I've eaten their Chicken Shawarma plate at least once a week for well over a decade. It's just that…read moregood. Don't be intimidated by a line going out the door, though: it moves very fast, and you can expect to have your order within a minute or less (usually much less) after paying.

Fast and good customer service. Food was hot and good. Businesses have gotten comfortable giving…read moreone kabob. This place gives you too. They're not thick pieces however, they are filling and seasoned good. I could've ate and used more salad. However, the portion amount is typical to everybody else. I'll be back. Glad I didn't believe the comment about the decline in flavor of the chicken. No complaints here. Inside was clean and kinda small for the amount of tables and chairs in there. The outside space was nice, clean, and quiet. That's not big either. However, it will do. They even provide shade. Definite plus.

Great service! They are very welcoming and kind. Shoutout to Rigo who was attentive and checked in…read moreon us. I can't believe it's only his second day! The person who I assume is the owner or manager also checked in on us often. I haven't experienced this kind of service is years. The food tasted fresh and the portions were huge! I especially loved the rainbow trout, crisped to perfection. Thanks for making our day!

Love this place food is delicious Service is amazing and…read moreplace clean. Come from far to eat here because is good

Cute interior design, great food, great service. Chicken shawarma was especially juicy.read more

This place is a REAL WINNER!…read more My son brought me here today for lunch. Wasn't sure that I was in the mood for Mediterranean but I agreed to go. So glad I decided to have lunch there! The food is absolutely delicious, the portions are generous, the prices are very reasonable and the guy who took our order was so kind and helpful. I couldn't believe how flavorful everything was! I got the chicken Shawarma and now I won't go anywhere else for Mediterranean. I live in Glendale so I've got a lot of Mediterranean restaurants around me; I've been to a handful of them. But none of them comes close to how delicious this place was. Thank you! You are now my go to Mediterranean restaurant.

There is a massive pressure felt by all Los Angel-inos when we host guests from different parts of…read morethe country. Not only do we have to chaperone the visiting friends to tourist hot spots that we generally avoid in everyday life; but even the restaurants we choose as dining options need to be positioned on a perfect pedestal that impresses but is still comfortable. A very close friend of mine from Nashville visits the City of Angels once a year; and I always feel the stress to impress in regards to dining. In 2026, we decided on a more casual dinner than our usual upscale entertainments and opted for Pasadena. Of course, I turned to Yelp and that is how I discovered Café Santorini. Café Santorini has been a favorite dining option in the Old Pasadena neighborhood of Pasadena since 1993 on the intersection of West Union and De Lacey (a block from Colorado Blvd) nestled in one of the famous historic red-brick buildings with alley alcoves that makes Old Pasadena so beloved. Café Santorini encapsulates European love that is as warm as its bricks uniting the culinary richness of Italy, Greece and Morocco in semi-upscale/trendy real estate with iron railings, high ceilings, exposed brickwork, duct beams and glossy wood surfaces that is both inviting and will absolutely entice tourists and residents, alike. Whether seeking indoor dining bar-adjacent with tables or booths or the lovely outdoor second-floor patio alcove overlooking the plant-filled alleys below; Café Santorini is quite pleasant on the eyes. My Nashville-based friend and I made a reservation for an early dinner at 4pm on a Saturday and Café Santorini was already filled to the gills and bustling with activity (granted, there was a Guns n Roses concert at the nearby Rose Bowl in the evening). Opting to sit outdoors due to the loud volume in the dining room; we had a perfect ratio of casual and date-worthy. Café Santorini is seamless with its 'vibe'. To begin the evening, we opted for some cocktails with a Smoke and Citrus Paloma (grapefruit and lime juice, smoked sea salt agave syrup and soda water, alcohol free at $12 but I made it alcoholic with mezcal) for me while my friend ordered a traditional margarita on the rocks (no salt) as we gazed the menu and also decided on sharing a Grape Leaves appetizer (rice, herbs, tomato paste - $16). If you are Celiac like myself and need gluten-free options, Café Santorini is AMAZING in its GF options (also dairy free and vegan dishes) with more choices than usual competitor restaurants which that alone makes it stand out from the crowd. Our drinks arrived in classy and colorful derivations with my paloma holding a seducing orange hue akin to a setting California sun with dried rosemary and dried fruit with the margarita being perfectly yellow-ish green with a dried lime. My paloma was delicious with an ideal combination of sweet to alcohol and smoke with the margarita being refreshing and tangy. I am quite picky with grape leaves having friends from the Middle East living in the US but Café Santorini's grape leaves (5 pieces) are delicious both in texture and flavor without being too bitter which is sometimes the case. For dinner I chose the Branzino (Grilled Mediterranean sea bass, lemon Greek potatoes, dill, capers- $42) while my friend wasn't super famished and decided on Greek Salad Horiatiki (Valdivia Farms tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, Anaheim peppers, red onions, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, lemon juice - $17). One of my favorite details of Café Santorini is their capacity to present elegant dishes that are still simple and not pretentious on plateware that encompasses Greece itself with colorful mosaic prints and painted motifs. The ingredients are fresh, colorful and artfully displayed. My Branzino was faultless: grilled perfectly with charred grill marks and crispy skin (large filet) with capers and fresh dill with fingerling potatoes based under the fish soaking up the lemon juices. Delightful! The Greek Salad Horiatiki allowed the garden-fresh veggies to truly shine even with the lemon juice/oil and large piece of feta making it a perfect summer option. Service at Café Santorini is friendly and a family-like atmosphere with every staff member acknowledging you as you saunter by, answering all questions and constantly smiling. Café Santorini is an overall pleasant joy of an experience. Whether you need to impress out-of-state friends or simply seeking Mediterranean fare in Old Pasadena; Café Santorini is a musty-try for a casual meets elegance dining experience.

Enjoyed a family birthday dinner at Cafe Santorini. The food was excellent. Everyone in our party…read morehad a breadth of the menu. We had one anomaly on one plate, and the staff and manager quickly fixed. The restaurant has plenty of seats with a visible kitchen, and a full bar. They did a great job to keep waters topped and drinks coming if we want it.

The experience as a customer was good. I was greated at the counter and the order was taken…read morecorrectly. The food was great I made a video rating the item I got. I am also a vegetarian of 13 years funny enough before I become a vegetarian I was able to try their chicken 20 years ago. It was amazing! I still remembered the vibe of the restaurant although it looks like the menu was simplified. The hummus was not homemade and it seems to be from a factory so there's that. Although it was okay. My only suggestion would be to get more ventilation bc upon walking up to restaurants it looked steamy. Like what my daughter's JiuJitsu Gym looks like when there's a class in session. The windows look like they could use a PROFESSIONAL wipe down. With chemicals probably after hours lol idk. I love that this place is still there as a staple to Pasadena, although let's step it up a tiny bit guys

I first tried Zankou Chicken in 2013 when my friend recommended it and I'm finally back to have it…read moreagain and it still hits! The rotisserie chicken is amazing, the chicken kebab plate is also one of my favorites. The hummus and tzatziki are my favorite sides and you have to eat it with the pita! Love that it comes on a bed of fluffy rice. The sauces here are so good - garlic sauce and tahini are actually way better than anywhere else. Great deals because most items are under $20. I definitely will have to come back here more often!! Service is friendly and they make everything to order so it's not that fast but it's ok! Ambiance is very casual. Ask the cashier for the bathroom door code!

Update: Finally decided to try their restaurant with a big group - we were always more than 10 lol…read more Place was easy to find, lots of street parking, there is parking in the back but a bit tight. Of all else fails, there is a lot close to the restaurant. I believe its ok to park there. Food is consistently good! I had already mentioned this in my previous review so no surprise there. Service - very warm, welcoming, its as if we've known each other for years! We loved it so much that we have been coming here several times now. It's becoming our go to Middle Eastern place and we never get tired of it. We are in fact having dinner tonight with a other large group of 20 people. FYI - they do not serve wine but you are more than welcome to bring your own and they will provide the wine glasses without corkage.

From the moment, my family sat down the people here felt like family, even though it was our first…read moretime there. When Sahag came by to take our order, he taught my toddler how to fist bump. When one of the dishes I ordered specifically for my kid arrived, I was worried it was going to be spicy based on the color. Sahag said it wasn't spicy but offered to bring us something else if our kid didn't like it. Luckily, she loved it. This place has a lot of regulars and it's easy to see why. Everything we got was so good!

I love Mediterranean food! We had appetizer sampler, and a combo of lamb chops & chicken thighs; it…read morecomes with grilled vegetables and a side - we opted for half rice/half potatoes. All the food was flavorful & delicious! Bring your appetite - portions are large. We were disappointed they no longer carry Napoleon & syrniki for dessert but tried honey cake and thoroughly enjoyed it. Service was fast and couteous. Space is open & contemporary.

Visited here during the soft opening... I know, it's long…read moretime ago, but the service was really good with great food.

Sahara Middle Eastern Cuisine is truly one of our favorite restaurants in Pasadena. We've been…read morecoming here for the past few years, and the food is consistently extraordinary. Their kebobs are cooked over actual coals, and you can absolutely taste the difference. The chicken is always incredibly tender and flavorful, the beef is tender and perfectly cooked, and I have a friend who could probably live on their tzatziki. Everything is fresh and thoughtfully prepared every day. But as wonderful as the food is, the people are what make Sahara so special. Ana owns the restaurant with her husband and runs the kitchen, and she and the entire staff are simply amazing. This is a true family-owned restaurant where you can feel the care that goes into both the food and the way they treat people. After we lost our home in the Eaton Fire, in Altadena, we were living in a hotel and would come to Sahara for dinner. Every time we came in, they insisted on sending us home with extra food so we would have something to eat later. At a time when our lives had been completely turned upside down, that kindness and generosity meant more to us than I can possibly express. Extraordinary food made by genuinely wonderful people. We love Sahara, and I feel very lucky to be able to support a local family-owned business that puts so much heart into what they do. If you haven't been, go. And get the kebobs. And definitely the tzatziki. And, the tahini...but leave some for my husband because he loves it on the lamb skewers.

I have to be honest I tried so many different middle eastern restaurants and this one was not my…read morefavorite Food was just ok no more than that Pretty expensive especially for what you getting I don't think it's worth it I don't think that I'll be back here Food tasted like it was prepared yesterday and not really fresh

I don't write reviews very often. Usually I have to really want to, and that doesn't happen a lot…read more Raffi's earned one. I had a combo plate. Honestly, combo plates are combo plates. What separates this place for me is the meat. The skewers were cooked really well, and the lula was excellent too. Good kebab isn't as easy to find as people think, and that's what keeps me coming back. I also liked the pickled vegetables that come with the plate. Nice little touch, and the grilled vegetables were done well too. They have indoor and outdoor seating, a large free parking lot, and of course they do catering - as you can see from their name )). If I ever needed catering for an event, I'd definitely consider them. A little sad inside for me. Easy 5 stars from me. The meat alone is worth it.

I first visited and tried Raffi's for a friend's birthday celebration back in 2021, and it's become…read moremy go-to Armenian spot since. Their lule and chicken kebab are always perfectly seasoned, and pair wonderfully with their tabbouleh. The portions are very generous, making it a great meal for sharing with family and friends. They also always have such friendly service.

This was genuinely one of the best meals I've ever had. Raffi's has been on my list of spots to try…read morefor years, and I can't believe it took me so long to finally come here! My friend and I shared the Shirazi salad, Hummus, and Koobideh, all of which were absolutely delicious and are great portion sizes. The koobideh was tender and paired amazing with the buttery rice, hummus was blended so smoothly and we had it with the soft lavash, and the shirazi salad was a refreshing bite in between. I will 1000% be returning soon to try new dishes. The wait was about an hour on a weekend dinner, but there are areas to walk around nearby to pass the time, so it doesn't feel too long. Additionally, parking isn't difficult to find since there's a structure to the side. It was such a scrumptious meal, and I'd absolutely recommend it to anyone, the drive is worth it!

Food is delicious and fresh Customer service is amazing…read more The vibe is nice Will be back again