I first heard of The Halal Guys while watching this video of Jo Koy with his experience in the original New York street cart: I instantly got intrigued of what and how it tasted like. Little did I know that Lu-uy Tran was already in the works of franchising and setting-up shop here in Montreal on Mackay street between Maisonneuve and Sainte-Catherine.

As we arrived at the location, we were greeted by the staff and proceeded to efficiently take our orders: a mix of gyro/chicken platter + sandwich and some sides which included fries and falafel (I’m not sure if you can actually order this as a side), annnd they were kind enough to insert a serving of Baklava.

Regular-size platter of chicken + gyro with the white and hot sauce

Chicken + gyro sandwich. I should’ve asked for a regular serving of the hot sauce. It’s legit spicy and could’ve added a kick to the sandwich.

Falafel

Baklava

One of the common questions when places like this open up is Is it as good as the original? I can’t tell for sure since I haven’t tried what is served at The Halal Guys New York food cart where there could potentially be a lineup for hours. The taste should be just as good (whatever good means to you) as the original because their signature White Sauce comes pre-packed… Meaning it’s somewhat standardized… Meaning they don’t make it from scratch at the location…

Think of McDonald’s French fries that taste the same around the world.

Does The Halal Guys stand up to the hype? To be honest, I’m not sure why there is so much fanfare around it. It’s street food, and I can’t really expect much out of it. I’d like to think that this is a great addition to the Montreal fast food scene, but it doesn’t really taste nor feel like Montreal.

It’s quite hard to put into words what is going thru my head so I’ve created a makeshift FAQ to make your life a tiny bit easier when it comes to deciding whether or not to eat here:

• -I’m in downtown, drunk, with the guys, and for some reason would like a quick halal grub.
  Will I eat at the Halal Guys? YES.
• -I’m a student and I’m on break. What is around that can quickly satisfy my mouth and my stomach?
  Should I eat at The Halal Guys? YES.
• -I’m feeling fancy and would like to impress a date.
  Should I go to The Halal Guys? NO.
• -Should I bond with my boss during lunchtime at The Halal Guys?
  PLAUSIBLE.
• -I’m a tourist and would like to get a taste of Montreal.
  Should I eat at The Halal Guys? NO.
• -I would like to eat somewhere that is different from the usual Mediterranean restaurant which isn’t that impressive, but will still be on my mind a couple days later.
  Should I eat at The Halal Guys? YES.

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