Cafe Rakka

Stopped in for a quick bite before a variety show. Falafel and chicken sandwich were both prepared to order and tasty. A solid spot for a quick falafel fix.

Got the shish kebab sandwich, it was great. The meat was tender and well cooked– was pleasantly surprised by how good it was given that it was only $ 7. Will definitely be back to try other items.

Pros: the food is made fresh and the chicken kebab platter was very tasty. The price was very low for the high quality white meat chicken, which was very juicy and flavorful. The portion was larger than some other places although not the largest ever. The pita bread was okay. They had the traditional ayran drink. I will definitely be back.
Cons: Not many sides to choose from. Also, despite there being no line, the person in charge of taking the order comes across as rude and impatient (both on the phone as well as in person). This is not the approach for a st. marks business. That approach works for cheaper, grittier hole in the wall lunch places, but if they want to have the dark wood fancy interior then their service needs to be up to par, as well.

Nothing great. I got the chicken kabob with rice and salad. Taste was ok price was good. For 8 buck don’t expect much.

Simple and good. Been here for years.
This is the best falafel place in the east village! Babaganoush is excellent too!
Falafel sandwich with babaganoush tahini and hot sauce way way better than cheaper nearby places.
They are also really nice

Fabuloso!!! Super Barato… Mucha comida e ingredientes frescos El muchacho chulisimo!!!

The place is great, the renovations really helped, the guys behind the counter are super friendly; Samih, Melad, and Ishak.
The schawerma, the kebab are good.
I had the best Turkish coffee ever; 2 drops of milk, one spoon of sugar, very hot.
WiFi is great, good as a work/​study space.

Perfect for a fast decently healthy meal! This is our go to when we don’t know what to eat for dinner or just need something quick. Their food is made fresh and always good sized portions. I love getting the kofta kebob or the falafel. We don’t ever eat there we always take it to go but they have a good amount of tables to sit and eat inside and outside. They have been at it for 40 years and it shows. The meats and salads are all flavorful and the chefs behind the counter are really nice. Definitely a great spot for a late night snack too! Mediterranean food that hits the spot and comes off the grill fresh and hot!

This place provided a snotty and rude attitude towards us when all we did was order food… I asked for two gyros and got 1 gyro and 1 shish kabob sandwich when I approached the cook he said you didn’t order two gyros you ordered the above. I didn’t want to argue with these rude men so my man and I shared the gyro bc the other sandwich wasn’t edible. If you wanna be treated like shit– come here!

Great hospitality, inviting atmosphere, and the food is simple but tasty and traditional. This place is better than Mamoun’s plus Sam is the man! I suggest getting the Kafta platter or the Chicken Kebab platter! And don’t forget to order the Pita and hummus because the Hummus is absolutely fantastic and the pita is fresh and warm!

Best falafel I’ve had in a long time. Hummus also excellent. And Turkisk coffee how it should be done, nicely spiced. It was the perfect lunch for like 8 bucks. So happy I found this place. Lots of vegetarian options.

I go here quite often, and the food is delicious and reasonably priced! I get the Shish Tawook and Fava Bean Salad — the perfect combination?
Some of the negative reviews on this page are ridiculous and childish. GROW UP!

I think this particular falafel place is very good in comparison to the options in the East Village. Although I’ve been to Mamoun’s much more because of its proximity to the train and because it’s open late nights, their food is not of the same quality as Rakka’s is.
When I didn’t know very much about Middle Eastern food, I was encouraged by Mamoun’s because of their price and because they provide a good introductory lesson to what it should taste like. However, compared to the entirety of the Middle Eastern cuisine available in the city, they are pretty much of an average quality. Rakka’s is better than average. The places in Bay Ridge are in the superiority class, though they take it seriously and it’s unfair to grade small stands in comparison.
Although I perhaps prefer a fluffier falafel, Rakka’s serves them crisp and flattened slightly, almost like disks. I thought it was a good choice, after being hesitant. They are fully-​flavored. There were good vegetables in it, and the pita was toasted slightly, which added a distinct flavor. I was very pleased. Also, it’s only three dollars — although the price said it would be $ 3.50, so I’m not sure why it changed.
The guy behind the counter, who makes it in front of you as you stand there and instruct him what you want, was kind of strange in mannerisms. It was so much that he didn’t care about the food, because although he didn’t, I consider that just pretty normal behavior considering how mundane the job is, but he seemed bewildered by what he was doing. I actually didn’t like him very much, if I am going to be honest. I like the staff at Mamoun’s, so despite the lower quality of food and the slightly raised price, I will probably be going there more often whenever I am in the neighborhood and wish for a pita sandwich.

Simply, The BEST falafel sandwich I know in NYC. Casual place, but the food is served with genuine friendliness and elegant manners by Melad and Ishak. Topped with a genuine smile! Also, unlike so many Middle Eastern places; impeccably clean surroundings and fresh ingredients.
Listed by Village Voice as «Best» — Syrian. Like the sign or front says; $ 3-​$ 3.50!!!

*Based on delivery orders*
Reliable option for a quick, tasty meal, have happily ordered from here more than once.
I’ve had the vegetarian platter (choose 4 options) and the beef meatball platter (with hummus and baba ghanoush). The ground beef was a little dry, but not criminally dry. The platters are relatively cheap and plentiful, comes with pita bread and salad in addition to the sides of your choice.
Definitely becoming a go-​to for lazy nights in!

Full disclosure: I had a bad experience here.
I ordered a gyro with hummus and fries, and I had to order several times because the guy at the counter didn’t speak very good English (apparently). Instead of letting me pay, he told me to have a seat.
He called me up to the counter after a little while and he has a pita in his hand and a basket of fries on the counter. He says,“Hummus, right?” I agree and he scoops some hummus into the pita. He asks a couple more questions and my gyro is now complete. I pay him and take my food to sit down.
I bite into the sandwich and there’s no meat. «Okay,» I think,“there’ll be some meat in a couple of bites.” A couple more bites go by, and still, no meat. I decide to inspect the sandwich and I see there’s no meat. I proceed back over to the counter.
So I explain there’s a misunderstanding with the sandwich. I tell him there’s no meat and even offer to pay for meat. He refuses and tells me that’s what I ordered. I point out that on the menu board a gyro includes seasoned lamb and beef. Again I offer to pay and he refuses and insists that’s what I ordered.
I try to sit down and enjoy my baby diaper of a sandwich, but at that point the meal is ruined. I get up from the table and move toward the exit. He calls after me and motions for me to come back to the counter. I’m too angry at this point and I manage to spit out,“No no, it’s fine. Merry Christmas!“
The fries were also nasty and dry.
⁵⁄₅ stars on the bottled water.
*Bonus food for thought: Why do you tell someone to have a seat and wait if all you’re planning to do is scoop cold ingredients into a pita?

Mediterranean hole-​in-​the-​wall to-​GO joint BUT there are maybe 6 tables inside if you want to eat your food there!
the platters come w/​pita bread, salad, tahini, hot sauce, AND your choice of 2 sides (rice, cous cous, or hummus). YOU’VE GOTTA SPECIFY, otherwise you’ll get the standard. and the workers aren’t exactly nice or accommodating so they won’t ask
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. one platter has TONS of food & they give 3 – 4 halves of white pita on the side!
–chicken kebab platter: the chicken was juicy & flavorful which was surprising because i saw him cooking it on an electric panini skillet? however, the hummus was not good & pasta reminded me of uncle ben’s
—meditteranean platter: falafel was crispy but way too salty. the tabouli salad was just ok
—babaganoush: nothing special but VERY garlicky
i guess you PAY AFTER you eat (the workers don’t tell you anything, i had to ask if they wanted me to pay)
NOTE: NO tap water, you must buy bottled water
thanks PayPal app for the freebies!

Called ahead to make sure their PayPal was working so hubby and I could make use of the PayPal $ 10 offer. I had the Rakka Platter: 3 falafel, pita bread, hummus, and fava bean salad (kind of sour though I’ve never had it before so maybe that’s normal). Lots of food for $ 8.50. Hubby had the stuffed grape leaves, which were quite good.
Small shop that’s a little grimey. Guys behind the counter are kind of surly. Better to take your food to go!

Just searching for strictly another good falafel place led me here from the PayPal app.
Falafel Sandwich — SO cheap at only 3.50, but you already know what happens when you pay for cheap things. The taste of the falafel was salty and not that impressive. Definitely NOT up there on the best ever.
Wanted to add fries to my order, but apparently they ran out the day I visited.
THAT MANGO DRINK — Tasted like a melted ripened mango… aka absolutely delicious (nevermind the 32 grams of sugar added).
Is this place worth returning to? Only with free PayPal credit to try something else that hopefully is better than the salty falafel.

When the weather is nice, they open the entire front of the café, allowing for breezy, idle people-​watching from indoors. The staff here is neither friendly nor unfriendly. Maybe it’s a cultural thing.
Menu prices don’t include tax. Their online menu, e.g. Platters, isn’t offered here.
–Rakka Platter ($ 8.50 total incl. tax.): Well-​rounded meal that consisted of 3 falafel (meh), plenty of pita bread (4 halves, good and soft, yummy), hummus (very good, incredibly thick and creamy, but just chickpea-​flavored — no spices — so make sure you get the hot sauce when they ask), and fava bean salad (smelled a little weird).
–Falafael Sandwich + hummus addition ($ 5). Pretty flavorless. They’ve also either raised the prices or are tipping themselves if you pay with PayPal.
–Hummus appetizer ($ 5.50 total): Creamy, a little bland. Comes in a large container with 4 pita halves.

When I thought all hopes were lost in claiming my $ 10 paypal offer from Café Rakka, they finally sorted out their payment system and began accepting it just one day short from expiration date (thanks Harry H. For calling to verify and checking in!)
Stopped by right after my last patient on Friday afternoon (around 4pm) as the only customer. A true hole in the wall with maybe 4 tables — The front counter consisted of a nice spread of pre-​made items cafeteria/​buffet style. I quickly confirmed with the guy behind the counter that in fact paypal was accepted. He seemed somewhat delighted to hear that people were starting to come in with the new payment method.
The menu on the wall was somewhat outdated — all appetizers were now $ 5 as told by the worker. I ended up going with rakka platter to go ($ 8.50) which consisted of hummus, salad, bean, and 3 falafels. I guess he didn’t hear me the first time because he began packing my plate to stay. When I reminded him that my order was to go, he seemed really overwhelmed and annoyed. Surprisingly he took the time to move each item (switching spoon) and didn’t just dunk everything into the to go box.
The food was okay — nothing too special as far as taste goes. I ended up sharing it with my grandma and we couldn’t finish it — Huge portion for just $ 8.50.
I returned again on my way home to pick up a gyro wrap with fries ($ 9.75) for my fiancé. The guy behind the counter was so happy to see that I returned so soon. Again the gyro wrap was huge (loaded with a good 5 – 6 cut of meat). The fries was a bit undercooked and soggy however (he kinda rushed my order since lots of college kids were starting to come in and he was the only guy behind the counter and the kitchen). We ended up not eating much of it.
Overall, def a good option for cheap, filling meal.