Habibi

I finally was able to try some food from Habibi and yes, I’m a fan. The price is right and the food is fresh tasting. I tried the chicken kabob and ground lamb sandwiches b/​c the schwarma was sold out. I’m not sorry at all b/​c it was delicious — just the right amount of spices and herbs. I’m looking forward to coming back to try a few more dishes.
Also, the man who helped me (could have been the owner) was very friendly and helped me select some of his faves from the menu. Always a plus when they’re enthusiastic about the food.

A perfect place for the neighborhood. The gentleman behind the counter is quick to laugh and quicker to push his wife’s famous baklava (try the pistachio). The $ 4 sandwiches are some of the best in NY, and he makes the falafel fresh every time. Don’t miss the spices tucked away in the corner, its probably the only location in NY to get items like cardamom, pistachio, and cloves for a great price.
Hats off to you Habibi.

I have never actually been inside this place, but i frequently get delivery from them. They have a dope 3 skewer lunch option that gives me a chicken, beef and kofta kebab of sorts along with salad, rice and delicious tahini sauce all for only $ 10!

Habibi is one of the two new Lebanese market/​takeout specialists to have opened in Sunnyside recently.
The space is dark and airy, food in the back, a long section of frozen and refrigerated stuff. Lots of Turkish juices and non-​alcoholic beer. They have a grain section and some boxes of foreign products.
I have yet to try some of their stuff. I’m in love with Schwarma though (a pita wrap filled with vegetables and/​or your choice of meat) and Habibi makes a fine version, stuffed with spices and excellent hot sauce. A steal at only $ 4.
Overall you can’t go wrong with either this place or Souk El-​Shater on Queens Blvd. I vote you try them both and then stick with your favorite. Try a Schwarma for sure if you haven’t yet, you are missing out.
Cheers.

Habibi is a real gem! Their spinach and feta pies are magically delicious (and a steal at only $ 2!) and their falafel wraps are second to none (also a bargain at just $ 4). To top it off, the service is first rate!

I decided to try this place the other day, it’s pretty similar to Souk El Shater but not as good.
The chicken is about the same but they put parsley in the sandwich for some reason… I don’t like parsley unless it’s Italian.
The sandwich is 4 bucks vs the 3.50 and it seemed smaller, I will say that they have better hot sauce.

We stumbled upon this place while riding from Queens to Central Park. My sister and I were craving some cheap middle eastern food, and this showed up on our Unilocal radar.
Upon entering, you see on your left a whole array of middle eastern goods: baklava, different types of meat pies, some cakes, and other pastries that had nuts in them. There is also a counter where prepared foods are displayed and prepared. Straight ahead are the grocery aisles. I had thought this place was a full-​out restaurant, but it was one of those grocery/​eating establishments, where there’s a small counter with stools where you can eat. These places can serve up some of the best foods, like how you see it on Guy Fieri’s Triple D.
We ordered the falafel and kofta sandwiches. The lady behind the counter was very nice in trying to explain to me what a kofta is. It’s basically a sausage looking thing made up of minced meat, spices and onions. The sandwiches were pretty delicious. My sister preferred the thin wraps the sandwiches were wrapped in over the thick pita type wraps. The kofta was nicely seasoned and flavorful. The falafel was also nicely seasoned and crisp. I would say I enjoyed the kofta more just because it packed a punch of flavor.
We also ordered this pastry with shredded phyllo and pistachios. It was delicious! Not too sweet and full of pistachios. Definitely satisfied our sweet tooths.
This is a very nice and friendly place to enjoy some middle eastern fare. It fulfilled our cravings, preserved our wallets, and gave us the much needed energy for our hour ride to Central Park.

Amazing food. The owner is really nice and friendly.
The food is cheap but amazing. Try their chicken kebab roll or shawarma or whatever is on the menu. Its all good

Admittedly, I’ve only eaten their humous and baba ghanouj, but frankly that’s enough for me as they’re the best I’ve ever tasted. The store also has so many other interesting middle eastern foods, and appears to be family owned and operated (they are all very nice). Next time, I’ll try one of their sandwiches. Highly recommended!

I ordered a shish kebab «sandwich» last night. Good stuff. Even better price. Hard to find good AFFORDABLE food these days, even in this neighborhood. My friend’s beef shwarma was on the dry, mealy side in comparison. I’ll be sure to try the other stuff on the menu next time.
The woman behind the counter was nice to explain what each of the displayed food was and whatever questions I had. I really hope they keep up the good quality, and the prices.

Shwarma’s been pretty great each time, nice mix of meat, pickles and tahini in a generously stuffed sandwich. Portable and the price is right. I’ll take the beef over the chicken, which had a sauce (pomegranate?) that was a bit rich for a whole sandwich. Desserts look great too.

So far I have no reasons not to give it 5 stars, but haven’t had everything here yet. The babaganouj is fabulous, smoky and tasty! The kibbe balls were amazing as was the cucumber tomato, feta with lemon salad!
We weren’t sure if it was open as from the outside it was a bit dim and we didn’t see anyone in the window, but they are open
to midnight (when do they rest?)
There’s a halal meat counter, tons of sweets and goodies, meat pies, a fridge with labneh, yogurt, soft drinks and more!
Love this place, will definitely be back to try the sandwiches…

The home made Hummus is excellent!!! I went back and decided to try a few different salads — one was a mixture of onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and lemon juice — really good! The other was a spinich salad with greek olives — it was good too, but it wasn’t as fresh…
I’m really hoping this place continues to offer high quality and good service after they become popular — i’ve known a lot of new places that slack off once they get comfortable…

When El-​Shater closed its doors, a void was left behind. Sunnyside residents lost a reliable destination for fresh, homemade Middle Eastern food. While Parrot Coffee Grocery opened less than a week ago to offer the staples, the grocery store did not offer homemade food. Fortunately, one of the brothers that ran El-​Shater had decided to stay behind and open Habibi.
Along with new name, Habibi opened its doors with a renovated kitchen area, improved lighting, and a fresh coat of paint. El-​Shater was never this inviting! Sunnyside residents can rejoice with the return of the signature, homemade halal food and Lebanese delights that they were accustomed to with its predecessor. A revamped menu boasts offerings including shawarma sandwiches, shish/​kofta kabab, meat/​spinach pies, baklava sweets, and the amazing hummus and babaganoush.
While this patron has a hard time getting back to Sunnyside before the falafel and shawarma sells out, he is content with the fact that fresh hummus and babaganoush can be had until midnight! This is a triumphant return which will undoubtedly leave the neighborhood very happy.