Papu’s Cafe

Wonderful prices (felt like it was 2010 when I saw them), but average (at best) falafel, and rather bland hummus.

This hole in the wall Mediterranean restaurant is a can't miss. It's clearly a beloved place in the Waldo neighborhood because people walk in going for an immediate hug with the owner or anyone behind the hot grill and counter. The restaurant is part of the gas station, which, they have dedicated tables for patrons to eat there. My friend who is vegan, said the falafel is incredible and was what every falafel should aspire to be. I had the gyro salad. It was flavorful, filling, yet not heavy for the amount of gyro you get with it. The owner greeted us, gave our table samples of the new grilled chicken they're offering as a special for, and gave us all free rounds of hot herbal tea. This place is AWESOME, and we can't wait to come back and try more of the menu!

Wow. This is my new favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. While some people may view its location as less than immediately appetizing, the food served inside is authentic and delicious.I arrived after what seems like the local official closing time for nearly all restaurants in this area, so the fact that Papu's was still open factored into my decision to try it. I'm glad on both counts (that they're open until 9:00, and that I made the move to try a place I'd previously overlooked).I consider myself somewhat fluent in Mediterranean cuisine, so seeing Baba Ganoush on the menu decided to try theirs. Again: wow. It's fantastic. Some folks may balk at a $7 appetizer that looks like fluffy peanut butter with splashes of olive oil and lemon juice. But if you know this dish, I can confidently say that it is simply excellent here. Such a dish requires real culinary skill in the eggplant roasting process, and they nailed it.So upon being given a peek at the already-cut (near the end of day) gyros meat (after I pointed out the clean gyros rotisserie) I opted for a Gyro ($10 and worth every cent) plus a serving of Baba Ganoush.So yes, my bill with tip approached the $20 limit I'd preset on this meal in my mind, however it was a feast that made two delicious meals: that night's dinner and a tasty filling lunch the next day.I must confess that I eagerly licked the styro tray of Baba Ganoush to eat all of it, too.Wow. Just wow. 5 enthusiastic stars!

Friendly counter staff.I ordered the appetizer sampler with baba ghanouj, dolmas and falafel, and then a separate order of hummus.The falafel was moist and good! The hummus and baba ghanouj were both ok- a bit on the runny side. The baba was quite tart with lemon juice I think? The creaminess was muted by that.The dolmas was bad... really mushy and wet.They use styrofoam containers too. :(If I go back, I will try the shawarma, but the appetizers were not my jam.

Despite all the bad jokes and movie one liners about "gas station food" Papou makes it work. This Mediterranean restaurant is located in the convenience store of a small gas station and the food is really good. The gyros are hot and tasty what do you have as a sandwich, or with a side of rice. I especially enjoyed their falafel sandwiches, because it's hard to find falafel in the Kansas City area. People are always friendly and there's a few tables to sit and eat quietly.

The JOE'S BBQ of Quick Mediterranean CuisineI had NO idea this place was even here until I was visiting a business across the street and needed some quick cash; was SO surprised to make this find. Just a no nonsense quick grill with a fantastic menu (see the pix). We got Gyro's and they were stuffed with meat and some of the usual veggies and a wonderful tzatziki style sauce. One was all we needed! Be prepared to get a beverage from the service station fridges and eat there if you want or take it with you.LOOK - It's NOT Glamorous - It's In A Friggin Gas Station - But Joe's BBQ Started Out That Way !!! All I'm saying is give them a try on a drive by !!!

Papu's hits that unique niche of being gas-station restaurant that pulls it off pretty well. I love Mediterranean cuisine in general, so I've visited Papu's a handful of times over the years. For starters, you can order online and I really prefer that for takeout. It's a well oiled machine and makes for a quick pickup.The food can be pretty good for a fast option; the chicken shawarma flavor is pretty good. I have some constructive tweaks on some other items. The shawarma sandwich has good flavor but everything could stand to be cut up a bit more. Huge long strands of lettuce and red onion, and large chicken chunks make it hard to eat.The hummus is rough here. It has very little flavor, and it's gritty and watery. While it'll be hard for me to be a regular here, I'm always open to giving a few other menu items a try here and there.

Everyone raves about this place and we happened to be in the area so we finally grabbed lunch to go. This review is a tough one because I've been to Greece and had the real deal, so Greek food always has a high standard to live up to here in the states. The salad dressing was super bland and the falafel- I've definitely had better. The portions are great, definitely enough for another meal! They give you a great amount of meat! The meat was the best part for sure.The babaganoush has a smoky, rich flavorI would not make this my go to Greek restaurant unfortunately. But it's great for a quick meal with enough for a second later- so it's affordable for sure! I might stop in again when I'm the area to give it another shot because at least the meat is worth it!

I love this place and can't recommend it enough! Every time I come I get the shawarma sandwich with a little extra mayo and it hits the spot every time. Prices are also very good. I had a great conversation last time I went in with the owners and they wanted to make sure everything was to my liking. He also let me know that everything is made from scratch and that the meat is never frozen. I'll definitely be returning as it has quickly become one of my go to spots.

I've ordered gyro sandwiches from Papu's for years, and did so again today. I've recently noticed that the quality of my food hadn't been consistent with my previous experiences and today's was absolutely the worst. Barely any meat and what was in there had the texture of beef jerky. Probably the time to find a new place to get my gyro fix.