Three of Houston’s Halal Guys franchises have quietly closed and reopened as the newest outlets of Gyro Hut, the locally-owned halal restaurant that’s inspired by halal carts in New York City.

They are:

• Upper Kirby/Montrose: 3821 Farnham St.
• Medical Center: 6609 Main St.
• Garden Oaks/Oak Forest: 3008 Ella Blvd.

In addition, the Halal Guys location in downtown Houston at 609 Main St. recently converted to Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the rapidly growing, Aggie-loved chicken finger chain. A Halal Guys location in Cypress at 10111 Louetta Rd. is owned by a different franchisee and remains open.

Halal Guys made its Houston debut in January 2016 at the Farnham St. location. Diners flocked to the restaurant, drawing long lines for its signature rice platters topped with a tangy, mayonnaise-based white sauce, spicy red sauce, and a choice of chicken or gyro meat.

Gyro Hut owner Mehran Khan tells CultureMap that his company sees taking over the leases at the three locations as more than an opportunity to expand his restaurant’s footprint.

“We saw an opportunity to revitalize these locations by introducing a fresh concept, a new energy, and an elevated customer experience,” he writes in a message. “We are bringing authentic New York-style gyro flavors and street-food culture to Houston in our own unique way. Our goal is to introduce the flavors that made New York’s halal food scene famous while combining them with modern operations, quality ingredients, and a strong focus on hospitality.”

Like Halal Guys, Gyro Hut serves rice platters with white sauce, red sauce, and different proteins, but it expands the offerings considerably. In addition to chicken and gyro, diners can also choose fried shrimp, fried fish, falafel, and chapli kabab. Those same entrees are also available as a salad topping, over fries, and in a pita wrap. The restaurant also offers sides such as fries and hummus as well as fresh juices.

In his 2023 list of Houston’s 25 best halal restaurants, Burger Bodega owner Abbas Dhanani praised Gyro Hut as “my favorite halal platter-style joint in the city.” He recommends ordering a combo platter of chicken and gyro with no salad, extra white sauce, and extra fire sauce (Note: Dhanani like his food spicy. Use your own discretion about ordering extra fire sauce.). Here's another take from Shawn the Food Sheep.

“Gyro Hut has built its reputation on consistency, authenticity, and serving great food, and we believe these locations provide an excellent opportunity to expand that vision,” Khan adds. “We are excited to transform the spaces into destinations that offer customers something familiar yet completely refreshed.”