The Good: Still like what it used to taste like from what I can remember. Hits the spot every time!…read more The Bad: Adel's is a fierce competitor a few blocks down with a long line. BUT, imho Adel's doesn't really taste as good as the original Halal Guys in terms of flavor and fragrance. The chicken from Adel's is in bigger chunks and some argue is more tender, but the flavor is definitely not close. Also, it's important that it comes with lettuce, tomatoes and a little onion to balance everything out. Finally, You must get both the spicy red and white sauce together to make it all come together! The Ugly: The smell is addictive, so if you walk by, it's hard to resist, even if you've just eaten a nice meal somewhere else. We couldn't resist. Gotta hit the gym hard for the next few days!

This is a NYC staple--but on a Friday or Saturday night, the line gets insanely long…read more Pro tip from a New Yorker: the cart on 53rd & 7th is the exact same--same owners, same food. People skip it thinking it's not the real one, so there's usually little to no line. Even better, it's right by the Shake Shack seating area, so you can actually sit and enjoy your food. Look for the cart next to the "HOPE" statue.

I really enjoyed the onigiri here! My husband and I tried the following onigiri flavors: eel, ume,…read morekaraage and salmon. My husband enjoyed the ume more than the eel surprisingly! He said it had a nice pickled but also sweet flavor which complimented the salty rice. Unfortunately no pictures because we were so hungry we basically devoured them the moment we got them I enjoyed the karaage onigiri the most as the chicken was still moist and delicious. The salmon was tasty as well. The store is located in a bigger Japanese convenience store which sold other items like sushi and bento boxes, I also saw other food stores located deeper into the convenience store as well. I had my stroller with me and although it was a tight fit at times, I was able to get around pretty easily still.

Got the bomb brown which is brown rice with spicy tuna, salmon, and kombu. Rice was super well…read morecooked and had an a decent amount of filling for the price. My fiancée got the eel donburi in the hot prepared foods section. He said it was only ok and wouldn't get it again. He was drawn in by the jammy egg. Convenient place to get Japanese food in general but note it can get crowded quickly.

I would say the food lives up to the hype. However, I don't think it's worth waiting in the…read morehour-long line like I did, just considering there are so many great halal options in the city with a much shorter line. I do think they do as good of a job managing it as possible, but it is still quite the long line. If you do decide to wait in the line, I recommend sending a friend over to Magnolia Bakery to get you a treat while you pass the time. Overall, the lamb and chicken were extremely tender and flavorful. The sauce and rice were great as well, complementing them perfectly. The service is very efficient, and they do have a few cards set up to maximize the efficiency. It was great, and I'd say it's worth trying if the line is short! Otherwise, I would pivot to another nearby great option that you can easily find.

I've gotten adels every single time I've gone to NY…read more Yes line is long but this is the best halal cart. Workers are super nice too and friendly. I get the chicken and gyro mix with spicy rice. Rice is not spicy don't worry. Also their chicken is like marinated unlike some other halal carts. I get all sauces except bbq. The gf does all the sauces except red sauce cause that one IS spicy One time they accidentally put fries on my plate but now it's a non negotiable for me. Ask for it on the side if you don't want it to get soggy. If I'm feeling extra big back I throw some falafel on that shi too. If you wanna skip the line, just order on Grubhub. It's more expensive yes but worth it if you're not tryna wait an hour

Yeshh another location for tofu pudding!!! I ordered a large serving for $4.75. It can't get any…read morebetter. Silky, smooth, perfection.

They sell soy milk and soy pudding. The soy milk is pretty good, my second favorite in NY. Soy…read morepudding contains a bit too much liquid although still pretty good. They are a bit hard to spot. I have walked past it multiple times. Theyre also cash only.

Nothing compares to having Fresh Shrimp Cheong Fun drenched in extra sauce and chilli on a chilly…read moresunny afternoon. Made to order and piping hot! I am still thinking about it... Loooong lines that move semi quickly. The owner is so friendly and kind. Despite the long lines, she was super patient with everyone.

This cart (on Elizabeth, at Hester. NE corner) is OK. Average rice noodle, long line,…read moredisorganized. I got a classic dried shrimp rice noodle for $3.50 . I ordered in Cantonese. Minutes later I get my order in a plastic container. They didn't ask me what sauces I wanted (maybe I should have told them in advance) but they included some soy sauce on it already. What if I wanted hot sauce and or peanut sauce? Ample portion size but the plastic container is too narrow and makes the rice noodle lumpy. Large dried shrimp pieces but minimal radish or scallion, green onion. I know this is a cart but other establishments better in Ctown

The line of people made me curious enough to stop. Staff members offered care matching what you'd…read moreexpect from the look. The meal offered good flavors and proper cooking. The dishes are delicious. The time spent there was satisfying.

Really enjoyed the scallion pancake burrito! The pork was well-seasoned, the guacamole smooth, the…read morequeso frito crispy, and the lemongrass chili crisp oil added a very creative touch, bursting with flavors. The tostone was perfect for snacking - crispy on the outside, yet firm and chewy in the middle. The green sauce was refreshing, so good for cutting through the grease.

I decided to hit the Peking Duck Stand outside of Shanghai You Garden for $2.75 per piece during my…read moreNYC visit in 2025. They directed me inside to pay, where it became $2.99 after tax. It was yummy but messy with too much hoisin sauce.

Perfectly soft and balanced Duck Bao's for $3 each. Rating 9/10…read more Pros: Taste, price, quick service. Cons: No seating, cash only.

Stopped by on a Friday night at around 9:30 to pick up a few platters. I just went with one…read morechicken, and one lamb - can't really go wrong with that, right? Well, they both tasted the same - I'm not even sure I could tell which was which, unless he just gave me two of the same things. It was also super oily, and not in the good late night platters way but in the I'm going to regret this in the morning way. I originally had this place bookmarked because of the great reviews but was disappointed. Next time, I'll stick to the tried and true Halal Guys.

Food Service…read more Overall rating Good food, great flavors, awesome service! We were introduced to Royal Grill on our last trip to NYC 2 years ago. And this trip Royal Grill does not disappoint. Definitely a must and much better than the other guys. Recommend getting the Chicken & Lamb Combo over Rice, the Chicken Tikka over Rice & the Chicken Kati Roll with Chimichurri!

Delicious hot dog, gotta get it fixed all the way. Billy was so kind and gave us our chips for…read morefree! The prices are so reasonable and he's right by the park for a quick little meal while enjoying the park.

I haven't had a good well dressed cart style hot dog in what feels like years. And for whatever…read morereason, I've been lusting after those onions! I went to the Papaya place on 72nd and it just didn't do it for me. Maybe because they roll around on a grill and I needed something bobbing in water. The internet told me Billy was an OG, so I knew he'd give me what I needed. They were right, innanets remain undefeated! I made my way down to CPW from The Bronx (yea, that's how you know it's real). When I arrived at his cart, Billy was alone waiting to serve his next customer. I was too shy to mention being in this part of town just for him. I was actually too shy to say anything other than "Hello" and my order. "Two hot dogs, mustard, sauerkraut and onions". But no need, while nimbly preparing my order, Billy started speaking to me. He very briefly told me how he'd been out there for 35 years. That his naysayers said he wouldn't last, meanwhile he's still there and they're long gone. Just as soon as we were about to kick it like old friends, I look up and he has a line! I couldn't occupy his time anymore and took my prize across the street to sit on a bench outside the park. Looking over to his set up, I realized there aren't many push style, hot dog carts around anymore. They were once ubiquitous like checkered cabs... Billys cart also has sausages, sodas and water. I'm honestly not sure of what else, because I was laser focused on 'hotdogonions'. But I did notice a pretty extensive price list/menu. The hot dogs were $3, the sodas 2. Great prices! I absolutely got my fix from Billys cart and would make the trek again

I've tried 3 different hot dogs spots and this is the top on. Bread is ok but the hot dogs itself…read moreis really good. Also, you have to try their papaya drink which reminds me of an orange Julius. Not sure why this got an overall 3.8 stars and might be to due to the wait but I wouldn't go here based on some bad/mid reviews. This is a must try when you are in Manhattan!

This is my second time coming to this classic NY spot, and it was just as good as the first!…read moreOrdered a couple hot dogs with a drink combo which came out to around $7.50 ish. The hot dog sausages weren't out of this world but they were great and you can't beat the value you are getting. The toppings were fresh and tasted amazing. I'd recommend getting them with mustard, kraut, and onions. The highlight was the pina colada though! It was super refreshing, rich, and really complemented the hot dogs well. Some people say this place is a tourist trap but imo it's well worth the visit, just make sure you order your hot dogs the right way (no ketchup or relish), and get one of their awesome drinks.