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Lava Shawarma is a casual, full-service restaurant with five locations serving reasonably priced Middle Eastern food that does the job. The pita and hummus were pretty standard. For my main, I ordered the fattoush salad with chicken, and the salad was huge! I was a little sketched out by the chicken at first, which was very thinly sliced and a slightly different color than I'm used to. It was their chicken shawarma and tasted fine enough, though it wasn't very flavorful and didn't seem high-quality. The salad itself, buried beneath the toppings in this picture, was fresh and yummy. Overall, I didn't feel the best after eating this meal, mainly because it was too much food, but possibly also because of the chicken and white sauce. If I came back, I'd get the fattoush salad without the chicken, but I don't plan on returning. I did really appreciate the free chai tea though! The waiter didn't offer it at first, but I saw it on my way to the bathroom and asked. It was sweet and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so.
The food at Lava Shawarma was soo good - I'm so excited to find out that there is another location that is a little closer to me, because I'll be able to go more regularly! My friends and I stopped in for a quick and casual meal. The restaurant is super casual, with reasonable prices. We started with the labneh and pita - it was well spiced and tart, and a great, simple appetizer to get us ready for the rest of the meal. I personally got the lamb burger. It was juicy and hearty, and the pickles provided a nice little kick of acidity amongst the cheesy, rich bite. We thought about trying the baklava, but were too full due to the fair portion size. I've got my eye on the loaded fries for another meal, and a shakshouka for breakfast one day!
The flavors here are delicious. The food is a great mix of fresh ingredients. The service was quick and friendly. The decoration inside is simple but still with though. My am favorite part is the wall with the word "welcome" in different languages. I would say this place is decently priced and affordable as well. I would definitely recommend eating here to anyone in the area.
So delicious and authentic, 100% recommend getting the family style mixed grill to sample a bit of everything. I have no notes everything was flavorful and juicy, and the chicken especially wasn't dry at all which can be common. Hummus on the side is a must too!
I am posting on behalf of my child. My high schooler was out of school early because of half day. She said the sign outside the store saying Mac and Cheese for $6 (student special) When she went in to order for it to go, the staff told her it's gonna be $12 because it's a take out order. I know she could have turn around and walk out, but being inexperienced in the way of the world, my kid just went along with it. She placed the order around 11:35am and by 12:05pm she was still waiting for her order and they kept saying it's coming. By 12:11 the staff is finally packing her order. I took a pic of the food, it look decent. They laid a bunch of fries under the Mac and even placed a few pieces of fried chicken on top. Hence the justification of the $12 price? The taste? My high schooler gave it a 2.5 because on top of cheese they mixed in other sauces in it also. (Some may found it desirable, to each their own) However it's the wait time that really throws us off. Over 40 minutes for a Mac and Cheese order? My kid also said there were customers sitting inside and they placed their order before her and by the time she got her order, they were still waiting for their food. I know it's not a written rule that a restaurant should let customers know that some order may take longer because of preparation or short staffing; but close to 40 minutes for a Mac and cheese take out order?
Food and service is maxed out as far as ratings go. It's a "quick bite" place so ambience is not their strength. However, it's still very clean and cozy with some outdoor eating options. The wraps are unbelievable and it all tastes and feels like it's home made with love. Simply excellent.
This place was super cute and chill vibes. Authentic food and reasonably priced. We ordered the shawarma of course and their hummus..Omg both were delicious. Not a very big place but a good amount of seating. Service was great and friendly.
Excellent service. Great menu and affordable. Located on street in west village w lots of falafel and mid eastern food choices but this one is able to stand out. Nice little cafe style tables inside. Authentic dishes and people go and try.
Really nice sit down option in Greenwich village that's open late and serves authentic middle eastern food! I really liked their Chicken Shawarma Arabic, the garlic sauce paired SO well with the meal. I would ask for extra sauce on the side next time I come here haha. The spicy falafel was also very good, it was crisp and very well seasoned. It's filled with spicy onions and it packs quite the kick, I just wish that it came with more than 2! Their hibiscus tea was also delicious, it had just the right amount of sweetness to it. Even though we went late, the servers were still very attentive and kind. The restaurant itself is quite spacious, something I find to be a rare feature especially around MacDougal/Thompson street. Lava Shawarma has an open kitchen concept too, you can see the meat roasting on the spit which I always love seeing. I think Lava Shawarma gives off a cozy homestyle vibe, there's pillows on some of the seats and is a really chill place to grab a quick bite or sit down and chat with friends.
A friend and I decided to grab a quick dinner at Lava yesterday and were not disappointed. We both ordered two different types of rice bowls. I asked for a Shawarma bowl with both lamb and chicken. The chicken was seasoned well, and appropriately moist. The garlic sauce on top was quite strong and I can see why they use it sparingly. Great flavors though. The lamb on the other hand, I found a little bit on the dry side and chewy, which was not the best. The rice was flavorful and fragrant, with every grain separate. Salad was plentiful. I appreciated it. I do think for $15 The portion was on the smaller side. I have had similar Shawarma plates at other restaurants that comes with a lot more food. I was debating to get a hot drink and ordered the Arabic tea. The tea smelled and tasted Amazing, I loved the cloves and cinnamon and all the spices that were coming through and it wasn't super strong. I really enjoyed it. My friends biryani bowl had a boiled egg and chicken but it was a little watery? I'm not sure exactly what was going on there. Service was pretty standard, they had one guy at the cash register, who was also attending to all the tables. I do like the decor inside, they have various types of seating. I think they're most popular item is the Shawarma wrap, so if you go here, definitely stick to that. Overall a pretty solid place in the neighborhood.
The food here is 10/10 and as an authentic as it gets. Their falafel, shawarma, hummus, and baba ghanouj all taste like home, something that can't be taken for granted as so many spots in the city fail at making the basics. Prices are super reasonable and service is great though sometimes slow on the weekend (may be that they need more servers given how busy it gets). I come back again and again!
Went here for a quick dinner with a friend. Plenty of seating was available, and the place is definitely perfect for a quick meet up and catch up session thanks to its casual setting. Service was SLOW as we and other tables waited and watched the server and the cooks hang out and socialize for most of our time there. My friend and I both ordered the Lamb and Beef Shawarma Plate, which, to our surprise was actually a bowl. We both found the food to be okay giving it a rating of 6/10 for its dryness, bland lack of taste/flavor, and portion size (the serving of meat was less than a food truck's). Also ordered the regular small plate of hummus which came with 2 pita bread (cut into 8 pieces) and was definitely the highlight of the meal. To pay your bill you'll need to first find the server and then pay at the register in the back of the restaurant. Personally, not the worst place to grab a bite in the city, but considering this experience I'll be recommending other locations to friends and family.
Giving this place a 4/5 because the the first time I came I had wonderful service so I decided to come here a second time and did not receive the same. I forgot I ordered the Mix lava wrap the first time and when I ordered it the second time I realized i made a mistake but nevertheless I still ate it and didn't complain. The reason of this mistake is because the "wrap" is really small and they chop it up in bite size pieces, I wouldn't really call this an entree more like an appetizer. On top of that this time i got the "meal" which includes fries and a drink and as you can see on the picture they BARELY give you any fries.. that's like 9 fries, I know I'm a girl but i can EAT. So anyway the food is delicious but small portions. What got me also giving it a 4/5 star is that the owner (i think he is) he also took our order and seemed to be running the whole place was in a terrible mood. He grunted and loudly exclaimed an arabic term which frightened both me and my sister. We almost only hear this term being used when our parents are angry. I would suggest that if he is feeling overwhelmed that maybe he needs to hire more help. Not sure if I would return to eat here.. out of all the places in the city I actually probably won't return here.
6 months ago
This place really stands out for flavorful, authentic Middle Eastern food that tastes fresh and well-prepared. Their shawarma is honestly some of the best I've had in NYC--juicy, well-seasoned, and wrapped or plated in a way that feels very satisfying without being greasy or heavy. What makes the place even better is the variety on the menu. You're not limited to just wraps; there's a good mix of platters and rice-based dishes too, which makes it easy to go back and try something different each time. The biryani is a pleasant surprise--fragrant, well-spiced, and not overly oily--and the kofta with rice is especially good, really tender and flavorful with a nice balance of spices. Overall, it's a solid go-to for consistently tasty, authentic comfort food. read more
2 days ago
Went there casually not expecting much - was absolutely blown away! I could tell it was fresh and saw it being made with so much care. Got the beef & lamb pita and it was like a flavor party in my mouth. Loved the vibe and baskets they used for the food. A little pricey but worth it. read more
2 months ago
Ambience was nice. Service was lax. I enjoyed the baba ganoush so much, I had never had any before and it was delicious. Whatever spicy paste they put with it was smoky and divine. Also- I don't usually like cauliflower a whole lot... I'll eat it if it's there... but this was the BEST cauliflower I've ever had, roasted so evenly with oil and an amazing texture. Squash, falafel, and jerusalem salad were all great too. The mint leaves in the watermelon salad were not very fresh, and so I think the price for it was steep- $13-but they do give you a lot so that's nice. I really liked the Hawa cola (zero sugar kind) as well. read more
Lava Shawarma is a casual, full-service restaurant with five locations serving reasonably priced Middle Eastern food that does the job. The pita and hummus were pretty standard. For my main, I ordered the fattoush salad with chicken, and the salad was huge! I was a little sketched out by the chicken at first, which was very thinly sliced and a slightly different color than I'm used to. It was their chicken shawarma and tasted fine enough, though it wasn't very flavorful and didn't seem high-quality. The salad itself, buried beneath the toppings in this picture, was fresh and yummy. Overall, I didn't feel the best after eating this meal, mainly because it was too much food, but possibly also because of the chicken and white sauce. If I came back, I'd get the fattoush salad without the chicken, but I don't plan on returning. I did really appreciate the free chai tea though! The waiter didn't offer it at first, but I saw it on my way to the bathroom and asked. It was sweet and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. read more
The food at Lava Shawarma was soo good - I'm so excited to find out that there is another location that is a little closer to me, because I'll be able to go more regularly! My friends and I stopped in for a quick and casual meal. The restaurant is super casual, with reasonable prices. We started with the labneh and pita - it was well spiced and tart, and a great, simple appetizer to get us ready for the rest of the meal. I personally got the lamb burger. It was juicy and hearty, and the pickles provided a nice little kick of acidity amongst the cheesy, rich bite. We thought about trying the baklava, but were too full due to the fair portion size. I've got my eye on the loaded fries for another meal, and a shakshouka for breakfast one day! read more
The flavors here are delicious. The food is a great mix of fresh ingredients. The service was quick and friendly. The decoration inside is simple but still with though. My am favorite part is the wall with the word "welcome" in different languages. I would say this place is decently priced and affordable as well. I would definitely recommend eating here to anyone in the area. read more
4 months ago
So delicious and authentic, 100% recommend getting the family style mixed grill to sample a bit of everything. I have no notes everything was flavorful and juicy, and the chicken especially wasn't dry at all which can be common. Hummus on the side is a must too! read more
11 months ago
I am posting on behalf of my child. My high schooler was out of school early because of half day. She said the sign outside the store saying Mac and Cheese for $6 (student special) When she went in to order for it to go, the staff told her it's gonna be $12 because it's a take out order. I know she could have turn around and walk out, but being inexperienced in the way of the world, my kid just went along with it. She placed the order around 11:35am and by 12:05pm she was still waiting for her order and they kept saying it's coming. By 12:11 the staff is finally packing her order. I took a pic of the food, it look decent. They laid a bunch of fries under the Mac and even placed a few pieces of fried chicken on top. Hence the justification of the $12 price? The taste? My high schooler gave it a 2.5 because on top of cheese they mixed in other sauces in it also. (Some may found it desirable, to each their own) However it's the wait time that really throws us off. Over 40 minutes for a Mac and Cheese order? My kid also said there were customers sitting inside and they placed their order before her and by the time she got her order, they were still waiting for their food. I know it's not a written rule that a restaurant should let customers know that some order may take longer because of preparation or short staffing; but close to 40 minutes for a Mac and cheese take out order? read more
1 year ago
Food and service is maxed out as far as ratings go. It's a "quick bite" place so ambience is not their strength. However, it's still very clean and cozy with some outdoor eating options. The wraps are unbelievable and it all tastes and feels like it's home made with love. Simply excellent. read more
1 year ago
8 months ago
3 months ago
2 years ago
This place was super cute and chill vibes. Authentic food and reasonably priced. We ordered the shawarma of course and their hummus..Omg both were delicious. Not a very big place but a good amount of seating. Service was great and friendly. read more
Excellent service. Great menu and affordable. Located on street in west village w lots of falafel and mid eastern food choices but this one is able to stand out. Nice little cafe style tables inside. Authentic dishes and people go and try. read more
3 years ago
Really nice sit down option in Greenwich village that's open late and serves authentic middle eastern food! I really liked their Chicken Shawarma Arabic, the garlic sauce paired SO well with the meal. I would ask for extra sauce on the side next time I come here haha. The spicy falafel was also very good, it was crisp and very well seasoned. It's filled with spicy onions and it packs quite the kick, I just wish that it came with more than 2! Their hibiscus tea was also delicious, it had just the right amount of sweetness to it. Even though we went late, the servers were still very attentive and kind. The restaurant itself is quite spacious, something I find to be a rare feature especially around MacDougal/Thompson street. Lava Shawarma has an open kitchen concept too, you can see the meat roasting on the spit which I always love seeing. I think Lava Shawarma gives off a cozy homestyle vibe, there's pillows on some of the seats and is a really chill place to grab a quick bite or sit down and chat with friends. read more
A friend and I decided to grab a quick dinner at Lava yesterday and were not disappointed. We both ordered two different types of rice bowls. I asked for a Shawarma bowl with both lamb and chicken. The chicken was seasoned well, and appropriately moist. The garlic sauce on top was quite strong and I can see why they use it sparingly. Great flavors though. The lamb on the other hand, I found a little bit on the dry side and chewy, which was not the best. The rice was flavorful and fragrant, with every grain separate. Salad was plentiful. I appreciated it. I do think for $15 The portion was on the smaller side. I have had similar Shawarma plates at other restaurants that comes with a lot more food. I was debating to get a hot drink and ordered the Arabic tea. The tea smelled and tasted Amazing, I loved the cloves and cinnamon and all the spices that were coming through and it wasn't super strong. I really enjoyed it. My friends biryani bowl had a boiled egg and chicken but it was a little watery? I'm not sure exactly what was going on there. Service was pretty standard, they had one guy at the cash register, who was also attending to all the tables. I do like the decor inside, they have various types of seating. I think they're most popular item is the Shawarma wrap, so if you go here, definitely stick to that. Overall a pretty solid place in the neighborhood. read more
The food here is 10/10 and as an authentic as it gets. Their falafel, shawarma, hummus, and baba ghanouj all taste like home, something that can't be taken for granted as so many spots in the city fail at making the basics. Prices are super reasonable and service is great though sometimes slow on the weekend (may be that they need more servers given how busy it gets). I come back again and again! read more
2 years ago
Went here for a quick dinner with a friend. Plenty of seating was available, and the place is definitely perfect for a quick meet up and catch up session thanks to its casual setting. Service was SLOW as we and other tables waited and watched the server and the cooks hang out and socialize for most of our time there. My friend and I both ordered the Lamb and Beef Shawarma Plate, which, to our surprise was actually a bowl. We both found the food to be okay giving it a rating of 6/10 for its dryness, bland lack of taste/flavor, and portion size (the serving of meat was less than a food truck's). Also ordered the regular small plate of hummus which came with 2 pita bread (cut into 8 pieces) and was definitely the highlight of the meal. To pay your bill you'll need to first find the server and then pay at the register in the back of the restaurant. Personally, not the worst place to grab a bite in the city, but considering this experience I'll be recommending other locations to friends and family. read more
2 years ago
Giving this place a 4/5 because the the first time I came I had wonderful service so I decided to come here a second time and did not receive the same. I forgot I ordered the Mix lava wrap the first time and when I ordered it the second time I realized i made a mistake but nevertheless I still ate it and didn't complain. The reason of this mistake is because the "wrap" is really small and they chop it up in bite size pieces, I wouldn't really call this an entree more like an appetizer. On top of that this time i got the "meal" which includes fries and a drink and as you can see on the picture they BARELY give you any fries.. that's like 9 fries, I know I'm a girl but i can EAT. So anyway the food is delicious but small portions. What got me also giving it a 4/5 star is that the owner (i think he is) he also took our order and seemed to be running the whole place was in a terrible mood. He grunted and loudly exclaimed an arabic term which frightened both me and my sister. We almost only hear this term being used when our parents are angry. I would suggest that if he is feeling overwhelmed that maybe he needs to hire more help. Not sure if I would return to eat here.. out of all the places in the city I actually probably won't return here. read more
2 years ago
This is my second time eating here and the first time was good! Both times I came for dinner, they are always busy, the vibes are good and the service for me so far doesn't take too long. The second visit though was so memorable for me because I took a chance and ordered the Lamb Chops which is on the pricier side but definitely worth it!! So happy! 1.) Lamb Chops (5/5): I was skeptic at first because it could really be a hit or miss if its not cooked well, and it is on the pricier side so I was not ready to be disappointed. However, I was very happy and satisfied that it was amazing!! The lamb was cooked perfectly, it was tender and juicy and had a really great flavor. Paired with the rice which they never failed to make, it is amazing, and the salad was good too! I was very happy that the lamb chops turned out to be amazing. 2.) Mixed Grill Platter (4/5): Good flavors and portions, meats could be more tender/less tough, rice dish is good and salad also good. 3.) Cheese Samosa (3/5): kind of a surprise for me because it is not like other cheese samosa's that ive tried, the skin is more of a bready dough rather than the usual samosa skin that I've had, but the taste is good and very filling because of the bready outside. 4.) Baba Ghanouj (5/5): Creamy and zesty and good! Paired with warm pita bread it was a good starter, it might be more on the zestier side than I would have liked but it was amazing! 5.) Knefeh (3/5): It was good but it was tooo oily, it was crispy but it was definitely a dish to share! Overall good vibes, food and service, would recommend and come back! read more
I came here with my dad on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch. The two of us shared some hummus, which was some of the best hummus I've eaten in a while. I ordered the mix grill plate. The cauliflower and eggplant were surprisingly delicious, probably due to being deep-fried. The baba ghanouj with pita also very good. The food was great, but it took a very long time to arrive, and service in general was slow (but the people were friendly!). read more
4 years ago
Visited last night because my friend wanted a shawarma. We made our way and it wasn't packed, got seats for 5; parking wasn't too bad. After studying the menu which isn't too big I decided to order the chicken Biyarni bowl, which came with a hard boiled egg. The other ladies ordered the chicken kabab from the lava mix grill side of the menu and it looked really good. My friend ordered a side of hummus which came with pita bread and it was delicious. The food was ok, needed a little flavor maybe salt and pepper but after mixing it with the red sauce abd green sauce everything was alright. We recieved complimentary tea samplers and it was good; made with cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves it will warm your soul. The plates were very filling. The waiter and staff were wonderful. Very cute place with a nice clean bathroom. Also i like the whole open kitchen concept were you can see them preparing the food. Definitely a must try if you're in the neighborhood and have a taste for middle eastern food. read more
1 year ago
Food was very good. I was initially heading to mamoun's falafel but saw this spot and i was not dissapointed. The shawarma is excellent, their plates-bowls pretty good. Service very good. Love the seating dinning area ( a + compared to many small spots around the area). I will definetly go back read more
3 years ago
We came here to dine at Quantum Leap only to find it replaced- by Lava Shawarma. Sad as we were that Quantum Leap, long a bastion on Thompson street has sunset, we decided to give Lava Shawarma a try. And we were EXTREMELY PLEASED by how wonderful all the items we Selected were. It's true that my partner found some of the items several tabs too spicy for his palate but that only means there's more for me. The waitress brought over some yougurt to help cut the heat level for him and it helped. When ai asked the waitress what's the most popular item on the menu, she said it's the chicken shawarma, but we didn't order it! Ok, so we'll have to come back. read more
3 years ago
A cute shawarma place with nice earthy decor inside. The shawarma wrap seems to be the most popular item here since a lot of other tables ordered it as well. It was good but not a lot of flavor- for the price though it's pretty worth it. If i come back id want to try the kebab meals as well. read more
2 years ago
Amazing food. Quick service. Casual dining and relaxed atmosphere. There's a couple flat screens displaying sports. I will go back and recommend. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
I came with a friend to Lava Shawarma for a quick Sunday night dinner. We were the only dine-in patrons that evening. We ordered the lamb & beef shawarma plate ($15), chicken shawarma Arabic LAVA (which was like a sliced-up wrap, $12), and hummus ($6). I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food for this unassuming fast casual spot. It was satisfying without feeling too greasy/heavy, which can be the case with shawarma. The meat was juicy and tender, portions were generous, and the spicy green sauce on the side was fire. Hummus was creamy and tahini-forward, and pita was pillowy soft. Service was very friendly and hospitable too - our server provided complimentary samples of their Arabic tea and an extra pita for the hummus. There was a mistake with our order, where we were given the chicken plate instead of lamb & beef, and they provided an additional portion of lamb & beef on the side, no questions asked. I will say that service was a little slow, as they seem to be leanly staffed. That night there were only two employees to cook, prep, and serve the food, and there were a lot of takeout orders. I definitely will be coming back for either a dine-in or takeaway experience. Tip: They offer 15% off for NYU students read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
The food was absolutely amazing!! I came for lunch it was everything and more ! Excellent customer service. I'm definitely coming back with my co-workers. The ambience was nice and relaxing as well . read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
After reading the reviews, we decided to give this place a try. We were immediately seated after checking in. We decided to share everything that night. We ordered Vegan Mix Grill Plate, which has 2pieces of falafel, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, side of Jerusalem salad, side of baba ghanouj, served with pita bread. Hubs thought that the vegan mix grill plate was pretty good. He liked the eggplant a lot. Daughter liked the baba ghanouj as well. She loved it so much that she had to stop herself from eating it all because we were sharing everything. LOL. We also ordered the Lamb & Beef Shawarma Plate, which has lamb and beef shawarma, Jerusalem salad, basmati rice, garlic sauce and homemade spicy sauce. Daughter liked this entree as well. She thought it was a perfect portion for herself. Hubs thought it was ok but he said that he had better elsewhere. I also ordered mint iced tea and was surprised that it was served in a 6 oz cup. I was expecting a larger cup, I guess. I was impressed with how clean the kitchen was and how efficient the chef was working in such a tiny kitchen. Service was quick. Will return to try other items on the menu. read more
2 years ago
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