Abduls Afandy

Abdul’s could be a perfect hole in the wall place with its low-​key sign and modest real estate. I’ve eaten here numerous times, but only because «eh, might as well, i guess».
I’ve gone through a number of menu items, but nothing draws me back. There’s nothing I crave or ever think about. Rice and proteins are usually pretty dry, so I’ve stuck with the wraps. Oh, the tabbouleh is good!
I can’t recommend this place for Greek food, but it’s an okay place for food (what does that mean? I’m still trying to figure out what I want/​expect from this place).
Did anyone else see AB’s mouse picture? OMG SO Q! Must be the restaurant mascot

Above average. Falafel was not crispy, but potato and cauliflower added a nice touch. Very affordable.

I stopped in here to grab take-​out for myself and my boyfriend, who is major gyro lover. I was sorely disappointed. I am not a very picky person, but this was the worst gyro meat I’ve ever had. We each got the gyro combo, which is gyro meat, pita, rice, hummus, and tabouli for a little under ten dollars. No tzatziki sauce :(Sounds like a good deal. Not worth it. The interior of the place also seemed very dirty.
The gyro meat was too soft, mushy even. Very little flavor– it tasted like regurgitated salt. The rice was overdone. The pita stale. The hummus and tabouli were okay. I saw some of the good reviews for this place and had high hopes — and maybe I just caught it on a bad day. But honestly, it was just gross. I could not finish my meal.
If you’re considering stopping in, maybe your experience will be better than mine– clearly some people love this place! But be warned– catch Abdul’s Afandy on a bad afternoon, and you’ll end up with a lukewarm, salty mess.

Amazing! Ordered the gyro wrap and it was the best gyro I’ve ever had. Filling but not greasy or heavy. Inside was gyro meat, seasoned rice (delicious), pickles, and amazing tzatziki sauce. Also tried baklava for dessert. Fantastic.

Not so good. Humus was marginal. Veggies failed to be fresh. Only thing I would say that was positive was the owner was very active in business and focused on customer service. Wish he would put the same focus in the quality of food.

Awful, simply awful. My wife ordered from this place. She ordered a gyro and I got a chicken shwarma (spelling?), and we also ordered a side of fries and rice. First, both sandwiches were terribly overcooked and tasted horrible. Second, and most infuriating. Their «side» of fries and rice was not actually a «side.» It was 3 (yes 3!!!) french fries and rice put onto the sandwiches. I called to ask where our side of rice and fries were, and the employee told me the 3 fries and rice on the sandwiches were the side (even though they clearly say «side» on the website and depict an actual SIDE dish). Food was horrible, total rip off, and I would go so far as to say we were defrauded for the sides we ordered. DO NOT BUY FROM THIS PLACE!

DAMN. As someone who tries to avoid eating meat, I have eaten way more falafel than I would like. I think of it as a fall-​back, when there are no other options, it’s always there. It’s like pizza — if you actually manage to find a *memorable* slice, it’s a pretty momentous occasion. This is only the second memorable falafel of my life. (The first memorable falafel was 5 years ago from a Jewish food truck on 6^th ave in Chelsea. Good god, the pickles.)
Anyway, I have spent months figuring I would eventually go here and get the falafel, when I was sick of all other options. That day was finally today and now I am regretting the lost time when I could have been eating the FALAFEL DELUXE!!! For just under $ 5, you get a wondrous sammie filled with veggies and falafel that are neither flavorless nor dry. The falafel are moist and there is just the right amount of sauce between falafel and veggies. Really, really good. Seriously. When eggplant is done well, it is SO GOOD.
Don’t be scared of the hot sauce, it’s pretty mild, maybe edging towards medium.
And the guy running the register was really nice! I will definitely make this a regular part of my lunch rotation from now on.

This place is not recommended if you are a vegetarian. I ordered a Deluxe falafel wrap and it wasn’t all that great. I was the only person ordering food and in spite of that the person there took about 10 minutes to get to my order. The falafel was over fried and the cauliflowers in my wrap were almost burnt.

Let me start by saying that I’ve willingly paid money to eat at Abdul’s when free food was an option. More than once.
I work at the Starbucks across the street, and although we get lunch for free during our shifts, I end up going to Abdul’s instead at least every other week. I bring back piping hot chicken shawarma and taunt my fellow baristas with the aroma of garlic sauce and deliciously seasoned chicken. The shawarma also comes with french fries and pickles inside — and hot sauce if you ask nicely. The french fries came as a bit of a surprise, but then again, so does finding $ 10 in the pocket of your winter coat, right?
I’m one of those boring people who pretty much always orders the same thing, but when they put out a sign advertising a «gyro cheese fries» special, I was curious. My curiosity was rewarded with a massive portion of what you would want for comfort food, when you were bored of comfort food: french fries piled high with gyro meat, nacho cheese, and cucumber sauce (and I asked for hot sauce, because there’s something to be said for consistency).
The baklava is also delicious. I usually don’t order it just because there’s no way I could finish both shawarma and baklava, and I choose shawarma. But Abdul has been nice enough to bring over some baklava for us baristas at times, and there’s nothing nicer than spending a 10 minute break with some fresh baklava and a chai tea latte.
Except maybe everyone who works at Abdul’s. Seriously, they are the nicest.
*Pro-​tip: Abdul’s is take-​out only; there are no seats. But now that it’s summer, there are picnic tables between the light rail lines just in front of the store if you need a place to sit and eat.

We rather enjoyed this place. The food was very good and the Man behind the desk was quite polite. It was also a lot of food for the money.

Tried to eat here several times, but they were closed for various reasons usually coinciding with school breaks so be aware of that possibility. Finally got to try it and look forward to returning when I am on campus. Cheap and good tasting. The garlic sauce on the chicken shawarma is something I now crave. Yummy!
No where to sit is a huge drawback when it is 0 degrees outside.

Drove up to the University of Minnesota from Chicago with two friends and no stops. As a city-​dweller for the past number of years, I must have forgotten feeling of long multi-​hour car trips of childhood or at least repressed those memories. In this case, my implicit expectations to be fed at regular intervals was left unmet and, my impression remains that however lovely they are, Europeans just don’t eat.
All weekend, I await the departure drive as one would a very short famine — to wit, with utmost dread — and while crossing the road, I spot hope on the horizon and usher everyone in for last minute chicken schwarma sandwiches to save me from eating off my arm (and possibly everyone else’s) in about an hour’s time.
«What’s the difference between Abdul’s special chicken and the schwarma?» my friend asks.
«Completely different spices, different preparation. The schwarma is on the stick.»
«Oh. Can I switch to that?» my friend asks.
The owner slowly raises an eyebrow. «You’ll have to get that approved by the military police. Everything needs to be approved by the military police.»
A pause. «Are you Palestinian?»
«Palestinian-​Israeli-​Jordanian-​American. They try to take my passports away from me. I keep them all, whether they like it or not.»
Until this point, I have been full tunnel-​vision: the less time we spend driving interminably through Wisconsin at night with an Italian behind the wheel, the better, but this is too good of an opportunity to pass up. What follows is a series of anecdotes: Mr. Abdul pretending to be a gunner in Vietnam, Mr. Adbul being pulled aside in an airport security line, Mr. Abdul complaining vocally to any and all bureaucracy, each and every story ending with a shrug, a raised eyebrow and the punch line, «Whether they like it or not.»
In the end, we made off with two chicken schwarma sandwiches with fries in («It’s traditional.» Really?), a schwarma combo and three crema. Everything delicious (although the chicken is better than the beef), not to mention filling and cheap. Mr. Abdul’s chicken schwarma hails from the primordial plane of Platonic forms. It will make you nostalgic for that good local chicken schwarma place on your college campus. Oh wait, your actual local college dining hall schwarma was meagre and parchment dry, but you ate it anyway because the alternative was going to Subway, again; in those days you fell on your knees and thanked God for creating hot sauce.
Now, when asked what I would do if I could travel back in time, I no longer say, «Kill Hitler», instead I say, «Apply to the University of Minnesota».
Protip: if Mr. Abdul asks you if you want garlic sauce, the answer is «Yes».

I don’t have anything good to say about Abdul’s Afandy. The place is really a hole in the wall which appeals to me but the quality of the food was terrible. I work at the U of MN and stopped by for a falafel. It was about as bad as I have ever had. The falafel and sauce were tasteless and the tomatoes were like cardboard. I threw mine away after a few bites which is unusual for me. Service was grumpy when I was there. I have eaten a lot of middle eastern food in the US, in Europe (where it is popular), and even in several middle eastern countries. This was easily the worst. I hate to say this but if you walk a block or two east on Washington Avenue you can get better at Dino’s (a chain!). If you want to go further east near the intersection of University and Washington Avenue, you can get really good Middle Eastern food at the Caspian.

Great shawarma, it’s ridiculously affordable and the service is fantastic!
If you are on campus and need a quick bite head here!

so random, but this place was across the street from the hotel i was staying at for a seminar, and i ended up eating there every day. while not authentic by any means (your pita rollup is served in a whole wheat tortilla), the falafel was really tasty! and the price was right! and when i asked for it spicy they delivered.
the layout is a little awkward, you kind of have to get close to your neighbor to find out if they’re waiting or they’ve already ordered.

It’s good food at a good price, but there’s nothing particularly special about it. I prefer Abdul’s to Wally’s, and it’s even a little bit cheaper.
This is just a take-​out place, there’s nowhere to sit. But they’re quick! And there’s plenty of tables outside in the light rail boulevard and in the lawn outside McNamara.
And Abdul is very friendly. He always just seems so genuinely pleased that you came in!

The food is pretty good but I’ve had better. Good things: Good price range, fast service, limited but solid menu, friendly manager (gave us free dessert since we paid cash).
Not so good things: nowhere to sit, no ambience, limited menu, awkward stares from the workers.
Overall good place to take out and eat outside (plenty of options nearby) or eat at home.

Very small place, just order from the counter and take out. Essentially, there is room for 2 lines, 5 people long — one line to order, one line to wait for your food. There are no seats.
Pretty cheap shwarma, 5.33 after taxes.
Decent flavors. I’m used to a stronger garlic punch with well seasoned meats in my shwarmas. This one tasted decent, more of a fresh flavor. Contained a mass of lettuce that felt like I was eating a salad on the side, but inside my wrap.
All in all, feels like a typical college type food — quick, cheap grub on the go.

Abdul’s is no frills and the place is TINY. Just got a falafel gyro with hot sauce that was $ 4.80 and tasty. Anything under 5 bucks at the U of M is unreal, and this was a steal. I will definitely go back and try the other stuff on the menu. Everything is dirt cheap; nice staff.

I eat here way too often since they opened. Partly because it’s one of the closest restaurants along Wash Ave and partly because I love gyro, falafel and hummus. I was rather excited to find out what the small sign that popped up on Wash Ave meant. After Wally’s prices went way up and Dino’s moved into the neighborhood I would hit them up, usually when I was craving their seasoned fries. The price at Dino’s, though, cracks $ 9.50−10.50.
So Abdul’s: Abdul is usually there, offering up samples of his favorite desserts or some of his home made tea. The food was OK the first week but things have really improved (a note to those who might have tried them early and passed afterward).
The falafel is quite tasty and I sometimes order it as a side (they’ll give you four for $ 2). The gyro is pretty standard, nothing special. Their chicken offerings, however, are what I tend to go for now. Their «chicken special» is made up of tender chunks of chicken in a yellow marinade. The chicken tastes great and the marinade that soaks into the rice is even better. The chicken shawarma also has a great flavor and when the spit looks good I get this over the chicken special.
The hummus and tabouli are pretty run of the mill. For a dollar, all three of the desserts are fantastic.