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    Grill Express

    4.7 (75 reviews)
    Closed • 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

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    Menu 06/2025
    Megan M.

    I found this place via Yelp and was soooo happy I did! They have generous portions and such tender meat! Every time I go here I get the gyro platter. It comes with seasoned rice, few slices of pita bread, gyro meat, and salad. I usually have the salad removed and there's never an issue with my modification. The white sauce they put on top truly is divine. The pricing is within standard pricing as other Mediterranean restaurants. It's always hot and fresh. They have tables inside which are always clean and it's very quiet outside of some music playing. Overall this is one of two favorite gyro spots in Gainesville that I'd recommend others to try out!

    Pita bread and Fries from the Family Platter
    Raye Z.

    Grill Express - Gainesville, FL The location is quaint and tucked in, for a quick meal or takeout. We did pick-up this time, and it was quick service, smooth and easy. Started with hummus and falafel--both had good flavor. Love a good falafel crunch. The sauces? Fresh. More tzatziki, please. We needed to quickly cater for a friend's get-together, so we got the Family Platter, which came with a choice of 3 meats: we chose gyro meat, shawarma chicken, and chicken shish, served over seasoned rice, plus fries, salad, and pita. The gyro meat was nicely seasoned and flavorful. The chicken was a little dry, but still worked when mixed with the sides and sauces. Flavorful Middle Eastern food overall, would try again, maybe switch up the protein.

    Menu
    David J.

    Probably the last of our dining adventures during our mid-week "get away" from home (40 minutes) is the Grill Express on University in Gainesville. If Mediterranean cuisine turns your crank, this place will more than deliver. It looks like a complete hole-in-the-wall place (and it is), but they serve up some of the best Mediterranean food we've had in Florida. We shared an order of feta fries and ordered two platters: falafel (falafel, Jasmine rice, salad, hummus & pita bread) and mixed (chicken shawarma, shish tawook, sliced gyro meat, rice, salad, white sauce &pita). Amazing! The flavors were so good! Truly a hidden gem in Gainesville! There is a limited amount of parking, so if you can pick a weeknight rather than a weekend you will probably be fine. The guy behind the counter was very nice and brought our food out as soon as it was ready.

    Not a busy night, but a nice clean restaurant, and I know I have good food coming...oh yeah!!
    Erich C.

    As I walked in, I saw a woman in a hijab with a boy, that I assumed was her son. I ordered the chicken shish platter with a side of hummus!! (a winner dinner) He came out to give them their food, and he was speaking to the boy in his native language. I didn't understand a word, but you could hear the love and nurturing support in his voice. I let him see my smile, as I could not hide it. I come in here a lot, and he knows I did not understand, but it was a universal thing that transcends spoken words. My food was SO good, that I had to share it! I could smell it, as I drove to my best friend's art store to share with him! I told him the story, and we both enjoyed a little international humanity. It was peaceful, a very peaceful restaurant! Highly recommended!!

    Kofta Kebob burger and soggy baklava
    Patricia M.

    I've ordered food from this place twice. Once for take out and once from DD. I won't be back. Ordered the Kofta Kebob platter and Baklava. The Baklava was beautiful. Sadly... it was put on top of my hot Kebob platter which sat in transport for more that 25 minutes in a plastic bag. It was so soggy and soft. My Kofta Kebob platter was beef and "little bits' of lamb smashed into a burger patty and cut up into pieces on top of rice. Set next to warm wilted salad with two small pieces of quartered cucumber, a sprinkle of feta and two tomatoes.. Yum Frankly, what made this dish tolerable was the sauce and the seasonings I used, mixed into the fragrant rice that came with the dish. The rice was perfect. The meat was overly cooked and not a Kofta Kebob

    Gyro Platter
    Robert V.

    Absolute fire, love this spot. Got takeout here many times back when I went to school at UF and it never disappointed. Had to come back to it when I visited gainesville and it's as good as ever. Staff is friendly (shoutout AJ not sure if he still works there) and usually pretty quick. Sometimes they run out of rice but the fries can substitute and are also amazing. Will always love Grill Express!

    Chicken Shawarma and Mixed Platter
    Emily L.

    This place has amazing flavor but I was underwhelmed with the portion size for a $20 meal. For $20 I expect a super filling dinner. This was not it. I had to have a second dinner after it. The salad did not even fill up half of the small box it came it and it had stale lettuce, a couple tomatoes and a few cucumbers. The chicken and rice and sauces were amazing though. Great flavors. The pita bread was good but nothing too special and there was not enough of it. Worker was super nice and the order was timely so I wish it was worth all $20 :/

    Chicken Shawarma
    Jahmeel S.

    Chicken shawarma wrap and feta fries were delicious. I could eat the Greek feta fries everyday.

    Gryo platter $14.99
    Daniel C.

    An unforgettable experience. The vibes were just there and the food was delicious. I ate din-in at the small cozy place after a nearby appointment, and the food came out in 15 minutes, looking very pretty as well, check the photo. As of this review, the gyro platter was $14.99 before tip. But the part that made this unforgettable were the other people that day. There were plenty of Arab women with their husbands while I waited in line, and they spoke in Arabic to the owner who was the only employee that day. It's always a good-sign when the locals are all there. After placing our orders we sat around in the restaurant and turned our chairs to each other, so we could discuss. Before I got the food, first I asked if anyone had been here before, and a woman told this restaurant is probably the best halal in the entire country! She said she was born and raised Saudi Arabia, and the food here rivals if not exceeds most of the places in Saudi! Her husband who is a war veteran told us the same. So I was licking my lips already. The discussion varied from there. I remember one of them claiming that Middle-Eastern cuisine tastes the best because is is the cuisine of the "Creoles" or the first humans. Another said that Arabia is becoming green again, lush with springs and palm trees like a millennia ago and the Euphrates drying out--a sign of the end-times. We closed with anti-war sentiment, especially in the Middle-Eastern regions. Some of the husbands were veterans so they had a lot to speak about, the PTSD, innocent casualties, destruction of culture on a vulnerable populace. An informative and intusing discussion to say the least. Oh yeah the food. Delicious, that is all.

    June 2024 Menu

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food and excellent customer service. What more can you ask for? The mixed platter is delicious.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Really delicious foo. I had the falafel platter. This was some of the best faafels I've ever had, the rice was also very good.

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    2 years ago

    it's delicious food and have family meals it's really big amount and enough for the family with reasonable price

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The food is very good! Do wish the portions were bigger, but overall the the service and food were great :)

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Wow this food is amazing! Chicken schwarma is excellent. I will for sure come back here

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    I had their beef shawarma combo with seasoned fries and a drink. So good ! Everything was amazing and easy parking in the back

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    6 years ago

    Probably the best shawarma I had in a good while! I can judge shawarma places harshly but I'm pretty happy with this one!

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    5 years ago

    AJ is the man. Worth the money. Get extra sauce and get a shish tawook platter. HYPE.

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    5 years ago

    Always good to eat here, great middle eastern food experience. Great customer service and fair prices. Definitely a place to try

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    5 years ago

    Got the chicken shawarma. Amazing service, friendly staff and amazing food. Nothing more to say

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Best halal spot in Gainesville, staff is awesome. Give you tons of food for the price

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    Gyro Plus - There's 20 different varieties of baklava and cake

    Gyro Plus

    4.2(193 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    •$

    My second time here and wow it was definitely even better than I remembered. I ordered dinner for…read moremy parents and I Tuesday night and had to falafel platter for me, lamb & beef gyro platter for my dad, and a falafel wrap for my mom. Based on the reviews, I knew this time to grab some baklava which was a difficult decision. Why, you may ask? They have so many choices! I did end up with the pistachio baklava. My dad raved about his lamb & beef gyro platter and literally left no crumbs. My mom loved her wrap and how large the portion was. For me, the falafel platter was all hits, no misses. From the creamy hummus to the fresh tabbouleh. I highly enjoyed the freshness of the meal. The baklava was the cherry on top - sweet and nutty with a flaky pastry crust. I wish I would've ordered more varieties of the delicious dessert. Gyro Plus is a great staple here in town for your Mediterranean favorites! I'll be back soon!

    This was my very first time eating here I had Beef and lamb gyro platter with hummus and pita bread…read moreand salad the dessert was Pistachio baklava all I can say is the the lamb and rice was delicious and tender the hummus was fantastic smooth and fresh along with the salad the dessert was delicious fresh and incredibly good I'm so sorry for not having any pictures to share with you after my first bite I just couldn't stop eating it.take my word you will not be disappointed at all but you will thank me for being very honest about not missing out on getting a meal or anything from here

    Photos
    Gyro Plus - Make sure you save them for dessert

    Make sure you save them for dessert

    Gyro Plus - Baklava

    Baklava

    Gyro Plus - The serving sizes are large enough to share

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    The serving sizes are large enough to share

    CAVA

    CAVA

    3.6(45 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Well the students are back at UF, and that causes all sorts of havoc (in a good way, of course) for…read morethe local restaurants. I went to CAVA today to get my regular order (don't really need to talk about the food, it's always fresh, tasty, and poppin!) and saw an employee named Andrea just working her little tail off getting all the call in orders done while trying to keep the in-person line moving along. I told her I appreciated how hard she was working, it was obvious! Even though she was incredibly busy, she still took my order with a nice smile and pleasant attitude (which is not the case any time I ever went to Chipotle, which is why I don't go there anymore). Because it's such a heavily populated student location, it would benefit from extra attention to have the place look a little more spiffy, like the Archer Road location, but overall the staff here are great!

    I always enjoy getting Cava as it is a quick, healthy option that leave me satisfied. This…read moreparticular location is located right across from campus and is super convenient for students. While this is a great spot for people without cars, parking could be a challenge for those who drive to this location. The service here is usually pretty good as well. I have never had a problems with my orders or anything. I often order online and pickup, but ordering in person is efficient too (most of the time). The interior is kept fairly clean, especially considering the amount of people who come through here on the daily. I really like the outdoor patio space too. The portion sizes are hit or miss...depending on who makes your bowl, you will either receive generous portions of things or you won't receive much. Some of the items aren't always the most consistent either. For instance, I've had numerous occasions where the rice is undercooked. This location definitely receives more traffic than the one in Butler Plaza, so take that into consideration when ordering here. Expect more "limited options", longer lines, more frugal portions, and sometimes even less fresh options. Your experience here is truly predicated on who is working and what they have available.

    Photos
    CAVA
    CAVA
    CAVA

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    Harvest Thyme Express - Sweet potato bisque

    Harvest Thyme Express

    4.5(19 reviews)
    5.3 mi

    I can't pin point when it was the last time I came here. I believe before Covid. I took my mom and…read moreshe enjoyed it. I was reminiscing about a sandwich I got and decided to order some lunch from here . I ordered a California turkey croissant but subbed for gluten free Kaiser roll. I also ordered the Greek salad. The prices and portions can't be beat. I got it for delivery from DoorDash and the ingredients and bread were so fresh. I was a little hesitant because when I order sandwiches or wraps from other places for delivery they arrive soggy but I was pleasantly surprised because everything was intact. I'm picky with deli meat since I just can't stand some after taste of certain deli meats but I don't know how to explain it the turkey and cheese tasted "clean" . You were able to taste every topping on the sandwich separately and together it just came together perfectly. It was a hefty portion too looking like a real life healthy krabby patty. I haven't tried the salad since I got so full from the sandwich but even my coworker when she saw it in the fridge said it looked amazing. I can't wait to have it for dinner and hoping I get the chance to come in and try other items on their menu. I might hit the beach one of these days and I sure wish I could take a couple of sammies from here so I might consider it.

    They have gluten-free buns and wraps, gluten-free cookies, and all the soups are gluten-free …read more Sandwich that comes with a side AND the gf bread included was around $12 total. Nice staff too.

    Photos
    Harvest Thyme Express - Shrimp and sausage gumbo - didn't have any shrimp in mine :(

    Shrimp and sausage gumbo - didn't have any shrimp in mine :(

    Harvest Thyme Express - The Rachel - it was the hot special

    The Rachel - it was the hot special

    Harvest Thyme Express - Pasta salad

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    Pasta salad

    Scuola Pizza - House Salad

    Scuola Pizza

    4.4(131 reviews)
    4.0 mi
    •$$

    updated review here…read more. So glad to see this restaurant doing so well, their menu has grown from when we last ate here. We met some friends here for dinner and they love it.from the friendly attentive staff, the atmosphere of the restaurant is very unique , and i always find something new on the walls to stare at or at least ask about or take a photo of. We opted to try the pizza we got a prosciutto pizzs and the athena pizza Both were very rich in taste and ingredients. We all ended up bringing some leftovers home. Definietely worth the visit!! And its in my neighborhood, making it that much more convenient.

    Reserved seating for 6 for a Saturday lunch and had great table service from Seth. The owners…read morevisited us as well to ask how our food was and everything was top-notch. We ordered several pizzas (1 garlic 16", 1 two-topping 12" with prosciutto + roasted garlic, 1 Hawaiian 12", 1 pita pizza with ham) plus ravioli fritti appetizer and steak pesto. Pizzas were excellent , steak was soft / medium well as I requested, and ravioli was deliciously crunchy - a crowd pleaser. The others had never tried Scuola before and now they'll all be back for the great food , friendly service, as well as chill ambiance of the place. Highly recommend visiting during lunch time since it's not too crowded and still quiet enough to hear one another at a table. The owner stopped by our table before we left and graciously offered to take a photo for us so thank you for that. Always a pleasure to meet the management. Pricing was fair considering the large portions and quality of the food. We had separate checks so our share of the food (including a to go order of Chicken Souvlaki and Kokkinisto!) was about $125 with generous tip. Free parking lot outside the restaurant is shared but there were still many spots to choose from. We'll certainly be back again ^_^ !!

    Photos
    Scuola Pizza - Entry Lobby

    Entry Lobby

    Scuola Pizza - Greeks salad

    Greeks salad

    Scuola Pizza - House Salad

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    House Salad

    Falafel King - Falafel Platter

    Falafel King

    3.5(132 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    •$

    I have been eating Falafel King since 1984 and it is still as good today as it was back then. I was…read moreintroduced to it by words that became a staple every time I walked in, "My friend. Come and enjoy a falafel!" It was 1984, I worked at the Florida Bookstore and was sitting out back in the courtyard behind Chaucer's during my lunch break. That's when I heard those words. It was a smiling man sticking his head out of a kitchen window behind Cafe Gardens, which shared the courtyard with Chaucer's. "...enjoy a falafel!" "A flawhatel?" I asked. The man was Ghassan Chehab, and after serving me my first ever falafel, I ate there nearly every day. He soon moved out of the small shared-kitchen window to the famous 13th and University location, next to Burrito Brothers and Goerings Book Center - which I eventually moved to myself - and a block from my house. Falafel sandwich, spinach pie, strawberry-banana smoothie, and complimentary baklava - that was my go-to meal, always accompanied by great conversation with Ghassan. I left Gainesville in 1992 and The King moved out to Butler Plaza. I returned there a number of years later and was not only delighted to see the place still existed, but it was as good as ever! Ghassan was no longer there in person, but he certainly was in spirit. I continue to eat there whenever I pass anywhere near Gainesville, and always take home a bundle full of the falafel and pies. In fact, I'm actually writing this review with the taste of that falafel and spinach pie in mouth right now because I recently made one such trip. My friends, go eat a falafel at Falafel King!

    Delicious and freshly made Falafel. Good service and clean restaurant. I look forward to eating…read moreagain.

    Photos
    Falafel King - Inside dining area with wall art.

    Inside dining area with wall art.

    Falafel King - Food is great, excellent customer service, and you can find essential groceries inside the small supermarket the restaurant have

    Food is great, excellent customer service, and you can find essential groceries inside the small supermarket the restaurant have

    Falafel King - Outside

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    Outside

    Grill Express - mideastern - Updated September 2026

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