Döner Haus — Restaurant in New York

Located near iconic Union Square in New York City, Döner Haus is a trendy, walk-up doner bar that brings German döner kebab to New York. With its striking facade and no-frills service via window or takeout, it fits perfectly into the energy of the East Village. Döner Haus is more than just a döner bar; it's a modern, authentic spot with German roots and New York flair. The döner sandwich is its flagship, with wraps, boxes, and fries as strong alternatives. Situated near Union Square, the neighborhood is perfect for a leisurely stroll or exploration after your meal.

Originally launched in New York City's East Village in 2023 and an instant success, Döner Haus focuses on authentic German döner kebabs. Similar to gyros and shawarma, with meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, döner kebab was popularized in Berlin in the 1970s by Turkish immigrants. Döner Haus distinguishes itself through its distinct authenticity, 100% halal, and generous portions. The service is fast and friendly, all in a compact and efficient kitchen.

The pièce de résistance is the Döner Sandwich: a fresh, crispy Turkish pide pocket filled with your choice of halal chicken, zabiha halal beef, or a combination of both. Along with red cabbage, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a creamy garlic sauce, this is the most authentic dish of outstanding quality. Besides the iconic sandwich, Döner Haus also offers the Döner Wrap, a soft tortilla-style version, ideal for sharing or enjoying later. For those who prefer a little more, Döner Boxes are on the menu: a bed of Haus Fries and/or salad, topped with your choice of meat and the signature garlic sauce. The fine fries are seasoned with a secret German-Turkish blend and are also a...

Lets begin with the fact that it is not a "real" Döner at all.

Its like claiming a Corvette as a Ferrari 🤌🏻

Funny - as the Logo

They stuff the bread with too much Salad - Lettuce The customers are not cows

They dont use fresh cutted meat in the bread - they use "1 hour ago" cutted meat - which is by the way too thick - "real" Döner is thin sliced meat

The guy is using gloves but he touches his phone during work with it - which he uses everywhere [f.e. on the toilet] or lets remember we sneeze on our phone or cough on it too - this makes it disgusting eating there and I refused to order it and convinced some of my friends to not to order it there too

The old Lady on Saturday night looks very bored and has a fake smile on her face which makes her even more antipatic

Wait time for a "3 - Item - Fast-Food - Restaurant" is with almost 20 minutes - too much - thats unprofessional

This place exists only since about 1 year and has no future - only the fact that it is located in this Big City - where most of the people eat everything without thinking and judging about it. This could made them survive for about 1 year.

Even those "H** Guys" made it in the Streets of NYC. The food is at least prepared from authentic - people. They are offering food of their own culture. Not like here - "Turkish-German-Fusion-Fast-Food-Legend" Döner - prepared from Haitians and Colombians [which is again not an Original Döner anyways]

Now I understand the Logo - like they show on that famous Website - our beautiful Döner is beeing mistreated from Haitians, Nigerians...

As a German expat, this was the first time I've had an authentic Döner outside of Germany that truly tasted like home. Döner Haus nailed the fundamentals — bread, meat, and sauce — in a way no other place in NYC has come close to.

Other known spots like GDK and Kotti left me disappointed, even insulted. They don't come close to what a proper Döner from Western Germany should taste like. Let's not even speak about all the Shawarma spots...

That said, here are a few suggestions to build on the already strong foundation:

Improve Presentation and Interaction: Instead of preparing Döner in the back, consider a glass counter setup where customers can see the salad, toppings, and sauces being added to the Döner. This interaction is a huge part of the experience in Germany — plus, the fresh ingredients on display are visually very attractive for walk-by traffic.

Offer "Mit Scharf?" Option: In Germany, almost every Döner Bude asks if you want it "mit scharf" ("with spice"). A simple optional spicy powder would go a long way in making the experience feel even more authentic. The powder is no replacement for the spicy sauce.

Offer Green Jalapenos Peppers as Extra: Most Döner shops in Germany also add one or two green Jalapeno peppers to the Döner for those who explicitly ask for it during the Döner preparation at the counter. It’s not mandatory, but having this as an option would have been the personal cherry on top during my last visit.

Thank you for bringing a real piece of home to NYC — I’ll definitely be back and I'm excited to see Döner Haus...