Zaky

I’m really sad this place has closed. Joe and his family are some of the nicest people I have met in Raleigh. My experience in eating there and getting take-​out has always been excellent. The food was always fresh and absolutely delicious. Joe, the owner remembered my name and face from the first time I came in and I was treated like family, literally. One evening I came to dine with a friend and the entire restaurant was full — of Joe’s family just flown in from over-​seas. They had giant heaping plates of food that smelled and looked unbelievable. As we sat eating our falafels, Joe’s wife brought us plate after plate of wonderful foods urging us to share with them, including a lamb tagine that was unreal! Several of the children came to our table to talk to us, explain what we were eating, and just make conversation. I was so impressed by how mature and confident they were talking to strangers.
I find it very hard to believe anyone ever received bad service or bad food here, it had to be a fluke. And for the person who walked out not being helped, one of Joe’s son’s works there and is special needs — that may have been who they saw standing in the back of the restaurant. I hope Joe and his family find success in their next endeavor, they are lovely people and I will truly miss them and their excellent food!

This place is closed now. And thank goodness because their food was never any good anyways.

Yum. Quick and easy Mediterranean at a great price. I like their chicken shawarma and baba ghanouji. I always order extra garlic paste, it’s so great on the chicken! Small seating area but it’s never been too crowded when I go. Zaky’s is located on Glenwood South, right beside Sushi O. Parking may deter some, but there’s usually lots of street parking available and there’s parking decks nearby. They’re open until 3 AM Friday and Saturday nights, and the food would make for a great late night snack after hitting the bars. Zaky’s offers delivery through grubhub, too.

Four stars for bringing the dona kebab to Raleigh and being open late on weeknights!
Zaky offers fast food med dishes, and is open late night and conveniently on glenwood for those of us who have had too many drunk food fests at cook out or snoopys or bojangles. Service is kind of slow but the staff is funny and the hummus is plentiful. I also really like their chicken and rice dish.

Pizza Hut is to Italian food as Zaky is to Lebanese food.
I ordered the chicken shawarma platter, and it was seriously bad. The chicken was dry, the tzatziki was runny, and the rice was the worst offender — completely flavorless. Don’t get me started on the salad. The entire meal tasted like airport food.
That being said, the service was lovely and the delivery was fast. The restaurant should consider stepping up their ingredients.

I can only speak on service, because my husband and I weren’t able to try the food! We walked in during the late afternoon before a game night at Rum Runners a couple weeks ago — and it was quiet (it was only around 4pm or 5pm, so kind of early for a major dinner rush). The place looked clean, and for the longest time we thought no one was there.
When we decided some time later to go to another restaurant, we were walking out and I saw that there had been a person in the back the whole time! With a view of the door! Maybe if we’d have said hello, we’d have had some sort of service, but the person in the kitchen clearly could have seen us coming in and I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t even a «have a good day» from him, just a disinterested notice as we walked out.
Never trying to go in again.

Service was awesome. Owner is extremely nice and helpful. Everything is homemade and deicious. Very affordable, quick and easy. The homemade organic hot sauce is where its at (the owner gets the peppers from the local famers market to make it).

This place has great food to eat if you are looking for a Raleigh version of the halal Chicken & Rice. It was good, but can be greasy by the end. The taste was delicious and it is located in a fancy part of town. The guy behind the counter was friendly. They expanded and were in the middle of taking over an ice cream store next to them

I really enjoyed this place! They were so nice and willing to let me add my toppings to my falafel wrap. They made my falafels while I waited so they were nice, warm and fresh! Looking forward to going back!

Even for a cheap Mediterranean restaurant, this scrapes the bottom of the barrel. In addition to the cramped atmosphere and a mediocre-​at-​best sanitation rating, the reason you’d actually go, the food, leaves lots to be desired. The chicken, the staple of the shawarma and the chicken pitas, etc. is low-​grade and unless you’re starving, you’ll probably pick through it to find decent pieces. The «basmati» rice was basically what you’d get from Uncle Bens, only it had less flavor and was doused in olive oil. Really disappointing and not worth anything over $ 5.

Absolutely delicious my wife and I along with her mother had the chicken shawarma and we all loved it. Can’t beat it for a great cheap lunch.

Just had a gyro and fries delivered by Eat 24. The gyro was very good and the fries were fries :)
Also, I had their baklava and that was DELICIOUS!!! I highly recommend their desserts.

Since Brookside Market got rid of their Mediterranean grill, I have been looking for a new favorite. My falafel cravings h e been unbearable for months now, with no relief jn site. I went to Jasmin, and was so disappointed. Then I discovered Zaky. I think it may be family owned, but either way the people who work here are so friendly. The veggie platter is awesome. All of my favorites. The falafel was fantastic, not overbooked as often happens. Beef shawarma was awesome. Trying the mixed grill next. This is a great addition to downtown. Quick service, in and out when I am just looking to take home some dinner. For fast service, you can’t beat it. What else can you get for under $ 20 that is actually good for you?

Zaky is a little gem! It offers reasonably priced take-​away (you can also dine in) in the heart of Glenwood South. My chicken shwarma pita was under $ 6, including tax – they also had hummus and pita for $ 3 and platters including rice for $ 8.
The staff were incredibly friendly – as other reviewers have pointed out. It took me a minute to decide on what I wanted, and they were patient. They asked how I was doing and how spicy I wanted my sandwich (I said quite spicy and they delivered!). I really enjoyed the whole process (my sandwich was ready in about 3 minutes).
The chicken shwarma was really good. The meat was high quality for the price, though it could have been a bit more tender. The whole combination of the dish worked really well, but the highlight for me was the pita it was in. It was really thick and fluffy, forming the perfect base for the wrap/​sandwich. It soaked up the extra sauce/​juices/​flavors really nicely. Seriously, I could have eaten a dozen of those pitas.
Looking forward to stopping by again when I need a quite bite after work!

Great service! Met the owner, Joey who was tremendously helpful. Had my first taste with the vegetarian platter. Loved it! Would definitely come back again.

Am I missing something? Unilocalers were raving about this place. Um, maybe because it had good eats after 2am when the bars shut down and everyone needs a place to sober up.
If you do make it here before drinking, I’d say the place is average. Typical gyro wraps and falafels. Nothing special, not that impressive but edible. The baklava was a little underwhelming, perhaps because it wasn’t fresh, but the phyllo dough seemed not as flaky as I expected.
Bathrooms were clean. The service was quick. The place looked like a local hangout spot/​café in the early evening.

Even if the food was terrible the warm service I have gotten every time I have been would make it worth going. That being said the food is absolutely outstanding. The swarma was fabulous as well as all of the rest of the items I have eaten there.

I think, this little Mediterranean treasure is pretty hidden and unknown, even though it’s right in the middle of Food Row in Glenwood. Well, I guess it was too «in the middle» and I’m fine with it.
Going to Zaky is like going to my friend’s home for a supper. It’s run by family, and you get that family attitude when you step through the door; «How’s that Shawarma my friend?» Or, «Do you want me to get garlic sauce for you?»
Speaking of the Shawarma, I could eat their shawarma all day. The meat is right there on the spit, you can see exactly where it comes from, and the boss man here is very generous with the shaves. The falafel is okay. The Kabob? It was da ka-​bomb! (sorry, that’s just bad. I apologize.)
**Reminder** The meal here is going to get messy, so grab extra napkins!
If you are pursuant of vegetarian lifestyle, the baba ghannouj and Fattoush salad are excellent. You know what? Just get the Veggie Platter, because you get both, and everything else on the salad & appetizer menu.
Oh, ask them for some of that garlic sauce. Trust me, you will like it as much as I do.
Monday thru Wednesday this place close a bit early, but Thursday you can still get food close to midnight; Fridays and Saturdays this could be a great place to pad your stomach and absorb some of your alcohol, because they open past last call until 3AM.
**Warning** This place is tiny. Very tiny. I think two four-​tops and two two-​tops. That’s it. Then again, I hit this place on the go so it never bother me too much.

When I saw the photo of the Vertical Grill (I don’t know what that thing is called) I said that is where we are going! If they do not have Turkish Style (Arabian) Coffee I have a list just for them!
Everything was FANTASTIC!!! The Meats were Superb!!! Chicken, Beef and Kafta Incredible!!! !! ! Tzatziki is Excellent! The Fattoush was one of the Best I have eaten EVER! The Baklava was the dryer version (less Syrupy) this IS the version I enjoy more!
Simple Menu! Simplicity is NICE! No Arabian Coffee! That is alright! We will be back and Soon! We did not check out the Tabouleh this time and we will come hungry and order ALL the Meats next time!
The two Guys working here were very friendly! This is a small place, Open Kitchen and they serve you FAST! Everything was better tasting than Sitti an MUCH better Prices!!!

Their vegetarian platter is my weakness. I’ve also discovered that if you dip french fries in hummus or baba ghanouj, something magical happens. Zaky’s baba ghanouj is particularly lovely; silky, rich and smoky, I could eat it every day and be happy. The space is small and well-​kept, and every time I’ve come in the staff have been friendly, helpful and courteous. The falafel can be a little dry sometimes, but that’s just an excuse to smother it in more of that marvelous eggplant goodness. They’re open late, so if you’re looking for something fairly healthful (note: this description does not cover the fries) for a fair price after a long night on Glenwood, stop in! And in case you haven’t guessed, I recommend the baba ghanouj.

Easily the best falafel in downtown Raleigh area-​perfectly fried with smooth garlicy inside. The sandwich comes with lettuce tomatoes tahini and parsley. Theyre still working out the kinks in delivery of this perfectly balanced sandwich. I’ll definitely go back, try more menu items and update my review. In the mean time, I recommend you stop in and get your Mediterranean fix.
Update: Zaky! You can do better. I’m not too demanding at 3am, not asking for mamouns or something authentic, but @joey if you wouldn’t make it for yourself, I don’t want it either. Also wtf, no zaatar? I know you’d put it on your fries at home.