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.

Go-to lunch spot! Such affordable and freshly packed onigiri. You can't go wrong with any of the…read moreoptions. My top so far are the salmon onigiri and karaage onigiri. I also feel like they pack it more than any other onigiri spot I've been to. Line may look long but it moves so quickly. You walk in, let them know which onirigi you'd like, then go on line to pay for it with one of the cashiers. The outside is a little hidden since it's inside the Katagiri covering btw.

The prices points for onigiri are one of the most reasonable I've seen in a while…read more I like the homemade feel of the onigiri versus other supermarkets where it's more pre-packaged. One is good for a snack or light meal. The chashu pork is on the lighter side, I don't really taste much which is a disappointment since I was hoping the chashu sauce and umami flavors would be tasted in the rice. I would go back to try another flavor.

There's always a long line, even at midnight. But the food never disappoints! When the line is to…read morethe end of the block, it's about a 1 hour wait. Alternatively you can order for pickup if you don't want to wait, but it's almost double the cost. I don't think it's worth an hour wait, but still the food is so flavorful and didn't feel greasy. The chicken reminds me a lot like tandoori chicken. I personally prefer the lamb.

Halal Cart Hallelujah!…read more This right here is the halal cart of all halal carts! Adel's is truly famed, famous, and an absolute star. The lines speak for themselves. It's really that good everybody. We got pretty lucky and waited around 15-20 minutes? The line is long, but it moves fastttt. The team is super efficient. We got the Mixed Plate (chicken and lamb) with Spicy Rice (you can choose yellow rice) and alll the sauces. It was heaven. Probably the best thing I ate in NYC and probably will ever eat in NYC. You HAVE to make the trip and brave the wait. It's so worth.

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.

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.

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.

The food was simply delicious worth rich and mouth watering flavor. Food prepared with great…read moreattention and customer preference are followed through when preparing the food hot , fresh and spicy. Great hospitality.

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.

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

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.

Full disclosure: I'm a tourist and I don't claim to be a hot dog connoisseur but I enjoyed Grays!…read moreIt might not be the perfect but it's iconic (I first learned about it from the movie Fools Rush In) and well loved. They're super freaking efficient so even we walked up to a long line it moved so quick. We got two dogs and a drink for 7.50 and you get it dressed how you want. I really liked the sauerkraut. You can pay .75 for things like chili and cheese. The buns were soft. The dogs seemed a bit small but it's a great snack. The unexpected MVPs were the juices! We got one pineapple and one papaya and they were so tasty!! Sweet but not overly sugary. Our favorite is the pineapple but I would try the papaya too if you can. They have standing tables outside.