Naf Naf Grill is a good option when you are craving very quick, convenient, affordable franchise Mediterranean fast food. Naf Naf Grill is located right on State Street near the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI so it is a quick easy option for many college students and people working in the area. Naf Naf Grill is not the best Mediterranean food I have tried but it still hits the spot and satisfied my Mediterranean food cravings! You get your food quickly, you get large portion sizes for the money, and you can customize your food more to your liking. Naf Naf Grill mostly serves customizable rice/hummus bowls and build your own plates/pitas, and falafel. I enjoyed getting their customizable rice bowls where you first pick your base such as hummus or rice, then pick your protein such as Chicken Shawarma, then you can add more toppings such as tomatoes, cucumbers, Tahini, and Sumac Onions. My favorite toppings I like to add to my rice bowl are their Naf Pickles and extra spicy Harissa sauce which is so satisfying! That Harissa sauce gives it a nice extra kick! Try Naf Naf Grill for a quick easy Mediterranean meal! read more

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Love the build your own bowl, Basmati Rice, Chicken Shawarma, Nafziki, Harissa (Hot), Garlic Sauce & a pita on the side. Get the Naf Fries! I always get it delivered comes great every time! read more

This place looks really cool and modern from outside. Inside is spacious as well. Pictures of their food looked excellent as well. But the taste did not live up to the expectation. I went for a bowl with spicy hummus and chicken shawarma. It was just ok. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Bowl with spicy hummus and chicken shawarma - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Got a build your own build bowl with chicken, rice, various toppings and tzatziki. It was delicious, filling and hit the spot! The rice was especially flavorful. It's a great spot for a quick bite to fo read more

Naf Naf Grill - Build Your Own Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

This place is great if you're wanting a healthier, lighter option! I got the Mixed Chicken Couscous Bowl, which was decent. It was fresh, but I do wish there was a more creative flavor profile and a greater variety of flavors. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Mixed Chicken Couscous Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Delicious fast food chain I visited this in Chicago. I figured I'd give this location a try and it exceeded expectations. I ordered to go and service was friendly. You get a decent amount of food for under $10. They also don't skimp with the sauce, which is amazing. The location is very clean. And nice to sit in or takeout. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Wrap Falafel and Naf Fries - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Avoid their catering like the plague. Rice, falafel, shawarma, even the pitas burned because they used thin, single-ply aluminum pans with hot burners scorching the bottom. It even created a fire hazard, because they just set everything up to burn and left without any way to put out the flames. The event coordinator was shocked and disgusted by the incompetence and poor preparation. read more

Good selection of dishes to choose from. Food was a little tasteless. Disappointing since everyone said it was the best near campus.

woah so good, first time trying off a friend's recommendation and so glad i did, this shit is busting my nuts so good. fast service, very yum. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Stuffed Pita Sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Filling, but pretty mediocre all-around. Most of the elements of the plate don't have much flavor. The Nafziki and spicy sauces were good, but the other spices weren't great. The fries were decently crispy. read more

I had an absolutely terrible experience at this location. They were out of Pita bread, and told me that the wait for more would be 5 minutes. They still made my bowls, and I was stuck waiting for half an hour after paying for extra pita bread. By the time I got my bread it was cold... I came 30 minutes after open, how are you out of Pita Bread? read more

*UPDATE* One of the partners of the over-arching restaurant group (Mama's Restaurant Group) called me on Friday just after 5pm after almost 3 weeks of no contact. He began by insisting that not only was the service I received exceptional, but that all his employees went above and beyond. He then insinuated that I was lying about there being a fire at all. He added that even if there was a fire, what happens because of their setup isn't their responsibility because it's drop off catering. I included that there were several people and vendors (more importantly) who witnessed the whole debacle, and he ignored me. Instead, he insisted that he had a video showing a "perfect" setup. I asked him to see this video, and he neglected to respond to my request in the call and since then hasn't shared. He also said that because his employees brought extra food (which in my corrections below I discovered was not true) that they had already covered the damage. At the end of this call, he conceded that he'd have to take my word for it and offered a refund of 10% or nothing. I asked for the basis behind 10% and he yelled over the phone, "you asked for a partial refund, 10% is partial." I tried to discuss how much food was ruined, and the price of the damaged property and he was unwilling to discuss it. Instead, he repeated "I'm sorry we're not able to come to an agreement" while insisting on his ultimatum. At the end of the call, he then became hostile and demanded that I stop trying to contact the manager I originally made the contact with. He insinuated that I was harassing his employee by sending 3 emails across three weeks and, after no response, calling the number she provided to me in her email signature and leaving a message. I apologized for any undue stress I caused this manager but insisted that contacting a vendor for a business transaction could not be considered over-reaching. I also reminded him that I wouldn't have called at all if he had simply responded to my first email that said manager forwarded to him circa November 4th. After, I reached out to every vendor that was around and helped with the fire and catering debacle. This includes the DJ, event coordinator, photographer, and rental company. They have all offered to corroborate my story, but also added a few corrections: - The employees on their return did not, in fact, bring additional food. They only brought the additional trays that were supposed to be used to prevent burning, which were not brought the first time (refuting the partner's claim of a "perfect setup.") The food that they used to replace all the burning food was part of my original order, which was simply set aside due to a lack of table space. - They admitted that they had not been trained in catering, and did not know how to set up the food or what their responsibilities were. I have, at this point, reached out again with all the aforementioned vendors to corroborate my story over email. It has become very clear to me that this operating partner is exceedingly dishonest and unreasonable. He has now blatantly lied about providing additional food and his employees' training. I've made a point of sharing this story with every vendor I've worked with to let them know how difficult this company is to work with. I could not recommend Naf Naf any less. read more

I enjoyed it for what it was. Great portion size for the price you pay, and I was pleasantly surprised that the price of the bowl included a side of pita. Garlic sauce is creamy and delicious. Definitely not something you want if you have a date later, and probably not first date material, but so good regardless. Couscous is good but a little bland. Falafel was way too dark, and had been sitting made for a while. If it'd been fresh, and cooked just a little less, it'd have been perfect. Lovely seasoning in it. Fries are good too, but in all fairness I wouldn't have ordered them on my own. I had way more than enough food with just the bowl. read more

would not recommend. The food is usually stale and even when it's not it's not very good. The Management is very rude, i would not reccomend going after midnight, as they might refuse to give you your food even if you already ordered and paid online. I have also been cursed at, and threatened by members off the staff. Overall poor food and even worse staff. read more

These guys have the best falafels I've ever had! They pair perfectly with the garlic and tahini sauces. You don't really need anything more in your dish! Their pita bread are always warm and fluffy, only wish they'd use whole wheat flour instead of white flour. The hummus is also really good, but sometimes it depends on the day. I had this for dinner 2 days in a row, and would have gone back the next day had I not left Madison. I also really like their salad bowl with chicken, onions, garlic and tahini. Great combination! read more

Naf Naf Grill - Hummus, Pita Bread, Falafels with Garlic and Tahini Sauce - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

If I could give zero stars, I would. I ordered on DoorDash and it took over two hours for me to get my stale and cold food. Terrible experience. read more

So glad this location has re-opened! Younger child really likes their shawarma and I had forgotten how much I love their falafel. While they were closed, I learned that I like couscous and was pleased that this is an option for their bowls. They also have great pita, so it's a win all around. I think folks haven't rediscovered them yet - it was pretty slow at lunchtime mid-week - and the phone number here in Yelp hadn't been updated, but they are back in business! read more

Excellent recommendation by the locals at the hotel that I was staying at in West Madison, WI. This eatery reminds me of a build your own concept similar to Cava and Chipotle. For the amount of food that you get with each visit matches the price that is offered to the guests. The staff kept upselling and offering recommendations for their customers to ensure they find the right food combinations. The only downside of this restaurant is that even though the restaurant cleanliness is amazing, there is literally no cellular service as soon as you stand in the other half of the room away from the entrance. read more

Hi, I'm a regular customer. Today 8/5/23, I went to your State St. location, in Madison, WI. I ordered a chicken shawarma plate, with salad and falafel on the side. The guy behind the counter, a black guy, with an African accent, was rude and said "we don't do that"! I said: yes you do, I've had it before here, and in other locations. He said I can't do that if you don't want the sides, like couscous and rice!!! I said no, I don't eat that. I said I don't mind paying more, this is how I like it. Build Your Plate means I choose what I want. He wouldn't give me his name, and he was very rude. People like this will destroy your business, I'm not coming back! Zero stars for rudeness. read more

This place Is fantastic! Went here with a coworker who also had never been there and we were extremely impressed and pleased! Service was extremely friendly and accommodating. The Mediterranean pickles are superb (great flavor)! Easiest way to explain them is they're like a Mediterranean Chipotle but the flavor and quality is there! I got the basmati rice bowl with chicken Shawarma... I topped it off with purple cabbage and Mediterranean pickles and a nice cucumber medley. I got a mix of garlic and tahini sauce. I paid 9.23$ for the whole meal which comes with a pita as well.. Definitely will be returning!! read more

Naf Naf Grill - Falafel Basmati Rice Bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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I ordered the chicken shawarma bowl with cucumber salad, onions and red cabbage. Overall, all of the food was hot and tasty, and the sauces were great. The chicken was a little bit rubbery (you know what I mean ) and the tahini and hummus lacked the nutty, subtle acidic flavor I look for when having mediterranean. Overall, not bad for what you pay, but I'll stop by Mediterranean Cafe next time instead. read more

I popped in one afternoon and ordered a falafel pita combo to go. I wasn't greeted by any of the employees and when I arrived at the counter to order two men kind of just looked at me like "what do you want"? It was a bit uncomfortable. One man fixed my falafel pita, and another man fixed my fries. The man who made the fries also rang me out. He was very unpleasant and acted as if I was bothering him. I honestly couldn't wait to get out of there. The falafel pita was very good. The fries were not as good as the ones I had at a Naf Naf in MN. I know they were fresh because I watched the guy drop them in the fryer. Maybe they were overcooked? I won't go out of my way to go back. read more

This place is awesome! Came here for the first time and will definitely be back. I went with a bowl and got the pita on the side. I opted for chicken and steak, but will probably just get the chicken next time I come. Both are good, the chicken just goes better with the rest of the dish. A couple things we were blown away by: the portions and the price. I'm a pretty big eater and this was more than enough food. And at just over $9, the quality was great for the price. One thing I didn't love was that the chicken seemed to have been in the serving pan for a while but that was just luck of the draw. Another thing that didn't make sense was using pizza pans as serving trays because they take up way too much space on the table, but this isn't a big deal. Overall, very happy we decided to come here and will definitely be back. Opt for the schwarma chicken bowl... you won't be disappointed. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Bowl with pita on the side - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Naf Naf Grill is basically Middle Eastern fast casual, where you customize your base, protein, toppings, and sauces. I got a bowl with basmati rice, chicken shawarma, chopped salad, sumac onions, purple cabbage, tahini, and s'khug spicy sauce, and it came with a fluffy pita on the side. I thought the bowl was good. The ingredients tasted fresh and worked well together, and I really liked the spicy sauce which had a nice kick. The portions were generous, and I was so full that I couldn't even finish my pita even though I really liked how pillowy it was. Staff were friendly. This was my first time visiting any Naf Naf Grill, and I really hope they continue to expand. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Chicken shawarma bowl - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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So not worth your money. Pita Pita you get so much more for less money. And the food sucks. The falafel is hard and taste bad.

An alternative fast, casual option that I would call a Mediterranean Chipotle but with better quality, fresher ingredients. I filled up today between class with a falafel couscous bowl, topped with cabbage, cucumber salad, baba ganoush, onions, garlic tahini, and a spicy sauce whose name I cannot remember. The couscous was fluffy, the sauces packed a punch of flavors, and the vegetables were crisp. There are a lot of distinct flavors in your mouth, and I like mixing and matching each component rather than stirring up the whole bowl. The reasons I didn't give five stars is because service is meh in that I feel extremely rushed, ambiance is mediocre and lacks personality, and Naf Naf errs on the more expensive side considering the plethora of options on State Street nearby. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Couscous bowl with the works and falafel hidden under the sauces - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Nice that the windows can open and let the outdoors in, especially whilst in a pandemic. Food is pretty good--definitely a worthy alternative in the pick and choose genre of Chipotle, etc. read more

I have walked past this place countless times and finally decided to stop in last week. I have been back 2 times since then! The portions are huge. The ingredients are fresh and tasty. The rice bowl with falafel has become my go to. I have a strong relationship with build your own restaurants so it's no surprise I like this place. This place has earned a spot in my "going out to eat" rotation. read more

We tried the Naf Naf Grill for lunch today. What a great find. You order at the counter and similar to a Chipotle, you pick the fixings and they prepare it while you watch. Options include a pita or a bowl filled with falafel, chicken, or steak. Hummus or baba ganoush. Additional toppings include pickles, purple cabbage, and cucumber salad. There are numerous sauces to top it off. I liked the spicy jalapeno. They also offer rice, soup and chips which they call fries. Prices were completely reasonable. I had the pita filled with falafel. My pita was puffy and just slightly chewy and completely held together with the fillings. Both the falafel and the hummus were exactly the textures and flavors I hoped for. The pickles had a wonderful bite and flavor. The cabbage and cucumber salads were both fresh and tasty. The chips were crunchy, just a bit salty, and super tasty. Quick, tasty, and relatively cheap. I was very pleased with the entire experience. I'll definitely go back. read more

Naf Naf was a pleasant surprise! As someone who has dined at nearly every place on State St., I for some reason have always walked right past Naf Naf until a coworker suggested we try it on our lunch break. As pretty much every other reviewer has said- think Chipotle but with Mediterranean dishes and ingredients. You have your choice of a bowl or pita- go with the bowl, as you get a pita on the side anyways. I got the basmati rice with falafel, purple cabbage, Mediterranean pickles (these are super unique- not like a dill or sweet pickle, definitely get these!), and the cucumber/tomato salsa type thing. Topped it off with the garlic sauce! (They have 4 choices of sauce and you can choose more than one). It ended up being a very delicious meal with so many unique flavors made up by all the different ingredients. The falafel was crispy and you got a lot of food for your money! The staff were very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was clean and has the ability to be open air as the front portion of the restaurant opens up on nice days. My very small only wish is that they had some kind of cucumber sauce- my favorite when it comes to Mediterranean food. This will definitely be somewhere I will frequent as much as I do with Chipotle! read more

The first meal I had here was delicious and I had a great first impression, but I have since gone back two more times and did not I've as great of an experience as my first time. The meat in my order the last couple of times has been a little sketchy. I've had some nasty stuff, which either seemed not fresh or incorrectly prepared. Seemed like really soft, wet, chewy meat that wasn't recently prepared, just sitting in the serving station buckets to stay (somewhat) warm. I think the veggies and falafel are great and taste amazing, and I trust the preparation of that stuff. read more

Think Chipotle, except with Mediterranean cuisine. This was my first time here and I went with the pita option. I got chicken shawarma in the pita along with the chopped salad and tahini sauce. I thought the pita was great and all the ingredients were very fresh. I did get to try their falafel. It had a crisp exterior and a soft interior. Exactly what you'd expect. While we were waiting for the rest of our party to arrive, I did try the lentil soup. It was very basic. Nothing special, but worth it if you like lentil soup. read more

For some reason, I feel like I reviewed this place already, but apparently not. I must have mentally reviewed it. I really like Naf Naf. I first heard of it in Chicago, and was elated to hear that there was one here in Madison. (Now I remember... I wrote a review for the one in Chicago.) One time I came in, it wasn't as busy, so I took my time asking questions. From my experiences in the busy Naf Naf of Chicago, I never got to ask what each of the sauces and sides were. The employee who was there took the time to explain everything thoroughly. I commend him for that. Most people are too annoyed to bother explaining what it is and expect me to just know what tahini is, or something like that. I always get a ton of food when I'm here. As in, I order a normal meal, but I receive a ton of food. I usually have some regrets after finishing an entire bowl. The imminent food coma post-lunch and at the peak of the work day just doesn't pair well. Oh well, that doesn't stop me from eating here at lunch. read more

Am I the only one getting sick of the burrito fad? A Mediterranean twist was a great idea. I dig this place and I hope it's part of a new trend! Pretty fresh ingredients, and plenty of choices from steak to falafel to pickles to hummus. I love that the salad/rice bowls come with a pita, too. Prices are similar to burrito bars. Forget the Chipotle-Qdoba battle and move on over to Naf Naf! read more

Naf Naf Grill - Rice bowl with chicken shawarma, baba ganoush, pickles, hummus and garlic mayo, pita on the side. - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Not impressed w/ this location. I LOVE Naf Naf and if this would have been my only experience, I may not ever want to go to another one. I visited on Saturday 4/28/18 and ordered the Schwarma Pita $7.35 - the chicken was scant, the girl taking the order was not personable, and the place was dirty- over flowing trash, tables hadn't been wiped down- ugh- get it together! read more

I ended up liking Naf Naf Grill more than I expected. I ordered the hummus bowl, with falafel, sumac onions and purple cabbage. The hummus had a pleasing creamy texture, but was a little light in flavor. The four falafel balls were well-prepared and had a pleasing exterior crunch. Both the onions and cabbage tasted fresh and added an element of flavor and texture to the dish. The portion size was smaller than I would have liked, but overall, it was fair value. Getting through the Chipotle-style assembly line was slow due to patrons struggling with the ordering process. While I enjoyed my meal, it is not as satisfying as the what I can get from the Mediterranean Café located just a block away. read more

Just as someone else had said, it's basically the Mediterranean version of Chipotle, and IT IS AWESOME! Price is pretty similar to Chipotle, and they have such a cool variety of condiments to add to your order. I ordered a falafel rice bowl, and I thought the consistency of the falafel was great, and hot sauce was delicious without burning away all your taste buds (although as someone with a high spice tolerance, take that statement with a grain of salt). The best part is that they're really nice about giving you more onions or sauces etc if you ask for it :) read more

Naf Naf Grill - Falafel rice bowl with extra sauces - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Loved this place! This was my first time there and although I'm used to having all of my food made by authentic Mediterranean folks this was pretty good as a "fast food" option! The staff was very friendly...I'm kind of silly and they cracked a couple of smiles! Only complaint is that this was too pricey to have often but it's definitely good, the price isn't anything anyone can do about it except the owners but that's why I gave it a 4 star review rather than a 5 star. It's like a Chipotle or Qdoba if you just get a bowl but to add a drink and fries it was about $3 and change which I think is crazy...$12 is a bit high when I can get a veggie bowl for 8.00 or free when I have enough points from Qdoba. However go try this place at least once...it may be worth your hard earned coins...it's also right in the middle of State St so you'll have to park and walk to it which isn't a problem unless you can't find parking. Great for college kids. read more

Naf Naf Grill - Pricey! 16.00 for 2 falafels ($.60 each), a chicken shawarma basmati rice/couscous bowl ($8.50), 2drinks (1 bottle water, 1 fountain drink). - Middle Eastern Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I had just run two miles and was looking for something healthy to eat. At first, I was going to go to another place nearby but stumbled upon this place and thought I should give it a try. I've never had this type of food but... wow. It was incredible. I had to ask for suggestions from the people working there because I didn't know what anything was and they created the perfect dish. 100% recommend! Don't be afraid to ask for suggestions! read more

Quick, delicious, filling (yes, for the vegetarian option too), and clean lead me to this 4 star rating. Why not a 5? -It's not really cheap (and they don't offer a rewards card buy 10 get one free for instance) -The freshness is debatable (hard to tell how long ago the falafel were fried when you come in) -The employees seem bored and unenthusiastic (not hating but it makes a difference in the vibe of the restaurant) -The topping options are seemingly minimal... but the sauces don't disappoint State Street is a a great spot to grab food. It's quick, and there are options for every taste. Naf Naf is a great addition to this assortment, and it's a top choice of mine if I want something tasty downtown (and not a sit-down restaurant). read more