Halal Grill express حلال Kabob+Shashlik — Restaurant in Folsom

Restaurant Review: Halal Grill – Where Falafel and Chicken Over Rice Throw a Flavor Party in Your Mouth and Invite Everyone

If Halal Grill were a movie, it’d be a buddy cop action-comedy starring Chicken Over Rice and Falafel: one’s bold, juicy, and a little spicy; the other’s crunchy, chill, and always down to vibe. Together? They solve crimes and crush cravings.

Let’s start with the chicken over rice. This isn’t just food—it’s a spiritual awakening in a styrofoam container. The chicken is grilled like it’s auditioning for a music video: full of smoky drama, perfectly seasoned, and impossible to ignore. The rice? Fluffy, golden, and comforting, like the culinary version of that one cousin who always says, “You look tired—have some food.”

Then there’s the falafel—oh baby. These crispy little flavor grenades are fried to a level of crunchiness that should be illegal in at least three states. Outside: golden and firm, like it’s ready for battle. Inside: soft, herby, and so green it makes kale look like a slacker. If a hush puppy went to grad school in the Middle East, it’d come back as this falafel.

And don’t even get me started on the sauces. The white sauce is like if yogurt and garlic fell in love and had a smooth-talking diplomat baby. It brings world peace to the plate. The hot sauce? That’s a whole different sermon. It’s fire, yes—but it’s holy fire. One bite and I briefly saw my ancestors, who gave me a thumbs-up before vanishing in a cloud of cayenne.

The combo plate is like a mixtape of greatness. You’ve got crispy, tender, spicy, cooling, chewy, and fluffy all fighting for your attention, and somehow they all win. It’s like your taste buds are at Coachella and every act is headlining.

Staff? Friendly like they already know your order because they saw the gleam of joy in your eyes. Service is faster than a gossip text from your auntie at a wedding.

Final verdict: Halal Grill is where falafel and chicken over rice fall in love and make your lunch unforgettable. It’s flavor-forward, joy-packed, and hotter than your cousin’s new boyfriend. Five out of five white sauce packets. Do yourself a favor: get both. You deserve to feel this kind...

I love great food and great service. I also love middle eastern food, culture and music. This place was a total disappointment. I have no idea how it has received so many five star reviews. Walked in and asked if we order at the table or at the register. The guy said go ahead and sit down at the table. We did and we waited. Eventually, we got up and asked for a menu. There is no menu the guy replied. You order at the register and pick something from the menu on the wall. I ordered two falafel plates. I paid and then sat down and realized he charged me for three. He gave me cash back after I questioned the order. Next we waited another 15 minutes for the food. The falafel was double fried and tasted like french fries, the salad was good, the rice was okay, hummus was okay, the sauces were way to garlicky, the pita bread was dry and cold, the dolmas tasted old, totally wrong flavor. We had to ask for water. No refills? No one checked on us, not even once. We finished half of our meal and then left. Couldn't even give them any feedback. No one was around. Worse yet, we were the only ones in the restaurant. Never going back. There food was terrible. Old tables, dirty table, sunk in benches. All of the furniture was left over from the...

We came to eat at Halal Grill Express on a rainy Wednesday afternoon around 3 for an early dinner and it wasn't busy. Masi, the owner, was very friendly. My wife ordered the lamb kebab over rice and I ordered the chicken kebab over rice with a side of fries. Shortly after ordering, Masi came out and explained that since the kebabs had to be grilled fresh, it would be about twenty minutes. He apologized because he could tell see were hungry, and brought us some hummus and pita on the house while we waited. The restaurant was clean, bright, and nicely decorated. The custom neon sign was a nice touch. When we got our food, we were both surprised that our kebab meat wasn't dry at all, but juicy and tender. It was perfectly seasoned. The fries were just the right level of crispy. About halfway through our meal, Masi asked if we'd like to try some spicy chutney, and I eagerly agreed. It was similar to some spicy salsas I've had before, but still unique. After our meal, we chatted with Masi and learned a bit about his life in Afghanistan. He is an excellent host and an even better cook. If you want great halal food in Folsom, this is the...