Orange County Restaurants

The Halal Guys officially opened on Friday, October 2nd to huge crowds who were excited to try their popular chicken-and-rice platters, gyros and their famous white sauce! The first customer in line had camped out to snag the coveted spot, which gave her bragging rights for being their first official customer on the west coast. By the time their doors opened at 11 am, a line had formed around the block of approximately 250 people hoping to be one of the first to try something that New Yorkers have loved for years. Over the course of the weekend the line remained that long and reached wait times of four hours, even though once customers get to the counter to order it averages only four minutes to complete their transaction. Despite the long wait time, the overall consensus was positive and that the brick and mortar location in Costa Mesa had delivered the same flavors as the original food carts in New York.

Why is The Halal Guys concept so popular? Perhaps it's the high-quality products like their chicken, which has never been frozen and is marinated and seasoned over night, then cooked and chopped on the grill and served directly to their plate to ensure a crave worthy meal that's piping hot. Perhaps it's the debate between those who favor the white sauce versus those who prefer the red sauce. Perhaps it's the memory for those who have lived or visited New York City and stood in line at 53rd & 6th. No matter what the reason is, Southern California is excited for this concept to expand.

The Halal Guys grew from its humble beginnings as a food cart on the streets of New York City to a global icon known as the largest American halal street food concept in the world. This Manhattan-based landmark was created by three like-minded men from Egypt who came to America in search of a lucrative life. When Mohamed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed noticed many Muslim cab drivers in New York were looking for a place to buy meals in Manhattan, they created their first food cart and quickly grew into a leading tourist and native New Yorker destination for American Halal fare. In 2013, The Halal Guys were ranked the most popular food truck reviewed on FourSquare and the third most Yelped restaurant in the United States in 2014.

The NYC-based concept has signed a deal with Fransmart, who is known for building other popular concepts such as Five Guys, to bring 50 franchised units to Southern California. The Halal Guys aim to be different and encourage patrons across America to ditch burgers for something unique. Their mission is to ensure that every customer leaves happy, with a smile on their face and a satisfaction that brings them back again. 3033 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, California.

Among being awarded the 2014 Multicultural Award at The 5th American Muslim Consumer Conference, The Halal Guys have also been recognized by TIME Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The New York Times and The Huffington Post. For more information, visit: www.53rdand6th.com, www.thehalalguysfranchise.com.