Hamza & Madina Halal Food- Brooklyn — Restaurant in New York

I stopped by this newly opened spot yesterday afternoon, curious to try it out since it replaced a former establishment in the area. The place was quiet, with only one customer ahead of me, and a few people sitting around on laptops (likely staff)

The cashier was friendly and helpful. After he made a few suggestions, I ordered a salad with tomatoes, chicken and seasoned fries on top. Unfortunately, the food prep process left much to be desired. The man preparing my plate seemed careless and unsanitary, he flicked a hanging piece of lettuce back into the tray with his bare finger, then did the same with a piece of chicken that had fallen outside the hot pot, flicking it back in with the same bare his finger. The cashier noticed and looked uncomfortable but didn’t say anything. I also had to remind them to add the fries.

To top it off, the same worker walked away and started eating dessert with the same fingers right after handing me my meal, definitely off-putting.

At home, while the food smelled good and the sauces had decent flavor, the dish was overly watery. It seemed the lettuce hadn’t been drained thoroughly after washing, and the large, chunky tomatoes made the texture worse. The fries were also cold, adding to the disappointment. I threw the rest away.

I get that this is a new business, but overall, I wasn’t impressed especially with the hygiene practices. Eat here at your own risk. I’ll be going elsewhere for my halal fix.

Update Edit: Hi, thanks for taking the time to respond. I want to clarify a few things based on your reply.

First, I never mentioned being from New Jersey during my visit, that conversation didn’t happen. What we did briefly discuss was the previous restaurant that occupied your space and how inconsistent their hours were, which you agreed had been an issue for past customers.

Regarding the food preparation, I noticed that the staff member only had a glove on his right hand. The actions I referred to which was touching ingredients with his bare left hand are what raised hygiene concerns for me. While I didn’t speak up in the moment, it was out of consideration for not wanting to create discomfort or tension in your space. That doesn’t make what I observed any less valid.

As for the food, I understand that takeout can affect texture. Still, the fries were cold when I received the dish, and the excess water seemed more related to how the salad was assembled than just travel time. Suggesting sauces on the side is helpful advice for the future, but in this case, it wasn’t just about the sauce.

My review was honest and based on my experience. I know running a new business isn’t easy, and I genuinely hope you succeed, but constructive feedback should be met with openness, not assumptions about...

When you enter the restaurant it’s fully decked out repping the Hamza & Medina brand all over. They added a New York twist.

They’re upping the halal food here with the extensive menu. You can get the classic rice platters with all the sauces, gyros, wings, fries, and much more.

I got the chicken and lamb mixed platter, a gyro, double cheeseburger, and falafel.

The platter was pretty good. The rice was fresh. Meat was seasoned. They threw the salad in there. Sauced it up heavy. They even have a green sauce.

They packed the gyro. I had the chicken kebab which was grilled giving it a nice char on that soft pita bread,

The falafel didn’t look right but I liked how it was crunchy. The inside was herby.

The double cheeseburger was stacked. It’s just like your classic cheeseburger.

Service was good. Shout out to CJ another customer talked about his great...

Our local halal place was closed for the holiday, and we opted to try Hamza & Madina. Very disappointed with quality and freshness of delivery. Thank God Doordash understood and refunded me my 10 orders for my staff. Every single item was cold/lukewarm at best. The fries were cold, stale, and probably cooked early in morning. The wings were burnt like someone with a bad suntan, dry, and tasteless. The other orders with meats were all just thrown on top of the rice or pita and served. One thing is fresh and hot food, but this was a poor display of service and food for such a big order we placed. I ve had their food at the truck, but this was uter sad quality. Oh thank you for the free sodas...