellent. I am traveling from Baltimore and can't think of a comparable gyro fried pita bowl dish around there. The meat was seasoned well and the crunchy/crispy pita bowl shell was super satisfying. Seating was outside of the market and seats were taken pretty quickly during lunch time. I would definitely recommend this place, it is awesome. read more

Firdous Express - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The first time I ever experienced Firdous, it was good. A friend took me there and we got delicious spicy food and all was well in the world. But more recently, aka a few weeks ago, I went back to relive this experience. Mmmm...nope. Not the same. The chicken was dry, the spicy rice was not that spicy, and the food prep inside the container was overall messy. Food was 'leaking' out of the container. I watched as the person scooped it inside and noticed that he didn't wipe off the edges and just put it in a bag. Great. Thanks. It wasn't the worst thing in the world but in all honesty, I'd be ok with never eating this again. North Market has better options. Shoot, I'll just go eat scoops and scoops of Jeni's for lunch. Sugar high, anyone? read more

I got lunch from Firdous Express for the second time today. I just love the combo of chicken with olives. First time I had the Moroccan Chicken with green olives, but today I went for the spicy Tunisian Chicken with black olives. Both come in a tomato based sauce over rice with a side salad and pita for 8 bucks. The portion is big enough that I always think I'll be able to stretch it into two meals, but then end up scarfing the whole darn thing. They also sell olives by the pound and baklava. It's a great reason for me to walk to North Market for my lunch hour. read more

This is definitely a great choice for Mediterranean cuisine in the beautiful open air North Market! North Market has always prided itself in offering only the finest quality of vendors. Firdous Express is a standout!!! Upon walking to the stand, one can see extravagantly prepared dishes from all over the Mediterranean rim. Among my favorites are the Lamb and Okra or the Chicken and Collard Greens. With each meal, you get rice, pita bread and a Greek Salad. No matter what you get, the flavor is something to savor. Ingredients are high quality. Each entree tastes as if it has been homemade. And the price is right. For 8 bucks, you can treat yourself to a very tasty and enjoyable lunch. In addition the service is typically very friendly. read more

I'm about to give 5 stars to a counter service food op. But it's an old favorite and I've reviewed too many mediocre places lately, so I think it's time. Most recent visit was on that odd 12/26 'Xmas holiday' Monday where a lot of things were closed, and half the North Market wasn't open, but Firdous was. Shawarma (shawirma?) combo is a bargain. I like the Tunisian chicken too. Enough selection for most picky eaters (yes, vegetarian offerings). Never had a bad bite from the place. Drinks are limited to what they have in the cooler, but you can find bevs elsewhere. Location: North Market, downtown arena/conv center area. Parking is not free, but if you squeeze a car into NM lot, $1/hour with validation. Seating is outside or upstairs, and uniformly noisy no matter what day it is. read more

Had the Morrocan Chicken w/ Safron Rice and "today's special" w/ Spicy Rice. Food was good. read more

Firdous Express - Chicken w/ Spicy Rice & Tomato Sauce - Greek Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Love the North Market! I had the spicy chicken and beef, which was nicely spiced. Also had some hummus, which was really really good. There are so many choices at the North Market, but I would visit this place again. read more

Great Mediterranean food, wonderful customer service. Their chicken kabob is awesome with saffron rice.

1-star falafel sandwich. not that the falafel itself was that bad. but the sandwich was just falafel and lettuce. period. nothing else. dry, bland, and 100% disappointing. I mean, the lettuce was decent lettuce. but where are the tomatoes, the garlicky-tahini sauce, the pickles? come on. the rest of the food here looks amazing, so next time I think I'll steer clear of the crap sandwiches and get myself the moussaka- which I think will be much better. read more

Alright so let me start with my history of the "Firdous" restaurants. My parents used to take my brother and I to the original Firdous Deli when we were kids. I was the only person in my family who wasn't very adventurous in my food choices, but the owners were incredibly gracious and allowed me to eat Wendy's while the rest of my family dined on what I would later learn was fantastic food. After first getting hooked on hummus, then all the rest I became a great fan of the Firdous Deli. He also opened the Firdous Restaurant in The Kingsdale Center of Upper Arlington, which was fabulous, and perhaps a little before it's time for the area. They baked the pita in what I believe was a wood oven right in front of you, and if all they served was that pita with some hummus, that was enough for me, it was spectacular. Unfortunately that restaurant didn't last very long, and his original restaurant was forced out of campus for the gateway reconstruction. That left the Firdous express at the North Market, and something similar at the Polaris Mall, and then he decided to sell them. Alright, so I know, I've been writing all this time and haven't even gotten to the review! The point that I am trying to make is that I have incredibly high expectations for the new owner, based on past experiences, and they just aren't fulfilled. I've always been upbeat and patient and friendly with them, but I don't get that in return. The meat is too often over cooked, or too strong, and things just don't come together like they used to. Starting from scratch, I would probably still give it a 3 stars, but maybe 4 if I had only been there once. read more

Service: 4 Speed: 5 Food: 3 So I gave it 2 stars but after looking at my rating on service and speed I think its fair to say 3, but that is pushing it. I was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio (I know, I know, poor me, lol) there is a little hole in the wall there on Main St. called Athens Greek Restraunt. I went to Athens since I was a little girl till I moved here and loved the Gyros and later the Falafel Gyro. Athens Falafel Gyro was just frikken amazing and would make it easy to stay a veg. and because of Athens I was excited to try Firdous Express, but no, not so much, not at all. The reason their Falafel is dry as said in an earlier review is because they microwave it, Falafel is fried chick peas with other good stuff mixed in, but if you are like me you do not think microwaved fried food is very tasty typically. I am a hummus lover, and I wanted to get more then just hummus so I bought the veggie combo consisting of falafel, hummus, Tabuleh salad, and a Ganjou (a work I cannot say nor spell) it came with pita for 7.95. Hummus was too runny for my taste and way too lemony as well, I prefer mine thicker and with more of a garlic bite then lemon, but that is my taste and some of the hummus lovers out there will tell you the more lemony the better, but to me it just takes away from the creamy awesomness that is hummus. Pita Bread....so many are raving about this so called seasoned pita bread, first of all it is paper thin on both sides, I tasted no seasoning and it was very dry like it was stale or something. Falafel was green (why is the falafel green? anybody) had a funny taste to it was dry and they buried it in some sorta sauce, but that made it more edible I believe. the falafel in Mansfield was made (actually everything was made fresh there) fresh and it was crispy on the outside and had a nice nutty style crunch through out. Tabuleh salad, 5 stars that was my favorite thing and I added that to the hummus and pita with a bit of falafel. The Tabuleh was so fresh tasting with parsley, tomato, and onion so good, but I think it is 5 bucks if you just buy a small of that and that would be too pricey imo. ok the word I can't spell it is too words and similar to hummus it is a dip, but has shreds of stuff to it, if you just take a bite of it then it is slimey and the texture kinda turned me off, but when I added it to the pita it had an interesting toasted kind of flavor to it, but I still didn't eat much of it and was just not a fan of the slimey consistency. Now Athens opened a new location a few years back on the other side of town in Mansfield and I can tell you it was not nearly as good as their home restraunt on Main St. you could tell the food was being microwaved and I don't much like paying good money to eat microwaved crap it just isn't as fresh or as good. Summary: As so many other Yelpers say in here......there are too many other greek places to eat in Columbus, and I went to one a few years back where the hummus was to die for and I wish I could remember their name as they were not downtown and it was amazing there. Just too many better places to eat in Columbus where you will get thick and delish hummus and hopefully falafel. There are too many other choices in North Market for me to spend this kinda money on dips and pita bread just to be so very disapointed. I will not go back and those of you that like a thicker pita and hummus should stay away too! Perhaps he should just stick with body building aye.............. read more

Good choice for a meal at the North market. I got the mousaka, which comes with a side of rice (I got saffron), greek salad (fresh and tasty), and some pita bread. It's a good meal, especially if you're not expecting anything really authentic or fancy. The pita bread was very chewy and tasted like it came from Kroger, but the rest of the food was tasty. Comes to about $8-9, which isn't bad for this place and what you get. Will return. read more

Got the roasted chicken with spicy rice and not being a person who eats greens, substituted salad for their majodara rice. The chicken was fall off the bone tender(no need of a knife, trust me) and the caramelized onions gives a burnt but a delicious flavor. Don't be worried about the lines unless you're in real hurry, they move fast. They usually have one or 2 taking the meat order, one at the salad/sides and one at the register. Drinks wise, they only have coke products. I usually carry my own drink since I like mountain dew. read more

Uh, no. This is pre-cooked meat that has been sitting a little too long. They try to cover it with their sauce, which is a watered down tzatziki sauce. The hummus has been creamed, although it was passable. Couldn't finish the meal, though I was hungry. read more

This is NOT a light lunch. Well, at least not was I got. It was good, and pretty flavorful. The hummus is my least favorite here, but the falafel was really great. I do wish they used different pita bread, I wasn't a fan of theirs. Just a fair warning, don't bother asking for a little side of hummus, you end up getting a full cup with extra pita. I just wanted a little for my falafel! read more

I know the word "express" is in your name, but you lost me when you tossed some falafel in the microwave. Also, they don't (at least I couldn't tell) offer half portions, so I got way too much food to finish myself, and would have much rather paid half as well. I guess it tasted ok, but certainly not the best mediterranian food ever. read more

I would have given 3.5 stars if it were an option. Had the gyro for lunch today. I was impressed with the price! $5.50 for a very large sandwich. It's certainly not the best I've had, but it was satisfying and had decent quality meat and nice veggies in it. Next time I'll ask for extra sauce. My only complaint was that the pita starting splitting down the center after a bite or two, and considering I was eating at my desk it was pretty messy. The woman working the counter was SUPER nice and genuine. That goes a long way for me. I'll definitely be back : ) read more

I had the tunisian chicken (spicy!) and the algerian spicy rice. Whew! Whata lunch! My ears are still smoking! This is a great little restaurant. I knocked off a star because my chicken was a little dry but apart from that, everything was great. read more

It's probably the healthiest option in North Market. It's tasty enough, hot enough and cheap enough. Nothing outstanding but it does the trick when you're around, hungry and don't want to bother going to a restaurant. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by this place! I got the chicken shawarma which comes with salad, pita bread, and hummus, all for just $8.25. I am usually a little picky about hummus, but theirs was just right! Everything else was tasty as well and I got my food in under 5 minutes, while other places had long lines. Healthy and delicious, I would definitely go here again! read more