Mago Laso & chicken Sharma…read more Both were really delicious I ordered to go the staff were very attentive They have a few chairs for to go order to wait I look forward to trying other menu items the Sharma wa served warm w the salad on the side all 3 sauce on the side were good With the sharma

5/5 for service! Very attentive & friendly…read more 4/5 for food. Portions are large. I ordered the chicken shawarma plate & beef plate. Chicken was seasoned better to me, meat moist. However I wasn't a huge fan of the salad I opted for as the side. It was over seasoned with whichever herb or seasoning they used, oregano maybe.

Unfortunately this place has closed. They were going to become a part of my routine on my way home…read morefrom the airport. The last time I came some people inside told me they were closed. When I DMd their instagram they told me they were permanently closed. Out of respect that they deserve I decided to still do this review. I somehow skipped over this place when I did my last round of vacation reviews last year or so. Anyways I found them by chance on my way to get coffee after my flight back into Oakland. I ordered their chicken shawarma and gyro combo plate. I think this was my first time trying the Greek variations of these items. I'd say their flavors were maybe more bright, light and fresh compared to that of the middle eastern counterparts who have a richer depth of flavor. Maybe this is just how this specific restaurant did it? Or maybe that's how the Mediterranean version just is? Anyways they were very nice to allow me to bring in my coffee from a couple of doors down. The workers were so nice and accommodating. The restaurant was nice and clean as well. I'll miss coming to this place on my way home from the Oakland Airport.

I am sorry to see this place has permantly closed. I wish them the best of luck in their next…read moreendeavor.

This was my second time ordering from Sultan's Grill and I went with the gyro plate again since I…read morelove gyro meat. I always ask for the meat to be a little crispy and they get it just right. The plate comes with lamb and beef gyro meat, rice, salad, hummus, and pita. I also asked for their orange yogurt sauce and hot sauce. My partner loves the orange sauce and says it has an umami flavor. For me it is just okay, but I really enjoy their hot sauce. It is not the usual sambal you get at a lot of Mediterranean spots. It has more of a salsa style taste which sounds a little odd but actually works really well. It has flavor without being too spicy, though I do like my food extra spicy. The rice here is also worth mentioning because it is so flavorful and has that umami taste that makes you want to keep eating it. The owner is always very friendly and welcoming too. The restaurant is right next to Target which makes parking really easy. Highly recommend this spot. I will definitely be back and next time I'll probably branch out and try something new.

Love Mediterranean food and was glad my cousin and I stopped by. She recommended this place and I…read morewas happy to try it out. We're assuming he was the owner, but the gentleman who helped take our order and serve us was very kind and helpful! The food itself was really good and it was also my first time trying Dolmas (which was also very good!) We ordered more plates to go, and right before we left the gentleman handed us our food. Very kind and hospitable! Would come again next time! Thank you for your service!

Picked up Oaktown Kabobs for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! If you haven't tried Oaktown…read moreKabobs what are you waiting for??!! I had the chicken Mediterranean bowl, it had lettuce, tomato, cucumber, basmati rice, chicken seasoned to perfection and came with creamy cilantro and creamy spicy sauces. I also had a side of their grilled tomato...loved! So fresh and the bowl was packed with chicken, rice and veggies for only $15, amazing deal. My husband had the combo kabob plate with chicken and tri tip along with basmati rice, it comes with grilled tomato but he's not a tomato fan so we omitted it. My 8yr old had the kids chicken tenders and fries. I was so thankful they had a kid friendly menu. Lastly but definitely not least the service was top tier! When I was on my way they called to let me know their parking lot was full and to just call them and they would bring it out, so thoughtful! Thankfully I found parking and was able to come in and meet the owner who was so kind as was the lovely young woman working the front counter. Truly a 10/10. Please come out and support this local Oakland business you won't be disappointed! I also recommend following them on Tik Tok that's how discovered them!

Don't sleep on this place--it's hella good. They serve a unique mix of Afghan and Mexican fusion…read morefood, and everything we ordered was delicious. We tried the lamb and chicken kebobs, the beef bowl, fries, and Sheer Chai. The lamb was the standout: incredibly juicy with a perfectly seasoned marinade. The chicken and beef were both tender and flavorful, and even the fries were packed with seasoning. The cilantro and spicy dipping sauces were excellent, and took everything up another notch. I loved the Sheer Chai too, which was traditionally flavored with cardamom and pistachio, and a lovely pink color. The owners were incredibly kind and attentive, especially since we dined in. The restaurant itself is very small and tucked into Foothill Square next to the liquor store, so it seems like most people order takeout. The food is absolutely worth the visit though. We will definitely be back.

Food was delicately spiced and delicious. The hosts were kid…read morefriendly (we went with 2 toddlers). They checked on us frequently to ensure we were comfortable and feeling good about dining here. Potato pancake appetizer was mind blowing. Mango ice cream is chef's kiss! Would highly recommend this place.

Looks like family owned amazingly managed restaurant, they do have few outdoor tables. Our orders…read morewere taken immediately, appetizers came out quickly, and warm bread was given earlier. We had borani kaddu - butternut squash with yogurt and garlic sauce. This was a good alternative to the common borani banjan. the texture was perfect, not overly cooked, went well with the warm bread. perfect for vegetarians. Our vegetarian companion had borani banjan - smoked, grilled eggplants in the tomato yogurt sauce similar to the appetizer we had. But served with rice and salad and green chick pea side provided enough serving. it was delicious - they have an option to make it vegan as well. Now quabili palaw was the star! massive size of lamb shank, well seasoned, well cooked, perfectly seasoned. The rice was fantastic with enough sweet carrots and raisins. Will be back just for this! Shami kabob came with two kababs (picture only one as our little one already sneaked one!). Kababs were juicy, perfectly spiced, with enough rice and salad. Between quabili palaw and shami kabob was enough for two adults and hungry child... Khoshmazeh!

Excellent the best burger Very clean hygienic Resturant…read more Masood the owner takes a great pride off his restaurant and a great personality I would recommend Falafel Flare to everyone.

Cool spacious and airy space with solid Middle East eats. I've driven past many times but finally…read morejust checked them out recently. Crazy ambitious menu with pizza, burgers, wings, kabobs, wraps and many Mid East favs like falafels, dolmas, gyro and babaghanoush. I only tried a couple of items, so I do need to try a few more things eventually. Order at the counter and food will get brought out. Seems like a place popular for take-out/deliveries. On a casual lunch I was impressed by the diversity in the place, as it is downtown Hayward. Young, old and cultural garb from several cultures spotted. Service at the register was friendly, dude gave off ownership vibes. Falafel Wrap ($11/4*) Very fresh and satsifying wrap. Big, soft and puffy pita bread is filled to the brim with fresh salad-like veggies. Chopped lettuce, tomato, onions and a couple of pickled items. Stuffed also with a decent amount of fat disk of falafel and a good dousing of tahini sauce. I loved the bites for the most part as I was full without feeling weighed down for the lunch hours. The falafels had good flavor but just didn't seem as crisp as I usually prefer, didn't seem fresh out of the fryer, which the places that are known for this definitely do. I especially liked the bites more when a pickled veggie entered the bite, so I should have ordered extra...next time. Beef Kabobs ($25/4*) Got this for take-out and it was still good hours later after a reheat. Beef is in small cubes and cooked pretty well done. A bit dry but at least it was flavorful. Definitely taste more Afghan in spicing/marinade, pretty bold with lots of garlic and herbs. De Afghanan out here in the east bay is the gold standard for these types of kabobs and those are cut into bigger chunks and are juicier by a lot. Kabob plates comes with a good amount of seasoned basmati rice, a pita bread, a small green salad and a small scoop of hummus. Even tho $25 seems a bit pricey, there is enough food to justify the price. I was able to make 1.5 meals out of it with a good dinner and a small work lunch. I actually want to try a pizza here and definitely a lamb kabob. I hang out in this downtown area often, so great having another casual option in my back pocket. Yeah Buddy!!

This gyro bowl didn't miss once. The meat was the star--perfectly seasoned, tender, with those…read moreslightly crispy edges that give it real flavor instead of that bland, reheated taste you get at weaker spots. The base (rice/salad) was fresh and well-prepared, not an afterthought. The rice was fluffy and seasoned just enough to stand on its own, and the greens were crisp--not wilted or soggy. Everything layered together the way it should. You weren't digging through it trying to find flavor--it was in every bite. The toppings were fresh and balanced, and nothing felt excessive or thrown on just to fill space. The tzatziki sauce sealed it--cool, creamy, with a clean garlic finish that didn't overpower the dish but elevated it. Drizzled just right, not drowning the bowl.

Since this Nick the Greek is right in my neighborhood, I frequent this location quite a bit. The…read morefood itself is consistently good, but the overall experience can be a bit of a mixed bag. Let's start with the food: I ordered the protein bowl with a side of pita bread, and the bowl was absolutely delicious, fresh, and hit the spot. It's a great place to come for a cold, high-quality salad. My only minor critique food-wise is that they charge $3 for a side of pita bread, which feels a bit steep since it doesn't even come with a scoop of hummus--just a little tzatziki sauce. The main area that could use some improvement is the front-counter customer service. Most of the time, the experience is pretty lackluster. The order-taking process is very dry with no real greeting. You just place your order, get told your total, and then the iPad screen gets flipped around asking for a hefty 20% tip. It makes you wonder: if I'm walking up to a counter to order my own food, why am I tipping that much? Because I'm a generous person, I'll still leave a little something as long as the service isn't completely outrageous, but the suggested amounts definitely don't match the level of effort. To be totally fair, there is one lady who works here who is wonderful--very friendly and always strikes up a nice conversation. While I don't expect a red carpet everywhere I go, if you're working a customer-facing role, a little basic warmth goes a long way. When you're spending your hard-earned money on eating out these days, the service really matters! Will I be back? Yes, because it's convenient, the app rewards points are nice, and I genuinely like the food. But I'll definitely be spacing out my visits. With so many other places to choose from that offer the same quality of food, it won't be a regular staple for me.

Zenti Bistro deserves every bit of the hype. The customer service was genuinely awesome--staff were…read morewelcoming, attentive, and made the whole experience feel easy from start to finish. The food was incredibly flavorful, with standout seasoning and great balance in every bite. Presentation was on point too; everything looked as good as it tasted. The restaurant itself is also very clean and well-kept, which adds to the overall vibe. I'm already planning my next visit--I'll be coming back for lunch again soon.

I absolutely love having this bistro downstairs! The staff is always so friendly and welcoming, the…read morespace is consistently clean, and the food is so good. Everything I've tried has been fresh and delicious, and the service is always great. It's such a convenient spot, but even if it wasn't right downstairs, I would still come here. Definitely recommend!

The Friday that I visited this restaurant, there was a marketplace being held on the sidewalk. I'm…read morenot sure if this made parking more of a challenge than usual. After waiting until 5pm. I was able to order the Muhammara dip, falafel, halloumi and pistachio baklava (they do offer walnut). My favorites were the muhammara, which was the richest version of this dip that I've ever had and the baklava. Regarding the dip, I wonder if they char the bell peppers to the extreme. Yum! The baklava was perfection even though they were only bite sized morsels. I definitely could do without either of the other dishes. Falafels had an off taste and the halloumi didn't have the crisp exterior I enjoy. Was the baklava overpriced ($7)? I'll let you be the judge. It was tasty. Here's What I Think...if you're in the neighborhood and want a quick bite, grab some baklava and muhammara.

Just to update everyone since there's no other signs…read more Already saw a few customers sad that they made the trip to them and they're closed They're out until August Make sure to come back in August to try their food again

10/10! Very cute small restaurant, with amazing atmosphere. Mufasa, who I assume was the owner, was…read moreour main server. I can tell how passionate he is about the food and he was proud we were trying new things. We went for a girls night and every person left satisfied and full. I had the salmon ravioli and chefs kiss! My friends love tiramisu, and I'm not a fan of it because I don't like coffee, but I had about four bites of it because I couldn't stop going back for more, I wish I ordered my own. I can't wait to go back and try more items on the menu.

Lovely evening celebrating my son's graduation from SFSU!…read moreHis choice of venue and it did not disappoint! Everything was delicious from plate to plate. We started with apps, garlic toast with special Marinara, asparagus wrapped in Filo , beets sprinkled with feto. For dinner we shared the entrees family style which was a delight! Buscatini with chicken, eggplant and lamb, stipe bass with white sauce, palella with seafood. Bucatini and sauce was delicious. The chicken that topped it was a bit dry. Eggplant was good! The lamb was a bit gamey tasting. My son thought it was from New Zealand as their lamb taste is more prominent. Stripe bass with white sauce and veggies good! We wanted salmon but it was sold out. Palella was flavorful and enjoyable. Everything on this plate cooked just right! To continue the celebration we ate dessert! Crème brûlée, raspberry sorbet, chocolate crème. Delectable and hit the spot finish :-) Thank you Asena for capping off a beautiful day with tantalizing our tastebuds.