Best food we ate in NYC, especially because we can't get it in San Francisco. The $10 price point makes it even more delicious and worth the hour wait in line. Portions are perfect for post-show munchies and you can tell the meat is so fresh. Always ask for extra white sauce!
Jas Y.
Just absolutely incredible and so addictive! I sometimes forget how good it tastes, but when I come back, I remember exactly why I decided to wait in this long line. The white sauce is divine; I get it on the side. Pictures of the platter don't do it justice, but it is that good! Small discount when paying cash. Two hours in line, but it didn't feel TOO bad because I had some people with me and chatted. Being by myself would've been more painful. The line makes it difficult to come here regularly, but since I'm in NYC sporadically, when I have the time I make the trip to Adel's.
Naina D.
The flavors of every dish were outstanding, and the white sauce added a magical touch. I absolutely love the food at this place!
Spicy P.
We tried Adel's late Saturday night (or early Sunday morning!) and the wait wasn't too bad. The guys working the cart are surprisingly pretty laid back despite the busy bustle and were nicer than I would have expected. They were quick to take our order and worked efficiently. The portions are on the generous side, and they are happy to drown your food in extra white sauce and hot sauce, should you so choose. Their hot sauce is spicy but not to the level of Halal Guys red sauce. I love crazy spicy everything so I ordered the spicy rice and asked for some extra hot sauce. The spicy rice itself didn't seem spicy at all, so I could have definitely had more hot sauce! Overall, whether or not they are better than The Halal Guys of former greater fame - I'm not really sure. But fact is - NYC is full of good halal food - carts, trucks and shops. I believe that The Halal Guys and Adel's owes a big part of their popularity and success to having lucked out with their corners of the city. Really, NYC just happened to find the right recipe for this specific type of halal meal so there are many spots where the starting base is already good, and anything better than that just depends on other factors like location, visibility, price, service, portions, slight variations on their rice or sauces and quite frankly, often - the hype. I don't know if Adel's is the BEST halal plate ever. But I also don't know if there is a best for me. 9/10 halal meals I've had, have been plenty good enough, including Adel's.
D L.
Food was good but the line was extremely long. The combo platter with their sauce and pita made for a very satisfying meal. You get a lot of food as they do pack it in the container.
Mad Y.
UPDATE! I had to come and update my review because it was so delicious. I guess 3rd time is a charm! This is definitely the best halal food in nyc!! Make sure you get fries on the side! Then add them to your plate. The fries are out of this world! Crispy and crunchy and flavorful. It's worth waiting in line! (not that I waited )
Charlotte E.
Embark on a culinary delight as delectable dishes intertwine with the perfection of an exceptional white sauce. Indulge in a symphony of flavors where each mouthful is elevated by the velvety richness, creating a dining experience that is truly unforgettable.
Emily G.
Waiting in the rain and cold for about 25 minutes wasn't super fun, but the rain definitely made the line shorter, which was worth it. Delicious food and a great white sauce. Can I say with confidence I prefer it over Halal Guys? No, but $9 is a great deal for a Combo Mix Platter!! (Halal Guys no longer has these prices, unfortunately). Because of my low-ish (and slowly decreasing) spice tolerance, I did not get the hot sauce nor the spicy rice. But after trying some of my boyfriend's I can confirm the spicy rice isn't that spicy. The hot sauce IS - appreciate that they serve that in a little sauce container on the side so you can add to taste. Waiting in line for Adel's is a quintessential NYC experience for sure! But given the number of halal carts in the area, there's no need to wait for hours on this line for it.
Karen S.
After a year+ long Yelp hiatus, I'm coming back for the elusive Elite black badge. I had to review something I can whole heartedly recommend. I remember the first time I ever had halal chicken rice on my first visit to NYC in 2009. It was a brutal winter in January and my friends and I waited over an hour in the cold just to try the famous Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th. Our hands were blocks of ice by the time we got the food, and we had to duck underground into a subway station to defrost and quickly devour it all. I remember it being 100% worth it. The first time I tasted that flavor combo with the meats and sauce and spices was life changing. Fast forward 15 years, I've since moved to NY and tried many other halal carts (often late night leading to morning-after regret). Now there's a new hype train to jump on at Adel's. I know the stand has been around for years, but recently blew up on TikTok, leading to extremely long wait times (easily an hour any given night or time). I am fully that person who has to try any highly coveted food for myself, then brag about it on socials. You have to know what you're getting into. It's going to take a LONG time to get your food, and there's not really anywhere comfortable to enjoy it after - but if you have the patience for it (or the money for a TaskRabbit line waiter), it's absolutely better than your average halal cart. I got the chicken + lamb combo with regular rice, white sauce, green sauce (tasted a bit cilantro-y), and BBQ sauce. Skipped the red sauce bc I can't handle spice. To me the key difference is that the meat is higher quality and more flavorful than at other spots, and the portions are extremely generous for $9. I am often still hungry eating at other carts, but this tray was almost overflowing and I had leftovers which still held up well 48 hours later. When you put the meat together with the rice and the sauces, it's heaven. Someone was helping me assemble my new furniture and I treated him to this as a thank you, I don't think he had any idea how lucky he is to just show up and get to eat this hard to obtain meal lol. But how quickly he devoured the entire tray, leaving no grain of rice behind (Chinese parents would be proud), is a clear indicator that he loved it. It's tough to be a regular here because the wait times are insane, but I do genuinely think it's the tastiest halal cart in town and worth trying at least once. The social media hype is real IMO.
Stephanie K.
Combo platter with spicy rice!! Lines and wait times are long and goes byIs it worth the hype? Yes, it makes for a really great meal and the portions are plentiful.
Incredible, I could unload a thousand adjectives to describe how good their food is but I will just let the picture speak for me.
Gloria M.
Best tasting lamb gyro I've ver had. It was so tender and delicious! Fries were also great! You can find them next to Rockefeller Plaza..
Celina A.
I patiently waited for an hour and a half since I am in NYC. It's delicious but because it's super busy. You only get to find out you were charged other stuff that you didn't order so watch out
Kevin P.
Absolutely love the food here. EVERY time I go visit NYC I stand in line no matter the wait to get a combo platter with yellow rice and red sauce and white sauce. For $9 there is no HALAL cart that can beat the value and portion this place serves. They serve delicious food and RESPECT because they know we have been waiting in the 4 degrees wind chill cold to get a bite of their food. Honestly the wait makes the food extra yummy too! *BONUS: PRO TIP.. go when it's almost 0 degrees outside with 20+ mph gust and you'll only have to wait 20 mins instead of the usual 1.5-2hrs
Dillon G.
okay, it's worth the hype... I work right across the street and for the first time today, there was little to no line! Got the lamb over spicy rice plate and combination over spicy rice with the sauces on the side. At $9 a plate, definitely not the cheapest neither the most expensive, but was the best halal i've had in the city! Everything was super flavorful on it's own, so adding white and red sauce just elevated it. Definitely give it a chance if you're willing to wait; will definitely be back!
Best food we ate in NYC, especially because we can't get it in San Francisco. The $10 price point makes it even more delicious and worth the hour wait in line. Portions are perfect for post-show munchies and you can tell the meat is so fresh. Always ask for extra white sauce!
Just absolutely incredible and so addictive! I sometimes forget how good it tastes, but when I come back, I remember exactly why I decided to wait in this long line. The white sauce is divine; I get it on the side. Pictures of the platter don't do it justice, but it is that good! Small discount when paying cash. Two hours in line, but it didn't feel TOO bad because I had some people with me and chatted. Being by myself would've been more painful. The line makes it difficult to come here regularly, but since I'm in NYC sporadically, when I have the time I make the trip to Adel's.
The flavors of every dish were outstanding, and the white sauce added a magical touch. I absolutely love the food at this place!
We tried Adel's late Saturday night (or early Sunday morning!) and the wait wasn't too bad. The guys working the cart are surprisingly pretty laid back despite the busy bustle and were nicer than I would have expected. They were quick to take our order and worked efficiently. The portions are on the generous side, and they are happy to drown your food in extra white sauce and hot sauce, should you so choose. Their hot sauce is spicy but not to the level of Halal Guys red sauce. I love crazy spicy everything so I ordered the spicy rice and asked for some extra hot sauce. The spicy rice itself didn't seem spicy at all, so I could have definitely had more hot sauce! Overall, whether or not they are better than The Halal Guys of former greater fame - I'm not really sure. But fact is - NYC is full of good halal food - carts, trucks and shops. I believe that The Halal Guys and Adel's owes a big part of their popularity and success to having lucked out with their corners of the city. Really, NYC just happened to find the right recipe for this specific type of halal meal so there are many spots where the starting base is already good, and anything better than that just depends on other factors like location, visibility, price, service, portions, slight variations on their rice or sauces and quite frankly, often - the hype. I don't know if Adel's is the BEST halal plate ever. But I also don't know if there is a best for me. 9/10 halal meals I've had, have been plenty good enough, including Adel's.
Food was good but the line was extremely long. The combo platter with their sauce and pita made for a very satisfying meal. You get a lot of food as they do pack it in the container.
UPDATE! I had to come and update my review because it was so delicious. I guess 3rd time is a charm! This is definitely the best halal food in nyc!! Make sure you get fries on the side! Then add them to your plate. The fries are out of this world! Crispy and crunchy and flavorful. It's worth waiting in line! (not that I waited )
Embark on a culinary delight as delectable dishes intertwine with the perfection of an exceptional white sauce. Indulge in a symphony of flavors where each mouthful is elevated by the velvety richness, creating a dining experience that is truly unforgettable.
Waiting in the rain and cold for about 25 minutes wasn't super fun, but the rain definitely made the line shorter, which was worth it. Delicious food and a great white sauce. Can I say with confidence I prefer it over Halal Guys? No, but $9 is a great deal for a Combo Mix Platter!! (Halal Guys no longer has these prices, unfortunately). Because of my low-ish (and slowly decreasing) spice tolerance, I did not get the hot sauce nor the spicy rice. But after trying some of my boyfriend's I can confirm the spicy rice isn't that spicy. The hot sauce IS - appreciate that they serve that in a little sauce container on the side so you can add to taste. Waiting in line for Adel's is a quintessential NYC experience for sure! But given the number of halal carts in the area, there's no need to wait for hours on this line for it.
After a year+ long Yelp hiatus, I'm coming back for the elusive Elite black badge. I had to review something I can whole heartedly recommend. I remember the first time I ever had halal chicken rice on my first visit to NYC in 2009. It was a brutal winter in January and my friends and I waited over an hour in the cold just to try the famous Halal Guys at 53rd and 6th. Our hands were blocks of ice by the time we got the food, and we had to duck underground into a subway station to defrost and quickly devour it all. I remember it being 100% worth it. The first time I tasted that flavor combo with the meats and sauce and spices was life changing. Fast forward 15 years, I've since moved to NY and tried many other halal carts (often late night leading to morning-after regret). Now there's a new hype train to jump on at Adel's. I know the stand has been around for years, but recently blew up on TikTok, leading to extremely long wait times (easily an hour any given night or time). I am fully that person who has to try any highly coveted food for myself, then brag about it on socials. You have to know what you're getting into. It's going to take a LONG time to get your food, and there's not really anywhere comfortable to enjoy it after - but if you have the patience for it (or the money for a TaskRabbit line waiter), it's absolutely better than your average halal cart. I got the chicken + lamb combo with regular rice, white sauce, green sauce (tasted a bit cilantro-y), and BBQ sauce. Skipped the red sauce bc I can't handle spice. To me the key difference is that the meat is higher quality and more flavorful than at other spots, and the portions are extremely generous for $9. I am often still hungry eating at other carts, but this tray was almost overflowing and I had leftovers which still held up well 48 hours later. When you put the meat together with the rice and the sauces, it's heaven. Someone was helping me assemble my new furniture and I treated him to this as a thank you, I don't think he had any idea how lucky he is to just show up and get to eat this hard to obtain meal lol. But how quickly he devoured the entire tray, leaving no grain of rice behind (Chinese parents would be proud), is a clear indicator that he loved it. It's tough to be a regular here because the wait times are insane, but I do genuinely think it's the tastiest halal cart in town and worth trying at least once. The social media hype is real IMO.
Combo platter with spicy rice!! Lines and wait times are long and goes byIs it worth the hype? Yes, it makes for a really great meal and the portions are plentiful.
Restaurantji Recommends
Incredible, I could unload a thousand adjectives to describe how good their food is but I will just let the picture speak for me.
Best tasting lamb gyro I've ver had. It was so tender and delicious! Fries were also great! You can find them next to Rockefeller Plaza..
I patiently waited for an hour and a half since I am in NYC. It's delicious but because it's super busy. You only get to find out you were charged other stuff that you didn't order so watch out
Absolutely love the food here. EVERY time I go visit NYC I stand in line no matter the wait to get a combo platter with yellow rice and red sauce and white sauce. For $9 there is no HALAL cart that can beat the value and portion this place serves. They serve delicious food and RESPECT because they know we have been waiting in the 4 degrees wind chill cold to get a bite of their food. Honestly the wait makes the food extra yummy too! *BONUS: PRO TIP.. go when it's almost 0 degrees outside with 20+ mph gust and you'll only have to wait 20 mins instead of the usual 1.5-2hrs
okay, it's worth the hype... I work right across the street and for the first time today, there was little to no line! Got the lamb over spicy rice plate and combination over spicy rice with the sauces on the side. At $9 a plate, definitely not the cheapest neither the most expensive, but was the best halal i've had in the city! Everything was super flavorful on it's own, so adding white and red sauce just elevated it. Definitely give it a chance if you're willing to wait; will definitely be back!