Superb lunch. Excellent lamb kabobs. Locally located. Well priced. Parking a little hard to find sometimes. Owner is very sweet. Try their tea afterwards.
(5)
Nelson K.
I think they need to change the name. Gyro King makes it sound like it's a fast food chain. It is so much more. While it's not fancy (I like that), the food is amazing. Fresh, made every day. Different specials. The lentil soup with mint and fresh lemon wedges is amazing. The salads and daily specials are great. Sure I've had better gyros, but the gyro platter is wonderful. I love the cold appetizer platter, the hummus, the spinach, feta and meat pies. The guys that work there are very sweet, and the service is quick. You order at the counter and take your plate to sit down - it's fast, efficient, and the prices are reasonable for what you get. I go there as often as I can. For those who ask things like where they don't serve butter with the bread, you might be in the wrong restaurant. Either learn what Middle Eastern food is and learn to appreciate it, or go to an American bar and grill.
(5)
Ameer N.
i had a pretty solid lamb kabob shwarma here. it's real close to the library, so i put in my order, walk to the library and when i return my order is up. the shwarma was okay. not super and not pooper.
(3)
Farah S.
Still a tasty ol' standby. Love the lentil soup, spinach pie, meat pie and of course the lamb/beef gyro wraps. I've been going to this place since it was much smaller and cramped. Now it's much bigger and still cramped, but who cares. Makes a great lunch or quick dinner before a show.
(4)
Mr Bolo B.
this place makes pretty good sanwiches, my Lamb shish kebab wrap sandwich was excellent , Im very happy to find this nice restaurant! it was kind of hard to find the first time, but it's actually just by the Library at the end of Larkin near Market st. the prices are also very reasonable, I would highly recommend this place, the owner seemed like a nice guy, I think they are Turks.
(5)
Sascha B.
My favorite holiday in terms of food is Greek Easter. The meal consists of lamb, Greek salad and rice. I usually only have it once a year though. Well, The Turkish owner of Gyro King may disagree, but their lamb platter is very similar, and really, really delicious. They also have great gyros. I accidentally got a chicken gyro once. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not into ordering chicken anything out, have way too much at home. However, this gyro was really tasty. The owner was nice to me, but that may have been because of my chair, and my need for a little more help. Definitely a must go to, if you like gyros or lamb.
(5)
Suong N.
I came in hoping they had spanakopita, but it wasn't on the menu. It wasn't until after I got my spinach pie from the counter did I see the spanakopita sitting on the counter in its case. DAMN IT! Besides the pie, I had the chicken kebabs platter with the rice, couscous and salad. It was good, definitely not the best I've had. The couscous and rice were flavorful and not dry at all, but the salad wasn't fresh and the lettuce was kind of wilting. It was a lot of food, I had plenty leftover. Good place for lunch.
(3)
anna l.
You know I'm reading these other reviewers. A little puzzled. But here's my experience. I work two blocks away. Once a week, I go to this place. I don't sit inside. I get it to go. It's quick and great every time. I only eat the chicken..either the wrap or plate ($5.95 to $10.95). With the plate order, I always have enough to take home. It's perfect when I want to have something hot, filling and flavorful. Note....I didn't smell the waiter.
(4)
Pearl L.
When I order falafel, I mostly expect a sad, dry ball of chickpeas. I still order it because I like it and can pretend that it's healthy, but it's such a treat to find moist, fresh, tasty falafel. I wouldn't say that this place is remarkably more satisfying or delicious than other places, but the falafel is very fresh and doesn't taste like it's been left out and refried multiple times. It's a very good option if you're in the area.
(4)
Jeff M.
Yuck! Not a good gyro in any way:(
(1)
Raymond M.
I ordered the lamb & beef gyro #22 with extra Tahini sauce. It was mediocre. Every bite had just too much wrap (lavash flat bread). It needs just a kick of more meat, herbs and definitely some feta cheese for more flavors. Price is fair, $5.99, and pretty quick service.
(2)
Maximillian M.
Falafel. It is what it is. And cheap(ish).
(3)
Charlene K.
Great Mediterranean food for a great deal. I always get the platters. Choice of kabob, with rice, salad, and bread. Spring for the fresh baklava it's delightful! The Gyro's are amazing pouches of flavor with meet taken right off the spit. Authentic Greek food.
(4)
Mike M.
Note: this review is based on one menu item only---the saliva inducing, mouth satisfying, smile creating lamb and beef platter. The service is fast and friendly, and the foods are displayed openly so you can see what you're ordering. Parking is not the greatest, the neighborhood is riddled with crackheads, felons, and feces-stained weirdos, but other than that I'll stop by this diamond in the rough for that lamb and beef platter (12 bucks cash covers it). Succulent meat, fluffy rice, home-cooked flavors and aromas have enslaved me to this dish. I skip the pita and substitute with more rice. It'll serve 2 people just fine. So grab 12 bucks, a MUNI pass, pepper spray and some anti bacteria wipes and have yourself an adventure!
(5)
Casi C.
I came here before seeing Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre. It was my second time having greek in one day so I kept my plate simple and went for the Greek Chicken Salad. Everything was cooked fresh so as expected it took a little longer than usual to get our order, but it was worth the wait! The plentiful amount of grilled and seasoned chicken was so good! The salad was ginormous so I rolled out of this place stuffed to the brim because I couldn't leave one bite remaining on my big plate. I can't wait to try out some of their other dishes, hopefully they are as good as the salad is.
(5)
Ann L.
I went here for lunch after going to the Asian Art Museum. I was expecting too much and was disappointed. I couldn't decide between the lamb/beef or chicken gyro so the guy mentioned they had a combination gyro $6.95 I think. I got that. It was huge, served on the lavash bread even though I was expecting a pita bread. Meat was kinda dry, wish there was more sauce. Got 2 domas which was $2.00, dang. Total $8.95. They take credit card but paid cash anyways. Free help yourself water available. Just ok, nothing special here. Close to Civic Center Bart. -------- Updated 12/1/07: 2nd time here after Asian Art Museum. I got the combo lamb, beef, & chicken gyros $6.25 again. Still dry, needs more sauce. Also got Ezo Gelin Soup: red lentil, mint, black pepper, salt, oregano, tomato paste $3.50. It's a huge bowl w/ mushed up lentils so u don't see them and it's very creamy. Pretty good and comes w/ a basket of bread (looks homemade but not sure). Total $10.58, paid cash again though they take credit cards. Saw a customer run to his car cuz someone was going to mess w/ it..not sure how. Then another customer almost got his ass kicked for complaining about jumping the line. Crazy.
(3)
Chi Chi C.
It is 5 star Turkish food! Home made dish reminds me of my grandmother's..:) it is totally worth to check it out.. i love the mezes and the adana kebab... recommended!!
(5)
Mike I.
Combo gyro review: pretty forgettable. Fairly flavorless and bland. Not super filling. Sub par gyro.
(2)
Kevin M.
I've lived within a few blocks of this place for almost a year, and just went in there the other day. I had the Lamb Shish Kebab platter: *generous* portions, and a low, low price. Very good. Overheard someone say "the remodel looks great"., so guess they did some of that. I now have another place in the hood to keep me nourished.
(3)
Leo C.
The chicken gyro was good, and the cashier(/owner?) was friendly. Too bad I got chicken juice all over my jacket while wolfing down my gyro in a lunch meeting afterward. The space is nice and I hope to be back to dine in next time with friends who work in the area. I also thought it was was kind of funny that I pronounced gyro "yeero" which is correct according to my googling just now, but they said it the phoenetic Americanized way. Presumably this is because they are Turkish not Greek? But then they should have named their restaurant "Doner Kebab King," a much cooler name, no?
(4)
Amelia R.
my best friend and i came here because the restaurant we wanted to go to was closed (bummer) and this random homeless girl sitting outside said this place was good. seriously. anyway, of course we go, because we had to snag some food before seeing wicked (loved it by the way). i was suprised by how good it was! it was really cheap too. like 5 bucks for a falafel, and it was huge! my friend got the chicken pie i think- i dont eat meat but she said it was good. she also got a salad which was either cous cous or quinoa. we split the hummus and pita appetizer. i think they make the pita themselves because it was soft and warm and delicious. the guys who work here arent super friendly but whatever, they're nice enough. go here if youre in civic center and need food! at least once. you wont regret
(3)
Chris R.
Are they the king? They're certainly the closest to City Hall/Civic Center. Gavin's kind of a king-type. Why not? Falafel is crispy, tasty and not too mealy. Feta pie is a little spongy. Haven't had any meat here, but for a quick veggie meal for under $6, downtown and in less that 10 minutes, there's not much that can beat it.
(3)
Judy L.
Pretty good falafel - kinda on the salty side. Excellent chicken shawarma plate. Great spicy sauce. I heart their homemade bread. Best to go right after your romp in the library. Bring you best reads with you while you eat. It's certainly better than Burger King.
(4)
Venatius P.
Gyro King VS Burger King? I have to give them props for having this place be right next door to Burger King. Hilarious! It's a pretty nice and clean place for the civic center, and it seems family owned, so the staff was friendly and fast. We had our food in a few minutes. I liked the fact that it was an open kitchen, you could see them work their magic. I got the lamb gyro plate, which was huge! I thought the meat and fixings were delicious; their bread was not bad either. They have a rather large case of baklava, but I was already stuffed. The menu is sizable so I will have to do more sampling and report back. Oh did I mention the prices are cheap!
(3)
M R.
Again the lamb kebab platter is awesome. Get it with the hummus. I'm a very finicky lamb eater, but this place makes it just perfectly medium rare. I only wish they served the bread warm and fixed the bathroom for paying customers. Isn't it illegal not to have a bathroom for customers? I know they're right next to the burger king homeless hangout, but I like to wash my hand before I eat finger food.
(4)
Valerie N.
came here for lunch with co workers because they were all raving about this place. i ordered their chicken gyro sandwich wrap, and it was okay. their desserts looks good, so i might come back and try their desserts. overall, i had an average experience.
(3)
Rebecca D.
One thing about the Tenderloin is you're never lacking in ethnic food choices. Gyro King is a perfect example. They serve up delicious shish kebabs, warm and yummy gyros, and great specials every day. And $10 goes a long way at this place. Unless you're a huge eater or have a bottomless pit for a stomach, you may want to share your Mediterranean feast with a coworker. I can barely finish half of what they give me. The combos come with lots of meat, two types of rice, a salad and bread. It can a bit intimidating. So unless your office has a couch to take an afternoon snooze on, you may want to grab a coffee on your way back.
(4)
Mike D.
I would give this place 1-1/2 stars if it were possible. The gyros were like burritos and the meat wasn't that good. There were pieces of fat that I had to pull out of my mouth from time to time! Ewwww! I don't think I'll come back here again.
(2)
Maxine M.
Super good falafel...giant and incredibly filling- I could only eat about half, and pretty much picked at the rest of it for the remainder of the day- I'm sure that my coworkers really appreciated the delicious aroma of falafel coming from my cubicle all afternoon... Edit- 01/04/07 uh-oh I am knocking my rating down from 4 stars to 1 star after my meal tonight... i got the falafel, the husband got the chicken gyro... things went incredibly downhill super fast my falafel had me running to the bathroom in pain several times... husband said the chicken pieces in the gyro were all tough and knotty (as opposed to the way he likes his women- tough and naughty-hahaha) and he even went so far as to wonder if "this is what hamster meat tastes like" The baklava was like a sponge soaked in cheap syrup. which isn't nearly as appetizing as it sounds. I am kinda sad because the location of this place is perfect for me, the cashier and counter people are aways so nice, and the prices are cheap. I won't go back.
(1)
Louise O.
I had the gyro pie and it was served to me lukewarm. Rather dry and flavorless. I would skip this joint and go to the other sandwich shops nearby.
(2)
Helen L.
We used to come here all the time until we found yummier "as close to a New York gyro cart you're gonna get" gyros. Their lamb and beef gyro wraps (almost $6) weren't really that good and their falafels were ok. We did not return because we loved the food, we returned because it was the only place we knew of that had decent gyros. I always eye the platters people order secretly wishing to have that instead of what we ordered but unwilling to fork over the $10. The guy who cuts the meat is always really friendly unlike the other guy who usually takes the order who looks impatient, sour, and indifferent. I think they both have some family partnership for the restaurant. I have not returned to Gyro King since discovering other gyro shops.
(2)
Sooner S.
This is my new spot. The price is right; food is good and relatively healthy. It's not located in the best of part of the city but it's close to a wonderful library, BART and the Orpheum. What more could you ask for? My favorite is the Chicken Gyro, which goes for $5.95.
(5)
Chaser D.
This is a Turkish Restaurant. I dunno why its called greek or med or afgan... anyhow... gyro which is called doner in turkish or shawarma in arabic is good. i think they use steak although i like ground beef better. baklava is supper goood. try iskender, yummy. prices not high. might be crowded especially lunch time. will go again and again...
(5)
Carmen L.
I'm never disappointed with this place. I love getting their lamb and beef wrap. The meat is so flavorful, and I love how they toast the wrap so that it gets super crispy. Just be careful when eating the wrap because the sauce tends to leak out the bottom. I learned the hard way and had to walk around all day with tzatziki sauce on my pants.
(4)
Paulo M.
Sadly, it seems this restaurant is now going through the motions. Stale bread, bland soup, so-so mezes.
(3)
Sushant P.
I enjoy the wraps here, and they're pretty cheap. Next time I go I'll try a platter, which is what I see most other people there having. Pretty spacious area with plenty of tables, and also some seating outside along the sidewalk.
(4)
Thu L.
I pass by this place everytime I'm in the area and never stopped to go inside. I finally got a chance to come here on Saturday. The lamb and chicken shwarma was good and tasty. I can't wait for my next visit.
(4)
Ray A.
DAMN!!!! The food here was HHHEEELLLAAA good, we (me and the fellas) had the shish kabob mix and it was damn good. Seriously, we came here on and couldnt decide what to order so we went for the kabob mix (chicken/lamb/beef) and I am very happy we did. Everything from the salad to the rice to the hoummous to the kababs was "on point!" Price was perfect and staff was ultra cool food was good sized portions. Very satisfying and fulfilling....I PROMISE TO COME BACK AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE AND RECOMMEND OTHERS TO DINE HERE TOO!!!
(4)
Peter W.
Wow, I guess I'm one of the few people who think that the gyro from Gyro King are completely vile. I stopped in, not too late, and got a gyro.... I figured, I love gyro's, they're the gyro king, why not? It tasted like they cooked the lamb a week before, only to reheat it on a flat top swimming in the most disgusting grease I ever saw or tasted in my life. Not only was the meat burned, but the bread tasted liked burned tortilla!! I'm used to somewhat fluffy pita... I guess traditionally its only a tortilla.. ? All the other customers looked happy, not one was eating a gyro. So the lesson to learn: Don't order Gyro from the Gyro King! If you want a killer Gyro, try Ayola!! If you want to be killed by a gyro, stick with the King.
(1)
George L.
Gyro King's gyros were dry and overcooked, I wasn't very impressed, don't offer lamb only gyros. I've tasted excellent gyros in Athens, London, Vienna. Order and pay at the counter, accepts credit card. They don't live up to its name.
(2)
Micaela F.
My co-worker took us to lunch here and it is tasty! They had the wraps which was huge and I had some tasty mix kebob platter. It fill us up so we can enjoy our happy hour. Also, not expensive for SF price. I would definitely come here again when I work around the corner. It was delicious. I so want the dessert.
(3)
Priscilla L.
I eat there whenever I have jury duty, go to the library, have a job interview downtown, go to the Main Library, or whenever! Except for the fact that it gets crowded and hot, the food is exceptional and cheap. I love their lamb gyros (wrapped with lavash, with tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and tahini sauce) and lamb shish kebab (seasoned lamb cubes, charcoal grilled, wrapped with lavash, with onions, cucumber, and tahini sauce)--I eat lamb whenever I can get it at a good price. Get their specialty plates, since for a couple of dollars more, you can have rice, sala, and bread. Take the leftovers home, and you can have another meal. They're open 7 days a week, and I manage to get my husband to go there on a Sunday. He liked his chicken gyro (with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce). If I work late, I guess I'll be stopping off here quite a lot to get dinner, and save the leftovers for lunch the next day.
(4)
Perri B.
The food here is super tasty! I live across town but whenever I'm in civic center I make sure to grab a gyro here. It seems pretty authentic and the prices are as good as it gets for quality. It seems like it's a small family owned business and the owner can be kinda mean looking but the award social interaction is worth the food. haha someone already made the "soup nazi" remark! I though about using that but was scared the owner might exile me if he saw it haha
(4)
Matt V.
I like good chicken shwarma salad... good prices too...very reasonable.
(5)
Terry S.
This is probably one of my favorite places to get a fast, good meal. I have been dining at Gyro King for years and have never been disappointed. It is located in semi hidden but convenient location across from the library. Recently the place has had a nice upgrade with expanded seating areas, a splash of paint, funky plates on the wall, but the food remains the same, very good. Very nice family owned business. The owner only looks like he will cut off your legs and put them on the rotisserie, he is really a nice guy who runs a "tight ship". Very attentive, good service. I am not really a "hoofed animal" eater but every blue moon I will indulge in a lamb gyro...oh so good! The chicken gyro is just the right size and if you add a diet Snapple...walla...the perfect "on the go" or "oh my god I am so late but I would like something good to eat before" meal... They also have a great verity of Turkish delicacies. Go...it is good!
(5)
Rob L.
This place is amazing! Great value and good quality Turkish food in San Francisco. I'm surprised by some of the negative comments, because the food is terrific! I literally found this place from my GPS device. I was expecting the place to only have inexpensive Americanized Gyro sandwiches, but it turned out to be a full menu-ed Turkish restaurant. With such a good value on mouth-watering Turkish food, how could one not like this place?
(4)
Mark H.
Lamb & beef gyro was ok, was kinda bland for me. Been here before and food is good. Kebabs
(5)
Thomas L.
I came here to get lunch before I headed into work. I ordered a chicken shish kabob sandwich. It was more lettuce than chicken. Forgettable to be honest. The baklava, though, is REALLY GOOD. It oozed honey, nutty goodness. I may try a non-sandwich dish next time, but if that doesn't work out, i'd only be back for the baklavas!
(2)
Catherine H.
When I lived in San Ramon, I would walk by this place on my way to work in Hayes Valley/Civic Center from the BART station a gazillion times. Finally tried it a few months ago with a friend before a performance. The staff is really nice and this is a convenient place to grab a quick and inexpensive meal before going to the library or Orpheum Theater. While the gyro wrap was pretty good, it was downright messy. The dressing/sauce was all over the place, and it seemed like the ingredients were stuffed into a wrap that couldn't hold it. I'm a big fan of smaller portions and I dislike it when my food is annoyingly huge. Maybe next time I'll try their other dishes and desserts. Outdoor seating is not that great considering the somewhat shady area, but they have bar-like seating at the window. Tables are crowded next to each other and it's not easy relaxing in your seat. Since there aren't many inexpensive food options in the Civic Center area, I would recommend this place. If you are headed towards Hayes Valley, go ahead and try Hayes and Kebab - I like their gyro wraps much better, the atmosphere is less cafeteria-like, and their prices are comparable.
(3)
Levi B.
MMMMMMMMM. Must....eat....gyro.... If I was a zombie, that was what I'd say when I'm craving this place. If I'm at all in the vicinity when I need to get my lunch on this is where I'll go. I think the prices are very reasonable for a filling meal. I haven't tried too many things on the menu, so far I just keep coming back for what I know I'll love. They are usually pretty good at getting your food to you quick when you order to go, even during busy times.
(5)
Kristina A.
Tasty, fast, consistent , well-priced Mediterranean and Turkish makes for a great lunch in the Civic Center area. The lamb here is excellent - I like the shish kebab, wraps and gyros equally and look forward to having to be in Civic Center around lunch to grab something delish. Mmm... getting hungry writing about it!
(4)
Rachel S.
Wow. Let me repeat WOW! I was beyond impressed with this place. Cheap, fast, and delicious! The staff wasn't super friendly BUT they were sure quick. Also, the portions were HUGE. I had a chicken Gyro and couldn't finish it. I couldn't believe how great the food was too. It was pretty darn amazing and for under 6 bucks. I'm still blown away. It also was very authentic. Definitely would like to go back here, but plan on splitting a Gyro next time. Food- 4/5 stars. Some of the best Mediterranean food I've had in the city. Service- 2/3 stars Atmosphere- 2/3- well it is in the Tenderloin.
(3)
MICHELLE C.
Let me first admit, I am a falafel whore. There isn't much I would not do if it guaranteed a cache of these brown tasty little balls of yumminess. Heck, I'd sell my grandma into white slavery for a good supply. That said, they do have to be good to warrant my affectiions. The falafel at this place were cooked to a sawdust consistency. Here's an inside tip guys: if the oil is smoking black clouds--the food is burnt. Not only that, the clerk is rude. Not impatient, but rude. I have a slight disability wherein it takes me a minute to get my credit card out of my wallet--we're talking seconds, not hours. The clerk asked me why I was sick? Disabled, maybe, but not sick...,
(1)
Abigail W.
the shwarma filled with TONS of amazing lamb bites that my lovely bf bought me was absolutely (!!) delicious. hot, juicy, fresh veg. probably the best i've had in awhile. his falafel was good, wasn't hot though (he said the cook got mad because he asked for the lamb and the falafel and he was making it together and the bf said oh sorry i meant two separate orders and threw the falafel out and started over, resulting in his not being hot....) but anyway, darn good shwarma. if i'm ever in the area again, i'll stop in to pick one up :)
(4)
jorge c.
Better than decent food here in a messed up part of the Civic Center. Staff is a bit cold, but I'm not coming here to smiled at and fawned over. The adona kebab is so good, and huge for the price, with a nice, cool dipping sauce to go with it. Hummus is better than your usual Costco stuff, actually tastes homemade but could use a little kick. The bottom line, is if you're in the area, are hungry, and don't want to do the Burger King, then this place will satisfy.
(3)
Josh R.
Yur durn tootin this place is awesome. Gyro was great. Excellent lamb, although I always feel a little guilty eating lamb. The cabbage salad they had was also quite good. Order at counter, they bring to your table. They were very friendly when we were there even though the place was crazy packed. This place is a definite return. And being so close to bart, its super convenient. Definitely beats the burger king 100 feet away.
(5)
Candice B.
finally visited today after rave reviews from my co-workers. food was great, fresh and tasty. Not the absolute best I had, but I'd definitely go back. Friendly staff and super quick service...I called ahead ;).
(3)
Yowlie Y.
Some of the salads and sides looked good but the Greek Salad, Falafel Sandwich, and Lamb Kebab Sandwich were all awful. It was just the average meat or the average falafel combined with wet, nappy lettuce, and not a lot else. Other places in town, like Ali Baba's, put potato, eggplant, onion, tomato, hot sauce, and hummus in the sandwiches, standard. I gambled on this place, hoping the shabby exterior hid an authentic gem. I won't eat there again.
(1)
Jean P.
Decent prices, maybe a slight too high considering the atmosphere of the place, a little dingy with the lighting, and a couple sparse nice paintings. They made no effort to hide the soda machines which line the back wall which shows that they care more about selling soda then their overall appeal. However... they do have truly authentic Eastern food, olive oils, and herbs and garlic. Lamb off the rotisserie. My wife grew up overseas. It's the first time we came across "Dolma" in a restaurant in the USA. I haven't tried their Gyro's yet, we'll see if they are "king". I am a loyal Greek food enthusiast, and as far as I know... chicken souvlaki with tzatziki and feta is king, so unless I see a Gyro like that... I'm afraid it will just be false advertising.
(3)
Eric R.
So the guy at the Orpheum tells us that there are two restaurants nearby...Burger King and Gyro King. Which would you choose? We weren't really expecting much, but we were oh-so-surprised. Excellent kebab, and the rice was sooooooo flavorful. I got straight up lamb kebab, but my lovely companions both ordered adana kebab. The lamb was good, but the adana was excellent...next time. Dolmas were just okay. Oh, dare I say affordable? Quite. Um...spend some time outside wondering how so many birds can live in two trees. Crazy.
(4)
Matt P.
I went back, and this time they actually had meat. It wasn't bad, actually. I got #22, which is the standard lamb and beef gyro. It was meaty, yet light. Do ask for extra sauce, as it can be a bit dry. Still, it makes me miss the gyros I used to get on the east coast. --------------------------------------------------Â----------------------------------- A friend and I went here at a not-so-late hour, and they were out of lamb and beef! what kind of gyro place runs out of meat? If I happen to go there again some time in the future, I'll revise this review then.
(3)
Heather L.
I don't know what the hype is all about. I did not like this place. This gyro joint does not compare to the street vendors in NYC. They know how to make gyros and at half the price. Me and my hubby both had the beef and lamb gyro platter. Quite disappointing as the meat tasted dry and not very good quality. I don't think this should be in the bargain bites. I would ignore the bad area if this place really had a great bargain and tasted good.
(2)
Rey T.
If you want great, unassuming Mediterranean food, this is the place to go. Yeah, yeah. Lamb...good, chicken...good...whatever...just please order the BABA GANOUSH! If you come here to order one thing, order this. The sweet, smoky blend of pureed eggplants is sublime. Smear it on the bread, the meats, the dolma or your significant other. The only thing I don't like is that the loonies from the library hang out in front more than is comfortable. I don' think they come in, but it's really daunting when you need to go into the restaurant. That's hardly the Gyro King's fault though, is it? 4 stars for the food and 1 star for the owner, who is great, and looks like a Mediterranean Brian Cox.
(5)
unnati g.
This place sucks. My friend and I went in and asked for falafels, knowing that falafel's are by their very nature vegetarian, because, well, we're vegetarian. So they give us our falafels, we start eating them, and I decide to look a little closer about halfway through the sandwich. There, staring back at me, are a couple of hunks of some white, fleshy stuff. We take the sandwich up to the counter, explain that this looks like chicken in my vegetarian sandwich, and the guy goes, no, that's a falafel. After a little back and forth, he admits that some chicken was mixed into the salad. Oops. There was no apology, nothing. We kindly ask for our money back, thoroughly disgusted, and the guy friggin swears at us! He's like, "Well did you eat it?" and I"m like, "Well, yeah, until I saw that there was chicken in it. Now I don't want to, I can't eat it."
(1)
Manny R.
While the prices weren't too bad mainly $6.50 for a sandwich, it lacked flavor need more meat less lettuce and maybe even some more veggies and sauce. They would probably do better with their gyros in a pita like bread like most other places. I am sure they have some other nice dishes from what I seen in the pictures had more balance. I do have to say its a clean place and the staff was really friendly and that usually goes a long way with me but, I can only see myself eating here if I just happen to be in the area and was craving Mediterranean. Nothing to go out of your way for!
(3)
Daisy A.
I went there at 10:30 AM for breakfast on Saturday. Nobody was there yet and all food were not there yet, either. So, I ordered whatever they had at that time, they were soup and chicken pie. The bread came with the soup was still hot and delicious. (Freshly-baked bread is nice always!) Chicken pie was good too. I will try the Gyro and Kabab next time for sure. Also, the girls working there were pretty and kind.
(4)
jason e.
Very friendly staff, tasty shawarma. Also try the lentil soup -- a great addition to a sandwich lunch.
(4)
Eva Leona Lerriqs S.
I had the spinach pie and the chicken pie. Both were delish and came with small salads. The owner and staff were super sweet. I can't wait to return to try the feta pie and desserts.
(5)
Tom D.
I've had the Gyro King Platter twice now and its great. Am now to the point where I can eat just half of the meal and save the rest for lunch the following day. It tastes good the next day, but a little oily. Other than that, I'd have to say its one of my favorite places.
(4)
Pete K.
This place has been my favorite lunch place during workdays ever since my Turkish workmates introduced me to this place a couple of years back. It's pretty small and crowded and most people just get the food to go, but the service is pretty quick (most lunch items will be ready in 3-4 mins). My personal favorites Gyro King salad (Chicken salad that will actually fill you up) Chicken Gyro with hot sauce (mmmm~~ juicy chicken~) I'm not totally sold on their Kebab's though, but otherwise they present excellent value and great quick bite. Somehow, the owner reminds me of Soup-Nazi from Seinfeld, but deep inside I'm sure he's a nice person. ;-) Actually, once u get used to him, he's pretty nice.
(4)
Angela K.
#10 Gyro King Salad (chicken) was very good. I didn't use the white (yogurt?) dressing, but the bread was very good and went well with the hummus.
(3)
Kenny L.
I enjoy grabbing a bite here every now and then. The food is delicious. Prices are great, for what it is. It's no place to take a date, but it's a good place to stop and get a nutritious, flavorful mouthful of authentic Middle Eastern food. My favorite thing for lunch is the appetizer sampler.
(4)
Codester H.
I was thinking this would be a Greek place but its really Turkish! Turkish food is kinda like the Mexican food of Europe. Gyros paralleling burritos. They just substitute lavash bread for tortillas. The lamb and beef gyro is tasty and, although Ive never had any of it, the stuff in the deli case looks delicious. It isnt cheap exactlly but not outrageous either. Plus its clean and modern inside and with plenty of places to sit which is something of a rarity in the area.
(3)
Shannon V.
I am not kidding when I say that i fully believe this to be in the stinkiest area of San Francisco. I dread coming up from the Civic Center stop because I feel like I will reek of that dried bum sweat/old piss stench. It's so hard to imagine glossy Gavin walking through here and avoiding the smell of pus. I've gotten far too graphic to arouse any appetites, and for that I am sorry. Because the Gyro Nazi is silly good; it's the best hummus, falafel, gyros, and oh, the salads are fresh and huge and delicious. You kind of have to to get in a confrontation to order your food and then get your food, but it's no big deal. Just stand your ground.
(5)
Mary D.
I've been eating here for the past few years and it doesn't disappoint. The location is great, near the bart, and the people who work there are very down to earth. My favorites are the spinach pie (they heat it up and it comes with a small salad- good value), and the many different appetizers. The baba ganoush (sp), eggplant, tabouli, and bean salad are all tasty. And the freshly baked bread goes well with all of them. Order a bunch of appetizers and share with a friend!
(4)
Marc S.
I had their chicken shish kabob gyro and all aspects were outstanding. I actually thought it was of better quality than my near-work favorite, Baldie Cafe. This one had freshly grilled chicken, very nice veggies, not too mush sauce, and a great wrap that was sturdy and grilled up for even more sturdiness and didn't break. A good portion without making me stuffed. Pretty nice seating area. A good spot for after a civic center outing. Area is even fairly free of bums. $6.73 with tax. Not crowded at all on a Thurs evening.
(5)
Ellen G.
Don't be confused by the name like we did. We have been craving a gyro for days. Their gyros are not like the greek style that I know and love. This place is not really Greek style at all. We got a lamp and a beef gyro and a veggie plate. The meet was pretty dry and the veggie plate was just okay. Unfortunately we went there with a certain expectation and might have enjoyed it more if that was what we wanted.
(2)
MrBoomBastic ..
Would give it a 3.5, if halves were an option. The food and service is aight. Absolutely a great place to have lunch, considering your other choices in the immediate Civic Center area. I don't feel terrible giving them that extra half, since I won a free lunch with 10 friends for dropping my business card in the raffle box - awesome!!!
(4)
She-Ra ..
I've been missing out! I've hurried past this gem on a number of occasions on the way to my beloved wrap delights sandwich spot. Decided I didn't feel like a $2.25 sammy and stopped in today. There was an impressive line which moved quickly. I ordered the appetizer plate and it was in my hands practically before I finished my order. The restaurant looked very clean, everything was tasty (but I could have used more vinegar in my dolma), and fresh. I'll be back.
(4)
Bubbles L.
A wonder dive of good food with excellent portions and enough chaos to keep you watchful. My favorite dish is the ground lamb kabob with sides. They also serve an amazing soup and the most delicioius of flatbreads. An order of soup and bread in itself is worh the visit. All their salads look delicious and whenever I go I'm always checking out what everyone else has ordered. The drawbacks include the lack of workers who function well in English and the confusing menu with lack of any signage on the food. I've discovered that pointing at things is the best way to communicate what I'd like to have. They also don't have good coffee to go with the desserts, so, unfortunately, the desserts become an afterthought. But they give you a large portion of baklavah (2 pieces) with an order.
(4)
Kimberly C.
Here I thought I'd discovered something, and yet, voila! 109 reviews already! I even asked the cashier/owner whether they'd been there long. I don't walk down Grove that often, but I have at least half a dozen times and have never seen this place open. I'm glad they were open this time. My sister and I were headed for the Herbst Theatre for a Magnetic Fields concert, when her stomach started demanding food. I honestly don't know where any of the good places to eat in the city are. Well, correction, I know of one now. We popped in to Gyro King on the premise that we would only stay to eat if they had a bathroom (her bladder was also demanding something). A big plus for the food is that it is not dried out. I've had some Mediterranean food before that tastes a dry and old. It is a little oily, but sometimes that's a good thing, and even the bread for our baba-ganoush was soft and fresh. The bab-ganoush itself was mildly citrusy and had a fresh garden-party-in-your-mouth flavor. The dolmas were moist and the baklava was too, but still so crispy and flaky, not mushy at all. The only thing I wasn't so keen on, though it was still really good, was the spanikopita. It was sort of more like onionkopita cause man there were plenty of big chunks of onion. So if you like onions, try the onionkopita, I mean, the spanikopita. I wish I'd discovered you sooner, Gyro King.
(4)
Christina L.
I wanted to like this place. The staff was courteous and I like supporting mom and pop shops, however the gyros were too dry and lacked flavor.
(2)
juls j.
Great gyro- lamb and beef combo. Delicious!
(4)
S E.
The lamb gyro was OK, although on the dry side. The portions were very good--great value. The hummus was tasty. The service was very fast on a Friday evening, which was useful before the symphony, although there would've been a short wait if we had ordered the lamb shish kebab. (We didn't.) We have been there at least twice where the rest room has been out of order; maybe it's always out of order!
(3)
A. D.
My second favorite falafel stop in SF. I'm always greeted with a smile from behind the counter - very friendly folks. I also highly recommend the pastries - especially those with pistachios - DELICIOUS! While I myself have not tasted the gyros - my husband thouroughly enjoyed the lamb. Reasonably priced, friendly service and delicious food - I will continue to make stops there whenever I'm at civic center.
(4)
Erin C.
Oh, I'm sorry, did I just step into the Soup Nazi kitchen in Seinfeld???? These people either don't talk or look at you like "wtf do you want, YOU came into MY shop.." Everytime I've gone in there I felt I just let Grandma Santorini's prize sheep dog out into traffic. I find it interesting that most yelpers here *have* mentioned the sheer LACK of cordiality and congeniality amoung the staff, but give it a million stars like the food WAY makes up for it. Sure, the food's ok, but the hummus I had was WAY greasy. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be and it's "lightened" up for us Trader Joe's yutzes...Doesn't matter, it was still gross. The gyros I've had were kinda spicy, and not really in a good way. Spice took over every other flavor, if you want to know the whole of it. I've had better in Concord, honestly. AND it wasn't with the "don't know what you want? NO GYRO FOR YOU!" 'Tude. I have this notion that some yelpers just wish is was better because they were stuck in the Civic Center area, (hey, been there, I went to school there) and are comparing Gyro Nazi to all the other erm, not-so-fortunate-tasting eateries... (coughcough BOOGER KING, SCARY SMELLY CARL'S BURRITO, hack couch cough cough... sorry, excuse me) When one does that, Gyro goes up to like, top 5. Not saying much when number 6 is delectible-smelling Carl's jr/Green Burrito. In short, 98% of me would not go here again. They got two stars because I did not get physically ill from eating the food.
(2)
Garrett S.
I am giving this four stars because it is worthy of me going back to try another dish at least once. I ordered the lamb & beef gyro platter which comes with rice and salad. I was a little disappointed that upon my ordering neither of the two men behind the counter made a move to make my dish. This lasted a few minutes until the cook came out of the back to make it. The service was painfully slow, taking longer to make and prepare the dish than it did to eat. But it was good. Not an actual gyro at all though so that's deceiving. It was essentially a deconstructed???? gyro at best. It was tasty and worthy of going back.
(4)
May T.
truth be told, i've never had a gyro sandwich here. however, the numerous times i've been to gyro king, i've eaten so many of their kebab plates, you'd think i'd be sprouting little kebabs from my head. my go-to's are definitely the kofte, iskender and adana kebabs. each are succulent and heavy with the middle eastern spices. the plates are accompanied with some golden pilaf, cucumber/tomato salad, and sesame flatbread. i always get some baba ghanoush to go because it's lemon-garlic ratio is superb. close to how my armenian friend's father makes at home (i know this is sacrilege, mentioning armenia and turkey in the same breadth considering the genocide and all, but i swear the baba ghanoush is similar!!!!). and, if you've never had manti before, this is a good place to try it. they're little dough balls stuffed with seasoned ground beef and topped with a garlic yogurt sauce. oh almighty buddha, i know eating animals won't get me to the next level, but i'm salivating as i write this.... the chicken and lamb shishes are pretty tender as they come straight off the grill and onto your plate. the old men sitting around are all related and watch turkish telly 24-7 at this small cafeteria-style restaurant so don't expect a fancy meal with four star service. there's a counter, you order, you sit (sometimes) and eat really tasty food. that's all.
(4)
Tim M.
The Gyro King was out of gyros when I got there (maybe they're that good?). Anyway, they offered a shawerma, I accepted, and it tasted pretty good. They give you a lot of free breadsticks with your order; I appreciated that.
(3)
Todd H.
What the fuck happened to the Black Sea Pie? And Iskendar? Used to be best things on the menu but they're crossed off the menu because fuckers don't know shit about Turkish food and only order what they've seen at other Mediteranean places. Take a risk and buy something unfamiliar. I don't know why people call them gyro nazis. Is it because the deli guy looks the soup nazi on Seinfeld? Fuck Seinfeld. Seinfeld is racist. You expect your ass to be kissed everytime you buy a falafel, you cheapskate? How about buying something more expensive and maybe they'll give you some respect? Well you didn't buy it and now it's crossed off the menu. Fuck you. They're bread is really good but I think anything wrapped in lavash is overrated. So I order stuff that goes with bread. The soups are good. The meat or vege hotplate (daily special) is always good. Hummos and babaganoush are great. Get there early and try all the meat pastries on top of the deli counter before they sell out. And bring an extra stomach for desert. (By the way, they're really friendly to their Turkish customers and there's always at least one in there. Ha, ha, ha.)
(4)
Elgin F.
More than Gyros! Incredibly flavorful Greek salads, tasty meats-on-a-stick of several different species, Souvlaki/etc to die for, and some of the best baclava ever! The cooks are mostly Latinos, but the boss was there when I went in for the review. He was watching a "r-Rated" Turkish movie, that made a nice sonic bed against the surly, arguing "tramps" across the street at the library. Another groovy fall night in "The City That Knows How." BK?? Subway?? Quiznos? Car';s JR?? One of those nearby over-priced, skimpy bits of art-as-food, w/ that obnoxious lighting in uncomfortable colours kinda cookhouses? Oh, please...don't put that poisonous crap into your precious temple of life, not when you can get a salad (fresh, not soaking in dressing all dany/night long), along with roasted lamb kabob + a diet soda ...alL for under $11. Beats the hell out of many overpriced trend-o-rants around Fri$co, and family-owned, too. ;) PS tip 'em good, and you just might get a bigger helping! YASOO!
(4)
Sven S.
This place is really pretty good. Fast, convenient, and with good gyro wraps. Now it's hard to compare their gyros with the type of stuff you get in Europe. It's just not the same, and you'll have to accept that. However, this is one of the better wraps I've had in SF and is comparable to what you can get at Taste of the Mediteranean on 16th. I haven't been here that much but I'm going to come here more often. Hard to beat a good 5$ meal.
(4)
Mike P.
I read all of the Yelp reviews and was truly expecting a heavenly eating experience, tainted with stoic and intimidating service. I was disappointed on both fronts. Service was straight-forward and matter of fact, though I did get to witness the cashier (older dude) drop the hammer on a PWK (peirced white kid) who just wanted to use the restroom. I can imagine that if you go into this place trying to find your next best friend, you aren't going to be getting your needs met. The gyro itself was OK, but not that moist and frankly, could've used a little more spices. But the thing was HUGE and satisfied my hunger. If you're on a motorcycle, there's plenty of "taint" parking (taint that spot and it taint that spot) around so that's convenient. I might go back if I'm hungry, but prolly not. I'll be looking for a better gyro. -Mike
(3)
Laurel B.
I like the kebab and the Greek salad here. It's busy, and not as aesthetic an experience as Adana Kebab (where there's great food, great atmosphere, and a decent wine list), but the gyro is good. Very good.
(4)
H. S.
It's not a destination spot, but there are few things in life as good as checking out some books at the library next door and then sitting down with a bowl of hot lentil soup and some warm bread and hummus. Especially on a cold, foggy day. Which we have a lot of here.
(4)
Anita W.
Okay, I am not an expert in this kind of cuisine, but I have been there four times and I always order the same thing (that is just tasty and plenty for me and a friend): Appetizer combo dish ( eggplant salad, humus, baba ganouj, cacik, tabouli and grape leaves), Grilled kofte kebab (rice, salad, grounded beef with herbs and bread), and baklava. The staff.. well, we live in San Francisco; diversity is everywhere! Don't you find some Cantonese just rude? Some Spanish guys just too nasty? Well, the owners are just angels to me: when I smile, they always smile back.
(5)
terra d.
after a super successful interview at the governors office (haha) i stopped in here for a gyro. it gave me a tummyache :( but they do have pepsi!
(2)
van s.
This little gem used to be a hole in the wall that offered great food. Now they have expanded and redecorated and the place is much more upscale. Their babaganoush is addictive and they have the very best baklavah in the city and their fresh baked turkish bread tastes like heaven. This is definitely a great bet if you find yourself in the Civic Center neighborhood.
(4)
dan e.
the chicken gyro platter is really good.
(4)
L B.
I recently found this place, and I'm glad I did! I love their borek (spinach pie). I will surely come back for more.
(5)
Glenn H.
A good friend of mine brought me here for lunch after class one day. I was not aware that amung all the grit and grime of Market Street there was a decent place for one to get lunch. So many of the Art Institute students are un-aware like I was. I am glad to have it nearby. I havent partaken of any of the other dishes since I usually dont have time to eat a big meal, but I have had the falafel sandwich. It was quick good and pretty cheap. They have a good selection of drinks in their drink case as well. I do agree that their service is lacking, but I have never been glared at or kicked out. They are for the most part very straight forward about their food. If you come in, you are coming in beacause you are hungry and you have some money in your pocket. The men who run the place are either greek or turkish, I am not sure, but they have a no nonsense attitude that I admire. When I come in there, I am usually not in the mood for banter anyway. If it has been a rough school-day then I most likely will not have had a break for four hours and my head will be aching with hunger. This place is better than two advils and a glass of water when I cant wait until I get home to get some tasty grub without all the grease and fried food. One note... beware of garlic breath! My Final Assessment: A-hole factor: straight forward old dudes... They dont owe you anything except for what you pay for so just pay, sit down and eat your food. I think this helps keep the vagrants out. Atmosphere: It is well maintained and pretty clean for the location it is in. Food: Moderately yummy, comforting and refreshing when you need to fill your belly. I will add more as I try the other dishes. Co$t: about $7-10 per person Return Customer: It sure beats Subway and Burger King. Ill take Gyro King any day.
(3)
Mobile B.
The gyros here are rather blah. The beef and lamb meat served up here is not of the gyro meat loaf variety. Instead it is sliced up off a layered pieces of the meat. While this would seem to produce a great tasting gyro, the meat is dry and not seasoned very well. The place is frenetic during lunch. You can often get a good show of the guys arguing back behind the counter. So lunch and show for under 7 bucks! And who said SF was expensive?
(3)
Chaney K.
Maybe I'm just biased in favor of Greek gyros with thick bread, but the gyro I had here was pretty awful. Overcooked, crispy wrap, imperceptible tzatziki, and just a pile of iceberg lettuce and rubbery meat. It was the only item I had, though, so I can't comment on the quality of their other food.
(2)
Cindy B.
After reading the reviews we ordered the combination gyro and thought it was just ok. Maybe our expectations were too high but we've had better gyros at other places.
(3)
Bernadette M.
I came in to get some baklava that evening as surprise for my bf. There were two kinds and they were both good. Spent about $5.50 for a total of 4 pieces. My bf was pleased with them. I like the flaky part and for them not too syrupy. The counter person was helpful. The kebobs looked delicious. I'll have to try those sometime. I see this spot everyday on my way to work. The gentleman at the grill smiled at me on my way out... a way to say 'thanks' maybe? Cool with me!
(3)
Mark C.
Since returning from Paris I've been in desperate search of Grec with Frites, and despite my best attempts I've yet to find a place that compares to the flavors I experienced while abroad. In that search I managed to find my way to the Gyro King. I attend school near the public library, so finding this little treasure is quite helpful to my wallet and my body. I purchased a lamb and beef gyro and found it quite scrumptious! the beef was a little dry for my taste, and there were too many cucumbers but those things aside the gyro was good for the price, though I can't say it's my favorite gyro place in the city I can say that it's now one of my regular stops. I'm very anxious to try out the kebabs next time I go in.
(4)
miriam b.
For their soup ......4 stars. February 2007 Kofte Nazi...Tessiker....allah.... Hey...it was cold, it was 11:30 AM, there was no line and just tried their red lentil soup and it had a slice of lemon for the soup, borek bread and yummy soup for $4. (Saw Homeless Guy with a slice of semolina honey soaked cake in polystyrene container with a HUMONGOUS toothless smile as he walked towards Salvation Army....PRICELESS!!!) ********* Good to get a bite before 11:30 am or after 3pm Mon-Friday. There is usually such a LOOOOOONGGG line M-F around from noon - 2pm because of the SOMA-Civic Center workers that want to get yummy lunch close by. Not the best Turkish food in the Bay Area, but they have improved since the lunch crowds have grown. I first ordered something from them around 2002 and was really, really disappointed at the dim flavors contrary to good Turkish food. But was feeling nostalgic for some Turkish food so decided to visit Turkey for the food fix alone... Order the falafel sandwich to go. The sample platter.
(3)
Kaitie D.
walked by it once thought "huh, that might be good to try. it has that hole-in-the-wall ambiance" so today I thought I'd try it! came in....it smelled so good! Mediterranean people working AND eating here, already looks promising. the menu is a tad confusing due to the fact that the lamb and beef gyro show up in like 4 different places on the menu....for different prices. and i wasnt about to ask any questions for he didnt speak english that well and i have i very hard time understanding accents. ordered the beef and lamb gyro. only waited for like 3 minutes. soo GOOD! perfectly seasoned beef and lamb. perfect size and very very filling! it could use a tad bit more yogurt and the pita could be a tad warmer (but i had walked for about 5 mins before eating it so that may be....) but otherwise its pure perfection. definitely coming back and trying other things! i dont think the staff is trying to be mean i think they're just trying to be quick and efficient so it comes off a bit unfriendly
(4)
Todd C.
Love the falafel wrap here. Run by some Turkish chaps and I often try to identify what is being said on the TV, invariably on a Turkish channel. Still, the food is excellent. The falafel wrap is made quickly and is always good; you can also get some lovely sweet, if a little sticky, baklava. Small dining area with entirely too many chairs...well, at least for my taste; I spend half my life it seems, trying to avoid stepping on or over people, being 6'2 and having long limbs. Anyway. That's not why you called. Thoroughly recommended and if you are hungry leaving the south side of the library, it's right there. You can pay with credit card too!
(5)
Jen S.
Love this place. We always eat here on our way to the Symphony. Some things are sold out by the time we get there but I really enjoy the gyros and greek salad. The guys behind the counter don't mess around-- they're great!
(4)
Carol N.
Gyro King is great! The service is quick and efficient. This is an excellent place to pick up food to go when you are on Jury Duty and have to rush back for intense deliberations. I had the beef and lamb gyro; it was super! Can't wait to go back and try other things!!!
(5)
anita c.
Pretty good gyros across the street from the main library. beats the pants off anything else in the area. counter staff were pleasant, and the beef+lamb gyro ($5.50) was tasty, if a little dry. I'll definitely try other items when I'm picking up my books...
(3)
David D.
I like the food here a lot... the sampler plate is good, the kebabs are great, and both together make an excellent meal for two. They do a better job grilling meat than at a lot of higher end Turkish places. Good desserts too. Service is friendly and efficient except when the place is slammed (lunchtime or pre-show). The owner is kind of wacky but I don't think he's unfriendly.
(4)
Gerald C.
A quick hunger fix right by the main library for $5-6, if you're looking for something different. Beef and lamb gyro was a little dry, but at least it wasn't a soggy drippy mess (like they often are at other places).
(3)
Tinou B.
My new favorite quick eat. Ever since Berlin, which apparently has a big Turkish population, and those doner kababs I've been craving gyros. How can you not love meat that comes from a big slab on a stick? Got the lamb and beef gyro plate for $8.95. Includes meat, salad, two types of rice, and bread. Filling and tasty. Definitely will come back. I would like them to slice the gyros a little thinner though, but nonetheless, it's good. The owner is like the "gyro nazi" but he's not that bad. Greatness demands discipline.
(5)
Jess H.
Gyro King is the closest thing to a mediterranean fast food joint. The food is good, fresh and healthy; I particularly enjoy their chicken kebab platter that comes with couscous, seasoned rice, salad, and yogurt/herb dipping sauce which is the bomb! The location is kind of sucky but the fact that it's open til 10pm makes up for it...
(4)
jeff h.
Great food and good prices. I go to this restaurant once a month and their food always taste great. It is clean and they have a good variety. Their prices are very good a well. Their kofte is best you will find anywhere. My wife likes their desserts as well. People are always nice and very helpful.
(4)
Nicole N.
The first time I ate here was awhile back, right before I saw Wicked at the Orpheum (across the street). Otherwise, I ordinarily wouldn't be wondering around that area looking for a place to eat. I think I ordered the lamb and beef gyro and it was pretty good... good enough to make me come back for more. I don't know if it's just me, but decent Mediterranean restaurants are hard to find in the city. Actually, this isn't so much a restaurant, but more of a casual dining spot. There really isn't any table service provided, but that's fine. Recently, I went back and ordered the lamb shish kebab. I love the TV dinner style thing they have going on, where they give you a bunch of sides (which are all good by the way) with your meal.
(4)
Nat K.
The chicken gyro is lacking in spice, IMO, but the lamb gyro is good. If you don't do lamb or beef, falafel is the way to go over chicken. The sandwiches are big enough for two to share, and one of the few places in the area to take credit cards.
(3)
Oktay Ege K.
This was a really cool place. As a Turkish person, I had no idea they had yummy Turkish food. If you want to real ethnic experience, ask for the Gyro Wrap "Turkish Style" or you can call it "Doner Durum" if you want to impress the people there. It's basically Gyro meat with greens, onion, tomato and spicy sauce (And french fries if you want it Istanbul Style). The baklava is pretty good and the fries are very good.
(5)
Frankie D.
Where the hell can one in this fine town of ours to get a gyro on a pita instead of lavash? Certainly not here!
(3)
Babs P.
Ordering at this place is the closest you'll get to ordering from the Soup Nazi. The deli guy is mean and yells at you, but the food is decent and inexpensive.
(3)
charlene l.
fyi- this is turkish food, not greek. common misconception. it is pretty good. food is a bit greasy. santorini and adana kabap are better. go to gyro king is you are in the neighborhood, want to practice speaking turkish, or feel the need to stroll through one of the more interesting segments of the sf population.
(4)
Joe G.
The meat is a little salty, and so is the guy behind the counter, but watching the talking-head arguments on Turkish TV makes up for all of it.
(3)
Mike L.
this is where you go if you want a gyro and someone to hate you while you eat it. it's totally worth your trip to eat here, the gyro plate is the best and it's a ton of food. it's for sure the best in the city.I'm not sure why they don't like anyone that walks in the door but its too good to stop going. my friends and i know it as the "gyro nazi" , but trust me it's uber good.
(4)
chini l.
Food is great although the place is supercrowded at lunch. Love the chicken shish kebab and baklava.
(5)
W M.
The only real drawback here are the long lunch lines and the 10 minute wait for a lamb kebab. But the food is very tasty and generous in proportion--the meat is all halal, similar to kosher standards of meat handling. The owner guy is brusque but I think it's really all about efficiency. Best kebab place around civic center.
(4)
Gene L.
Listen, i'm from the midwest (chicago), and maybe the gyros are different there, but the gyros platter was not tasty in the least. Instead of pita, they give you basically slices of bread (this is the platter, didn't try the sandwich). Can anyone point me in the direction of your standard, even Americanized, gyros with loads of cucumber sauce? I'd be eternally grateful. The only ones i know have disappointed, incl. Oasis Grill.
(2)
J G.
i like this place. i've gotten the sampler plate and it was great - babaganoush was tasty, hummus served with a drizzle of olive oil, tabouleh was good - all-in-all good stuff. i got a chicken shwarma another time, it was ok but the chickpea salad was delightful. next time i'll have to try the kebab. oh... i will be back!!
(4)
Trevor D.
The food here is middle of the road at best. The good thing is that the portions are generous. If you are hungry near the library then check it out, but don't bring a date.
(3)
Chris C.
Pretty good gyro. The serving size was HUGE and the meats tasted great. Service is excellent, but the atmosphere is a little lacking. More of a fast food vibe but with way better food.
(3)
Sarah W.
For the price:amount:taste:convenience, the chicken gyro was 3.5 stars. I'm not someone who gets Greek food a lot (and if I do I hazard on the vegetarian side bc it's so amaze) but I was on the way to the Symphony (pinky raise) and I was hungry! I only had 15 minutes to eat, so I quickly got off Civic Center bart, walked a couple blocks to Gyro King (on the way to the Symphony), scanned the menu quickly, and ordered what I considered a safe option - the chicken gyro. For $7 it was quite the deal! They prepped it while I used their restroom (woot). Two minutes later, I was out the door. The bread was fluffy, warm, and dang tasty. The chicken was bland (and I tend to like slightly under seasoned foods)! I was so sad. Combined with a lackluster tahini sauce and salad items, it was only A-OK. That said, the convenience can't be beat! I go to the Symphony (pinky raise) 3x year and each time I'm in a rush...so I will give this place another try and another try and another try. But next time, I will try the lamb or beef gyro. Btw, they also serve baklava, which looks so gud (what baklava doesn't?). I won't get it here though since I'm close to Oasis in Belmont, which serves wholesale baklava, meaning 24 pieces for $8. I cannot pay $3 for one piece, GK, but perhaps YOU can. Anyway, try this place out and support your local musicians aka the renowned SF Symphony!
(3)
Samantha C.
This place was close to the Orpheum and we wanted to grab dinner before our show. I really wanted to like this place, but things didn't turn out that way. I ordered their king gyro salad and my BF got their gyro wrap, and we shared a slice of ravani. My gyro salad actually came with chicken instead of lamb, which was surprising since this was the first place I've been to where gyro is chicken instead of lamb. The veggies in salad was tasty; nice, tart, and crisp. The chicken however was incredibly dry. It looked good, but overlooked I guess. My BF also thought his wrap was dry. He ended up taking my yogurt for his wrap. The ravani was interesting. It was soaked with a sugary syrup, making the cake really wet and sweet. Maybe it's me, but I'm just not used to eating cake wet. Service was nice though. The people are really friendly.
(2)
Ziyan C.
Great service. Even though it's a very hole-in-the wall order-at-the-counter type of diner, the kind where you'd imagine staff to be jaded and to not care about service, I got a great vibe from the guys at the counter here. They gave our group an enthusiastic hello and bright smiles. The man who took my payment went out of his way to bring my dish to my table. * Free bread - 3.5 stars Very thick crust, soft on the inside. Plain but would've tasted fantastic with butter! I was wondering why they didn't have any. * Gyro King Salad ($7.99) - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/gyro… Lots of food! Pretty good chicken, a little on the dry side. The salad's a bit lackluster, the ingredients simple and not the most fresh.
(3)
Kimia M.
This place is so underrated! Its really delicious, fresh, good quality, great service! I had the beef/lamb gyro wrap and it tasted so authentic! They have a housemade yogurt sauce which is also super tasty, as well as their special hot sauce! The man who works the register is helpful and kind. People probably miss this place because its in a random location, but i definitely recommend it!
(5)
Linda K.
Me: "What's the most popular meal sold here?" Owner: ".... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Me: "Wait what's so funny?" Not a good first impression. I've never tried Mediterranean food, so I wanted to ask what's good for fucks sake. I ended up getting the lamb and beef gyro wrap that I found mediocre. It was the size of my forearm and it probably tasted the same as it would be if I actually ate my forearm - utter despair. The wrap was incredibly dry and flaky. The meat was juicy and sliced very thinly. It was overpowered by the dry wrap so the combination of the two was poor. The sauce was thin and liquid-like so it was dripping from my hands onto my plate. The vegetables were not evenly distributed, so I was only chewing on meat and wrap until I ripped it completely open to see the vegetables on the bottom. I was disappointed. I hate to give this places bad review. My company enjoyed their meals. They had the gyro on a plate and kebabs they enjoyed the side of bread they provided as well. Maybe I'll try that next time to give this place another chance.
(3)
Michael C.
Gyro King Indeed! Despite the well-presented, yet ultimately uninspired, salad, Gyro King soared to new heights in our office lunch fare. Their meats were exquisitely and surprisingly succulent, as if freshly cut from the gyroscopic rotisserie of a small Mediterranean street vendor's shop, dripping, sizzling, and crackling in its own savory juices. The spices were expertly chosen -- their recipe likely plucked from the lips of an old greek granny, a yaya if you will, deep in the roots of this family-owned business's familial tree. An interesting shock, their falafel sported new yet not unwelcomed flavors, unusual of falafels of caterers past. Long live the Gyro King! My tastebuds stand his loyal subjects.
(4)
Amanda M.
Wonderful customer service, great food, and quick eats. Boyfriend and I ran in here before watching a show at the Orpheum and were in and out in 25 min. We each had a wrap, one falafel and one lamb shish kebab. Both were delicious though I wish mine had some raw onions in it, just as a personal preference. What really put this place over the top was the owner. We chatted with him a bit about the homeless problem right outside of his store and it's very clear that the guy has a big heart. He said they often give free meals to those outside but that feeding the people cannot solve all of the problems they have. While I completely agree, I respect that he does what he can. Until next time Gyro King...
(5)
Matthew H.
The food is very consistent every time I have eaten at this establishment. Their falafels are my fav. Eat healthy:)
(4)
Ralph R.
Great tasting food and quick service. I had the chicken salad (healthy (big) portion chicken gyro meat on a bed of greens). It was excellent.
(4)
Rob H.
The falafel was...ok. Not even close to what I could get in Israel. And...maybe it was hot today (I'll give them that) but the two gentleman behind the counter (owners?) were a bit lacking in service (ie, no eye contact and no greetings). I saw them give the middle aged customers who happened to be dressed in "business" attire decent service, but me...looking younger and trendy, not the same treatment :/ Don't bother coming here unless this sort of thing doesn't matter to you :) I don't understand this kind of attitude. If you've come to SF from somewhere else (as these men most likely have), make an effort to know the locals here. A wise person knows that money and loyalty don't necessarily show up in the form of over-the-top suits c'mon that's the east coast! Ok enough of my rant :)
(2)
Philip C.
My partner and I went here today for lunch. It was his first visit. We were greeted by a very nice man as soon as we entered. As usual, I ordered a lamb gyro while my partner ordered a chicken gyro. He also got a couple of pieces of baklava for dessert. We beat the lunch crowd so we picked a nice table along the wall. The gyros were ready in minutes. As soon as I smelled the warm lavash, I became very hungry. My gyro was delicious. The lamb was tasty and just needed a little pepper. I wish there had been more tzatiki sauce. My partner like his gyro, too, and we both ate everything. The baklava was the perfect finish to our meal. We will be back!
(4)
Clare M.
The food is delicious and the service is exceptional! They really care about their customers. The owner is really nice and personable. I make a stop here every time I come to the city. And, it's right down the street from Bill Graham's auditorium! Perfect.
(5)
Gabby G.
This place is bomb for lunch! The cold appetizer combo plate is amazing, especially the eggplant salad. Also the staff are so nice. I'm not making any citywide claims here, but definitely one of the best lunches in the civic center area.
(5)
C A.
The best place to eat in the area. Everything they serve is made from scratch; you watch them grill the kebabs, roast the giros, right in front of you. I overheard a conversation between a customer and one of the chefs. The customer asked: "Where do you get your baklava from?" the chef said, "I make it, every day." I eat there once or twice a week an I never get tired of their food. My favorite dish is the salmon special. They don't have it all the time, but when they have it I always order it. The salmon is moist and savory. It is served on a bed of vegetables and potatoes and it comes with freshly baked bread roll. The taste is amazing, a perfect symphony of spices and fresh ingredients. All their meats are of great quality and cook to perfection. I think the secret is in the preparation. They marinate the chicken the lamb and the salmon in spices overnight and cook them at a perfect temperature. I have been eating there for years and I never had a piece of dry meat. There is a pretty good selection of vegetarian dishes too - eggplant salad, potato salad, Fetta pie, spinach pie, etc. The owners are very friendly people. They really care about their customers. They always great you with a smile, even at lunch hour when tons of people swarm the place. I usually try to avoid lunch hour. If you go there after 1:30 - 2:00 PM it is quiet and pleasant place. The owner comes to chat with me, and on occasion offers me free tea.
(5)
Liza B.
Ok Mediterranean food. Generous portions. Overly sweet desserts. Im a sucker for Turkish, Greek sweets but this is reeealy sugary and has way too much of a syrop. Owner though was very friendly and helpful with describing his dishes.
(3)
Tauasa T.
I love gyros and these guys make the best gyros I've ever had. You get a choice of lamb, beef or chicken, and they come wrapped in about a foot-long pita - with extra tzaziki! The guys working there are super friendly, and they have great pics of Istanbul all over the walls. This place is bomb I tell you!
(5)
Bennett W.
3/19/2014: This restaurant is conveniently across the street from San Francisco Public Library Main Branch. I really could have went to Burger King but I chose not to so I came and got something to eat. I wasn't very hungry so I only ordered a plate of rice and a bottle of Sprite. I will be back for pita bread, kebabs and hummus the next time I am here. Good food, good service, the guy who took my order was friendly.
(4)
Sylvia O.
I work down the street from this place and decided to try it out! The gyros are pretty good--not dry like others that I've tried. The employees are nice and service was great. The price was a bit more than I had expected, but not outrageous. Looking for a yummy gyro? Come here!
(5)
M L.
Comfy, fast, huge portions, endless bread, absolutely delicious. Definitely check this out if you're in a hurry for a show at the Orpheum (which we were).
(5)
Akshay J.
Awesome food. This is one of the best mediterranean restaurants I have ever been to. The owner/manager was really humble and helped us decide on what we want to eat from a plethora of dishes.
(5)
Noelle H.
I was heading to the bill graham civic center and was starving. I walked quickly around the block and this was the best sounding option for food. The chicken gyro was like a Mediterranean burrito! I enjoyed it, and for the price you can't really beat the amount of food you get! Service was quick!
(4)
Christine A.
This place is pretty expensive and their meat is pretty dry and with little to no flavor, I was expecting a real gyro with the pita bread and the whole Shabang but instead got this burrito looking thing with a thin tortilla stuff. It was not good. I don't see my self coming here again.
(1)
Jason J.
I can see me going here a whole lot if I have 9 minutes or more to wait for my bus, at 8th & Market , on my way to work. they're that quick! ..and that delicious!! Today was my 2nd time there ordering a they're gyro. Last time I was here I ordered the lamb & beef gyro. It was absolutely a 5-star beauty, in taste & size, for only $6.50+tax!! I was prepared to give it a 5-star rating when I went in to order tonight's gyro; a combo(lamb & beef w/chicken) for $6.75. Again a great value for this delicious, well packed gyro! I had to deduct 1-star though because some of the chicken was a bit over done & dry. kill Come in guys, Watch that chicken!! You should know when it's too dry to use. I hope next time to still enjoy my gyro even more! & PEOPLE!! It's unfair to give this place a low rating just because of its location. A lot of great restaurants, with the best cheap food you'll ever find, are located in gritty, undesirable locations of town. It's what keeps foodies from ruining it!
(4)
Daanyaal K.
Whether this place is Turkish or Greek the lamb gyro/doner is not authentic, it is Krono's Gyro which is mass produced and found in Restaurant Depot. I ordered the chicken doner sandwich which was okay, the chicken lacked flavor and so did the sandwich. It is located across the SF Public Library and they do take card.
(3)
Eric M.
I am so happy that we walked around the corner and tried this place. The owner was super helpful and encouraging. Even gave us a split order on baklava so we could sample his desserts. I had the chicken wrap and some hummus. Plenty of wrap for a good, healthy meal.
(5)
H T.
Service was meh. Gyro wrap was even more meh.... The gyro meat lacked seasoning. at $7.50/ sandwich, i would expect more. Can't say i'll be back.
(2)
Jennifer W.
This place is pretty good value. The meat plates are a generous amount. The appetizer combo plate is as good as an entree, especially if you are indecisive. It has a little of everything. Many of the dishes also come with a raita, pickled cabbage, and cucumber salad, which are excellent and refreshing sides. The tabbouleh and white bean salad are good too. All of which has a nice level of acidity. The dolmas are pretty good here too. I love both the baba ganoush and hummus, very creamy texture. Also creamy is their yellow lentils soup. They also have complimentary housemade bread for most dishes. It's the same bread used for the pies, which is my go-to. They are savory, easy for transport, and a good size for the price, though I have to warn are bready. I would recommend the gyro pie, but all pretty good. The restaurant itself is very close to Civic Center BART. The service is pretty quick and there is lots of self-seating. It's a very casual setting.
(4)
Dale D.
Great taste turkish food with homemade sweet. Chicken kabobs with rice, couscous, salad, yogurt sauce and homemade bread is a must.
(5)
Stefanie C.
The only good thing about this place is the low price of the food, but in my opinion, you get what you pay for. I like that Gyro King is spacious and close to the Orpheum Theater (which is why I came here in the first place) but the food and service were okay. I ordered the beef and lamb gyro but it was pretty much tasteless, even with the tzatziki sauce inside. The only thing that made it better was the hot sauce I had to drench it with. It was bearable enough to eat most of it, but I would not give this place a second chance.
(1)
E K.
I've been coming here for many years. The food is good and the people are very friendly. I'm completely obsessed with their Salmon platter. its so good ! i went before work and it wasn't ready so they said they would save it for me and they did !! for 10.95 plus tax it was enough food to keep my belly full all day and keep me happy. I hope they are here forever, they are awesome.
(5)
Semuteh F.
I always get the chicken gyro- cheap, delicious, and filling. I really want to try the chicken kebab wrap but it takes 10 min and I'm usually in a hurry. They have some delicious looking breads/baklava in the display case that I hope to try one day. The one thing I really love about this place is the warm service. The older gentleman at the register always makes my day better- he always smiles and asks me how my day is! Very small gesture that makes a huge difference in an otherwise rushed lunch hour.
(4)
Luke C.
I really wanted to like this place. They have a new menu, so after being here half a dozen times I thought it'd be new and improved. The combo plates are fresh and delicious, hence the 3 stars, but the gyro is just terrible.
(3)
Foodlover B.
We've stopped here many times for dessert and today we tried the lamb/beef gyro and it was just weird. The meat has no flavor, in fact, an odd aftertaste. Extremely cheap kinda meat. Ugh The lamb gyro, made from a kabob, was a little better. The meat is in chunks. They recommended some feta bread, which was totally blah and boring. The only reason it gets three stars is because the desserts are always so good. Advice: get some dessert to go, skip the other food. Today we walked here, on a Sunday, after seeing Madame Butterfly at the sf opera. Which was over the top awesome!
(3)
Tandori J.
I had no idea that a restaurant could screw up falafel's so badly. It was a terrible experience. The cooks weren't wearing any gloves and the guy who made this falafel sandwich was using his hands to run the register and do other things. I will probably never return to this place
(1)
MT Y.
One of the few good eateries in the area when you want a quick bite, but do not want fast-food. Kebabs and Falafels are both good. Prices are fair.. Wait time is usually fine. The man who does most of the cooking is great - sometimes I ask for help deciding what to get and he will explain things to me. The lady who sometimes works the cash register seems annoyed most of the time, but maybe she is just oh-so tired from being on her feet all day.
(3)
Jason B.
Decent enough for a quick grab and go. They are routinely busy, which is good. But they routinely leave items off the dishes as well. If the salad expressly says it has olives and cucumber, perhaps at least one of each would be considered necessary? Still, the amount of food is good, the quality is decent, and the staff friendly. Not bad for a spot between skid row Burger King and the urban gym.
(3)
Adelaide S.
I am sad to say that I am not a fan. I've been searching for a good gyro in the Civic Center area and was excited to finally try Gyro King... but after my disappointing lamb gyro yesterday I'm not sure I will be back. My main complaint is the quality of the meat. It completely lacked flavor. Maybe I should have gone for the chicken? The gyro was pretty plain and would have been better with some hot sauce on it. I will say though, the guys working here were really sweet to me. After reading other reviews I was not expecting them to be so friendly. The guy behind the counter offered to let me try a half and half gyro with chicken and lamb.. I didn't take him up on it, but maybe I should have!
(2)
Geordie E.
Rice pudding has changed. Not as good as before. Please bring the former version back.
(3)
Jack H.
I found this place while attending some concerts at Bill Graham Auditorium. A family establishment. And they are not only friendly the food is authentic and has a great ethnic quality. The chicken gyros are awesome. Easy in and easy out. Food is worth stopping by for. And I will definately be eating there today since I'm passing through the area.
(5)
Amelia N.
Mediocre food and service is a bit unfriendly. The meat was not marinated. The place didn't have hot sauce to make the Adana kebap roll taste better. Don't have much to else to say- won't be coming back.
(3)
Rami A.
Very light and healthy foods with amazing taste. The only place for a quick meal in SF I can go without feeling heavy and disgusting after eating. Very fairly priced too so I always feel like I got more than I paid for. Get the salmon, salmon kebab, or the eggplant with meat. Appetizer combo is delicious too.
(5)
Sean J.
Holy Taziki! Don't let the name fool you... It certainly ain't just Gyros. It's an all out Mediterranean Extravaganza!!! I had one of the most best tasting meals I've had in a long time. This was a five star meal.
(5)
Matt G.
Lion King (me) meets Gyro King; the Civic Center Mediterranean restaurant that specialize in Gyros. I may not be a fearless feline like Mufasa or be as cute as his son, Simba. But I do have the looks and appetite of Pumbaa (the cute boar) to dine here (Watch the damn Disney movie yo' self, if you had no idea what the heck I'm talking about). Also I'm heroic enough to dine here too. A gyro and a burrito have identical features- "big and meaty" in a dough. No, I still know they are both different. But they are both made for an appetite of a lion. For $6.25, I had the Chicken and Lamb Gyro. This wrap has pieces of grilled chicken and lamb, chopped tomatoes, parsley, hummus and a tangy tzatziki yogurt sauce in a warm grilled flatbread. The meats were lean and grilled very nice. This Gyro is just as good as a burrito, but different. I was hungry that day and also ordered a plate of Tabbouleh salad for $3.50. The Arab salad just came out of the kitchen as I placed my order. The cooked bulgur grain mixed with other vegetables including the overpowering amount of mint is an aromatic salad is a must have. And for the price, you will get a good amount. Ordering the salad was a bit excessive for lunch, but I was desperate because the salad was just cooked and made fresh. Okay, I do have the appetite of Pumbaa. Credit Cards are accepted here. And the Health Department score is 92. " Yeah, you are at a jungle at Civic Center!"
(4)
Jaime R.
This is some of the most bland middle eastern food I've ever tasted. It's like they didn't have any lemon or salt on hand. People seen to like their sandwiches so maybe it's ok if you order one of those. I got the veggie combo and it was just terrible. I picked at it for a few minutes and then just got rid of it.
(2)
Chris T.
I had two delicious items here that hit the spot. First, a chicken gyro with tender and savory (but not overly seasoned) meat, tomatoes, and crisp veggies. Second, a warm and toasty spinach resembling a pretzel stuffed with tender spinach. There's often a line out the door around noon, but it dies down by 1 pm.
(4)
Gabriela G.
Great friendly staff. It's family owned. The dynamic feels like family (and this works in the restaurant's favor) making it homey, warm and welcoming. The daughters take your order, father cooks the meat and mother brings the food to your plate from the kitchen. The food is consistently good. The red lentil mint soup with lime was delicious; as was the lamb kebab. My friend ordered the kebab combo (which comes with a skewer of chicken and a skewer of lamb and he said the lamb was by far better). White bean salad with vinegar dressing also looked amazing, though I didn't try it. If you are vegetarian they have many option that are hearty and filling. The pies must be amazing cause they were sold out by the time we got there for dinner. The baklavas and other desserts were shiny and inviting though we were too full to order them. Humble decor. Broken restroom (even for customers makes this a bit of an inconvenience if you want to hang for longer than a while). At Gyro King, you'll get a pretty good meal at a reasonable price.
(4)
Alyssaaa S.
Hummus was good, a little on the oily and salty side for me but still creamy. I wish they toasted/heated the sesame bread that compliments it. Not bad for $5.
(3)
Jake N.
Disappointing. I got the lamb and beef gyros wrap, and while the bread and salad were tasty, the meat was greasy and didn't taste very fresh. I didn't finish it, despite being hungry. Service was great and I wanted to make this one of my go-to places, but I don't want to eat that meat again. Maybe the chicken is better?
(2)
Jonathan S.
Food was good and price was pretty good. Service was friendly as well. I got the chicken gyro platter and the rice mixed very well with the chicken and the sauce. I'm not sure if I'd go back because I have had more flavorful gyros elsewhere, and the price is at the absolute top of what I would be willing to pay, if not a little over.
(3)
Paul A.
We ate here before the symphony last weekend. I had eaten there many years ago and remembered their home-cooked specials. I think the specials must be during lunch, because there were only sandwich and platter items. We both ordered the gyro platter. It comes with a salad, a scoop of rice and a scoop of couscous. Very starchy. In addition we got a basket of bread. Sadly, nothing on the plate had any flavor. We kept searching for taste in the meat and salad -- nothing! We both couldn't imagine how you could even make food so bland tasting, especially any kind of Mediterranean food! What a shame. I was particularly bothered that the bread was served in a wicker basket with no liner or napkin underneath. I refused to touch it, even though it looked good. I kept thinking about all the germs that must live in the fibers of that basket. I'm sure they don't put them through the washer. The place was in between clean and dirty. The staff was pleasant. It all had an air of having given up.
(2)
Faiza A.
Disgusting!!! The food sucks ass. The Gyro doesn't even remotely taste gyro. Waste of appetite!!
(1)
Ariana G.
This is a wonderful Turkish establishment that is underrated. I usually head here after a work out and get the Greek salad with gyro meat and feta dressing - it's tastes amazing! And the owner is incredibly nice and loves to take care of customers. Over all a great place to stop by and grab a quick bite for lunch. The bread is amazing too!
(5)
Repent Seek Salvation Y.
I love to order the veggie combo plate (Mediterranean dish). It's fresh and so good with spices but hurry because it sells out fast daily. The owner is down to earth too.
(4)
Pam M.
What more can you ask for? Tip: This place is cheap for SF prices, the food is good, the owner is friendly if you try to chat him up, and it's right around the corner from the Orpheum theater. If you want a quick dinner before a show, at a reasonable price, give this place a try. Food: I love Med food and this place satisfied. With any Med place, I recommend dolmas. I loooove dolmas! The taste might have to grow on you - it did for me at least. I had the lamb and beef gyro. Price: The meal altogether cost $14 (with a bottle of water) but it's easily two meals for a gal like me.
(4)
Ben M.
What I Ate - lamb gyro Would I Go Again? Gyro King won't rock your taste buds, but it will provide a satisfying gyro. The lamb is pretty good, but I thought the gyro was a little dry. The hummus is pretty good, but, again, I thought the pita bread was a little dry. Gyro King will give you a solid lunch, but don't expect anything especially delicious.
(3)
Deacon B.
Not great but affordable. Food lacks flavor and the language barrier proved to be frustrating and incorrect. Won't be going back any time soon.
(3)
Fannie S.
I'm here almost every time that I go to the library. And for that reason alone, I try to limit my trips to the library to once a month, if I can help it (or if my books can be renewed from home!) I've been eating their special plate of the day and lamb+beef gyros mostly. I have yet to try their kebabs or falafel. I like sticking to what I like from this place, and I haven't been disappointed. (Thank God!!!) Service = friendly enough. Most of the time, it's a grunt though. Don't take it personally. Prices = reasonable. They accept cash, and plastic! Seating = reminds me of a hospital cafeteria. lol But hey it's clean. And it's self-service, mostly. They have rice pudding on some days, but they almost always have baklava.
(4)
Al S.
Gyros, Kebabs, and Dolmas oh my! The gyro king is a little hole in the wall situated near Civic center. I usually get the platters (I try to avoid the abundance of carbs). The chicken entree is my favorite. It's seasoned well and the portions are pretty good. They also are pretty good with substitutions with no extra charge (I feel like the salad is a waste of a side). One thing I've been seeing is that people have been saying it's pretty cheap. I think it's a little pricey. It's good but not sure if it's worth what they're charging. The place is worth trying though.
(4)
Tania C.
B
(1)
Cheryl Q.
Such a convenient spot for when I'm craving a piece of bread or a refreshing salad for lunch. For a snack, I sometimes order a spinach pie or a piece of bread and hummus. For lunch, I usually order the gyro king salad, which has a mixture of lettuce, a light creamy cucumber dressing and plenty of flavorful chicken. Sometimes I don't even need the dressing. They're quick and efficient about getting you your orders and prices are decent. Their gyros are huge also!
(4)
Cooter T.
This is home food for me and the owner, chef and everyone else are lovely. Their cacik is unbeatable. {()}
(5)
Jennifer H.
I don't know what everybody else had here but I loved my meat beef gyro. It was my first gyro and I liked it a lot. I would recommend the gyro here along with a side salad. Maybe a soda to wash it down too :)
(5)
Tammy C.
(See pics) Popular place to grab a delicious gyro, kebab, baklava, etc. It's at a perfect location with Civic Center, the library, right by the Muni/Bart/bus stops. People come by when they are being picked up by friends from the station, groups who are getting a couple dozens wraps to go, and those who want to stay and enjoy a break from all the commotions outside.
(4)
Kei H.
Don't know if this place is quite deserving of the title Gyro KING. Maybe more like a duke. Or baron. Came here after exiting the BART station. I was starving, but didn't want to go to Burger King, so I decided to give this place a try! The decor is pretty cool! I liked the home-y feeling, but the people working here were anything but. None of the guys were smiling and they weren't friendly. Granted, they were efficient though. Anyway, the food was pretty good. I got the ezo gelin soup (I think it's lentil?) and the chicken gyro. I personally liked the soup better than the gyro; tastier and it was worth the price (only $3.50!) It's not that the gyro was bad, it just wasn't amazing. There was enough sauce inside, so it wasn't dry! And they didn't skimp on the protein! Whoo! I think I need to try some of the platters because from the looks of other reviews, those seem to be better deals and the food is better?
(3)
Emir A.
This is a good option for a hungry halal soul. If you go to the fantastic library stop here for lunch or early dinner. The food is more Turkish than whatever yelp says. The owners are always there and only a couple of the men are friendly. Otherwise just order (don't say please), pay, take your food (without saying thank you) and you'll be fine. No one will notice. If you are a guy you can chit-chat with the girls if their uncle or dad are not around. They are friendly and may be glad for your business. Enjoy!
(5)
Ward A.
With a name like Gyro King you'd think they'd get THAT right. I stood by the "Order Here" sign and was ignored for a while. I wasn't texting, I was looking at everyone. So I get to the counter and order a Lamb Gyro (I even pronounced it properly) to go. The gyro I got came out VERY quickly. Like, suspiciously quick. To my surprise it was a bland, dry and chewy gyro. The meat tasted like chalk, the lettuce was wilted. No onions, no tomatoes. The tzatziki sauce had a consistency of water, and really didn't taste authentic to me. And the pita was thin and hard. I've eaten TONS of gyros in my day. I love em, they're probably one of my favorite sandwiches, however; this was quite possibly the worst one I've ever had. I cannot say I'll ever be coming back. It's a shame too, because I was looking forward to going here.
(1)
Em C.
I used to come here when i went to school around the corner. Its one of the better alternatives than the the burger king and carl's jr. that are in the same/near vicinity of this place. The service is pretty quick (especially since my classmates and I were in a hurry for some lunch), and the food is pretty tasty. Although sometimes the cashier can be in a less then friendly mood, but don't be put off by him (he warms up to people if he sees you enough). Personally I am in love with their couscous, its got an herby tomatoey flavor and the veggies mixed are good as well. I usually order the lamb/beef gyro pate when I am feeling hungrier than usual. Its a large place piled with meat, rice, couscous, salad, and a side of bread; But sometimes I got a gyro wrap. The meat can be on the dry side some day, depending on what time you go, but for the most part its moist and nummy. I need to go back and get me some food from there, honestly i would make a trip just to go eat there.
(4)
Shadi K.
it is a great place for a beef/lamb gyro, also they have the yogurt drink "ayran". Its fast and cheap and tastes good.
(4)
Janom S.
Worst lamb gyro ever. Only palatable if you were starving. The hot sauce is piracha and not the conventional Mediterranean one. The place is shabby and looks unclean. Would never go there nor recommend anyone to.
(1)
Kris C.
I ordered the beef and lamb gyro.The portion size was pretty good for $6.50. The bread was a little too thin and the meat was kind of dry, but my issue was with the service. The grey haired man w/ glasses behind the counter seemed very annoyed that I asked what was on the gyro platter, and even more annoyed when I asked him to put feta on my gyro. How do you eat a gyro without feta anyways??? Sorry, but im kind of a stickler on service, and I won't return to a place that makes you feel like they are doing you a favor by serving you.
(2)
Olivia B.
A good place for a quick bite if you're on your way to a concert nearby. Friendly service (the owner brought our food over and insisted we eat and take our time before paying, which was sweet) and decent food at a low price. I wanted to order the spinach pie, which I've always loved in Greece, but it wasn't available, so maybe worth coming back for lunch sometime instead to see if it's on the menu then. The chicken was tasty, as was the tabbouleh. We took a couple of squares of baklava to go, and they were good too.
(4)
Scott R. D.
A good inexpensive place for a pre theater bite. The gyro pie was good. Not the friendliest staff, but that's ok. Quick.
(4)
Andrew H.
Cheap, fast and filling. That's the best you can say about a $5.75 falafel in my book, and this place did not disappoint on those points! Disappointingly not vegan, though -- it was listed as being made with hummus but when I received it the sauce was tzatziki. If I were a more stringent vegan I would have been without dinner, since I didn't open it up till I was a few blocks away. Next time I'll try asking explicitly for the hummus. The staff is friendly, so I'm sure they'll be accommodating.
(4)
Ken M.
It's a little spendy and the grill takes time but the food is great. My wife and I will split a combo grill and appetizer plate and pick at it all day. Their baba ganoush is my favorite. I appreciate that their spicy sauce is actually spicy. I have no idea how they bake their bread but it's fantastic. Ah, yes, almost forgot, the spinach pie, when warm and fresh, is about the most wonderful, comforting thing to place between mit and maw.
(5)
Nancy B.
This place has reasonable prices and large portions. They mainly get 4 stars for their rice pudding. It comes in a small ceramic pot.....sort of looks like creme brulee...and I swear to you tastes even BETTER than creme brulee. It's the most refreshing thing I ever had in my life!
(4)
Marisa L.
Decent food at reasonable prices at this well-located meet-up stop right outside of the Civic Center BART station. Veggie sampler combo plate is way more than enough food for one person, super tasty "bread" to go with the hummus and dips, too. Outdoor seating is clean and pleasant enough. The falafel wrap here was a little dry when I had it... chicken kebab was good though! This seems like it'd be a good lunch stop if you're spending a day at the Main Library, whose cafe is okay but somewhat dark and w/ a somewhat limited menu.
(3)
H L.
Great Gyro's. Fast and efficient service. Not overly expensive. I'm definitely coming back to try all their other food, especially since it is near where I live. Chicken Gyro is definitely awesome!
(5)
stacy r.
My friend and I had tickets to see Les Miserables at the Orpheum Theater (fabulous show, by the way). We wanted to catch a quick dinner, and we both love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, and Gyro King was right across the street. I ordered a falafel plate, which is pretty much my standard order at such places. Usually, a falafel plate comes with a few falafel balls, pita bread, hummus, baba ganoush, tahini, cous cous, dolmas, and chopped tomato/cucumber salad. This falafel plate consisted of 5 falafel balls on a bed of lettuce, served with a condiment size bowl of hummus, a condiment size bowl of tzatziki (greek yogurt), and a basket of bread. When I asked for tahini (which is a standard companion with falafel) the owner acted shocked and told me they don't have it, because "all the customers complained and said they wanted greek yogurt." When I asked for pita (another standard companion of falafel), the owner said, "we don't carry pita bread," but he brought me a piece of lavosh bread, which is a large, very flat, very dry bread (that was pretty inedible), The falafel were some of the WORST I have ever had. They were so dry that every bite got stuck in my throat and I had to sip water each time just to get the food down. There was so little hummus and tzatziki that it barely added any moisture. After we ate, we realized that this was really a Turkish establishement, and they do not serve falafel and pita in Turkey (at least not when I was there), which helps explain the barely edible falafel and lack of tahini and pita. Thank goodness for good company and a great show, because the food was simply terrible. So sad, because a great falafel is like a little ball of heaven!
(1)
Michelle A.
This is my go-to place when I'm at school and I didn't bring a lunch with me. The Gyro's and kebabs are great, affordable, and seem somewhat healthy. The baklava is also really good, but obviously not healthy. I also love the grumpy guy who rings up my tab. Sometimes, and I mean very, very, rarely, he cracks a smile, and I feel like I've received a precious gift.
(4)
Paige B.
Best Humus! If you are in the neighborhood, you need to try this place. Get the #23 with humus or a chicken kabob on the greek salad but make sure you say chicken "stick" or you will get the kabob meal on top of your greek salad.
(4)
Tim J.
This place is really cheap and really good. I look forward to visiting San Francisco for places like this. We had the Baba Ganoush, a red lentil soup that I can't recall the name of and a grilled lamb kabob in a wrap. The Baba Ganoush was great, it didn't even taste like eggplant, I hate eggplant, and it came with a tasty homemade bread. The lentil soup was also awesome, thick and great flavor. The lamb kabob wrap was amazing, (mostly) green lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, the lamb was rich, tender, smokey and full of flavor. All for under $20, which, of course, has a big impact on my impression. Great food for a great price, I would definitely go back. And it was fast and friendly, served by who I am assume is the owner.
(4)
Mika S.
I got off the Civic Center Bart and started walking on Grove Street to meet a friend so we could watch a performance at Davies Symphony Hall. We had about an hour before the show so I suggested we find a spot close by for a quick bite. We tried to see if there were any cafes within 2 blocks of Grove and Market and couldn't spot any. I walked past Gyro KIng and saw smoke from the grill through the windows. My friend likes Greek food and so do I, so we went in (to find out later that this was actually a Turkish place). The meats on skewers were ready for the grill. We decided on the platters which allowed us to choose 2 side salads for $10.26 each (including tax). It was tough to communicate with the counter person. I asked if I could mix one dish with another (half of combo A with half of combo B) but he just kept saying "what you want". So, my friend and I each got the chicken kebab platter. A basket of flatbread was also served. The chicken chunks were deliciously seasoned and cooked within 8 minutes of ordering. My friend had her kebabs with some eggplant and I had a taste. It was outrageously good!!! I had some tabouleh with mine and I was disappointed. It was very dry. I also had some wilted greens on the plate and if not for the way the chicken tasted, I would've gone to the symphony hearing my stomach in discord.
(2)
michael d.
great Mediterranean food. and they have rice pudding fresh made :)
(5)
Laurian R.
I'm giving it many stars...I was happy as can be. The breads coming right out of the oven, feta pizzas, spinach pizzas smelled so so good. I got the appetizer combo with baba, hummous, tabbouli, an eggplant salad (smokey goodness), a minced marinated veggie salad (more deliciousness) a surprisingly good dolma (don't normally go for those, so was pleased) and a lovely little white bean salad. OH, and some couscous salad, all with two fluffy little loaves of fresh bread for sopping up the goodness. I also got the beef and lamb combo plate which was lots of tasty meat with rice and couscous with a salad that didn't suck and some yummy dressing. I've eaten a fair bit of Turkish street food in Germany and this was just as good as the Doner Kebap places I've eaten at there. I can't wait to go back. OH, and they give you lots of food and it's cheap and they treat you like they just don't care, so it feels REALLY German/ Turkish. Yay.
(5)
Seamus M.
This place is great, it reminds me of the kebab shops in the Beyoglu of Istanbul. All you need to complete the picture are a bunch of old men sitting around smoking and drinking tea. I have had most everything on the menu but I would recommend sticking to the basics, this is a popular place so the food is fresh but it can be a challenge getting a seat around lunch time.
(4)
Captain P.
1) The falafel here is pretty good, and for $5.25 very filling. 2) This place is great for take-out lunch or grab-on-the-go food. 3) The seating here is *horrible* and there is zero atmosphere. 4) The cook is very friendly. I like him. 5) The register guy can be a real asshole. 6) Lots of homeless/crazy people out front. 7) The area smells kind of like pee. Overall I liked the joint and would probably go back if I was in the area and looking for a bite to eat, but it didn't feel particularly special to me and I don't think it's something I'd ever go out of my way for.
(3)
Derek O.
I eat here a lot. I get the Ezo Gelin(soup) and a spinach pie usually. Sometimes I'll order Dolmas. I believe they make them fresh daily. The spanakopita is awesome when they have it. The meza is great. All around great lunch.
(4)
Dorothy N.
I've only been here once so maybe it was an off day or I should have ordered something else. But my chicken kebob was bland. Hummus was okay, nothing too exciting. Trader joe's has better hummus. I had it to go, but the cashier guy was nice.
(3)
Sara J.
I've had a cranky past few days in SF. Imagine my disappointment when I go to what *used* to be my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in SF and realize the food now sucks. Maybe it's the Latino guy making my food. Maybe it was the soggy and flavorless baklavah. Whatever it was, my gyro was downright un-edible. It's pretty sad when I'm a better cook than *the* cook ya know what I mean?
(2)
Ryan G.
I usually order one of three things: the vegetarian platter (of dips & sides), the chicken gyro, or the chicken kebab. The platter & the kebab come with a whole basket of warm, soft, salty flatbread for dippin' and seasoned rice. The chicken, cooked while you wait, is marinated and tender. Everything comes in ample quantities, maybe too ample--I feel overstuffed whenever I leave this place because the food is too good to stop eating. Ambiance is okay. The place is too bright, making me feel exposed, like a cockroach, while I feed, especially with the big plate glass windows facing the street. There's a TV tuned to the "soccer game with excitable Turkish sports announcer" channel, and a travel poster of a scenic city, at the top of which is written in big block letters, "BATMAN".
(3)
Mark B.
Overall this place is great. Really good plattters (I love the chicken kebab), awesome desserts, and friendly employees. Don't let the terrible neighborhood scare you away.
(4)
Staci M.
Their chicken kabob wrap was really good. Chunks of freshly grilled chicken wrapped up in a warm (dry, but warm) wrap mmmmm. 4 stars for that wrap. 2 for the lamb/beef. 3 it is.
(3)
Andy M.
B e s t b a k l a v a e v e r. Pretty much the best cheap food in the immediate Civic Center area. There are better gyros in the world, but not by much - whatever the meat on a sword is called, order that because it is (1) meat, and (2) on a sword. Okay, so it is more like a long carving knife or even a spatula, but let's just go with sword, all right? Order the baklava.
(4)
Lauren L.
Coming to this place was an accident. Seriously. I walked in hoping to use their restroom, but as I was looking around, I noticed that the food looked all kinds of yummy. So I went up to the guy behind the counter, and in my awkward weirdness, I asked to order the burrito look-alike wrap with meat inside. The guy was confused and gave me this look, but then he said okay. I spent six bucks on a LAMB AND BEEF GYRO, I'm glad he told me what I ordered because I had no idea. I went to the Civic Center Plaza to sit on the grass and enjoy my gyro with my friends. It was surprisingly good since I've never had mediterranean food before. I like the refreshing and cool sauce that's in the gyro. They give you a decent amount of meat and the gyro itself is worth the money considering it wasn't small in size. Eating at this place makes me want to explore other mediterranean restaurants.
(4)
Nena G.
Succulent and delicious kebab plate. Tasty, authentically Turkish and a great value for your money. A great choice to get a bite before a show at the Orpheum around the corner.
(5)
Ann T.
the chicken gyro... i feel as if the chicken's always dry. so i finally switched it up and ordered the beef + lamb gyro. winner. but i guess it'd be better if they were a bit more efficient.
I don't think Gyro King is a good name how about Gyro Jester. The food was passable at best. I had a Chicken Gyro sandwich which had VERY little chicken in it and the chicken that was in it was chewy. The one thing I'll give them is service was fast. So if you don't have a lot of time and you don't have taste buds go for it
(2)
Samantha K.
Really fast and fresh greek food. I had the falaffal wrap to go. The cucumber tahnini dressing was great.
(4)
Ajay K.
Was recommended by a co-worker when I couldn't decide where to go for lunch. Have to say, not bad. I ordered their chicken wrap to go. Overall it was pretty good, chicken could have been cooked a little more but the veggies were fresh and the sauce was good. Not a bad place to try if your in the neighborhood.
(3)
Justin M.
Some of the best gyros I've ever had. One of the best halal spots in the city
(4)
Jim B.
Good and fresh greek salads, not shy with the Feta. Decent, but large Gyro And really nice Greek desert pastries.
(4)
Adam B.
I would have walked right past this generic-looking gryo hut with a generic-sounding name if not for the positive Yelp reviews, and I wish I had. I was intrigued by the toasted flat-bread wrapping my falafel, but my meal quickly reminded me how essential pita is to a falafel wrap. The falafel was fine, but nothing special. The positive reviews gave me an excuse to try the baklava; I agree it was better than the rest of the meal, but not good enough to make me go back to Gyro King.
(2)
Tamara B.
Their baklava is THE BEST IN THE CITY. That is no flippant statement, and it comes from a girl who knows her baklava. Yes, the dude is gruff and the lady is overzealous about getting you the hell out of there the moment you take your last bite. You know what? I'll take it with a smile as long as they're willing to continue to serve me their little pregnant-with-honey-and-butter treasures. The rest of their food is solid as well, particularly their dolmas, ezo gelin and falafel.
(4)
Erica H.
Falafel - yummy! Pistachio baklava - yummy! The TV blaring with some kind of Greek programming is a bit too much indoctrination of Greek culture for me ;). Sitting by the window looking onto Grove St (Tenderloin-ish) can be...well, entertaining. The owner was a little standoff-ish but nonetheless helpful. How do you say gyro in Greek? "Yeeeeero." The "g" sound is a "y?" "Yes, yeeeeero." Can I have a little of each kind of baklava?" "Yes." My five-star system for accomodating people with special diets: Responsiveness to questions/needs: ***** (five stars, they answered all of my questions) Dairy-free: ***** (five stars, a number of dishes are dairy-free) Gluten-free: *** (three stars, some dishes made without the pita bread or you can go without, which is what I did with the falafel) Vegetarian: (four stars, falafel, hummus, feta, etc.) Vegan: (three stars, falafel, hummus, etc.)
(4)
Megan C.
I don't eat at the actual restaurant very often, maybe that is why I've had such positive experiences here. I think the food is great. I've never had the meat, I always go for appetizer plate with a mix of things (which I won't even attempt to spell). The Baba Ghanoush is the best I've had in SF- hands down.
(5)
Colette T.
I am consistently pleased with this Turkish (Kurdish) restaurant. Go for the daily special. I had a delicious dish of beef, white beans, and other veggies today. They never over-salt their specials and I'm so happy they exist in San Francisco. Plus they're friendly to me, I'm half Turkish. I always take friends here. The only thing is that they need to clean the bathroom. That's all!
(5)
Alicia O.
The Gyro King is a great stop for a lunch break or for tourists site-seeing around the area. The gyros is excellent, and is huge! The lamb is tender and packed with spice, and the prices are reasonable. The employees are friendly and the food is made fast. I would definitely come back!
(4)
rick b.
after two/three month living in San Francisco i missed the Turkish fast food we had at home, when i stumbled upon this little gem ;) fresh meat, broiled right behind the counter and served with lots of salat and freshly baked bread. awesome!
(5)
Debbie C.
Stopped at Gyro King to get a quick snack. The beef and lamb gyro is nothing spectacular. The bread is thin and not very pita-like. I also feel like they skimped out on the amount of meat. Probably won't go back.
(2)
Adaku T.
This is by far the best place to eat By the Orpheum Theater but across the street Before our dinner was ready the waiter brought us A plate of bread and another with hummus My adana kebab was well marinated And much tastier than I had anticipated The dipping sauce for the kebab was a wonderful addition To the rice and salad fresh from the kitchen I had to skip the baklava to my misfortunes For my dinner came in quite sizable portions Next time I come I dont think it would hurt To skip dinner and try all the dessert ; P
(5)
Joseph F.
This is the best Turkish food for the price you will find. The guys i think who own it are great guys. Only issue I ever had was once I requested Turkish tea and was told none was made saw it done 2 minutes later and he drinking it assumed maybe i was treading on something he doesn't offer to the public? Wasn't sure. I prepare my own at home and drink it often, so was put off by that, but been dozens of times and always good food and well prepared. Sketchy area, but they keep the rif raf out and great for a pre Symphony, Opera, Asian Art Museum or such stop off.
(4)
Kfir L.
I tried this place because I needed a new place for lunch. Their was a huge line out the door so I thought if that many people are going it must be good right? Well the logic might have been decent but I failed to realize their was a huge convention in town. This was the overflow crowd. Nonetheless I was as happy as could be. I've been back many times and have passed it on to many a friend. The food is made when you order it, as opposed to the food sitting in a bin for two hours, and they give you a good amount of food. They are super friendly as well. Just as an aside. The guys who run the place are from Turkey. Some people may be expecting Greek food because of the name but it's all similar northern medaterranean food. Give it a shot.
(5)
Chris B.
I've been going here for years. Buy kofte and baclava for dinner. Get a combo for lunch the next day. If you are looking for something different, they have gyro pie which works great for lunchies as well. I used to avoid this place at lunch time. But they did a remodel and now there is soooo much more room inside. If you want to stay away from coffee, ask for some tea while you are waiting for your food.
(5)
A P.
Can I be your QUEEN! Me love you long time! ***wink*Wink***
(5)
Joyce S.
Stopped for a bite to eat after a few hours at the Asian Art Museum. Ordered a wrap, was a bit dry but I'm sure that could be mended by asking for some extra sauce on the side. Not a place I'd go running back to but decent enough for lunch on the go.
(3)
Juliane N.
Came her during my lunch break from jury duty. This place was packed and I couldn't find anywhere to sit and I only had an hour. By the time I ordered, I saw a spot at the window with a stool empty. I literally had to fight with someone to grab that seat! I was angry/happy at the same time because I got to sit and "enjoy" my food. I ordered the lamb/beef gyro on lavash. It didn't take long for my me to get my order but it was a really messy wrap. I took a bite into it and I tasted nothing but the wrap. I gave it some time and thought the filling was coming up.. but I was wrong.. It literally had like 2 pieces of lamb/beef in there and lots of cucumber, tomato, onion, and sauce. If I wanted to go vegan for the day, I would of ordered a vegan wrap or something. I was so pissed of because I waited in line for it, and had to fight to get a spot to sit in. I left hungry and was really disappointed at this place.
(1)
Justin B.
for $10 before tax and tip this is what i got: adana (lamb) kebab romaine salad with tomato, pre dressed some nice red cabbage, also pre dressed a shitload of nice nice turkish bread turkish tea nice nice rice good ass couscous endless ice water when i came for dinner on a recent saturday night, all the custys were turkish except for one couple and me. authentic like in turkey? i dunno. muhfuccin delicious? yes. (you should prolly ask for the spicy sauce, too)
(5)
Linda L.
This is a great dining spot if you're: 1. Paying overdue fines at the library 2. Applying for your marriage license or trying to run into Gavin at City Hall 3. Reporting for jury duty 4. Suing someone in federal court or taking care of being sued 5. Getting your inner gayness on at the Orpheum Theater 6. Too poor to dine amongst Old Money at Absinthe or Jardiniere before attending the Symphony or Ballet or Opera 7. Not thrilled with the choices around Opera Plaza Cinema 8. Whoring yourself in nearby Tenderloin So, yes, lots of different scenarios where Gyro King will satisfy your craving. Cheap, delicious, and big portions. What's not to like? I recommend the chicken salad or combo gyro (lamb, beef, and chicken).
(4)
Alex M.
I eat here about three times a week for lunch. The wraps are AWESOME. I can only recommend the chicken and the falafel wraps. The falafel comes with hummus. Also the gyro king salad (chicken salad) is good; they hook it up with the chicken. You can get a great meal for under $10. I've had their dolmas and I can't say that I'm a fan (they were kind of dry, needed more olive oil). Other than that, it's pretty much delicious :)
(4)
L V.
I love Gyro King, The service is always super fast, I usually get it to go and no matter what my order, i always get it within 5 min. best falafel sandwich and limey- tabouli...ALWAYS under $10
(5)
John M.
Great Garlicky Ganouhj!!!!!
(4)
Dustin H.
I really like this place. It's very accessible from BART and MUNI (thank god) and it's pretty cheap. I've seen some gyro and other Greek places and this one is definitely the best priced. Got the Lamb and Beef gyro which was awesome. The only thing that was bad was that it was messy to eat, which is probably no fault of their own, and when I say probably I mean it was entirely my fault. The people who work there are nice but a little intimidating. I was getting a to-go order expect the guy who looks like Uncle Leo from Seinfeld handed me a plate which totally confused me. I asked the lady at the register what to do and she looked at me like I was crazy...hmm. But yeah. They're good
(4)
E R.
As a student nearby, Burger King, Carl's Jr, and Subway get old. I have yet to have something at Gyro King that I did not like. Their hummus is great, and the gyros are huge. No complaints here. I'll keep going back.
(4)
Lj N.
Stopped here quickly on my way to a job interview in the neighborhood. I had the daily special, which was the salmon. The portion was enormous, and the food was really good. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because it was a little on the pricey side for the special (something like $12 or so). I would definitely come here again.
(4)
Uncle J.
This little hole on the wall serves the best Mediterranean food there is. Not only gyro, but egg plant dishes are great. Hummus is always part of the dish in this place.
(5)
Cece E.
GK is not a place to linger as it is located on the gritty border between the Civic Center and the Tenderloin. However, it's a cheap alternative to typical fast food. GK is located just across the street from the city's main public library, around the corner from the Orpheum Theater and just a few blocks from the Asian Art Museum, Davis Symphony Hall, City Hall, the War Memorial and the Opera House. On this particular visit, we were hurrying to the opening night performance of Motown, the Musical. I went outside my comfort zone and tried the adana kebab platter. The kebab is minced lamb shaped around a skewer before being grilled. It sort of reminded me of a deformed meatball or flattened sausage. The flavor wasn't bad but I had to eat it with sauce to combat the dryness. The salad and the rice pilaf were OK. I didn't care for the bulgar wheat. It was dry and crunchy. I really enjoyed the lemony hummus and the fluffy bread, reminiscent of focaccia. There are plenty of fancier places to eat in the area, but if you are pressed for time, GK is a the place to grab a quick bite before enjoying the myriad attractions around the Civic Center. $10.95 Adana platter with 1 skewer, salad, rice pilaf and bulgar wheat salad $2.50 Orangina bottled orange drink $1.18 Tax --------------------------------------------------Â- $14.63 Total
(2)
Amar K.
I can't say I really enjoyed my falafel sandwich as much as others I've had in SF... The falafel had a good flavor, but the hummus was grainy and mealy at best. They make the sandwich with a yogurt sauce, which I could not have since I am allergic to dairy, so without the sauce, the sandwich seemed a little dry. The way the wrap was cooked outside gave the lavash a nice flame broiled flavor. Once I tasted that sandwich's hummus, I immediately regretted my choice. If I end up here again, I might try the lentil soup, the bread it came with looked much fresher than my lavash ;)
(2)
Beth P.
Simple quick and yummy food - this last weekend they forgot a few of the wraps we ordered to go - a few days later Nuri offered to have us swing by to pick fresh ones up - I had the baby and he even dropped them off at my car; super thoughtful.
(3)
Jana C.
Balkava, babeee!!!!!! Had a few honey-soaked treats here as a pre-show get-together with other folk, 45 mins before curtain call to Les Miserables. Wonderful. Very lovely, nice proportions, beautiful play of delicate, paper-maiche-like phyllo with rich honey, combined with the dense and crunchy nuts. A must if one comes.
(4)
Farhan Y.
Loved the grilled platters.. Not a big fan of their gyro... Huge portions... Will definitely go back
(4)
S. M.
I'm surprised I didn't get food poisoning here. The whole time I was eating, I just felt lack of effort in the food, the execution and health sanitation. My sampler platter was cold, sitting in the fridge, had very very oily components & the only thing I really enjoyed was their bread. Yes it is cheap, but hell, I'd rather pay an extra couple bucks for something memorable and won't leave me worrying if I'm gonna get the shits later.
(2)
Matt S.
The beef and lamb gyro is a great lunch deal for $6.50. Large proportions of beef and lamb wrapped in a flat bread. Add some hot sauce for an extra kick! I usually try to eat half for lunch and save the other half for a mid-afternoon snack. The humus is creamy and delicious, I just wish they would give you more flat bread, you'll probably run out of that before you run out of humus. All the other dishes, such as the meat skewers, in their display case look delicious as well. I'll let you know the next time I'm back! There is usually a line at lunch, but it moves quickly, and you should have your gyro in hand in less than 10 minutes.
(4)
Ivy V.
HAIL TO THE KING!!! On the battlefield known as Union Square, stood two kings. Only one could become thy champion. The people of thy fair village of San Francisco waits for their king. Thou shalt choice, between Gyro King and a Burger King whom roused people from dreams. Who will win, thee? Thy choice for me would be Gyro King and thee reasons for it stands true. Here rise the valor king! Good for food to go, office parties, holiday parties and all special occasions. This place is great for Mediterranean Cuisine. It's says Mediteranean, but you can tell it's Turkish when ppl are flipping their cups over on the saucer when they're done, and reading their cup for a fortune. Lol. Mediterranean Appetizer Plates ($4.25 ) are a great treat, try the Hummus!!! Eggplant Salad, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouli, Ezme, and Cacik is so-so. Don't try the Dolma, at less that's what I think what I ate that one day, it's so awful. It's like Entertainment shows in Turkey! Three hours trash! There is only one soup on the menu and that's Ezo Gelin $3.50. U have to bring sugar cubes to be lucky to see another soup there. Salads: (4.25 to 6.75): Nothing worth noting, but ok taste. It's rarely eaten. It's like finding a Vegetarin in Turkey! Vegetarin? Here? Nonsense!! BANISH!!! LOL. Boreks (Pies) (3.75 to 4.50) are good to eat. Hit or miss somedays. Kinda dry some days like Turkish music. Wrapped Sandwiches (5.95 to 6.25) just to give you advice, the Gyros here are the Turkish styles rather than the Greeks. The same goes with the Kebabs. I know, it's confusing, it's just how it is. It's just like how a Turkish spent a goop deal of time taking off his shoes, just to put slippers in house. Dessert: try the Rice Pies. Yummy!!! There are ppl that think Yoghurt is the magical cure for every disease!!!! Now on the location and services: first off, the bathrooms seems out of service for years like talking Turkish without your hands. On rush hours, they can be kinda rude (see Turkish's football fan) and mix up ur order. Its happens to my girlfriend and I. Now before you pull earlobes, making kissing sounds with your lips and touch wood to ward off evil; there are good things about this place. Plenty of outside sitting and we were outside, this is after we piss them off. Anyways I accidently left my backbag there and they kindly hand me back a few hours back when I came looking for it. That's an good sign of good customer service!!! I was so happy about finding it, I could be a old Turkish man dancing to kitchen crockery! ROFL. Let's all belly dance in joy, that there is a business like this. Overall: so so food, so so service. Now excuse me, as I will make coffee in a saucepan.
(3)
M W.
I come to Gyro King whenever I'm craving a burrito- this is the healthier version in my opinion. The last time I ordered a chicken gyro I wasnt too impressed. The chicken was really dry but the portion was huge. I didnt remember it being dry before, so maybe they were just having a bad day? I'll give them the benefit and will try again next time. Note: Line forms during lunch hours and inside seating gets crowded.
(3)
Helene K.
After visiting Gyro King several times (and finally remembering to write a review about it)--I have to say the place is just....ok. The place is Turk-owned with posters up of Turkey and the names of some dishes in Turkish. Oh, but their menu offering is typical of what you'd find at any Mediterranean place: gyros, salad, dolmas, etc. What I like best are the desserts (they can get a little too sweet with the syrup though) and the kebab platters. My friend once told me that the way they prepare the gyros here is the Turkish way, not the Greek way that most Americans are familiar with. Still....I don't like the gyro wrap so much here. The wrap is toasted to the point that the ends are burnt and crispy. I like my gyros with a fluffy soft wrap, perhaps, the Greek style. But, for the price of approximately $5-$6 for a gyros, you get a lot--a burrito-sized gyros, if I may be so blasphemous. It's nicely wrapped up in foil so you're not spilling all the contents on yourself at the table. They don't put much sauce in the gyros though... Anyway, the kebab platters come with a lot and they're worth the money of approximately $10. Drinks are in the back refrigerators, so serve yourself. Service has been polite and fast, so I can't complain about that aspect. Gyro King is convenient for those who visit the SFPL or the Asian Art Museum...or for those who happen to work in the area and use the BART/Muni stop nearby.
(3)
David C.
Okay ... Today is the day I begin my "SIX WEEKS OF SALADS FOR LUNCH." I've gained 16 pounds since Thanksgiving and I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror anymore. My salad journey begins at the Gyro King, on Grove Street, across the street from the main library. Technically in the Tenderloin, but it's really near United Nations Plaza only two blocks from City Hall. At 1:30 pm, nearly every table was full. This is a place where one places her/his order and pays first. No name is taken and no numbers are given and yet the competent staff is able to deliver each meal to the proper guest and table. That's pretty impressive given today's social climate of self-absorbtion Prices are very reasonable. Gyros are $8.95 or $9.95, and when I saw them, I yearned to have fresh tahini sauce dripping from my chin, but alas, I stuck to my salad regimen. My Greek salad, served with delicious homemade bread was only $5.95 and was a more-than-ample serving. The Gyro King platter with assorted goodies is the most expensive item on the menu and at $13.95, two could feast upon this lunch and not go away hungry. Puddings, baklavas, revani, sekerpare, sutlac, and other desserts are priced from $1.50 to $2.75. The atmosphere is decidedly mixed, catering to business people, ethnic cliques, singles, young and old alike. The dining area is utilitarian, clean and decorated with travel photos of Turkey, Greece and a photo of the famous First Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey (incidentally, it's mid span is 3,524 feet compared with the Golden Gate Bridge's 4,200 foot mid span). Great place and one to which I shall return when I can eat gyros for lunch!
(3)
Ty C.
I was not pleased with my beef and lamb gyro. The meat was dry and rather flavorless, I got some hot sauce on the side after a few bites to give it some flavor and some kick. The meat was not very high quality either. I'm not sure why everyone rated this so high. I would give it 1 star, but that would be on a scale of 0-5. I will not go back.
(2)
Cherylynn N.
Gyro King--what happened to you?!?!? Boy, have you changed over the year. Your employees "use to" take their time to make the food. And, your Gyros "use to be" nice and toasty outside and filled with flavorful meats inside. Today, I got handed my Combo Gyro (chicken, lamb, beef) in 2 minutes flat; I didn't even make it to the cashier yet and it was ready (there were 2 customers in front of me). Now I know why it was ready so fast... The lavash bread was not grilled, so it was cold. And, the meat inside was also cold b/c it wasn't grilled beforehand to warm it up. The chicken was dry and bland. The beef was chewy and hard. Not sure where the lamb was b/c I didn't find any in my wrap. The tahini sauce was tasteless and watery. Perhaps, the meat was pre-cut and sitting out there, hence the dryness. And, when a customer orders, it's just thrown in the lavash bread, and rolled up? I guess you have decided to sacrifice taste and quality for speediness. Too bad...
(2)
Jason B.
Serving up something a bit different than your usual shawarmas, the King also offers freshly grilled chicken shish kebabs lavash wraps. Add in some greens, a dab of hummus, roll it up and place on the grill for a minute or so. Perfectly delicious. The King indeed.
(4)
Priscilla W.
For full review and photos visit foodcomas.wordpress.com/… My parents and I saw a long line of people waiting outside this restaurant during lunch on a saturday and gave in to curiosity. The place is fairly small, you order and pay first at the cash register and then seat yourself. Most of the food like meats and kebabs are laid out under the glass for you to see as you order. It's uncooked, and once you order the food is taken out and put on the grill. We were first served homemade bread which was yummy and light. I ordered the Feta Pie. I've never seen a pie quite shaped like an oval before but was glad it was bigger than I expected because it was so delicious. The dough was stuffed with tomatoes, feta cheese and parlsey and a side salad. My parents ordered the Chicken Shish Kebab platter which came with two skewers, rice and salad. I thought the chicken seemed a little dry, but the seasoning was good. Not too spicy, which my parents liked. For dessert I tried the Baklava Fistikli - pastry with pistachio. I like baklava, but I normally don't eat it with pistachio so it was a nice change. Not sure if I would order it again though because I thought there was too much syrup at the bottom and too much salt from the pistachio. Next time I want to try the Baklava with walnuts!
(3)
Novalina N.
The chicken gyros is the bomb! They gave a good amount of delicious chicken chunks, veggies, and tzatziki sauce. Tried their lamb kebab as well but I'm not too fond of it because of the lamb smell. We couldn't find seating for 3 people and the cashier guy helped us finding an extra chair for the small table. He might not smile a lot, but he's super helpful! Although because of helping us, he ended up creating a very long line in the register.
(4)
A D.
A Turkish Gyro is called a Döner - they call it "Gyro King" so people will know what it is.... I only went once but thought it was pretty good. Oh and if you expect a (Kronos) meat filled Chicago style Gyros on a pita you will be disappointed. Open up your horizon a bit and enjoy a Turkish Döner which is shawerma on lavash (instead of a pita) and comes out more like a burrito than a gyro.
(4)
Rohan D.
I went here hankering for food desperately before seeing Wicked. YUCK, the gryo was just bad. The meat wasn't very good and there wasn't any good flavor in the sauces. I couldn't even finish it. The wrap itself was thin and tasteless. The only saving grace of this place was that the baklava was really good. Just the right combination of pastry and sweetness. I would go back for some those sweet deserts.
(3)
Marial L.
In San Francisco, good food doesn't cost a fortune if you know where to eat. It was a day of solo exploring. I hopped on Bart toward Civic Center for Asian Art Museum. It was around 1pm inside the Museum. I was hungry - but the over priced menu - for its fancy presentation and location but an unfit long self help ordering line - just wasn't for me. I left. I walked toward the Public Library on Grove - then I saw this eatery just across the street. The wait line wasn't too bad. Inside the house was almost packed with customers, the mood was welcoming. While waiting in line, I picked up a "To Go" menu - total 45 items - which offers cold appetizer plates, soup, salads, homemade pastries, wrapped sandwiches, specialty platters and desserts. I then select #9 Ezo Gelin Soup $3.50 A bowl came with homemade bread and two sliced lemon. it's a well bland red lentil, mint, black pepper, salt, oregano, and tomato paste soup. It's light yet rich in flavor - add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice - wow heavenly satisfying. Seeing a lot customers eating wrap sandwiches - so I want to try. #22 - Lamb & Beef Gyros $5.95 It's about 10" wrap in bread with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce. - The meats were a little bit dry. The highlight of the wrap was its homemade bread - it baked right so it crunches when bite down. For my next visit, my selection will be for their specialty plates - they looked colorful, interesting and appetizing.
(4)
Molly M.
Upon first glance of this place I didn't think much of it. Ascetically its not that appealing. Very basic exterior and interior. However, the food is better than decent. I'll start with my favorite things to get there then work my way down. The lentil soup with the bread, so good, then the spinach feta pie, veggie wrap and of course the baklava. They also have Turkish tea there which is a major plus! Also, the men working there have always been nice and very helpful. This is more of a place you go to in passing, either on the way to or from somewhere because the parking is terrible and the ambiance is very informal. Overall, I give this place 3.5 stars.
(3)
Kareena R.
Absolutely loved this place! I travel quite a bit all over the United States and this place is most definitely somewhere I would come back to! Service was great, portions were large and everything we ate tasted amazing. The food did take a while to arrive to our table but it was because everything is made fresh. The meat is marinated all day. We had chicken kabobs and lamb gyros. My 4 year old son almost finished his entire plate! Rice, salad and two kabobs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)
andrea t.
I got the lamb and beef gyro and the chicken kebab platter for my daughter. the gyro was more like a shawerma since it was on lavash instead of a pita and rolled in a long shawerma-like tube, both of which i can overlook, but the meat! the horrors! it was dry and tough, i could barely choke it down, even after adding more tzatziki. it was so bad, i only ate half of it...and i don't ever leave food! the chicken kebab platter was good though. the chicken, salad, pickled cabbage and rice were all good, as well as the bread they served with it. and our food came pretty quickly. the proximity to the theater was the other good thing. i don't think i'd be so negative if it wasn't called "gyro king." also, even though the bathroom has a sign that says it's out of order, it's not.
(2)
Steven L.
I wanted to like this place, I really did. But overall, I was disappointed. First off, after you give up circling around Civic Center hoping for parking, you can always park at the underground parking lot for about $3 an hour. Then, you can journey the few blocks making sure you don't step on one of the several cracked out homeless bums lining the sidewalk. How are there so many bums a block away from City Hall? Blows my mind. Anyways, after you step into Gyro King, look over their very simple menu containing platters, cold appetizers, and of course, gyros. They do have the full rack of lamb and beef that are freshly carved when ordered. Since it's called "Gyro King" we ordered 3 gyros: one beef and lamb, one chicken, and one combo (beef, lamb, and chicken). They were a little over $6 a piece so not bad. We also ordered fresh baked pita and hummus for...$4.75?! It's gotta be good right..? No...it wasn't. The hummus was pretty good. Flavorful yet still light with a creamy texture. The pita, which is "freshly baked" was cold and did not taste as advertised. Also, they give you a piece of pita the size of a piece of toast and cut in into three strips. I'm not sure if it's cause I'm Asian, but if I'm paying $4.75 for some bread and dip, I expect a whole lot more pita! The gyros were also disappointing. Although large and filling for the price, the meat was almost unbearable. All the meats were flavorless and overcooked. The lamb and beef, as a result, was tough. So you have this gyro with lettuce, tomatoes, yogurt sauce, and flavorless/overcooked/tough meat. What a shame... Being Asian again, I ate it anyways. I walked out unsatisfied and vow never to return here again. Oh yeah, two stars for having free tap water?
(2)
Layla L.
i mistook this place for another place that i had read great yelp reviews about- my bad. My lunch sucked. The chicken gyro (which you would think would be the best item given their name) consisted of 4 ingredients: - dried up chicken, -dry gigantic lavash wrap, -watered down tzatziki sauce, -and lettuce no feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, pita..etc...- it left much to be desired.... but perhaps the biggest let down was the soggy baklava - it was dripping and even though it's one of my all time favorite desserts i just couldn't finish it.
(2)
Amanda L.
I had a Gyro here (chicken) when I was serving jury duty. It was pretty good. But the bread was not what I am used to on Gyros. I am not an expert but if I worked in the area I would give it another try.
(4)
Kat K.
At the recommendation of a nice employee at the Orpheum Theater, we strolled down the street to Grove to try out this place. It has a green awning at the front of the restaurant so you can't miss it. When we walked in, we were greeted by two workers in the kitchen. It is very rare that the cooks acknowledge guests walking into the restaurant so I was pleasantly surprised. The food selection here is pretty standard for a Mediterranean cafe. They have salads, sandwiches (gyros) and kebab plates. Definitely recommend the kebabs - they are moist, freshly grilled and flavorful. They give you two skewers, two heaping piles of rice, salad and this wonderful sauce. The restaurant is small so seating is limited, but it is best to beat the rush and get yourself seated. Service is good - they bring food and clean up tables quickly. There is also a self-serve water station so you don't have to wait thirstily for another refill. This place gets 5 stars because the food was good, service was friendly, and the restaurant was humble. I would love to come back here again sometime.
(5)
Steven B.
Doesn't happen often but I hate that feeling after you've been looking forward to something delicious and it turns out to be less than average. Falafel was mediocre at best - dry, overstuffed with lettuce, menu says it comes with hummus but I didn't see/taste any. When I ordered coffee the old man seemed ticked that he would have to make some (so I switched to diet coke instead). Price was great but I regret the calories. Next time I'll go to Ananda Fuara around the corner.
(2)
Sam H.
Great place in the area for something fast and simple. For about six dollars you can get a large gyro with a great tangy yogurt sauce and juicy seasoned meat. The Wrap can sometimes be a little dry but I'm always happy with it. Their meat plates are delicious and come with a salad and giant portions of meat, also with the great yogurt sauce. Nothing spectacular about the bread, maybe if it wasn't cold but it's good enough. Perfect for a quick lunch and way better than Burger King which is right next to it.
(4)
Y A.
I am from the Middle East so I crave Mediterranean food always I have tried many Mediterranean restaurands before but Gyro King made the difference. I will rate this place based on two things: food quality and cleanness. What can I say, Lamp/Beef Gyro, Adana Kebab, Shish Kebab or the amazing types of salads! or my favorite desserts from Baklava to Kadayif! The food is beyond my expectation of deliciousness and freshness. The food is simply super delicious. The place is super clean and the seats and tables look just fine to me. I think the owner who seemed unfriendly with no smile on his face knows how to run his business and I cannot give this place less than 5 stars.
(5)
Jim T.
Stumbled on this place after going to the Asian Art Museum. Was looking for something good and quick... definitely found it here. Looks like a bit of a hole in the wall from the outside, but it's clean and the food was great. Had the chicken kabab plate. Very tasty, everything seemed very fresh, and it was reasonably priced. Can't ask for too much more on a Saturday afternoon traipsing around museums.
(4)
Yee-Shing W.
If you read the reviews, there's a consensus that the gyro sandwiches are dry and lackluster. I had the chicken gyro the other day and couldn't agree more. Something was definitely missing. There was sauce but it was watery...and the chicken lacked any real defined flavor. Otherwise, this is a good cheap place to eat for a quick lunch. Big portions. The people who work here are really friendly but perhaps they need to figure out a new recipe for their wrap sandwiches. I would only come back for the spinach pie.
(2)
Ed U.
For reasonably priced Mediterranean food on the go, this place is definitely worth a stop if you're in the Civic Center area. But don't bother actually sitting down and eating during a typical weekday lunch hour. It's a zoo, and the customers are much ruder than the staff there, especially as they gun for the precious few tables. I should know since I tripped an old lady on her way to MY window seat. She asked for it, I tell ya. While the hummus and baba ganoush have good homemade flavor for $3.95 each (with pita bread, of course), it's really the gyros I go after here. The $5.50 beef and lamb gyros combo sandwich is a good deal - quite a huge lavash slathered in tahini sauce and filled to the brim with tasty shards of beef and lamb, cucumber chunks, tomato slices and diced onions. The meat was a bit more charred than I like, but it is quite a handful...and you won't have room for the baklava, so just forget about it. FOOD - 4 stars...good homemade Mediterranean AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...lunch room vibe, way crowded at lunch hour...and no room to break plates and do my Zorba dance SERVICE - 3.5 stars...fast with attitude TOTAL - 4 stars..barely four stars and really for the gyros...but plan to seize and attack if you want a table at lunch
(4)
Inga W.
The good thing is I didn't have very high expectations. You order at the counter and they bring it out. The really bad thing, no alcohol. Ok they might be Muslims or maybe just didn't get the license, but I like wine with dinner. Still, we needed to grab a quick dinner before Wicked and this was close by and not bad. I would say this is a good place for lunch but not dinner. This place was cheap and the food was good, but not dinner good and you get what you pay for. The appetizers were good and freshly made but the actual dinner was not that great. The meat just was not of good quality but what can you expect for $8? I had a gyro and my boyfriend had the kebab, it was ok but not great. I like having really tender lamb and this was the stuff they trim off the meat rather than any great pieces of meat. But it hit the spot and we were off to see an amazing show.
(3)
Adam B.
Definitely a hole-in-the-wall kind of joint. The food is not fancy, but it is very fresh and traditional (as far as I know). I was a little disappointed that the gyro was sold out, but the kabob was a good replacement. If a restaurant serving meat is not organic, then at least halal is my second choice since the meat tastes better than Fast Food Nation-grade quality. A great quick bite place in the rather barren Civic Center neighborhood. Adana Kabob: Loved the fact that they started with raw meat and grilled it to order. It makes so much of a freshness and taste difference to have freshly grilled meat as opposed to reheated meat. The kabob was dressed in a large lavash bread rolled up with tons of lettuce, tomatoes and yogurt sauce. The crisp veggies and crunchy grilled meat was an awesome combination. Might have been too much lettuce though, since later bites felt a bit meat neglected. Lahmacun: I don't know why it is so difficult to find these in San Francisco, but I'm glad I did here. Traditional preparation with minced meat and all the veggies and spices. Nice that they give you fresh lemon to squeeze over. However, they probably do so because it's a little dry. Tasty overall and a good way to get my fix, but definitely not the best I've had.
(3)
James B.
Chicken kebab sandwich...very bland, thin. 4 pieces of chicken, some lettuce, and a bit of runny yogurt sauce. Not at all like, say, Truly Mediterranean. No complexity of flavor (barely flavor at all), extremely basic. The people who work there give new meaning to "scowl."
(2)
Jojo C.
Oh yeah, I love this place, been coming here for years, best place to go on a diet, get a Chicken wrap. My usual is the Chicken Gyro platter, warm spinach pie, orangina, and the finisher delicious rice pudding, and I have had rice pudding hundreds of times, but this is the place makes it only the best! Pretty much the same guys that work there, watchin futbol allday. Service flys and fast, good get up and go spot. Parkings a breeze, just be patient, people are always pulling in and out around there. (Around the corner from my meds :) One of my 3 favorite spots to hit when coming to SF.
(5)
Jennifer P.
Though this place is decent, I was not as impressed as the Yelp reviews made this place seem. All things considered though it's inexpensive for what you get. I could have easily gone in halvsies on a gyro -- had I know they were going to be monster wraps. I probably won't go here often just because I know I can't finish a gyro. Not to mention there is a Mediterranean restaurant closer to my office near 7th-ish street. Moral of the story: If I'm in the area I might go again...but I'm not drooling over my experience. Oh and one more thing: the guy at the cash register was scary and mean.
(2)
Samuel H.
Great low priced place in the civic center area. Food is quality and atmosphere would be best for a small group of friends. We had the lamb shish kabob and gyro king salad. Both were yummy.
(4)
Wolfy W.
As I've almost always order a beef & lamb gyro here it seems to slowly gone down hill over the years (5-6?). 4 stars from the past, but definitely 3 because the quality has gone down. Meat is to dry and overly salty and lack balance, it think it use to have cucumbers and more yogurt sauce and juicer beef/lamb in the gyro. However, the specials like the salmon is a really good deal for lunch when they have it sometimes.
(3)
Diane B.
Feed me Seymour! Because I do all my grocery shopping at Rainbow Grocery, which consists of almost all organic fare and carries no meat, I am known for some wild deviations when it comes to foraging beyond the home. For example, I love delis. And I love Gyro King! Details: - mouth-watering lamb - incredibly spiced and seasoned eggplant - fluffy warm ethic-y bread that complements the animal grease impeccably - Very masculine, gruff, Greek men! When you live in the Castro, this is not a trivial indulgence. I gave just 4 stars NOT due to the utter lack of ambiance (think cafeteria, but for me totally ok since I take it out and frankly that adds to the masculine aura), but rather to the price point: I paid $7 for 2 skewers of lamb and $4 for a side of eggplant. But overall: simply too endearing and savory not to endorse!
(4)
Amy B.
I can't believe I haven't written about this place yet! First, any place with good, freshly made baklava is OK in my book. Gyro King is a couple blocks away from my office so I eat here a few times a month for lunch. I always got the lamb and beef or the combo gyro wrap, but lately I've been hooked on the falafal wrap (I love me some good falafal!). Oh, and did I mention they have yummy baklava? Great food, good service, decent prices. This place makes for a good lunch on the fly!
(4)
Ari W.
Authentic Turkish food that is prepared in what appears to be a family-run business. I had an all veggie combo plate that included baba ghanouj, dolma, white bean salad, grain salad, amongst 6 other fresh items. My girlfriend, went the veggie route with a falafal wrap, which was well portioned and packed with falafals. Requesting some extra hummus might have balanced the dryness that is typical in falafal. Our friend had lamb/beef gyro that she found tender and flavorful. Only complaint from her was the lettuce had browned a bit The jumbo pistachio baklava for $2.75 was a great shared desert for the three of us. A prefect lunch before getting on the road back to LA.
(4)
Sahar B.
OMG so good. Best cheap mediterranean food in the city, by far. Get the Chicken Kebab plate. For $10 you get a ton of food: 2 chicken skewers, rice, some kind of turkish grain, salad, pickled cabbage, yogurt sauce, bread...oh man. I come here every Friday.
(5)
Helen L.
I really like their lamb gyro. It's got a lot of cucumber and lettuce and lots of meat. The thing is huge and they use a bread wrap.
(4)
Nick C.
This place is deserving of at least 4 STARS. One of the best bang for your buck places in SF. I was more than satisfied with the quality of food, and the portions are enough to fill you up if you have a big appetite. I ordered their Chicken Kebab Specialty Platter which comes with a nice size salad, couscous, rice, AMAZING cucumber yogurt sauce, and bread that is hot and fresh. All of this was $10 including tax. The Chicken was moist and had a great flavor to it. The salad was fresh and tasted clean. The bread was good; however, the edges were a little hard, but if you ripped off the edges the rest was delicious. The best part was the cucumber yogurt sauce. It was so good I had to ask for another one, and they gladly gave it to me for free. Overall, this place offers up some good Mediterranean food and has a lot of room for large parties of people. Definitely coming back here.
(4)
Monica W.
I've been working literally next door to this place for about 5 months and I finally decided to give Gyro King a try. I hadn't brought my lunch and their chicken kabob plate was recommended to me by co-workers but I ended up buying a lamb gyro instead for about $6. I walked in at about 12:30 PM and the lunch crowd was coming in, but I was in and out before all my co-workers had finished re-heating their food in the microwave so they are speedy. The lamb gyro is basically lamb with salad and tahini wrapped in a lavash - it's huge and filling but the taste of it was pretty mediocre. The lamb was a bit dry and the tahini a bit watery. If I ever try Gyro King again I'd like to try one of the pies or a plate.
(3)
Mark M.
I was running around one day and stopped in for a bite to eat. I got a lamb wrap, and, well, ehhhh. It was pretty dry. There wasn't much flavor to the meat. I was full when I left, but that's about it. It was packed for lunch, but, there's not much else around. I'd keep searching...
(2)
Shariq A.
Love the place, We visit the place quite frequently when we visit San Francissco. Fresh Food. Especially love the following dishes - Adana Kabab (though it takes a little time.) try their Baba Ganosh ith their fresh bread.
(5)
Joanna M.
The food and the people at Gyro basically rock my face off. Food: Fantastic kebabs, falafal, schwarma, baklava to satiate you at any time of the day. Best avoided during lunch when City Hall and Hastings flock like hens. And the food just makes you want to go !UGH! and gyrate your hips. People: Always sweet and courteous. Left my favorite black velvet Elie Tahari jacket here before the Opera and the owner personally ran two blocks down to Van Ness to catch up with me to return it. That just made me want to go !MUAH! and kiss him on the lips.
(5)
Kirsten V.
Okay so i am still on a mission to find a good schwarma. All in all good spot and I would go back if I found myself in the neighborhood craving some kebabs. Again though it didn't totally blow me away and I felt like the flavors could have popped a little more.
(3)
Cori W.
Decent but not amazing. I had the falafel wrap sandwich and unfortunately it lacked in flavor. The falafel was crunchy and there was a decent amount of it but it did not have enough flavor for me. I also wish there was hummus inside, not just tahini. Lavash wrap was also dry and powdery. My co-worker had the appetizer combo and that looked tasty. The line did move fast and everything was well priced.
(2)
Cody P.
Very large portions, low price, and a friendly crew are all pluses but my falafel was a little bland and dry. I will be back to try a shwarma or gyro in the future but I'd probably pass on the falafel, given other choices.
(3)
Edrian D.
King Gyro, Gyro King... So I'm doing a research project and I walk down to the cafe in the library, CLOSED! So I walk outside I see Burger King, negative, then, TA DA! like magic I see the Gyro King, so I'm thinking, awesome! I walked over and glimpse at the menu and think, wow, reasonably priced. I ordered a falafel wrap and a diet coke (I swear I'm addicted to aspartame). Visa/MC/Cash good deal. It's help yourself to your drink, so that saves time to getting off your feet and grabbing any table of your choice, rather than waiting in line. awesome-ness I was very satisfied, clean display cases, clean soda fridges and when I sit down I have a lil peek in the backroom. WOW! organized, so I'm thinking awesome! Within a few mins my wrap comes out and WOW!!! The wrap sure lives up to the name, HUGE!!! Perfectly made, falafel was great, crispy lettuce and fairly great sauce. My soda (bottled) was super duper cold with lil bits of frozen-ness floating at the top so I'm thinking, this is great. Tables were clean and accessible, maybe some tunes to spice it up a bit? The negatives...bathroom out of order...hmmmm....and the sign looks pretty old so I'm thinking, how long does it take to fix the bathroom? The other negative, the girls behind the counter, average customer service, but having chairs behind the counter to chit-chat, nega-tron, coming from a customer oriented background and being a manager at numerous cafes and retail stores, if there's time for leaning, there's time for cleaning. Other than that, this place is great, I'd definitely take that hop-skip-and a jump from B.K. and do it "My way" at Gyro King.
(4)
E-dough R.
Gyro king of what? The gyro wrap here was just terrible. The meat was too dry and the lavash bread was even dryer. They didn't put enough tehini either. I would not recommend a gyro wrap from this place at all. I seriously almost choked while eating my wrap and had to get up to grab some water. Even after that, it was just too terrible. I ended up splitting open the wrap and trying to pick at its innards, which proved equally unappetizing. The woman sitting next to me seemed to be in a similar predicament. If you come here, I recommend getting a skewer. This will be fresher, though slightly more expensive, and you may avoid the terrible dryness of the meat they use for the wraps. Make sure to grab a drink if you do.
(2)
Krista N.
I ordered the falafel sandwich because I love falafel. It came in a wrap, which is all nice and dandy but I ordered a sandwich so I wanted like a pita. The only good things I could say about it was the hummus they put on it was good and the way I like it, simple. And the hot sauce I had them put on it was good as well. They should have stuck to the simple approach with the falafel and let the chickpeas speak for themselves, but they didn't. They were salty, gross and a waste of a good consistency. The tzaziki was really lemony but pretty good seeing I took the falafel out after the first one and just ate the cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus and sauce. I'd try the gyro next time and see if meat is their thing, it may be.
(2)
Andrew K.
This is a total diamond in the rough - classic CLEAN hole-in-the wall with excellent kabobs (better than the hummus) - good tabouli without the junk. Perfect for a quick meal before a show in the Civic Center that is not too dingy, but is tasty.
(3)
Bert K.
Can't say enough about the Lamb Shish kabob wrap, it's #24 on the menu. When you order it, the guy will tell you Ten Minutes. Then tell him " Lamb is the best " So, its made to order, about ten minutes to grill the meat and assemble it. It's only 50 cents more then the regular lamb/beef gyro. It's consistently tastey; comes to you in a fresh wrap, slightly charred on the grill, packed with moist, meaty,aromatically delicious lamb hunks, grilled till they are tender and mouth watering, sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and a light dressing. The whole concoction will make your mouth dribble. Always a great deal. Nobody orders it , cuz they don't want to wait ten minutes.
(3)
Johnson N.
Lamb and Beef Combo was tasty. Rice - a good mix of oil (maybe butter?) that made the rice taste oh-so-good. Salad - not bad.. very light dressing (and some olive oil?), which added to the taste of the entire plate. Dipping sauce - amazing.. with the meat, rice, or bread, you couldn't go wrong with it. It might have been made with garlic... it might have been made with something else... but it was something I wanted more of, for sure! Lamb and Beef Mix - super tasty. I guess the beef and lamb were mixed together because I couldn't taste when I was biting into beef and when I was biting into lamb. I mean, lamb definitely tastes different, but in this case, it was very blended together... almost in a good way. Since there was a soccer game on TV and it was almost over, I was ignored for the first 5-10 mins as I was standing at their front counter where orders are taken. The ordering process took an unnecessarily lengthy amount of time to where it really soured my experience. Oh well, perhaps next time when there isn't a soccer game on, the service will be vastly improved?
(3)
Dru P.
In a town with so much culture how is it impossible to find a decent gyro? Its beauty is in its simplicity. Lamb, tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki wrapped in a fluffy ass pita. (Cucumber is the only acceptable addition) It is not served in a tortilla with lettuce! I am not even close to being Greek and I want to have you shipped back to Athens for a brush up class. Do you know how embarrassing it is for the west coast that I have to go all the way back to Lafayette Indiana for a decent Gyro? Please please someone tell me where I can get my fix
(2)
Jonathan C.
My roommates and I are new to the area, so we stopped by this place (right by Burger King) one lunch and decided to try it out. I ordered a lamb kebob, which wasn't bad at all, but I found it to be a bit bland and had to resort to salt & pepper to season things up. The decor is nothing to write home about, though the seemingly intentional juxtaposition between the wall paintings of Golden Gate Bridge and some bridge in Batman, Turkey, is a little funny. Don't expect to watch TV here unless you speak Turkish as the only set seems to be always tuned to CNN Turkey. For a quick lunch, go for it, otherwise skip this venue for other alternatives.
(3)
Susy C.
When it comes to crunch time @ work, I only get 30 minute lunch. I know, it's the saddest thing ever. Usually I get a full hour and it takes me 20 minutes to decide what I want in the first place! Anyway, last friday I had 30 minutes, no cash, and desperate for a place that would take ATM. I had already wasted 15 minutes trying to decide between Burger King and McDonald's, so BK it was. On my way there, I passed by Gyro King. Remembering the day an awesome Yelper brought me pita bread and tabbouleh from Gyro King, I silently prayed a "thank you" as I saw the Visa/Mastercard sticker on their doors and ducked inside. I forgot the name of what I ordered, but it was some sort of grilled chicken lunch plate that came with rice + orzo and 2 kinds of salad, and pita bread. For $9, it was a mother effing huge portion. The chicken was full of flavor and the salads I wasn't really feeling all too much although I loved the rice + orzo because I am a carb whore. I'm going to have to come back again to try their gyros, so until then my review shall remain 3 stars. Unless of course, Leap Leap decides to visit me for lunch again and we grab a gyro.... *hint hint*
(3)
Gors P.
what i ordered... combo gyro w/ lamb beef and chicken ... the food was just like a burrito, even in size but with different kind of wrapping and filling's. wrapper was ok, kindda lean, thin, toasty, tasteless and made of flour. fillings were so-so, veggies were fresh, sauce was a little scant though good in taste 'like or maybe' a sour yogurt and the meats were excessively cooked, especially the chicken which crumbles when you bite into it. ambiance... ok service... ok (lady who took my order was nice) cost... $
(2)
fizza m.
Really gross dry food. Really low quality everyone who was working in there looked dirty. All the meat was old and dry. Salad was soggy. I will never go there again. Food wasn't cheap either.
(1)
Rudy R.
The vegetarian side dishes (like the hummus) make a good snack/small meal. I used to like this place, but I got the lamb Gyro last weekend and it just wasn't any good. Dry, not tasty enough, etc. Man the Gryo's from the street carts in Berlin are SO GOOD... I'd may $10 for one of those. Oh, and the coffee at Gyro King was pretty BAD. Instant?
(2)
Phil D.
Ah, furlough days. State Building? Closed. Federal Building? Not a chance. So where exactly, then, does that leave us meandering for satisfaction during our City Hall lunch hour? Today's quest for quick-and-easy leads us to Gyro King. Even at 1 p.m., their walk-up counter is a bit busy -- though not as long of a line during the Noon hour -- but yet, the same three seemingly family-owned operators run the crowd to perfection. In less than five minutes, we've ordered up the usual No. 27 (combo gyro), thought about some baklava (but refrained due to our expanding waistlines), and paid the guy with relative ease. One star for the wait time, another for the always clean tables and floors, and finally throw in two more stars for the delicious Mediterranean fare. We'll definitely be back next week, just like last week, and the week before...
(4)
Arissa C.
The location is just a hop across the SF main library where if you sat on the best seat of the house, a full view to the hurried lives of books and their readers can be as entertaining as the windmill driven door fanning the imagination to what book it was, the memories gathered from it and the magical effect it had unleashed at that moment of the day. This place makes me think about these books, of far away places I dream of visiting one day-- Byzantium. The restaurant itself is simple without undue fuss or decors neither does it try to cover its just simplicity. There is one exception, an arresting panoramic view of the Bosphorus bridge-- a similar one appears just across our bay. It possesses you like some golden fleece now framed as Aries in the night sky, or the stolen Helen of Troy with all its enchanting ruminations where legends meet historical revolutions to seize its famous straits from the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus... So every time I find myself here- one simple pie entertains in the same manner weaving stories that entails the ancestral origin of what we call the pizza- here in Turkish called "pide." A buttery dough baked like a flat bread topped with a tomato base sauce with hints of bechamel, cloves with stew flavors to whet any appetite. Perhaps this delicious snack was even feasted by the very same Emperors who ruled the land and the shepherds who visited here throughout history speaking of its mythological grandeur. This land where once groves of dates and pistachio trees roamed wildly and where honey from lavender and wild roses drizzled to silken perfection on sweet baklava treats. It is an afternoon best enjoyed with a book, a friend or marveling at the food served here. I highly recommend the Homeric gyro sure to satisfy any gustatory voyage as well and the special plates complete with an enriched persil coucous salad and the cucumber tomato salad laced in the most vibrant Mediterranean vinegar and olive oil concoction. PS- If you wish to make pide pie from scratch, you must first create the Universe :-) Afiyet olsun!
(4)
Mia W.
authentic, fast, reasonably priced. Good food on the go. Line moves fast. Desserts are good. I had the lamb shish kebab, lamb was ok but the wrap, lettuce, mint leaves, and tzatziki sauce were tasty.
(3)
Bee M.
This place is very close to the SF Opera House. I came here with family after the Nutcracker. The portions were HUGE. We got the vegetarian falafel wrap, chicken wrap, and the rice pudding. The falafel was very good (and I'm a falafel snob), I would recommend it to carnivores as well as vegetarians! The only flaw in the meal was that it wasn't spicy enough, but most people don't have the spice tolerance I do. The warm homemade rice pudding was delicious & creamy, it has a caramelized layer on top & a texture that reminded me of creme brulee. The total came to around $15, which is VERY cheap for SF - $6 for each wrap, and $3 for the pudding (all were ginormous, including the pudding). I give additional props for the cleanliness & spaciousness of the place, not very common with fast food.
(5)
Mads N.
Spontaneous dinner before watching Wicked. Very fast service! Since we weren't too hungry, we shared a beef gyro ($5-6), which ended up being more like a wrap. I'm not complaining though, it was easier to share. The beef gyro could have had more flavor/flavorful sauces to it but it was fresh. I'm no expert on Mediterranean cuisine, but the only gyros and schwarmas I've tried have been really good (in Davis, Symposium Restaurant and ... this place on 3rd Street. UCD people know what I'm talking about). Definitely a better choice than Burger King down the street.
(3)
joanna r.
Huge portions!!! I got myself the falafel. I was so surprised when I felt the to go bag. Each of their rolled sandwiches must weigh 3 pounds! The sandwich was a little dry, but I had some hummus in my fridge and that helped the problem. Other than that, it was super tasty and super filling. Not kidding about the size of these things! My bf had ordered two, but could only eat one. I could barely eat the one I had ordered. I would like to try their appetizer plate next! Great place for vegetarians... just ignore the weird meaty smell.
(4)
Sean C.
mmmm Gyro. Is it pronounced jiro, hiro me oh my oh lolz Total fast food. Much better tasting and a better deal then Burger king. They give you extra bread if you order a plate and I cannot get enough of that bread. I got my food before I finished paying but I noticed some people had to wait for their gyros. Taste = 3 stars but it is filling. Value= 5 stars Total = 4 stars heyo gotta get my gyro!
(4)
Debbie W.
Convenient for a quick bite before a performance at Civic Center. Food is okay, location is helpful and prices are reasonable. The usual gyro, hummus, combo plates, etc. But the guy behind the counter who collects money is really nasty. Why would someone who is so angry and negative work in food service. My friend asked for espresso (there was a machine visible) and he said "no" in a way that was very rude and unprofessional. Wow, scary!
(3)
kevin l.
I've been living across the street now for a few months and I was in the mood for something different. So I asked the leasing agent at my apartment for some recommendations and that's where Gyro King steps in. I got the Lamb and Beef Gyro Platter not knowing what to expect. What I got was; amazing portions and delicious food. Delicious salad, delicious beef and lamb, delicious rice, delicious bread, delicious everything! It's definitely another hidden gem on Market Street!!!
(4)
Amy D.
I really don't get the positive reviews here. They are certainly not of their lamb and beef gyros, or chicken shewarma. Both of which are incredibly dry and tasteless. The service was good, though I've only gotten take-out. I won't be back.
(2)
David P.
This is the place to get your Falafel and Baklava fix in the Civic Center/TL area. I've been coming here for years, my good friend Irv turned me on to this place and I have been coming back. Why? Cause it's consistently good and you can get a decent, fulfilling meal for right around $10. I'm a creature of habit and always order the Falafel wrap. This is not your ordinary falafel in a Pita, they use another type of bread that is similar to a flour tortilla which they roll and then grill it just a bit to warm it but not enough to make the Houmos run. I just returned from Jerusalem as in Israel and saw plenty of stands selling Baklava and guess what? after each bite I said, "It's not like Gyro King's" wah! This is the best place by far for Baklava, it's made fresh, not bought in bulk from a factory in South City and passed off as their own, this is the real deal. This baklava looks pretty you almost don't want to eat it but then the first bite is crunchy on the outside and has some "give" in the center, the combination of sweet, spices, and nuts(walnut or pistachio) are perfect. Everytime I'm flying in/out of SFO and take BART I pick up a meal to go. The owners are great, they are from Turkey and always have Turkish Satellite TV on which makes the place seem a bit more authentic. There's more than just Falafel, lots of grilled food and salads too.
(5)
Jason B.
The Gyro King on 25 Grove was highly recommended by a business colleague of mine. I arrived around 11:30 before the lunch time rush. The place was decent inside for a side street and you could totally miss it if you didn't know it was there. Once inside I ordered a Greek Salad, a side of Hummus and some bread. I then sat down and tried the Hummus and the salad, both were good and everything was great until the older gentleman cleaning the table next to me came by and I about threw up. Yes, he smelled like he hadn't taken a shower in a few months. Eating lunch off of one of the sleeping homeless outside, probably would've been more pleasant. I got up and left my unfinished meal... I defiantly won't be going back!
(1)
Lxs S.
It's 7:25 pm, we've parked the car and need something tasty to eat before the 8 pm curtain at the Orpheum Theater. Gyro King is open and no line so we figure it's either this or the Burger King a few doors down. I choose the Lamb Kebob platter & my niece chooses Chicken Kebob platter. Our food was cooked to order and was delivered steaming hot within 10 minutes. And, for $10 a platter - we were happy campers. Rice & pilaf were both nicely cooked. Pilaf was a nutty counterpoint to the rice. My lamb was well seasoned with a hint of pink inside meaning it wasn't overcooked or dry. The accompanying salads were crispy and tangy. My niece's chicken was also perfectly cooked. For a quick bite, this was worth every penny. We waltzed out at 7:52 pm and were sitting in our seats with spare time to quickly check the Playbill. Good deal!!!
(3)
Brian C.
Across the street from the main SF public library. Delicious, generous portions, and reasonably priced. My favorite, no surprise, is the Beef Gyros at $6.00. It's a 10" wrap with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce. - homemade pita bread. Everything is delicious here - my friends love the pastries/desserts.
(4)
Nick G.
Though I won't go as far as to say the food was bad, it definitely was nothing to brag about. The portions of the gyros and kabobs along with a nice low price save it from a one star rating, but the the bland, not so impressive food will almost certainly guarantee I never make a second visit. The dessert was straight up bad, dripping with syrup and grease, not at all what I was expecting. gross
(2)
Erika G.
We were in the area to see Avenue Q and had plans just to grab a coffee and a cookie at The Man's (starbucks) but since the parking God was in our favor we found a spot on Grove. We walked past a filled Gyro King and then made it to the corner and turned around to go back to Gyro King. Hubby ordered the Beef & Lamb Gyro - plenty of tasty meat and tahini was not drownign the flavors. I ordered the Falafel - crispy and just fried yumminess. I think next time I am going to ask if I can just order Falafel without anything and Hummus and Pita on the side. I never had Baklava and hubby said I have to try it. I am so glad I did! The pistachio was my favorite - and he liked the walnut. Only 2.50 for 2 pieces - Nice! It was so sweet and flaky, I am hooked! With drinks - $15.30! Awesome!!! The place is bare nessecities to get them through the day. About 10 tables tightly packed in there and bar seating at the window. I can see how this place can fill up. There is outdoor seating but being so close to Civic Center there was some homeless people a couple of doors down. Super freindly and fast! They do take CC and Debit Visa/MC.
(4)
Marco M.
I love this place. The spinach pie is really good as is the bread with feta. My wife often gets the grilled chicken plate with rice and salad. Friendly people and great prices. Their desserts are also fantastic - various baklavas and semolina cake.
(4)
Jon W.
Boy... I hate Mutton!!! And the taste really shined thru on our gyro, which was more like a shawarma. Out a few dozens gyros Ive had in my life, this was my first one that actually had that poor gamey lamby taste... uggGG. yack yack. The meat was dry, the lavash bread crusty, and lacked the sauces and veggies. The baklava was soggy on the bottom. We got outa there for $9.25 for the 2 items. Next time we will do Burger King with the bums down the block.
(2)
Bryan M.
I eat at this place several times a week. I love the gyros....I get chicken (spicy!).... and the lentil soup is REALLY good! All the salads in the case are made fresh, and delicious! They offer a sample platter of all the appetizers that is served with home made bread. Grilled Halal meats, too. Nice and helpful staff. Great for grab and go.....or eat there.
(4)
Summer B.
I'm giving this restaurant four stars because it's a solid, inexpensive lunch option in the Civic Center area. I eat here a couple of times a month. Standard menu fare includes falafel and beef, lamb, or chicken kababs or wraps. Vegetarians can make a meal out of the appetizer plate or the falafel (it comes with a yogurt sauce so vegans should ask for it w/o the sauce). I would agree with what some people have said about the falafel being a little dry, but you can ask for extra yogurt sauce or add hummus. The deli case has a good number of really great sides, such as dolmas (!!), tabouli, eggplant salad, bean salad, cucumber salad. They serve the sides with a really yummy, soft turkish bread. They also have meat breads like you would find in Turkey, as well as a large baklava selection. I have found the guys working the grill line to be totally accommodating, though you do have to slow down a little to work through the language barrier. They will totally understand you even if you are asking for strange things like 1/2 and 1/2 salads for the price of 1 salad. I believe this to be a family run operation, and find the men who work the register to be a little gruff seeming at first, but very kind too. If you are going in a group of 4-8, you should try for an early or late lunch, because the tables fill up. The ambiance is basically a loud lunch place, no frills. All-in-all, a solid option if you're in the area.
(4)
Petra S.
Update: Though I don't work at the law office near by anymore, I still miss they kabobs here and the large portions. I have since tried other kabob places but still prefer this one over the rest. I just wish it would be in a better area, like closer to Market instead of near hookers and strip joints where I have to pass by the homeless who hound you for money while conducting their "business" right in front of you. *eww* So minus a star for the location and minus another one for the awful smells! My half sister took me here one day while running errands. I really enjoyed the fact that this place gives you two kabob sticks as apposed to one for the same price. I had the chicken Shish which was excellent and that came with two different kinds of rice pilaf and a salad and of course the free pita bread they give you, all for about 9 bucks. I liked the flavor and the portion a whole lot better than Clement's "Troya" which now is under new owner ship and frankly sucks more than ever. I would recommend coming here and trying the food, it's probably not the best Turkish/middle Eastern food but it's definitely better than most and the portions are a lot bigger. Just be careful when you're in the area since it is partly in the Tenderloin.
(3)
Joseph N.
Gyro King has pretty good gyro and falafel sandwiches. I think the prices are fair for the sandwiches but too expensive for some of the appetizers such as the dolmas, which are $1 a piece and not good at all (rice inside is way too dry.). The line can get long, but they get your order ready pretty quick, which is nice. Service has always been pretty friendly.
(3)
Mikeal G.
Ok, So I'm a grad student, and I was just looking for a quick bite to eat before heading back to campus. Great Portion sizes (the ten dollar plates are almost TOO much) Excellent Prices (under ten for most things easy) Cool location (right across from the public library and near the subway) Good Service It looks like a tiny little diner place, cheap (but clean) tables and chairs, counter that almost looks like it should be a buffet. But while I was there I saw the owners do a cute little thing...a couple was getting dinner and he came over with there food and set the table forks spoons napkins etc. Totally not even noticeable at a higher end restaurant, but for a $15 dollar date thats GREAT service. Plus the atmosphere has tons of things you can comment on and talk about...unless your date is Turkish...then you will probably just learn a lot. I will definitely be going back...either for a quick bite to eat, or for a nice but not pretentious date.
(5)
Tiffany T.
We stopped here after touring the Asian Art Museum today for lunch. My husband and the lamb and beef gyro, which he said, were pretty good. It looked more burrito like then what I was expecting, but the yogurt sauce wasn't over powering, the meat was done right, and the lettuce and cucumber inside were good. I had the special plate with chicken kabobs. There were 2 tasty kabobs with chicken and red pepper. The special came with a side of basmati rice, a side of red pepper cous cous, salad with cucumber and tomato, and bread. One of our friends had the hummus and enjoyed it quite a bit as well, they put some olive oil and spices on top of the hummus, which was kind of different from most places. The whole lunch set us back only $20. Pretty good for a lunch in the city.
(4)
Karen L.
Fast service and cheap. Chicken gyros had a good amount of tasty chicken pieces and lettuce. Their salads aren't bad either. Nice place to get a quick lunch if you work nearby.
(4)
Ruby H.
After visiting a couple times, my tip would be to go for the meat platters, not the gyro wraps. The platter is huge, with fresh salad topped with delicious pickled cabbage, moist buttery rice, tasty tomato-y couscous, & of course, a big serving of meat! Yes, the meat can be a little dry sometimes, but just throw on the yogurt sauce & dig in! As for the wraps, I'm not a fan. They can be dry & I just really think that the rice & couscous add more to the meal than the flat bread does.
(4)
c z.
I'd just been to the Shanghai exhibit at the Asian Art Museum, and was on my way to catch the train for the airport when I spotted Gyro King. I'd been looking forward to a great falafel, and the timing was perfect. It was just 11:30 am, so the place was empty except for several mustachioed men who seemed to work there. Service was friendly and fast. One of the guys quickly greeted me and took my order. Just as quickly, another one started making the sandwich. As I was paying, I noticed the baklava. Presuming that the food here would be just as good as all the other places where I had eaten on my weekend in SF, I couldn't suppress the impulse to try it. Both the sandwich and the baklava were disappointing. The sandwich wrap was actually OK. It may not be a pita, but I enjoyed the texture. The falafel itself, however, did not have the toasty satisfying flavor I was looking for...not much flavor at all in fact. There was very little else in the sandwich to help out either...too few cucumber and tomato slices, and not enough sauce. I'm of the opinion that there is no "bad" baklava. I love the combination of nuts and sweet syrup. But in really good baklava, there should be spices you can taste; not too much syrup; and light, impossibly thin and cripsy layers of fillo. The baklava at Gyro King has no discernible spices, too much syrup, and kind of soft chewy fillo. If you are craving yummy falafel, as I was, I think there must be better places. But if you want fast, friendly service and an inexpensive, relatively healthy (if not terribly tasty) meal in the Civic Center area, then definitely stop in.
(2)
Abc X.
Great food! and for civic center, that's really hard to find. I work nearby and the only good places to get lunch are Gyro King and Ananda Fuara, unless Munch Haven, donuts or booze are your preferred midday snack.
(4)
Letia G.
Very busy the night we went. But were there for a concert so I imagine some of the crowd was on the same mission we were. The service was ok, not super friendly at all but also could be a result of how busy they were. The food was ok but nothing to write home about. I love greek food but I've definitely had better. Would only try it again if it I was in the same situation (only place I could find within walking distance of a venue I needed to go to in a short amount of time).
(3)
Randy F.
Great filling shawerma, grilled to perfection, with generous, almost copious, amounts of beef & lamb made this a special treat today as I whizzed on by. Realizing that I had no change for BART, and that I was really hungry, I remembered this little spot and stopped in for lunch. As I sat in the window and ate my shawerma, the place literally filled up before my eyes. Seriously, one person after another came packing into the smallish place until it was totally full. Metaphorically, the meat-filled lavash went into my mouth one bite after another until I, too, was totally full. Note to self for next time: The lamb kabobs look really frickin' good. And, if you like hummus on your shawerma, be sure to ask for it because it's not included on the lamb & beef shawerma. Super yummy!
(4)
Ray R.
in all the years that i've been working in this area, i've walked past this place to eat at some place on market street thinking that this was just another one of those 'arab' places that serve falafel and naan. the interns at my work have been going here for awhile now and Paul has been on 3-days-in-a-row streaks of eating here so i had to go with them the other day to check it out. they kept telling me that the Gyros were good and they were the size of burritos. "impossible" i thought to myself since i was used to the hand held size gyros at most other places. this place is sandwiched in between a liquor store and bk and right across the main entrance of the sf main library so expect bums. i got the lamb/beef gyro for about 6 and some change and dude, they weren't playing...this tube steak is as big as a super burrito. they stuffed it with meat veggies the tzatziki sauce or however you spell it. i got hot sauce on the side. get the hot sauce, it's good. hopefully you will enjoy this tube steak. tube steak.
(5)
Samantha B.
Came here unexpectedly. Didn't know what to expect but I REALLY enjoyed the baklava. It was quite tasty, and one of the best I've ever devoured in my mouth. Mmmmm. I also had a falafel. It was good as well, but I definitely enjoyed the baklava more. I'm a baklava fanatic and it was worth the $2.50. Service was a-ok, not quite friendly, a bit rude. I ate outside around 6pm, and there were some crazies that did enjoy to converse with me in a ridiculous manner. Eat inside! Avoid the ridiculousness. I'm definitely not going to go here again for the food if I'm ever around the area. MAYBE, just for the baklava, but that's pretty much it. My dine-in was a good experience, now time to move on and try new things. (:
(3)
Kat G.
Seriously, there is not even a single thing about this restaurant that I could mark as negative. The restaurant itself looks unspectacular, almost hidden in the Tenderloin area, but once you enter, you feel welcome immediately. The service is so friendly and accommodating and also very speedy! The portions are huge, fresh, delicious and authentic! And the best is that all this is offered to you for a fantastic price! If you like self-made, tasty food in an almost familial atmosphere, have a look at the Gyro King!
(5)
Clover E.
Excellent meat kebabs, fantastic veg combo plate and the best baklava I've ever had. Gyros were dry: avoid.
(4)
John G.
I have been trying to find a decent chicken Shawarma in San Francisco for years. My gold standard is Dish Dash in Sunnyvale. Gyro King's "Gyro" is really more of a Shawarma and it is excellent. Very close to Dish Dash. I ordered it spicy and it made my week. Hallelujah!!
(5)
Lupe P.
If you work anywhere near the Civic Center, this is the type of place you'll walk by a thousand times and not really notice it's there. On a recent excursion to the Asian Art Museum, a friend suggested we meet up here for lunch. This was a good decision. I had the lamb and beef gyro combo, so it came with a side of rice, salad and delicious bread. It was a very big meal. You could even call it "Gyronormous". Perhaps you may have called it "Gyrogantic". Someone else may have observed it as "Gyrotastic". Anyway, it was a "Gyrorrific" meal and I definitely will come here again!
(4)
Jonathan F.
Great location near SF Civic Center steps away from BART. I meet with a lot of people, i.e clients and I tend to know a lot of cool meeting spots around the bay area. This is a new spot with really good food at affordable prices that make this a fun, nice and friendly eatery. I had the Chicken Kebab gyro which was very filling, easy on the pocketbook and made meeting with a few clients much much easier. Plus the service was extremely fast, friendly and the place was very clean. I will go back again for sure!
(4)
Abraham F.
I always stop there when I go to Library or Downtown. They have very tasty combo gyro and cheap price. They have best baklava in San Francisco. Kinda self service and very busy during lunch time.I would definitely recommend their deserts.
(4)
Jonathan K.
Pretty good falafel here. I didn't expect such a convivial dining area in these parts. I could actually enjoy a meal here if I didn't get it to go. They have a lot of variety, but alas, no french fries. Luckily, Burger King was right around the corner to pickup some fried potatoes to accompany my falafel.
(4)
Amanda W.
I seem to like this place a lot more than other people! I used to live really close and would stop by to treat myself after a hard work-out at the gym. There aren't a lot of Greek food places around so it's a welcomed break from the Vietnamese and fast food restaurants in the area. I would always get the chicken gyro (quite tasty and filling!). Sometimes I get the hummus with bread and HMMMM!!!! are those good! Everything was always fresh. I've always wanted to try the spinach pie and baklava. The prices are standard and the place is decently clean. Great place for lunch! Getting hungry just thinking about it...
(4)
S F.
Gyro King is definitely not the best I have ever had, but it isn't terrible either. I ordered the Chicken Gyro and the BF ordered the Chicken and Lamb Gyro. He was much happier with his than I was with mine. The gyro was quite large, but it seemed to alternate between whole mouthfuls of cucumber and whole mouthfuls of decent chicken. The yummy juices were also concentrated all in the bottom (or butt, as I like to call it). The meat wasn't particularly flavorful- and in a gyro, its all about the meat. I may return next time to just to sample some of those delicious looking desserts they had.
(3)
lynn t.
The 2nd star is because their hummus is tasty, otherwise, I'd probably rate it 1 star. I tried the place twice & do not need to attempt a 3rd visit. I paid $5.75 for a falafel wrap. (seemed slightly high, but oh well) The falafel is SO salty. They took a while to serve it (saw it sitting on the grill), yet the whole thing was still fairly cold. (I don't necessarily need it warm, but thought it was odd for how long it sat there.) The entire wrap was dry as well. It's so salty I'm staring at the last 1/3 of it, and although I'm stil hungry, I'm not going to bother finishing it. On my first visit, i got the Chicken Pie becuase I thought I read a review on yelp that it was good. I saw them pull it from a tray on the counter (not refrigerated) and thought, "at least their heating it." When it came, it was luke warm. (I wished i asked them to heat it longer because the thought of off temperature chicken made me nauseous all day... though I turned out fine.) It had some flavor, but not a ton, and it was DRY. Like I said, the only thing I did like was their hummus - tasty & slightly lemony. We got extra bread for no charge when we requested it so that was a plus too. Still, I'm not going back.
(2)
Leon C.
Good place to get some lunch. Seemed like a family run placed. I had a the lamb and beef gyro which was good size. Not bad.
(3)
Stacey L.
My coworkers rave about this place, so I had to try it. I ordered the beef meat pie - Borek. I could hardly finish half of it because it tasted like lamb. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I'll have to come back and try one of their gyros on the next go around. The service and cleanliness was excellent.
(2)
Leah E.
Date: December 3, 2008 @12:40 PM Occasion: Lunch Break with Alexis and Susan Ambiance: Not fancy. Busy. Service: Friendly. You place your order at the counter then they come to your table to deliver it. Taste: Kefta Platter which came with warm, buttery bread, salad, rice, couscous and Kefta (beef and lamb hamburger patties) My Tab: $9.79 (including tax) (Girlfriends order gyro each which they said were good.) Recommend: 1. Surprisingly, the food was very flavorful and tasty. Not the best Greek food but hey, it's cheap! 3 stars for the food + 1 for price=4 stars 2. Inexpensive, generous portions. 2. The owners are Mediterranean. 3. This is a nice stop before and after visits to the Asian Museum of Art, San Francisco Library (acrosss the street), City Hall or a concert at Bill Graham.
(3)
Leo C.
I had a chance to try this place out, after reading other Yelpers say that this is a good joint to hit up for a quick and tasty Gyro. My friend and I were on our way out to a bar in the Haight, and we thought we'd just hike it there, with a quick food stop at Gyro King. We grabbed our food to-go. Gyro King met expectations for me, and is a place I'd do again. We got there around 11:30am on a Saturday, and it wasn't very crowded. The place looked clean, with display cases of the food/desserts. I ordered the combination Gyro there, while my friend had a different Gyro and asked for extra veggies. We received our order soon after paying for the food, and got hot sauce to go with our Gyros. Given the way they had wrapped the Gyro, we were able to walk and eat, all the while dousing the hot sauce onto our Gyros. It was all good. So, I didn't run into any problems with the service, and the food was fairly tasty at this place. The staff was nice, though not talkative like some folks are. Overall, I was satisfied with Gyro King. I would probably give it more of a 3.5 stars if I could.
(3)
F K.
So I try to be nice and patronize the local businesses, but the service is soo bad. I don't know if it's b/c they're foreign they have different customs, but as a GRIT[S], I'm used to being greeted and treated nicely wherever I go. Well, either way, I forgive them for their lack of niceness. The gyros are pretty good and it really is better (and seems a bit cleaner) than your other few local options of starbucks, burger king, or subway.
(3)
James C.
Best gyros I've found in SF. combo gyro about $7. It's fresh, too -- they don't microwave their meat like some places. Lots of options to choose from.
(4)
Sus... B.
The gyros are okay, not great, seemed like there was something missing. Maybe there wasn't enough tzatziki sauce, the fact that the meat was not the usual texture one often finds in a gyro, or maybe even the flatbread they used wasn't spongy enough and was too burrito-y. Probably all 3. It's certainly not bad, and for the area the price is right, but I think I remember enjoying the dolma and hummous a bit more from previous visits - maybe next time I'll get the hummous and try the hummous in the gyro...or get something else altogether.
(3)
Meredith R.
Not bad for cheap Meditteranean eats after/before a museum or Civic Center romp. It's not quite like sitting out on a patio at a Greek taverna overlooking the sea on Santorini, however, the menu is pretty authentic and minimal as far as ingredients go. The best Meditteranean food is simple and yummy. The inside ain't nothing fancy (read - not a sexy date place) but again, perfect for a quick could-be healthy meal when in the area. The owners are super nice. Opa!
(3)
Vincent K.
The line here during lunch just really really sucks. But if you do manage to fight the crowd and get a seat to eat, the price is good (about $7 for one) and the gyro's are well made. I've had the lamb meat one and its really tasty. some would find leaking juices or messiness not pleasant, but when thers juices goin all over the place, i think its a pretty well moist wrap. i wouldnt' want a dried up gyro. interestingly enough, the vibe and crowd at this place fits the restaurant, definitely.
(3)
LT B.
Falafel was gross...hard, flavorless, and greasy. Frozen falafel from costco is better than these.
(1)
Veronica V.
Decided to pop in here before seeing a concert; it ended up being the worst spontaneous decision I've made in a very long time. So many problems...let me count the ways: 1. They were out of gyros at 8pm. This place is called "Gyro King". 2. A guy was mopping behind the counter the entire time we were there, which looked totally gross while they were preparing food. 3. My boyfriend got served his food right away (chicken kabob since there was no gyro option). My food (a falafel wrap) took 30 minutes to make. Apparently they were also out of falafel and had to make more. 4. I was very clear to the staff that I was allergic to dairy and could not eat the cucumber yogurt sauce. I said to put hummus only. When I finally got my food 30 minutes later and bit into it, I got a mouthful of dairy. Great. 5. So I ask them to remake my wrap with no yogurt sauce. 5 minutes later, I get a new wrap. This time I check it at the counter. IT STILL HAS DAIRY in it. I am amazed. Perhaps the cook is developmentally delayed in some way. 6. Finally, I go to the manager and explain the issue. He yells, "Hummus only!" to the cook. The next wrap I receive has hummus and falafel. This time, though, he left out all of the salad that makes it a wrap. 7. Exasperated, I ask for salad on the side. They dump some salad on my plate. My boyfriend has been done with his food for ages and we have now missed the opening band which was the band I really wanted to see. I gulp down most of the wrap, which after all that drama was meh at best. We both leave upset. I will never go back there; I will never recommend it to anyone. FIRED.
(1)
Nic R.
This place was recommended to me by one of the taxi drivers. I am glad it was recommended to me because it was very good. I had a chicken gyro for approximately ~$6.00 and it was big, fresh, and very tasty. If I am in the area, I would definitely return to have another.
(5)
Kris H.
What the hell happened to the gyros? you would think with a name like gyro king, you would know how to make gyros. their gyros doesnt really make my tastebuds dance anymore. the beef/lamb gyro was mundane. the meat were bland. where's the special sauce? where's the seasonings? i saw new faces at the place, it must be a new owner. =(
(2)
Jade P.
Very edible, fairly cheap, extremely fast. I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food. Sometimes the lavash smells scorched, or the falafel tastes like meat. But otherwise all's well, especially considering where else can you go in this area? Also, the "out of order" bathroom camouflage kills me.
(3)
Christopher L.
Lamb and beef gyro was fine Only fine
(2)
Ian C.
Man do I love me some gyro! With that said, I stumbled upon this place as I was headed towards the civic center BART. The lamb gyro I ordered was damn good. It was served nice and warm and the ingredients tasted fresh. I particularly liked that bread was toasted on the grill and very tasty. Only pain was the cashier (who I think is also the owner). He was chatting with some guys at a table for 3-4 min while I waited at the counter. The chef ended up taking my order and he was a really friendly guy. When it came time to pay, the other guy made his way over to the register and was very friendly so I didn't hold the wait time against him.
(3)
Dan Y.
Not impressed. Tried beef, lamb and chicken, all were dried out and tasteless. The gyro fell to pieces the second I opened the wrapper. Bread was so stale it could have been used as a doorstop. Salad ingredients were decent but the dressing was greasy and practically flavorless. To be honest, the only thing I really enjoyed here was the diet 7Up. I may give it another shot someday in the not too distant future but I'm not going out of my way. Barely two stars.
(2)
Julie K.
Just ate at Gyro King last night. Great place to eat if you're seeing a show at the Orpheum theater, a great great alternative to Burger King or Moonstar Buffet.
(3)
Rob P.
Mmmm I love this Mediterranean food restaurant in the Civic Center.
(4)
Brandon K.
Who doesn't love meat shaved from the 'core'?
(4)
Cherie C.
In the land of gyros, Gyro King most definitely does not reign supreme. I had the beef/lamb version. The meat was sort of dry and lacking in that trademark gyro flavor. I think the big mistake here is including beef in the mix. Also, they only put in a smidge of tahini, which wasn't nearly enough. Maybe if it had a dollop more, it would have somehow made up for the mediocre taste. In any case, I've had better gyros at mall food courts.
(2)
stephanie z.
The falafel wrap is so good, i want to get carnal with it. The hummus is pretty damn tasty too but after the delicious falafel wrap, everything pales in comparison and my life prospects seem meaningless.
(5)
Wendy J.
Gyro King is great for a one thing: Gyros -- they are delicious and a good value. The Weekly Lunch Specials (Salman, Stuffed Peppers, etc., on rotation) are also delicious, but overpriced -- we're talking $10+. The sides - Eggplant, Hummus, Tabbouli, and the hot Bulgar are all great, but even more so overpriced -- $4.25 -- for an outrageously small plate. I do generally love the food here, but am boycotting this place for it's zealous overpricing none-the-less.
(3)
Rock M.
Since the remodel about a year ago, the atmosphere has improved markedly. The food hasn't changed a bit, and that is a good thing! The #29 and #30 gyro plates (lamb and chicken, respectively) are can't-miss bets for a hearty and healthy lunch. The yogurt sauce is absolutely perfect, the rice is flavorful and the meat is always tender and delicious. If you are in the vicinity of Civic Center, it is always tempting to dine at the Asian Art museum. But if you want something a little more casual and always satisfying, Gyro King rules!
(4)
Idil B.
First: this is a turkish restaurant. the food is delicious -one of the special dishes was as good as my mom's (i am from turkey, so i would know). bread is soooo good, you can't stop eating it. thethe staff is very efficient. lunch time can be very hectic, but you can still be in and out very quickly. try a different dish every time for variety -everything is good.
(5)
Pele N.
Such a simple place, with such great Gyros! I want to go back and try some of the other dishes, but if you are in the mood for a Gyro, you can't go wrong here!
(4)
Joy C.
Great gyros, hummus. Not much seating during peak hours, but a good grab and go place. Reasonable prices.
(4)
Jenny W.
BF and I was at the St.Patricks Day parade. So much for the parade, went over to the food section. So many things I want to eat, but couldn't find anything interested. After a few hours, drinking and partying out in the Civic Center, we headed for some real food. BF had a craving for Lamb Gyros. As walked toward further down to Market, we found this nice little mom and pop run store, that specializes in Gyros. BF ordered the Lamb Gryos, and I had a spinach pie. The spinach pie was really good, much better than some other mediterran places that I have gone too. The Lamb Gryo....I thought the meat was a little tough. But, the flavors were really good. I had to wrap up our leftovers, cause we had some food earlier at the food stands at the Civic Center. I didnt realized they also served desserts, but by then...I was really full. But, I'll definitely go back and try something other than their Gyros, and maybe try on of their desserts.
(4)
Joe S.
For good Turkish food in a total dive, this is the place -- good selection, tasty pies (feta pie is my favorite). If you're looking for solid food with very mediocre service and local bums outside the restaurant, this is the place... I try to eat here as often as possible and have been eating here for 5+ years.
(3)
Olivia W.
I actually traveled from the east bay to try this place and I have to say it was well worth the drive. Besides the sketchy area, this place is really good (had to dock of a star for that one) butI missed out on having a gyro and went for the platter instead, but it looked just as good as the gyro's. I have the beef plate, which was a huge portion of rice, beef, salad and bread. If your in the area, go go go and if your not, its well worth the travel time to try this place once. Staff was really friendly too.
(3)
ray e.
had a meeting close by and lucked out before the deluge of customers swarmed in on gyro king. lots of choices for a small place. and the people behind the counter are genuinely nice and pleasant. i got a kafta combo plate and while it was a nice heap of food, i have to say it wasn't quite as tasty as I expected. but it wasn't bad either. service was fast, people were friendly, and around an area where there aren't that many choices. i'd come back again for sure.
(3)
Chester R.
I like the soup nazi references. the guy IS a little bit overboard on his dictator attitude but that's cuz the line gets soo long sometimes. Its always a solid choice.
(4)
Charles C.
as a burrito connoisseur myself, i was pleasantly surprised at the similarities between gyro king's gyros and their more celebrated latin-american counterpart starving in the civic center area under several occasions and unwilling to experiment with untested area restaurants [or pay $12+ for a single meal], i saw all the awards in the window and decided to give it a shot like a great burrito, the ingredients are fresh and well crafted, secured with a pleasantly flaky wrap, much like taqueria reina. though the door is usually left open leaving the interior kind of cold, service is prompt and friendly. i'd recommend taking it to go and enjoying the view of civic center nearby. if you ever find yourself at civic center and starving after a morning of combing through books or looking at statues in the asian art museum and don't want to spend too much for something good, come here [i was actually at a wedding reception nearby, and upon finding out that the food wouldn't come for another hour, we came here. ruining my appetite was well worth it because the food they served sucked anyway.]
(5)
Tracie L.
Stopped by Gyro King on my way between BART and the Asian Art museum. It was clean, the service fast and courteous. We ordered at the counter and had our food within 5 minutes. I got the falafel wrap, which was okay, but not the best I ever had. A little dry. Food was cheap though, and plentiful.
(3)
Cassio P.
Damn this is a big-ass gyro! This is the biggest gyro I've ever seen! I ordered two of them because I thought they were going to be small but they were as big as rolling pins. And they cost like 5.50 each. It's a snack place, OK, not a lovey-dovey romantic experience. No one is going to fall in love at a place called Gyro King. But if they love humongous gyros, this is where they'll go. They were both pretty good.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Greek food is a fine melody of the finest pressed olive oil, fresh fermented bread, colorful vegetables, juicy meat, sea food all cooked in spices and fresh rosemary. The people from Greek were great scholars who aimed to excel in everything they do. The results are quite visible in their food as they are the inventors of olive oil which is beneficial to health. Greeks also made different type of wines from the best quality of grapes fermented in controlled environment.
Today, you can find hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Greek food or popularly termed as Mediterranean cuisine in New York city alone. People wait in line to taste the exotic Greek dishes like saganaki, taramasalata, souvlaki, loukoumades, spanakopita, moussaka, and many more. One thing which most people like about these authentic Greek dishes is abundant use of lemon juice, olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt. A smart mix of few ingredients can virtually take you on the pebble streets of beautiful city of Greece.
For those who don't have time to enjoy fine dining should try tasting the famous souvlaki with pita which is type of meat dish, also a trademark Greek fast food. For those who are vegetarian, or vegan can try different versions of Greek Salad. So, if you wish to enjoy a hearty yet healthy meal that tastes divine then try dining at the best Greek restaurant in your city. Greek cuisine not only tastes good but also help maintain your body in a natural way through healthy diet.
Zain E.
Superb lunch. Excellent lamb kabobs. Locally located. Well priced. Parking a little hard to find sometimes. Owner is very sweet. Try their tea afterwards.
(5)Nelson K.
I think they need to change the name. Gyro King makes it sound like it's a fast food chain. It is so much more. While it's not fancy (I like that), the food is amazing. Fresh, made every day. Different specials. The lentil soup with mint and fresh lemon wedges is amazing. The salads and daily specials are great. Sure I've had better gyros, but the gyro platter is wonderful. I love the cold appetizer platter, the hummus, the spinach, feta and meat pies. The guys that work there are very sweet, and the service is quick. You order at the counter and take your plate to sit down - it's fast, efficient, and the prices are reasonable for what you get. I go there as often as I can. For those who ask things like where they don't serve butter with the bread, you might be in the wrong restaurant. Either learn what Middle Eastern food is and learn to appreciate it, or go to an American bar and grill.
(5)Ameer N.
i had a pretty solid lamb kabob shwarma here. it's real close to the library, so i put in my order, walk to the library and when i return my order is up. the shwarma was okay. not super and not pooper.
(3)Farah S.
Still a tasty ol' standby. Love the lentil soup, spinach pie, meat pie and of course the lamb/beef gyro wraps. I've been going to this place since it was much smaller and cramped. Now it's much bigger and still cramped, but who cares. Makes a great lunch or quick dinner before a show.
(4)Mr Bolo B.
this place makes pretty good sanwiches, my Lamb shish kebab wrap sandwich was excellent , Im very happy to find this nice restaurant! it was kind of hard to find the first time, but it's actually just by the Library at the end of Larkin near Market st. the prices are also very reasonable, I would highly recommend this place, the owner seemed like a nice guy, I think they are Turks.
(5)Sascha B.
My favorite holiday in terms of food is Greek Easter. The meal consists of lamb, Greek salad and rice. I usually only have it once a year though. Well, The Turkish owner of Gyro King may disagree, but their lamb platter is very similar, and really, really delicious. They also have great gyros. I accidentally got a chicken gyro once. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not into ordering chicken anything out, have way too much at home. However, this gyro was really tasty. The owner was nice to me, but that may have been because of my chair, and my need for a little more help. Definitely a must go to, if you like gyros or lamb.
(5)Suong N.
I came in hoping they had spanakopita, but it wasn't on the menu. It wasn't until after I got my spinach pie from the counter did I see the spanakopita sitting on the counter in its case. DAMN IT! Besides the pie, I had the chicken kebabs platter with the rice, couscous and salad. It was good, definitely not the best I've had. The couscous and rice were flavorful and not dry at all, but the salad wasn't fresh and the lettuce was kind of wilting. It was a lot of food, I had plenty leftover. Good place for lunch.
(3)anna l.
You know I'm reading these other reviewers. A little puzzled. But here's my experience. I work two blocks away. Once a week, I go to this place. I don't sit inside. I get it to go. It's quick and great every time. I only eat the chicken..either the wrap or plate ($5.95 to $10.95). With the plate order, I always have enough to take home. It's perfect when I want to have something hot, filling and flavorful. Note....I didn't smell the waiter.
(4)Pearl L.
When I order falafel, I mostly expect a sad, dry ball of chickpeas. I still order it because I like it and can pretend that it's healthy, but it's such a treat to find moist, fresh, tasty falafel. I wouldn't say that this place is remarkably more satisfying or delicious than other places, but the falafel is very fresh and doesn't taste like it's been left out and refried multiple times. It's a very good option if you're in the area.
(4)Jeff M.
Yuck! Not a good gyro in any way:(
(1)Raymond M.
I ordered the lamb & beef gyro #22 with extra Tahini sauce. It was mediocre. Every bite had just too much wrap (lavash flat bread). It needs just a kick of more meat, herbs and definitely some feta cheese for more flavors. Price is fair, $5.99, and pretty quick service.
(2)Maximillian M.
Falafel. It is what it is. And cheap(ish).
(3)Charlene K.
Great Mediterranean food for a great deal. I always get the platters. Choice of kabob, with rice, salad, and bread. Spring for the fresh baklava it's delightful! The Gyro's are amazing pouches of flavor with meet taken right off the spit. Authentic Greek food.
(4)Mike M.
Note: this review is based on one menu item only---the saliva inducing, mouth satisfying, smile creating lamb and beef platter. The service is fast and friendly, and the foods are displayed openly so you can see what you're ordering. Parking is not the greatest, the neighborhood is riddled with crackheads, felons, and feces-stained weirdos, but other than that I'll stop by this diamond in the rough for that lamb and beef platter (12 bucks cash covers it). Succulent meat, fluffy rice, home-cooked flavors and aromas have enslaved me to this dish. I skip the pita and substitute with more rice. It'll serve 2 people just fine. So grab 12 bucks, a MUNI pass, pepper spray and some anti bacteria wipes and have yourself an adventure!
(5)Casi C.
I came here before seeing Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre. It was my second time having greek in one day so I kept my plate simple and went for the Greek Chicken Salad. Everything was cooked fresh so as expected it took a little longer than usual to get our order, but it was worth the wait! The plentiful amount of grilled and seasoned chicken was so good! The salad was ginormous so I rolled out of this place stuffed to the brim because I couldn't leave one bite remaining on my big plate. I can't wait to try out some of their other dishes, hopefully they are as good as the salad is.
(5)Ann L.
I went here for lunch after going to the Asian Art Museum. I was expecting too much and was disappointed. I couldn't decide between the lamb/beef or chicken gyro so the guy mentioned they had a combination gyro $6.95 I think. I got that. It was huge, served on the lavash bread even though I was expecting a pita bread. Meat was kinda dry, wish there was more sauce. Got 2 domas which was $2.00, dang. Total $8.95. They take credit card but paid cash anyways. Free help yourself water available. Just ok, nothing special here. Close to Civic Center Bart. -------- Updated 12/1/07: 2nd time here after Asian Art Museum. I got the combo lamb, beef, & chicken gyros $6.25 again. Still dry, needs more sauce. Also got Ezo Gelin Soup: red lentil, mint, black pepper, salt, oregano, tomato paste $3.50. It's a huge bowl w/ mushed up lentils so u don't see them and it's very creamy. Pretty good and comes w/ a basket of bread (looks homemade but not sure). Total $10.58, paid cash again though they take credit cards. Saw a customer run to his car cuz someone was going to mess w/ it..not sure how. Then another customer almost got his ass kicked for complaining about jumping the line. Crazy.
(3)Chi Chi C.
It is 5 star Turkish food! Home made dish reminds me of my grandmother's..:) it is totally worth to check it out.. i love the mezes and the adana kebab... recommended!!
(5)Mike I.
Combo gyro review: pretty forgettable. Fairly flavorless and bland. Not super filling. Sub par gyro.
(2)Kevin M.
I've lived within a few blocks of this place for almost a year, and just went in there the other day. I had the Lamb Shish Kebab platter: *generous* portions, and a low, low price. Very good. Overheard someone say "the remodel looks great"., so guess they did some of that. I now have another place in the hood to keep me nourished.
(3)Leo C.
The chicken gyro was good, and the cashier(/owner?) was friendly. Too bad I got chicken juice all over my jacket while wolfing down my gyro in a lunch meeting afterward. The space is nice and I hope to be back to dine in next time with friends who work in the area. I also thought it was was kind of funny that I pronounced gyro "yeero" which is correct according to my googling just now, but they said it the phoenetic Americanized way. Presumably this is because they are Turkish not Greek? But then they should have named their restaurant "Doner Kebab King," a much cooler name, no?
(4)Amelia R.
my best friend and i came here because the restaurant we wanted to go to was closed (bummer) and this random homeless girl sitting outside said this place was good. seriously. anyway, of course we go, because we had to snag some food before seeing wicked (loved it by the way). i was suprised by how good it was! it was really cheap too. like 5 bucks for a falafel, and it was huge! my friend got the chicken pie i think- i dont eat meat but she said it was good. she also got a salad which was either cous cous or quinoa. we split the hummus and pita appetizer. i think they make the pita themselves because it was soft and warm and delicious. the guys who work here arent super friendly but whatever, they're nice enough. go here if youre in civic center and need food! at least once. you wont regret
(3)Chris R.
Are they the king? They're certainly the closest to City Hall/Civic Center. Gavin's kind of a king-type. Why not? Falafel is crispy, tasty and not too mealy. Feta pie is a little spongy. Haven't had any meat here, but for a quick veggie meal for under $6, downtown and in less that 10 minutes, there's not much that can beat it.
(3)Judy L.
Pretty good falafel - kinda on the salty side. Excellent chicken shawarma plate. Great spicy sauce. I heart their homemade bread. Best to go right after your romp in the library. Bring you best reads with you while you eat. It's certainly better than Burger King.
(4)Venatius P.
Gyro King VS Burger King? I have to give them props for having this place be right next door to Burger King. Hilarious! It's a pretty nice and clean place for the civic center, and it seems family owned, so the staff was friendly and fast. We had our food in a few minutes. I liked the fact that it was an open kitchen, you could see them work their magic. I got the lamb gyro plate, which was huge! I thought the meat and fixings were delicious; their bread was not bad either. They have a rather large case of baklava, but I was already stuffed. The menu is sizable so I will have to do more sampling and report back. Oh did I mention the prices are cheap!
(3)M R.
Again the lamb kebab platter is awesome. Get it with the hummus. I'm a very finicky lamb eater, but this place makes it just perfectly medium rare. I only wish they served the bread warm and fixed the bathroom for paying customers. Isn't it illegal not to have a bathroom for customers? I know they're right next to the burger king homeless hangout, but I like to wash my hand before I eat finger food.
(4)Valerie N.
came here for lunch with co workers because they were all raving about this place. i ordered their chicken gyro sandwich wrap, and it was okay. their desserts looks good, so i might come back and try their desserts. overall, i had an average experience.
(3)Rebecca D.
One thing about the Tenderloin is you're never lacking in ethnic food choices. Gyro King is a perfect example. They serve up delicious shish kebabs, warm and yummy gyros, and great specials every day. And $10 goes a long way at this place. Unless you're a huge eater or have a bottomless pit for a stomach, you may want to share your Mediterranean feast with a coworker. I can barely finish half of what they give me. The combos come with lots of meat, two types of rice, a salad and bread. It can a bit intimidating. So unless your office has a couch to take an afternoon snooze on, you may want to grab a coffee on your way back.
(4)Mike D.
I would give this place 1-1/2 stars if it were possible. The gyros were like burritos and the meat wasn't that good. There were pieces of fat that I had to pull out of my mouth from time to time! Ewwww! I don't think I'll come back here again.
(2)Maxine M.
Super good falafel...giant and incredibly filling- I could only eat about half, and pretty much picked at the rest of it for the remainder of the day- I'm sure that my coworkers really appreciated the delicious aroma of falafel coming from my cubicle all afternoon... Edit- 01/04/07 uh-oh I am knocking my rating down from 4 stars to 1 star after my meal tonight... i got the falafel, the husband got the chicken gyro... things went incredibly downhill super fast my falafel had me running to the bathroom in pain several times... husband said the chicken pieces in the gyro were all tough and knotty (as opposed to the way he likes his women- tough and naughty-hahaha) and he even went so far as to wonder if "this is what hamster meat tastes like" The baklava was like a sponge soaked in cheap syrup. which isn't nearly as appetizing as it sounds. I am kinda sad because the location of this place is perfect for me, the cashier and counter people are aways so nice, and the prices are cheap. I won't go back.
(1)Louise O.
I had the gyro pie and it was served to me lukewarm. Rather dry and flavorless. I would skip this joint and go to the other sandwich shops nearby.
(2)Helen L.
We used to come here all the time until we found yummier "as close to a New York gyro cart you're gonna get" gyros. Their lamb and beef gyro wraps (almost $6) weren't really that good and their falafels were ok. We did not return because we loved the food, we returned because it was the only place we knew of that had decent gyros. I always eye the platters people order secretly wishing to have that instead of what we ordered but unwilling to fork over the $10. The guy who cuts the meat is always really friendly unlike the other guy who usually takes the order who looks impatient, sour, and indifferent. I think they both have some family partnership for the restaurant. I have not returned to Gyro King since discovering other gyro shops.
(2)Sooner S.
This is my new spot. The price is right; food is good and relatively healthy. It's not located in the best of part of the city but it's close to a wonderful library, BART and the Orpheum. What more could you ask for? My favorite is the Chicken Gyro, which goes for $5.95.
(5)Chaser D.
This is a Turkish Restaurant. I dunno why its called greek or med or afgan... anyhow... gyro which is called doner in turkish or shawarma in arabic is good. i think they use steak although i like ground beef better. baklava is supper goood. try iskender, yummy. prices not high. might be crowded especially lunch time. will go again and again...
(5)Carmen L.
I'm never disappointed with this place. I love getting their lamb and beef wrap. The meat is so flavorful, and I love how they toast the wrap so that it gets super crispy. Just be careful when eating the wrap because the sauce tends to leak out the bottom. I learned the hard way and had to walk around all day with tzatziki sauce on my pants.
(4)Paulo M.
Sadly, it seems this restaurant is now going through the motions. Stale bread, bland soup, so-so mezes.
(3)Sushant P.
I enjoy the wraps here, and they're pretty cheap. Next time I go I'll try a platter, which is what I see most other people there having. Pretty spacious area with plenty of tables, and also some seating outside along the sidewalk.
(4)Thu L.
I pass by this place everytime I'm in the area and never stopped to go inside. I finally got a chance to come here on Saturday. The lamb and chicken shwarma was good and tasty. I can't wait for my next visit.
(4)Ray A.
DAMN!!!! The food here was HHHEEELLLAAA good, we (me and the fellas) had the shish kabob mix and it was damn good. Seriously, we came here on and couldnt decide what to order so we went for the kabob mix (chicken/lamb/beef) and I am very happy we did. Everything from the salad to the rice to the hoummous to the kababs was "on point!" Price was perfect and staff was ultra cool food was good sized portions. Very satisfying and fulfilling....I PROMISE TO COME BACK AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE AND RECOMMEND OTHERS TO DINE HERE TOO!!!
(4)Peter W.
Wow, I guess I'm one of the few people who think that the gyro from Gyro King are completely vile. I stopped in, not too late, and got a gyro.... I figured, I love gyro's, they're the gyro king, why not? It tasted like they cooked the lamb a week before, only to reheat it on a flat top swimming in the most disgusting grease I ever saw or tasted in my life. Not only was the meat burned, but the bread tasted liked burned tortilla!! I'm used to somewhat fluffy pita... I guess traditionally its only a tortilla.. ? All the other customers looked happy, not one was eating a gyro. So the lesson to learn: Don't order Gyro from the Gyro King! If you want a killer Gyro, try Ayola!! If you want to be killed by a gyro, stick with the King.
(1)George L.
Gyro King's gyros were dry and overcooked, I wasn't very impressed, don't offer lamb only gyros. I've tasted excellent gyros in Athens, London, Vienna. Order and pay at the counter, accepts credit card. They don't live up to its name.
(2)Micaela F.
My co-worker took us to lunch here and it is tasty! They had the wraps which was huge and I had some tasty mix kebob platter. It fill us up so we can enjoy our happy hour. Also, not expensive for SF price. I would definitely come here again when I work around the corner. It was delicious. I so want the dessert.
(3)Priscilla L.
I eat there whenever I have jury duty, go to the library, have a job interview downtown, go to the Main Library, or whenever! Except for the fact that it gets crowded and hot, the food is exceptional and cheap. I love their lamb gyros (wrapped with lavash, with tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and tahini sauce) and lamb shish kebab (seasoned lamb cubes, charcoal grilled, wrapped with lavash, with onions, cucumber, and tahini sauce)--I eat lamb whenever I can get it at a good price. Get their specialty plates, since for a couple of dollars more, you can have rice, sala, and bread. Take the leftovers home, and you can have another meal. They're open 7 days a week, and I manage to get my husband to go there on a Sunday. He liked his chicken gyro (with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce). If I work late, I guess I'll be stopping off here quite a lot to get dinner, and save the leftovers for lunch the next day.
(4)Perri B.
The food here is super tasty! I live across town but whenever I'm in civic center I make sure to grab a gyro here. It seems pretty authentic and the prices are as good as it gets for quality. It seems like it's a small family owned business and the owner can be kinda mean looking but the award social interaction is worth the food. haha someone already made the "soup nazi" remark! I though about using that but was scared the owner might exile me if he saw it haha
(4)Matt V.
I like good chicken shwarma salad... good prices too...very reasonable.
(5)Terry S.
This is probably one of my favorite places to get a fast, good meal. I have been dining at Gyro King for years and have never been disappointed. It is located in semi hidden but convenient location across from the library. Recently the place has had a nice upgrade with expanded seating areas, a splash of paint, funky plates on the wall, but the food remains the same, very good. Very nice family owned business. The owner only looks like he will cut off your legs and put them on the rotisserie, he is really a nice guy who runs a "tight ship". Very attentive, good service. I am not really a "hoofed animal" eater but every blue moon I will indulge in a lamb gyro...oh so good! The chicken gyro is just the right size and if you add a diet Snapple...walla...the perfect "on the go" or "oh my god I am so late but I would like something good to eat before" meal... They also have a great verity of Turkish delicacies. Go...it is good!
(5)Rob L.
This place is amazing! Great value and good quality Turkish food in San Francisco. I'm surprised by some of the negative comments, because the food is terrific! I literally found this place from my GPS device. I was expecting the place to only have inexpensive Americanized Gyro sandwiches, but it turned out to be a full menu-ed Turkish restaurant. With such a good value on mouth-watering Turkish food, how could one not like this place?
(4)Mark H.
Lamb & beef gyro was ok, was kinda bland for me. Been here before and food is good. Kebabs
(5)Thomas L.
I came here to get lunch before I headed into work. I ordered a chicken shish kabob sandwich. It was more lettuce than chicken. Forgettable to be honest. The baklava, though, is REALLY GOOD. It oozed honey, nutty goodness. I may try a non-sandwich dish next time, but if that doesn't work out, i'd only be back for the baklavas!
(2)Catherine H.
When I lived in San Ramon, I would walk by this place on my way to work in Hayes Valley/Civic Center from the BART station a gazillion times. Finally tried it a few months ago with a friend before a performance. The staff is really nice and this is a convenient place to grab a quick and inexpensive meal before going to the library or Orpheum Theater. While the gyro wrap was pretty good, it was downright messy. The dressing/sauce was all over the place, and it seemed like the ingredients were stuffed into a wrap that couldn't hold it. I'm a big fan of smaller portions and I dislike it when my food is annoyingly huge. Maybe next time I'll try their other dishes and desserts. Outdoor seating is not that great considering the somewhat shady area, but they have bar-like seating at the window. Tables are crowded next to each other and it's not easy relaxing in your seat. Since there aren't many inexpensive food options in the Civic Center area, I would recommend this place. If you are headed towards Hayes Valley, go ahead and try Hayes and Kebab - I like their gyro wraps much better, the atmosphere is less cafeteria-like, and their prices are comparable.
(3)Levi B.
MMMMMMMMM. Must....eat....gyro.... If I was a zombie, that was what I'd say when I'm craving this place. If I'm at all in the vicinity when I need to get my lunch on this is where I'll go. I think the prices are very reasonable for a filling meal. I haven't tried too many things on the menu, so far I just keep coming back for what I know I'll love. They are usually pretty good at getting your food to you quick when you order to go, even during busy times.
(5)Kristina A.
Tasty, fast, consistent , well-priced Mediterranean and Turkish makes for a great lunch in the Civic Center area. The lamb here is excellent - I like the shish kebab, wraps and gyros equally and look forward to having to be in Civic Center around lunch to grab something delish. Mmm... getting hungry writing about it!
(4)Rachel S.
Wow. Let me repeat WOW! I was beyond impressed with this place. Cheap, fast, and delicious! The staff wasn't super friendly BUT they were sure quick. Also, the portions were HUGE. I had a chicken Gyro and couldn't finish it. I couldn't believe how great the food was too. It was pretty darn amazing and for under 6 bucks. I'm still blown away. It also was very authentic. Definitely would like to go back here, but plan on splitting a Gyro next time. Food- 4/5 stars. Some of the best Mediterranean food I've had in the city. Service- 2/3 stars Atmosphere- 2/3- well it is in the Tenderloin.
(3)MICHELLE C.
Let me first admit, I am a falafel whore. There isn't much I would not do if it guaranteed a cache of these brown tasty little balls of yumminess. Heck, I'd sell my grandma into white slavery for a good supply. That said, they do have to be good to warrant my affectiions. The falafel at this place were cooked to a sawdust consistency. Here's an inside tip guys: if the oil is smoking black clouds--the food is burnt. Not only that, the clerk is rude. Not impatient, but rude. I have a slight disability wherein it takes me a minute to get my credit card out of my wallet--we're talking seconds, not hours. The clerk asked me why I was sick? Disabled, maybe, but not sick...,
(1)Abigail W.
the shwarma filled with TONS of amazing lamb bites that my lovely bf bought me was absolutely (!!) delicious. hot, juicy, fresh veg. probably the best i've had in awhile. his falafel was good, wasn't hot though (he said the cook got mad because he asked for the lamb and the falafel and he was making it together and the bf said oh sorry i meant two separate orders and threw the falafel out and started over, resulting in his not being hot....) but anyway, darn good shwarma. if i'm ever in the area again, i'll stop in to pick one up :)
(4)jorge c.
Better than decent food here in a messed up part of the Civic Center. Staff is a bit cold, but I'm not coming here to smiled at and fawned over. The adona kebab is so good, and huge for the price, with a nice, cool dipping sauce to go with it. Hummus is better than your usual Costco stuff, actually tastes homemade but could use a little kick. The bottom line, is if you're in the area, are hungry, and don't want to do the Burger King, then this place will satisfy.
(3)Josh R.
Yur durn tootin this place is awesome. Gyro was great. Excellent lamb, although I always feel a little guilty eating lamb. The cabbage salad they had was also quite good. Order at counter, they bring to your table. They were very friendly when we were there even though the place was crazy packed. This place is a definite return. And being so close to bart, its super convenient. Definitely beats the burger king 100 feet away.
(5)Candice B.
finally visited today after rave reviews from my co-workers. food was great, fresh and tasty. Not the absolute best I had, but I'd definitely go back. Friendly staff and super quick service...I called ahead ;).
(3)Yowlie Y.
Some of the salads and sides looked good but the Greek Salad, Falafel Sandwich, and Lamb Kebab Sandwich were all awful. It was just the average meat or the average falafel combined with wet, nappy lettuce, and not a lot else. Other places in town, like Ali Baba's, put potato, eggplant, onion, tomato, hot sauce, and hummus in the sandwiches, standard. I gambled on this place, hoping the shabby exterior hid an authentic gem. I won't eat there again.
(1)Jean P.
Decent prices, maybe a slight too high considering the atmosphere of the place, a little dingy with the lighting, and a couple sparse nice paintings. They made no effort to hide the soda machines which line the back wall which shows that they care more about selling soda then their overall appeal. However... they do have truly authentic Eastern food, olive oils, and herbs and garlic. Lamb off the rotisserie. My wife grew up overseas. It's the first time we came across "Dolma" in a restaurant in the USA. I haven't tried their Gyro's yet, we'll see if they are "king". I am a loyal Greek food enthusiast, and as far as I know... chicken souvlaki with tzatziki and feta is king, so unless I see a Gyro like that... I'm afraid it will just be false advertising.
(3)Eric R.
So the guy at the Orpheum tells us that there are two restaurants nearby...Burger King and Gyro King. Which would you choose? We weren't really expecting much, but we were oh-so-surprised. Excellent kebab, and the rice was sooooooo flavorful. I got straight up lamb kebab, but my lovely companions both ordered adana kebab. The lamb was good, but the adana was excellent...next time. Dolmas were just okay. Oh, dare I say affordable? Quite. Um...spend some time outside wondering how so many birds can live in two trees. Crazy.
(4)Matt P.
I went back, and this time they actually had meat. It wasn't bad, actually. I got #22, which is the standard lamb and beef gyro. It was meaty, yet light. Do ask for extra sauce, as it can be a bit dry. Still, it makes me miss the gyros I used to get on the east coast. --------------------------------------------------Â----------------------------------- A friend and I went here at a not-so-late hour, and they were out of lamb and beef! what kind of gyro place runs out of meat? If I happen to go there again some time in the future, I'll revise this review then.
(3)Heather L.
I don't know what the hype is all about. I did not like this place. This gyro joint does not compare to the street vendors in NYC. They know how to make gyros and at half the price. Me and my hubby both had the beef and lamb gyro platter. Quite disappointing as the meat tasted dry and not very good quality. I don't think this should be in the bargain bites. I would ignore the bad area if this place really had a great bargain and tasted good.
(2)Rey T.
If you want great, unassuming Mediterranean food, this is the place to go. Yeah, yeah. Lamb...good, chicken...good...whatever...just please order the BABA GANOUSH! If you come here to order one thing, order this. The sweet, smoky blend of pureed eggplants is sublime. Smear it on the bread, the meats, the dolma or your significant other. The only thing I don't like is that the loonies from the library hang out in front more than is comfortable. I don' think they come in, but it's really daunting when you need to go into the restaurant. That's hardly the Gyro King's fault though, is it? 4 stars for the food and 1 star for the owner, who is great, and looks like a Mediterranean Brian Cox.
(5)unnati g.
This place sucks. My friend and I went in and asked for falafels, knowing that falafel's are by their very nature vegetarian, because, well, we're vegetarian. So they give us our falafels, we start eating them, and I decide to look a little closer about halfway through the sandwich. There, staring back at me, are a couple of hunks of some white, fleshy stuff. We take the sandwich up to the counter, explain that this looks like chicken in my vegetarian sandwich, and the guy goes, no, that's a falafel. After a little back and forth, he admits that some chicken was mixed into the salad. Oops. There was no apology, nothing. We kindly ask for our money back, thoroughly disgusted, and the guy friggin swears at us! He's like, "Well did you eat it?" and I"m like, "Well, yeah, until I saw that there was chicken in it. Now I don't want to, I can't eat it."
(1)Manny R.
While the prices weren't too bad mainly $6.50 for a sandwich, it lacked flavor need more meat less lettuce and maybe even some more veggies and sauce. They would probably do better with their gyros in a pita like bread like most other places. I am sure they have some other nice dishes from what I seen in the pictures had more balance. I do have to say its a clean place and the staff was really friendly and that usually goes a long way with me but, I can only see myself eating here if I just happen to be in the area and was craving Mediterranean. Nothing to go out of your way for!
(3)Daisy A.
I went there at 10:30 AM for breakfast on Saturday. Nobody was there yet and all food were not there yet, either. So, I ordered whatever they had at that time, they were soup and chicken pie. The bread came with the soup was still hot and delicious. (Freshly-baked bread is nice always!) Chicken pie was good too. I will try the Gyro and Kabab next time for sure. Also, the girls working there were pretty and kind.
(4)jason e.
Very friendly staff, tasty shawarma. Also try the lentil soup -- a great addition to a sandwich lunch.
(4)Eva Leona Lerriqs S.
I had the spinach pie and the chicken pie. Both were delish and came with small salads. The owner and staff were super sweet. I can't wait to return to try the feta pie and desserts.
(5)Tom D.
I've had the Gyro King Platter twice now and its great. Am now to the point where I can eat just half of the meal and save the rest for lunch the following day. It tastes good the next day, but a little oily. Other than that, I'd have to say its one of my favorite places.
(4)Pete K.
This place has been my favorite lunch place during workdays ever since my Turkish workmates introduced me to this place a couple of years back. It's pretty small and crowded and most people just get the food to go, but the service is pretty quick (most lunch items will be ready in 3-4 mins). My personal favorites Gyro King salad (Chicken salad that will actually fill you up) Chicken Gyro with hot sauce (mmmm~~ juicy chicken~) I'm not totally sold on their Kebab's though, but otherwise they present excellent value and great quick bite. Somehow, the owner reminds me of Soup-Nazi from Seinfeld, but deep inside I'm sure he's a nice person. ;-) Actually, once u get used to him, he's pretty nice.
(4)Angela K.
#10 Gyro King Salad (chicken) was very good. I didn't use the white (yogurt?) dressing, but the bread was very good and went well with the hummus.
(3)Kenny L.
I enjoy grabbing a bite here every now and then. The food is delicious. Prices are great, for what it is. It's no place to take a date, but it's a good place to stop and get a nutritious, flavorful mouthful of authentic Middle Eastern food. My favorite thing for lunch is the appetizer sampler.
(4)Codester H.
I was thinking this would be a Greek place but its really Turkish! Turkish food is kinda like the Mexican food of Europe. Gyros paralleling burritos. They just substitute lavash bread for tortillas. The lamb and beef gyro is tasty and, although Ive never had any of it, the stuff in the deli case looks delicious. It isnt cheap exactlly but not outrageous either. Plus its clean and modern inside and with plenty of places to sit which is something of a rarity in the area.
(3)Shannon V.
I am not kidding when I say that i fully believe this to be in the stinkiest area of San Francisco. I dread coming up from the Civic Center stop because I feel like I will reek of that dried bum sweat/old piss stench. It's so hard to imagine glossy Gavin walking through here and avoiding the smell of pus. I've gotten far too graphic to arouse any appetites, and for that I am sorry. Because the Gyro Nazi is silly good; it's the best hummus, falafel, gyros, and oh, the salads are fresh and huge and delicious. You kind of have to to get in a confrontation to order your food and then get your food, but it's no big deal. Just stand your ground.
(5)Mary D.
I've been eating here for the past few years and it doesn't disappoint. The location is great, near the bart, and the people who work there are very down to earth. My favorites are the spinach pie (they heat it up and it comes with a small salad- good value), and the many different appetizers. The baba ganoush (sp), eggplant, tabouli, and bean salad are all tasty. And the freshly baked bread goes well with all of them. Order a bunch of appetizers and share with a friend!
(4)Marc S.
I had their chicken shish kabob gyro and all aspects were outstanding. I actually thought it was of better quality than my near-work favorite, Baldie Cafe. This one had freshly grilled chicken, very nice veggies, not too mush sauce, and a great wrap that was sturdy and grilled up for even more sturdiness and didn't break. A good portion without making me stuffed. Pretty nice seating area. A good spot for after a civic center outing. Area is even fairly free of bums. $6.73 with tax. Not crowded at all on a Thurs evening.
(5)Ellen G.
Don't be confused by the name like we did. We have been craving a gyro for days. Their gyros are not like the greek style that I know and love. This place is not really Greek style at all. We got a lamp and a beef gyro and a veggie plate. The meet was pretty dry and the veggie plate was just okay. Unfortunately we went there with a certain expectation and might have enjoyed it more if that was what we wanted.
(2)MrBoomBastic ..
Would give it a 3.5, if halves were an option. The food and service is aight. Absolutely a great place to have lunch, considering your other choices in the immediate Civic Center area. I don't feel terrible giving them that extra half, since I won a free lunch with 10 friends for dropping my business card in the raffle box - awesome!!!
(4)She-Ra ..
I've been missing out! I've hurried past this gem on a number of occasions on the way to my beloved wrap delights sandwich spot. Decided I didn't feel like a $2.25 sammy and stopped in today. There was an impressive line which moved quickly. I ordered the appetizer plate and it was in my hands practically before I finished my order. The restaurant looked very clean, everything was tasty (but I could have used more vinegar in my dolma), and fresh. I'll be back.
(4)Bubbles L.
A wonder dive of good food with excellent portions and enough chaos to keep you watchful. My favorite dish is the ground lamb kabob with sides. They also serve an amazing soup and the most delicioius of flatbreads. An order of soup and bread in itself is worh the visit. All their salads look delicious and whenever I go I'm always checking out what everyone else has ordered. The drawbacks include the lack of workers who function well in English and the confusing menu with lack of any signage on the food. I've discovered that pointing at things is the best way to communicate what I'd like to have. They also don't have good coffee to go with the desserts, so, unfortunately, the desserts become an afterthought. But they give you a large portion of baklavah (2 pieces) with an order.
(4)Kimberly C.
Here I thought I'd discovered something, and yet, voila! 109 reviews already! I even asked the cashier/owner whether they'd been there long. I don't walk down Grove that often, but I have at least half a dozen times and have never seen this place open. I'm glad they were open this time. My sister and I were headed for the Herbst Theatre for a Magnetic Fields concert, when her stomach started demanding food. I honestly don't know where any of the good places to eat in the city are. Well, correction, I know of one now. We popped in to Gyro King on the premise that we would only stay to eat if they had a bathroom (her bladder was also demanding something). A big plus for the food is that it is not dried out. I've had some Mediterranean food before that tastes a dry and old. It is a little oily, but sometimes that's a good thing, and even the bread for our baba-ganoush was soft and fresh. The bab-ganoush itself was mildly citrusy and had a fresh garden-party-in-your-mouth flavor. The dolmas were moist and the baklava was too, but still so crispy and flaky, not mushy at all. The only thing I wasn't so keen on, though it was still really good, was the spanikopita. It was sort of more like onionkopita cause man there were plenty of big chunks of onion. So if you like onions, try the onionkopita, I mean, the spanikopita. I wish I'd discovered you sooner, Gyro King.
(4)Christina L.
I wanted to like this place. The staff was courteous and I like supporting mom and pop shops, however the gyros were too dry and lacked flavor.
(2)juls j.
Great gyro- lamb and beef combo. Delicious!
(4)S E.
The lamb gyro was OK, although on the dry side. The portions were very good--great value. The hummus was tasty. The service was very fast on a Friday evening, which was useful before the symphony, although there would've been a short wait if we had ordered the lamb shish kebab. (We didn't.) We have been there at least twice where the rest room has been out of order; maybe it's always out of order!
(3)A. D.
My second favorite falafel stop in SF. I'm always greeted with a smile from behind the counter - very friendly folks. I also highly recommend the pastries - especially those with pistachios - DELICIOUS! While I myself have not tasted the gyros - my husband thouroughly enjoyed the lamb. Reasonably priced, friendly service and delicious food - I will continue to make stops there whenever I'm at civic center.
(4)Erin C.
Oh, I'm sorry, did I just step into the Soup Nazi kitchen in Seinfeld???? These people either don't talk or look at you like "wtf do you want, YOU came into MY shop.." Everytime I've gone in there I felt I just let Grandma Santorini's prize sheep dog out into traffic. I find it interesting that most yelpers here *have* mentioned the sheer LACK of cordiality and congeniality amoung the staff, but give it a million stars like the food WAY makes up for it. Sure, the food's ok, but the hummus I had was WAY greasy. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be and it's "lightened" up for us Trader Joe's yutzes...Doesn't matter, it was still gross. The gyros I've had were kinda spicy, and not really in a good way. Spice took over every other flavor, if you want to know the whole of it. I've had better in Concord, honestly. AND it wasn't with the "don't know what you want? NO GYRO FOR YOU!" 'Tude. I have this notion that some yelpers just wish is was better because they were stuck in the Civic Center area, (hey, been there, I went to school there) and are comparing Gyro Nazi to all the other erm, not-so-fortunate-tasting eateries... (coughcough BOOGER KING, SCARY SMELLY CARL'S BURRITO, hack couch cough cough... sorry, excuse me) When one does that, Gyro goes up to like, top 5. Not saying much when number 6 is delectible-smelling Carl's jr/Green Burrito. In short, 98% of me would not go here again. They got two stars because I did not get physically ill from eating the food.
(2)Garrett S.
I am giving this four stars because it is worthy of me going back to try another dish at least once. I ordered the lamb & beef gyro platter which comes with rice and salad. I was a little disappointed that upon my ordering neither of the two men behind the counter made a move to make my dish. This lasted a few minutes until the cook came out of the back to make it. The service was painfully slow, taking longer to make and prepare the dish than it did to eat. But it was good. Not an actual gyro at all though so that's deceiving. It was essentially a deconstructed???? gyro at best. It was tasty and worthy of going back.
(4)May T.
truth be told, i've never had a gyro sandwich here. however, the numerous times i've been to gyro king, i've eaten so many of their kebab plates, you'd think i'd be sprouting little kebabs from my head. my go-to's are definitely the kofte, iskender and adana kebabs. each are succulent and heavy with the middle eastern spices. the plates are accompanied with some golden pilaf, cucumber/tomato salad, and sesame flatbread. i always get some baba ghanoush to go because it's lemon-garlic ratio is superb. close to how my armenian friend's father makes at home (i know this is sacrilege, mentioning armenia and turkey in the same breadth considering the genocide and all, but i swear the baba ghanoush is similar!!!!). and, if you've never had manti before, this is a good place to try it. they're little dough balls stuffed with seasoned ground beef and topped with a garlic yogurt sauce. oh almighty buddha, i know eating animals won't get me to the next level, but i'm salivating as i write this.... the chicken and lamb shishes are pretty tender as they come straight off the grill and onto your plate. the old men sitting around are all related and watch turkish telly 24-7 at this small cafeteria-style restaurant so don't expect a fancy meal with four star service. there's a counter, you order, you sit (sometimes) and eat really tasty food. that's all.
(4)Tim M.
The Gyro King was out of gyros when I got there (maybe they're that good?). Anyway, they offered a shawerma, I accepted, and it tasted pretty good. They give you a lot of free breadsticks with your order; I appreciated that.
(3)Todd H.
What the fuck happened to the Black Sea Pie? And Iskendar? Used to be best things on the menu but they're crossed off the menu because fuckers don't know shit about Turkish food and only order what they've seen at other Mediteranean places. Take a risk and buy something unfamiliar. I don't know why people call them gyro nazis. Is it because the deli guy looks the soup nazi on Seinfeld? Fuck Seinfeld. Seinfeld is racist. You expect your ass to be kissed everytime you buy a falafel, you cheapskate? How about buying something more expensive and maybe they'll give you some respect? Well you didn't buy it and now it's crossed off the menu. Fuck you. They're bread is really good but I think anything wrapped in lavash is overrated. So I order stuff that goes with bread. The soups are good. The meat or vege hotplate (daily special) is always good. Hummos and babaganoush are great. Get there early and try all the meat pastries on top of the deli counter before they sell out. And bring an extra stomach for desert. (By the way, they're really friendly to their Turkish customers and there's always at least one in there. Ha, ha, ha.)
(4)Elgin F.
More than Gyros! Incredibly flavorful Greek salads, tasty meats-on-a-stick of several different species, Souvlaki/etc to die for, and some of the best baclava ever! The cooks are mostly Latinos, but the boss was there when I went in for the review. He was watching a "r-Rated" Turkish movie, that made a nice sonic bed against the surly, arguing "tramps" across the street at the library. Another groovy fall night in "The City That Knows How." BK?? Subway?? Quiznos? Car';s JR?? One of those nearby over-priced, skimpy bits of art-as-food, w/ that obnoxious lighting in uncomfortable colours kinda cookhouses? Oh, please...don't put that poisonous crap into your precious temple of life, not when you can get a salad (fresh, not soaking in dressing all dany/night long), along with roasted lamb kabob + a diet soda ...alL for under $11. Beats the hell out of many overpriced trend-o-rants around Fri$co, and family-owned, too. ;) PS tip 'em good, and you just might get a bigger helping! YASOO!
(4)Sven S.
This place is really pretty good. Fast, convenient, and with good gyro wraps. Now it's hard to compare their gyros with the type of stuff you get in Europe. It's just not the same, and you'll have to accept that. However, this is one of the better wraps I've had in SF and is comparable to what you can get at Taste of the Mediteranean on 16th. I haven't been here that much but I'm going to come here more often. Hard to beat a good 5$ meal.
(4)Mike P.
I read all of the Yelp reviews and was truly expecting a heavenly eating experience, tainted with stoic and intimidating service. I was disappointed on both fronts. Service was straight-forward and matter of fact, though I did get to witness the cashier (older dude) drop the hammer on a PWK (peirced white kid) who just wanted to use the restroom. I can imagine that if you go into this place trying to find your next best friend, you aren't going to be getting your needs met. The gyro itself was OK, but not that moist and frankly, could've used a little more spices. But the thing was HUGE and satisfied my hunger. If you're on a motorcycle, there's plenty of "taint" parking (taint that spot and it taint that spot) around so that's convenient. I might go back if I'm hungry, but prolly not. I'll be looking for a better gyro. -Mike
(3)Laurel B.
I like the kebab and the Greek salad here. It's busy, and not as aesthetic an experience as Adana Kebab (where there's great food, great atmosphere, and a decent wine list), but the gyro is good. Very good.
(4)H. S.
It's not a destination spot, but there are few things in life as good as checking out some books at the library next door and then sitting down with a bowl of hot lentil soup and some warm bread and hummus. Especially on a cold, foggy day. Which we have a lot of here.
(4)Anita W.
Okay, I am not an expert in this kind of cuisine, but I have been there four times and I always order the same thing (that is just tasty and plenty for me and a friend): Appetizer combo dish ( eggplant salad, humus, baba ganouj, cacik, tabouli and grape leaves), Grilled kofte kebab (rice, salad, grounded beef with herbs and bread), and baklava. The staff.. well, we live in San Francisco; diversity is everywhere! Don't you find some Cantonese just rude? Some Spanish guys just too nasty? Well, the owners are just angels to me: when I smile, they always smile back.
(5)terra d.
after a super successful interview at the governors office (haha) i stopped in here for a gyro. it gave me a tummyache :( but they do have pepsi!
(2)van s.
This little gem used to be a hole in the wall that offered great food. Now they have expanded and redecorated and the place is much more upscale. Their babaganoush is addictive and they have the very best baklavah in the city and their fresh baked turkish bread tastes like heaven. This is definitely a great bet if you find yourself in the Civic Center neighborhood.
(4)dan e.
the chicken gyro platter is really good.
(4)L B.
I recently found this place, and I'm glad I did! I love their borek (spinach pie). I will surely come back for more.
(5)Glenn H.
A good friend of mine brought me here for lunch after class one day. I was not aware that amung all the grit and grime of Market Street there was a decent place for one to get lunch. So many of the Art Institute students are un-aware like I was. I am glad to have it nearby. I havent partaken of any of the other dishes since I usually dont have time to eat a big meal, but I have had the falafel sandwich. It was quick good and pretty cheap. They have a good selection of drinks in their drink case as well. I do agree that their service is lacking, but I have never been glared at or kicked out. They are for the most part very straight forward about their food. If you come in, you are coming in beacause you are hungry and you have some money in your pocket. The men who run the place are either greek or turkish, I am not sure, but they have a no nonsense attitude that I admire. When I come in there, I am usually not in the mood for banter anyway. If it has been a rough school-day then I most likely will not have had a break for four hours and my head will be aching with hunger. This place is better than two advils and a glass of water when I cant wait until I get home to get some tasty grub without all the grease and fried food. One note... beware of garlic breath! My Final Assessment: A-hole factor: straight forward old dudes... They dont owe you anything except for what you pay for so just pay, sit down and eat your food. I think this helps keep the vagrants out. Atmosphere: It is well maintained and pretty clean for the location it is in. Food: Moderately yummy, comforting and refreshing when you need to fill your belly. I will add more as I try the other dishes. Co$t: about $7-10 per person Return Customer: It sure beats Subway and Burger King. Ill take Gyro King any day.
(3)Mobile B.
The gyros here are rather blah. The beef and lamb meat served up here is not of the gyro meat loaf variety. Instead it is sliced up off a layered pieces of the meat. While this would seem to produce a great tasting gyro, the meat is dry and not seasoned very well. The place is frenetic during lunch. You can often get a good show of the guys arguing back behind the counter. So lunch and show for under 7 bucks! And who said SF was expensive?
(3)Chaney K.
Maybe I'm just biased in favor of Greek gyros with thick bread, but the gyro I had here was pretty awful. Overcooked, crispy wrap, imperceptible tzatziki, and just a pile of iceberg lettuce and rubbery meat. It was the only item I had, though, so I can't comment on the quality of their other food.
(2)Cindy B.
After reading the reviews we ordered the combination gyro and thought it was just ok. Maybe our expectations were too high but we've had better gyros at other places.
(3)Bernadette M.
I came in to get some baklava that evening as surprise for my bf. There were two kinds and they were both good. Spent about $5.50 for a total of 4 pieces. My bf was pleased with them. I like the flaky part and for them not too syrupy. The counter person was helpful. The kebobs looked delicious. I'll have to try those sometime. I see this spot everyday on my way to work. The gentleman at the grill smiled at me on my way out... a way to say 'thanks' maybe? Cool with me!
(3)Mark C.
Since returning from Paris I've been in desperate search of Grec with Frites, and despite my best attempts I've yet to find a place that compares to the flavors I experienced while abroad. In that search I managed to find my way to the Gyro King. I attend school near the public library, so finding this little treasure is quite helpful to my wallet and my body. I purchased a lamb and beef gyro and found it quite scrumptious! the beef was a little dry for my taste, and there were too many cucumbers but those things aside the gyro was good for the price, though I can't say it's my favorite gyro place in the city I can say that it's now one of my regular stops. I'm very anxious to try out the kebabs next time I go in.
(4)miriam b.
For their soup ......4 stars. February 2007 Kofte Nazi...Tessiker....allah.... Hey...it was cold, it was 11:30 AM, there was no line and just tried their red lentil soup and it had a slice of lemon for the soup, borek bread and yummy soup for $4. (Saw Homeless Guy with a slice of semolina honey soaked cake in polystyrene container with a HUMONGOUS toothless smile as he walked towards Salvation Army....PRICELESS!!!) ********* Good to get a bite before 11:30 am or after 3pm Mon-Friday. There is usually such a LOOOOOONGGG line M-F around from noon - 2pm because of the SOMA-Civic Center workers that want to get yummy lunch close by. Not the best Turkish food in the Bay Area, but they have improved since the lunch crowds have grown. I first ordered something from them around 2002 and was really, really disappointed at the dim flavors contrary to good Turkish food. But was feeling nostalgic for some Turkish food so decided to visit Turkey for the food fix alone... Order the falafel sandwich to go. The sample platter.
(3)Kaitie D.
walked by it once thought "huh, that might be good to try. it has that hole-in-the-wall ambiance" so today I thought I'd try it! came in....it smelled so good! Mediterranean people working AND eating here, already looks promising. the menu is a tad confusing due to the fact that the lamb and beef gyro show up in like 4 different places on the menu....for different prices. and i wasnt about to ask any questions for he didnt speak english that well and i have i very hard time understanding accents. ordered the beef and lamb gyro. only waited for like 3 minutes. soo GOOD! perfectly seasoned beef and lamb. perfect size and very very filling! it could use a tad bit more yogurt and the pita could be a tad warmer (but i had walked for about 5 mins before eating it so that may be....) but otherwise its pure perfection. definitely coming back and trying other things! i dont think the staff is trying to be mean i think they're just trying to be quick and efficient so it comes off a bit unfriendly
(4)Todd C.
Love the falafel wrap here. Run by some Turkish chaps and I often try to identify what is being said on the TV, invariably on a Turkish channel. Still, the food is excellent. The falafel wrap is made quickly and is always good; you can also get some lovely sweet, if a little sticky, baklava. Small dining area with entirely too many chairs...well, at least for my taste; I spend half my life it seems, trying to avoid stepping on or over people, being 6'2 and having long limbs. Anyway. That's not why you called. Thoroughly recommended and if you are hungry leaving the south side of the library, it's right there. You can pay with credit card too!
(5)Jen S.
Love this place. We always eat here on our way to the Symphony. Some things are sold out by the time we get there but I really enjoy the gyros and greek salad. The guys behind the counter don't mess around-- they're great!
(4)Carol N.
Gyro King is great! The service is quick and efficient. This is an excellent place to pick up food to go when you are on Jury Duty and have to rush back for intense deliberations. I had the beef and lamb gyro; it was super! Can't wait to go back and try other things!!!
(5)anita c.
Pretty good gyros across the street from the main library. beats the pants off anything else in the area. counter staff were pleasant, and the beef+lamb gyro ($5.50) was tasty, if a little dry. I'll definitely try other items when I'm picking up my books...
(3)David D.
I like the food here a lot... the sampler plate is good, the kebabs are great, and both together make an excellent meal for two. They do a better job grilling meat than at a lot of higher end Turkish places. Good desserts too. Service is friendly and efficient except when the place is slammed (lunchtime or pre-show). The owner is kind of wacky but I don't think he's unfriendly.
(4)Gerald C.
A quick hunger fix right by the main library for $5-6, if you're looking for something different. Beef and lamb gyro was a little dry, but at least it wasn't a soggy drippy mess (like they often are at other places).
(3)Tinou B.
My new favorite quick eat. Ever since Berlin, which apparently has a big Turkish population, and those doner kababs I've been craving gyros. How can you not love meat that comes from a big slab on a stick? Got the lamb and beef gyro plate for $8.95. Includes meat, salad, two types of rice, and bread. Filling and tasty. Definitely will come back. I would like them to slice the gyros a little thinner though, but nonetheless, it's good. The owner is like the "gyro nazi" but he's not that bad. Greatness demands discipline.
(5)Jess H.
Gyro King is the closest thing to a mediterranean fast food joint. The food is good, fresh and healthy; I particularly enjoy their chicken kebab platter that comes with couscous, seasoned rice, salad, and yogurt/herb dipping sauce which is the bomb! The location is kind of sucky but the fact that it's open til 10pm makes up for it...
(4)jeff h.
Great food and good prices. I go to this restaurant once a month and their food always taste great. It is clean and they have a good variety. Their prices are very good a well. Their kofte is best you will find anywhere. My wife likes their desserts as well. People are always nice and very helpful.
(4)Nicole N.
The first time I ate here was awhile back, right before I saw Wicked at the Orpheum (across the street). Otherwise, I ordinarily wouldn't be wondering around that area looking for a place to eat. I think I ordered the lamb and beef gyro and it was pretty good... good enough to make me come back for more. I don't know if it's just me, but decent Mediterranean restaurants are hard to find in the city. Actually, this isn't so much a restaurant, but more of a casual dining spot. There really isn't any table service provided, but that's fine. Recently, I went back and ordered the lamb shish kebab. I love the TV dinner style thing they have going on, where they give you a bunch of sides (which are all good by the way) with your meal.
(4)Nat K.
The chicken gyro is lacking in spice, IMO, but the lamb gyro is good. If you don't do lamb or beef, falafel is the way to go over chicken. The sandwiches are big enough for two to share, and one of the few places in the area to take credit cards.
(3)Oktay Ege K.
This was a really cool place. As a Turkish person, I had no idea they had yummy Turkish food. If you want to real ethnic experience, ask for the Gyro Wrap "Turkish Style" or you can call it "Doner Durum" if you want to impress the people there. It's basically Gyro meat with greens, onion, tomato and spicy sauce (And french fries if you want it Istanbul Style). The baklava is pretty good and the fries are very good.
(5)Frankie D.
Where the hell can one in this fine town of ours to get a gyro on a pita instead of lavash? Certainly not here!
(3)Babs P.
Ordering at this place is the closest you'll get to ordering from the Soup Nazi. The deli guy is mean and yells at you, but the food is decent and inexpensive.
(3)charlene l.
fyi- this is turkish food, not greek. common misconception. it is pretty good. food is a bit greasy. santorini and adana kabap are better. go to gyro king is you are in the neighborhood, want to practice speaking turkish, or feel the need to stroll through one of the more interesting segments of the sf population.
(4)Joe G.
The meat is a little salty, and so is the guy behind the counter, but watching the talking-head arguments on Turkish TV makes up for all of it.
(3)Mike L.
this is where you go if you want a gyro and someone to hate you while you eat it. it's totally worth your trip to eat here, the gyro plate is the best and it's a ton of food. it's for sure the best in the city.I'm not sure why they don't like anyone that walks in the door but its too good to stop going. my friends and i know it as the "gyro nazi" , but trust me it's uber good.
(4)chini l.
Food is great although the place is supercrowded at lunch. Love the chicken shish kebab and baklava.
(5)W M.
The only real drawback here are the long lunch lines and the 10 minute wait for a lamb kebab. But the food is very tasty and generous in proportion--the meat is all halal, similar to kosher standards of meat handling. The owner guy is brusque but I think it's really all about efficiency. Best kebab place around civic center.
(4)Gene L.
Listen, i'm from the midwest (chicago), and maybe the gyros are different there, but the gyros platter was not tasty in the least. Instead of pita, they give you basically slices of bread (this is the platter, didn't try the sandwich). Can anyone point me in the direction of your standard, even Americanized, gyros with loads of cucumber sauce? I'd be eternally grateful. The only ones i know have disappointed, incl. Oasis Grill.
(2)J G.
i like this place. i've gotten the sampler plate and it was great - babaganoush was tasty, hummus served with a drizzle of olive oil, tabouleh was good - all-in-all good stuff. i got a chicken shwarma another time, it was ok but the chickpea salad was delightful. next time i'll have to try the kebab. oh... i will be back!!
(4)Trevor D.
The food here is middle of the road at best. The good thing is that the portions are generous. If you are hungry near the library then check it out, but don't bring a date.
(3)Chris C.
Pretty good gyro. The serving size was HUGE and the meats tasted great. Service is excellent, but the atmosphere is a little lacking. More of a fast food vibe but with way better food.
(3)Sarah W.
For the price:amount:taste:convenience, the chicken gyro was 3.5 stars. I'm not someone who gets Greek food a lot (and if I do I hazard on the vegetarian side bc it's so amaze) but I was on the way to the Symphony (pinky raise) and I was hungry! I only had 15 minutes to eat, so I quickly got off Civic Center bart, walked a couple blocks to Gyro King (on the way to the Symphony), scanned the menu quickly, and ordered what I considered a safe option - the chicken gyro. For $7 it was quite the deal! They prepped it while I used their restroom (woot). Two minutes later, I was out the door. The bread was fluffy, warm, and dang tasty. The chicken was bland (and I tend to like slightly under seasoned foods)! I was so sad. Combined with a lackluster tahini sauce and salad items, it was only A-OK. That said, the convenience can't be beat! I go to the Symphony (pinky raise) 3x year and each time I'm in a rush...so I will give this place another try and another try and another try. But next time, I will try the lamb or beef gyro. Btw, they also serve baklava, which looks so gud (what baklava doesn't?). I won't get it here though since I'm close to Oasis in Belmont, which serves wholesale baklava, meaning 24 pieces for $8. I cannot pay $3 for one piece, GK, but perhaps YOU can. Anyway, try this place out and support your local musicians aka the renowned SF Symphony!
(3)Samantha C.
This place was close to the Orpheum and we wanted to grab dinner before our show. I really wanted to like this place, but things didn't turn out that way. I ordered their king gyro salad and my BF got their gyro wrap, and we shared a slice of ravani. My gyro salad actually came with chicken instead of lamb, which was surprising since this was the first place I've been to where gyro is chicken instead of lamb. The veggies in salad was tasty; nice, tart, and crisp. The chicken however was incredibly dry. It looked good, but overlooked I guess. My BF also thought his wrap was dry. He ended up taking my yogurt for his wrap. The ravani was interesting. It was soaked with a sugary syrup, making the cake really wet and sweet. Maybe it's me, but I'm just not used to eating cake wet. Service was nice though. The people are really friendly.
(2)Ziyan C.
Great service. Even though it's a very hole-in-the wall order-at-the-counter type of diner, the kind where you'd imagine staff to be jaded and to not care about service, I got a great vibe from the guys at the counter here. They gave our group an enthusiastic hello and bright smiles. The man who took my payment went out of his way to bring my dish to my table. * Free bread - 3.5 stars Very thick crust, soft on the inside. Plain but would've tasted fantastic with butter! I was wondering why they didn't have any. * Gyro King Salad ($7.99) - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/gyro… Lots of food! Pretty good chicken, a little on the dry side. The salad's a bit lackluster, the ingredients simple and not the most fresh.
(3)Kimia M.
This place is so underrated! Its really delicious, fresh, good quality, great service! I had the beef/lamb gyro wrap and it tasted so authentic! They have a housemade yogurt sauce which is also super tasty, as well as their special hot sauce! The man who works the register is helpful and kind. People probably miss this place because its in a random location, but i definitely recommend it!
(5)Linda K.
Me: "What's the most popular meal sold here?" Owner: ".... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Me: "Wait what's so funny?" Not a good first impression. I've never tried Mediterranean food, so I wanted to ask what's good for fucks sake. I ended up getting the lamb and beef gyro wrap that I found mediocre. It was the size of my forearm and it probably tasted the same as it would be if I actually ate my forearm - utter despair. The wrap was incredibly dry and flaky. The meat was juicy and sliced very thinly. It was overpowered by the dry wrap so the combination of the two was poor. The sauce was thin and liquid-like so it was dripping from my hands onto my plate. The vegetables were not evenly distributed, so I was only chewing on meat and wrap until I ripped it completely open to see the vegetables on the bottom. I was disappointed. I hate to give this places bad review. My company enjoyed their meals. They had the gyro on a plate and kebabs they enjoyed the side of bread they provided as well. Maybe I'll try that next time to give this place another chance.
(3)Michael C.
Gyro King Indeed! Despite the well-presented, yet ultimately uninspired, salad, Gyro King soared to new heights in our office lunch fare. Their meats were exquisitely and surprisingly succulent, as if freshly cut from the gyroscopic rotisserie of a small Mediterranean street vendor's shop, dripping, sizzling, and crackling in its own savory juices. The spices were expertly chosen -- their recipe likely plucked from the lips of an old greek granny, a yaya if you will, deep in the roots of this family-owned business's familial tree. An interesting shock, their falafel sported new yet not unwelcomed flavors, unusual of falafels of caterers past. Long live the Gyro King! My tastebuds stand his loyal subjects.
(4)Amanda M.
Wonderful customer service, great food, and quick eats. Boyfriend and I ran in here before watching a show at the Orpheum and were in and out in 25 min. We each had a wrap, one falafel and one lamb shish kebab. Both were delicious though I wish mine had some raw onions in it, just as a personal preference. What really put this place over the top was the owner. We chatted with him a bit about the homeless problem right outside of his store and it's very clear that the guy has a big heart. He said they often give free meals to those outside but that feeding the people cannot solve all of the problems they have. While I completely agree, I respect that he does what he can. Until next time Gyro King...
(5)Matthew H.
The food is very consistent every time I have eaten at this establishment. Their falafels are my fav. Eat healthy:)
(4)Ralph R.
Great tasting food and quick service. I had the chicken salad (healthy (big) portion chicken gyro meat on a bed of greens). It was excellent.
(4)Rob H.
The falafel was...ok. Not even close to what I could get in Israel. And...maybe it was hot today (I'll give them that) but the two gentleman behind the counter (owners?) were a bit lacking in service (ie, no eye contact and no greetings). I saw them give the middle aged customers who happened to be dressed in "business" attire decent service, but me...looking younger and trendy, not the same treatment :/ Don't bother coming here unless this sort of thing doesn't matter to you :) I don't understand this kind of attitude. If you've come to SF from somewhere else (as these men most likely have), make an effort to know the locals here. A wise person knows that money and loyalty don't necessarily show up in the form of over-the-top suits c'mon that's the east coast! Ok enough of my rant :)
(2)Philip C.
My partner and I went here today for lunch. It was his first visit. We were greeted by a very nice man as soon as we entered. As usual, I ordered a lamb gyro while my partner ordered a chicken gyro. He also got a couple of pieces of baklava for dessert. We beat the lunch crowd so we picked a nice table along the wall. The gyros were ready in minutes. As soon as I smelled the warm lavash, I became very hungry. My gyro was delicious. The lamb was tasty and just needed a little pepper. I wish there had been more tzatiki sauce. My partner like his gyro, too, and we both ate everything. The baklava was the perfect finish to our meal. We will be back!
(4)Clare M.
The food is delicious and the service is exceptional! They really care about their customers. The owner is really nice and personable. I make a stop here every time I come to the city. And, it's right down the street from Bill Graham's auditorium! Perfect.
(5)Gabby G.
This place is bomb for lunch! The cold appetizer combo plate is amazing, especially the eggplant salad. Also the staff are so nice. I'm not making any citywide claims here, but definitely one of the best lunches in the civic center area.
(5)C A.
The best place to eat in the area. Everything they serve is made from scratch; you watch them grill the kebabs, roast the giros, right in front of you. I overheard a conversation between a customer and one of the chefs. The customer asked: "Where do you get your baklava from?" the chef said, "I make it, every day." I eat there once or twice a week an I never get tired of their food. My favorite dish is the salmon special. They don't have it all the time, but when they have it I always order it. The salmon is moist and savory. It is served on a bed of vegetables and potatoes and it comes with freshly baked bread roll. The taste is amazing, a perfect symphony of spices and fresh ingredients. All their meats are of great quality and cook to perfection. I think the secret is in the preparation. They marinate the chicken the lamb and the salmon in spices overnight and cook them at a perfect temperature. I have been eating there for years and I never had a piece of dry meat. There is a pretty good selection of vegetarian dishes too - eggplant salad, potato salad, Fetta pie, spinach pie, etc. The owners are very friendly people. They really care about their customers. They always great you with a smile, even at lunch hour when tons of people swarm the place. I usually try to avoid lunch hour. If you go there after 1:30 - 2:00 PM it is quiet and pleasant place. The owner comes to chat with me, and on occasion offers me free tea.
(5)Liza B.
Ok Mediterranean food. Generous portions. Overly sweet desserts. Im a sucker for Turkish, Greek sweets but this is reeealy sugary and has way too much of a syrop. Owner though was very friendly and helpful with describing his dishes.
(3)Tauasa T.
I love gyros and these guys make the best gyros I've ever had. You get a choice of lamb, beef or chicken, and they come wrapped in about a foot-long pita - with extra tzaziki! The guys working there are super friendly, and they have great pics of Istanbul all over the walls. This place is bomb I tell you!
(5)Bennett W.
3/19/2014: This restaurant is conveniently across the street from San Francisco Public Library Main Branch. I really could have went to Burger King but I chose not to so I came and got something to eat. I wasn't very hungry so I only ordered a plate of rice and a bottle of Sprite. I will be back for pita bread, kebabs and hummus the next time I am here. Good food, good service, the guy who took my order was friendly.
(4)Sylvia O.
I work down the street from this place and decided to try it out! The gyros are pretty good--not dry like others that I've tried. The employees are nice and service was great. The price was a bit more than I had expected, but not outrageous. Looking for a yummy gyro? Come here!
(5)M L.
Comfy, fast, huge portions, endless bread, absolutely delicious. Definitely check this out if you're in a hurry for a show at the Orpheum (which we were).
(5)Akshay J.
Awesome food. This is one of the best mediterranean restaurants I have ever been to. The owner/manager was really humble and helped us decide on what we want to eat from a plethora of dishes.
(5)Noelle H.
I was heading to the bill graham civic center and was starving. I walked quickly around the block and this was the best sounding option for food. The chicken gyro was like a Mediterranean burrito! I enjoyed it, and for the price you can't really beat the amount of food you get! Service was quick!
(4)Christine A.
This place is pretty expensive and their meat is pretty dry and with little to no flavor, I was expecting a real gyro with the pita bread and the whole Shabang but instead got this burrito looking thing with a thin tortilla stuff. It was not good. I don't see my self coming here again.
(1)Jason J.
I can see me going here a whole lot if I have 9 minutes or more to wait for my bus, at 8th & Market , on my way to work. they're that quick! ..and that delicious!! Today was my 2nd time there ordering a they're gyro. Last time I was here I ordered the lamb & beef gyro. It was absolutely a 5-star beauty, in taste & size, for only $6.50+tax!! I was prepared to give it a 5-star rating when I went in to order tonight's gyro; a combo(lamb & beef w/chicken) for $6.75. Again a great value for this delicious, well packed gyro! I had to deduct 1-star though because some of the chicken was a bit over done & dry. kill Come in guys, Watch that chicken!! You should know when it's too dry to use. I hope next time to still enjoy my gyro even more! & PEOPLE!! It's unfair to give this place a low rating just because of its location. A lot of great restaurants, with the best cheap food you'll ever find, are located in gritty, undesirable locations of town. It's what keeps foodies from ruining it!
(4)Daanyaal K.
Whether this place is Turkish or Greek the lamb gyro/doner is not authentic, it is Krono's Gyro which is mass produced and found in Restaurant Depot. I ordered the chicken doner sandwich which was okay, the chicken lacked flavor and so did the sandwich. It is located across the SF Public Library and they do take card.
(3)Eric M.
I am so happy that we walked around the corner and tried this place. The owner was super helpful and encouraging. Even gave us a split order on baklava so we could sample his desserts. I had the chicken wrap and some hummus. Plenty of wrap for a good, healthy meal.
(5)H T.
Service was meh. Gyro wrap was even more meh.... The gyro meat lacked seasoning. at $7.50/ sandwich, i would expect more. Can't say i'll be back.
(2)Jennifer W.
This place is pretty good value. The meat plates are a generous amount. The appetizer combo plate is as good as an entree, especially if you are indecisive. It has a little of everything. Many of the dishes also come with a raita, pickled cabbage, and cucumber salad, which are excellent and refreshing sides. The tabbouleh and white bean salad are good too. All of which has a nice level of acidity. The dolmas are pretty good here too. I love both the baba ganoush and hummus, very creamy texture. Also creamy is their yellow lentils soup. They also have complimentary housemade bread for most dishes. It's the same bread used for the pies, which is my go-to. They are savory, easy for transport, and a good size for the price, though I have to warn are bready. I would recommend the gyro pie, but all pretty good. The restaurant itself is very close to Civic Center BART. The service is pretty quick and there is lots of self-seating. It's a very casual setting.
(4)Dale D.
Great taste turkish food with homemade sweet. Chicken kabobs with rice, couscous, salad, yogurt sauce and homemade bread is a must.
(5)Stefanie C.
The only good thing about this place is the low price of the food, but in my opinion, you get what you pay for. I like that Gyro King is spacious and close to the Orpheum Theater (which is why I came here in the first place) but the food and service were okay. I ordered the beef and lamb gyro but it was pretty much tasteless, even with the tzatziki sauce inside. The only thing that made it better was the hot sauce I had to drench it with. It was bearable enough to eat most of it, but I would not give this place a second chance.
(1)E K.
I've been coming here for many years. The food is good and the people are very friendly. I'm completely obsessed with their Salmon platter. its so good ! i went before work and it wasn't ready so they said they would save it for me and they did !! for 10.95 plus tax it was enough food to keep my belly full all day and keep me happy. I hope they are here forever, they are awesome.
(5)Semuteh F.
I always get the chicken gyro- cheap, delicious, and filling. I really want to try the chicken kebab wrap but it takes 10 min and I'm usually in a hurry. They have some delicious looking breads/baklava in the display case that I hope to try one day. The one thing I really love about this place is the warm service. The older gentleman at the register always makes my day better- he always smiles and asks me how my day is! Very small gesture that makes a huge difference in an otherwise rushed lunch hour.
(4)Luke C.
I really wanted to like this place. They have a new menu, so after being here half a dozen times I thought it'd be new and improved. The combo plates are fresh and delicious, hence the 3 stars, but the gyro is just terrible.
(3)Foodlover B.
We've stopped here many times for dessert and today we tried the lamb/beef gyro and it was just weird. The meat has no flavor, in fact, an odd aftertaste. Extremely cheap kinda meat. Ugh The lamb gyro, made from a kabob, was a little better. The meat is in chunks. They recommended some feta bread, which was totally blah and boring. The only reason it gets three stars is because the desserts are always so good. Advice: get some dessert to go, skip the other food. Today we walked here, on a Sunday, after seeing Madame Butterfly at the sf opera. Which was over the top awesome!
(3)Tandori J.
I had no idea that a restaurant could screw up falafel's so badly. It was a terrible experience. The cooks weren't wearing any gloves and the guy who made this falafel sandwich was using his hands to run the register and do other things. I will probably never return to this place
(1)MT Y.
One of the few good eateries in the area when you want a quick bite, but do not want fast-food. Kebabs and Falafels are both good. Prices are fair.. Wait time is usually fine. The man who does most of the cooking is great - sometimes I ask for help deciding what to get and he will explain things to me. The lady who sometimes works the cash register seems annoyed most of the time, but maybe she is just oh-so tired from being on her feet all day.
(3)Jason B.
Decent enough for a quick grab and go. They are routinely busy, which is good. But they routinely leave items off the dishes as well. If the salad expressly says it has olives and cucumber, perhaps at least one of each would be considered necessary? Still, the amount of food is good, the quality is decent, and the staff friendly. Not bad for a spot between skid row Burger King and the urban gym.
(3)Adelaide S.
I am sad to say that I am not a fan. I've been searching for a good gyro in the Civic Center area and was excited to finally try Gyro King... but after my disappointing lamb gyro yesterday I'm not sure I will be back. My main complaint is the quality of the meat. It completely lacked flavor. Maybe I should have gone for the chicken? The gyro was pretty plain and would have been better with some hot sauce on it. I will say though, the guys working here were really sweet to me. After reading other reviews I was not expecting them to be so friendly. The guy behind the counter offered to let me try a half and half gyro with chicken and lamb.. I didn't take him up on it, but maybe I should have!
(2)Geordie E.
Rice pudding has changed. Not as good as before. Please bring the former version back.
(3)Jack H.
I found this place while attending some concerts at Bill Graham Auditorium. A family establishment. And they are not only friendly the food is authentic and has a great ethnic quality. The chicken gyros are awesome. Easy in and easy out. Food is worth stopping by for. And I will definately be eating there today since I'm passing through the area.
(5)Amelia N.
Mediocre food and service is a bit unfriendly. The meat was not marinated. The place didn't have hot sauce to make the Adana kebap roll taste better. Don't have much to else to say- won't be coming back.
(3)Rami A.
Very light and healthy foods with amazing taste. The only place for a quick meal in SF I can go without feeling heavy and disgusting after eating. Very fairly priced too so I always feel like I got more than I paid for. Get the salmon, salmon kebab, or the eggplant with meat. Appetizer combo is delicious too.
(5)Sean J.
Holy Taziki! Don't let the name fool you... It certainly ain't just Gyros. It's an all out Mediterranean Extravaganza!!! I had one of the most best tasting meals I've had in a long time. This was a five star meal.
(5)Matt G.
Lion King (me) meets Gyro King; the Civic Center Mediterranean restaurant that specialize in Gyros. I may not be a fearless feline like Mufasa or be as cute as his son, Simba. But I do have the looks and appetite of Pumbaa (the cute boar) to dine here (Watch the damn Disney movie yo' self, if you had no idea what the heck I'm talking about). Also I'm heroic enough to dine here too. A gyro and a burrito have identical features- "big and meaty" in a dough. No, I still know they are both different. But they are both made for an appetite of a lion. For $6.25, I had the Chicken and Lamb Gyro. This wrap has pieces of grilled chicken and lamb, chopped tomatoes, parsley, hummus and a tangy tzatziki yogurt sauce in a warm grilled flatbread. The meats were lean and grilled very nice. This Gyro is just as good as a burrito, but different. I was hungry that day and also ordered a plate of Tabbouleh salad for $3.50. The Arab salad just came out of the kitchen as I placed my order. The cooked bulgur grain mixed with other vegetables including the overpowering amount of mint is an aromatic salad is a must have. And for the price, you will get a good amount. Ordering the salad was a bit excessive for lunch, but I was desperate because the salad was just cooked and made fresh. Okay, I do have the appetite of Pumbaa. Credit Cards are accepted here. And the Health Department score is 92. " Yeah, you are at a jungle at Civic Center!"
(4)Jaime R.
This is some of the most bland middle eastern food I've ever tasted. It's like they didn't have any lemon or salt on hand. People seen to like their sandwiches so maybe it's ok if you order one of those. I got the veggie combo and it was just terrible. I picked at it for a few minutes and then just got rid of it.
(2)Chris T.
I had two delicious items here that hit the spot. First, a chicken gyro with tender and savory (but not overly seasoned) meat, tomatoes, and crisp veggies. Second, a warm and toasty spinach resembling a pretzel stuffed with tender spinach. There's often a line out the door around noon, but it dies down by 1 pm.
(4)Gabriela G.
Great friendly staff. It's family owned. The dynamic feels like family (and this works in the restaurant's favor) making it homey, warm and welcoming. The daughters take your order, father cooks the meat and mother brings the food to your plate from the kitchen. The food is consistently good. The red lentil mint soup with lime was delicious; as was the lamb kebab. My friend ordered the kebab combo (which comes with a skewer of chicken and a skewer of lamb and he said the lamb was by far better). White bean salad with vinegar dressing also looked amazing, though I didn't try it. If you are vegetarian they have many option that are hearty and filling. The pies must be amazing cause they were sold out by the time we got there for dinner. The baklavas and other desserts were shiny and inviting though we were too full to order them. Humble decor. Broken restroom (even for customers makes this a bit of an inconvenience if you want to hang for longer than a while). At Gyro King, you'll get a pretty good meal at a reasonable price.
(4)Alyssaaa S.
Hummus was good, a little on the oily and salty side for me but still creamy. I wish they toasted/heated the sesame bread that compliments it. Not bad for $5.
(3)Jake N.
Disappointing. I got the lamb and beef gyros wrap, and while the bread and salad were tasty, the meat was greasy and didn't taste very fresh. I didn't finish it, despite being hungry. Service was great and I wanted to make this one of my go-to places, but I don't want to eat that meat again. Maybe the chicken is better?
(2)Jonathan S.
Food was good and price was pretty good. Service was friendly as well. I got the chicken gyro platter and the rice mixed very well with the chicken and the sauce. I'm not sure if I'd go back because I have had more flavorful gyros elsewhere, and the price is at the absolute top of what I would be willing to pay, if not a little over.
(3)Paul A.
We ate here before the symphony last weekend. I had eaten there many years ago and remembered their home-cooked specials. I think the specials must be during lunch, because there were only sandwich and platter items. We both ordered the gyro platter. It comes with a salad, a scoop of rice and a scoop of couscous. Very starchy. In addition we got a basket of bread. Sadly, nothing on the plate had any flavor. We kept searching for taste in the meat and salad -- nothing! We both couldn't imagine how you could even make food so bland tasting, especially any kind of Mediterranean food! What a shame. I was particularly bothered that the bread was served in a wicker basket with no liner or napkin underneath. I refused to touch it, even though it looked good. I kept thinking about all the germs that must live in the fibers of that basket. I'm sure they don't put them through the washer. The place was in between clean and dirty. The staff was pleasant. It all had an air of having given up.
(2)Faiza A.
Disgusting!!! The food sucks ass. The Gyro doesn't even remotely taste gyro. Waste of appetite!!
(1)Ariana G.
This is a wonderful Turkish establishment that is underrated. I usually head here after a work out and get the Greek salad with gyro meat and feta dressing - it's tastes amazing! And the owner is incredibly nice and loves to take care of customers. Over all a great place to stop by and grab a quick bite for lunch. The bread is amazing too!
(5)Repent Seek Salvation Y.
I love to order the veggie combo plate (Mediterranean dish). It's fresh and so good with spices but hurry because it sells out fast daily. The owner is down to earth too.
(4)Pam M.
What more can you ask for? Tip: This place is cheap for SF prices, the food is good, the owner is friendly if you try to chat him up, and it's right around the corner from the Orpheum theater. If you want a quick dinner before a show, at a reasonable price, give this place a try. Food: I love Med food and this place satisfied. With any Med place, I recommend dolmas. I loooove dolmas! The taste might have to grow on you - it did for me at least. I had the lamb and beef gyro. Price: The meal altogether cost $14 (with a bottle of water) but it's easily two meals for a gal like me.
(4)Ben M.
What I Ate - lamb gyro Would I Go Again? Gyro King won't rock your taste buds, but it will provide a satisfying gyro. The lamb is pretty good, but I thought the gyro was a little dry. The hummus is pretty good, but, again, I thought the pita bread was a little dry. Gyro King will give you a solid lunch, but don't expect anything especially delicious.
(3)Deacon B.
Not great but affordable. Food lacks flavor and the language barrier proved to be frustrating and incorrect. Won't be going back any time soon.
(3)Fannie S.
I'm here almost every time that I go to the library. And for that reason alone, I try to limit my trips to the library to once a month, if I can help it (or if my books can be renewed from home!) I've been eating their special plate of the day and lamb+beef gyros mostly. I have yet to try their kebabs or falafel. I like sticking to what I like from this place, and I haven't been disappointed. (Thank God!!!) Service = friendly enough. Most of the time, it's a grunt though. Don't take it personally. Prices = reasonable. They accept cash, and plastic! Seating = reminds me of a hospital cafeteria. lol But hey it's clean. And it's self-service, mostly. They have rice pudding on some days, but they almost always have baklava.
(4)Al S.
Gyros, Kebabs, and Dolmas oh my! The gyro king is a little hole in the wall situated near Civic center. I usually get the platters (I try to avoid the abundance of carbs). The chicken entree is my favorite. It's seasoned well and the portions are pretty good. They also are pretty good with substitutions with no extra charge (I feel like the salad is a waste of a side). One thing I've been seeing is that people have been saying it's pretty cheap. I think it's a little pricey. It's good but not sure if it's worth what they're charging. The place is worth trying though.
(4)Tania C.
B
(1)Cheryl Q.
Such a convenient spot for when I'm craving a piece of bread or a refreshing salad for lunch. For a snack, I sometimes order a spinach pie or a piece of bread and hummus. For lunch, I usually order the gyro king salad, which has a mixture of lettuce, a light creamy cucumber dressing and plenty of flavorful chicken. Sometimes I don't even need the dressing. They're quick and efficient about getting you your orders and prices are decent. Their gyros are huge also!
(4)Cooter T.
This is home food for me and the owner, chef and everyone else are lovely. Their cacik is unbeatable. {()}
(5)Jennifer H.
I don't know what everybody else had here but I loved my meat beef gyro. It was my first gyro and I liked it a lot. I would recommend the gyro here along with a side salad. Maybe a soda to wash it down too :)
(5)Tammy C.
(See pics) Popular place to grab a delicious gyro, kebab, baklava, etc. It's at a perfect location with Civic Center, the library, right by the Muni/Bart/bus stops. People come by when they are being picked up by friends from the station, groups who are getting a couple dozens wraps to go, and those who want to stay and enjoy a break from all the commotions outside.
(4)Kei H.
Don't know if this place is quite deserving of the title Gyro KING. Maybe more like a duke. Or baron. Came here after exiting the BART station. I was starving, but didn't want to go to Burger King, so I decided to give this place a try! The decor is pretty cool! I liked the home-y feeling, but the people working here were anything but. None of the guys were smiling and they weren't friendly. Granted, they were efficient though. Anyway, the food was pretty good. I got the ezo gelin soup (I think it's lentil?) and the chicken gyro. I personally liked the soup better than the gyro; tastier and it was worth the price (only $3.50!) It's not that the gyro was bad, it just wasn't amazing. There was enough sauce inside, so it wasn't dry! And they didn't skimp on the protein! Whoo! I think I need to try some of the platters because from the looks of other reviews, those seem to be better deals and the food is better?
(3)Emir A.
This is a good option for a hungry halal soul. If you go to the fantastic library stop here for lunch or early dinner. The food is more Turkish than whatever yelp says. The owners are always there and only a couple of the men are friendly. Otherwise just order (don't say please), pay, take your food (without saying thank you) and you'll be fine. No one will notice. If you are a guy you can chit-chat with the girls if their uncle or dad are not around. They are friendly and may be glad for your business. Enjoy!
(5)Ward A.
With a name like Gyro King you'd think they'd get THAT right. I stood by the "Order Here" sign and was ignored for a while. I wasn't texting, I was looking at everyone. So I get to the counter and order a Lamb Gyro (I even pronounced it properly) to go. The gyro I got came out VERY quickly. Like, suspiciously quick. To my surprise it was a bland, dry and chewy gyro. The meat tasted like chalk, the lettuce was wilted. No onions, no tomatoes. The tzatziki sauce had a consistency of water, and really didn't taste authentic to me. And the pita was thin and hard. I've eaten TONS of gyros in my day. I love em, they're probably one of my favorite sandwiches, however; this was quite possibly the worst one I've ever had. I cannot say I'll ever be coming back. It's a shame too, because I was looking forward to going here.
(1)Em C.
I used to come here when i went to school around the corner. Its one of the better alternatives than the the burger king and carl's jr. that are in the same/near vicinity of this place. The service is pretty quick (especially since my classmates and I were in a hurry for some lunch), and the food is pretty tasty. Although sometimes the cashier can be in a less then friendly mood, but don't be put off by him (he warms up to people if he sees you enough). Personally I am in love with their couscous, its got an herby tomatoey flavor and the veggies mixed are good as well. I usually order the lamb/beef gyro pate when I am feeling hungrier than usual. Its a large place piled with meat, rice, couscous, salad, and a side of bread; But sometimes I got a gyro wrap. The meat can be on the dry side some day, depending on what time you go, but for the most part its moist and nummy. I need to go back and get me some food from there, honestly i would make a trip just to go eat there.
(4)Shadi K.
it is a great place for a beef/lamb gyro, also they have the yogurt drink "ayran". Its fast and cheap and tastes good.
(4)Janom S.
Worst lamb gyro ever. Only palatable if you were starving. The hot sauce is piracha and not the conventional Mediterranean one. The place is shabby and looks unclean. Would never go there nor recommend anyone to.
(1)Kris C.
I ordered the beef and lamb gyro.The portion size was pretty good for $6.50. The bread was a little too thin and the meat was kind of dry, but my issue was with the service. The grey haired man w/ glasses behind the counter seemed very annoyed that I asked what was on the gyro platter, and even more annoyed when I asked him to put feta on my gyro. How do you eat a gyro without feta anyways??? Sorry, but im kind of a stickler on service, and I won't return to a place that makes you feel like they are doing you a favor by serving you.
(2)Olivia B.
A good place for a quick bite if you're on your way to a concert nearby. Friendly service (the owner brought our food over and insisted we eat and take our time before paying, which was sweet) and decent food at a low price. I wanted to order the spinach pie, which I've always loved in Greece, but it wasn't available, so maybe worth coming back for lunch sometime instead to see if it's on the menu then. The chicken was tasty, as was the tabbouleh. We took a couple of squares of baklava to go, and they were good too.
(4)Scott R. D.
A good inexpensive place for a pre theater bite. The gyro pie was good. Not the friendliest staff, but that's ok. Quick.
(4)Andrew H.
Cheap, fast and filling. That's the best you can say about a $5.75 falafel in my book, and this place did not disappoint on those points! Disappointingly not vegan, though -- it was listed as being made with hummus but when I received it the sauce was tzatziki. If I were a more stringent vegan I would have been without dinner, since I didn't open it up till I was a few blocks away. Next time I'll try asking explicitly for the hummus. The staff is friendly, so I'm sure they'll be accommodating.
(4)Ken M.
It's a little spendy and the grill takes time but the food is great. My wife and I will split a combo grill and appetizer plate and pick at it all day. Their baba ganoush is my favorite. I appreciate that their spicy sauce is actually spicy. I have no idea how they bake their bread but it's fantastic. Ah, yes, almost forgot, the spinach pie, when warm and fresh, is about the most wonderful, comforting thing to place between mit and maw.
(5)Nancy B.
This place has reasonable prices and large portions. They mainly get 4 stars for their rice pudding. It comes in a small ceramic pot.....sort of looks like creme brulee...and I swear to you tastes even BETTER than creme brulee. It's the most refreshing thing I ever had in my life!
(4)Marisa L.
Decent food at reasonable prices at this well-located meet-up stop right outside of the Civic Center BART station. Veggie sampler combo plate is way more than enough food for one person, super tasty "bread" to go with the hummus and dips, too. Outdoor seating is clean and pleasant enough. The falafel wrap here was a little dry when I had it... chicken kebab was good though! This seems like it'd be a good lunch stop if you're spending a day at the Main Library, whose cafe is okay but somewhat dark and w/ a somewhat limited menu.
(3)H L.
Great Gyro's. Fast and efficient service. Not overly expensive. I'm definitely coming back to try all their other food, especially since it is near where I live. Chicken Gyro is definitely awesome!
(5)stacy r.
My friend and I had tickets to see Les Miserables at the Orpheum Theater (fabulous show, by the way). We wanted to catch a quick dinner, and we both love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, and Gyro King was right across the street. I ordered a falafel plate, which is pretty much my standard order at such places. Usually, a falafel plate comes with a few falafel balls, pita bread, hummus, baba ganoush, tahini, cous cous, dolmas, and chopped tomato/cucumber salad. This falafel plate consisted of 5 falafel balls on a bed of lettuce, served with a condiment size bowl of hummus, a condiment size bowl of tzatziki (greek yogurt), and a basket of bread. When I asked for tahini (which is a standard companion with falafel) the owner acted shocked and told me they don't have it, because "all the customers complained and said they wanted greek yogurt." When I asked for pita (another standard companion of falafel), the owner said, "we don't carry pita bread," but he brought me a piece of lavosh bread, which is a large, very flat, very dry bread (that was pretty inedible), The falafel were some of the WORST I have ever had. They were so dry that every bite got stuck in my throat and I had to sip water each time just to get the food down. There was so little hummus and tzatziki that it barely added any moisture. After we ate, we realized that this was really a Turkish establishement, and they do not serve falafel and pita in Turkey (at least not when I was there), which helps explain the barely edible falafel and lack of tahini and pita. Thank goodness for good company and a great show, because the food was simply terrible. So sad, because a great falafel is like a little ball of heaven!
(1)Michelle A.
This is my go-to place when I'm at school and I didn't bring a lunch with me. The Gyro's and kebabs are great, affordable, and seem somewhat healthy. The baklava is also really good, but obviously not healthy. I also love the grumpy guy who rings up my tab. Sometimes, and I mean very, very, rarely, he cracks a smile, and I feel like I've received a precious gift.
(4)Paige B.
Best Humus! If you are in the neighborhood, you need to try this place. Get the #23 with humus or a chicken kabob on the greek salad but make sure you say chicken "stick" or you will get the kabob meal on top of your greek salad.
(4)Tim J.
This place is really cheap and really good. I look forward to visiting San Francisco for places like this. We had the Baba Ganoush, a red lentil soup that I can't recall the name of and a grilled lamb kabob in a wrap. The Baba Ganoush was great, it didn't even taste like eggplant, I hate eggplant, and it came with a tasty homemade bread. The lentil soup was also awesome, thick and great flavor. The lamb kabob wrap was amazing, (mostly) green lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, the lamb was rich, tender, smokey and full of flavor. All for under $20, which, of course, has a big impact on my impression. Great food for a great price, I would definitely go back. And it was fast and friendly, served by who I am assume is the owner.
(4)Mika S.
I got off the Civic Center Bart and started walking on Grove Street to meet a friend so we could watch a performance at Davies Symphony Hall. We had about an hour before the show so I suggested we find a spot close by for a quick bite. We tried to see if there were any cafes within 2 blocks of Grove and Market and couldn't spot any. I walked past Gyro KIng and saw smoke from the grill through the windows. My friend likes Greek food and so do I, so we went in (to find out later that this was actually a Turkish place). The meats on skewers were ready for the grill. We decided on the platters which allowed us to choose 2 side salads for $10.26 each (including tax). It was tough to communicate with the counter person. I asked if I could mix one dish with another (half of combo A with half of combo B) but he just kept saying "what you want". So, my friend and I each got the chicken kebab platter. A basket of flatbread was also served. The chicken chunks were deliciously seasoned and cooked within 8 minutes of ordering. My friend had her kebabs with some eggplant and I had a taste. It was outrageously good!!! I had some tabouleh with mine and I was disappointed. It was very dry. I also had some wilted greens on the plate and if not for the way the chicken tasted, I would've gone to the symphony hearing my stomach in discord.
(2)michael d.
great Mediterranean food. and they have rice pudding fresh made :)
(5)Laurian R.
I'm giving it many stars...I was happy as can be. The breads coming right out of the oven, feta pizzas, spinach pizzas smelled so so good. I got the appetizer combo with baba, hummous, tabbouli, an eggplant salad (smokey goodness), a minced marinated veggie salad (more deliciousness) a surprisingly good dolma (don't normally go for those, so was pleased) and a lovely little white bean salad. OH, and some couscous salad, all with two fluffy little loaves of fresh bread for sopping up the goodness. I also got the beef and lamb combo plate which was lots of tasty meat with rice and couscous with a salad that didn't suck and some yummy dressing. I've eaten a fair bit of Turkish street food in Germany and this was just as good as the Doner Kebap places I've eaten at there. I can't wait to go back. OH, and they give you lots of food and it's cheap and they treat you like they just don't care, so it feels REALLY German/ Turkish. Yay.
(5)Seamus M.
This place is great, it reminds me of the kebab shops in the Beyoglu of Istanbul. All you need to complete the picture are a bunch of old men sitting around smoking and drinking tea. I have had most everything on the menu but I would recommend sticking to the basics, this is a popular place so the food is fresh but it can be a challenge getting a seat around lunch time.
(4)Captain P.
1) The falafel here is pretty good, and for $5.25 very filling. 2) This place is great for take-out lunch or grab-on-the-go food. 3) The seating here is *horrible* and there is zero atmosphere. 4) The cook is very friendly. I like him. 5) The register guy can be a real asshole. 6) Lots of homeless/crazy people out front. 7) The area smells kind of like pee. Overall I liked the joint and would probably go back if I was in the area and looking for a bite to eat, but it didn't feel particularly special to me and I don't think it's something I'd ever go out of my way for.
(3)Derek O.
I eat here a lot. I get the Ezo Gelin(soup) and a spinach pie usually. Sometimes I'll order Dolmas. I believe they make them fresh daily. The spanakopita is awesome when they have it. The meza is great. All around great lunch.
(4)Dorothy N.
I've only been here once so maybe it was an off day or I should have ordered something else. But my chicken kebob was bland. Hummus was okay, nothing too exciting. Trader joe's has better hummus. I had it to go, but the cashier guy was nice.
(3)Sara J.
I've had a cranky past few days in SF. Imagine my disappointment when I go to what *used* to be my favorite Middle Eastern restaurant in SF and realize the food now sucks. Maybe it's the Latino guy making my food. Maybe it was the soggy and flavorless baklavah. Whatever it was, my gyro was downright un-edible. It's pretty sad when I'm a better cook than *the* cook ya know what I mean?
(2)Ryan G.
I usually order one of three things: the vegetarian platter (of dips & sides), the chicken gyro, or the chicken kebab. The platter & the kebab come with a whole basket of warm, soft, salty flatbread for dippin' and seasoned rice. The chicken, cooked while you wait, is marinated and tender. Everything comes in ample quantities, maybe too ample--I feel overstuffed whenever I leave this place because the food is too good to stop eating. Ambiance is okay. The place is too bright, making me feel exposed, like a cockroach, while I feed, especially with the big plate glass windows facing the street. There's a TV tuned to the "soccer game with excitable Turkish sports announcer" channel, and a travel poster of a scenic city, at the top of which is written in big block letters, "BATMAN".
(3)Mark B.
Overall this place is great. Really good plattters (I love the chicken kebab), awesome desserts, and friendly employees. Don't let the terrible neighborhood scare you away.
(4)Staci M.
Their chicken kabob wrap was really good. Chunks of freshly grilled chicken wrapped up in a warm (dry, but warm) wrap mmmmm. 4 stars for that wrap. 2 for the lamb/beef. 3 it is.
(3)Andy M.
B e s t b a k l a v a e v e r. Pretty much the best cheap food in the immediate Civic Center area. There are better gyros in the world, but not by much - whatever the meat on a sword is called, order that because it is (1) meat, and (2) on a sword. Okay, so it is more like a long carving knife or even a spatula, but let's just go with sword, all right? Order the baklava.
(4)Lauren L.
Coming to this place was an accident. Seriously. I walked in hoping to use their restroom, but as I was looking around, I noticed that the food looked all kinds of yummy. So I went up to the guy behind the counter, and in my awkward weirdness, I asked to order the burrito look-alike wrap with meat inside. The guy was confused and gave me this look, but then he said okay. I spent six bucks on a LAMB AND BEEF GYRO, I'm glad he told me what I ordered because I had no idea. I went to the Civic Center Plaza to sit on the grass and enjoy my gyro with my friends. It was surprisingly good since I've never had mediterranean food before. I like the refreshing and cool sauce that's in the gyro. They give you a decent amount of meat and the gyro itself is worth the money considering it wasn't small in size. Eating at this place makes me want to explore other mediterranean restaurants.
(4)Nena G.
Succulent and delicious kebab plate. Tasty, authentically Turkish and a great value for your money. A great choice to get a bite before a show at the Orpheum around the corner.
(5)Ann T.
the chicken gyro... i feel as if the chicken's always dry. so i finally switched it up and ordered the beef + lamb gyro. winner. but i guess it'd be better if they were a bit more efficient.
(3)Max K.
Yumm! My buddy Té took me here yesterday for a late lunch. It was so good that I had to take my partner there for an early dinner! Very fresh tasting and at an amazing price. No complaints from me what so ever.
(5)Kevin C.
I don't think Gyro King is a good name how about Gyro Jester. The food was passable at best. I had a Chicken Gyro sandwich which had VERY little chicken in it and the chicken that was in it was chewy. The one thing I'll give them is service was fast. So if you don't have a lot of time and you don't have taste buds go for it
(2)Samantha K.
Really fast and fresh greek food. I had the falaffal wrap to go. The cucumber tahnini dressing was great.
(4)Ajay K.
Was recommended by a co-worker when I couldn't decide where to go for lunch. Have to say, not bad. I ordered their chicken wrap to go. Overall it was pretty good, chicken could have been cooked a little more but the veggies were fresh and the sauce was good. Not a bad place to try if your in the neighborhood.
(3)Justin M.
Some of the best gyros I've ever had. One of the best halal spots in the city
(4)Jim B.
Good and fresh greek salads, not shy with the Feta. Decent, but large Gyro And really nice Greek desert pastries.
(4)Adam B.
I would have walked right past this generic-looking gryo hut with a generic-sounding name if not for the positive Yelp reviews, and I wish I had. I was intrigued by the toasted flat-bread wrapping my falafel, but my meal quickly reminded me how essential pita is to a falafel wrap. The falafel was fine, but nothing special. The positive reviews gave me an excuse to try the baklava; I agree it was better than the rest of the meal, but not good enough to make me go back to Gyro King.
(2)Tamara B.
Their baklava is THE BEST IN THE CITY. That is no flippant statement, and it comes from a girl who knows her baklava. Yes, the dude is gruff and the lady is overzealous about getting you the hell out of there the moment you take your last bite. You know what? I'll take it with a smile as long as they're willing to continue to serve me their little pregnant-with-honey-and-butter treasures. The rest of their food is solid as well, particularly their dolmas, ezo gelin and falafel.
(4)Erica H.
Falafel - yummy! Pistachio baklava - yummy! The TV blaring with some kind of Greek programming is a bit too much indoctrination of Greek culture for me ;). Sitting by the window looking onto Grove St (Tenderloin-ish) can be...well, entertaining. The owner was a little standoff-ish but nonetheless helpful. How do you say gyro in Greek? "Yeeeeero." The "g" sound is a "y?" "Yes, yeeeeero." Can I have a little of each kind of baklava?" "Yes." My five-star system for accomodating people with special diets: Responsiveness to questions/needs: ***** (five stars, they answered all of my questions) Dairy-free: ***** (five stars, a number of dishes are dairy-free) Gluten-free: *** (three stars, some dishes made without the pita bread or you can go without, which is what I did with the falafel) Vegetarian: (four stars, falafel, hummus, feta, etc.) Vegan: (three stars, falafel, hummus, etc.)
(4)Megan C.
I don't eat at the actual restaurant very often, maybe that is why I've had such positive experiences here. I think the food is great. I've never had the meat, I always go for appetizer plate with a mix of things (which I won't even attempt to spell). The Baba Ghanoush is the best I've had in SF- hands down.
(5)Colette T.
I am consistently pleased with this Turkish (Kurdish) restaurant. Go for the daily special. I had a delicious dish of beef, white beans, and other veggies today. They never over-salt their specials and I'm so happy they exist in San Francisco. Plus they're friendly to me, I'm half Turkish. I always take friends here. The only thing is that they need to clean the bathroom. That's all!
(5)Alicia O.
The Gyro King is a great stop for a lunch break or for tourists site-seeing around the area. The gyros is excellent, and is huge! The lamb is tender and packed with spice, and the prices are reasonable. The employees are friendly and the food is made fast. I would definitely come back!
(4)rick b.
after two/three month living in San Francisco i missed the Turkish fast food we had at home, when i stumbled upon this little gem ;) fresh meat, broiled right behind the counter and served with lots of salat and freshly baked bread. awesome!
(5)Debbie C.
Stopped at Gyro King to get a quick snack. The beef and lamb gyro is nothing spectacular. The bread is thin and not very pita-like. I also feel like they skimped out on the amount of meat. Probably won't go back.
(2)Adaku T.
This is by far the best place to eat By the Orpheum Theater but across the street Before our dinner was ready the waiter brought us A plate of bread and another with hummus My adana kebab was well marinated And much tastier than I had anticipated The dipping sauce for the kebab was a wonderful addition To the rice and salad fresh from the kitchen I had to skip the baklava to my misfortunes For my dinner came in quite sizable portions Next time I come I dont think it would hurt To skip dinner and try all the dessert ; P
(5)Joseph F.
This is the best Turkish food for the price you will find. The guys i think who own it are great guys. Only issue I ever had was once I requested Turkish tea and was told none was made saw it done 2 minutes later and he drinking it assumed maybe i was treading on something he doesn't offer to the public? Wasn't sure. I prepare my own at home and drink it often, so was put off by that, but been dozens of times and always good food and well prepared. Sketchy area, but they keep the rif raf out and great for a pre Symphony, Opera, Asian Art Museum or such stop off.
(4)Kfir L.
I tried this place because I needed a new place for lunch. Their was a huge line out the door so I thought if that many people are going it must be good right? Well the logic might have been decent but I failed to realize their was a huge convention in town. This was the overflow crowd. Nonetheless I was as happy as could be. I've been back many times and have passed it on to many a friend. The food is made when you order it, as opposed to the food sitting in a bin for two hours, and they give you a good amount of food. They are super friendly as well. Just as an aside. The guys who run the place are from Turkey. Some people may be expecting Greek food because of the name but it's all similar northern medaterranean food. Give it a shot.
(5)Chris B.
I've been going here for years. Buy kofte and baclava for dinner. Get a combo for lunch the next day. If you are looking for something different, they have gyro pie which works great for lunchies as well. I used to avoid this place at lunch time. But they did a remodel and now there is soooo much more room inside. If you want to stay away from coffee, ask for some tea while you are waiting for your food.
(5)A P.
Can I be your QUEEN! Me love you long time! ***wink*Wink***
(5)Joyce S.
Stopped for a bite to eat after a few hours at the Asian Art Museum. Ordered a wrap, was a bit dry but I'm sure that could be mended by asking for some extra sauce on the side. Not a place I'd go running back to but decent enough for lunch on the go.
(3)Juliane N.
Came her during my lunch break from jury duty. This place was packed and I couldn't find anywhere to sit and I only had an hour. By the time I ordered, I saw a spot at the window with a stool empty. I literally had to fight with someone to grab that seat! I was angry/happy at the same time because I got to sit and "enjoy" my food. I ordered the lamb/beef gyro on lavash. It didn't take long for my me to get my order but it was a really messy wrap. I took a bite into it and I tasted nothing but the wrap. I gave it some time and thought the filling was coming up.. but I was wrong.. It literally had like 2 pieces of lamb/beef in there and lots of cucumber, tomato, onion, and sauce. If I wanted to go vegan for the day, I would of ordered a vegan wrap or something. I was so pissed of because I waited in line for it, and had to fight to get a spot to sit in. I left hungry and was really disappointed at this place.
(1)Justin B.
for $10 before tax and tip this is what i got: adana (lamb) kebab romaine salad with tomato, pre dressed some nice red cabbage, also pre dressed a shitload of nice nice turkish bread turkish tea nice nice rice good ass couscous endless ice water when i came for dinner on a recent saturday night, all the custys were turkish except for one couple and me. authentic like in turkey? i dunno. muhfuccin delicious? yes. (you should prolly ask for the spicy sauce, too)
(5)Linda L.
This is a great dining spot if you're: 1. Paying overdue fines at the library 2. Applying for your marriage license or trying to run into Gavin at City Hall 3. Reporting for jury duty 4. Suing someone in federal court or taking care of being sued 5. Getting your inner gayness on at the Orpheum Theater 6. Too poor to dine amongst Old Money at Absinthe or Jardiniere before attending the Symphony or Ballet or Opera 7. Not thrilled with the choices around Opera Plaza Cinema 8. Whoring yourself in nearby Tenderloin So, yes, lots of different scenarios where Gyro King will satisfy your craving. Cheap, delicious, and big portions. What's not to like? I recommend the chicken salad or combo gyro (lamb, beef, and chicken).
(4)Alex M.
I eat here about three times a week for lunch. The wraps are AWESOME. I can only recommend the chicken and the falafel wraps. The falafel comes with hummus. Also the gyro king salad (chicken salad) is good; they hook it up with the chicken. You can get a great meal for under $10. I've had their dolmas and I can't say that I'm a fan (they were kind of dry, needed more olive oil). Other than that, it's pretty much delicious :)
(4)L V.
I love Gyro King, The service is always super fast, I usually get it to go and no matter what my order, i always get it within 5 min. best falafel sandwich and limey- tabouli...ALWAYS under $10
(5)John M.
Great Garlicky Ganouhj!!!!!
(4)Dustin H.
I really like this place. It's very accessible from BART and MUNI (thank god) and it's pretty cheap. I've seen some gyro and other Greek places and this one is definitely the best priced. Got the Lamb and Beef gyro which was awesome. The only thing that was bad was that it was messy to eat, which is probably no fault of their own, and when I say probably I mean it was entirely my fault. The people who work there are nice but a little intimidating. I was getting a to-go order expect the guy who looks like Uncle Leo from Seinfeld handed me a plate which totally confused me. I asked the lady at the register what to do and she looked at me like I was crazy...hmm. But yeah. They're good
(4)E R.
As a student nearby, Burger King, Carl's Jr, and Subway get old. I have yet to have something at Gyro King that I did not like. Their hummus is great, and the gyros are huge. No complaints here. I'll keep going back.
(4)Lj N.
Stopped here quickly on my way to a job interview in the neighborhood. I had the daily special, which was the salmon. The portion was enormous, and the food was really good. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because it was a little on the pricey side for the special (something like $12 or so). I would definitely come here again.
(4)Uncle J.
This little hole on the wall serves the best Mediterranean food there is. Not only gyro, but egg plant dishes are great. Hummus is always part of the dish in this place.
(5)Cece E.
GK is not a place to linger as it is located on the gritty border between the Civic Center and the Tenderloin. However, it's a cheap alternative to typical fast food. GK is located just across the street from the city's main public library, around the corner from the Orpheum Theater and just a few blocks from the Asian Art Museum, Davis Symphony Hall, City Hall, the War Memorial and the Opera House. On this particular visit, we were hurrying to the opening night performance of Motown, the Musical. I went outside my comfort zone and tried the adana kebab platter. The kebab is minced lamb shaped around a skewer before being grilled. It sort of reminded me of a deformed meatball or flattened sausage. The flavor wasn't bad but I had to eat it with sauce to combat the dryness. The salad and the rice pilaf were OK. I didn't care for the bulgar wheat. It was dry and crunchy. I really enjoyed the lemony hummus and the fluffy bread, reminiscent of focaccia. There are plenty of fancier places to eat in the area, but if you are pressed for time, GK is a the place to grab a quick bite before enjoying the myriad attractions around the Civic Center. $10.95 Adana platter with 1 skewer, salad, rice pilaf and bulgar wheat salad $2.50 Orangina bottled orange drink $1.18 Tax --------------------------------------------------Â- $14.63 Total
(2)Amar K.
I can't say I really enjoyed my falafel sandwich as much as others I've had in SF... The falafel had a good flavor, but the hummus was grainy and mealy at best. They make the sandwich with a yogurt sauce, which I could not have since I am allergic to dairy, so without the sauce, the sandwich seemed a little dry. The way the wrap was cooked outside gave the lavash a nice flame broiled flavor. Once I tasted that sandwich's hummus, I immediately regretted my choice. If I end up here again, I might try the lentil soup, the bread it came with looked much fresher than my lavash ;)
(2)Beth P.
Simple quick and yummy food - this last weekend they forgot a few of the wraps we ordered to go - a few days later Nuri offered to have us swing by to pick fresh ones up - I had the baby and he even dropped them off at my car; super thoughtful.
(3)Jana C.
Balkava, babeee!!!!!! Had a few honey-soaked treats here as a pre-show get-together with other folk, 45 mins before curtain call to Les Miserables. Wonderful. Very lovely, nice proportions, beautiful play of delicate, paper-maiche-like phyllo with rich honey, combined with the dense and crunchy nuts. A must if one comes.
(4)Farhan Y.
Loved the grilled platters.. Not a big fan of their gyro... Huge portions... Will definitely go back
(4)S. M.
I'm surprised I didn't get food poisoning here. The whole time I was eating, I just felt lack of effort in the food, the execution and health sanitation. My sampler platter was cold, sitting in the fridge, had very very oily components & the only thing I really enjoyed was their bread. Yes it is cheap, but hell, I'd rather pay an extra couple bucks for something memorable and won't leave me worrying if I'm gonna get the shits later.
(2)Matt S.
The beef and lamb gyro is a great lunch deal for $6.50. Large proportions of beef and lamb wrapped in a flat bread. Add some hot sauce for an extra kick! I usually try to eat half for lunch and save the other half for a mid-afternoon snack. The humus is creamy and delicious, I just wish they would give you more flat bread, you'll probably run out of that before you run out of humus. All the other dishes, such as the meat skewers, in their display case look delicious as well. I'll let you know the next time I'm back! There is usually a line at lunch, but it moves quickly, and you should have your gyro in hand in less than 10 minutes.
(4)Ivy V.
HAIL TO THE KING!!! On the battlefield known as Union Square, stood two kings. Only one could become thy champion. The people of thy fair village of San Francisco waits for their king. Thou shalt choice, between Gyro King and a Burger King whom roused people from dreams. Who will win, thee? Thy choice for me would be Gyro King and thee reasons for it stands true. Here rise the valor king! Good for food to go, office parties, holiday parties and all special occasions. This place is great for Mediterranean Cuisine. It's says Mediteranean, but you can tell it's Turkish when ppl are flipping their cups over on the saucer when they're done, and reading their cup for a fortune. Lol. Mediterranean Appetizer Plates ($4.25 ) are a great treat, try the Hummus!!! Eggplant Salad, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouli, Ezme, and Cacik is so-so. Don't try the Dolma, at less that's what I think what I ate that one day, it's so awful. It's like Entertainment shows in Turkey! Three hours trash! There is only one soup on the menu and that's Ezo Gelin $3.50. U have to bring sugar cubes to be lucky to see another soup there. Salads: (4.25 to 6.75): Nothing worth noting, but ok taste. It's rarely eaten. It's like finding a Vegetarin in Turkey! Vegetarin? Here? Nonsense!! BANISH!!! LOL. Boreks (Pies) (3.75 to 4.50) are good to eat. Hit or miss somedays. Kinda dry some days like Turkish music. Wrapped Sandwiches (5.95 to 6.25) just to give you advice, the Gyros here are the Turkish styles rather than the Greeks. The same goes with the Kebabs. I know, it's confusing, it's just how it is. It's just like how a Turkish spent a goop deal of time taking off his shoes, just to put slippers in house. Dessert: try the Rice Pies. Yummy!!! There are ppl that think Yoghurt is the magical cure for every disease!!!! Now on the location and services: first off, the bathrooms seems out of service for years like talking Turkish without your hands. On rush hours, they can be kinda rude (see Turkish's football fan) and mix up ur order. Its happens to my girlfriend and I. Now before you pull earlobes, making kissing sounds with your lips and touch wood to ward off evil; there are good things about this place. Plenty of outside sitting and we were outside, this is after we piss them off. Anyways I accidently left my backbag there and they kindly hand me back a few hours back when I came looking for it. That's an good sign of good customer service!!! I was so happy about finding it, I could be a old Turkish man dancing to kitchen crockery! ROFL. Let's all belly dance in joy, that there is a business like this. Overall: so so food, so so service. Now excuse me, as I will make coffee in a saucepan.
(3)M W.
I come to Gyro King whenever I'm craving a burrito- this is the healthier version in my opinion. The last time I ordered a chicken gyro I wasnt too impressed. The chicken was really dry but the portion was huge. I didnt remember it being dry before, so maybe they were just having a bad day? I'll give them the benefit and will try again next time. Note: Line forms during lunch hours and inside seating gets crowded.
(3)Helene K.
After visiting Gyro King several times (and finally remembering to write a review about it)--I have to say the place is just....ok. The place is Turk-owned with posters up of Turkey and the names of some dishes in Turkish. Oh, but their menu offering is typical of what you'd find at any Mediterranean place: gyros, salad, dolmas, etc. What I like best are the desserts (they can get a little too sweet with the syrup though) and the kebab platters. My friend once told me that the way they prepare the gyros here is the Turkish way, not the Greek way that most Americans are familiar with. Still....I don't like the gyro wrap so much here. The wrap is toasted to the point that the ends are burnt and crispy. I like my gyros with a fluffy soft wrap, perhaps, the Greek style. But, for the price of approximately $5-$6 for a gyros, you get a lot--a burrito-sized gyros, if I may be so blasphemous. It's nicely wrapped up in foil so you're not spilling all the contents on yourself at the table. They don't put much sauce in the gyros though... Anyway, the kebab platters come with a lot and they're worth the money of approximately $10. Drinks are in the back refrigerators, so serve yourself. Service has been polite and fast, so I can't complain about that aspect. Gyro King is convenient for those who visit the SFPL or the Asian Art Museum...or for those who happen to work in the area and use the BART/Muni stop nearby.
(3)David C.
Okay ... Today is the day I begin my "SIX WEEKS OF SALADS FOR LUNCH." I've gained 16 pounds since Thanksgiving and I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror anymore. My salad journey begins at the Gyro King, on Grove Street, across the street from the main library. Technically in the Tenderloin, but it's really near United Nations Plaza only two blocks from City Hall. At 1:30 pm, nearly every table was full. This is a place where one places her/his order and pays first. No name is taken and no numbers are given and yet the competent staff is able to deliver each meal to the proper guest and table. That's pretty impressive given today's social climate of self-absorbtion Prices are very reasonable. Gyros are $8.95 or $9.95, and when I saw them, I yearned to have fresh tahini sauce dripping from my chin, but alas, I stuck to my salad regimen. My Greek salad, served with delicious homemade bread was only $5.95 and was a more-than-ample serving. The Gyro King platter with assorted goodies is the most expensive item on the menu and at $13.95, two could feast upon this lunch and not go away hungry. Puddings, baklavas, revani, sekerpare, sutlac, and other desserts are priced from $1.50 to $2.75. The atmosphere is decidedly mixed, catering to business people, ethnic cliques, singles, young and old alike. The dining area is utilitarian, clean and decorated with travel photos of Turkey, Greece and a photo of the famous First Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey (incidentally, it's mid span is 3,524 feet compared with the Golden Gate Bridge's 4,200 foot mid span). Great place and one to which I shall return when I can eat gyros for lunch!
(3)Ty C.
I was not pleased with my beef and lamb gyro. The meat was dry and rather flavorless, I got some hot sauce on the side after a few bites to give it some flavor and some kick. The meat was not very high quality either. I'm not sure why everyone rated this so high. I would give it 1 star, but that would be on a scale of 0-5. I will not go back.
(2)Cherylynn N.
Gyro King--what happened to you?!?!? Boy, have you changed over the year. Your employees "use to" take their time to make the food. And, your Gyros "use to be" nice and toasty outside and filled with flavorful meats inside. Today, I got handed my Combo Gyro (chicken, lamb, beef) in 2 minutes flat; I didn't even make it to the cashier yet and it was ready (there were 2 customers in front of me). Now I know why it was ready so fast... The lavash bread was not grilled, so it was cold. And, the meat inside was also cold b/c it wasn't grilled beforehand to warm it up. The chicken was dry and bland. The beef was chewy and hard. Not sure where the lamb was b/c I didn't find any in my wrap. The tahini sauce was tasteless and watery. Perhaps, the meat was pre-cut and sitting out there, hence the dryness. And, when a customer orders, it's just thrown in the lavash bread, and rolled up? I guess you have decided to sacrifice taste and quality for speediness. Too bad...
(2)Jason B.
Serving up something a bit different than your usual shawarmas, the King also offers freshly grilled chicken shish kebabs lavash wraps. Add in some greens, a dab of hummus, roll it up and place on the grill for a minute or so. Perfectly delicious. The King indeed.
(4)Priscilla W.
For full review and photos visit foodcomas.wordpress.com/… My parents and I saw a long line of people waiting outside this restaurant during lunch on a saturday and gave in to curiosity. The place is fairly small, you order and pay first at the cash register and then seat yourself. Most of the food like meats and kebabs are laid out under the glass for you to see as you order. It's uncooked, and once you order the food is taken out and put on the grill. We were first served homemade bread which was yummy and light. I ordered the Feta Pie. I've never seen a pie quite shaped like an oval before but was glad it was bigger than I expected because it was so delicious. The dough was stuffed with tomatoes, feta cheese and parlsey and a side salad. My parents ordered the Chicken Shish Kebab platter which came with two skewers, rice and salad. I thought the chicken seemed a little dry, but the seasoning was good. Not too spicy, which my parents liked. For dessert I tried the Baklava Fistikli - pastry with pistachio. I like baklava, but I normally don't eat it with pistachio so it was a nice change. Not sure if I would order it again though because I thought there was too much syrup at the bottom and too much salt from the pistachio. Next time I want to try the Baklava with walnuts!
(3)Novalina N.
The chicken gyros is the bomb! They gave a good amount of delicious chicken chunks, veggies, and tzatziki sauce. Tried their lamb kebab as well but I'm not too fond of it because of the lamb smell. We couldn't find seating for 3 people and the cashier guy helped us finding an extra chair for the small table. He might not smile a lot, but he's super helpful! Although because of helping us, he ended up creating a very long line in the register.
(4)A D.
A Turkish Gyro is called a Döner - they call it "Gyro King" so people will know what it is.... I only went once but thought it was pretty good. Oh and if you expect a (Kronos) meat filled Chicago style Gyros on a pita you will be disappointed. Open up your horizon a bit and enjoy a Turkish Döner which is shawerma on lavash (instead of a pita) and comes out more like a burrito than a gyro.
(4)Rohan D.
I went here hankering for food desperately before seeing Wicked. YUCK, the gryo was just bad. The meat wasn't very good and there wasn't any good flavor in the sauces. I couldn't even finish it. The wrap itself was thin and tasteless. The only saving grace of this place was that the baklava was really good. Just the right combination of pastry and sweetness. I would go back for some those sweet deserts.
(3)Marial L.
In San Francisco, good food doesn't cost a fortune if you know where to eat. It was a day of solo exploring. I hopped on Bart toward Civic Center for Asian Art Museum. It was around 1pm inside the Museum. I was hungry - but the over priced menu - for its fancy presentation and location but an unfit long self help ordering line - just wasn't for me. I left. I walked toward the Public Library on Grove - then I saw this eatery just across the street. The wait line wasn't too bad. Inside the house was almost packed with customers, the mood was welcoming. While waiting in line, I picked up a "To Go" menu - total 45 items - which offers cold appetizer plates, soup, salads, homemade pastries, wrapped sandwiches, specialty platters and desserts. I then select #9 Ezo Gelin Soup $3.50 A bowl came with homemade bread and two sliced lemon. it's a well bland red lentil, mint, black pepper, salt, oregano, and tomato paste soup. It's light yet rich in flavor - add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice - wow heavenly satisfying. Seeing a lot customers eating wrap sandwiches - so I want to try. #22 - Lamb & Beef Gyros $5.95 It's about 10" wrap in bread with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce. - The meats were a little bit dry. The highlight of the wrap was its homemade bread - it baked right so it crunches when bite down. For my next visit, my selection will be for their specialty plates - they looked colorful, interesting and appetizing.
(4)Molly M.
Upon first glance of this place I didn't think much of it. Ascetically its not that appealing. Very basic exterior and interior. However, the food is better than decent. I'll start with my favorite things to get there then work my way down. The lentil soup with the bread, so good, then the spinach feta pie, veggie wrap and of course the baklava. They also have Turkish tea there which is a major plus! Also, the men working there have always been nice and very helpful. This is more of a place you go to in passing, either on the way to or from somewhere because the parking is terrible and the ambiance is very informal. Overall, I give this place 3.5 stars.
(3)Kareena R.
Absolutely loved this place! I travel quite a bit all over the United States and this place is most definitely somewhere I would come back to! Service was great, portions were large and everything we ate tasted amazing. The food did take a while to arrive to our table but it was because everything is made fresh. The meat is marinated all day. We had chicken kabobs and lamb gyros. My 4 year old son almost finished his entire plate! Rice, salad and two kabobs! I highly recommend this place!
(5)andrea t.
I got the lamb and beef gyro and the chicken kebab platter for my daughter. the gyro was more like a shawerma since it was on lavash instead of a pita and rolled in a long shawerma-like tube, both of which i can overlook, but the meat! the horrors! it was dry and tough, i could barely choke it down, even after adding more tzatziki. it was so bad, i only ate half of it...and i don't ever leave food! the chicken kebab platter was good though. the chicken, salad, pickled cabbage and rice were all good, as well as the bread they served with it. and our food came pretty quickly. the proximity to the theater was the other good thing. i don't think i'd be so negative if it wasn't called "gyro king." also, even though the bathroom has a sign that says it's out of order, it's not.
(2)Steven L.
I wanted to like this place, I really did. But overall, I was disappointed. First off, after you give up circling around Civic Center hoping for parking, you can always park at the underground parking lot for about $3 an hour. Then, you can journey the few blocks making sure you don't step on one of the several cracked out homeless bums lining the sidewalk. How are there so many bums a block away from City Hall? Blows my mind. Anyways, after you step into Gyro King, look over their very simple menu containing platters, cold appetizers, and of course, gyros. They do have the full rack of lamb and beef that are freshly carved when ordered. Since it's called "Gyro King" we ordered 3 gyros: one beef and lamb, one chicken, and one combo (beef, lamb, and chicken). They were a little over $6 a piece so not bad. We also ordered fresh baked pita and hummus for...$4.75?! It's gotta be good right..? No...it wasn't. The hummus was pretty good. Flavorful yet still light with a creamy texture. The pita, which is "freshly baked" was cold and did not taste as advertised. Also, they give you a piece of pita the size of a piece of toast and cut in into three strips. I'm not sure if it's cause I'm Asian, but if I'm paying $4.75 for some bread and dip, I expect a whole lot more pita! The gyros were also disappointing. Although large and filling for the price, the meat was almost unbearable. All the meats were flavorless and overcooked. The lamb and beef, as a result, was tough. So you have this gyro with lettuce, tomatoes, yogurt sauce, and flavorless/overcooked/tough meat. What a shame... Being Asian again, I ate it anyways. I walked out unsatisfied and vow never to return here again. Oh yeah, two stars for having free tap water?
(2)Layla L.
i mistook this place for another place that i had read great yelp reviews about- my bad. My lunch sucked. The chicken gyro (which you would think would be the best item given their name) consisted of 4 ingredients: - dried up chicken, -dry gigantic lavash wrap, -watered down tzatziki sauce, -and lettuce no feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, pita..etc...- it left much to be desired.... but perhaps the biggest let down was the soggy baklava - it was dripping and even though it's one of my all time favorite desserts i just couldn't finish it.
(2)Amanda L.
I had a Gyro here (chicken) when I was serving jury duty. It was pretty good. But the bread was not what I am used to on Gyros. I am not an expert but if I worked in the area I would give it another try.
(4)Kat K.
At the recommendation of a nice employee at the Orpheum Theater, we strolled down the street to Grove to try out this place. It has a green awning at the front of the restaurant so you can't miss it. When we walked in, we were greeted by two workers in the kitchen. It is very rare that the cooks acknowledge guests walking into the restaurant so I was pleasantly surprised. The food selection here is pretty standard for a Mediterranean cafe. They have salads, sandwiches (gyros) and kebab plates. Definitely recommend the kebabs - they are moist, freshly grilled and flavorful. They give you two skewers, two heaping piles of rice, salad and this wonderful sauce. The restaurant is small so seating is limited, but it is best to beat the rush and get yourself seated. Service is good - they bring food and clean up tables quickly. There is also a self-serve water station so you don't have to wait thirstily for another refill. This place gets 5 stars because the food was good, service was friendly, and the restaurant was humble. I would love to come back here again sometime.
(5)Steven B.
Doesn't happen often but I hate that feeling after you've been looking forward to something delicious and it turns out to be less than average. Falafel was mediocre at best - dry, overstuffed with lettuce, menu says it comes with hummus but I didn't see/taste any. When I ordered coffee the old man seemed ticked that he would have to make some (so I switched to diet coke instead). Price was great but I regret the calories. Next time I'll go to Ananda Fuara around the corner.
(2)Sam H.
Great place in the area for something fast and simple. For about six dollars you can get a large gyro with a great tangy yogurt sauce and juicy seasoned meat. The Wrap can sometimes be a little dry but I'm always happy with it. Their meat plates are delicious and come with a salad and giant portions of meat, also with the great yogurt sauce. Nothing spectacular about the bread, maybe if it wasn't cold but it's good enough. Perfect for a quick lunch and way better than Burger King which is right next to it.
(4)Y A.
I am from the Middle East so I crave Mediterranean food always I have tried many Mediterranean restaurands before but Gyro King made the difference. I will rate this place based on two things: food quality and cleanness. What can I say, Lamp/Beef Gyro, Adana Kebab, Shish Kebab or the amazing types of salads! or my favorite desserts from Baklava to Kadayif! The food is beyond my expectation of deliciousness and freshness. The food is simply super delicious. The place is super clean and the seats and tables look just fine to me. I think the owner who seemed unfriendly with no smile on his face knows how to run his business and I cannot give this place less than 5 stars.
(5)Jim T.
Stumbled on this place after going to the Asian Art Museum. Was looking for something good and quick... definitely found it here. Looks like a bit of a hole in the wall from the outside, but it's clean and the food was great. Had the chicken kabab plate. Very tasty, everything seemed very fresh, and it was reasonably priced. Can't ask for too much more on a Saturday afternoon traipsing around museums.
(4)Yee-Shing W.
If you read the reviews, there's a consensus that the gyro sandwiches are dry and lackluster. I had the chicken gyro the other day and couldn't agree more. Something was definitely missing. There was sauce but it was watery...and the chicken lacked any real defined flavor. Otherwise, this is a good cheap place to eat for a quick lunch. Big portions. The people who work here are really friendly but perhaps they need to figure out a new recipe for their wrap sandwiches. I would only come back for the spinach pie.
(2)Ed U.
For reasonably priced Mediterranean food on the go, this place is definitely worth a stop if you're in the Civic Center area. But don't bother actually sitting down and eating during a typical weekday lunch hour. It's a zoo, and the customers are much ruder than the staff there, especially as they gun for the precious few tables. I should know since I tripped an old lady on her way to MY window seat. She asked for it, I tell ya. While the hummus and baba ganoush have good homemade flavor for $3.95 each (with pita bread, of course), it's really the gyros I go after here. The $5.50 beef and lamb gyros combo sandwich is a good deal - quite a huge lavash slathered in tahini sauce and filled to the brim with tasty shards of beef and lamb, cucumber chunks, tomato slices and diced onions. The meat was a bit more charred than I like, but it is quite a handful...and you won't have room for the baklava, so just forget about it. FOOD - 4 stars...good homemade Mediterranean AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...lunch room vibe, way crowded at lunch hour...and no room to break plates and do my Zorba dance SERVICE - 3.5 stars...fast with attitude TOTAL - 4 stars..barely four stars and really for the gyros...but plan to seize and attack if you want a table at lunch
(4)Inga W.
The good thing is I didn't have very high expectations. You order at the counter and they bring it out. The really bad thing, no alcohol. Ok they might be Muslims or maybe just didn't get the license, but I like wine with dinner. Still, we needed to grab a quick dinner before Wicked and this was close by and not bad. I would say this is a good place for lunch but not dinner. This place was cheap and the food was good, but not dinner good and you get what you pay for. The appetizers were good and freshly made but the actual dinner was not that great. The meat just was not of good quality but what can you expect for $8? I had a gyro and my boyfriend had the kebab, it was ok but not great. I like having really tender lamb and this was the stuff they trim off the meat rather than any great pieces of meat. But it hit the spot and we were off to see an amazing show.
(3)Adam B.
Definitely a hole-in-the-wall kind of joint. The food is not fancy, but it is very fresh and traditional (as far as I know). I was a little disappointed that the gyro was sold out, but the kabob was a good replacement. If a restaurant serving meat is not organic, then at least halal is my second choice since the meat tastes better than Fast Food Nation-grade quality. A great quick bite place in the rather barren Civic Center neighborhood. Adana Kabob: Loved the fact that they started with raw meat and grilled it to order. It makes so much of a freshness and taste difference to have freshly grilled meat as opposed to reheated meat. The kabob was dressed in a large lavash bread rolled up with tons of lettuce, tomatoes and yogurt sauce. The crisp veggies and crunchy grilled meat was an awesome combination. Might have been too much lettuce though, since later bites felt a bit meat neglected. Lahmacun: I don't know why it is so difficult to find these in San Francisco, but I'm glad I did here. Traditional preparation with minced meat and all the veggies and spices. Nice that they give you fresh lemon to squeeze over. However, they probably do so because it's a little dry. Tasty overall and a good way to get my fix, but definitely not the best I've had.
(3)James B.
Chicken kebab sandwich...very bland, thin. 4 pieces of chicken, some lettuce, and a bit of runny yogurt sauce. Not at all like, say, Truly Mediterranean. No complexity of flavor (barely flavor at all), extremely basic. The people who work there give new meaning to "scowl."
(2)Jojo C.
Oh yeah, I love this place, been coming here for years, best place to go on a diet, get a Chicken wrap. My usual is the Chicken Gyro platter, warm spinach pie, orangina, and the finisher delicious rice pudding, and I have had rice pudding hundreds of times, but this is the place makes it only the best! Pretty much the same guys that work there, watchin futbol allday. Service flys and fast, good get up and go spot. Parkings a breeze, just be patient, people are always pulling in and out around there. (Around the corner from my meds :) One of my 3 favorite spots to hit when coming to SF.
(5)Jennifer P.
Though this place is decent, I was not as impressed as the Yelp reviews made this place seem. All things considered though it's inexpensive for what you get. I could have easily gone in halvsies on a gyro -- had I know they were going to be monster wraps. I probably won't go here often just because I know I can't finish a gyro. Not to mention there is a Mediterranean restaurant closer to my office near 7th-ish street. Moral of the story: If I'm in the area I might go again...but I'm not drooling over my experience. Oh and one more thing: the guy at the cash register was scary and mean.
(2)Samuel H.
Great low priced place in the civic center area. Food is quality and atmosphere would be best for a small group of friends. We had the lamb shish kabob and gyro king salad. Both were yummy.
(4)Wolfy W.
As I've almost always order a beef & lamb gyro here it seems to slowly gone down hill over the years (5-6?). 4 stars from the past, but definitely 3 because the quality has gone down. Meat is to dry and overly salty and lack balance, it think it use to have cucumbers and more yogurt sauce and juicer beef/lamb in the gyro. However, the specials like the salmon is a really good deal for lunch when they have it sometimes.
(3)Diane B.
Feed me Seymour! Because I do all my grocery shopping at Rainbow Grocery, which consists of almost all organic fare and carries no meat, I am known for some wild deviations when it comes to foraging beyond the home. For example, I love delis. And I love Gyro King! Details: - mouth-watering lamb - incredibly spiced and seasoned eggplant - fluffy warm ethic-y bread that complements the animal grease impeccably - Very masculine, gruff, Greek men! When you live in the Castro, this is not a trivial indulgence. I gave just 4 stars NOT due to the utter lack of ambiance (think cafeteria, but for me totally ok since I take it out and frankly that adds to the masculine aura), but rather to the price point: I paid $7 for 2 skewers of lamb and $4 for a side of eggplant. But overall: simply too endearing and savory not to endorse!
(4)Amy B.
I can't believe I haven't written about this place yet! First, any place with good, freshly made baklava is OK in my book. Gyro King is a couple blocks away from my office so I eat here a few times a month for lunch. I always got the lamb and beef or the combo gyro wrap, but lately I've been hooked on the falafal wrap (I love me some good falafal!). Oh, and did I mention they have yummy baklava? Great food, good service, decent prices. This place makes for a good lunch on the fly!
(4)Ari W.
Authentic Turkish food that is prepared in what appears to be a family-run business. I had an all veggie combo plate that included baba ghanouj, dolma, white bean salad, grain salad, amongst 6 other fresh items. My girlfriend, went the veggie route with a falafal wrap, which was well portioned and packed with falafals. Requesting some extra hummus might have balanced the dryness that is typical in falafal. Our friend had lamb/beef gyro that she found tender and flavorful. Only complaint from her was the lettuce had browned a bit The jumbo pistachio baklava for $2.75 was a great shared desert for the three of us. A prefect lunch before getting on the road back to LA.
(4)Sahar B.
OMG so good. Best cheap mediterranean food in the city, by far. Get the Chicken Kebab plate. For $10 you get a ton of food: 2 chicken skewers, rice, some kind of turkish grain, salad, pickled cabbage, yogurt sauce, bread...oh man. I come here every Friday.
(5)Helen L.
I really like their lamb gyro. It's got a lot of cucumber and lettuce and lots of meat. The thing is huge and they use a bread wrap.
(4)Nick C.
This place is deserving of at least 4 STARS. One of the best bang for your buck places in SF. I was more than satisfied with the quality of food, and the portions are enough to fill you up if you have a big appetite. I ordered their Chicken Kebab Specialty Platter which comes with a nice size salad, couscous, rice, AMAZING cucumber yogurt sauce, and bread that is hot and fresh. All of this was $10 including tax. The Chicken was moist and had a great flavor to it. The salad was fresh and tasted clean. The bread was good; however, the edges were a little hard, but if you ripped off the edges the rest was delicious. The best part was the cucumber yogurt sauce. It was so good I had to ask for another one, and they gladly gave it to me for free. Overall, this place offers up some good Mediterranean food and has a lot of room for large parties of people. Definitely coming back here.
(4)Monica W.
I've been working literally next door to this place for about 5 months and I finally decided to give Gyro King a try. I hadn't brought my lunch and their chicken kabob plate was recommended to me by co-workers but I ended up buying a lamb gyro instead for about $6. I walked in at about 12:30 PM and the lunch crowd was coming in, but I was in and out before all my co-workers had finished re-heating their food in the microwave so they are speedy. The lamb gyro is basically lamb with salad and tahini wrapped in a lavash - it's huge and filling but the taste of it was pretty mediocre. The lamb was a bit dry and the tahini a bit watery. If I ever try Gyro King again I'd like to try one of the pies or a plate.
(3)Mark M.
I was running around one day and stopped in for a bite to eat. I got a lamb wrap, and, well, ehhhh. It was pretty dry. There wasn't much flavor to the meat. I was full when I left, but that's about it. It was packed for lunch, but, there's not much else around. I'd keep searching...
(2)Shariq A.
Love the place, We visit the place quite frequently when we visit San Francissco. Fresh Food. Especially love the following dishes - Adana Kabab (though it takes a little time.) try their Baba Ganosh ith their fresh bread.
(5)Joanna M.
The food and the people at Gyro basically rock my face off. Food: Fantastic kebabs, falafal, schwarma, baklava to satiate you at any time of the day. Best avoided during lunch when City Hall and Hastings flock like hens. And the food just makes you want to go !UGH! and gyrate your hips. People: Always sweet and courteous. Left my favorite black velvet Elie Tahari jacket here before the Opera and the owner personally ran two blocks down to Van Ness to catch up with me to return it. That just made me want to go !MUAH! and kiss him on the lips.
(5)Kirsten V.
Okay so i am still on a mission to find a good schwarma. All in all good spot and I would go back if I found myself in the neighborhood craving some kebabs. Again though it didn't totally blow me away and I felt like the flavors could have popped a little more.
(3)Cori W.
Decent but not amazing. I had the falafel wrap sandwich and unfortunately it lacked in flavor. The falafel was crunchy and there was a decent amount of it but it did not have enough flavor for me. I also wish there was hummus inside, not just tahini. Lavash wrap was also dry and powdery. My co-worker had the appetizer combo and that looked tasty. The line did move fast and everything was well priced.
(2)Cody P.
Very large portions, low price, and a friendly crew are all pluses but my falafel was a little bland and dry. I will be back to try a shwarma or gyro in the future but I'd probably pass on the falafel, given other choices.
(3)Edrian D.
King Gyro, Gyro King... So I'm doing a research project and I walk down to the cafe in the library, CLOSED! So I walk outside I see Burger King, negative, then, TA DA! like magic I see the Gyro King, so I'm thinking, awesome! I walked over and glimpse at the menu and think, wow, reasonably priced. I ordered a falafel wrap and a diet coke (I swear I'm addicted to aspartame). Visa/MC/Cash good deal. It's help yourself to your drink, so that saves time to getting off your feet and grabbing any table of your choice, rather than waiting in line. awesome-ness I was very satisfied, clean display cases, clean soda fridges and when I sit down I have a lil peek in the backroom. WOW! organized, so I'm thinking awesome! Within a few mins my wrap comes out and WOW!!! The wrap sure lives up to the name, HUGE!!! Perfectly made, falafel was great, crispy lettuce and fairly great sauce. My soda (bottled) was super duper cold with lil bits of frozen-ness floating at the top so I'm thinking, this is great. Tables were clean and accessible, maybe some tunes to spice it up a bit? The negatives...bathroom out of order...hmmmm....and the sign looks pretty old so I'm thinking, how long does it take to fix the bathroom? The other negative, the girls behind the counter, average customer service, but having chairs behind the counter to chit-chat, nega-tron, coming from a customer oriented background and being a manager at numerous cafes and retail stores, if there's time for leaning, there's time for cleaning. Other than that, this place is great, I'd definitely take that hop-skip-and a jump from B.K. and do it "My way" at Gyro King.
(4)E-dough R.
Gyro king of what? The gyro wrap here was just terrible. The meat was too dry and the lavash bread was even dryer. They didn't put enough tehini either. I would not recommend a gyro wrap from this place at all. I seriously almost choked while eating my wrap and had to get up to grab some water. Even after that, it was just too terrible. I ended up splitting open the wrap and trying to pick at its innards, which proved equally unappetizing. The woman sitting next to me seemed to be in a similar predicament. If you come here, I recommend getting a skewer. This will be fresher, though slightly more expensive, and you may avoid the terrible dryness of the meat they use for the wraps. Make sure to grab a drink if you do.
(2)Krista N.
I ordered the falafel sandwich because I love falafel. It came in a wrap, which is all nice and dandy but I ordered a sandwich so I wanted like a pita. The only good things I could say about it was the hummus they put on it was good and the way I like it, simple. And the hot sauce I had them put on it was good as well. They should have stuck to the simple approach with the falafel and let the chickpeas speak for themselves, but they didn't. They were salty, gross and a waste of a good consistency. The tzaziki was really lemony but pretty good seeing I took the falafel out after the first one and just ate the cucumbers, tomatoes, hummus and sauce. I'd try the gyro next time and see if meat is their thing, it may be.
(2)Andrew K.
This is a total diamond in the rough - classic CLEAN hole-in-the wall with excellent kabobs (better than the hummus) - good tabouli without the junk. Perfect for a quick meal before a show in the Civic Center that is not too dingy, but is tasty.
(3)Bert K.
Can't say enough about the Lamb Shish kabob wrap, it's #24 on the menu. When you order it, the guy will tell you Ten Minutes. Then tell him " Lamb is the best " So, its made to order, about ten minutes to grill the meat and assemble it. It's only 50 cents more then the regular lamb/beef gyro. It's consistently tastey; comes to you in a fresh wrap, slightly charred on the grill, packed with moist, meaty,aromatically delicious lamb hunks, grilled till they are tender and mouth watering, sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and a light dressing. The whole concoction will make your mouth dribble. Always a great deal. Nobody orders it , cuz they don't want to wait ten minutes.
(3)Johnson N.
Lamb and Beef Combo was tasty. Rice - a good mix of oil (maybe butter?) that made the rice taste oh-so-good. Salad - not bad.. very light dressing (and some olive oil?), which added to the taste of the entire plate. Dipping sauce - amazing.. with the meat, rice, or bread, you couldn't go wrong with it. It might have been made with garlic... it might have been made with something else... but it was something I wanted more of, for sure! Lamb and Beef Mix - super tasty. I guess the beef and lamb were mixed together because I couldn't taste when I was biting into beef and when I was biting into lamb. I mean, lamb definitely tastes different, but in this case, it was very blended together... almost in a good way. Since there was a soccer game on TV and it was almost over, I was ignored for the first 5-10 mins as I was standing at their front counter where orders are taken. The ordering process took an unnecessarily lengthy amount of time to where it really soured my experience. Oh well, perhaps next time when there isn't a soccer game on, the service will be vastly improved?
(3)Dru P.
In a town with so much culture how is it impossible to find a decent gyro? Its beauty is in its simplicity. Lamb, tomatoes, onions, and Tzatziki wrapped in a fluffy ass pita. (Cucumber is the only acceptable addition) It is not served in a tortilla with lettuce! I am not even close to being Greek and I want to have you shipped back to Athens for a brush up class. Do you know how embarrassing it is for the west coast that I have to go all the way back to Lafayette Indiana for a decent Gyro? Please please someone tell me where I can get my fix
(2)Jonathan C.
My roommates and I are new to the area, so we stopped by this place (right by Burger King) one lunch and decided to try it out. I ordered a lamb kebob, which wasn't bad at all, but I found it to be a bit bland and had to resort to salt & pepper to season things up. The decor is nothing to write home about, though the seemingly intentional juxtaposition between the wall paintings of Golden Gate Bridge and some bridge in Batman, Turkey, is a little funny. Don't expect to watch TV here unless you speak Turkish as the only set seems to be always tuned to CNN Turkey. For a quick lunch, go for it, otherwise skip this venue for other alternatives.
(3)Susy C.
When it comes to crunch time @ work, I only get 30 minute lunch. I know, it's the saddest thing ever. Usually I get a full hour and it takes me 20 minutes to decide what I want in the first place! Anyway, last friday I had 30 minutes, no cash, and desperate for a place that would take ATM. I had already wasted 15 minutes trying to decide between Burger King and McDonald's, so BK it was. On my way there, I passed by Gyro King. Remembering the day an awesome Yelper brought me pita bread and tabbouleh from Gyro King, I silently prayed a "thank you" as I saw the Visa/Mastercard sticker on their doors and ducked inside. I forgot the name of what I ordered, but it was some sort of grilled chicken lunch plate that came with rice + orzo and 2 kinds of salad, and pita bread. For $9, it was a mother effing huge portion. The chicken was full of flavor and the salads I wasn't really feeling all too much although I loved the rice + orzo because I am a carb whore. I'm going to have to come back again to try their gyros, so until then my review shall remain 3 stars. Unless of course, Leap Leap decides to visit me for lunch again and we grab a gyro.... *hint hint*
(3)Gors P.
what i ordered... combo gyro w/ lamb beef and chicken ... the food was just like a burrito, even in size but with different kind of wrapping and filling's. wrapper was ok, kindda lean, thin, toasty, tasteless and made of flour. fillings were so-so, veggies were fresh, sauce was a little scant though good in taste 'like or maybe' a sour yogurt and the meats were excessively cooked, especially the chicken which crumbles when you bite into it. ambiance... ok service... ok (lady who took my order was nice) cost... $
(2)fizza m.
Really gross dry food. Really low quality everyone who was working in there looked dirty. All the meat was old and dry. Salad was soggy. I will never go there again. Food wasn't cheap either.
(1)Rudy R.
The vegetarian side dishes (like the hummus) make a good snack/small meal. I used to like this place, but I got the lamb Gyro last weekend and it just wasn't any good. Dry, not tasty enough, etc. Man the Gryo's from the street carts in Berlin are SO GOOD... I'd may $10 for one of those. Oh, and the coffee at Gyro King was pretty BAD. Instant?
(2)Phil D.
Ah, furlough days. State Building? Closed. Federal Building? Not a chance. So where exactly, then, does that leave us meandering for satisfaction during our City Hall lunch hour? Today's quest for quick-and-easy leads us to Gyro King. Even at 1 p.m., their walk-up counter is a bit busy -- though not as long of a line during the Noon hour -- but yet, the same three seemingly family-owned operators run the crowd to perfection. In less than five minutes, we've ordered up the usual No. 27 (combo gyro), thought about some baklava (but refrained due to our expanding waistlines), and paid the guy with relative ease. One star for the wait time, another for the always clean tables and floors, and finally throw in two more stars for the delicious Mediterranean fare. We'll definitely be back next week, just like last week, and the week before...
(4)Arissa C.
The location is just a hop across the SF main library where if you sat on the best seat of the house, a full view to the hurried lives of books and their readers can be as entertaining as the windmill driven door fanning the imagination to what book it was, the memories gathered from it and the magical effect it had unleashed at that moment of the day. This place makes me think about these books, of far away places I dream of visiting one day-- Byzantium. The restaurant itself is simple without undue fuss or decors neither does it try to cover its just simplicity. There is one exception, an arresting panoramic view of the Bosphorus bridge-- a similar one appears just across our bay. It possesses you like some golden fleece now framed as Aries in the night sky, or the stolen Helen of Troy with all its enchanting ruminations where legends meet historical revolutions to seize its famous straits from the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus... So every time I find myself here- one simple pie entertains in the same manner weaving stories that entails the ancestral origin of what we call the pizza- here in Turkish called "pide." A buttery dough baked like a flat bread topped with a tomato base sauce with hints of bechamel, cloves with stew flavors to whet any appetite. Perhaps this delicious snack was even feasted by the very same Emperors who ruled the land and the shepherds who visited here throughout history speaking of its mythological grandeur. This land where once groves of dates and pistachio trees roamed wildly and where honey from lavender and wild roses drizzled to silken perfection on sweet baklava treats. It is an afternoon best enjoyed with a book, a friend or marveling at the food served here. I highly recommend the Homeric gyro sure to satisfy any gustatory voyage as well and the special plates complete with an enriched persil coucous salad and the cucumber tomato salad laced in the most vibrant Mediterranean vinegar and olive oil concoction. PS- If you wish to make pide pie from scratch, you must first create the Universe :-) Afiyet olsun!
(4)Mia W.
authentic, fast, reasonably priced. Good food on the go. Line moves fast. Desserts are good. I had the lamb shish kebab, lamb was ok but the wrap, lettuce, mint leaves, and tzatziki sauce were tasty.
(3)Bee M.
This place is very close to the SF Opera House. I came here with family after the Nutcracker. The portions were HUGE. We got the vegetarian falafel wrap, chicken wrap, and the rice pudding. The falafel was very good (and I'm a falafel snob), I would recommend it to carnivores as well as vegetarians! The only flaw in the meal was that it wasn't spicy enough, but most people don't have the spice tolerance I do. The warm homemade rice pudding was delicious & creamy, it has a caramelized layer on top & a texture that reminded me of creme brulee. The total came to around $15, which is VERY cheap for SF - $6 for each wrap, and $3 for the pudding (all were ginormous, including the pudding). I give additional props for the cleanliness & spaciousness of the place, not very common with fast food.
(5)Mads N.
Spontaneous dinner before watching Wicked. Very fast service! Since we weren't too hungry, we shared a beef gyro ($5-6), which ended up being more like a wrap. I'm not complaining though, it was easier to share. The beef gyro could have had more flavor/flavorful sauces to it but it was fresh. I'm no expert on Mediterranean cuisine, but the only gyros and schwarmas I've tried have been really good (in Davis, Symposium Restaurant and ... this place on 3rd Street. UCD people know what I'm talking about). Definitely a better choice than Burger King down the street.
(3)joanna r.
Huge portions!!! I got myself the falafel. I was so surprised when I felt the to go bag. Each of their rolled sandwiches must weigh 3 pounds! The sandwich was a little dry, but I had some hummus in my fridge and that helped the problem. Other than that, it was super tasty and super filling. Not kidding about the size of these things! My bf had ordered two, but could only eat one. I could barely eat the one I had ordered. I would like to try their appetizer plate next! Great place for vegetarians... just ignore the weird meaty smell.
(4)Sean C.
mmmm Gyro. Is it pronounced jiro, hiro me oh my oh lolz Total fast food. Much better tasting and a better deal then Burger king. They give you extra bread if you order a plate and I cannot get enough of that bread. I got my food before I finished paying but I noticed some people had to wait for their gyros. Taste = 3 stars but it is filling. Value= 5 stars Total = 4 stars heyo gotta get my gyro!
(4)Debbie W.
Convenient for a quick bite before a performance at Civic Center. Food is okay, location is helpful and prices are reasonable. The usual gyro, hummus, combo plates, etc. But the guy behind the counter who collects money is really nasty. Why would someone who is so angry and negative work in food service. My friend asked for espresso (there was a machine visible) and he said "no" in a way that was very rude and unprofessional. Wow, scary!
(3)kevin l.
I've been living across the street now for a few months and I was in the mood for something different. So I asked the leasing agent at my apartment for some recommendations and that's where Gyro King steps in. I got the Lamb and Beef Gyro Platter not knowing what to expect. What I got was; amazing portions and delicious food. Delicious salad, delicious beef and lamb, delicious rice, delicious bread, delicious everything! It's definitely another hidden gem on Market Street!!!
(4)Amy D.
I really don't get the positive reviews here. They are certainly not of their lamb and beef gyros, or chicken shewarma. Both of which are incredibly dry and tasteless. The service was good, though I've only gotten take-out. I won't be back.
(2)David P.
This is the place to get your Falafel and Baklava fix in the Civic Center/TL area. I've been coming here for years, my good friend Irv turned me on to this place and I have been coming back. Why? Cause it's consistently good and you can get a decent, fulfilling meal for right around $10. I'm a creature of habit and always order the Falafel wrap. This is not your ordinary falafel in a Pita, they use another type of bread that is similar to a flour tortilla which they roll and then grill it just a bit to warm it but not enough to make the Houmos run. I just returned from Jerusalem as in Israel and saw plenty of stands selling Baklava and guess what? after each bite I said, "It's not like Gyro King's" wah! This is the best place by far for Baklava, it's made fresh, not bought in bulk from a factory in South City and passed off as their own, this is the real deal. This baklava looks pretty you almost don't want to eat it but then the first bite is crunchy on the outside and has some "give" in the center, the combination of sweet, spices, and nuts(walnut or pistachio) are perfect. Everytime I'm flying in/out of SFO and take BART I pick up a meal to go. The owners are great, they are from Turkey and always have Turkish Satellite TV on which makes the place seem a bit more authentic. There's more than just Falafel, lots of grilled food and salads too.
(5)Jason B.
The Gyro King on 25 Grove was highly recommended by a business colleague of mine. I arrived around 11:30 before the lunch time rush. The place was decent inside for a side street and you could totally miss it if you didn't know it was there. Once inside I ordered a Greek Salad, a side of Hummus and some bread. I then sat down and tried the Hummus and the salad, both were good and everything was great until the older gentleman cleaning the table next to me came by and I about threw up. Yes, he smelled like he hadn't taken a shower in a few months. Eating lunch off of one of the sleeping homeless outside, probably would've been more pleasant. I got up and left my unfinished meal... I defiantly won't be going back!
(1)Lxs S.
It's 7:25 pm, we've parked the car and need something tasty to eat before the 8 pm curtain at the Orpheum Theater. Gyro King is open and no line so we figure it's either this or the Burger King a few doors down. I choose the Lamb Kebob platter & my niece chooses Chicken Kebob platter. Our food was cooked to order and was delivered steaming hot within 10 minutes. And, for $10 a platter - we were happy campers. Rice & pilaf were both nicely cooked. Pilaf was a nutty counterpoint to the rice. My lamb was well seasoned with a hint of pink inside meaning it wasn't overcooked or dry. The accompanying salads were crispy and tangy. My niece's chicken was also perfectly cooked. For a quick bite, this was worth every penny. We waltzed out at 7:52 pm and were sitting in our seats with spare time to quickly check the Playbill. Good deal!!!
(3)Brian C.
Across the street from the main SF public library. Delicious, generous portions, and reasonably priced. My favorite, no surprise, is the Beef Gyros at $6.00. It's a 10" wrap with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and tahini sauce. - homemade pita bread. Everything is delicious here - my friends love the pastries/desserts.
(4)Nick G.
Though I won't go as far as to say the food was bad, it definitely was nothing to brag about. The portions of the gyros and kabobs along with a nice low price save it from a one star rating, but the the bland, not so impressive food will almost certainly guarantee I never make a second visit. The dessert was straight up bad, dripping with syrup and grease, not at all what I was expecting. gross
(2)Erika G.
We were in the area to see Avenue Q and had plans just to grab a coffee and a cookie at The Man's (starbucks) but since the parking God was in our favor we found a spot on Grove. We walked past a filled Gyro King and then made it to the corner and turned around to go back to Gyro King. Hubby ordered the Beef & Lamb Gyro - plenty of tasty meat and tahini was not drownign the flavors. I ordered the Falafel - crispy and just fried yumminess. I think next time I am going to ask if I can just order Falafel without anything and Hummus and Pita on the side. I never had Baklava and hubby said I have to try it. I am so glad I did! The pistachio was my favorite - and he liked the walnut. Only 2.50 for 2 pieces - Nice! It was so sweet and flaky, I am hooked! With drinks - $15.30! Awesome!!! The place is bare nessecities to get them through the day. About 10 tables tightly packed in there and bar seating at the window. I can see how this place can fill up. There is outdoor seating but being so close to Civic Center there was some homeless people a couple of doors down. Super freindly and fast! They do take CC and Debit Visa/MC.
(4)Marco M.
I love this place. The spinach pie is really good as is the bread with feta. My wife often gets the grilled chicken plate with rice and salad. Friendly people and great prices. Their desserts are also fantastic - various baklavas and semolina cake.
(4)Jon W.
Boy... I hate Mutton!!! And the taste really shined thru on our gyro, which was more like a shawarma. Out a few dozens gyros Ive had in my life, this was my first one that actually had that poor gamey lamby taste... uggGG. yack yack. The meat was dry, the lavash bread crusty, and lacked the sauces and veggies. The baklava was soggy on the bottom. We got outa there for $9.25 for the 2 items. Next time we will do Burger King with the bums down the block.
(2)Bryan M.
I eat at this place several times a week. I love the gyros....I get chicken (spicy!).... and the lentil soup is REALLY good! All the salads in the case are made fresh, and delicious! They offer a sample platter of all the appetizers that is served with home made bread. Grilled Halal meats, too. Nice and helpful staff. Great for grab and go.....or eat there.
(4)Summer B.
I'm giving this restaurant four stars because it's a solid, inexpensive lunch option in the Civic Center area. I eat here a couple of times a month. Standard menu fare includes falafel and beef, lamb, or chicken kababs or wraps. Vegetarians can make a meal out of the appetizer plate or the falafel (it comes with a yogurt sauce so vegans should ask for it w/o the sauce). I would agree with what some people have said about the falafel being a little dry, but you can ask for extra yogurt sauce or add hummus. The deli case has a good number of really great sides, such as dolmas (!!), tabouli, eggplant salad, bean salad, cucumber salad. They serve the sides with a really yummy, soft turkish bread. They also have meat breads like you would find in Turkey, as well as a large baklava selection. I have found the guys working the grill line to be totally accommodating, though you do have to slow down a little to work through the language barrier. They will totally understand you even if you are asking for strange things like 1/2 and 1/2 salads for the price of 1 salad. I believe this to be a family run operation, and find the men who work the register to be a little gruff seeming at first, but very kind too. If you are going in a group of 4-8, you should try for an early or late lunch, because the tables fill up. The ambiance is basically a loud lunch place, no frills. All-in-all, a solid option if you're in the area.
(4)Petra S.
Update: Though I don't work at the law office near by anymore, I still miss they kabobs here and the large portions. I have since tried other kabob places but still prefer this one over the rest. I just wish it would be in a better area, like closer to Market instead of near hookers and strip joints where I have to pass by the homeless who hound you for money while conducting their "business" right in front of you. *eww* So minus a star for the location and minus another one for the awful smells! My half sister took me here one day while running errands. I really enjoyed the fact that this place gives you two kabob sticks as apposed to one for the same price. I had the chicken Shish which was excellent and that came with two different kinds of rice pilaf and a salad and of course the free pita bread they give you, all for about 9 bucks. I liked the flavor and the portion a whole lot better than Clement's "Troya" which now is under new owner ship and frankly sucks more than ever. I would recommend coming here and trying the food, it's probably not the best Turkish/middle Eastern food but it's definitely better than most and the portions are a lot bigger. Just be careful when you're in the area since it is partly in the Tenderloin.
(3)Joseph N.
Gyro King has pretty good gyro and falafel sandwiches. I think the prices are fair for the sandwiches but too expensive for some of the appetizers such as the dolmas, which are $1 a piece and not good at all (rice inside is way too dry.). The line can get long, but they get your order ready pretty quick, which is nice. Service has always been pretty friendly.
(3)Mikeal G.
Ok, So I'm a grad student, and I was just looking for a quick bite to eat before heading back to campus. Great Portion sizes (the ten dollar plates are almost TOO much) Excellent Prices (under ten for most things easy) Cool location (right across from the public library and near the subway) Good Service It looks like a tiny little diner place, cheap (but clean) tables and chairs, counter that almost looks like it should be a buffet. But while I was there I saw the owners do a cute little thing...a couple was getting dinner and he came over with there food and set the table forks spoons napkins etc. Totally not even noticeable at a higher end restaurant, but for a $15 dollar date thats GREAT service. Plus the atmosphere has tons of things you can comment on and talk about...unless your date is Turkish...then you will probably just learn a lot. I will definitely be going back...either for a quick bite to eat, or for a nice but not pretentious date.
(5)Tiffany T.
We stopped here after touring the Asian Art Museum today for lunch. My husband and the lamb and beef gyro, which he said, were pretty good. It looked more burrito like then what I was expecting, but the yogurt sauce wasn't over powering, the meat was done right, and the lettuce and cucumber inside were good. I had the special plate with chicken kabobs. There were 2 tasty kabobs with chicken and red pepper. The special came with a side of basmati rice, a side of red pepper cous cous, salad with cucumber and tomato, and bread. One of our friends had the hummus and enjoyed it quite a bit as well, they put some olive oil and spices on top of the hummus, which was kind of different from most places. The whole lunch set us back only $20. Pretty good for a lunch in the city.
(4)Karen L.
Fast service and cheap. Chicken gyros had a good amount of tasty chicken pieces and lettuce. Their salads aren't bad either. Nice place to get a quick lunch if you work nearby.
(4)Ruby H.
After visiting a couple times, my tip would be to go for the meat platters, not the gyro wraps. The platter is huge, with fresh salad topped with delicious pickled cabbage, moist buttery rice, tasty tomato-y couscous, & of course, a big serving of meat! Yes, the meat can be a little dry sometimes, but just throw on the yogurt sauce & dig in! As for the wraps, I'm not a fan. They can be dry & I just really think that the rice & couscous add more to the meal than the flat bread does.
(4)c z.
I'd just been to the Shanghai exhibit at the Asian Art Museum, and was on my way to catch the train for the airport when I spotted Gyro King. I'd been looking forward to a great falafel, and the timing was perfect. It was just 11:30 am, so the place was empty except for several mustachioed men who seemed to work there. Service was friendly and fast. One of the guys quickly greeted me and took my order. Just as quickly, another one started making the sandwich. As I was paying, I noticed the baklava. Presuming that the food here would be just as good as all the other places where I had eaten on my weekend in SF, I couldn't suppress the impulse to try it. Both the sandwich and the baklava were disappointing. The sandwich wrap was actually OK. It may not be a pita, but I enjoyed the texture. The falafel itself, however, did not have the toasty satisfying flavor I was looking for...not much flavor at all in fact. There was very little else in the sandwich to help out either...too few cucumber and tomato slices, and not enough sauce. I'm of the opinion that there is no "bad" baklava. I love the combination of nuts and sweet syrup. But in really good baklava, there should be spices you can taste; not too much syrup; and light, impossibly thin and cripsy layers of fillo. The baklava at Gyro King has no discernible spices, too much syrup, and kind of soft chewy fillo. If you are craving yummy falafel, as I was, I think there must be better places. But if you want fast, friendly service and an inexpensive, relatively healthy (if not terribly tasty) meal in the Civic Center area, then definitely stop in.
(2)Abc X.
Great food! and for civic center, that's really hard to find. I work nearby and the only good places to get lunch are Gyro King and Ananda Fuara, unless Munch Haven, donuts or booze are your preferred midday snack.
(4)Letia G.
Very busy the night we went. But were there for a concert so I imagine some of the crowd was on the same mission we were. The service was ok, not super friendly at all but also could be a result of how busy they were. The food was ok but nothing to write home about. I love greek food but I've definitely had better. Would only try it again if it I was in the same situation (only place I could find within walking distance of a venue I needed to go to in a short amount of time).
(3)Randy F.
Great filling shawerma, grilled to perfection, with generous, almost copious, amounts of beef & lamb made this a special treat today as I whizzed on by. Realizing that I had no change for BART, and that I was really hungry, I remembered this little spot and stopped in for lunch. As I sat in the window and ate my shawerma, the place literally filled up before my eyes. Seriously, one person after another came packing into the smallish place until it was totally full. Metaphorically, the meat-filled lavash went into my mouth one bite after another until I, too, was totally full. Note to self for next time: The lamb kabobs look really frickin' good. And, if you like hummus on your shawerma, be sure to ask for it because it's not included on the lamb & beef shawerma. Super yummy!
(4)Ray R.
in all the years that i've been working in this area, i've walked past this place to eat at some place on market street thinking that this was just another one of those 'arab' places that serve falafel and naan. the interns at my work have been going here for awhile now and Paul has been on 3-days-in-a-row streaks of eating here so i had to go with them the other day to check it out. they kept telling me that the Gyros were good and they were the size of burritos. "impossible" i thought to myself since i was used to the hand held size gyros at most other places. this place is sandwiched in between a liquor store and bk and right across the main entrance of the sf main library so expect bums. i got the lamb/beef gyro for about 6 and some change and dude, they weren't playing...this tube steak is as big as a super burrito. they stuffed it with meat veggies the tzatziki sauce or however you spell it. i got hot sauce on the side. get the hot sauce, it's good. hopefully you will enjoy this tube steak. tube steak.
(5)Samantha B.
Came here unexpectedly. Didn't know what to expect but I REALLY enjoyed the baklava. It was quite tasty, and one of the best I've ever devoured in my mouth. Mmmmm. I also had a falafel. It was good as well, but I definitely enjoyed the baklava more. I'm a baklava fanatic and it was worth the $2.50. Service was a-ok, not quite friendly, a bit rude. I ate outside around 6pm, and there were some crazies that did enjoy to converse with me in a ridiculous manner. Eat inside! Avoid the ridiculousness. I'm definitely not going to go here again for the food if I'm ever around the area. MAYBE, just for the baklava, but that's pretty much it. My dine-in was a good experience, now time to move on and try new things. (:
(3)Kat G.
Seriously, there is not even a single thing about this restaurant that I could mark as negative. The restaurant itself looks unspectacular, almost hidden in the Tenderloin area, but once you enter, you feel welcome immediately. The service is so friendly and accommodating and also very speedy! The portions are huge, fresh, delicious and authentic! And the best is that all this is offered to you for a fantastic price! If you like self-made, tasty food in an almost familial atmosphere, have a look at the Gyro King!
(5)Clover E.
Excellent meat kebabs, fantastic veg combo plate and the best baklava I've ever had. Gyros were dry: avoid.
(4)John G.
I have been trying to find a decent chicken Shawarma in San Francisco for years. My gold standard is Dish Dash in Sunnyvale. Gyro King's "Gyro" is really more of a Shawarma and it is excellent. Very close to Dish Dash. I ordered it spicy and it made my week. Hallelujah!!
(5)Lupe P.
If you work anywhere near the Civic Center, this is the type of place you'll walk by a thousand times and not really notice it's there. On a recent excursion to the Asian Art Museum, a friend suggested we meet up here for lunch. This was a good decision. I had the lamb and beef gyro combo, so it came with a side of rice, salad and delicious bread. It was a very big meal. You could even call it "Gyronormous". Perhaps you may have called it "Gyrogantic". Someone else may have observed it as "Gyrotastic". Anyway, it was a "Gyrorrific" meal and I definitely will come here again!
(4)Jonathan F.
Great location near SF Civic Center steps away from BART. I meet with a lot of people, i.e clients and I tend to know a lot of cool meeting spots around the bay area. This is a new spot with really good food at affordable prices that make this a fun, nice and friendly eatery. I had the Chicken Kebab gyro which was very filling, easy on the pocketbook and made meeting with a few clients much much easier. Plus the service was extremely fast, friendly and the place was very clean. I will go back again for sure!
(4)Abraham F.
I always stop there when I go to Library or Downtown. They have very tasty combo gyro and cheap price. They have best baklava in San Francisco. Kinda self service and very busy during lunch time.I would definitely recommend their deserts.
(4)Jonathan K.
Pretty good falafel here. I didn't expect such a convivial dining area in these parts. I could actually enjoy a meal here if I didn't get it to go. They have a lot of variety, but alas, no french fries. Luckily, Burger King was right around the corner to pickup some fried potatoes to accompany my falafel.
(4)Amanda W.
I seem to like this place a lot more than other people! I used to live really close and would stop by to treat myself after a hard work-out at the gym. There aren't a lot of Greek food places around so it's a welcomed break from the Vietnamese and fast food restaurants in the area. I would always get the chicken gyro (quite tasty and filling!). Sometimes I get the hummus with bread and HMMMM!!!! are those good! Everything was always fresh. I've always wanted to try the spinach pie and baklava. The prices are standard and the place is decently clean. Great place for lunch! Getting hungry just thinking about it...
(4)S F.
Gyro King is definitely not the best I have ever had, but it isn't terrible either. I ordered the Chicken Gyro and the BF ordered the Chicken and Lamb Gyro. He was much happier with his than I was with mine. The gyro was quite large, but it seemed to alternate between whole mouthfuls of cucumber and whole mouthfuls of decent chicken. The yummy juices were also concentrated all in the bottom (or butt, as I like to call it). The meat wasn't particularly flavorful- and in a gyro, its all about the meat. I may return next time to just to sample some of those delicious looking desserts they had.
(3)lynn t.
The 2nd star is because their hummus is tasty, otherwise, I'd probably rate it 1 star. I tried the place twice & do not need to attempt a 3rd visit. I paid $5.75 for a falafel wrap. (seemed slightly high, but oh well) The falafel is SO salty. They took a while to serve it (saw it sitting on the grill), yet the whole thing was still fairly cold. (I don't necessarily need it warm, but thought it was odd for how long it sat there.) The entire wrap was dry as well. It's so salty I'm staring at the last 1/3 of it, and although I'm stil hungry, I'm not going to bother finishing it. On my first visit, i got the Chicken Pie becuase I thought I read a review on yelp that it was good. I saw them pull it from a tray on the counter (not refrigerated) and thought, "at least their heating it." When it came, it was luke warm. (I wished i asked them to heat it longer because the thought of off temperature chicken made me nauseous all day... though I turned out fine.) It had some flavor, but not a ton, and it was DRY. Like I said, the only thing I did like was their hummus - tasty & slightly lemony. We got extra bread for no charge when we requested it so that was a plus too. Still, I'm not going back.
(2)Leon C.
Good place to get some lunch. Seemed like a family run placed. I had a the lamb and beef gyro which was good size. Not bad.
(3)Stacey L.
My coworkers rave about this place, so I had to try it. I ordered the beef meat pie - Borek. I could hardly finish half of it because it tasted like lamb. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I'll have to come back and try one of their gyros on the next go around. The service and cleanliness was excellent.
(2)Leah E.
Date: December 3, 2008 @12:40 PM Occasion: Lunch Break with Alexis and Susan Ambiance: Not fancy. Busy. Service: Friendly. You place your order at the counter then they come to your table to deliver it. Taste: Kefta Platter which came with warm, buttery bread, salad, rice, couscous and Kefta (beef and lamb hamburger patties) My Tab: $9.79 (including tax) (Girlfriends order gyro each which they said were good.) Recommend: 1. Surprisingly, the food was very flavorful and tasty. Not the best Greek food but hey, it's cheap! 3 stars for the food + 1 for price=4 stars 2. Inexpensive, generous portions. 2. The owners are Mediterranean. 3. This is a nice stop before and after visits to the Asian Museum of Art, San Francisco Library (acrosss the street), City Hall or a concert at Bill Graham.
(3)Leo C.
I had a chance to try this place out, after reading other Yelpers say that this is a good joint to hit up for a quick and tasty Gyro. My friend and I were on our way out to a bar in the Haight, and we thought we'd just hike it there, with a quick food stop at Gyro King. We grabbed our food to-go. Gyro King met expectations for me, and is a place I'd do again. We got there around 11:30am on a Saturday, and it wasn't very crowded. The place looked clean, with display cases of the food/desserts. I ordered the combination Gyro there, while my friend had a different Gyro and asked for extra veggies. We received our order soon after paying for the food, and got hot sauce to go with our Gyros. Given the way they had wrapped the Gyro, we were able to walk and eat, all the while dousing the hot sauce onto our Gyros. It was all good. So, I didn't run into any problems with the service, and the food was fairly tasty at this place. The staff was nice, though not talkative like some folks are. Overall, I was satisfied with Gyro King. I would probably give it more of a 3.5 stars if I could.
(3)F K.
So I try to be nice and patronize the local businesses, but the service is soo bad. I don't know if it's b/c they're foreign they have different customs, but as a GRIT[S], I'm used to being greeted and treated nicely wherever I go. Well, either way, I forgive them for their lack of niceness. The gyros are pretty good and it really is better (and seems a bit cleaner) than your other few local options of starbucks, burger king, or subway.
(3)James C.
Best gyros I've found in SF. combo gyro about $7. It's fresh, too -- they don't microwave their meat like some places. Lots of options to choose from.
(4)Sus... B.
The gyros are okay, not great, seemed like there was something missing. Maybe there wasn't enough tzatziki sauce, the fact that the meat was not the usual texture one often finds in a gyro, or maybe even the flatbread they used wasn't spongy enough and was too burrito-y. Probably all 3. It's certainly not bad, and for the area the price is right, but I think I remember enjoying the dolma and hummous a bit more from previous visits - maybe next time I'll get the hummous and try the hummous in the gyro...or get something else altogether.
(3)Meredith R.
Not bad for cheap Meditteranean eats after/before a museum or Civic Center romp. It's not quite like sitting out on a patio at a Greek taverna overlooking the sea on Santorini, however, the menu is pretty authentic and minimal as far as ingredients go. The best Meditteranean food is simple and yummy. The inside ain't nothing fancy (read - not a sexy date place) but again, perfect for a quick could-be healthy meal when in the area. The owners are super nice. Opa!
(3)Vincent K.
The line here during lunch just really really sucks. But if you do manage to fight the crowd and get a seat to eat, the price is good (about $7 for one) and the gyro's are well made. I've had the lamb meat one and its really tasty. some would find leaking juices or messiness not pleasant, but when thers juices goin all over the place, i think its a pretty well moist wrap. i wouldnt' want a dried up gyro. interestingly enough, the vibe and crowd at this place fits the restaurant, definitely.
(3)LT B.
Falafel was gross...hard, flavorless, and greasy. Frozen falafel from costco is better than these.
(1)Veronica V.
Decided to pop in here before seeing a concert; it ended up being the worst spontaneous decision I've made in a very long time. So many problems...let me count the ways: 1. They were out of gyros at 8pm. This place is called "Gyro King". 2. A guy was mopping behind the counter the entire time we were there, which looked totally gross while they were preparing food. 3. My boyfriend got served his food right away (chicken kabob since there was no gyro option). My food (a falafel wrap) took 30 minutes to make. Apparently they were also out of falafel and had to make more. 4. I was very clear to the staff that I was allergic to dairy and could not eat the cucumber yogurt sauce. I said to put hummus only. When I finally got my food 30 minutes later and bit into it, I got a mouthful of dairy. Great. 5. So I ask them to remake my wrap with no yogurt sauce. 5 minutes later, I get a new wrap. This time I check it at the counter. IT STILL HAS DAIRY in it. I am amazed. Perhaps the cook is developmentally delayed in some way. 6. Finally, I go to the manager and explain the issue. He yells, "Hummus only!" to the cook. The next wrap I receive has hummus and falafel. This time, though, he left out all of the salad that makes it a wrap. 7. Exasperated, I ask for salad on the side. They dump some salad on my plate. My boyfriend has been done with his food for ages and we have now missed the opening band which was the band I really wanted to see. I gulp down most of the wrap, which after all that drama was meh at best. We both leave upset. I will never go back there; I will never recommend it to anyone. FIRED.
(1)Nic R.
This place was recommended to me by one of the taxi drivers. I am glad it was recommended to me because it was very good. I had a chicken gyro for approximately ~$6.00 and it was big, fresh, and very tasty. If I am in the area, I would definitely return to have another.
(5)Kris H.
What the hell happened to the gyros? you would think with a name like gyro king, you would know how to make gyros. their gyros doesnt really make my tastebuds dance anymore. the beef/lamb gyro was mundane. the meat were bland. where's the special sauce? where's the seasonings? i saw new faces at the place, it must be a new owner. =(
(2)Jade P.
Very edible, fairly cheap, extremely fast. I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food. Sometimes the lavash smells scorched, or the falafel tastes like meat. But otherwise all's well, especially considering where else can you go in this area? Also, the "out of order" bathroom camouflage kills me.
(3)Christopher L.
Lamb and beef gyro was fine Only fine
(2)Ian C.
Man do I love me some gyro! With that said, I stumbled upon this place as I was headed towards the civic center BART. The lamb gyro I ordered was damn good. It was served nice and warm and the ingredients tasted fresh. I particularly liked that bread was toasted on the grill and very tasty. Only pain was the cashier (who I think is also the owner). He was chatting with some guys at a table for 3-4 min while I waited at the counter. The chef ended up taking my order and he was a really friendly guy. When it came time to pay, the other guy made his way over to the register and was very friendly so I didn't hold the wait time against him.
(3)Dan Y.
Not impressed. Tried beef, lamb and chicken, all were dried out and tasteless. The gyro fell to pieces the second I opened the wrapper. Bread was so stale it could have been used as a doorstop. Salad ingredients were decent but the dressing was greasy and practically flavorless. To be honest, the only thing I really enjoyed here was the diet 7Up. I may give it another shot someday in the not too distant future but I'm not going out of my way. Barely two stars.
(2)Julie K.
Just ate at Gyro King last night. Great place to eat if you're seeing a show at the Orpheum theater, a great great alternative to Burger King or Moonstar Buffet.
(3)Rob P.
Mmmm I love this Mediterranean food restaurant in the Civic Center.
(4)Brandon K.
Who doesn't love meat shaved from the 'core'?
(4)Cherie C.
In the land of gyros, Gyro King most definitely does not reign supreme. I had the beef/lamb version. The meat was sort of dry and lacking in that trademark gyro flavor. I think the big mistake here is including beef in the mix. Also, they only put in a smidge of tahini, which wasn't nearly enough. Maybe if it had a dollop more, it would have somehow made up for the mediocre taste. In any case, I've had better gyros at mall food courts.
(2)stephanie z.
The falafel wrap is so good, i want to get carnal with it. The hummus is pretty damn tasty too but after the delicious falafel wrap, everything pales in comparison and my life prospects seem meaningless.
(5)Wendy J.
Gyro King is great for a one thing: Gyros -- they are delicious and a good value. The Weekly Lunch Specials (Salman, Stuffed Peppers, etc., on rotation) are also delicious, but overpriced -- we're talking $10+. The sides - Eggplant, Hummus, Tabbouli, and the hot Bulgar are all great, but even more so overpriced -- $4.25 -- for an outrageously small plate. I do generally love the food here, but am boycotting this place for it's zealous overpricing none-the-less.
(3)Rock M.
Since the remodel about a year ago, the atmosphere has improved markedly. The food hasn't changed a bit, and that is a good thing! The #29 and #30 gyro plates (lamb and chicken, respectively) are can't-miss bets for a hearty and healthy lunch. The yogurt sauce is absolutely perfect, the rice is flavorful and the meat is always tender and delicious. If you are in the vicinity of Civic Center, it is always tempting to dine at the Asian Art museum. But if you want something a little more casual and always satisfying, Gyro King rules!
(4)Idil B.
First: this is a turkish restaurant. the food is delicious -one of the special dishes was as good as my mom's (i am from turkey, so i would know). bread is soooo good, you can't stop eating it. thethe staff is very efficient. lunch time can be very hectic, but you can still be in and out very quickly. try a different dish every time for variety -everything is good.
(5)Pele N.
Such a simple place, with such great Gyros! I want to go back and try some of the other dishes, but if you are in the mood for a Gyro, you can't go wrong here!
(4)Joy C.
Great gyros, hummus. Not much seating during peak hours, but a good grab and go place. Reasonable prices.
(4)Jenny W.
BF and I was at the St.Patricks Day parade. So much for the parade, went over to the food section. So many things I want to eat, but couldn't find anything interested. After a few hours, drinking and partying out in the Civic Center, we headed for some real food. BF had a craving for Lamb Gyros. As walked toward further down to Market, we found this nice little mom and pop run store, that specializes in Gyros. BF ordered the Lamb Gryos, and I had a spinach pie. The spinach pie was really good, much better than some other mediterran places that I have gone too. The Lamb Gryo....I thought the meat was a little tough. But, the flavors were really good. I had to wrap up our leftovers, cause we had some food earlier at the food stands at the Civic Center. I didnt realized they also served desserts, but by then...I was really full. But, I'll definitely go back and try something other than their Gyros, and maybe try on of their desserts.
(4)Joe S.
For good Turkish food in a total dive, this is the place -- good selection, tasty pies (feta pie is my favorite). If you're looking for solid food with very mediocre service and local bums outside the restaurant, this is the place... I try to eat here as often as possible and have been eating here for 5+ years.
(3)Olivia W.
I actually traveled from the east bay to try this place and I have to say it was well worth the drive. Besides the sketchy area, this place is really good (had to dock of a star for that one) butI missed out on having a gyro and went for the platter instead, but it looked just as good as the gyro's. I have the beef plate, which was a huge portion of rice, beef, salad and bread. If your in the area, go go go and if your not, its well worth the travel time to try this place once. Staff was really friendly too.
(3)ray e.
had a meeting close by and lucked out before the deluge of customers swarmed in on gyro king. lots of choices for a small place. and the people behind the counter are genuinely nice and pleasant. i got a kafta combo plate and while it was a nice heap of food, i have to say it wasn't quite as tasty as I expected. but it wasn't bad either. service was fast, people were friendly, and around an area where there aren't that many choices. i'd come back again for sure.
(3)Chester R.
I like the soup nazi references. the guy IS a little bit overboard on his dictator attitude but that's cuz the line gets soo long sometimes. Its always a solid choice.
(4)Charles C.
as a burrito connoisseur myself, i was pleasantly surprised at the similarities between gyro king's gyros and their more celebrated latin-american counterpart starving in the civic center area under several occasions and unwilling to experiment with untested area restaurants [or pay $12+ for a single meal], i saw all the awards in the window and decided to give it a shot like a great burrito, the ingredients are fresh and well crafted, secured with a pleasantly flaky wrap, much like taqueria reina. though the door is usually left open leaving the interior kind of cold, service is prompt and friendly. i'd recommend taking it to go and enjoying the view of civic center nearby. if you ever find yourself at civic center and starving after a morning of combing through books or looking at statues in the asian art museum and don't want to spend too much for something good, come here [i was actually at a wedding reception nearby, and upon finding out that the food wouldn't come for another hour, we came here. ruining my appetite was well worth it because the food they served sucked anyway.]
(5)Tracie L.
Stopped by Gyro King on my way between BART and the Asian Art museum. It was clean, the service fast and courteous. We ordered at the counter and had our food within 5 minutes. I got the falafel wrap, which was okay, but not the best I ever had. A little dry. Food was cheap though, and plentiful.
(3)Cassio P.
Damn this is a big-ass gyro! This is the biggest gyro I've ever seen! I ordered two of them because I thought they were going to be small but they were as big as rolling pins. And they cost like 5.50 each. It's a snack place, OK, not a lovey-dovey romantic experience. No one is going to fall in love at a place called Gyro King. But if they love humongous gyros, this is where they'll go. They were both pretty good.
(4)