Souk El Shater

The food here is really wonderful and fresh. They’re my go-​to for local takeout and an excellent value.
Although a couple of people have commented on a lack of friendliness, I wonder what their attitude must be coming in here? The owner and his son are always pleasant and wish me a good evening.

These people are like family! I’ve been eating here since they were at their previous location down the block. It’s a great go-​to-​spot for a quick bite. I’m usually ordering foods i can grab and go like their beef shawarmas (very tasty), spinach & cheese pies, and their meat pies. They offer combination platters that are very generous on the portions and are not on the expensive side!

Came here for a bite to eat to bring back to the Courtyard Ale House. It was a small-​ish place with a food station/​cashier in the entrance and a market in the back. I got there a couple of minutes before closing, but the guys were nice and let us order anyway, even though it looked like they were already done cleaning for the day. I ordered a chicken shwarma and it was very different from a «normal» chicken shwarma I’ve had from different kebab/​halal places. It had a different kind of spice that I’m used to, and it was so interesting I couldn’t stop eating it — really good. Also, it’s wasn’t an open faced wrap in pita like I’ve had in the past — it was wrapped more like a burrito in a thinner kind of pita bread not too thin like a burrito tortilla, definitely more pita-​esque. I actually preferred this because it wasn’t as messy to eat as well. The 2 guys behind the counter seemed really nice as well!

Souk El Shater serves wonderful, authentic Lebanese dishes… crowd favorites, such as baba ganoush, shawarma, baklava and falafel. Amazing flavors, always fresh. Smallish place, tiny tables. Minimal décor… the accent is on the wonderful food, eating while it is fresh & hot, then leaving. Fairly priced and delicious food is the result.
Souk seems a nice, devout man, but never in a sunny mood, he is next to a funeral home, after all. Don’t expect anything but dour, minimal service. He won’t deliver and won’t take credit cards or phone orders. Souk must miss his homeland or have money pressures from the landlord (portions are just adequate) as Sunnyside RE is no bargain. Compliment him on his cooking and see if you can make him crack a smile. Not likely.

Yummerz
A must go to family run Lebanese takeout and market. You could never go wrong with the shawarma and babaganoush.

I was taken here by my friend who lives in the area. Maybe the best falafel sandwich I have ever had. 2 big pluses, 1 is that the bread was a soft bread that resembled a wrap, but a bulky pita bread, so you tasted for falafel as opposed to bread. Number 2 is that they tahini sauce, which is nowadays sometimes hard to come by. I would come back to Sunny side just for this!

I’ve been getting food from this place for years — and its soooo difficult to not eat here since the shwarma and shish plates are so good — but damn it… how do their portions keep getting smaller? I ordered a combo with no rice and extra salad — same skimpy salad!!! really?! and the older guy who is the owner is never friendly, always rude… but dam it! Why does the food have to be so good? The younger guys that work the counter are always cool tho, but give me how much would it really cost to give me a little more rice and salad!
I’ve said my piece, and I’m now heading over there to grab dinner!

How in the world did this place earn 4 stars?
Chicken shawarma– it was given to me cold, the pita was stale, the meat was barely seasonsed. It was not flavorful at all. I might as well have been eating a roll of cardboard. The cashier asked if I wanted it spicy. I said yes. Not an ounce of «spicy» (or anything for that matter).
I would not come here again. $ 4 for a shawarma sounds nice, but there is no point in spending my money on something that tastes like paper.
I’m usually not so harsh that I would be compelled to write a 1 star review after trying one menu item just one time, but if a Middle Eastern joint could not deliver something that is as basic as a «shawarma» during dinner hours, that’s just a blazing red flag and there’s no point in me trying my «luck» again.

The shawarma is great
The meat pies (sfeeha) is amazing.
All the home made dishes I have had are as Lebanese as can be.
Souk el chater always impresses me, I have brought so many friends there!

Outstanding food. I Tried the Beef Shawarma sandwich, tender meat, perfect bread, lovely sauces, and all for only $ 4. Really an amazing deal across the board. Hope this place stays open for a long time.
I also had several dessert items that were exceptional, baklava unto itself is a reason to come by here. Highly recommended.

Wow. Simply Wow. Only the first word in this review is necessary to describe the experience my taste buds and I had at Souk El Shater. Right when I walked in the two gentleman behind the counter greeted me warmly and I took note that they treated each customer entering and exiting the store the same way.
I tried the chicken shawarma, beef shawarma and chickpea/​eggplant dish. They are known for their chicken shawarma and it lived up to its reputation– chicken, French fries a few spreads all wrapped up in a pita– absolutely delicious. The beef looked so good I had to try it as well and I was not disappointed. The gentleman behind the counter was happy to make recommendations to make it just as I liked. The chick pea/​eggplant delivered a great combination of flavor– I got another order to go for later. I will definitely be coming back to try the other items on the menu. Keep doing what you are doing !

This place is da bomb! I always get their beef or chicken shawarma sandwich at an amazing $ 4! The meat is very nice shawarma meat and the pickled vegetables in the sandwich are delicious! I also always get their homemade baklava dessert for just $ 1.50! It is a top notch sweet. I really need to try something else here, but that combo is da bomb!!!

I’ve seen you on the 7, coming home from work, thinking to yourself…
«I need a really affordable dinner option tonight»
«I’m in the mood for something kind of exotic and different»
«But I don’t want anything that feels too fat and heavy»
«And I’m definitely not looking for anything fancy or stuffy»
«In fact, a countertop and a stool will do the trick nicely»
«Right near the subway stop»
«Or maybe I could have it delivered really quickly»
«But some nice, quick conversation would be welcome»
«Maybe about something I’ve never seen, like Lebanon»
«Or maybe about something we all know. the Mets»
«Oh, wait, but it’s really hot tonight — is there anyplace to eat with cool and cold options?»
«But a place I can go year-​round for hot, hearty stewy foods too»
«And I don’t want to wait more than 3 or 4 minutes»
«And I’d like to be treated really kindly, like I’m family»
«And I’d like all manner of free samples passed my way, to try now, or to take home»
«And I’d like to know that all of the food is made by the family owners, in-​house»
…where could I go???

This place really hits the spot. Its a slash between a grocery store and the set up is like a deli, but man, the food is on point!
Friend and I shared a mixed shawarma platter and a falafel sandwich. After we finished, we ordered more falafel on the side… pretty embarassing for two girls but we felt no shame. The falafels were so tasty and fresh! The only thing we werent a fan of were the pickles in the sandwich. We took them out and the sandwich weighed a pound less.
Don’t be scared to try this place even if they have extremely limited seating!

Tonight, it was my first time eating/​ordering food from here. I ordered a chicken shawarma platter, which came with rice and peas, pickles, pickled beets (I think), and salad. The delivery was quick and the delivery man was very polite. The portion was a good size and not expensive ($ 8.99). They put all the sauces on the side as I requested. The garlic whip and hot sauce was so yummy that I was bummed that I didn’t have more. The pickled veggies were a bit salty, but I didn’t mind.
I am rating this establishment a 3 Stars because the chicken was dry and my food was not hot :(however, I will try it again… perhaps eat there or order my food during lunch time.

One thing I never really took advantage of – while living in Woodside all this time – is giving Sunnyside a chance. Not discovering Souk El Shater after its revival from El Shater any sooner, is a prime example of what I’ve been missing.
My friend and I had just finished not one, but TWO classes at NYSC that had us dropping on the floor afterwards and boy, we couldn’t wait to treat ourselves to a carb-​filled, delicious, quick meal. We got there around 9 PM and it looked like they were halfway through wrapping up. The guy behind the counter (who I believe is the owner) graciously took down the stool chairs for us to sit and he was more than accommodating.
We really wanted the shawarmas but they didn’t have a lot of food left, so we opted for the Combination Platter and the cook was nice enough to give us rice AND salad. While waiting for our platters, I inquired about their Feta Pies and for some reason, we were given Spinach Pies; they were still good, regardless. We didn’t really expect to stay and eat, but I was surprised when they brought out the food in plates. The presentation was surprisingly nicely done and the meal was an explosion of exciting flavors – you are in for a real treat if you don’t know what to expect. There is definitely a lot of different spices and flavors evident – from the lentil rice, the kebabs, to the sauces – that sure is an experience. The white sauce went well with the food, but the green sauce BURNED – it’s probably a lot stronger than wasabi.
Although I was looking forward to the Feta Pie, the Spinach Pie was not too bad, despite me not liking cooked spinach. The people who work here are very warm and the guy running this place was super friendly and grateful. The shawarmas are said to be their specialty so I’ll definitely have to come earlier!

My parents and I have been coming here for over 20 years. We’re Lebanese and this is our little home away from the homeland. You not only get the best middle eastern food and products in New York, but a wonderful and hospitable staff.
We come here to shop for groceries but always stay around to chat and have a shawarma that’s DIVINE. If you’re ever curious and in the neighborhood, stop here for a quick bite, you won’t regret it.
Their pre-​made dishes are amazing, my mom makes a pretty fantastic Egyptian Mulukhiyah but theirs is incredible (sorry mom.)
Souk El Shater is a gem.
Thank you for everything!

Prices seem reasonable for what they serve (it’s cheap ethnic fast food). I was happy to see an authentic Lebanese style stew with okra; it was flavorful but the rice was not good at all, dry and lacking in quality and just ruins the dish, portions are also not too filling. I’ve had better… this place could hopefully improve. Looking at many great reviews… I’d definitely give it another try.

Wonderful in every way! On my first visit, I received excellent service. I was lucky enough to try several of their lunch specials, and each one was so flavorful. The spices and flavors are so rich and vibrant. The grocery selection is great and has many hard to find grocery items for more than reasonable prices.
Spinach stuffed pastries were lovely. And the beef schwarma sandwich was incredible. And their hummus is unbelievable!
The desert, which was a cheese and sweet cream pastry topped with phyllo dough and served warm in a sesame pita with honey sauce.
Really, you can’t go wrong here. And the service from Hussein was so pleasant. He graciously answered my many questions and let me sample things.
I wish I could give more than five stars!

I’ve become a regular here, ordering practically the same thing every time I walk in.
I’m absolutely love their mixed shawarma platter and their kebab selections. Such fresh authentic middle eastern cuisine the way it was meant to be served: fresh off the spit.
All their hot and cold dishes are delicious too. I’ve gorged on the tabouleh, white bean stew, hummus… oh!
Much to the dismay of my girlfriend, I also don’t hold back on the raw onion salad alongside the garlic spread. Sorry, not sorry.