I've had many gyro sandwiches before and I have to say I am quite happy with this one. There was a good amount of meat and it had a lot of flavor. Have and will come back!
Greg B.
Everything made fresh and authentic, this eatery has been a downtown staple for decades.
Phyllis Dias
My first time having this type food. I really enjoyed my sandwich. The other person I was with ordered the chicken combo plate along with the sandwich. I tried his chicken and another type of meat (not sure what it was) but both delicious. We will definitely be back.
Lothar Reeves
Everything is always excellent. Friendly staff and delicious food. Best falafel in town
Noemi Barragan
It is delicious , but I didn't like that they only gave me 3 small falafels in the veggie combo plate.
David K.
Several old, faded posters with images of Syria line the walls of Falafel House in downtown Santa Cruz. This sun-bleached eatery has clearly been here for quite some time, and it still turns out colorful plates of vibrant Mediterranean food! My pick was the veg combo plate, which came with thick, creamy hummus and baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and a simple salad of romaine and cucumbers topped with three small dome-shaped falafels, which were especially crispy. All of these components went nicely with the thin pita bread served on the side, along with some of their spicy chili sauce! Next, I tried the lentil soup, which had a creamy texture and a nice warm flavor from the spices. And finally, I tried the combo plate, which came with gyro, chicken shawarma, and even kibbeh (a ground meat and bulgur fritter stuffed with more ground meat and onions), all served over salad. All of these went nicely with the cool yogurt dressing on the side, which added a nice refreshing tang! Overall, this was a great casual restaurant for simple Mediterranean eats that really hit the spot!
lydia bug
Fast and cheap service with good food
Mobnica
This place was rude and wouldn’t let us take more than one ketchup . I was confused as to why... and now I know. They didn’t give me any fries! This is disgusting! I had my fiancé go in and order me some food because I hurt my foot earlier and he told me that they where very rude to him. I asked why he didn’t know why but after they handed him the bag of food to go they told him “don’t take more than one ketchup” . We then came home about ten minutes from downtown without opening up our bag of food and I just pulled everything out and this was my fries to my falafel meal! Literally like 15 fires! I’m disgusted on the service we received today!
Brittney W.
I love this restaurant. The food is made quick and you can tell they are wonderful people. I usually get the gyro sandwich (comes with a delicious side of hot sauce and a white sauce) and a few orders of dolmas. This place makes some of the most delicious dolmas I've ever had. I read some of the negative reviews people have written on here and honestly they really just seem to be disgruntled people. This place has always left me feeling happy!
erika e.
Best falafel salad I've ever had, and I've had a lot! Their lentil soup is amazing also. So delicious! Would give 10 stars if I could.
Didnotvserve food in regular hours. Person said its closed 45 min before its actual closing time
Peter B.
The chicken shawarma was delicious, with ample portions, and good service. I liked this place much better than Nick the Greek. I'm definitely planning to come back soon
Sherry Chou
Our meal was subpar and we left hungry. Very stingy with serving size. The vegetarian plate only had 3 HALF falafels, which were dry and not flavorful. Meat combo was just a few pieces of meat on a bed of lettuce. Had a weird, unfriendly interaction with the cashier.
Laura Bowers
Classic, with friendly service. Good food good value
dan stepel
I had a Falafel which was a bit disappointing. The Falafels themselves came pre-made no doubt frozen from a box. The pitas were thin and lacked any real flavor. Having lived in Israel I know what a falafel should taste like. This place fell far short. On a better note the staff was very friendly so for that they get an extra star.
I've had many gyro sandwiches before and I have to say I am quite happy with this one. There was a good amount of meat and it had a lot of flavor. Have and will come back!
Everything made fresh and authentic, this eatery has been a downtown staple for decades.
My first time having this type food. I really enjoyed my sandwich. The other person I was with ordered the chicken combo plate along with the sandwich. I tried his chicken and another type of meat (not sure what it was) but both delicious. We will definitely be back.
Everything is always excellent. Friendly staff and delicious food. Best falafel in town
It is delicious , but I didn't like that they only gave me 3 small falafels in the veggie combo plate.
Several old, faded posters with images of Syria line the walls of Falafel House in downtown Santa Cruz. This sun-bleached eatery has clearly been here for quite some time, and it still turns out colorful plates of vibrant Mediterranean food! My pick was the veg combo plate, which came with thick, creamy hummus and baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and a simple salad of romaine and cucumbers topped with three small dome-shaped falafels, which were especially crispy. All of these components went nicely with the thin pita bread served on the side, along with some of their spicy chili sauce! Next, I tried the lentil soup, which had a creamy texture and a nice warm flavor from the spices. And finally, I tried the combo plate, which came with gyro, chicken shawarma, and even kibbeh (a ground meat and bulgur fritter stuffed with more ground meat and onions), all served over salad. All of these went nicely with the cool yogurt dressing on the side, which added a nice refreshing tang! Overall, this was a great casual restaurant for simple Mediterranean eats that really hit the spot!
Fast and cheap service with good food
This place was rude and wouldn’t let us take more than one ketchup . I was confused as to why... and now I know. They didn’t give me any fries! This is disgusting! I had my fiancé go in and order me some food because I hurt my foot earlier and he told me that they where very rude to him. I asked why he didn’t know why but after they handed him the bag of food to go they told him “don’t take more than one ketchup” . We then came home about ten minutes from downtown without opening up our bag of food and I just pulled everything out and this was my fries to my falafel meal! Literally like 15 fires! I’m disgusted on the service we received today!
I love this restaurant. The food is made quick and you can tell they are wonderful people. I usually get the gyro sandwich (comes with a delicious side of hot sauce and a white sauce) and a few orders of dolmas. This place makes some of the most delicious dolmas I've ever had. I read some of the negative reviews people have written on here and honestly they really just seem to be disgruntled people. This place has always left me feeling happy!
Best falafel salad I've ever had, and I've had a lot! Their lentil soup is amazing also. So delicious! Would give 10 stars if I could.
Restaurantji Recommends
Didnotvserve food in regular hours. Person said its closed 45 min before its actual closing time
The chicken shawarma was delicious, with ample portions, and good service. I liked this place much better than Nick the Greek. I'm definitely planning to come back soon
Our meal was subpar and we left hungry. Very stingy with serving size. The vegetarian plate only had 3 HALF falafels, which were dry and not flavorful. Meat combo was just a few pieces of meat on a bed of lettuce. Had a weird, unfriendly interaction with the cashier.
Classic, with friendly service. Good food good value
I had a Falafel which was a bit disappointing. The Falafels themselves came pre-made no doubt frozen from a box. The pitas were thin and lacked any real flavor. Having lived in Israel I know what a falafel should taste like. This place fell far short. On a better note the staff was very friendly so for that they get an extra star.