Chickpea
“I'm a huge fan of their basic falafel, whole wheat pita, and that amazing jalapeno and scallion hummus.”
“Good for a quick healthy bite in the restaurant, or for eating on the run since it comes in a convenient mess free pita pocket.”
“I love, love, love this place – the concept, the food itself, the price, the location, the service….”
Chickpea
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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I love the concept – Chipolte meets middle east. And overall the idea seems to be working. I thought the food was average though- yes did taste a bit healthier, but it misses some of the authenticity that you can find at other places.
It's a great location – very convenient for a quick lunch or dinner. And I have a feeling if you can find something that you can really sink your teeth into (pun intended) then it could be a nice addition to the weekly lunch/dinner rotation. But if this is going to be a one off thing there are so many other options IMO.
Service was good – I found them helpful and friendly.
In the end it's probably worth a try but I would not expect to be wowed.
Still hungry went to Chickpea that we passed on the way to BaoHaus. I got a few things:
small cup of lentil soup – it was very creamy, not chunky like I'm used to. Tasted fine.
Comes with one big pita – we couldn't finish since we had Lunch1 already.
Side of 3 baked falafels – why can't more places make baked falafels?? I loved them.
Worth a stop for lunch. Didn't see a public bathroom.
A great alternative to places like Maoz and Hummus and Pita if you're looking to avoid fried food. However, what you gain in health benefits, you will lose in taste.
The falafel at Chickpea is just ok. Having it baked just isn't the same as the fried goodness falafel provides. Aside from how it's prepared, the taste is just ok.
The sides are also nothing great in my opinion. The usual cabbage, peppers, onions, etc… If you've been to a place like Hummus & Pita, you'll see what the gold standard is. However, with all this, it's a great meal to grab on the go when you want to eat vegan or vegetarian. It taste good enough to enjoy, and with an order of baked fries, it's filling and hits the spot.
All in all you come to this place to avoid fried food. Other than that, Hummus & Pita is where you wanna be.
I popped in here after a workout one day for a salad, and the staff was pleasant but the food was really bland and soggy (yogurt sauce & hummus particularly). They were also out of feta cheese, which I thought was bizarre for a Mediterranean place.
I wasn't planning on returning and then I recently walked by and noticed a Grade C. There are too many other similar options in the area to return here.
Not so good, going to keep this one brief. I just wanted something quick late night before going out. Staff was friendly and venue was clean and empty.
Food not so good, I got the shwarafel (shwarma and falafel combo with pita and drink). Pita was a bit dry, shwarma and falafel were pretty meh and limited toppings included. Rice was a bit dry from what i remember as well. Many of the desirable "premium" topping were extra which I deferred at the time.
Overall I probably wouldn't come here again unless pressed for time and just wanted to fill up quickly before going out.
A friend I had met up with in the area wanted something "healthy" after her workout, and we figured a light non-fried vegetarian falafel would be just what the trainer ordered. Boy we were wrong for picking this place, especially when there are better falafel places in the area (The Halal Guys, Maoz, just to name a few!)
We didn't see the C health code rating until after we ordered, which probably didn't help our confidence in the food we were getting, but the reality was so much worse.
My falafel pita was a droopy, moldy-tasting pita shell with 3 sad soggy falafels (which didn't even fill half the pocket) and a dollop of warm vegetables that had probably been sitting on the counter behind the sneeze guard all day.
The fries were treated even worse. I watched the guy behind the counter putting them on a plate and stick them in a microwave to warm up. Stale and soggy microwaved fries!? In what universe is that acceptable to serve to people, or to eat??
The concept of a build-your-own falafel has promise and the restaurant was clean enough (although it was completely empty when we came in – which should have gave it away since every other restaurant on the street was PACKED!) However, this Chickpea fails miserably in execution of its food. The gross meal I had is enough that I will probably never return, especially since there are so many better options around Union Square.
Yum- I have a newfound appreciation for baked falafel!
I'm glad I didn't read the Yelp reviews for Chickpea before going here because if I had I might have been more skeptical. I have wanted to try this place since moving in across the street a few months ago and yesterday I finally decided to head in.
The place was empty which seemed like a bad sign, but it might've just been that people were still coming home from work (it was a busy Wednesday). I decided to order the falafel platter with baba ganoush and hummus. The platter came with rice, 6 baked falafel, hummus (different flavors to choose from!), up to (4?) toppings, and hot whole wheat pita. I added feta for extra because, well, it's feta. The platter also came with a free drink- either a bottle of water or a can of soda (I got a water). I paid under $10 for all of this, which, in the city, is a friggen' bargain.
I brought my meal to Chelsea Pier to eat while I watched an outdoor movie (which I also recommend doing, btw), and it was delicious! The falafel was filling and honestly, I thought it was better than fried falafel, contrary to what everyone else is saying. Even the hummus and baba were above average, which is hard to do. Combined with the tahini sauce, rice, and feta, the falafel was incredible and filled me right up. I even had 3 falafel leftover after I was done that I still haven't eaten.
Check this place out for a quick, cheap, and healthy meal!
This place offers the typical baked falafel for a "healthier" option, but what really got me was the amazing selection of hummus. They have a ton of flavors like jalepeño, roasted red pepper, etc, that add a little something different to the typical falafel. I recommend trying it if you need a quick, cheap lunch and love falafel. They also have a ton of toppings!