The Halal Guys
“For first timers, get the combo platter with all 3 sauces.”
“Now that you have started opening up franchises, please don't stop the famous cart in NYC, we all look forward to visiting you guys in NY.”
“I've never eaten at the NYC location so I have nothing to compare it to, but I think that the food is great.”
The Halal Guys
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Yummmm always loved halal. I was scared this wouldn't taste like the original but I am happy to know that it comes pretty close. Even though it's the same everything it just doesn't feel like the New York City one. I would go here if I needed a halal fix though.
Finally made it into the Halal Guys with only a short wait, after about 4 or 5 tries since they opened. I've never eaten from their famous NYC carts, so I don't have that particular point of reference. I have, however, eaten from many Halal carts across NYC and Jersey City, and The Halal Guys' East Brunswick outpost comes in somewhere in the middle. It's far from the best I've ever had, but it's tasty nonetheless. In fact, I was actually surprised it tasted so good, given how it looked.
Some people have complained that the meat is dry, and that is true to an extent, but it's still very flavorful. And for those who have had very greasy versions of these dishes, the dryness is probably appreciated. The lettuce and tomato on the platter, however, were not great quality, and that was disappointing. The white sauce was indeed, delicious. And I had to ask twice for extra hot sauce, each time being given only a small drop more. Their discretion here is probably to save people from themselves because the hot sauce is very hot, and you could easily ruin your platter if you ask for too much.
I was happy to find a seat toward the back of the room, away from the hungry crowd waiting impatiently on line. While I was eating, one of the women who work there came by and asked if I needed some extra white or hot sauce, which I thought was nice. She even cleared my table for me when I stood up to leave. Given how busy they are, I would have expected the people working here to be more cranky. But although they all look exhausted, everyone on the line building sandwiches and platters were all very friendly.
For those who complain that the regular platter is skimpy, man, you're nuts. I'm a big guy and can put down a plate of food like it's my job, but I couldn't even finish the regular combo platter. (And I was starving when I came in.)
All in all, it's great to have a new place like the Halal Guys in town. This isn't the highest quality food by any means, and everything lands in your stomach like a bowling ball, so I wouldn't recommend eating here too often unless you're super-fit and can handle it. But being that they're open until 2am or something crazy like that sure may come in handy on a taxi ride home after indulging in too many adult beverages earlier in the night. I'll bet it tastes even better then, too.
Been going to the NYC location for well over 15 years and drove an hour to this location just because as the first platters in NJ, it was a must visit. Whenever I am in the area I always make a point to visit. Thus far, I've been here 5 times including their "soft" opening before they opened to the public and each time I was personally greeted at the door by either a manager-level employee or higher (partner of establishment). Each time I learned something new and it goes without saying they treat all of their customers in the same fashion.
If you eat meat and have no restrictions please follow the below and you will fall in love from your first bite till the last:
Mixed gyro + chicken platter with salad. Ask for two packets of white sauce one packet of red and a healthy portion of their secret BBQ sauce. Mix properly and ENJOY!! Thanks for always leaving a great taste in my mouth and memory as well– see y'all very soon!
There was so much hype when The Halal Guys opened up in my hometown of East Brunswick that I avoided coming here until nearly three weeks after the grand opening. From what I've heard, there are still lengthy lines during peak hours so I try to avoid that as much as possible. Luckily for me, the longest I have had to wait was around five minutes. That's not bad at all!
I have gotten the chicken platter and gyro platter. Both of the meats are delicious and the rice is flavorful. Like some other Yelpers, I found the amount of lettuce to be excessive. I think the winner was the pita, though. I've tried pita from plenty of restaurants and I found The Halal Guys's to be the best. It was soft and warm– definitely surprising! Unlike some other reviewers, I got plenty of white sauce. I know people have a problem with not being able to control how much white sauce they get (and maybe I was just lucky!) but I have no complaints about it.
What didn't I love?
The customer service. It was lackluster and I didn't find much enthusiasm here.
The price. I felt like I spent too much for what I got.
The platter. I've had better platters at better prices.
I only live 20 minutes away from this location so I would be back here. But, with Kabab Paradise in South Bound Brook only 10 minutes away from my house, I'd rather go there.
Been an active customer of this establishment in Manhatten for many years. I am very pleased to see one here in Central Jersey, however still not use to it being a sit-in instead of a food cart.
The food I can not complain about it. You have a choice of a platter or a sandwich with a choice of chicken, beef gyro, both, or falafel, the price is around $9 for a regular. The platter also has tomatoes, lettuce, and few pieces of pita with your meal. The white sauce is free so you can ask for more. Warning: Hot Sauce is HOT!!! Anycase, I tried all of them in NYC location, but I usually just order both or the falafel. The food is not gourmet, but it does get you fill up quite nicely.
The fabled Halal Guys in East Brunswick?
Well yes and no…. The offerings appear the same and the plates look familiar,even the famous white sauce in the larger squeeze bottle strikes a chord but this is not the Original Halal Guys by any means.
The under seasoned beef and chicken are chopped within an inch of their respective lives to what becomes some form of tasteless and dry protein saw dust on the flat top only to be redeemed by drowning it the omni present white sauce, which by the way other than the fluffy pita and salad remains the only vestige of the original Halal Guys food cart…The rice appeared the correct color but held absolutely no flavor what so ever.
Now considering that the route 18 corridor through East Brunswick has become franchise alley with recent openings of White Castle and the upcoming Taco Bell being news worthy in the community, Halal Guys will fare well but this is not the savory,tender and fragrant with just a hint of cumin and onions Halal I remember so fondly….
Go and then decide for yourself but for me? …….I'm over it.
PS: Snag some of the excellent hot sauce packets…by far the best thing they offer.
Food was okay. Just seems like typical take out Mediterranean food. Spicy sauce is very good. They don't sell water which I think is kind of odd. They have bottles soda and ice tea but no water?
So, I am playing some catch-up here with my reviews…
I was at Halal Guys a few weeks ago: my fiance had her bridal shower at a friend's house nearby, so I had some "me" time and decided to #treatmyself!
I LOVE Halal Guys…huge fan of the carts in the city, so of course, when I heard they were coming to NJ, this became a mission. I absolutely loved it. From an experience standpoint, nothing will ever match being in the city, making the line, and then grabbing a sauce bottle and standing there pouring sauce until your heart is happy.
Here, they do it for you. Here is the catch: you can have as much white sauce as you want as they pour it for you, so be sure you tell them you want a lot (or a little) before they pass your plate along. Once they stop pouring sauce, you have to pay for packets if you want more. I simply told the young lady preparing my plate to lay on the white sauce, can't get enough of it. Ordered a combo platter with a fountain drink…$11.
Considering this isn't something you would do everyday (at least I wouldn't lol, as much as I would want to) it is well worth it. The location is in a shopping plaza with other stores and places to eat, not a ton of seating, but it would seem that you can find a table easily most of the time.
Trying to figure out when I will go back!! While my fiance was having her bridal shower, she was a little mad I didn't go with her!