Falafel's Drive-In
Best Falafel in San Jose · CA
Falafel and a banana shake since 1966.
Falafel's Drive-In has served San Jose since 1966, a family-run walk-up where the falafel is fried fresh, wrapped with house sauces, and chased with a famous banana shake. The Nijmeh family's Middle Eastern drive-in became a local legend and a "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" favorite.
A Stevens Creek institution for 60 years, Falafel's is the 2025 Centurion Award winner in San Jose.
What they're known for
- Fresh-fried falafel
- The famous banana shake
- Middle Eastern drive-in classics
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Selection follows the published criteria; Falafel's Drive-In met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in San Jose since 1966 — 60 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in San Jose.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: San Jose has kept Falafel's Drive-In busy for 60 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by San Jose regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best falafel in San Jose for 2025 for the falafel-and-banana-shake combo that has drawn lines to Stevens Creek Boulevard for six decades.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
The details, verified.
- Legal / trading name
- Falafel's Drive-In
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1966, San Jose, CA
- Founders
- The Nijmeh family
- Location
- 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95128
- Centurion Award
- Best Falafel in San Jose — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
Frequently asked questions.
What is Falafel's Drive-In?
Family-run drive-in on Stevens Creek Boulevard since 1966, famous for pairing crispy falafel with a banana milkshake.
Is Falafel's Drive-In award-winning?
Yes — Falafel's Drive-In is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Falafel in San Jose, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best falafel in San Jose for 2025 for the falafel-and-banana-shake combo that has drawn lines to Stevens Creek Boulevard for six decades.
Where is Falafel's Drive-In?
Falafel's Drive-In is in San Jose, CA.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Falafel in San Jose San Jose, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit Falafel's Drive-In
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for Falafel's Drive-In (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear.
Own this business? Claim the listing for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.