Gyroz Eatery — Restaurant in Lexington

With the summer closure of Sahara, we went searching for a (good!) Middle Eastern lunch "fix". Strangely enough we didn't have to look far. Very near to campus in the unassuming Waller Plaza is Gyroz. Here are the side by side comparison details of the chicken shawarma lunch special and a side of falafel. Both lunches include rice, chicken, salad, humus, garlic sauce and pita bread. Sahara is $11.99 and Gyroz is $9.99. Except for the serving of chicken - which was a bit more generous at Sahara, all portions were of equal size. Pita, humus, and garlic sauce are interchangeable at the two. Sahara includes two types of rice but it doesn't really result in a higher rating. Chicken is spiced a bit different between the two and we registered a slight preference for Sahara. Gyroz provide the salad dressing on the side so you can put it on right when you eat it - thus avoiding sogginess - and they use oil cured olives (one!) in the portion. We had a slight preference for taste of Sahara dressing which is pre-applied to the salad; olives are water-packed and sliced. Falafel at Gyroz is amazing! We were a bit worried because of the deep brown color of the nuggets but the insides were so incredibly tender, moist and flavorful. The crunchy outside in a mouthful of the soft, moist center was delightful. (The best falafel ever!) While Sahara may have a bit of an edge overall, it will be hard to justify the extra 4 mile drive (and $2) when they reopen. UPDATE 12.5.24: I now rank Gyroz superior to Sahara overall for the additional reasons, ,i.e., besides sheer deliciousness: lunch plate specials are available ALL DAY, and restaurant does not close for three months during summer. In summary, if you're not eating here, you are missing...

This place is as good if not better than the best gyro places I went to in Chicago. This tastes so good you will want to savor every bite. It's a perfect combination of familiar flavor profiles we know and love (from popular Mediterranean dishes, to homeade burgers from diners) and genuine Mediterranean authenticity. The salad is crisp, fresh, crunchy, flavorful bursting with life. The tomatoes, olives, peppers, cheese, and dressing come together to make the best salad I think I've ever had. Tangy and perfect, but also grounded in earthy garden undertones. The shell that came with the meal was incredibly soft, strong, flexible, and warm. It acted as a perfect hammock to hold the rice and meat and some hummus. The hummus was unlike anything I've ever had before, likely the best hummus ive ever had. The spices, herbs, oils, ingredients, all come together to make the ultimate consistency and taste. The gyro meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The meat was tender and juicy and incredible. The bed of rice was a great addition to the wrap and tasted great in the hummus too. The rice was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Fluffy, hearty, and delicious. Please go here whenever you can, I went today for the first time and got the lunch special (11am-3pm) and for $7 had an incredible and transormative meal that took me to (and out performed) some of the best Mediterranean meals I have ever had in Philadelphia,...

UPDATED 22 JAN 2021: Over the last year, I have been here several times. I think ownership may have changed since the review from a few years ago. Ordering online is easy, and they are accurate. Depending on order it might take 15 minutes to at the most 30. The reason is that the food is cooked per order. Can you say Fresh? Yes, I can. Over the last year, the order has always been cooked correctly, and nothing was missing, and I never received someone else's order. You know what I mean. Today I ordered online for the first time, instead of walking in, ordering and sitting in the car waiting. I had two bags to take, and I said I will be right back to get the second bag. That was when they noticed I was using a cane. The lady and the young man both suddenly said wait, I'll take it out. I said I'm just parked in front, and I can come back. They were having none of that. I was a professional customer service person in governmental and corporate sales for over thirty years. I think these folks understand what good customer service is. I think they are awesome. Of course I will be ordering again. They are about a fifteen minute drive from my house. The lunch special is very good, and competitively priced. I...