South Grand Gyro Express

R.I.P. Nothing else compares.

I have never ordered from the menu inside but I have experienced the restaurant’s catered food items at two parties and the quality is excellent. It’s authentic Afghan food. And the owner really takes pride in preparing the food with high quality ingredients and preparing it flavorfully, even if the meat has to slow cook overnight, as happened to be the case with a pot of veal stew ordered for a party of about 80 people. It was so delicious! The sauce was flavorfully rich and the veal was so soft and tender. Everything was great. He arrived on time and he made more food then expected. Check out posted pictures of a few of the items catered at the last party I attended. Price is pretty average but can get high if you order more variable items. With the last event, he gave the clients a low cost option (with average quality ingredients) and a higher cost option (with high quality ingredients). They choose the latter and it was worth it. Awesome catered food!

Yummy and a little spicy gyro. Small dining area as another review mentioned. No need to repeat what others have said… good Gyro… tasty and served up fresh. I personally like more onion and tomato on my Gyro but this was very good.

Sometimes you just want a big, greasy gyro, wrapped both in wax paper and foil, and a mound of fries. That’s exactly what I got here, for under seven bucks. It was amazingly good. The people were extremely friendly, and my food was ready a lot faster than I thought it would be.
The meat was savory and juicy. The tzatziki sauce was deliciously creamy. The tomatoes and lettuce and cucumbers were fresh and cut thick. And, best of all, the pita held everything together nicely — until it didn’t. There’s a very good reason they put a fork in the bag.
It may not be totally authentic. It may be a bit Americanized. But you know what? I don’t care. I’m not looking to do field research for a culinary anthropology dissertation. I want a good meal that’s also fast and affordable. And that’s exactly what I got here.
I think I’ve found my new weekly indulgence.

Sooo glad they are back! The gyro special is a phenomenal bundle of flavors and an amazing deal. Soft shell can barely hold the nearly 3lbs of meat, veggies, & sauce that makes up their gyro. The meat is tender and eases you into a symphony of flavors… savory then spicy with a finale that is truly satisfying.
3 minor changes since they reopened that haven’t added to their appeal: 1. The fries are mediocre but the spice they sprinkle on them amps up the taste buds. However, the level of grease and spices are not consistent.
2. The gyro special used to include an ample amount of fresh tomatoes. Now you are lucky if you get 2 slivers… a result of the cost of food?
3. The new paint color leaves the room drab and dingy looking. I thought their previous color (a blend between a dark rust and crimson) was warm and matched the table cloths very well.
These aren’t make or break for me. I will be back… just maybe for a to-​go order with rice instead.

Great food, great price. The felafel is amazing. Ambiance not so much. It’s comfortable though and the bathroom is clean. I usually get take out.

I’m so happy that South Grand Gyro Express has reopened. The mother (Marena) of the former owner took it over after being closed for many months.
They have skimmed the menu down and added a few American fast food items. They’ve also painted the place with a more sterile color, to promote that it’s a fast food restaurant, I guess. And truth be told, it’s not that fast.
But, the food is very tasty. You MUST get the eggplant purée from the appetizer menu. It is UNBELIEVABLE and would surely be a hit if you bought two orders and offered it as a party dip. Seriously, this stuff is good! The gyro meat is another standout item on their menu and they have some great specials. If you can handle a small wait, stop by. They have a few tables, but carry out is their main businesses. Most items are under $ 6 bucks. Great value!

They know me by name and the food is good and consistent.

This place is definitely not fit for large groups. A total of maybe 6 small tables and only one employee on a Monday night. You walk in to the aroma of greasy fries, and the chirping of birds. A small fuzzy TV teeters above the front door catering to those who don’t want to miss tonight’s episode of Wheel of Fortune. I’d give the atmosphere a 3 or 4, because in some ways a small divey Gyro stop is endearing.
As for the food I thought the Gyros were quite good, and definately a bang for your buck! $ 4.99 for a Gryo that is larger than your typical Greek Café at least. Great Yogurt sauce with a smack in the face garlic twist. We had a couple orders of greasy fries to share between our group of 5, mostly because we couldn’t resist the stuffy aroma that lingered and lured us in.
There was a little confusion surrounding the check, so if any advice I’d say check the math. I find it comforting when I’m at an «ethnic» food place and get someone who clearly knows there way around the kitchen… even if they may not completely have the currency system down. Our waiter (and chef) quickly resolved the slightly inflated billed.
Overall I’d recommend it for a good dive Gyro place for a weeknight when you don’t want to cook.

Just paid a visit to this eatery. It is at the corner of S. Grand & Bates. Not much to the décor, there are 5 – 6 tables and not much more. The smell from the corner was mouth watering. I ordered the gyro special and a side of fries. This was plenty of food. The gyro was delicious and juicy. Had to start with a knife and fork because the gyro was so big. Definitely will go back and try some of the other items on the menu. DId try to order hummus, but they were still making it. So don’t be surprise if some items on the menu are not available when you visit.

It doesn’t look like much, but this tiny place is the cat’s meow! We have tried several of the appetizers and sandwiches and have enjoyed everything immensely. The pickled vegetables are homemade by the owner and taste like nothing I’ve ever tried– sooo spicy and delicious. We’ve tried a few of the pureed dips (hummus, baba ghanouj, muamarra) and were very impressed. We took our friends who lived in Egypt and even they thought the food was incredible. We love the lamb sauce on the gyros! Even their fries are good (and in my husband’s opinion, it’s tough to make good fries)…
It’s difficult to spend more than $ 10 a person here as they have no liquor license (at least the last time we went) and the prices are very reasonable. Once my husband left his hat and the owner came running out to our car with it. You will not be sorry you drove all the way down south for the So. Grand Gyro Express. Meow!

My friend came from SIUE to visit me so i decided that we will check it out. The food was good, I always order the same regular gyro, I like the presentation of the food, it has a little spice to it but not much. I saw the same guy all the time I went there and he is a nice guy. I will be going back here whenever my cravings for gyro kicks in, thats about all I will try there. Overall it is a nice place to go.

I’ve been going here ever since I moved into the area. It’s real easy to miss, but well worth the visit. The Gyro portions are ridiculous, and well prepared. The lamb and chicken are certainly well spiced, and for the price you pay, you’ll feel like you made off like a bandit.
Great food. Awesome price

I love this restaurant. It is small, family owned. Kahled is a sweetheart and easy to work with. A friend arranged a birthday party that Kahled basically catered there. We filled up the restaurant and had a wonderful evening. (It is small and not fancy.) A lot of people come in for take-​out. The gyro special ($ 4.99) can’t be beat. Huge pile of tasty meat and excellent sauce. The eggplant appetizer is awesome. Check it out and the prices are right.

A little hole in the wall place on South Grand. I stopped in today while my car was down the street being inspected at Doc Holloway’s. I had never been to SGGE, but had passed it a bunch of times so it was time to try it out. Wasn’t too busy which was more than OK by me. It was REALLY hot in the restaurant which wasn’t helped by the fact it was hot outside. I had two of the «special» gyros… other than I wasn’t expecting them to be so spicy, they were great. The meat (beef & lamb combo) was soft, tender, and VERY good. The gyros were huge as Deborah M. had stated, I indeed needed to use a fork. I will be returning and recommending them to my friends & family. Great gyros and decently priced.

So, the last time I went to South Grand Gyro was a couple of months back (actually I think it was around Christmas), so why am I just now writing this review? Well, while visiting my parents last night for some Olympics and dinner, I found myself explaining in DETAIL the goodness that is SGGE’s gyros. Dude, I morphed into Homer Simpson or something… all moaning and slobering on myself, but also at the same time remembering that ‘Dang! I need to review this place on Unilocal… it deserves the public props!’ So here I am.
So South Grand Gyro Express, eh??? YES. The gyros are just rockin’…first off, they are tightly packaged, which is a huge plus. What? Tightly packaged? Steve, you’re crazy… I don’t even get what you’re saying. Well, Jimmy Questions, let me explain. Sometimes you get a gyro somewhere and you look at it and say, «Ummmm…I can’t pick this up.» or «ummm…my mouth’s circumference does not equal that of a Goodyear tire…» which sucks sometimes… and which is why ‘tightly packed’ is a good thing. Easy to eat AND you get everything in every bite, no bites with all lettuce or just a mouthful of pita and feta… important stuff. The insides of the gyro are perfect… tender and flavorful meat, great fresh veggies (the tomatoes were actually red!), and the sauce is perfect… it’s got some heat to it but there’s some good savory flavors in there that’ll tickle the taste buds as well. Me and the wifey got two gyros and split an order of the lamb byrani, which was also well flavored and the lamb tender with good lamb ‘funk,’ but not too much ‘funk in the trunk.’ all told, about $ 20…deal.
Now, we didn’t eat in, I went and picked it up. The place is nothing to write home about interior wise… small, clean, red. I wouldn’t mind eating there, but it’s not someplace that you’d take a first date (see ‘Brasserie’ reviews for this, single dudes) or go for nice meal. If you’re looking for slammin’ gyros with a kick, on a budget, and while wearing sweats… then take Ian Froebe’s advice and get down to SGGE. Cheers.

I’ve been here probably a half dozen times since it opened and have really enjoyed it each time. It’s a great place for lunch for basically the same price as fast food.
I usually get the gyro special, but got the lamb biryani last time and it was really good, too. I’ve never gotten any ice cold food, as one of the other reviewers seemed to encounter. The owner is always very friendly.
The décor isn’t the greatest, but it’s a small local business so I don’t really mind.

Went here because Ian Freobe (moron) reviewed it in RFT recently (I wanted to take a friend for gyros and now could kick myself for not sticking with St Louis Gyro Company).
Anyway, Freobe or whatever that dorks name is, does not mention that the gyro meat has it’s own «Special lamb sauce» which is totally unnecessary and totally defeats the purpose of rotating it on a spit in it’s own juice. Guess what? The special process means that when they bring the gyro to your table it is ICE FRIGGING COLD!!!
Totally unacceptable. Totally poor spin. You morons who state this is the best have got to be kidding me. Get back on your meds!
The falafel was good, if bland. Where are your sauces (hot/​med/​mild) to pour on? Anyone who has enjoyed a good street falafel in the middle east would know what I am talking about.
Freobe, once again you have proved that you are a jackass.
Gyro Express… try microwaving your meat after your special appliqué’…if I wanted a cold meal I’d go to Ted Drewe’s.

Thanks Kelly. Tried it today and had a great gyro. My friend didn’t enjoy his falafel that much but he really liked the biryani.

Again, a tip o’ my hat to Kelly B. for bringing this new gem in my neighborhood to my attention. What we do without you, Kelly?
As for my review? OMFG. The best gyro, hands down, I’ve ever had. I was a Gyro Company devotee, but I’m going to have to write them a Dear John letter and break it off. First of all, it’s so stuffed with goodies it looks like a small pipe bomb. The highlight, though, is the meat, which the owner informed me he makes himself. It is so tender, so flavorful, SO fucking good. Whatever is in the special lamb sauce is amazing. I also had the eggplant appetizer, and… wow. Just do yourself a favor and start off with this dish.
Those of you who love gyros, please take some time to try Sound Grand Gyro Express. You won’t be disappointed.