Today: Ara's Shawarma‼ My fave Mediterranean spot They have 3 locations: north Hollywood/ Hollywood/ Encino I use the North Hollywood one I truly love their food and their service! Tigran is the manager and he is efficient and conscious Today I had the lamb chops for the first: they were super tasty and the meat super tender I highly recommend you go there! read more

See all

A huge fan of Ara's Shawarma, having visited over a dozen times. The food is consistently incredible, and my wife, who has lived in the Middle East, swears this is the best shawarma around. Every meal is absolutely delicious and leaves me completely satisfied. Highly recommended for anyone in the Valley or the surrounding area--you have to try it at least once, and you'll probably get addicted to the delectable flavors. read more

LFirst glance it's a nice little spot, limited seating for about 20 people in total No bathrooms, it's very warm in there so no AC, Prices are very much comparable to every other shawarma place, so first impressions were ok, it was recommended by a local so decided to give it a shot. Food: I got a chicken shawarma and the chicken had great flavor except it was a bit cold when I received it. It's worth it for the chicken alone but to my taste id prefer a pita bread the saj bread was also cold and kinda made the taste a bit bland. Id still like to Try the other things they have but over all nothing to be crazy about and also not a bad spot at all so 4 stars is good read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Inside - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Saw this place on TikTok and thought I'd come and see if the influencers were telling the truth. They were and they weren't. TRUTHS: The Shawarma is flavorful for sure. Good seasoning. I also tried the falafel which was completely carried by the sauce that came with it. CAPS: The size of this thing is NOWHERE NEAR what's shown on socials. It's much smaller. OTHER NOTES: While the restaurant is super cute, the service was soooo lame. The person at the register wasn't welcoming, didn't want to answer any questions about the menu, and overall just made me feel like I was interrupting her day. All in all, I've had better everything: food and service. Pass. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Chicken Shawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Clean restaurant, tasty shawarma with a decent amount of meat... Most shawarma places shortchange the amount of meat they include, so i don't return to those ripoff joints... But I will return to this place for certain. Not a bad experience. Give this place a visit. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Beef - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

We came because they were trending on tiktok but unfortunately we had a mundane experience. Cashier didn't seem to want to be there. Food was okay. However, the cook was all smiles and genuine. We bought their green pastry and as we were leaving, cook came and gave us an extra one on the house. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

This place is very viral, but not very good. Look at my reviews - I'm a VERY positive yelper. I go low when there is regret. Very over cooked beef. Super soggy fries, no flavor to garlic spread, dry and sad pita with the plate (bordering on stale), no flavor to hummus and cheap oil on top. Hummus mealy and chunky - not smooth and yummy. Way to pronounced lemon flavor in crispy beef shawarma. $20 and super small portion. This place is all hype and clearly paying influencers to post positive stuff. No bathroom to wash your hands in or use bathroom. $40 for a drink, a crispy shawarma, and a pork plate. I would absolutely roast this place but the kid working there seemed exhausted and was trying his best. Good for him. I literally just left. Don't go here for this kind of food. 2 star food. read more

See all

Since last week it will but it probably be the last time I go here. Not sure if it was it was the marinate or meat smell but friend confirmed the same thing. The beef barbecue wrap usually never fails just at this place. read more

The food was good, but nothing amazing or super memorable. Everything tasted fine and the portions were decent, but I was expecting a little more based on the reviews. Overall, not bad, just pretty average in my opinion. read more

I really had high hopes for this establishment. The food looks so good online, and they are located so close to my house. But one thing that really truly ticked me off was the fact that they are selling ranch condiments, and claiming that it's garlic spread! Don't waste your money! read more

Man, I love Ara's Lula Kebab Wraps. Especially the Lamb and Beef ones which are FIRE. I come all the way from Orange County once a month here, because of my business meetings with some important clients. Wish we had good Armenian restaurants in the OC. Not a lot of Armenians live in the OC, so I have to come to L.A when I want some of this good stuff. Anyways, I was here last night finishing up a late meeting, and I was feeling Ara;s Kebabs. SO I ordered 4 Lula Wraps, and they were delicious. Man, I have been coming here all year. I ll be back. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Yumm, the Garlic Sauce is FIRE - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

See all

Heard about this place on IG and was curious to try them out. I got a Beef BBQ Wrap and quite frankly, I wasn't impressed. If the meat had a bit more flavor, then I would've left a 4 star review. The meat just felt a bit bland, flavorless. I will give this place a 2nd try and try something different. The service was ok, there is a bit of a wait time -but, I completely understand that process. The ambiance is alright. I will mention this, parking is a little tight because there's people who just unnecessarily park there just to have a smoke and hang out. So if you are reading this, you might want to order in advance for pick up or else, you'll be spending time waiting for a parking space to open up and the wait time to get the food ready. read more

It was my first time trying Ara's Shawarma, and I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the chicken shawarma, and it was really good -- flavorful, well‑seasoned, and I loved the crispy texture. For a first visit, it definitely made a great impression. I'd come back to try more of their menu for sure. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

One guy at counter. They have a falafel option. Menu has a variety of pork chops, chicken thighs and breast, steak, lamb chops, hummus, cabbage and fries. I ordered the beef wrap and the falafel and was very happy with it. The rice was excellent and the roasted jalapeño, tomato and onion were delicious. Definitely will be back. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Came here after a late night from the airport. Ordered the chicken shawarma.wrap $13.99 they are open pretty late. Wrap was delicious with good dipping sauce. Place is clean and friendly staff. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

See all

*Delayed post from April '25 Stopped here for a quick bite and found parking in the small lot in front. The space itself had a local street vibe with graffiti art on the walls and small tables. We ordered at the kiosk at the front and grabbed our order when it was called out. I was surprised at how busy it was both inside and for take out, especially after trying both chicken and pork wraps, since the meat was super dry from overcooking. The pork had a smoky flavor reminiscent of Chinese barbecue from some overlapping spice. The pepperoncinis added delicious spice and the pickled vegetables in sauce were also great, but the pita wasn't able to hold everything together, so be prepared to eat it with a fork and knife. I think it would have been more balanced with additional vegetables like lettuce or cabbage, and perhaps more creamy sauce to add moisture to the meat. It would help give more textural difference in the wrap too. We also ordered a cup of strawberries with chocolate. Sadly not all the strawberries were ripe, giving them little flavor, but the chocolate was very rich and thick, almost like Nutella, but without the hazelnut flavor. The pistachio sauce was very watery, therefore ridding it of flavor since it was so diluted. However, the golden knafeh flakes added a delightful crispy texture that kept every bite interesting. read more

See all

I finally decided to stop by here for lunch, I tried their Pork Belly plate, it was delicious! I gotta try their other dishes and chocolate desserts. Uniformed firefighter can get a free plate of food. The place is nice and clean. Service is friendly and professional. read more

See all

I'm always up late and tend to get cravings, so after seeing this spot all over Instagram, my boyfriend and I decided to check it out late at night. It's a small place but it was busy, which is usually a good sign. I ordered the chicken and beef shawarma crispy, and honestly--the hype is real. Everything was delicious, flavorful, and satisfying. Portions were generous, prices were very reasonable, and the fact that they're open late is a huge plus. Definitely a great late-night option and worth the stop. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - CHICKEN Pita Sawarma - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

If you're looking for flavorful and juicy shawarma, I recommend Ara's. The perfect blend of spices and fresh ingredients made every bite enjoyable. The staff were warm and hospitable. I met Mike who went out of his way to make our first visit a positive experience. He even gave baklava with on the house as a welcome treat. They have lots of options and I appreciate the large menu. Service was quick and the seating area comfortable. Parking gets a little tight during the day. read more

See all

So once again, my wife and I decided to try a new place and thought this might be a good one looking at the reviews. We ordered one beef and one chicken, Shawarma wrap sandwich and the sad part is instead of eating there we took it home If we had eaten there, I would've returned it immediately. I don't understand why anyone would want their food drenched in mayonnaise and ketchup which becomes in essence thousand island dressing which honestly becomes very gross in a Shawarma sandwich especially when it's overwhelmed with that flavor. It's almost as if you're trying to cover up the flavor of the food because in this particular case, it was beyond overwhelming, so 35 bucks worth of food down the garbage disposal it went. The service was fine. The ambience was fine even though we didn't utilize it, but the food couldn't pass a two and I'm sorry to say we won't be back read more

We decided to check this place out since it recently got a lot of traction for the viral Dubai chocolate. We've only been able to find the chocolate at Island Pacific grocery store in Granada Hills but for the smallest chocolate bar, not really worth the $12.00. We popped over here and drove through traffic after work to spend $30 on their version of the viral Dubai chocolate bar lol. But also to grab dinner which the shawarma was just okay and I tried their falafel which was my first time having it and it was EXTREMELY dry and pretty dense. I basically had one and I was done. They give you hummus but nothing can save it. They also had the strawberry cup with the Dubai chocolate/toppings if you're interested in that. I'm sure the price is also just as expensive. They had a smaller bar for half the price of the bigger one but we refrigerated ours to preserve it longer and it definitely lasted us a while! Very good, especially fresh, but $30 for a chocolate bar is pretty wild. They were busy when we visited so the food and chocolate took a while. Small restaurant with only a handful of seats. Parking is god awful so beware! They might have street parking but I got lucky with someone leaving and me squeezing into the tight parking spot. Probably would only come back to try their strawberry cup which seems to be available everywhere now. IG: @ammysalamii read more

See all

My friends and I were craving Shawarma and decided to check out a new spot. We ordered delivery and got lamb, chicken, and beef dishes. All the dishes were good. I don't recommend getting the fries unless dining in. If you are a soggy fry lover then maybe that option is for you. Short and sweet review until the next time. Parking: small private lot VERDICT: One and done read more

See all

Great food, great atmosphere, and they got holiday spirit too! This place has amazing fresh food, cheap prices and great customer service highly recommend. Make sure you ask for Mike! He's the man read more

See all

Parking is provided at this fast casual spot with only indoor seating. Service is limited as there are few employees present that are doing a lot but those that are present are helpful. I got a wrap with mixed shawarma; it was a bit salty and underwhelming but did have a home cooked feel. Portion is as expected but a bit pricey for what it is. read more

Saw this small resto in instagram and kinda looks good. What made me more excited is that they have this starwberry chocolate dessert dubai style. Came here 1 day with wifey, ordered their promo beef shawarma combo which includes fries and a drink for a lesser price and 1 chicken wrap same for a lesser price, and they were good. They have a huge menu posted on their wall, we just tried their promo that's all. I liked it more than my wife. Their fries are so crunchy and good that you won't stop munching once you started it. We also ordered their strawberry chocolate dubai style for $17! a little expensive but hey I guess this is the same wherever you go. This one my wife loved it! The place is really small, only few chairs and tables, it's more like a to go places. Service is ok. medium speed. The cleanliness of the place is reasonable, they could have done better. read more

See all

*Only rating for the Dubai Chocolate Strawberries and Bar* I'm sure that you've been seeing the famous Dubai Chocolate anything and everything on social media, so you can imagine my excitement when I finally got my hands on the strawberry cup of goodness. I've previously had a version of Dubai Chocolate in crepe and it was pretty good. It helped me understand the hype and as a big pistachio lover and all things chocolate, I got it. However, I never imagined how much I would truly enjoy it with strawberries! The worker was very nice and made conversation with us while he was making out delicious treat. We do plan to come back and try their menu, but this trip was purely for desserts. The first bite was a perfect balance of sweet, crunchy, and juicy experience. Was it hard to share this cup, yes it was! Perfectly ripe strawberries, partnered with sweet, melted chocolate and pistachio cream, topped with the crunch of the knafeh. I do think that the pistachio cream from Ara's is a bit runny and diluted and I prefer my pistachio cream thicker, this was a great dessert for the day. They also sold the Dubai Chocolate bars, but I prefer the strawberries over the bar. A must try! read more

See all

The food is very flavorful!! Highly recommend and I'll be back to try some of the other dishes.

As a great European vibe to it and the chocolate strawberries are absolutely amazing, but I have to tell you the chicken plate and the beef Shawarma pita were the two hits that I got to sample when I came in tonight. I really enjoy the environment. I like the fact that it's open late on a Saturday night. Everything is made fresh so give yourself a little extra time but you won't regret it. It's a lot of fun come and try everything they have here. You won't regret the BFP I can tell you that. ! read more

See all

Met Mike, He was friendly and kind. The beef shawarma was so flavorful with yummy seasoning. I will definitely be back. I ordered the beef plate, beef' and chicken warp. Thank you Mike read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Amazing food, interior, and incredible strawberry and chocolate/ pistachio. Loved the chicken crunch wrap. I'll probably put the pickles and sauce on the side next time, but nothing taken away from the meal. Thank you. read more

I stopped by yesterday for lunch, food was delicious but customer service!? I been reading the reviews on this and im like, why? I wasnt mean to the guy at the register, he wasn't nice at all. That guy looked miserable, like he didn't want to be there. I would come back even after that bad experience with yesterday customer service because food was great! Food was a 10 for me! Everything looks clean and neat. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - chicken shawarma wrap. Best fries ever - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Walked in here and some fat obnoxious Karen was BERATING the staff. Some high and mighty holier than thou soapbox rant she's probably rehearsed in the mirror 500 times and left the house this morning looking to unload on somebody. I can't believe the staff just stood there and let her go off. Good for them. I would have thrown hot coffee in that bloated windbag's face. She'll probably be here soon leaving a nasty, dishonest 1 star review. This place is great. Huge portions, great flavor, and like I said, incredibly professional and efficient staff. read more

I like that this place is open late and the staff is friendly. The food was solid, nothing crazy. I also got a dubai chocolate. It was good, not the best I've had but also solid. The price for everything was a bit high in my opinion. read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

My go to place for a quick Shawarma fix. I used to go to halal guys but thank god I live one block away from this Ara's Shawarma location! I love the sauce they provide for the wraps and bowls. The only downside for this location is that service is quite slow and they serve Pepsi products. Everything else is 5 stars to me! Keep it up guys and keep making good food! read more

Came to eat - nobody was at the counter or any customers. We waited and nobody came out. We saw people in the back and through a window and they didn't come out. We rang the bell and a lady came after 2 minutes and looked at us and went to the back again. We waited then we rang the bell again and nobody came out so we left and went to another restaurant in the same complex where we were immediately helped. read more

I love this place! Amazing tasting chicken schwarmas and selection on the menu. Food is great customer service... well I wish she would smile more. But I'm not there for the smiles. I'm there for the food. I'm glad I found this place. read more

Ara's Shawarma! WOW! Great food with Awesome pricing! Strawberries and chocolate to die for!! read more

Ara's Shawarma - Vanowen - Strawberry with chocolate DUBAI Style! - Mediterranean Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Great place for halal chicken and beef shawarmas. Only shawarmas are halal so we couldn't try other options on the menu. But neat, and simple place with flavorful shawarmas. Sweet of them to let me try the meat before placing my order. read more

I came here due to an enticing Instagram post, I was expecting a line but no line on a Saturday around 2pm - woohoo! It was quite warm inside and could use some air. Eclectic graffiti art which my kids enjoyed, especially Hey Hey the rooster haha. Beautiful tree and Santa set up for Christmas! I ordered the chicken shawarma combo with the chicken pita, fries and a drink. My husband ordered the meat plate - beef, pork and chicken with sides of hummus and a type of cole slaw. My husband said the meat was fresh and tasty. This hummus was not hummusing for me - it tasted very strange like no hummus I've ever had - had a strange mint aftertaste, but more like peppermint than regular mint. Odd. I wasn't initially blown away by the pita but it grew on me, I didn't taste the rich flavors of smoked shawarma I'm accustomed to, but perhaps because there was so many fresh vegetables added to the sandwich, which I appreciated, but then I think that's also why the flavor was lacking. I felt like wanted a side of that buttery garlic spread which I don't think they have. I ordered the famous Dubai chocolate for dessert - a small size was $15! It was yummy and I loved the crispness, but be warned, it gets quite melty fast! We also got the chocolate covered strawberries and when we were leaving the kind cashier offered my kids a cup of chocolate covered marshmallows with sprinkles. He even let my daughter add the sprinkles, so sweet! My 5 year old asked if we could go back every day to get the French fries! They really are that good, perfectly seasoned and crispy. So good we ordered another side to go. :) read more

See all

Ara's is a great choice if you're looking for a flavorful shawarma. I got the chicken shawarma and it was seasoned very well and was complemented by a nice assortment of veggies, pickles, and sauce. The size of the wrap was perfect and filling, especially for lunch. My order came out in under 10 minutes, which was very nice. Overall, this spot is small, but has some seating. Staff were nice as well. read more

See all