The cookie was scrumptious! Best cookie I've had hands down. Would definitely come back for more.

Mini pancakes and ice cream kinda are delicious but as I am not a huge sweet tooth it's a bit much but still want to come back and try new things read more

LOVEEE THIS PLACE Don't skip it! A gem of La Mesa. They have ice cream, dinner and snacks. A popular place for a reason. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa is an absolute gem! Everything tasted fresh, authentic, and made with care. The fresh juices were incredibly refreshing, and the flavors were vibrant without being overly sweet. The real highlight, though, was the kanafa. It had the perfect balance of crispy, buttery pastry and warm, gooey cheese with just the right amount of sweetness. Easily some of the best kanafa I've had. The staff was welcoming, the service was excellent, and the shop had a great atmosphere. Whether you're stopping by for a fresh drink, dessert, or both, this place is definitely worth a visit. I'll be coming back for more! read more

I love this place .. I fondly remember when they opened or rather someone decided to go pretty hammy on social media like it was legit a party all the time. Its one of the only places in Rancho San Diego where you can get fresh fruit medleys, ice cream, and assortment of Dubai style desserts. It's nestled in a modest plaza surrounded by Persian, Japanese, Mexican, Habit Burger, Starbucks, and a Sports Bar and Grill .... If you can't make up your mind on what to eat, you've got plenty of options. The service is great in my opinion ... I think one of the times I went, I wanted to make sure there wasn't any melons in my fruit cup, and they went above and beyond. Esp now, I think they've adjusted the menu too so it's a lot of pomegranate, strawberry, pineapple, mango, etc. It's a fun place and it's always busy, I highly recommend it! read more

My first time here with my friend who wanted to try it , the menu is huge with so many to select from . Could not decide what to get . The employees were helpful and answered all our questions . I decided on ordering the King which is avocado and pomegranate seeds while my beautiful friend ordered nuts avocado along with the Dubai brownie to take home for later . Also ordered the mixed crepe roll with bananas inside. The least favorite one was the pistachio . Next time will have to try the kunafa. Definitely recommend coming to this establishment and will come again read more

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Been having a love affair with kunafee lately so when in the area and we saw this place we had to stop in Didn't have time to eat so took it to go. They packaged it well yet this dessert really should he eaten fresh. It was good yet I want to try in house next time. Cute place. Pleasant service read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Delish! Excellent flavors and good service. Would recommend to try the kinder mini pancakes, my favorite! Highly recommended to anyone. read more

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I decided to try some Dubai chocolate ice cream. I actually never tried anything Dubai chocolate related so this was a first for me. Seen Juice Time on my feed so why not. Definitely a drive from Mira Mesa where I live , but I had some time on my hands and it was 86 degrees out in February. Place is a nice size with plenty of seating. I would imagine they get pretty busy. I went during the week mid day so barely anyone there. For me the menu is is too small to read or not lit up enough, maybe it was my eyes I don't know. I just ordered the Dubai chocolate ice cream. Price was not bad at all for the service size they give you. It was vanilla soft serve, Dubai chocolate on the bottom, topped with the sweet pistachio sauce and sprinkled heavily with Kadayif which is like a toasted shredded filo. I loved every bite, the ice cream itself was one of the best soft serve ice creams I ever tasted. Every bite was better than the last. I can't wait to go back to try some other items. read more

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After reading about Middle Eastern desserts and learning that knafeh is the favorite of the Filipino chef who invented Dubai Chocolate, I became intrigued. There are a few other stores that sell Knafeh that was located closer but I would rather go to a place that has 'Kanafa' in its name. This busy El Cajon location, which opened in 2022, is Papa Kanafa's first US branch since originating in Kuwait. The shop buzzes with energy in this large strip mall, drawing a mostly younger crowd. Middle Eastern pop music fills the bright, lively space. I asked the cashier which of the dozen kanafas was the traditional version, and that's what I ordered. "Cheese or cream cheese?" he asked. Staying authentic, I chose the traditional cheese option. My to-go kanafa took about 10 minutes since they prepare it fresh to order. Meanwhile, the popular cocktails I ordered came out in just a couple of minutes. I had planned to wait until I got home, but when I opened the box and saw the kanafa still warm, I couldn't resist taking a tiny bite with a spoonful of the sugar syrup drizzled on top. The texture of the crispy, buttery shredded phyllo contrasted beautifully with the melted cheese inside. The Jojo cocktail was wonderfully sweet! Maybe a little too sweet for my liking. I guess that's why this place if popular among teens and twentysomethings. The shakes are buy 1 get one. I picked Heart Attack but won't be drinking it tonight. Papa Kanafa hits the spot for my Knafeh cravings with fresh preparation in a variety of sizes and flavors. Definitely worth the visit if you're in Rancho San Diego. read more

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Since dubai chocolate has been quite viral this year, I've been looking forward to trying out other Middle Eastern desserts. My friend was craving strawberry dubai chocolate and this place popped up. We came by after dinner around 8pm and it was crowded. They have a lot of seating inside with board games so it seems like a popular hang out spot for both families and college students Of course we got the strawberry dubai chocolate as well as dubai waffle, kinder lotus ice cream and snicker ice cream. The strawberry dubai chocolate had the perfect combination of rich, fruity, and crispy in every bite. Definitely worth the $14 splurge. Waffle was fresh and crunchy, heavenly with the creamy pistachio and chocolate. So glad we decided to come here for dessert and would love to come back and try some of their other menu items! read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Dubai strawberries chocolate Dubai Waffle Ice Cream - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

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This place has been on my bucket list for while, so i had to try it. Juice Time & Papa Kanafa feels a bit far from where i live but it was worth the drive. First off, i loved the middle eastern vibes. I looked at the menu and felt a bit overwhelmed but the worker in the front was very helpful. So, I went a little crazy with the desserts lol. I got the Lotus Biscoff Ice Cream, Hanan Mix, Labubu Dubai Chocolate, Crepe Roll, and the Dubai Fettuccine. Everything was sweet, rich, and definitely not the place to come if you're on a diet. The Hanan Mix and Crepe Roll were probably my favorites, but everything was solid and fun to try. Overall, a really good dessert spot with a lot of unique stuff you don't see everywhere. I am definitely coming back again asap. read more

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I love this place so much i always come with my brother and sister ! Such a good place to bond !

I went to Papa Kanafa with family after dinner. It was highly recommended by my cousins who haven't been in a while. It's a fresh juice bar and offer various types of Kanafa. Depending on what you order, it is made to order and extremely fresh. Prepare for a wait. My dad had ordered the Dubai strawberries, while my cousin and uncle ordered fresh juice. My uncle had the watermelon juice which he stated was refreshing. I opted to share the Name with cream with my cousins. It's topped with crushed pistachios and paired with a rose water syrup. We didn't add the syrup as the dessert was delicious as is. It was hot and buttery, the cream held up well beneath the hot Kanafa. The pistachios were subtle and added a balance of saltiness to the dessert. It's a casual atmosphere and they did get busy as soon as we ordered. The particular size that was ordered was enough for about 6 people. If you are not able to finish, they do provide to go boxes. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Name with cream - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

My sister and I got here around 7pm and there was no line and we got our order 10 minutes after ordering. The place inside was pretty clean. They were always ensuring that there's very little trash lying around. We got the Dubai chocolate covered strawberries and honestly it was underwhelming. I saw it was pretty hyped up on TikTok and decided to check it out but honestly it was alright. The strawberries were okay and I thought the ratio of chocolate to strawberries was kind of unbalanced. It felt more chocolate than strawberries. It wasn't super sweet but I got pretty tired of it after finishing half of the cup. The wait was about 10 minutes long. However, my 1 complaint is that my sister had found a piece of hair in it. She was eating and found a piece of hair that was stuck within the chocolate. Kind of threw us off and discouraged us from eating the rest. read more

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JUICE TIME & PAPA KANAFA Parking is available out front. It is free and it was not too difficult finding parking you're able to access it right in front of the place. It was so busy on a Friday night this place does close at 12 AM so it's a great place to stop by for a dessert with your friends. The line wasn't super long and we got multiple things. We got three Dubai chocolate bars they're all medium. We got a strawberry Dubai chocolate a Dubai brownie as well as their most popular they had Dubai fettuccine. Our total was about $98 and the staff were really friendly and there was so many people in the store that were smiling and acknowledging us. after we paid for all the items we immediately got our chocolate strawberry Dubai, which was incredible. It had so much strawberries and incredible dubai flavor. I really love the ambiance here. It was very big bright and they had incredible decor that I really love just kind of circulating the entire place. There's also fairy lights outside that made the place light up in the plaza. Overall, I'd highly recommend stopping by this place and getting the chocolate strawberry Dubai that was definitely worth my money and I would 100% get that again. It was incredible quality and it was a great price! read more

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They have the most reasonably priced subs chocolate strawberries at about $12 (versus $15+ other places). A healthy amount of all ingredients too. We went at a busy time - it was a holiday and they were offering free vanilla cones. But still, I was able to order and receive my order in about two minutes. Very fast service! Lots of families inside so I'm guessing it's a very family friendly place. They have a huge menu and esp a big Dubai chocolate menu. Definitely want to try the rest of their items! read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Dubai Chocolate Strawberry - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

Honestly, I've ordered here both on DoorDash AND in person. Decided to check them out for the first time in person and was so surprised how empty it was - to be fair, it was a Tuesday at around mid-day. My friend and I specifically came for the chocolate labubu's & also the free chocolate strawberries (when you spend $35+ in the entire month of October Mon-Thurs!). I will admit it's very easy to spend over $35 - which is probably one key takeaway when it comes to prices. I also got the crispy lotus ice cream and mixed crepe (kinder/pistachio/lotus) which were all very delicious. My friend got the dubai brownie & the kinder smoothie/milkshake. Literally no complaints. I didn't get to try the chocolate strawberries because when I brought them home, they were gone! But i'm sure they were just as tasty! Pleasantly surprised with how clean the restaurant is as well! read more

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Such nice service!! I couldn't remember what I had ordered. It had been about a year. He reminded me and when I tasted it I realized it was right. Absolutely love the crunchy, chocolate hazelnut and pistachio sauces and the soft serve is great. Wish we had this place in Chula Vista!! read more

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Juice time & Papa Kanafa is a solid Dubai chocolate restaurant located nearby hotspots like SDSU and El Cajon. Pros: With abundant outdoor parking, the restaurant is large enough to accommodate big groups. They have many options for Dubai chocolate. We ordered the strawberry Dubai chocolate for about $12.99, Dubai brownie for about $14.99, and the creative Dubai fettuccine for $19.99 which blends crepe dough into fettuccine shapes mixed with the Dubai toppings and a brownie in the middle. We also got Dubai chocolate bars to go which is nice. They come in 2 bars each order. My favorite was the Dubai strawberry which has great flavor and a lot of the katifi (the crunchy stuff) and the brownie was my next favorite. The fettuccine was good but is a lot to eat so make sure you share with a friend or it'll most likely go to waste. Service was really good and fast. They also have free water available which is NEEDED as the chocolate taste will need to get washed down eventually. Cons: there's not much cons here. It does get busy so be sure to wait in a line if there are big parties ahead. Verdict: a must try for the all popular Dubai chocolate. I'd come back again and recommend to anyone of my friends read more

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I've tried so many Dubai chocolates, and I can confidently say this one is the most authentic and absolutely delicious. I also just tried the Havana (blueberry x mango) and WOW... 10/10. The flavors are unreal and perfectly balanced. Definitely a must-try! Service is always quick & great. Don't let the lines fool you because they get things done quickly & there is a nice seating area inside to enjoy. read more

Got the Dubai brownie and with the chocolate melted on top, it was a bit too sweet and thick but after refrigerating it the chocolate was a lot better hard. It was crispy with pistachio bits inside and the flavors balanced well. About $20 so I would say it's worth it read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

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papa knafeh has got it,. and juiced in time!! flaky light butter knafeh, would have liked more ishta. indoor seating but also perfect dishes for larger parties. read more

I was trying to remember the spot Raina & Mimi came to visit for their Dubai Chocolate fix. I thought I did a screenshot until early yesterday morning Juice Time popped up on my IG feed and there they were! Along with follow Yelper, Jennifer! The light bulb went off and I had to search on Google Maps, their location. Perfect! We'll make it a double whammy of a visit. We had lunch next door at Sahara and I decided to take the rest of my lunch plate as leftovers because I knew I was gonna grab something from Juice Time. No line/ no crowd on a Monday early afternoon. Very well air conditioned location (much appreciated!) and both fellas behind the counter welcomed me with smiles. Beautifully decorated with an Eco Wall and a selfie area you can plop down in for your socials. I didn't want something super chocolatey- but, definitely wanted the little crispies (kadaif). So many options to pick from. The Dubai menu has everything you need specializing in Belgian chocolate and Pistachio sauce- served with kadaif. You can pick your poison with many juices and floats as well. This visit I got the Dubai chocolate ice cream. And it was the perfect serving. The vanilla soft serve wasn't runny- great texture. And the Belgian chocolate and pistachio sauces were the "icing on the cake". After I finished my ice cream- I asked the fellas if they had gift cards- and they do! What a great stocking stuffer! Next visit, I wanna try the Dubai pillow or fettuccini. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Satisfied my Dubai ice cream craving! 7/14/25 - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

Dessert Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Dubai Roll Price Dubai Chocolate Strawberry ($14) Dubai Roll ($20?) - my sister paid My sister found this place on TikTok. She went and picked it up and brought it to me (best sister ever). We haven't tried Dubai Strawberries before and we did not want to pay an arm and a leg for just chocolate drizzles. We saw a lot of other places and it mainly looked like a high price for mainly chocolate. Juice Time & Papa Kanafa did not disappoint. It was a fair amount of the pistachio and kunafa and not drowned in chocolate. For $14, it was fairly priced and the ratio to ingredients was good. The chocolate on it did not taste just like warm nutella but actual milk chocolate. The kunafa tasted thin and crispy almost like paper thin churros. The strawberries were not too large and had about 15 in there. I recall them being halved? I ate them and didn't really pay attention to be honest. It was a good sized cup, 16oz? I think. My sister got the Dubai Rolls. And it's basically two crepes filled with strawberries, cut into 6 rolls and dressed up in the chocolate sauce, pistachio sauce and kunafa. We were hesitant to get this because $20-22 is a lot for crepes. It looked small on the site but when she got it, the box was surprisingly decent in weight, fair heaviness for 6 rolls. My sister gave me two rolls. She said she was full off her 4 and my mom liked it too. It was basically the flavor of the Dubai Chocolate Strawberry cup wrapped around a not too sweet thin pancake and prettier. My husband found it to be like normal chocolate strawberries and didn't really care much about it. For almost $40 worth of dessert this is a great treat place. Would I come back? Maybe if I was super craving that or wanted to try their drinks and floats. The TikTok my sister showed me, the influencer had 4 different types of desserts. I would probably try something different. Service /Ambiance/ Parking didn't go, my sister picked it up. She said it was busy and the strawberries are premade so she got it fast. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Dubai Strawberry Chocolate - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

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I picked up an Avocado and Nut smoothie from this place. The 12oz smoothie was $10. I liked the simplicity of the smoothie. It came with blended Avocado, a melee of nuts, and. drizzle of organic honey. I liked that the avocado's flavor was up front and personal, and most importantly, tasty. They offer a good amount of inside seating. The service was very nice. The young lady at the counter was very cool. read more

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Very popular college students' hangout for sweets, ice cream, and juices. Well lit outdoor patio by the entrance were string of lights adorning covered canopy . Tonight we had to purchase the very popular "DUBAI CHOCOLATE " !!! Purchased Chocolate Bar and 2 cups of strawberry chocolate!!!! Wow !!!! the Dubai chocolate bar melts in your mouth with every sweet bite of kunafa crunchiness filling !!! The Dubai Strawberry Chocolate served in a cup was out of this world... a spoonful of that Kunafa topping with a sliced strawberry, pistachio cream and melted Belgian chocolate is to die for!!! Will sure be back on next San Diego visit to dryanother sweet kanafeh!!! read more

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I've jumped on the Dubai chocolate trend and had to make a visit here to try their milkshake. While it was a little far for me, it was worth it. The interior is decorated very nicely with hanging lights with lots of seating. Their menu has a lot of options ranging from sweets, cocktails, juices and other food. The digital menu is a little hard to read but they had hard copies, however I wasn't seeing the Dubai chocolate items (perhaps they're too new?). Ended up asking at the register and got the Dubai milkshake. What can I say except, wow, that milkshake is so good! Perfectly creamy and blended and loved the chocolate coating on top and the amount of kataifi throughout. It made for a very delicious, crunchy and flavorful drink that left me wanting more. Definitely a spot to check out for you Dubai chocolate-lovers! read more

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I was working at a school the other day in El Cajon area an always want to try different things while there. Juice Time popped up on my Yelp app and decided to give it a try. Even though it was lunch time when I went and just a few people, I took it as 'dessert time' and got the fantastic Dubai chocolate crepe and oh my, it lasted actually 3 days, as it is so rich it you won't eat the whole thing at once. So I was able to stretch a pricey indulgence for 3 days and always had a great flavor. I loved the presentation, the choco flavor, the abundant pistachios, everything was great. The store is very clean and beautifully decorated, happy colors and photo op included. I like clean places like this. Also, friendly service, I will go back and try more juices and sweet items. read more

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I've been seeing this place over tiktok and since I was around the area, I decided to try it out. I got the dubai fettuccini (I wanted to get more things but it was a bit expensive and I was the only one going to eat it since my boyfriend was going to try what I got). I feel like they could've had more seating since a lot of people were lined up to order when I came and that was around 9pm. I'd come back again if I'm ever in the area to try other dubai desserts or their knafeh. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Dubai Fettuccini - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

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To start, the inside of the store is immaculate and beautifully decorated. Very clean! They do have restrooms inside which is great. Incredibly friendly service. A HUGE variety of options including viral Dubai chocolate options, and I can attest the Dubai strawberries chocolate tasted amazing. The Havana ice cream was super fresh and had a very juicy mango flavor! 100% recommend! Definitely worth a stop in. read more

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Tried this place for the first time with my family and we really enjoyed it! We ordered the pistachio and biscoff, and both were tasty and well-made. I'm not usually a big sweets person, but even I thought this was good. If you have a sweet tooth, this is definitely a nice spot worth visiting. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

Busy place. Ambiance lively and casual. Food was great. Chicken tikka masala soft, moist and lots of flavor. Chicken with rice and baba ghanoush all in a bite, it's an explosion of flavor. Chicken swarmma and rest of our orders were all enjoyable. One of a few places I would not think twice to go back to and try some more of the menu. read more

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Juice Time & Papa Kanafa is a poppin' spot! This place is always packed and busy but so worth the hype. I love coming here past 9pm because it's easier to find a table to sit and eat. The Dubai Chocolate ice cream is a 100/10. I love the toasted kanafa on top with the drizzles of chocolate and pistachios! Heavenly! If you visit, here are the items you must try! It'll change your life! * Dubai Ice Cream * Dubai Chocolate (take it home for later lol) * Dubai Strawberries * Dubai Crepe * Mango Sorbet (the best mango sorbet I've ever had) If you get anything Dubai, add ice cream and it will be amazing! read more

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I was here late 9:30pm on a Sunday and there was at least about 20 people inside enjoying their food. There was no line when I came in and my order was handed to me by the time I paid. It is good, I enjoy the contrast of chocolate and pistachio along with the crunchy stuff included in it. There was plenty of chocolate in my cup.. sooooo there goes my diet goodbye read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Dubai Strawberry Chocolate - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

This place offers plenty of different sweet treats to choose from if you're having a craving. I usually get a soft serve here, they have many different options. They have plenty of seating and service moves quickly even if the line is out the door. read more

Juice Time & Papa Kanafa - Oreo, zero Strawberry Emperor, Einstein - Desserts Near Me - El Cajon, California

I am a sucker when it comes to sweets. We ended up getting a Dubi chocolate bar which was amazing, some Dubi chocolate covered strawberries, but I was so excited I forgot to take a picture of my cup. I loved that they use the perfect amount of ingredients. They are not stingy with the amount of katafi they use unlike other places I've tried the Dubai chocolate covered strawberries from. You definitely get your moneys worth here. I was completely satisfied. Also, I didn't stay long but the service was good and I loved the vibe. I am definitely visiting this spot again when I'm In the San Diego area. read more

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I looooovveee this place!! The desserts are incredible! Unique items you can't find anywhere else in town. I've been in-person & got delivery. They delivered within an hour which was awesome because I did not want to leave my house. This spot does get pretty busy but their service is quick! read more

I just added this restaurant in my San Diego collection and I am so happy I was able to experience it yesterday! Yelp says that this is in El Cajon, it is closer to Rancho San Diego so keep that in mind. However, it is definitely worth the trip! Everything on their menu looked delicious but since I am a Lotus / Biscoff fan, I ordered the Lotus Ice Cream. It was made with Biscoff sauce, the cookie crumbles and a whole airline size cookie in the cup. The ice cream was creamy and the layers of Biscoff made it even more delicious. If I am ever in the area, I will definitely stop by again! 5 stars. read more

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Awesome desserts for that late night sweet tooth. Everything was quite scrumptious! I ordered an order of the mini pancakes and the crepe rolls. We sampled their new cookie topped with pistachio. It was everything you would hope it would be. Thank you! read more