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More than falafel
Ibby?s opens location in Hoboken

by Caren Matzner
Reporter Editor


Ibby?s Falafel has been dishing out fresh Middle Eastern platters, sandwiches and salads for 16 years in downtown Jersey City and for four years in Freehold. Now they?ve opened a third location in the heart of Hoboken?s Washington Street.

?We were the first in Hudson County to bring this kind of essence and flavor,? said owner Adnan Kwara shortly after they opened last month. ?We?ve built such a great clientele. We had so many followers who wanted us to be in Hoboken.?

The right location opened up, and so did the store ? but unfortunately, they will now have to compete with a rash of other falafel restaurants that recently opened on Washington Street.
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Lunches cost as little as $3.
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?We were the originals,? Kwara said. ?How can I say this in a modest, humble way? We inspired all of Grove Street [in Jersey City]. Us and the Hard Grove [Caf?]. You know, America is full of competitors. There?s plenty for everybody.?

He said his product can outshine the others, including his mother?s recipe for falafel, which he?s been perfecting for 16 years.

Falafel is a fried chick pea product. ?It?s the root of the chick pea,? Kwara explained. ?You soak it in water overnight, until it?s soft. You grind it, mix it with ingredients, parsely, onions. We add a recipe to bring out its natural flavors.?

Kwara?s menu includes chicken, pork, lamb, and the usual Middle Eastern staples and dressings such as hummus (blended chick peas), baba ghanoush (a spread made from eggplant) and much more.

But who is Ibby? Ibby is short for Abraham, Kwara?s son, who is a schoolteacher.

We recently stopped in to try the eatery?s lunches and desserts.

Amazing prices for veggies

Ibby?s menu has very reasonable prices. On a recent Wednesday, a special listed on a sign outdoors ? two falafel sandwiches for $5 ? brought in many customers. They were served what looked like a very satisfying plate. Falafel, fresh vegetables, and spices decorated the inside of a folded slice of pita bread.

The restaurant serves vegetarian sandwiches starting at $3 each. Depending on the ingredients (which can include combinations of falafel, vegetables, feta cheese, grape leaves, baba ghanoush, tomatoes, and sauces), the sandwiches can climb to $3.50, $4, or $5.75.

A vegetarian platter served with salad and hot pita bread runs from $7 to $8.75.

Salads, which can include fresh veggies, olives, feta cheese, and grape leaves, run from $7 to $8.

The restaurant also offers a list of side dishes. Try homemade spinach pie ($3.50), rice ($3.50), lentil soup ($3.50), olives, pickled turnips (homemade!) and pita chips.

Cuts of meat

Of course, the restaurant also serves sandwiches with chicken and lamb, meat platters, and the traditional kebabs.

This reporter tried shavings of chicken and lamb in a platter, and loved it. The chicken wasn?t dull slices like in a deli, but fresh baked pieces like what you?d have for holiday dinner at home.

The meat platters run from $10.50 to $12.95 and can include chicken, rice, lamb, salad, and spreads.

Meat sandwiches are less expensive, running from $5.75 to $5.95. The kebabs (skewers with chunks of meat, vegetables, and falafel) are the same price.

Dessert

The restaurant bakes its traditional Middle Eastern desserts on the premises. They run from a mere $2 to $3.

Baklava ? thin layers of phyllo dough, walnuts, pistachios, and honey ? runs $2. They offer similar pastries with nuts and honey, and their ?famous? rice pudding for $3.

Long hours

Ibby?s is open seven days per week, with long hours ? 10 a.m. until 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday. They also deliver and do catering.

Ibby?s in Hoboken is located at 614 Washington St. Call (201) 610-1300 for more information. For the Jersey City location at 303 Grove St., call (201) 432-2400.

Read more: Hudson Reporter - More than falafel Ibby?s opens location in Hoboken

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Yeah, same thing with pizza.

i haven't had the falafel at gypsy grill yet, but i loved the chicken shawarma over ibby's.

I wish a good falafel place would open near my office.

When I worked in the village, I would eat at Mamoun's three times a week. Adnan would serve me when he worked there during the summer. When he opened Ibby's, I didn't recognize him, but I recognized the older bald guy at fry station, and I said "Hey, that guy used to work at Mamoun's!" At which point Adnan said, "Of course, Mamoun is my uncle."

I actually prefer Ibby's falafel--fresher tasting, nice spices, and he changes the oil more frequently. I will need to try the Hoboken place and compare. Maybe I will go on a falafel eating binge, like a pub crawl. . . .

Falafel is the new "it" food, just cupcakes, dumplings, tacos, and banh mi all went through fad phases too.

Two or three other falafel joints have opened in Hoboken this year, aside from Mamouns, and that is in addition to the Two Pitas in a Pod truck while Jersey City has had a Gypsy Grill add a second falafel option.

If only there was a falafel futures market.

Yea I too saw the sign saying they?re opening up in Hoboken, I don't know where they are opening up..

I like the shawarma there because it doesn?t have the meat taste Ibby?s has.. And theirs have extra spices on it, which gives it flavor. I?m talking about the Lamb shawarma. Ibby?s chicken is very salty imo

Also, so is Hoboken getting both a Mamoun's and an Ibby's? This is confusing.

I'm just curious, what makes the shawarma so much better than Ibby's? Also, are we talking chicken shawarma? Ibby's is some of the best chicken shawarma I've ever had. Although they do have off days from time to time.

Went to Hoboken and got a shawarma sandwich. $5.90 with tax?

Gotta say theirs is a whole lot better than Ibbys..

Just got back from Hoboken Mamoun's. Had the "Meat Combo," with chicken, tabouli, baba, and falafel--also a side of stuffed grape leaves. They're still in start-up mode (no credit card machine, no knives, apparently no heat), but the food was delicious, and the staff was incredibly friendly. I definitely prefer it to Ibby's.
Can't wait to go back.

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The stuff in the red squirt bottle that they usually keep behind the counter, yes, that's their Harissa.

Walking home, I got a beef patty from nicoles just so I could have their hot sauce.

I'm also a real spicehead. I grow my own chili peppers! The only time I've been outspiced is with the Bhut Jolokia (ghost pepper).

I really like Ibby's hot sauce - is that considered a harissa?

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Tis, but I don't find it the same putting it on their mild jerk as a properly made spicy jerk made with habaneros. I miss Lisa's Roti. I've actually bought a bottle of jerk paste and smeared it on Nicole's jerk chicken. And lots of other food actually.

I just love the endorphin rush I guess.

Yes, nicoles hot sauce is good and spicy but a different kind of flavor and heat.

hot sauce at Nicole's caribbean is pretty powerful

How can you handle that much Spiciness.. I like Spicy but the harissa is just a colon cleanser.. The NY Style halal guys on C.C drive and Greene also has a spicy hot sauce.. Not quite harissa but hot, atleast I think so.


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I always grab a hand full of extras from the 53/6th guy but that only lasts a few days. Maybe one day I'll convince them to sell me a gallon jar of it.

If you want harissa just go to the chicken and rice guy on 53rd and 6th or 52nd and take the packaged hot sauce they have...

If you are looking for the after affects of the harissa, just munch down on some white castle sliders.. ;)

Last time I was in Mamouns on MacDougal, I noticed they had bottles of hot sauce for sale. I was so excited at the thought of being able to take that wonderful harissa home with me and feeling the heat whenever I wanted. Unfortunately, it's not even close. It's watered down, a lot. Tastes like they added a lot of vinegar to it to make it more palatable for the avg person.
Such a shame.

I think Mamoun is Ibby's uncle. Ibby is opening soon in Hoboken too.

Ibby's had a sign in the window yesterday saying they were opening up a location in Hoboken. Interesting. Wondering if they are opening up a location in Hoboken as well, or if they were just advertising for Mamoun's. Mamoun's and Ibby's owners are related...cousins or something. Too bad Ibby's food isn't nearly as good as Mamoun's. I'll be hitting up Mamoun's in Hoboken tonight :)

Nj.com/Hudson Has a story up saying Mamoun's opened up shop at 502 Washington Street.

Its a shame they didn't come to J City, oh well, atleasts its a another place for shawarma besides Ibby's