Normally, Mediterranean food is not at the top of my list of things I usually crave for. This was a special vegan phase I had in my life before a vacation to Italy... BUT! Nonetheless, I had a wonderful experience here at SAJJ. It is basically a chipotle but for mediterranean food! =P You choose: 1) ENTREE: Falafel, Chicken or Steak Shawarma, SHAWAFEL, Chicken Kabob or Pomegranate Chicken. 2) BASE: Pita, Bowl, Salad, Wrap 3) SPREAD: Hummus, Garlic Sauce, Tzatziki 4) TOPPINGS: There are many items to choose from and I am not going to list the entire menu (but you get the gist). Food was very fresh, everything was very cohesive no matter what you ordered. SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT! Baklava is YUMMMS. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Falafel over Salad - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

Another favorite lunch spot, we have a 15 dollar limit for our per diem and there are so many items on the lunch menu we can get for that amount. Love the chicken sharawma with rice bowl because it comes with so much salad, always makes lunch feel healthier and more balanced than without it. Packaging is the nice thick containers for takeout and each have a sticker label so you know what's yours if doing group orders with coworkers. Baklava is so good as well, not too sweet and the Phillo dough is not soggy like at other places. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowl, so good - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I went in a weekday afternoon and there was no line. The bowls are huge! It was enough for 2 meals for me. I got the mix of falafel and chicken shawarma bowl. Of course, I got all of the toppings. There's just so much flavors and textures that went extremely well together. On top of that, they had complimentary lentil soup with my purchase. I'm drooling as I'm writing this review right now. Love this place! Love the food! And the service was amazing! read more

One of the more reliable and healthy food chains. Not to mention delicious and usually hits the spot. I was feeling like something more on the healthy side but needed it quick, and Sajj was the solution. We walked in and no one was in line. We were greeted by a cheerful employee who helped us complete our bowls. She was very polite and patient with us, going through each item and asking if we wanted more of each. I really appreciated that considering most people don't take time to ask and I feel like I am interrupting them when I try to request more of an item. We ordered two of the shawafel bowls (steak + falafel). It cost us about $15+ per bowl bc of the combo. They were good portions - I only ate about 3/4 of it and had some leftovers. The lentil soup was quite liquidy compared to what I make at home, but it was tasty (and free!) :) Btw, if you get a chance to try their chocolate hummus, it's delicious! Definitely worth a visit! read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Shawafel bowl (steak + falafel) x2 - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place is a Mediterranean version of of Chipotle. Food felt super healthy but very tasty. They give you a complimentary lentil soup with each order. Service is fast, best place to go if you're in a rush since they can get you in and out quickly read more

Quick healthy bite ! Veggie options avail- falafel was amazing and like home made ! Def coming back

Wow! The quantity of food you get for the price is amazing here. Then you top it off with really good food quality and that is the icing on the cake. This place has a similar concept to Chipotle that used to be here but adds the Mediterranean food twist. The food is very yummy and the service is good as well. I was allowed some taste samples as I was not sure which protein choice to go with. Came with my wife on a Wednesday early evening and there were not many people there at all so we got our food very quickly. We got the following and both were excellent with lots of food. We couldn't even eat half of each bowl and saved it for lunch the next day: - Shawafel in a salad bowl with all no additional cost add-ins - Chicken shawarma/pomegranate chicken combo in a salad/rice combo bowl with all no additional cost add-ins I am not usually a soup person but I really liked their hearty lentil soup which had great flavor. I will definitely be back! In fact, I just downloaded their app to get ready for my future visits! read more

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Friend recommended this place. It felt like a Chipotle for Mediterranean food. You pick a base (chicken, falafel, etc), the medium to carry that base (salad, rice bowl, wrap, etc) and then customize (i.e. add eggplant, cauliflower, tzatziki, etc.). Some adds-ons were a few cents more, like feta or a pita bread on the side. Every order by default comes with a small cup of lentil soup. Overall really satisfying meal. I had a falafel salad with practically every add-on that didn't come at an extra charge. The lentil soup was surprisingly really good: consistency and spice spot on. The falafels were tasty as was the eggplant add-on. My entirely meal was a little less than ten dollars and extremely filling. So you definitely get what you pay for and the portions are very appropriately sized. 10/10 would go again for a quick meal. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Falafel salad (with practically every add on) and lentil soup! - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

Best ever!!! I love Sajj so so so much. The food is vibrant and fresh and delicious! Of all the build-a-bowl restaurants, Sajj definitely feels the healthiest and most satisfying. You just can't go wrong with a bowl full of crunchy greens, lean protein, creamy hummus, and yummy Mediterranean sauces! There are 4 base options (pita, Sajj wrap, turmeric rice, mixed greens), 5 protein options (beef or chicken shawarma, falafel, shawafel, pomegranate chicken), and over 10 plant-based topping choices, which means endless combinations! It's perfect for anyone who appreciates different textures and flavors in every bite. Each bowl is entirely adaptable to different diets, so it's easy to stay within your restrictions whether you're living low carb, vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, or soy-free. I really hope to see Sajj continue expanding their menu and locations! read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I had never been to a Mediterranean place that had a build your own bowl bar. What a great idea! I loved the selection of items. I built my own salad with falafel, eggplant, beets, and hummus. The size of the salad was adequate. I got to try the lentil soup too. I really liked it. It's a nice light soup so it didn't fill me up too much before having the salad. The restaurant was very spacious and clean. I would recommend this place and I'd come back again. read more

This is one of my favorite spots when I'm craving something healthy and flavorful at the same time. I love the sauces they use and that I get to choose my own ingredients (especially because I am indecisive when choosing between pre-made options that feel limiting). read more

I came here for their grand opening. I wasn't too sure what to order but am not a huge fan of chicken so I got the shawarma and falafel with rice plate. Their setup is very similar to chipotle and other grab and go places. Food is served very quickly and there are tons of toppings available for your meal choice. I chose to have avocado, feta, spicy tahini, tahini, pickled radish, beets, hummus, garlic sauce ( sooo garlickey and pillowy soft), tzatziki sauce, garbanzo beans, eggplant ( super fresh and not mushy at all), sumac cauliflower, tomato cucumber salad, and sumac onions. I also had a chance to try their chocolate hummus, and baklava. The baklava was pretty good and tasted like most baklava I have tried. The chocolate hummus was soo creamy and chocolatey, I forgot it was hummus. This has almost inspired me to make my own, but I don't have a food processor and in all honesty am way too lazy. I also tried a few sips of all their in house drinks, the lemonades were a bit sweet but when I mixed them with the tamarind it was soo yum. I enjoyed how tasty and fresh their food was, I will be back whenever I am in the area. read more

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Chipotle style (build your own) shwarma bowl or wrap. I got a chicken wrap and smothered it with garlic, hummus, tahini and then got a side of chicken, eggplant, chickpeas hahaha. It came with a soup so cool! Came in before a massive lunch rush so we got our food quickly. The wrap was heated on a Sajj which looks like an upside down wok, it's very distinctive when you're lining up and gives off lots of heat. I like this place for several reasons: 1. The food is locally sourced and fresh 2. Lots of variety of fillings for bowl or wrap 3. So many different sauces/dips 4. Children's food items are cheap (mac n cheese is kraft) I would definitely come here again and the strawberry lemonade was delicious too read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

The latest addition to downtown San Mateo. They occupy the former Chipotle location and ordering is easy; pick your base; how you want it (wrapped, rice, pita or salad bowl) and then select your add ons, down the line. Interestingly, the menu ordering is read from right to left versus left to right. I was initially confused. It starts with panels stating "what(meat/veg), in (bowl/wrap/pita), etc. Very interesting. This manner or ordering probably not unusual, but it was a first time for me. I am familiar with SAJJ from their Off the Grid food truck appearances. Now that they've transitioned to a storefront, I find the food to still be consistently good. Unfamiliar ordering format (truck is different there were so many choices...shawarma, falafel, etc and then how I wanted it serve, bowl or wrap....the most challenging part of ordering is knowing what you want and then deciding the add ons...so many choices!! If you are unsure about the meat choices, you can ask for a sample of meat & you'll get a small spoonful. I was not disappointed; the food was flavorful and the portions were generous. I was happy my chicken shawarma rice bowl l, pickled turnip, cucumber tomato salad and hummus. I also order a small side of falafel. I thought the falafel was very good, not dry, had a good cilantro taste and was not cooked in old oil. Overall my meal was very good and I would not hesitate to rw Unlike some other food truck transitions from truck to store fronts, SAJJ is great and I wish them every success. Other truck transitions in the area include Curry Up Now, Koja Kitchen, Halal Guys and now SAJJ. read more

I love Sajj in Mountain View and FiDi SF, so I was thrilled to see that they were coming soon to downtown San Mateo. When I finally saw the Yelps appear, I knew we had to get my fix soon. Hubs and I got a late lunch to go here the day after Christmas. We were in and out in minutes. I got the chicken shawarma bowl but half rice half greens. Friendly service, same consistency in quality and taste, and huge portions. But this location doesn't have the free Yelp check in for a free bag of those amazing but so unhealthy fresh fried pita chips. Be sure to get their garlic tahini sauce with their smooth hummus for your bowl. I'm glad to see Sajj expand. And yes, it is right next door to Halal Guys. LOL. read more

My first time was 3 days ago, and I've had it every day since, and I still crave it. The service staff are so patient and friendly, the restaurant is clean, the ingredients are fresh, and falafel are made fresh to order. A delicious, healthy, and hearty meal at an affordable price that leaves you feeling good! What more can you ask for?! And, the falafel is still warm by the time I get home read more

Love this place, the food is fresh and delicious and I love the menu!! Only feedback I have is to reconfigure ur payment solutions to allow us to tip your staff! I rarely have cash on me and I don't today...but the staff is always great! read more

We love our bowls from here usually - today was terrible! My son complained of a tummy ache and the freekeh was half-cooked, the chicken dry and bland - overall a very unappetizing lunch :-( read more

I stopped by in December right around their grand opening. I had no intention of writing a review because I figured they would still be trying to work out the kinks & going through training. As so many other reviews have stated, it's a fast causal "Chipotle style" concept for Mediterranean food. There are similar concepts opening up in Northeast but finally cheap, healthy, fast, fresh Mediterranean food arrives in the West Coast. The fact that you can have Hummus AND Tahini sauce sets them apart. While others make you pick 1 sauce, SAJJ lets you combine at no additional cost. It's a game changer & I've become a frequent customer. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ordered Steak Shawarma through Uber 6/28/24, very disappointed. As a Middle Easterner, this is one of the worst dishes I've had. Tough meat, barely any Shawarma in the bowl. No dressing on the salad and bunch of chickpeas. read more

Delicious lunch option. Very big portions and delicious flavors. I have gotten the pita or the Sajj option (I recommend the Sajj or rice bowl. The pita gets messy). Their cauliflower side and eggplant side are the BEST. I have seriously considered buying a tray of each side to take home. The chicken is flavorful and not dry. And all the veggies are fresh. The lentil soup is a lovely little appetizer and unexpected treat. Good variety of options for non-dairy, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, etc. read more

They have a nice shady outdoor eating area and their food is already designed to be packed to go. The plants were a nice touch It was very clean and organized. No crowding and everyone masked. read more

Sajj is a great place to grab a bite for lunch. I got the vegan plate and it was great - came with eggplant, falafel, rice, hummus, pickles and an array of sauces (garlic whip, a couple hot sauces, and tahini). I really loved it because it was satisfying without leaving you overly full and bloated - great for work from home life. The platter also came with complimentary pita bread and soup (believe it was like a lentil / pea soup). All in all, great value, fresh ingredients, and exactly what you want for a working lunch. Pro tip: use their website to order for $5 off your first order! read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Vegan plate - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

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fantastic food! All the employees greet you with a smile and the food is always fresh and delicious!

Not much has changed since my review a year ago about this specific location. My family still loves Sajj and we still feed the entire family with delicious Sajj at least once every two weeks. I've avoided this San Mateo location for the reasons stated in my original review - stingy portions compared to other Sajj locations and the ladies who cover lunch just don't seem to care (unlike all the other Sajj locations that make you feel welcomed). Today, I went to the San Mateo location for the first time in a year and nothing has changed. The portions were still small relative to other Sajj locations and the same ladies who just didn't seem to care still don't seem to care. TBH, I don't care much about the "customer service with a smile" aspect for takeout, but the portion sizes I do care about. My usual order is half steak/half chicken shawarma as the protein. I've ordered this at this location in the past and I order this regularly at the other locations I frequent. As another example of the crappy customer service at this location, the lady helping me told me that they will no longer do half steak/half chicken. Sajj Management - if you're listening, please fix this! This location is actually closer to my house but I drive to Mountain View to avoid the San Mateo store! 5 stars for the high quality and tasty food. 3 stars for this location because the ladies are really aggravating!! read more

Pretty happy with my falafel bowl in terms of taste, amount of goodies added on and the falafels themselves. Only problems I've encountered, causing me to dock them a star for each: 1) Forgot add ons on another bowl I took home (So check your order before leaving!) 2) Pre-ordered through their app twice, and twice they made me wait to fulfill walk-ins first! -app even said it was done and ready by a certain time when it wasn't!! 3) Staff didn't seem happy there. No service with a smile. They handed each person their order as if they didn't care for return business. read more

I thought... oh, it's just going to be another Chipotle type place, but Mediterranean... and I was right and pleasantly surprised at how delicious my burrito was. I got the chicken shawarma burrito (after a few samples). The burrito was huge and I only ate half of it, especially since they gave us a free bowl of soup (lentil - it was delicious). The burrito was so good! There was so much flavor and the chicken was tender. They also had this cilantro sauce, which I am not super addicted to. Overall, come here for a quick and delicious meal full of flavor. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Chicken shawarma burrito - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

SAJJ Mediterranean is a better value than their med competitors, Halal Guys, Yalla. SAJJ has fresher/tastier ingredients. SAJJ replaces Chipotle with a "choice" concept of protein, style (wrap, pita bread, rice/salad bowl), toppings. and extras. eats: salad bowl, chicken shawarma(11.00) -chicken shawarma was lots of bland, small cubes -salad was 3 choices, stayed with mixed greens, argula looked ok -added cauliflower, eggplant, ?, beets, red onions, tahnini sauce (bland). many other options available. -lentil soup was hot & tasty. 3.5 stars leftovers: -service was quick -food was plentiful, almost had leftovers..... -on line pricing for chicken shawarma higher than in house, price increase coming? price already +1 since opening. read more

I grew up in a large middle eastern family. The food at Sajj has the flavor profiles that I remember from my youth. Most other "middle eastern" places are really more Mediterranean style so it's nice to have food that reminds me of growing up. read more

I am traumatized after eating from here. I ordered a chicken shawarma bowl and halfway through eating inside my lettuce I found a dead bug. I'm so thankful I did not unknowingly eat it but I'm so disgusted by this place. I will never eat anything from this establishment or any other locations ever again. How can you guys serve customers food like this? I still feel nauseous even after a day. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Dead bug found inside the salad - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got takeout from here. They got it ready very quickly. I got a build your own falafel in pita with hummus and garlic spread and a bunch of toppings. It was really good! Also got a side of fries, which were great! The peri peri sauce I got as an extra was not that great though. read more

Good place for falafel bowl, skip the eggplant and cauliflower, have a burnt curry taste. Falafel was good, and liked the sauces.

Came here with a friend at about 7:30pm-ish. Blaze/mod pizza/subway like, where you can choose your different things you want in your bowl. The chicken shawmarma was very good. It comes with a side of lentil soup too. DFrom rice bowls to salad bowls, to pita bread, to different hummus, to garlic spread, to sauces, and to chocolate hummus with cinnamon flavored pita chips. For about $10-ish, the bowl was humongous and filling! However when I did get the chocolate hummus and cinnamon pita chips, the chips seemed to be normal pita chips.. I'll return again and hopefully I'll get the correct chips when I do. read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Chicken shawarma with lentil soup - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is a new spot in San Mateo downtown, and I absolutely LOVED it! It's a build-your-own-bowl style restaurant with choices of meat, carbs, veggies, toppings etc. I got a jumble of things when I went the first time, but a few things that stood out were the turmeric rice and their sauces. The turmeric rice was super fluffy and aromatic, and it soaked up all the sauces really well. They also have so many sauces to choose from! I loved the tahini sauce and hummus combo--literally the best duo. Also, if you mix everything up, it tastes even better. Super affordable, quick, and delicious! Highly recommended for a quick lunch. *TIPS: Student discounted meals for $8 * If you download their app, you get $5 off your first entree read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Feta fries - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I don't know maybe the Chipotle at this location forgot to pack away their tortillas before going out of business... or maybe SAJJ hit a big score on tortillas while negotiating this pre-owned Chipotle location. I don't know but being an American-Egyptian I have never had a shawerma wrapped in a tortilla. I've had it wrapped in lavash or pita but never in a corn tortilla. The manager or owner of this place needs to watch Food Network and YouTube on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. ALMAZAN!!! I would be more than happy to help get this place right at free of charge. HABIBTI FREE OF CHARGE!! Ok maybe give it to me the one or two non-tortilla shawerma wraps with a side of a hummus lao samaht please. And a please be a little bit more polite on el meat portion lao samaht please. This makes me zelt. I am zelt and I am embarrassed. I am so zelt and embarrassed that I am writing this review feeling more American and less Egyptian despite my Egyptian Tourette's kicking in hopes to have been satisfied for some amazing shawerma today. And I know the manager is the snobby one who doesn't greet. It's ok. Maybe I'll go back to the Halal Guys for a first/second chance (read the review). PS: "fresh and organic" my ass. This is one level above fast food Mexican. This is fast food Habib. read more

Everyone needs to try the garlic sauce. Excellent customer service, fresh food and did I mention try the garlic sauce!! read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

I thought I was getting a meal, but instead got one of their bowls, which was OK. The time of day can dictate? What is available?

I like the Halal guys, but I love Sajj. It's just so much better. Let me start out by saying I'm not Vegetarian and I usually prefer eating meat, but their stewed eggplant and the sumac cauliflower just hits that same savory rich spot that I could see myself going that way. Their sauces are awesome, the garlic one, the tzaki, the spicy cilantro, it's all good and you can get them ALL. They let you sample, they are really friendly, just the purple are really nice there. The seating is clean and comfortable. FYI if you're a student, it's only $8, have to show your student ID read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Vegetarian goodness - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

Hello Mediterranean Chipotle! This is a gem located in the middle of downtown San Mateo. The Concept is simple: 1) Wrap, Pita, Rice Bowl or Salad? 2) Falafel, Chicken Shawarma, Steak Shawarma, or "Shawafel" 3) Eggplants, Cauliflower, Garbanzo Beans, Rice 4) Mixed Greens, Arugula, Cabbage, Greek Salad, onions Pickles, Beets 5) Complimentary soup! Falafel Salad Bowl: this was my order, it came with 4 falafel nuggets and I loved that I got to customize it to my liking! They are very generous with portions (major PLUS) they serve locally grown crops and antibiotic free protein. I think I added too much garlic sauce since my bowl ended up being really salty! Regardless the pickled vegetables helped cut the savory taste Shawafel Rice Bowl: my brother ordered this and he got 2 Falafel nuggets and 2 pieces of chicken. The chicken was good! Less salty than the falafels. His came with tumeric rice which was tasty and he added vegetables on top! TIP: instead of getting a salad, ask for a rice bowl and add mixed greens at the end, that way you get the best of both worlds without sacrificing the other!! The rice is really good! TIP: bring a student ID! It can be grade school or University/college - pick anything off the menu, they'll throw in a free drink, complimentary soup and a fairly decent sized bag of freshly pita chips and your total will only be $8.00!! (Photo) read more

SAJJ Mediterranean - Top: ($8.00 Student Meal) Shawafel rice bowl+ free drink, chips, and soup. Bottom: falafel salad bowl + free soup - Mediterranean Near Me - San Mateo, California

I ordered a falafel side two days ago from them and got food poisoning. I was in bed for 2 days having a fever, nausea, headache, and stomachache. I would never order from them again. I would warn you to stay away from this place especially their falafel. My boyfriend ordered a falafel bowl and his also had mild stomachache, although he didn't get food poisoning as bad as I did. read more