Monroe Kabob

We walked by on a Friday night, and it was empty inside, but after seeing the Unilocal reviews we tried Kebob for the first time. We ordered a chicken wrap, lamb biryanis, and chicken samosas! All together with two drinks it was only $ 18-​$ 19 a what a steal.
It’s a no frills take out or quick dine in spot, that blew us away!
We got the chicken samosas first. The crust was perfectly flaky. It came with two dipping sauces and a chickpea curry side. One of the best samosas I’ve had, and for under $ 3!
Lamb biryani was great! It reminded us of the halal food cart rice dish in NYC, but better bc of the creamy sauce.
The chicken wrap has masala spices that was delicious :)!
We’ll be back!!!

I stopped in on a Friday night after a hockey game as not many places around here are open at 9:30pm. After reading the reviews, I opted for the lamb wrap. I’ve been to Greece and had wonderfully flavored lamb gyros (which is basically what the wrap is but with naan instead). However this time the meat wasn’t that flavorful and the bread was soggy. I did take it to go so that would explain some of the moisture but not that much.
It just wasn’t good and it was basically just one long, skinny sausage-​type link of lamb, not shredded off the meat like I was expecting– and what usually gives the best flavor. The extra toppings inside were lacking and while they give you extra yogurt/​tzaziki sauce, I needed more because the meat was dry and the sauce was thin and watery.
It could have been because it was so late and the food was old but I waited long enough so thought it was made fresh upon order. And if I’m paying the same amount for a day time order, then I expect the same quality.
Also, I was a bit surprised about the price. All the reviews talked of how reasonably priced this was but I thought that $ 7+ tax for a thin gyro with no fries or sides at all is a bit high.

Amazing food at an amazing price, and the family and friends that work there have always been so kind! My new jewel of downtown!

Definitely a hole-​in-​the-​wall spot, this place literally only has 2 tables and no restroom. Nonetheless, I found the food to be quite delicious. Twice I’ve had the lamb wraps – both times excellent. The lamb is basically in the style of a skewer wrapped by a pita with sauce, tomatoes, and onions in between. My favorite, however, was the lamb biryani. Essentially cubes of lamb in a flavorful basmati-​like rice. The flavor experience is delicious though I won’t comment on the digestive trouble you may have later. Even so, I will most certainly find myself eating there again.

Excellent food. I had the lamb biryani. The naan was tasty, the lamb tender was succulent and the yogurt sauce was perfect. We got to choose mild, medium or hot spiciness (I chose hot). The owner (?)/​cashier was incredibly friendly and seemed to really care about his restaurant. While it seemed like more of a takeaway restaurant, we sat at one of the two tables ate there. Great place!

The lamb wrap and chicken briyani are my fave fave! The food is full of flavor and great service all around. Pricing is very reasonable, and portions are huge. Definitely one of my favorite food spots in Rochester!

I came here after seeing the positive reviews and was not disappointed! I need to try more of the food before forming a solid opinion, but what I had was good enough for me to come back.
Anyway, I ordered veg biryani (medium spicy, next time I will do spicy, because it had almost no heat). The biryani was better than any of the biryani I had during my month in India. It was delicious. Maybe a little greasy, but so good. I also ordered cheese and garlic naan – which is hard to mess up – and was not disappointed. The portions were giant and the prices were extremely low for Middle Eastern/​Indian food. I’m talking like $ 5 – 6 for an entrée.
I did not try any of the kabobs or meat options. The friend I was with ordered something with lamb and she said it was good.
As many of the other reviewers have mentioned, the seating is limited inside the restaurant. We sat at one of the two booths to have our lunch. The guy at the counter brought our food to the table, stopped by to ask if everything was okay a couple of times, and took our trash at the end. (Definitely more than I was expecting) If you need to eat here, you can try and grab one of the spots, but take-​out is probably a better option.
In short, the food here is good and cheap. I’m glad we have this place in Rochester, and I’m excited to go back before I move in a few weeks!

4.5
We had a fantastic experience here a couple of weeks ago.
It’s family run place, and the cashier/server/(?)manger (?) was very passionate, informative, and eager to please.
First timers, we walked us through the menu and made recommendations. We listened. It did not disappoint.
Nothing was spicy, which is a bummer. We like spice. But what is lacked it spice it make up for with a huge punch of flavor. They obviously use good quality ingredients too.
It’s a take-​out place with only two tables. You should know that going in. But the responsible prices, flavorful food, and good customers service win out. Good times. Will be back.

As promised, I gave this place another shot. This time I tried the chicken kabob wrap; it was large and filling, and pretty good. I ordered it «medium» spice-​wise, and it wasn’t really spicy at all, but that’s fine. Just a word to the wise that if you do like spice, order your food extra-​hot. The kabob came with a thin (too thin) yogurt sauce that didn’t add much to the overall taste. The chutneys, one sweet and one spicy, were both good.
I got the samosas again, and my earlier complaint about the way these are packed with the chickpea side still stands. By the time I got back to my office, the samosas were about half-​soggy. Again, the chickpeas weren’t great.
My meal came to $ 7 and change, and definitely filled me up. So there’s that.
The interior of Monroe Kabob is pretty depressing. There’s a steam tray next to the counter that is not in use for food, but cluttered up with an industrial-​sized box of napkins, another of utensils, and some other odds and ends, including what looked like dirty towels. Kind of off-​putting.
My opinion hasn’t changed much. If a friend or coworker asked me to go back, I probably would (and try the lamb, which seems to be the crowd favorite), but it’s not likely that I’ll choose this place over any of the other excellent quick lunch spots in the city.

Marilyn Monroe’s Kebab was very popular with the Kennedys and Baseball Players and all sorts of other men. In honour of her famous kebab which once adorned Playboy, kind of, this restaurant has opened up.
This is an updated review because I went back and tried the curry. I asked for Karahi, they were all out. All they had was beef or Chicken Curry. I asked for Chicken.
(1) The chicken meat was awful and bland too
(2) The sauce was the worst curry sauce I’ve ever tasted in my life. It tasted like bad yogurt and vinegary water. It was utterly horrendous
(3) The rice was the squidgy mircowaved kind
(4) The people at my house will eat anything. I could not stomach this curry so I gave it to them. They tasted it and nearly puked. Even my cats wouldn’t eat it. It ended up in the trash
Based on this experience, it should score 1. However, it scores 3 because it’s a family business with really, truly, amazingly nice guys running it. Plus it’s open very late.
But suffice to say this is the worst Indian Pakistani food I’ve ever had in my life, and what’s more, I can’t believe that Rochester loves this so much. I think that I have very different tastes in food to the average Rochester Unilocaler anyway. And Unilocalers in general, I think, like trendy things and college-​y things and fancy things and I don’t tend to like any of those. This is a little trendy and college-​y in a dive sort of way, though I don’t think Unilocalers realize it is. It’s also the most unauthentic and awful tasting Middle Eastern food I’ve had. But having said all that, if the people genuinely like this (and they seem to) then more power to them. I don’t get it.
Here’s my original review:
I really wanted to love this. I think the owners love this food enough for the whole world, so you don’t even need to. I have never seen an employee so passionate about… er… kebabs. His kebab, for that matter, rather than his wife’s or Marilyn’s.
He talked for a long time about how great the kebab would be and what great value for money it was. The lamb kebab was indeed huge and in that sense it was great value for money. However we couldn’t eat it, because:
The meat, I just didn’t like the taste. It wasn’t seasoned enough. It was akin to burger meat. The bread, it was probably the worst Naan wrap I’ve had. It tasted squidgy, microwaved (or something) and tasteless. Awful consistency. And the sauce on it was just… not doing it for me. Altogether, totally forgettable.
However, I can see how locals might love this. It’s cheap, it’s different, it’s imaginative, and the people making it are very passionate about it. The prices are absolutely awesome, too. I will go back and try the Chicken Karahi, or some other curry, and see if I like them more than the kebab (which the guy told me to order, and was very sure I would like it).

Okay but seriously! This place is AWESOME! My boyfriend and I LOVE Indian food but it can be so stinkin expensive that it’s hard to justify going if we can’t make a lunch buffet. We discovered Monroe Kabob and we were like… I mean how good can it be when it’s so cheap? SO. GOOD. It’s so good. Their samosas are fire. Chick peas? Fire. Lamb kabobs… fire! Curry is effin FIRE. I seriously could not be happier that we found this little place! And it’s so close to our house, it couldn’t be more convenient!
The guys that work the counter are super nice and accommodating. They even let me in the back to use the private rest room. What a totally pleasant experience!

I like their food, it’s cheap, it’s fast and it’s better than the average fast food place in Monroe Avenue.
I like their biriyanis and their wraps, and I usually order it to go. The place have seating, but it’s very small, and their food is great for take out. Their chutneys and yogurt sauce are delicious additions to their food
I had their samosas and I was less impressed by them, I felt they needed salt.

Un. Effing. Believable.
Stopped in, ravished, after a long travel day from Chicago. This place popped up as meeting my complicated criteria (landed at 915 pm, and looking for a place that was «open»). My expectation was to have some food in my stomach to kill the hunger. I was met with a ridiculous surprise.
For $ 7.55 I had the lamb seekh kabob wrap and it blew my mind. The fella at the counter (Cameron), could not have been nicer. He saw me gazing at the menu, unsure what to order, and asked if I like lamb. I said I did, and he said the thing to order was the LSK. He promised it would be good, and since I knew him for 6 seconds, I pretty much knew he wouldn’t let me down. He didnt.
The kabob came out 10 minutes later. It was grilled perfectly, wrapped tightly, and ever part of it… succulent. I also noticed, while I was waiting, that he was highly attentive to the diners. This isn’t a regular restaurant, it’s laid out a bit divey, but he was full service. And when the food came iut, I think he realized I was thinking that the portion wouldn’t be enough. He said «give it a few minutes you’re going to realize it was filling». He was right. Back home, they’d be jumping to sell you more food, but I think he was more interested in the return business. He got it, I’ll be back again before I leave, and on every return visit to Rochester.

This place was actually pretty good for a small shop. I stopped by to grab a quick bite with my family and the outcome was great. The food was really good and definitely fresh as they exclaimed in their ads. Very well portioned for the prices. The cashier up front was also very kind, he gave us loads of info on the place. Definitely check this place out their hours are great and the food is fast so if you need something after the bars head on over!
The only reason I give it ⁴⁄₅ is because of the raisins in the rice… I hate them so much, but it’s my own fault for not letting them know that. the entire experience was great nonetheless!

Monroe Kabob is a tiny, hole-​in-​the-​wall place with the friendliest service in town. It’s a great place to grab a quite bite for lunch or later at night.
I had the lamb kabob because the guy behind the counter was really enthusiastically advocating for it. Came out after about 10 minutes. Tasted great! I was a little surprised it was made of ground lamb (though it makes sense considering the price). Will be back again to try more!

Not bad, but not amazing. Great drunk food though!
EDIT: Have people in Rochester never had kebabs before? The insanely high reviews would make you think this place is paradise on Earth!
EDIT #2: Also, unlike what this Unilocal page says, they do NOT do delivery.

NO! no, it doesn’t get any better than Kabobs! Its not just the food that will make you want to come back over and over again, its the generosity, the level of commitment, its the excellence in customer service. above all, its the pride that is taken in this business day in and day out to make the most delicious mouth watering kabobs I have ever tasted in my life!!!
Cheers!

I’ll probably write a longer review once I’ve been here more than once (since I’ll definitely be back!), but what I did have one evening here last week was awesome. And I wasn’t even drinking! And it was still amazing all the same.
Specifically I had the lamb kabob. The guy behind the cashier was over-​energetically really pushing it and I am so glad he did. Although it took maybe 10 minutes to prepare, it was because they were making the roti on-​the-​spot in the back and putting the whole thing together. For only like $ 7, you get this housemade naan-​wrapped meat stick with a spicy yogurt and mint[?] sauce that really packed kickin’ flavor. It still kept all of its moisture, it was full of that seasoned meatiness with every bite until the very last nibble, and the sauces amplified the fat and the heat content of it which is not what the doctor ordered, but certainly what my stomach desired.
Without a doubt, I will return for more. It’s nothing special to look at from the inside or outside, but when it comes to the food they produce, it’s an A+ in my book!

Lunch run with my coworkers! I was gabbing away at work about my great experience at Monroe Kabob that 3 of us decided to brave this Friday the 13^th for Monroe’s newest and bestest.
Let’s just say that my coworkers are SOLD and we are already planning another lunch run. We each got menus now so we will be calling our orders for pick up as suggested by the staff. I LOVE the people here. They are very accommodating and can make non-​menu meals as well.
I got the lamb wrap again but did not split it. WOAH NELLY! This is a huge wrap and worth every penny! The meat is very succulent and the naan never disappoints. Speedy service, made to order with FRESH ingredients, competitive prices and stellar customer service… what are you waiting for?

I definitely took a gamble on going to Monroe Kabob for my birthday lunch, given it was only a week old, slightly scary looking and a hole in the wall. However, their food managed to please the «ewww, is that dark meat?», «no vegetables in my food!» and «wonton tacos forever» palates (in addition to mine, of course).
Upon entering, you place your order at the counter and then get to decide between sitting at one of the 3 booths or getting your food to go (I suggest the latter). The menu consists of a large variety of kebabs (eg. lamb seekh kebab, chicken malai kebab, chicken kebab, etc), curry type dishes (chicken lazeez, karahi chicken and yes, the ubiquitous chicken makhani), snacks (pakoras, samosas) and a few types of naan.
We ordered naan, potato pakora, chicken kebab «wraps», and biryani. The food took about 20 – 25 minutes to arrive. I will just call in my order next time to reduce this wait.
All the dishes needed a little salt. However, the meat was well spiced and juicy. The naan used to wrap the kebab was fresh and chewy. The wrap consisted of meat of choice, mint chutney and naan. There were no vegetables (unfortunately from my perspective… my fellow diners preferred and appreciated the meat only filling). The biryani tasted more muted than the Indian version but was still flavourful. As an apology for the wait, they brought out some cholay (chickpea curry) on the house. It also needed salt but was otherwise mild and delicious.
The employees (1 cook + 1 server) were friendly, albeit a little confused.
There is an ancient cooler holding the basic Pepsi products. Every now and then, it let out an extremely loud, prolonged noise that made conversation impossible. Hopefully they will replace it soon.
They do accept credit cards which is unusual for such a small hole in the wall. I foresee them being a lunch takeout/​late night kebab roll fix kind of place. I hope they stick around for a long time to come!