Aladdin Gyro-Cery

by steve c.

Not bad, but not great, either. Tracy Jane is correct; my gyro was also a bit dry. The prices are great, but the taste just doesn't make you say "wow."I thought it was going to be the best damn gyro I had ever eaten, since it took them forever. Alas, Aladdin, it was not to be, though. Mr. D's kicks your butt everyday and twice on Sunday!Oh, the thing I liked the best was all the "stop the invasion of Palestine" signs inside..........yes, all the settlements and checkpoints inside the Palestinian areas are ridiculous.

by jeremiah j.

This place is the best. I've tried other gyro shops in the area, all fall short of the Gryocery in the u district.

by Julian H.

Gyreka!  I am a huge fan of the food here: it is cheap and it is good.  The only thing that prevents 5-stars is the attitude/atmosphere.  The cooks completely ignore customers, and at times I have felt that some employees and even sometimes customers give off a hostile vibe, especially if you go in during off-hours and there are just a couple people in there, like you are in their private space.  Weird, but easy to overlook. The gyro are totally wonderful.FYI The yelp map places this place on the wrong side of the Ave.

by johnny n.

Go here for gyros on the Ave. The gyros are cheap, flavorful, and filling. I got the jumbo lamb and beef gyros for $5 and it was the best five bucks I have spent in a long time. You get soft, warm pita bread filled with delicious tender and flavorful meats, and its topped with lettuce, red and white onions, and their special sauce. Good, honest, cheap eats!

by Katy H.Elaine W.Sam D.Jennifer Y.Michael K.

I didn't think I could be won over - and I was!My friend kept telling me that I'd love the Gyros at Aladdin. I politely declined and reminded him that I almost always find lamb to be too gamey. I've tried eating gyros and other lamb dishes dozens of times. I felt like he just liked lamb so much that he couldn't relate.We walk in, cash in hand, and within 10 minutes we get our food. I am stubborn so I order a veggie meal with falafel. The place is packed with people so I'm confident it's going to be good. I start to eat away at my dish and found it thoroughly enjoyable. Then my friend shoves his gyro in my face. So persistent, this guy! I politely take a bite, plenty of lamb in my mouth and low and behold - it's DELICIOUS! It's absolutely the best gyro I've ever had. The lamb wasn't gamey at all! It was well cooked, well seasoned and most definitely the best item on the menu. I'll be going back to order my own gyro very soon.Hole-in-the-wall goodness! My boyfriend and I CRAVE these gyros if we don't have them in awhile. So the place feels dive-y. So WHAT, you don't have to live there. Just get the hell out of the some DELICIOUS gyro + basmati rice w/ tatziki (which is REALLY good and tangy and get the hell out of there. You can see the meat roasting on the spit. YUM.Great food.  Cheap, quick, ready to go.  It's a classic hole-in-the-wall, which I love.  The lamb/beef combo is great, the sauce is plentiful, messy food but oh so good.Location on the Ave can be a bit sketchy at times.Cheap, delicious, and convenient.  This is a good late-night spot for a quick meal.  3.5 stars~The gyros are good (lamb in particular, chicken is o.k. too, and the lamb and beef combo isn't half bad).  The curried (?) rice is also quite good and they put some sort of yogurt white sauce over the top --I could eat this as a meal all by itself for under $2.  The fries are average but they are thick and good for dipping in either the yogurt sauce or ketchup.  Minus stars for the fact that it's cash only and people smoke in the dining area at night which is kind of a bummer, so more often than not I'd wind up carrying the gyro home which makes it not quite a wonderful experience.  Other than that, not many complaints.  This is an OK place to grab a bite!Aladdin Gyro-Cery makes a solid gyro that'll send you on a magic carpet ride.I had the Lamb and Beef Gyro, Stuffed Grape Leaves, House Iced Tea, and Baklava.  The gyro was awesome.  I don't know where they get their bread, or if they make it themselves, but it's amazing.  It's nice and warm and has the perfect amount of fluff for a gyro.  The bread isn't too chewy, and is thick enough to prevent any soggy mishaps.  Whenever I go to get a gyro anywhere, I always struggle with the question of whether I want lamb or beef.  Now, I don't have to make that decision.  I don't know why more gyro places don't just combine the two together.  The additional ingredients keep it simple and make it easy to enjoy the meat.The Stuffed Grape Leaves were a disappointment.  They were overly seasoned and taste like they had been sitting in the fridge for too long.  I think I've had better stuffed grape leaves from the supermarket.  The House Iced Tea tastes like a random mix of herbs and spices.  Unfortunately, they don't come together in the drink and left my tongue confused and disturbed.  The Baklava was another disappointment.  Though it was nice that it wasn't drenched in sugar, eating their Baklava kind of made me miss that about baklava.  The baklava doesn't taste fresh and comes off as bland, and tastes like any baklava you can get at the local supermarket.  There was also baklava sugar syrup all over the dollar bills I got back for change.The interior is also awesome.  With a ridiculous hodgepodge of furniture and seating arrangements, eating here can be really entertaining.The prices here, aside from the Bakalva, are great.  You can't get a better deal for a jumbo gyro.  And I always appreciate a place that offers a late night snack.Regardless of the disappointments, the gyro was so awesome that I'd love to ask Aladdin Gyro-Cery to make me its Jasmine.GET:  Lamb and Beef Gyro

by Ben S.

Just as Steve C. said...not bad but not great, either.  I ordered the jumbo falafel and it was 5 dollars (the reason for the 3rd star - otherwise, this place gets 2 stars)...but here's what burns me a little.  They have a price of 4.57 and when you include tax the total should be 4.97 or 4.98 (do the math).  I know this is nit-picky but why not just list the price as 5 dollars (including tax)?  It just seemed strange to me.Anyway...very typical falafel sandwich from a low-budget place.  Iceburg lettuce, cheap tomatoes and onions.  The sauce was decent, although there wasn't very much of it.  The falafel balls themselves were decent yet a little mushy inside.I'll probably go back - but only after checking out all the other spots.  Just keep in mind, this place only accepts cash.

by Tye R.

Good bang for the buck.  Good portions, taste great during the late nights.  Lamb and beef gyro is all you need

by Sara V.

this place has great food at good prices.  they are generally speedy with their service and their employees are very friendly.  Great place to go late at night if you're hungry after a few beers!

by Sam D.

Great food.  Cheap, quick, ready to go.  It's a classic hole-in-the-wall, which I love.  The lamb/beef combo is great, the sauce is plentiful, messy food but oh so good.Location on the Ave can be a bit sketchy at times.

by Erin B.

A run up to University District had us going past this old college haunt. Dinner plans were different, but this place called us in. Missing Berlin's numerous Doener stand, this is no substitute, but something that is also delicious. $5 gets you a mouthwatering gyro complete with lamb/beef mix, lettuce, sauce, and tomato wrapped up in its cosy individual wrapper. There are plethora of other options, including vegetarian options, but this is one place I rarely venture off the favorite. The place itself is perfectly bizarre. Cash only, languages flying, "Free Palestine" signs prominent. In a word- awesome. As it was Mother's Day weekend, we sought to excite amaze my future MIL and her trepidation turned to amazement once the gyro entered her mouth. Success!