Famous Chicken Place Has a Damn Good Gyro Sandwich
After posting about the mediocre gyro at Gyro II, I complained that I couldn’t find a decent Greek version of the gyro sandwich in Midtown (my nit picky distinction between a “Greek” gyro, and what you get at street meat carts is in the original post). As always, the commenting faithful had some good suggestions, and while most of them were out of bounds (that’s where all the good stuff is), there were a few places I vowed to check out. Seeing as how I am already a big fan of the Famous Chicken Place on 3rd Ave. btw. 38+39th, I figured I’d start there.
Now that’s what I like to see! Notice the clearly visable line where they cut the meat off the spit? That means they left it on long enough for it to get crispy and brown on the outside. You’ll almost never see that at a street meat cart! No need for extra sauteeing (what a crime), just throw the sliced meat into a warm piece of pita, top it with lettuce, tomato, onion and tzatziki sauce, (what they refer to as “everything”) and you’re golden.
Perfection. Sure it could have been larger for $5.95, but considering this is the first good gyro I’ve had since starting Midtown Lunch, please don’t mistake that for complaining. The only tough part? Not ordering a plate of their amazing smelling grilled chicken… if only there was some sort of chicken & gyro platter/combo. Now that would be truly perfect.
Famous Chicken Place, 592 3rd Ave. (btw. 38th & 39th), 212-687-1800
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:31 am, June 6th, 2008 under *3rd Ave. btw. 38+39th, Famous Chicken Place, Greek, Gyro.
23 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
23 Comments
-
-
Hey Zach – not sure when you went for lunch, but my co-worker is telling me that he used to go there all the time for the gyros… he walked by yesterday and they were closed… says it’s a pizza place now.
Don’t quote me, I can’t prove it… but it’s just what a little birdie told me.
-
I don’t think so, Margot. I live in the neighborhood and there’s Royal Pizza right next door to Famous Chicken Place, so maybe that’s why your co-worker got confused?
-
Zach! 99-cent Pizza across from Port Authority has closed! I’m stunned you haven’t broken the news on this site. I took a picture of the farewell note, but don’t know where to send it.@ Sarah – I just walked by and they’re totally open. And the one by Grand Central is open as well… why would you lie about 99 cent pizza!?! That’s so fucked up… -zach
-
Yup, the gyros at this place are awesome. I especially like the chicken gyro. Most of the food there is tremendous except for the sides. They are another placed that has raised their prices recently though.
-
Looks like a perfect 2 am saturday soaker-upper.
If it was on a fresh Naan…….that pic could of been from Brick Lane!
And guys/guyettes.get used to food prices going up.It certainly will not be going down.
To cheer you up, petrol is over $11 a gallon here.
That’s $220 to fill a DB9 up.
-
This is barely out of bounds, but the Turkish place on the corner of 9th and 40th has great lamb gyros-not the streetcart variety. The chicken and falafel look good too.
-
And just what type of animal matter is used to make that roll on the spit?
-
99 cent pizza is gone!?!?!
THe HUMANITY!!!
-
There’s also a branch of the Chirping Chicken in Grand Central terminal that’s a reasonable alternative to the Famous Chicken Place….
-
What? I walked by it today and it looked danged closed to me! There was plywood in the window and everything. Hmm…could there be more than one place selling 99-cent pizza by the PA? I am thinking of the place between the BK and the Army-Navy Store.
-
@ Sarah – Oh! You’re talking about the one on 42nd btw. 8+9th. I totally forgot about that pizza place. I think they only recently started selling their slices for $1 (and now they’re gone apparently?) The famous one that everyone loves (and that has a branch near Grand Central) is on 9 Ave. btw. 41+42nd.
Thanks for clarifying…
-
There’s still $1 pizza on St. Marks, for outofbounders, not midtowners.
-
Oh man. Sarah, you nearly gave me a heartache there. Glad is was a misunderstanding/bad pizza place that needed to be shutdown.
-
It’s hard to see from where you keep me, DocChuck, but after I inspected the meat in the picture, I think you might want to go check on Mr Wiggles.
I feel a twitch coming on.
-
Its too bad no places in this city do the cheeseburger topped with gyro meat combo. Place back home in Chicago does this sandwich and with grilled onions and taziki its unreal. I think NYC very much does not focus on casual eats. There is a serious lack of casual burger and hot dog places similar to what goes on in Chicago.
-
DomBrooks, I can get Gyro/Doner burgers here(london) and throughout the UK.
Also Pizza topped with Gyro/Doner Meat…………..i know, but you’ll die grinning.
Have a Wonderful Weekend damn near everyone,even sarah who’s none meat diet is affecting her eyes :)
-
Is this lamb or chicken gyro? I know the place is called Famous Chicken Place, but the gyro in the picture looks like lame. Me <– Gryo noob.
-
Zach – that’s funny because I was just sitting with a guy on a plane back from Chicago and when he told me he worked in midtown I asked him if read the site and he was like yeah man.. and asked me where he could get a good gyro in midtown.
I told him I was just the downtown guy and didn’t know..hopefully he catches this post.
-
does anyone know where to find gyro using slices of pork instead of ground lamb/chicken, like at http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekfoodphotogalleries/ig/How-Greek-Gyro-is-Made/Gyro-10a.htm?
I’ve been craving it since visiting greece but can’t find it anywhere
thanks
Luca
Yes! *obligatory fist pump* I’m so glad you approve of the Famous Chicken Place’s gyro, Zach! It’s actually kind of big for me and I inevitably end up having to jettison the veggies so I can finish off the meat and their awesome pitas.
$5.95 is a bit of a bummer — especially since they used to be in the $4 range last year.