Zaiqa Halal Food Cart

Best halal cart in flushing I cannot get enough of this cart it’s close to my house I wish it was open ²⁴⁄₇ cause I’m addicted to this place. This food is blasting with flavor.

My favorite new cart in queens. It looks like a glowing box. The crazy plate is indeed crazy. It has every kind of meat they offer. So much food that the container isn’t even able to close. The meats are delicious. The white sauce is good. The hot sauce is HOT. If you can’t handle the heat, skip the hot sauce because its insanely hot. The guy working the cart is really nice as well. This is a must try cart in queens. I prefer it to sammy.

This is the first Halal cart that I truly thought was worth every dollar. The food is delicious, the owner of the cart goes out of his way to pack up the tray with hot steaming chicken, well cooked rice, thin slices of pita and some veggies on the side. Will buy from again!

Friendly service and delicious food. I got the chicken and lamb over rice for the usual $ 6. Their hot sauce is spicier than the rest and has a little kick which I love. This halal cart beats the hell outta the ones on Bell Blvd over at Bayside. Cheap, delicious food with friendly service. What more can you ask for?

Tasty deliciousness Mediterranean chicken over rice dish for $ 6 and a soda can. Nice and fast service. Must try if in this area.

I’ve been called a Zaiqapath. I don’t understand why because I’m fairly sure that Zaiqapaths need to have «murdered» far more Halal Cart Combos than I have, in order to be deemed as such. And I thought that Zaiqapaths were more turned on by getting «the red sauce» all over them (blood), rather than my preference, which is getting «the white sauce» all over me (ahem).
Personally, I think the only Zaiqapath is the walkway that you shuffle along in the bitter windy midwinter, or the stifling, humid, concrete-​jungle-​summer, as you make your way to one of the best street cart food experiences you will ever enjoy.
If you’ve never been to NYC, then when you go (and you must go), get a Combo from a Halal Cart. It’s one of the specialties that NYC is packed full of, and they taste like heaven, whether you’re drunk or not. They’re bad for you, but so good. However all Combos are not created equal. Much like penises. And this Combo — the Zaiqa Combo — is one of the best you will ever taste.
What to get: Combo with all the sauces, extra red sauce
Why: Because it’s freaking amazing
Any tips: Don’t get salad if you’re eating it later. Nobody wants a warm salad
Any more: Well… no-​one expects the Spanish Inquisition
How’s the décor: I know you’re kidding, but I love it! It’s the coolest-​looking Halal Cart ever! Like my friend Matt H in Cali said, «it’s a glowing box!» Speaking of glowing boxes, so there was this girl, and… anyway never mind, but I love the way this Cart shines in the night!
How does it compare to Halal Guys: hmm, this needs it’s own paragraph
Let’s put it this way. Halal Guys (the famous Halal Carts near Times Square) is delicious. It’s worth a try. I even gave it a 5 out of 5. But HG is *nothing* compared to the best carts in NYC, which are Sammy’s Halal in Jackson Heights (the very best), Zaiqa in Flushing (the second best), and Biryani Cart’s Chicken Tikka on 6^th Ave in Manhattan (for something a little different). So sure, give HG a try, but if you skip places in Queens like Zaiqa and Sammy’s, then you’re missing the best street food that NYC has to offer.
I mean, if you don’t believe me, then listen to the voice of popular culture. So many famous works mention Zaiqa’s food:
«Zaiq Water For Chocolate»
«Zaiq A Virgin» (Madonna)
«Bi-​zaiqal Race» (Queen Of Carts)
«Lips Zaiq Sugar» (Echo And The Combomen, speaking of Bunnymen, is that what they call male models in Playgirl?)
«My Ass Is Zaiq Whoa» (Mya)
«Just Zaiq Me» (Paramore) (note, this band name was invented when the band decided to order a «pair of more combo plates» because they loved the first one so much)
«Smile Zaiq You Mean It» (The Combo Killers)
Why is Zaiqa so much better? It’s all about taste, quality, and flavour. Halal has smaller pieces, is saltier, is a little more minced. Zaiqa uses larger chunks of spiced Gyro and incredible hunks of perfectly marinaded juicy chicken. The sauces here are more spicy rather than the bland mayo-​n-​ketchup-​esque Manhattan stuff. The rice here is aromatic and flavourful rather than simply coloured and tasteless. Every bite of Zaiqa screams «quality» and also «deliciousness». It’s fine, it’s fresh, it’s fierce, it’s almost as good as snacking on Katy Perry. Not that I would know that from experience. But oh, believe me, I can imagine.
Speaking of Katy Perry, since I wrote the first part of review, Zaiqa has been mentioned in *more* pop culture references:
«Someone Zaiq You» (Adele)
«She’s Zaiq The Wind» (Patrick Swayze)
«She’s, Zaiq, Got Wind» (Swayze’s follow up, after «she» ate a Zaiqa combo)
«Zaiq A Prayer» (Madonna again)
«That’s The Way I Zaiqa It» (KC & Kiss You Where The Sun Don’t Shine Band)
«What I Zaiq About You» (Romantics)
«Zaiq To Get To Know You Well» (Howard Jones)
«Zaiq A Hurricane» (Neil Young)
«Love Doesn’t Come First. First Comes… Zaiq.» Zoosk
Note: Zoosk only used the name «Zoosk» because it started with «Z» as does «Zaiqa» and they felt that it would spiritually connect them to this delicious food cart.
I’ve only eaten here a couple of times now, most recently 3 weeks ago on my Queens food tour, but I will become a regular now, as I am at Sammy’s in Jackson Heights. Yes, Flushing is home to the best Chinese & Korean food in the city, but if you want halal cart food or Middle Eastern food in this area, you simply must come here and try a combo, and then drive down the street to «Gyro World» for — perhaps — the best Gyro you’ll ever have in your life.
Oleta Adams even likes this place. Check it out:
You can get here by MTA
You can get here by Cab (no way)
You can get here by tractor-​pull
You can get here by biczaiqle
I don’t care how you get here, just get here if you can
See?
Wait, you still haven’t gone to try it? You’re still reading?
I’m going to have to switch this up a bit. Hmm let me think.
No, actually, don’t go to Zaiqa. Please, just avoid it. Don’t ever even try it.
Did it work? I was trying «Reverse Zaiqaology.»

I’ve stopped here a couple times being that it’s in my neighborhood. The food is great but the past couple times I changed my mind before I ordered because twice there was a younger kid eating in the truck. I got totally turned off watching him scarf down food as the other guy was cooking right next to him.

I have to say this Halal food cart is definitely the best I’ve had. Prices are reasonable, the guy who works there is friendly, and of course the food is very good.
My favorite is the Chopli kebab plate. This place is much better than the Halal Guys for sure.

Great food
They should start giving pickles and stuff again :(
It’s yummy though get the mixed over rice
The hot sauce is yummy tok

3.5 Stars
Good all-​around platter, with very spicy (ruin your night if you put too much) hot sauce and solid heavy/​creamy white sauce.
I only get the chicken and rice platter here, and the chicken is good, but a bit light in terms of portion size, and the meat itself is cut into these odd/​small cube-​like pieces.
It’s consistent, service is fast and friendly, and while you won’t be blown away, you can’t really go wrong.

Great food and so cheap. They only take cash but there is an ATM in the same plaza. The quantity is also huge, my husband I were only able to get through one order of lamb kebab (served with rice, salad and pita slices). Also the red sauce is super spicy so if you’re not used to that ask the guy to go easy on that.

Best halal cart besides the original. Only negative they don’t do salad platters like some other carts but come on if your going to a food cart you should be eating crap that is horrible for you but taste amazing!

Got chicken over rice with light spice. Everything tasted great. Huge portion and it came with a drink for only $ 6.
Great food and friendly service. Will be visiting often.
Update: Came back here after a few months. There is a new skinny guy working here now. Same friendly service but portion size was much much smaller compare to before. Very few pieces of chicken and very small pieces too, felt like I was eating veg with white sauce most of the time.
My return visit was disappointing, I came here hungry and left still hungry.

Great food and when you order someone else’s plate with extra hot sauce be prepared for beautiful tears.
Food was so good actually came back days later and ordered something different & def delicious. Brother Ahmed def knows how to chef

After reading all the reviews and this being a few blocks from where I live, I decided to give this cart a try and I’m so glad I did.
As written in all the other reviews, the portion was generous and filling. The chicken was seasoned to perfection. The meat was cooked while I waited, almost made to order and not just sitting there and reheated. Plenty of onions and peppers. Abdul, the gentleman who runs the cart is a very pleasant and nice man who seems to truly care about the food he serves and making the customer happy.
If I want very good halal in Flushing, no need to go to main st or pathmark plaza, Zaiqa is my new go to spot. So good!!! Thank you Abdul!

Never did I know you can call ahead to order food from a food cart. Saw this on Unilocal and gave it a try. Stuck on traffic n called for orders. I ordered 4 different kinds of meat. Sorry for the guy who thinks he wasn’t generous enough but I do believe that IT IS enough that when you open the container it was really packed.
Believe me… this guy’s food is better than the halal hype in the city i reviewed. What else do you want for $ 6???
Wanna step up? Go to Kababish in woodside queens ny by broadway.

Great food. Good service. Make sure you TIP! You can call ahead and order so you don’t have to wait! Don’t know about other places but they give you pita bread inside and pack the plates full.

I have ordered the chicken salad, chicken over rice, and chicken gyro plates from here.
All of them have been delicious, I have never once been disappointed from all of the times that I’ve ordered. All in all, the food is great, the service is great, it’s in a convenient location, the portions are good, and the prices are more than reasonable. I’d recommend this cart to anyone.

This is my go to for Halal food. My review is only for Chicken over rice as that’s the only thing I get from here. But regardless, it’s delicious, cheap, and plentiful! I can’t even finish a box. Much much much better than the one on Bell and Northern blvd, the one near queens college, and the one on 188^th street outside Kohl’s. Comparable to deliciousness of the halal guys in the city.
$ 6 for chicken over rice– you can tell them how you want it made (no salad, no onions, more onions, etc) which is awesome– and a you get a drink (soda or water). My usual: white sauce, BBQ sauce, and tiny bit of hot sauce. Beware! Their hot sauce is really spicy, which is why I only get a little bit, even though I love spiciness. It comes with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pita bread!
Guy is always friendly and there’s street parking right next to the cart, plus a parking lot next door. Call ahead is an awesome feature too.

Best Halal cart experience i’ve ever had. Here’s why:
— Kick-​butt alternative options: Chopli kabob and Kofta (lamb is also excellent; chicken is decent)
— Everything is freshly cooked (thus takes more time)
— Rice is clean/​not greasy yet still flavorful
— Generous onion & pepper toppings
— Extra free toppings (though i’ve yet to request/​confirm this)
— Pita slices on top
— $ 6 per dish includes a drink
— The owner/​proprietor is very nice, seems genuinely interested in customer satisfaction
— Free parking lot (shopping plaza with H-​Mart, Paris Baguette)