Earlier this month, we reported the closure of the Halal Guys outpost at 720 Amsterdam Avenue and West 95th Street. Now, we know what’s replacing it.
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In 2021, Shah’s Halal Food CEO Khalid Mashriqi told the Long Island Press their long-term goal is to become “the McDonald’s of halal.” This reflected their rapid expansion. At the time, the company had 17 locations but had their sights set on more. “There’s McDonald’s, Arby’s, Subway, and Wendy’s … but nothing for halal,” said Mashriqi, whose corporate staff is nearly 60% family members, according to the Long Island Press.
Shah’s Halal Food offers a menu of platters, gyros, sandwiches, sides, and desserts. Among the most popular items are the chicken over rice platter, marinated and grilled with signature aromatic basmati rice, and a salad of your choice for $11.99. Salad options include lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, black beans, chickpeas, sautéed peppers and onions, salata, or hummus. Shah’s sauces feature white, spicy, green chili chutney, and barbecue. Their lamb and falafel platters are also available on the menu.
These platter options can also be ordered as gyros, along with fish—an all-white swai fillet dipped in Shah’s batter and served in an eight-inch pita with your choice of salad and sauce for $9.99. The kofta kabab, made with ground chicken, fresh herbs, and spices, also looks like a great choice for the same price. Shah’s also serves a spicy chicken sandwich ($6.99), cheeseburger ($6.99), and Philly cheesesteak ($9.99).
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Side orders at Shah’s include spicy or regular chicken nuggets (six pieces for $5.99), breaded hot wings (six pieces for $7.99), French fries ($3.49), and pakora chips—fried potato slices seasoned to perfection ($3.99).
How about some baklava for dessert? This sweet pastry features layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup, frosting, and honey for $2.99.
A representative from Shah’s tells us they’ll likely open in the next few weeks.
“Nobody has our food, that’s what it comes down to. Our sauces, how everything is prepared … no one has it,” says Mashriqi on their winning formula.
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Menu sounds delicious
Great news. Halal Guys was good, hopefully this is even better.
I don’t think I ever had Halal Guys’ but I like my gyro meat sliced like Greek gyro not crumbled like so many of the stands have. Hope they do it that way.
I’ve been calling Halal Guys the McDonald’s of halal for years and it’s not a compliment! That’s not what you want to be. It’ll be interesting to see if Shah’s can make it where Halal Guys couldn’t with the same type of food.
They really think what they serve is unique? Halal is everywhere.
I hope it’s not the same management as Halal Guys because one of the managers there was really mean and disrespectful to me just for asking a simple question about the menu. On Thanksgiving, I might add! Since that day I promised not to spend anymore money there. Hopefully it isn’t the same people.