Best Schwarma in the Metro NY Area

[jeterfan]

Since we are discussing Israeli foods that are placed in a pita, I wanted to take a poll as to which restaurant/fast food establishment has the tastiest schwarma in the New York Metro area.

[RachelMolly]

Famous Pita on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue D

[hanistor]

I don't know if it's the best in NYC area but I had very good (baby chicken) shawarma at Jerusalem Grill in Passaic. The pita was fluffy, fresh and hot.

Also had the Beef shish by mistake (meant to order the spicy sausage) and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD. The cubes of meat were rib-steak quality, medium rare and together with the fresh pita was truly outstanding. For the record, the side dishes i had (fries and onion rings) left a bit to be desired but the fries were OK.

[sharonlebewohl]

Is Jersalrm Grill the new place thst recently opened in passaic? My son lives on Ascension Streetand enerytime I visit I have an urge to go. I've heard good things about it from his neighbors, but they aren't exactly food mavens.

[hanistor]

Yes it is, Sharon.

We're simple people in Passaic; I don't think we would be considered "food mavens". But I have only heard good things along with my personal experience.

I would like to hear your expert opinion, by the way.

[sharonlebewohl]

Hanistor, I reread my post and I sounded extremely pompous. I didn't mean it to sound that way. I just meant that my son is in kolel and his very pregnant wife works day and night. They don't have the ability to enjoy good food in a restaurant, and even when I take them out, good food doesn't provide the same thrill for them as it does for me. I like the "simple people" that I've been meeting in Passaic, and my son and daughter-in-law love it there.
Tonight I went to visit and I brought dinner in fron Jerusalem Grill. I don't think that I would have enjoyed it as much had we eaten in the restaurant, but we took the food to his house. I ordered the baby chicken shwarma, and I agree that it was delicious. Eli ordered the spicy sausages and he was in heaven. My daughter-in-law ordered salad. Some had too much mayonnaise and they offered the typical salad bar fare, but the price was reasonable and I feel that we got value for our money. I would definitely order from them again.

[tomby]

Original Shwarma gets my vote.

[justjoshing]

My vote is for Hapina, yet I liked them better when they were actually on the corner (Main Street & Jewel).

[CWY]

Both Pita Hot and Grill Point are great.

[jeterfan]

I agree that the good schwarma (or falafel) experience is lost when the pita contents fall through the pita. That is why I prefer eating schwarma in thicker homemade pita or in a lafa.

[DeisCane]

Bronstein, iirc

[PapaT]

Who's kosher supervision is Chickpea under? I looked at their website but did not see any Rabbi or organization identified.

[JamesB]

I believe it is Rabbi Steinberg. The hasgacha is on the wall when you walk in.

[sharonlebewohl]

I vote for Ali Babba and Chickpea, both in Manhattan.

[jea1975]

Grill Point on jewel and main in kew gardens hills is by far the best. The lamb and turkey schwarma in a lafa is great - and is enough food that you can save half for lunch the next day. Good prices too.

[JamesB]

Chickpea - St Marks Place and 3rd Ave. Juciest turkey, freshest pita.

[zsero]

Pita Off the Corner uses chicken, with a layer of lamb fat on the top.

[EvanM]

Does anyone know or care which ones use turkey, and who has beef, or for authenticity, lamb? I believe that most of the NY places use only turkey because it is the cheapest but doesn't compare with the taste of the good stuff which is a beef abnd lamb mix

[DeisCane]

Ali Baba for Manhattan.

[rruben1]

Avenue Grill & Deli, Morris Avenue, Springfield, NJ.
Glatt. Turkey shawarma, and GREAT felafel and salads.

[jeterfan]

I am going to chime in with my own votes for establishments in the Queens/Long Island area.

Grill Point in Queens
Shishkabob Steakhouse in Oceanside
Shishkabob Palace in Great Neck

All of these establishments have turkey/lamb schwarma, which I prefer to baby chicken schwarma.

[stuartlafonda]

The problem with the Great Neck place is that the last time I was there they were using packaged pocket pita, tasteless. portion was a little stingy as well. The now closed Great Neck Grill used Lafa they said they brought in from Brooklyn, a much better sandwich.

[JS69]

I am going to go with Pita Hot.....Great great food. My honorable mention will go to Hapina in Ceadrhurst.

[ariellasdaddy]

Underrated - Jerusalem Steak House in Brooklyn.

[abu applesauce]

On the Grill (Al Haesh) on QB, off 67th Ave is my new favorite shwarma joint. It helps i can walk there from my apt.
I've never tried Grill Point, but heard great things...
Isn't there an additional great shwarma joint on Main Street called Pita Hut/Hot or something like that? Heard good things about that too.
Honorable mention--place on east 4th or 5th in Brklyn between Quentin and K Highway--I think it's called Original Shwarma. They make an excellent shwarma baugette sandwich, with excellent chareef (two levels) and good veggies...
Almost reminds me of good old Taam Tov on King George Street in Jerusalem, which from what I hear, has closed down.
last note: don't know if you guys will eat there, but Azuri Cafe in manhattan (51st and 9th-10th?) is top notch falafel/shwarma joint. Plus you get the treat of dealing with one of the biggest SOB Mamzar Israelis--Ezra.
Don't tell him I said that.

[PapaT]

I haven't been to Pita Hot in a few years. I can't remember why I stopped going but I believe their stuff was pretty good. When they opened they were Pita Hut but they changed their sign soon after to Pita Hot. I don't know if they got a cease and desist letter from Pizza Hut or just did it on their own, but I always thought it was Tm related.

[chai18]

goaln grill in the hieghts is pretty good, so is ali baba

[PapaT]

Grill Point on Jewel and Main in KGH - two different skewers, fresh lafa made in a brick oven adjacent to the skewer, constantly changing salads. Second Prize to Olympic Pita on Coney Island Avenue between J&K. Honorable mention to Shishkabob Steakouse on Long Beach Road in Oceanside - slow service but great flavor.

[ariellasdaddy]

My vote goes to Pita Off the Corner, Avenue P and E. 2nd St.