We ended up here by accident and this place really surprised us. Its not just a middle eastern food…read moreplace it Is THE Middle Eastern place. The people, the place and of course and most important the food. 10/10

Didn't Live Up to the Hype.. Social media had me convinced Mal Al Sham was a must-visit, and I went…read morein genuinely excited. Unfortunately, the experience didn't match the reels. We ordered fatteh, fool, and lentil soup, three dishes that should be the soul of any authentic Levantine kitchen. None of them impressed. The flavors felt flat, and overall the food just didn't deliver on what the online buzz had promised. We also had the mixed grill, and honestly the only bright spot on the entire table was the kafta. It was well-seasoned and grilled nicely I'll give them that. But one good item doesn't carry a meal.

Came from San Francisco to the San Diego zoo and this restaurant came up in my search. And I really…read moredo not regret it. Amazing staff- amazing food and service. The restaurant is clean- bathroom is clean. Staff is very friendly and smiling all the time. We were group of 15 and they got the food out in time. The owner was very very friendly and made me the best beef shawerma ever. I would recommend this place. And I am definitely coming back. Thank you everyone for everything. God bless you all.

I saw Al Awael on Yelp and the food looked so good. I wanted to check this place out. My party came…read moreto Al Awael later in the evening, after the Iftar rush. As a result, the restaurant was not crowded, but they were out of several menu items. The restaurant is spacious and very color coordinated. The armrests on the chairs are at a slightly odd height for me but very aesthetic. This restaurant is family-run by a father and son duo. The father was cooking while his son was on the front end of things. The service was super friendly and I really appreciated that he explained the menu thoroughly to us. They were out of beef kabob and chicken shawarma (my go-to). I opted for the liver plate with fries, and also tried a bite of beef shawarma. We were also served a complimentary lentil soup as an appetizer. The soup was DELICIOUS. Soft and warm and comforting, with vermicelli bits in it. It was incredibly flavorful and soothing, something I would crave on cold days, sick days, any days really. I will definitely be finding recipes and attempting to make this myself. Middle Eastern places always have the most delicious, freshly fried fries, 10/10 no notes especially with ketchup (sue me, I'm basic XD). My grilled liver hit the spot. I think my one critique would be that because the pieces were quite large, some parts were quite tough. The roast onions and tomatoes had a good smoky char, and the portions were generous. After I polished off my first cube, the son swung by and set a grilled jalapeño down in front of me, saying that his father recommended parting it with the liver. It's personal touches like this that make me really love a local, family owned place! And his father was definitely right about the jalapeño. That and the pickled cabbage were the perfect complement for the rich, earthy liver. Prices were fair and portions were huge. The service was standout here as well. I would LOVE to come back and try their lamb dishes, and I definitely anticipate updating to a 5 star review then.

Wow. This place completely caught me off guard -- in the best way…read more It's been this close to home and somehow I never stopped in until today. That won't happen again. Everything was rich, savory, and deeply comforting. The rice was fluffy and aromatic, the kebabs were perfectly seasoned with that smoky char you want, and the fresh pita sealed the deal. Even the garlic sauce had that addictive, can't-stop-dipping quality. And the flatbread? Soft, warm, and layered with flavor. Portions are generous, flavors are authentic, and nothing felt rushed or watered down for the masses. Come here only if you love food that actually tastes like someone cares. This one's officially in the rotation.

Stopped in with a friend to grab lunch, we both ordered a beef Shawarma plate, which comes with a…read moreside of basmati rice, pita bread, pickled turnips, and the we got to choose one which we both chose the Mediterranean salad. Everything tasted so delicious. The salad was so fresh and light. I would definitely come here again. There's pretty big portions so I ended up saving the rest for my husband. The service was excellent, so very welcomed and attended to by the staff. There is plenty of seating inside and the AC was running, which was nice since it was a hot afternoon.

This place was such a treat, lots of parking in and as soon as you open the door you can smell the…read moremeats and seasoning. Everything was delicious and the staff was very friendly. Restroom was very clean and they had lots of options. The bread was soft and so good. Will definitely be back next time we are in town They gave us a side of cabbage and pickles and wow!!!!!!! They were so good

I think this is a Iraqi and Chaldean restaurant...but I'm absolutely certain you'll get delicious…read moremiddle eastern food for reasonable prices! There is not much atmosphere, no fake smiling service employees but they'll be efficient and attentive if you get their attention. All meals come with a warm creamy yellow lentil soup...delightful! $16 Chicken Schwarma plate...HUGE! A humongous generous portion of juicy, succulent, tender, seasoned chicken on top of seasoned rice. Some lovely, garlickly, fluffy bread is served along as a carb buddy, alongside some tomatoes and pickled cabbage(Iraqi Kim Chee Saurkraut?). $16 Roasted Chicken Plate...half chicken, crispy skin, moist and succulent meat, yum! Came with a tomato bean soup. Food came out extremely fast, yet seemed very fresh and prepared expertly! Great place to eat before a show at the Magnolia, so long as you don't need ambience and Applebees/Chili's/TGI Fridays style service.

The location is right on the corner you can't miss it. They have their own small parking lot. There…read moreis a lot of similar restaurants in the area that we have tried. They just don't compare. The quality and flavors are out of this world. The inside is very cute. it is clean and welcoming. We enjoy lunch dates and dinner here as a family. The owners are very friendly. Definitely recommend the lunch for 2. FYI it feeds 4 people easily. Dinner for 3 feeds 6-7. Large portions. The hummus is soooooooo good. Pro tip: ask for extra olive oil. Give this place a try!

Haven't been here in years, decided to take a trip to El Cajon to have lunch at this mom and pop…read moremiddle eastern restaurant with my mom and pop. They definitely invest their time on the taste of their food and serving large portion sizes instead of fancy tables and decor. It's not upscale fine dining... the interioir looks the exact same for past decade. Although a little dated the place is very clean and fits large or small groups. Not a date night spot -- more a friends and family stuff your face kind of place. They have a dedicated parking lot with plenty of spots. We ordered a ton of food to share. Half roasted chicken with side of fatoush salad, beef kabob plate with side of rice, lamb tikka with side of fries, a large plate of hummus, and an order of falafel (Best Falafel in SoCal). EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! I personally didn't like the lamb tikka but everyone else destroyed that plate. We ordered a pot of black tea (mint flavored) and they brought our large pieces of steaming hot fresh bread. Service was very friendly and fast. They modified any order to your liking. They also thanked us for coming and meant it when they said it -- Mom and Pop shops are The Best! Highly Recommend if you're looking for good quality middle eastern food with large portions.

I was recommended this restaurant by a friend and it is very unassuming. When I went inside on a…read moreSunday evening, it was warm due to the busy cooks in the back. A couple families were enjoying dinner and I was greeted at the counter by a friendly woman. I ordered to go and it took about 10-15 mins to get my food, so that was about standard. The biriyani rice is the highlight of the show, but the chicken shawarma itself was very dry, so that was disappointing. I also ordered the beef kebab skewers with fries, which weren't bad. Honestly, I would come back, but I wouldn't get their chicken shawarma again.

A hidden gem in Elcajon Opened about 4 months ago…read moreHonestly I was a little skeptical as it was not busy but I decided to take my chance. I went to my family Once we walked it It was clean and well kept The owner welcomed us right a way and he was very nice Fast service We had dhyafa ( free of charge) up front lentil soap and hummus with beef shawrma and pickles. All of which fresh and tasty Now the most important part the food Kabob - like Erbil ( the best I had in here and believe me I tried them all) so 100/10 Beef tikka DELICIOuis Qoozi perfect Chicken kreemchup very good all fresh well seasoned and full of flavor large portions HIGHLY recommend to check this place out Ample of parking as well

I have eaten there so many times I can't even count. Their food and their restaurant is my favorite…read moreplace to eat in San Diego. George and Samia are the most wonderful people in the world. George will come out of the kitchen and explain, in detail, every item on the menu. I laugh when I read or even see a subpar review of Alforon. Those people are either high on drugs or never experienced excellent food before. Chicken Tawook, Tabouli salad, house pickles, everything is off the chart and that's just the for starters. You can close your eyes, point to a menu item and have the best meal of your life. Explore their whole menu, you can't go wrong with a single item. Hands down off the chart and excellent food by two of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life.

First of all let me say that the love dessert has me hooked. Best thing here! One of the most…read moreunique and tasty things I've tried in a while, and that's saying a lot w my sweet tooth. I love the floral and pistachio taste, and it doesn't leave you feeling heavy afterwards. The mint lemonade is also a must have- tastes like it came from the garden in the best way possible. For savories, I had the spinach and cheese bajeen, baba gannouj, and the lamb fatteh - all had a lot of flavor and tasted homemade. I love trying new foods so will have to come back with more friends and try other things on the menu. The downside of this place was being seated on the right side of the restaurant near the carry out section. This was the pit of despair. I noticed that most of the staff goes to the other end first, and as a result 4 tables got seated after us and all of them had food on their table before we managed to flag one of the staff. It was definitely busy in there but he replied that he was simply going in order, but apparently order or left side to right side instead of arrival. I recommend trying to get seated on the side w the stained glass windows for better service. Other than that, the experience overall was pleasant.

This place is A MUST if you are a lover of all things shawarma…read more Tuesday specials are amazingly affordable w lots of delicious food (three meals more me)

Nadeem is a really nice person and I think he has the cleanest restaurant that I've ever seen. The…read morefood is amazing and it a great place to go. Even if you get food to go. The family meals and trays of food are amazing. I love the chicken, steak and rice. My parents are vegetarian and they said that the falafel sandwich is the best that they ever had.

Everything. The extensive buffet was delicious. The atmosphere was welcoming. The staff was…read moreattentive and friendly, making sure the guests were satisfied-- and making them aware when new items had been added to the buffet. (Our hostess, Nina, was a real gem.) And the cost for our whole group was quite reasonable. I will eat there again, whenever I'm visiting friends in the greater San Jose area.

best food in el cajon. Im eating here every day. you should come visit here. Mediterranean foodread more

This is a Nice Nice…read moreLittle hidden gem!!! The guy working at the front / serving/ cooking/ greeting / is amazing. He suggested us a few options and he did not disappoint us PLEASE GIVE THIS SPOT A TRY IS BEYOND WORTH EVERY PENNI

Great food and friendly service…read more I got the chicken shawarma bowl with rice and Greek salad as the base Glad I found this place. Perfect lunch