Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant

    4.1 (226 reviews)
    Mon 7:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Tue 7:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Order Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant Takeout or Delivery

    Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    TARBOSH MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

    More like Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Wrap
    Mar B.

    $70 and really was not great. Lamb shank was soft for the most part but lacked seasoning/good flavor. Rice is over 'seasoned' (nutmeg/cinnamon?) yet unflavorful. Personally prefer a more Arab style rice-- ghee/butter, fluffy or even something with yellow raisins (sweet contrast) or pine nuts... anything. Shawarma wrap was basic, ate some of it but meat was spongy, no flavor. Okay priced for $12. -- Tried hard to find anything in my fridge to make it taste better, salt, tahini, harissa, labne.. They forgot to give me a side I ordered that could have made our meals taste better. Door Dash only offers DD credit for missing items. Original pickup quote, 35mins, was not ready when I arrived (after notified it was ready), but they pieced it together at 44mins. The inside looked bright- they have a side patio that seemed nice in the nighttime hot El Cajon weather. It was busy which I get, just would have liked the order to be complete. Customer service was nice- employees are the front were great/friendly.

    Tarbosh is to die for.......

    This was my first time trying Tarbosh, and I'm so glad we decided to come here! I was actually debating between Tarbosh and Mal Al Sham, but I'm happy we started with Tarbosh. I arrived around noon, and the restaurant was pretty empty, so I was a little apprehensive at first. Thankfully, those worries disappeared as soon as the experience began. Sara was spectacular--friendly, welcoming, attentive, and made us feel right at home. The food also came out much faster than I expected. Most importantly, the food was absolutely delicious. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and exceeded my expectations. This was a fantastic first experience, and I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend! P.s- bring an extra stomach. The amount of food you get for what you pay is nothing like American culture. You'll leave taking food home which is a good thing.

    Zaatar flatbread and labneh for breakfast.

    I love coming in the mornings for the zaatar flatbread and labneh. Friendly service. Clean. Super good Syrian food.

    Tarbosh Mini Combo | ميني كومبو طربوش
    Donald G.

    A recent lunch at Tarbosh provided a mixed experience. While the Mini Combo offered ample, standard fare, the hummus was notably bland. Service was efficient but impersonal, there were only three other tables while we were there. Parking is available in front of the restaurant

    Cirwan S.

    I came here for the buffet and it was the right move. Came here on Sunday and they had a bunch food. All you can eat ! All good the Mediterranean eats. Kabob, Dolma, shawarma, rice, salads& more! You name it they had it. My favorite was their dolma and it hit ! Also their kabobs were yummy and warm. They have drinks where you can pour yourself. My favorite was the yogurt drink. They have a sweets table. Fruit & baklava ! Also they have someone walking around pouring tee! Inside and outside dinning can't wait to come back and try their regular menu !! !

    Nell E.

    Tarbosh, new ish restaurant in town in El Cajon. Do keep in mind the restaurant is not an authentic Arabic restaurant, the owner, Elad Primosher is Israeli. This is a second review based on my second visit, this time I tried the buffet. wide selection of eats with a tarbosh hat on top. i enjoyed their kibble and meats, zucchini was a bit undercooked and egg plant not as flavorful as I like. lots of seating, large restaurant. $30 each for all you can eat buffet with drinks included.

    Bread

    So I didn't give this place either 5 stars or 1 star for several reasons. We ordered the Tarbosh Combo for 5 ( we were 3 only ) , which included kebab, shish tawook, chicken tikka, chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, and rice. First, the portion size was actually generous and easily enough for 5 people. The selection of items was also very good. Big credit to Sara and the chef behind the counter -- both were extremely welcoming, explained the menu very well, and even offered to adjust a few items for us despite it possibly being against restaurant policy. Great customer service. The restaurant clean and organized The rice was very well cooked, and the kebab was excellent. Everything was grilled over charcoal, which gave the food a much better authentic flavor. Now for the downsides: The shish tawook was unfortunately very bland and lacked proper seasoning or marinade. The chicken shawarma tasted more like plain chicken than actual shawarma. The beef shawarma was decent, but nothing special. The salad was average. The biggest disappointment was definitely the hummus. It honestly tasted like canned hummus with a little tahini added to it, and it had almost no flavor. In Mediterranean restaurants, hummus is one of the most important parts of the mezze. If the hummus is weak, it affects the whole experience. We visited around 10:30 PM, so I understand kitchens usually operate with fewer staff late at night and things may not be as fresh as during lunch or dinner rush hours. Still, proper seasoning and marinade are basic fundamentals in Mediterranean food and can make a huge difference in maintaining quality and reputation. I would strongly recommend improving the hummus recipe because it really stands out for the wrong reason. That said, we will visit again because many customers highly rated other dishes on the menu, and the service itself was genuinely very good. Pictures attached show most of the food was left untouched except the kebab

    Tasneem Y.

    This is one of the most delicious authentic Middle Eastern restaurants in the San Diego area. We have lived in the area for years and have not enjoyed any other restaurant as much as Tarboush. The whole experience is amazing every time we go, and the Sunday all-you-can-eat open buffet never disappoints. Every time we have been to this restaurant, the whole staff has been very welcoming. The food is very delicious and cooked to perfection.

    Joy G.

    Came here with the Too Good To Go App for the first time for a "Savory Pastry" not knowing what to expect. Inside is clean and spacious. Staff was nice. Food...so yummy. Ive never had anything like these before. So flavorful! I will be coming back to try more food again.

    Kibbeh
    Pam B.

    Very spacious clean dinning area. Extremely friendly service ladies, loved the service staff! There were 2 ladies that really provided great service, even offered free fresh Pom juice as we waited. Always smiling, I felt very welcomed there. Options a little limited, compared to a few other Mediterranean places. Flavors were good. Textures could be better: Kebbeh had a lot of outer crust than filling, ratio made it hard/dry. Falafel wrap was very mushy, all of the falafels were smashed up inside of it. I was basically eating a chick pea mash, flavor though was still good. The square pastry had too much dry dough, made it kinda hard to eat, but again, the filling was very flavorful. If it wasn't for the texture of some of the items, I would have given it a full 5 stars. I will be checking out their brunch buffet though!

    We got some of their breads to go. They were so good.

    We came from out of town found this place on Yelp and the food was so good. We met Sara who was our server who was super sweet. We even got some of their bread from their bakery to go. They were delicious, We lived five hours from here so I had to get some to go. Whenever we come back in town, we're definitely hitting this place back up. Highly recommend.

    Sandwich Beef Kabab

    See all

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eva D.
    0
    28
    4

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Breakfast open buffet was good! Restaurant has many items on this buffet. We all love it!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Food very delicious and fresh and very clean also people are friendly and very good service.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brenda N.
    127
    13
    1

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Amazing service and food was delicious and great Arab culture. Also the workers and waiters/waitresses were kinda and patient.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Great food and service at Tarbosh! Will definitely be back for the chicken shawarma and manaeesh

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    ten out of ten shawerma so good amazing service. Really reccomend that for manaqeeshh too

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Great food and friendly staff. The chicken schwarma is SO good!!! Place is really clean and nice.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Had the breakfast buffet and it was a nice atmosphere with good seating. Rita was a great server and took care of us from top to bottom.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Had breakfast and Rita was an amazing server and took care of us. Excellent service. Definitely would recommend her.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Best manaeesh in all of America. No exaggeration. I'm Arabic and it's very authentic.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy A.
    3
    40
    61

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    The food tastes amazing. The food came fast. The workers are friendly, the dining area is clean. Maha was a very good waitress & server.

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Anna M.
    45
    45
    179

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Elad P.

    Elad P.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 6

    Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant

    How much is the Sunday buffet? How much is it for kids?

    It is $30 per person, also check their app might get a deal for more than 3-5 persons for $25. Kids $15.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Mal Al Sham -The Taste Of Damascus

    Mal Al Sham -The Taste Of Damascus

    4.2
    (662 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Holy huge portion sizes! I got the beef tikka and the beef was pretty tasty especially with the…read moregarlic (?) sauce. I really liked the flavor in the rice and salad that came with it as well. The salad was pretty fresh. I just thought the meat to rice ratio was pretty bad for this entree. There was sooo much rice, but only 2 kebabs :( My friend got the chicken shawarma tho and the meat to rice ratio seemed a lot better for that entree, so I probably wouldn't get the kebabs next time. The chicken was a little bit dry but still decent. It was nice that it was a sit down restaurant too, but it was kinda crazy that they charged for water :/

    One of my new fav restaurants in SD County! I don't go out to El Cajon much but I happened to be…read moreout there, so I decided to stop by after hearing so many good things about them and I'm so glad I did! I can easily say that Mal Al Sham is my new favorite place for Middle Eastern Food! They have so many great options on their menu but I ordered the Mixed Grill, Hummus, and Fries. The mixed grill came with a chicken kabob, chicken tikka, and two beef kabobs and rice - all the kabobs were well seasoned and the rice was so flavorful. Everything was delicious and the portion sizes are so generous. There was enough food for two people for two meals each. I ordered to go and the food came out quick after I ordered despite how busy they were. The downside is that the parking lot is extremely small. I'm really looking forward to coming back and trying other items.

    Photos
    Mal Al Sham a taste of Damascus, Syria cuisine in El Cajon.
    Mal Al Sham a taste of Damascus, Syria cuisine in El Cajon.
    Platter for (3 People) ( beef shawarma swapped out with chicken cream chop)
    Platter for (3 People) ( beef shawarma swapped out with chicken cream chop)
    Leftovers from two meals

    See all

    Leftovers from two meals
    Ali Baba Family Restaurant

    Ali Baba Family Restaurant

    4.1
    (924 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    The location is right on the corner you can't miss it. They have their own small parking lot. There…read moreis a lot of similar restaurants in the area that we have tried. They just don't compare. The quality and flavors are out of this world. The inside is very cute. it is clean and welcoming. We enjoy lunch dates and dinner here as a family. The owners are very friendly. Definitely recommend the lunch for 2. FYI it feeds 4 people easily. Dinner for 3 feeds 6-7. Large portions. The hummus is soooooooo good. Pro tip: ask for extra olive oil. Give this place a try!

    Haven't been here in years, decided to take a trip to El Cajon to have lunch at this mom and pop…read moremiddle eastern restaurant with my mom and pop. They definitely invest their time on the taste of their food and serving large portion sizes instead of fancy tables and decor. It's not upscale fine dining... the interioir looks the exact same for past decade. Although a little dated the place is very clean and fits large or small groups. Not a date night spot -- more a friends and family stuff your face kind of place. They have a dedicated parking lot with plenty of spots. We ordered a ton of food to share. Half roasted chicken with side of fatoush salad, beef kabob plate with side of rice, lamb tikka with side of fries, a large plate of hummus, and an order of falafel (Best Falafel in SoCal). EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! I personally didn't like the lamb tikka but everyone else destroyed that plate. We ordered a pot of black tea (mint flavored) and they brought our large pieces of steaming hot fresh bread. Service was very friendly and fast. They modified any order to your liking. They also thanked us for coming and meant it when they said it -- Mom and Pop shops are The Best! Highly Recommend if you're looking for good quality middle eastern food with large portions.

    Photos
    Feast for 4!
    Feast for 4!
    Pita Bread the Size of a Pizza
    Pita Bread the Size of a Pizza
    From the newly renovated parking lot =D

    See all

    From the newly renovated parking lot =D
    Alforon

    Alforon

    4.6
    (1.9k reviews)
    7.7 mi
    $$

    I have eaten there so many times I can't even count. Their food and their restaurant is my favorite…read moreplace to eat in San Diego. George and Samia are the most wonderful people in the world. George will come out of the kitchen and explain, in detail, every item on the menu. I laugh when I read or even see a subpar review of Alforon. Those people are either high on drugs or never experienced excellent food before. Chicken Tawook, Tabouli salad, house pickles, everything is off the chart and that's just the for starters. You can close your eyes, point to a menu item and have the best meal of your life. Explore their whole menu, you can't go wrong with a single item. Hands down off the chart and excellent food by two of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life.

    First of all let me say that the love dessert has me hooked. Best thing here! One of the most…read moreunique and tasty things I've tried in a while, and that's saying a lot w my sweet tooth. I love the floral and pistachio taste, and it doesn't leave you feeling heavy afterwards. The mint lemonade is also a must have- tastes like it came from the garden in the best way possible. For savories, I had the spinach and cheese bajeen, baba gannouj, and the lamb fatteh - all had a lot of flavor and tasted homemade. I love trying new foods so will have to come back with more friends and try other things on the menu. The downside of this place was being seated on the right side of the restaurant near the carry out section. This was the pit of despair. I noticed that most of the staff goes to the other end first, and as a result 4 tables got seated after us and all of them had food on their table before we managed to flag one of the staff. It was definitely busy in there but he replied that he was simply going in order, but apparently order or left side to right side instead of arrival. I recommend trying to get seated on the side w the stained glass windows for better service. Other than that, the experience overall was pleasant.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Ouzi Lamb Special
    Ouzi Lamb Special
    Lamb fatteh

    See all

    Lamb fatteh
    Charcoal House

    Charcoal House

    3.3
    (354 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Charcoal House Bar and Grill was hands down one of the worst experiences I've had at any lounge or…read morerestaurant. The hookah was terrible--harsh, flavorless, and clearly rushed like they didn't care at all. For a place that offers hookah, this was embarrassing. Service was painfully slow and disorganized. On a packed, busy night, they were severely understaffed, which is not the customer's problem. We waited forever for basic service, and staff looked overwhelmed and unprepared. No urgency, no communication, no apologies. The place was crowded, chaotic, and poorly managed. If you know you're going to be busy, staff accordingly. Simple. Overall, bad hookah, bad service, bad management decisions. Definitely not worth the time or money. I won't be coming back and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

    We recently celebrated my husband's 50th birthday at Charcoal House, and we had such a wonderful…read moreexperience! From start to finish, Suha was incredibly helpful with everything from A-to-Z. She made the planning process so much easier and even recommended amazing dessert vendors that turned out great. Nabil was also so kind, welcoming, and always willing to help with anything we needed. We truly appreciated all of his help and hospitality. The food was delicious, the ambiance was fun and lively, and our guests had a great time. Thank you, Charcoal House, for helping make this celebration so special and memorable!

    Photos
    Charcoal House
    Mixed Beef Plate
    Mixed Beef Plate
    Iced Tea

    See all

    Iced Tea
    FireHouse Hookah & Lounge

    FireHouse Hookah & Lounge

    4.7
    (47 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    Came here one night with my brother and the lounge definitely felt like home!…read more This lounge is an arab owned/managed location - it is jointed with another restaurant that also seemed to be owned by them, so you could order food/drinks in this area. It took about 5 minutes to get seated but as soon as we sat someone quickly came to our table and took care of us. We ordered a standard double Apple hookah and tea - it came out within 5 minutes so that was great. Hookah was strong and quite good! For a Wednesday night they were quite busy, the spot provides free cards to play with and they play music (that's not too loud). Mostly you will hear the conversations everyone is having. Decor was very nice and it was comfortable. Workers don't wear any work outfits/attire so you will need to keep an eye out who looks like he works there! Would definitely come back here, loved the arab vibe and comfort there.

    Literally the worst hookah I have ever tried in my life - that is not an exaggeration. Unbelievable…read morethat they still have to ask if you want quick light or coco nara. Who still uses quick light charcoals in this day and age!?!? Hookah they brought out was a mini starbuzz hookah that was the cheapest POS I have seem a lounge serve. If you enjoy a nice quality smooth hookah experience, this is definitely NOT the place. Atmosphere is mostly regulars and friends of owners. Seems more like a private social club. The lounge was 100% older male patrons. I requested (specifically fumari brand) lemon mint and what they brought me was definitely another cheap brand that I wouldn't even serve my worst enemy. We stayed 5 min and left and would recommend nobody come here for hookah. Trust me when I tell you all these 5 star reviews are fake and must be friends of owners. Just my 2 cents.

    Photos
    Hookah
    Hookah
    Clay Bowl Hookah
    Clay Bowl Hookah
    Clay heads

    See all

    Clay heads

    Tarbosh Mediterranean Restaurant - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...