If there was a way to give 0 stars I would have chosen that but unfortunately that option is not available. The food was really bad and bland. We ordered the chicken shawarma which was small slithers of meat the rice and the couscous were super bland and we also got the combination plate which was similar BLAND...as sides we ordered the hummus which was from cold storage, falafels were over cooked and the French fries were soggy. I don't know why people have given this place so many reviews it's all a sham. This place is not worth it if you want to try authentic meditaranean food. read more

The first two times I ate here, I really enjoyed my meals and couldn't wait to go back. The last two times I ate here, however, the food weren't to my liking. The shawarma was too dry whether it was beef/lamb or chicken. I shouldn't have to drown the meat in the accompanying sauce to make it better. The hummus and pita weren't the best I've had either. Service was good, but that's about it. It will be a while before I'll try Eli's again. There are just too many restaurants in Birmingham now to keep patronizing restaurants where the food is not to my liking each time. read more

Delicious food!! The hummus and baba ghanoush are the best!! The falafel is superb! I've had the vegetarian plate, a chicken kabob, and a chicken shawarma sandwich. It was all amazing! Love this place and the people are so nice! read more

Had an enjoyable experience eating here with a friend. You order at the front and then seat yourself, and your food is brought out to you. Everything is fresh and authentic. The portions are generous. I ended up quite stuffed. I enjoyed the lamb kabob which came on a bed of rice and couscous (I think you can choose one or get half and half - I did the latter) with tabbouleh on the side. I also ordered the falafel which was great. My friend got a chicken schnitzel sandwich which she loved. We both enjoyed the baklava for dessert. We were both well-filled for reasonable prices at Eli's. Would like to come back. read more

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Eli's never gets old! Everything they have is good. My favorite dish is the chicken shawarma plate with 1/2 rice and 1/2 couscous. Their pita bread is to die for! It's super thick but light and fluffy on the inside. Of course it's great with the hummus as well. The pita sandwiches are also delicious especially with the tomato cucumber salad. If you are in Birmingham, you must try Eli's! read more

Finally made my way to the promised land! This is the original so to speak. A new one just opened in the Pizitz Food Hall downtown. This Hwy 280 location has almost 200 reviews and most of them are positive. I can see why. Located right off busy Hwy 280, Eli's is tucked away in a small strip mall. They have seating outside with the interior spaciously decorated with tables and chairs. The decor is very reminiscent of a World Market with it's large blown up wallpaper of Middle Eastern themes and food. You que up and place order, get a number, get your drinks and find a seat. Your food will be brought to you shortly. We tried a number of different dishes. The girls enjoyed their Chicken Kabob Plate with large pieces of marinated chicken breasts grilled nicely on a skewer. Matthew's Chicken Schnitzel plate with basmati rice and couscous with the chicken breaded and fried nicely was also delicious. Tammy's Beef Kabob plate with skewered marinated beef medallions were grilled a perfect medium to medium rare. I tried the Combination plate. Everything on it was good, but my favorite was the falafel! Those small round crispy brown balls of chickpeas and herbs tasted fantastic. To me they're like middle eastern hushpuppies! The Shawarma was not at the top of my list, but I loved the beef kabob. I wasn't as impressed with the couscous, but the basmati rice was flavorful. Their side of israeli salad provided a nice fresh alternative with its blend of seasonings and veggies. Everyone's favorite was their hummus and pita bread. I've never seen pita bread served in such large portions. They were also fresh, warm, thick and soft. That bowl of hummus was gone in a few minutes. The staff here is very friendly and go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. I will return to get more pita and falafels. read more

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Food was solid but not legendary. I would eat here again. The falafel was the best thing we had. The hummus was also pretty solid. The chicken kabobs were tasty. read more

They were helpful during our take out. We can wait in our cars(in line) to pick up. They also explain to me how to eat the dessert. I had the sampler dish and the shakshuka are very dry. Salad sampler and pita was good. I also tried the knafeh and love it. read more

Refreshingly fresh is the best way I cam think to describe this place. Pleasantly, there are a few satisfying vegan options on the menu. I ordered the vegetarian plate , and my husband the falafel sandwich. My meal was complete with couscous, rice, 6 six yummy falafel balls, salad, and hummus. The favorite part of this meal is the fact that everything on my plate was very fresh! 2 fresh baked pieces of pita were brought with the meal as well. My husbands falafel sandwich was good, nothing to write home about, but good and rather satisfying. In his opinion, everything could have used more seasoning. I probably won't run back here every time I'm in Birmingham, but it's definitely going on the list of solid options. read more

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We stopped on our way to nashville and are blown away. Live Israeli food and this sweet little place is a wonderful reprieve from all the commercial American food. read more

Eli's Jerusalem Grill - The mural inside this fantastic restaurant - Falafel Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Great quality food, great prices, unique and authentic, fast service, and vegetarian/vegan friendly. This location is much better than the Pizitz location, and a definitely go to if you're on 280. read more

Service was terrible! The owner sat and visited with friends as we sat and waited for someone to even acknowledge we had sat down. The food was good but it's not worth going back because of lack of service. read more

The food is pretty good. I had a combo plate and it was huge. Definitely a two meal plate for me. I love that I could get half basmati and half couscous. The falafel was tasty and I'll order more next time. Yes I see a next time. The Israeli salad is very good although I asked for Tuboulli salad. The risk you take when ordering delivery. Also I'm still waiting to try the Baklava since that wasn't in my delivery either even though I ordered it. My dinner mate had the lamb kabobs. They tasted good but were a little over cooked for our taste. My favorite is baba ganoush. Eli's is good but maybe they could cut down on the garlic a little. The pita is thicker than I've ever had before but again good. Might cut in half for breakfast and toast it. Eli's is a definite next time place perhaps not delivery though. read more

No. No. And no. The place was neat inside. I was just not impressed with the food or the spices. We had 5 people and ordered almost half the menu and I have never been back. Unsure if it was just me and I did not like the food. It was fairly authentic so that may be the issue. Other's I trust tell me it is great. I guess I found a cuisine I just do not enjoy maybe. Worth a try for you to decide. Just not my thing I guess. Being the Chuck Norris of Food, I ran away from this battle. read more

Must have been an off night. After reading the reviews we stopped by on our way back to Auburn. Overall it was very plain. As my son said, there is a lot they could have done that they didn't to make things better. The Shawarma Plate was good but didn't have the level of spice and hat I am used to getting at other restaurants. My son"s pita needed seasoning or some pickles / olives. The baklava was soggy and there was no crispness in the pastry... etc. During this time of craziness we will try again as the reviews here are good... No pictures as our meals did look like what is already posted. read more

Love their Chicken Shawarma and cous cous! Just be sure to bring the physical coupon from Valpak because they refuse to accept the digital coupon on the Valpak app. read more

This is one of my favorite go to spots. The staff is always so friendly. The food is always excellent. Everything I have eaten is amazing. The hummus is my favorite. They are also doing curb-side pick up due to Covid. read more

Eli's Jerusalem Grill - Garlic Chicken Plate - Falafel Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The food was horrible and so was the service the three girls working were rude and it was my first time here never coming again.

The service is good and always friendly. The food requires a somewhat acquired taste, but you can always find something on the menu just for you. read more

Finally made it out to the original. Bf and I loved the Pizitz one and decided to try out the original. It was late lunch, so not too crowded. I ordered the vegetarian plate and he ordered chicken schwarma. We also got Baklava. Price was cheaper than Pizitz. I loved the vegetarian plate even more. At Pizitz, they throw it all on top of each other in to-go container, meaning everything is mixed and hidden in the box. I also received more food here. It tastes even better too. Hummus was perfect, falafel amazingly cooked. Bf really enjoyed chicken. He had a lot as well and he really liked the flavor. The Baklava was heavenly. Perfectly combined. Sweet and filling. I left with a lot of leftovers. We will definitely be back when craving falafel. And hummus. Their hummus is amazing!! read more

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This restaurant was very excellent!!! I would recommend the veggie plate or the beef kabob. There was however one group of people who did not have masks at all. They walked in and out without masks the whole time. Now they did have the tables spread apart very well so that was nice and it made me feel safe. The service was very great and they do have a curb pick up. It smells like heaven in there, it was soooo nice. 10/10 would recommend, now my review had come to an end. read more

Eli's Jerusalem Grill - Beef Kabob - Falafel Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Shalom Aleichem - this is one of the sayings I remember from the Hebrew class I took years ago. It means peace be upon you. As I sit here at Eli's after my meal, I feel that all is good with the world. Eli's Jerusalem Grill has been on my list for some time, and I'm excited that I have finally had the experience. My wife and I came with three other couples. Here are our observations: First and most importantly, the food was fresh and delicious. At our table, there was chicken shawarma, beef/lamb shawarma, falafel, chicken kabobs, and beef kabobs, and hummus. As others have stated, the falafel was probably the best I've ever had. The chicken was seasoned very well, the beef and lamb was fantastic, the hummus was smooth, but the one thing I fell in love with was the pita bread. Wow! If you serve good food, then your restaurant will more than likely stay in business for a long time. I fully expect Eli's to be a Birmingham staple for generations. Next, the service was exceptional. It's counter service and there is a drink machine, but we had staff frequent our table checking in and offering their help. We all noticed their friendly and courteous employees. Lastly, seating is adequate and the environment is friendly for families with children. The decor had an Israeli feel and everything was clean...even the restrooms. We will be back. Hope to see you there. read more

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I've been hearing about Eli's from various friends and family members for a few months, so I finally decided to give it a try. I actually ate there twice over the weekend; once at the new location at the Pizitz Food Hall and once at the 280 location. Everything we tried was certainly quality food, but nothing was spectacular. I most enjoyed the hummus and the falafel. We tried the beef/lamb shawarma, chicken shawarma, and kafta on the combination plate, and the vegetarian plate which included an array of options: falafel, hummus, rice and couscous (I got half and half), tabbouleh, red cabbage slaw, and more. Even though two sauces were offered, (tahini and a green jalapeno sauce) I found most of the food to be rather lacking flavor. The rice and couscous are very plain. The falafel was definitely the best I've had in Birmingham! It was very crispy on the outside; great texture! This is a restaurant that I would certainly visit again if a group of friends are going, but I don't think I would make a distinct effort to seek it out. read more

Eli's Jerusalem Grill - Combination plate - Falafel Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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You won't find better middle eastern food in AL or arguably anywhere else in the SE, get here

Nice people and inviting ambiance, but the food didn't impress me on my one visit. Ordered the lentil soup and beef kebab sandwich (round $12 total), and there were a few things that didn't work. Mainly, the beef was of poor quality - gristly and chewy. Apart from the that, the soup was lukewarm, and the pita (which had potential to be excellent) was served at room temperature. Taste-wise nothing was bad, but it was tough to get past the sub-par meat and tepid serving temp. I would return to give them another try. I may have caught them on a bad night, and/or ordered the wrong thing. read more

Food is below average to average. If you want actual middle eastern food try Falafel Cafe downtown. The worst part about this place is that they label everything as "Israeli" like the shakshuka which is obviously just inaccurate (it's a very well known Moroccan and Tunisian dish and has nothing to do with Israel). They also label other classic Arabic and North African foods as Israeli - this feels very deceptive. I think you should always give credit to the cultures and countries that a dish is from and appreciate them and not blindly label them as Israeli when they're not... seems they are doing to Arabic foods what they are doing to the Middle East ... read more

This place is truly amazing. It is close to 5 Star worthy. Only issue that we had was that its was a tad warm in the restaurant but it was also an extremely hot day. We ordered a wide variety or items that were all delicious. My son had the lamb kebab which was really good, even though a bit overcooked. I had the chicken kebab in their delicious pita. The pita bread and hummus were both amazing! The Israeli salad was a great accompaniment to all the the dishes that we order. Their hot sauce is off the charts delicious. We will definitely be going back there! read more

Visited Eli's again this year as we traveled through Alabama! Still the best quick spot to jump in and grab some AMAZING grub! I had the vegetarian platter this time. The falafels were incredibly fresh and tasty. Husband had the Moroccan Fish platter (only on the weekends... Friday included) and he LOVED it! This visit I noticed that the meats are listed as "grass fed". Also, be advised that even though you walk up and order at the counter you will still be in awe of the fresh quality and quantity of the food. Enjoy! read more

Eli's Jerusalem Grill - Vegetarian Platter - Falafel Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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The chicken special is delicious, and I loved the taziki dip and hummus. The salmon is great as well!

Great food! Loved the pita and the garlic chicken plate! The beef kabob sandwich was delicious!

This place has a very nice variety of Yiddish foods. Everything we ordered was fresh and tasty and we had nothing but good things to say about it. Wish eatmosphere was a little less fast-foodie but hey, I'll be back regardless. read more

While on a trip to Birmingham, I was looking for something different with vegetarian options... I walked in and ordered the vegetable plate (after an needed explanation). I've had falafel, Israeli salad, and hummus before. I'm a big fan of coucous. These I was familiar with ... I've tasted tabbouleh before and it was ok ... I've tasted baba ganouj and wasn't a fan (back then)... it was the red cabbage slaw that caught me off guard, in a good way. The vegetable plate was delicious. Falafel - crispy on the outside, tender in the middle. I even ate the baba ganouj - it was that good. I'll be back towards the end of the week. read more

Eli's is great for lunch or dinner. Great place for just one or the whole family. They always treat us well and the food is great.

The best place to eat in Birmingham. The food is so fresh and tasted amazing every time! The staff and owners are so kind. I get the Falafel plate and it's so good! 11/10 read more

Possibly the best of its kind in town. Not sure why it has taken us so long to try out Eli's, but we headed over to try it out two weekends ago. We ordered the veggie plate, chicken shawarma plate and the kids beef/lamb shawarma plate. Our nearly 3 year old has been a bit of a picky eater lately but she dug into the julienned beef/lamb like it was her last meal. I also had a bit and enjoyed the hearty beefy flavor. While we also enjoyed the homemade fries, she was not a fan for some reason. More for us! The chicken shawarma was also moist and flavorful, better than the same at other Middle Eastern places in town. We also enjoyed the cucumber and tomato salad that came with the dish as well as the half order (each) of rice and couscous. The vegetable plate was also fantastic and huge. It included 6 giant (like golf balls on steroids) hand pattied falafel balls, hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, tangy pickled slaw, and more rice and couscous. The baba ganoush was very strong which some may not like. The pitas were homemade puffy goodness, plain or stuffed with the meats and falafel. We also really like the bottles of sauces provided which included a slightly spicy jalapeno & possibly cilantro plus a cream based (think thin tzatziki). Counter service but they were super helpful and kind too. We will definitely return soon. Pictures to follow read more

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We had our class reunion lunch at Eli's today. The food and company was excellent, but the sign was down and only three of us could find the restaurant. It was fairly crowded, so maybe Eli thinks he doesn't even need a sign. Maybe he doesn't! Great food, reasonable prices, and good service. We'll be back. Hope he fixes the sign so he'll be easier to find! read more

Went in for a late lunch and got the veggie plate, and it was amazing. It included: Six piping hot falafel balls that had a perfectly crunchy exterior and soft and flavorful interior; mouthwatering hummus, fresh babaganoush, yummy cabbage and thick, soft pita. Service is impeccable. I walked away a loyal fan! read more

Love this place! Always satisfied every time. Chicken shawarma, half rice half couscous, Israeli salad, carrots, beet salad, side of hummus w/ sautéed mushrooms & Moroccan mint tea. read more

Food was okay, overpriced though. I do not understand their business model of waiting in line to order but then having to be served your food and drinks. Took 15 min to get drink and was never refilled even though I was sitting 10 feet from the drink machine and could have done it myself except for the sign saying employees only keeping you from doing it yourself. Don't think I'll be going back. Plenty of other great spots with much better food in town read more

I'm no Mediterranean cuisine expert, but the food at Eli's is great! A good go to for lunch especially since their lunch special tastes great, comes with a ton of food plus a drink, and is well priced. I haven't had a bad thing yet and I've eaten almost their whole menu. read more