I get there around 8 p.m. and the line is down the block. This location will be open until 4 a.m.
Don't be misled by The Originals food truck down the street, the night shift cart manager told me, The Halal Guys have always been on 53rd and 6th. You can also spot the people who work there in mustard hoodies.
They have a system going in the back. Someone pre-loads the tray with lettuce and rice - the base for all halal dishes - then another employee adds, chicken, gyro, falafel, or a combination of all.
This is Lena, who, on her trip from Philadelphia said The Halal Guys was a mandatory pit stop. Her tip? Take it easy on the hot sauce, because it is dangerous.
While food carts in Philly may offer free water with a gyro plate, here it comes with a price. You can choose a drink from a heap of beverages over ice.
The plate is served steaming hot with pita bread on top.
For $7 it's a total steal. I was told the combo platter was the best so that's exactly what I ordered.
Nothing short of savory goodness. Though there are rumors that this plate might carry quite the weight: about 2,000 calories for eight to 12 ounces.
But the night cart manager told me the cooks use no oil to cook the meat, and the rice uses very little of it. It's all in the sauce. And customers told me the most popular topping was indeed the mystery "white sauce."
What's in it? A mayonnaise-base. But beyond that, some other ingredients that don't make it easy to replicate: natural flavors, black pepper, xantham gum, sodium benzoate, and a company secret, the manager says.
