If you’ve ever strolled around the neighborhood, you’ve probably seen Halal Munchies. And if you’re looking for a tasty, filling, reasonably priced halal lunch, this is the place to go. It’s close by and is a popular destination for students and teachers to get their chicken-and-rice fix.
Faculty member and table tennis coach Emmanuel Khuu agrees that the chicken over rice is a good choice.
“The chicken over rice is a classic; all cultures have different variants,” said Khuu. “It’s cheap and you get your protein in and you get your veggies in.”
But you don’t have to “get your veggies in” because Halal Munchies is flexible with their menu and customers can make substitutes.
“If you don’t like the vegetables, you can remove it and add double fries,” said junior Jonibek Joshpolitov. “So you get more fries for yourself.”
In November, we went to Halal Munchies for lunch. When we walked inside the ambiance at this spot was great. We could see one person at the counter taking orders and they also had kiosk machines where you can order without worrying about looking at the menu. This was great to see because most other restaurants don’t offer this. There are a lot of chairs and tables so people could get comfortable and eat there, but most were just grabbing takeout.
We tried three menu items for lunch: the chicken over rice platter, a chicken cheesesteak sandwich and tres leches. And another cool thing is that they make the food right in front of you.
The chicken over rice is the highlight of Halal Munchies. The chicken we had was tender and juicy. It’s seasoned with cumin, paprika, turmeric and garlic, which is used in the chicken as well as the rice, and it also had a bay leaf and a touch of saffron, giving it extra flavor. This was paired with their white sauce and hot sauce, which just overall tied everything together. Another thing about this dish was that it was portioned very well, just enough to share with another person. The meal comes in a black box with napkins and extra sauce in case you want to put more on the platter.
The chicken cheesesteak was packed with flavorful chicken. It was seasoned with a bold blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a touch of cayenne, giving the sandwich a warm, smoky taste. The sautéed onion, fresh off the grill, added a subtle sweetness that kept the balance of the savory flavors. The hero roll was toasted just right and gave a crunch in every bite but was still soft on the inside. The spices, sauces, and textures made a perfect chicken cheesesteak that was flavorful and satisfying.
To top it all off we had the tres leches cake. It was made with three different kinds of milk: condensed, evaporated and regular. The condensed milk sweetened it and the evaporated milk made the cake soft and spongy. A cool layer of whipped cream made each bite more enjoyable. This cake was the perfect way to end a filling meal.
These three menu items were really good but Halal Munchies has even more to offer, it just depends on the type of vibe you’re feeling. If you’re trying Halal Munchies for the first time, we recommend their iconic dish: the chicken over rice platter. But another option, the kofta over rice, which we didn’t get to try, comes highly recommended by seventh grade science teacher, Saleem Singh.
“That one is fire,” said Singh. “With some white sauce and hot sauce. Put some barbecue sauce on that. It’s fire.”
Najida Rahman • Jan 16, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Man I used to go here a lot a few years back but for some reason I don’t go as much anymore. Maybe I should go again because they have some beautiful chicken and lamb gyro its really flavorful
Jacob Feldman-Blosser • Dec 11, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I love this place their falafels and fries are really good