Manakeesh and More

I came here on the day after Christmas. The chefs (a mom and her daughter) and our server (younger daughter, probably around twelve) were just the loveliest people. Going there to hang out with them alone, is worth it.
We didn’t really order: they brought out whatever they had. Lucky us.
Creamy, bright-​tasting hummus with zatar.
Green pepper and eggplant salad: good but not as good as …
The sweet and sour eggplant salad (this one was bliss, and I can’t recall the name!)
Amazing samosa style pastries, filled with cinnamon spiced beef (the best) and orange cheese (still tasty but not as strong as the beef.)
Pita (a tiny bit stale, but not deducting a star.)
Salad (fresh, lemony.)
THE BEST shish tawook I have EVER had. This is what chicken tikka SHOULD taste like! Moist, bursting with flavor, delicious char. With aromatic yellow rice.
Felafal bursting with fresh green herbs, nutty without being too oily or dense (my favorite kind.)
Chicken shawarma: not as good but still crispy, soft, and fragrant in all the right ways.
And, just, the coolest ladies around to hang with. Be warned … the room is cold … Dress accordingly. But, the vibes are warm. And the food is absolutely worth it.

The food so delicious
We try kabobs it was so ymmy
And we try falafel it’s good
Try qeamer and eating with honey

I ordered a chicken shawarma on this visit, which was my first visit. Service was great. However, the food was so greasy. He chicken was filled with grease — even the bread they put it on hadn’t soaked it all up. Tabouli (sp) salad was so greasy as well. I know they use olive oil and lemon juice but I’ve had better Mediterranean food at other restaurants in the Buffalo area and the oil wasn’t overkill. I must add too that the pita bread was below average — I’m spoilt by other restaurants that either warm it up or make it on the house.

I was coming down to Hertel for middle eastern food with my boyfriend. We were about to enter this one restaurant when a random man approached us and told us to go here instead.
I looked it up on Unilocal and could not find it so I was skeptical but decided to go with a little spontaneity. We walked two blocks to this new location and when we walked in, it smelled wonderful. The meat that was roasting behind the counter looked so good!
We ordered from the very simple menu: hummus which comes with a side of Iraqi bread, a chicken shwarma plate and a chicken souflaki plate. We decided to sit outside with our drinks and waited for our food. The owner and his son were very attentive and were very polite. After we ordered our food (this is more of a take out place) we were about to pay when they told us to pay after we ate.
The hummus came first with a huge circular piece of Iraqi bread. It was amazing! So fresh, the bread was still warm and it was the perfect appetizer. Our meals came and my chicken shwarma was served on half a pita with a side salad (lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes). My boyfriend had. Chicken souflaki plate which came with feta, olives, lettuce and tomatoes.
We are outside and it was all very good. This place is connected to a middle eastern supermarket which we stopped by afterwards. I was so tempted to buy the Iraqi bread!
Overall, a great meal. I was surprised they were not on Unilocal.I even had a hard time googling them but here they are and I hope you check the place out! The food was a bit on the expensive side as our platters were each $ 10.99. The hummus was $ 2.99 and so worth it! Check this place out for sure!

I had the chicken kabab sandwich and I literally cannot explain how many times I thanked my friend Rami who works here for how amazing it was. Haven’t even been on Unilocal in a while but I got back on just to write this review. It doesn’t matter what other middle eastern food places there are in the area, you just HAVE to come here.

Best lentil soup ever. Delicious! The falafel wrap is great. The homemade hot sauce is amazing; the perfect balance of heat and flavor and tang. Hummous is good. Spinach pie is good. Twice we’ve gotten the flat bread and it’s delicious. Simple, really, but here’s the thing: taking leftovers home and having it the next day, the dough still tasted better than most pizza crusts fresh. That, my friend, is five stars.

Great service and good prices for the food offered. They also had a shop next door to buy middle eastern items. Doesn’t compare to manakeesh places in Lebanon or Dearborn but it’s great for buffalo!

One of my favorite joints to grab a quick meal on the Hertel strip. My go-​to snacks are the spinach pie and the meat pie and sometimes with a side of lentil soup. They are like calzones, minus the cheese. My absolute favorite is the spinach pie. There’s just a bit of zip and tang that just gets my taste buds going. The pies are about $ 4-​$ 5. I love that they make the pies to order; not from frozen.
The za’atar manakeesh is by far my favorite dish. It’s salty but in such a way where it enhances the dish and doesn’t make me want to down a bucket of water after consumption.
The owner and his wife are fun to chat with. Once you get him started, he’s a Chatty Cathy. Parking is out front.
It is also now attached to Jerusalem Mart, formerly Family Mart.

«Keesh» means food in Arabic, and this place is named after the TV show that it featured on. It was on the very first episode of «Man Vs Food», the Arabic version of which is «Man A Keesh». So now you know how the place got it’s name. Since then it was on Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, Best Thing I Ever Ate, and Food Feuds. Hence the addition of «& More» to the business name. Okay, you got me. I just made all that up. Grr.
What to get: Any of the Manakeesh-​es, esp the one with garlic and cheese.
Manakeesh! Give me Manakeesh! Allah be with me in my consumption of the Manakeesh that the prophets have provided unto me! Nom nom nom nom nom. Nom. Nom.
The babaghanoush here is awesome, awesome, awesome, it’s the smokiest around and it’s absolutely delicious. After one day it tasted a bit vinegary and was stinging my tongue, so I think it may have been old or have been going bad… but I ate a decent amount of it anyway (and then threw the rest away to be safe), and it didn’t make me even remotely sick. So maybe it was supposed to be like that. Fresh, it didn’t taste like that, it tasted like heaven.
The kebabs here are good. I need to try them again because last time I tried them, I was distracted by the excellent baba, and the orgasmic Manakeesh.
Which brings me to the Manakeesh. It is absolutely delicious. It’s a bit like garlic bread or Naan perhaps, but different. I think it’s part of Levantine cuisine, which is defined as the cuisine of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Syria, and parts of southern Turkey near Adana, Gaziantep, and Antakya (the former Vilayet of Aleppo) and northern Iraq. I’ve noted that Cypriot cuisine also has strong Levantine influences.
Anyway, the feta Manakeesh and the mozzarella Manakeesh are almost identical, and both utterly delicious. The more traditional Manakeesh is similar to what a lot of the Lebanese people in the area eat (and I think they call it something different). If you like bread products, you really have to try one of these. They are fantastic.
Also everything here is dirt, dirt cheap. And their pita bread is excellent. One slight issue is that they’re supposed to be open all day, but I went in at lunch time and they were closed (for an hour, randomly), so it’s probably best to call ahead just to be sure before driving out there.

I love this place. Not only is it affordable and clean, but the food is fresh and amazing. lamb kebabs, hummus, pickles that the owner makes himself all come together to create my go-​to middle eastern restaurant. it is not fancy but one doesn’t notice as one is too busy eating.

Another Hertel hidden gem! I went in for a sandwich. The young guy behind the counter took my order for a Chicken Kabab Sandwich and then the owner Sam came out of the store and welcomed me. He then invited me to look around the store and told me about the foods they have to offer. The chicken was made fresh to order and the wrap and sauce are awesome. For $ 5 I could not be happier.

Great experience. I went to get some items to take-​out as an appetizer for a party. I ended up getting a few orders of falafel, baba ganough and pita. Everything was delicious and a great price. The proprietors were also very friendly and gave me a complimentary cup of lentil soup to eat while I was waiting for my order. I will be definitely be going back to try the other items on the menu.

I had a friend from Lebanon in town and as we walked by this place on Hertel, he urged us to go in and try their signature dish — za’atar manakeesh. I don’t think I would have ever walked in on my own if I wasn’t prompted by our guest. It appears to be a hole in the wall. But, from the manakeesh we ordered — I know I will be returning for a low cost, unique, delicious, meal again! We ordfered both the za’atar and feta chesse manakeesh. We preferred the za’atar. Although a little salty, it was very delicious. They use a brick oven to make they dishes and it was nice a crispy. Only 2.99 for each one. I definitely cannot wait to go back and try some other dishes.

Review based on two take-​out visits.
Manager works at the front greeting and cashing out people. He’s super friendly and likes everything to be executed correctly.
Food:
1^st visit
–lamb kebab $ 3.99: ground lamb in a pita wrap (same type of wrap Venus on Main St. Uses for their shawarma) with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and some kind of sauce, I really liked their sauce and their pickles. I typically don’t like pickles, but they really complement the wrap here. One way that could make this wrap better is toasting the whole thing so the pita is nice and hot.
2^nd visit
–baba ghanough $ 2.99: it looked homemade with chunks of eggplant. However, I didn’t really like it. But I think I just don’t like baba ghanough in general. The manager asked if I wanted bread with it and I said yes. He packaged one pita into the bag using his bare hands… it wasn’t even warmed up either…
–spinach pie $ 2.99: spinach and onion filled bread, way too salty for me. I thought it would be a spanakopita-​like dish but it wasn’t. It’s more of a stuffed bread than pie.
On my second visit, my total was $ 8. I’m not sure if they charged me for the bread with the baba ghanough. When I ordered two lamb kebabs, my total was also $ 8 (which is correct). Hmm… idk.
The also have halal pizza, which sounds interesting. I do want to try other items on the menu.
With their low prices, I would return!

Seemingly every week, another darling opens on Buffalo’s Hertel Avenue Strip. Manakeesh and More numbers among the latest entrants and further adds to the bloc of Middle Eastern restaurants, lounges, and grocery stores that have sprung up on Hertel just north of Delaware. I strolled by last night and, on seeing their prices, decided that I must try it today for lunch.
You know the old adage about finding great food in the most unseemly looking holes in the walls? This place seems to have been carved out of an excess wall of a Middle Eastern grocery now abutting it. Walking by twice, I thought that they must be connected somehow. (Parenthetically, are they? I still feel like they could be!) Atmosphere is almost non-​existent. Basic and mismatched tables and chairs line either side. A large flatscreen TV dominated one of the earth-​toned walls, but wasn’t on. Nevertheless, the restaurant remains welcoming. Why? Because the proprietor has decided that it must be. He greeted each individual who strolled in while I was feasting in a warm voice. There is no underestimating the effects of an honest welcome.
As of 2÷13÷2012, the menu of Manakeesh and More is simple and straightforward, catering to its strengths. It features the requisite stuffed falafel sandwiches, halal pizzas, and stuffed pies of the meat and spinach variety. Additionally, they boast a variety of appetizers and sides: baba ghanough, hummus, foul, tabbouleh, lentil soup, and so on.
Of all the Middle Eastern spots in Buffalo, this one is the first I have visited that offers lamb extensively on their menu. In fact, their lamb kebab sandwich is only $ 3.99! What a fantastic deal! A kebab rather than shawarma sandwich, it is oriented lengthwise, giving the impression of a sub or a wrap rather than a pita pocket. Those unfamiliar with Middle Eastern meet may be disappointed by its taste. Almost completely devoid of sauce but heavy on veggies, Manakeesh and More has the guts to put its meat on display. The distinct of their well-​flavored meat is apparent.
While waiting for my meal, a Palestinian woman waiting for takeout with me extolled the virtues of its meat pies. Sure, I anticipated stuffing myself with lamb for lunch, but a meat pie for a mere $ 2.99 sounded like a great dinner option… and it was. Loaded with well-​seasoned ground beef and onions in soft and fluffy dough and likewise devoid of sauce, the succulence of the meat is on full display.
Waiting for my sandwich, the proprietor insisted I try the lentil soup. Quite lentillly though a tinge too oily, I loved it and wound up chugging the rest like a beer. Regularly priced at $ 1.99, it does make a great addition to any meal, should you desire more.
Given my proximity to Manakeesh and More, I can easily envision it as a place I might visit for takeout once a week or more. Until the mood settles a bit, the lighting brightens, or some music or soccer add to its atmosphere, I’m not sure that it’s a great option for dining in. With less than two weeks in business though, I’m confident that yet more positive changes will be made.
I look forward to writing an update with thoughts on their halal pizza soon. I WILL be back.