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    Vala Kitchen

    4.8 (384 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Vanilla pudding
    Akriti M.

    Perfect dinner with friends! We walked in with no reservation and were immediately seated by the host. We all were starving and placed our order right away! Cucumber yogurt Juicy chicken kebob - lived up to its name! It really was juicy Chicken thigh kebob - fav one for me! Chicken was tender and felt so healthy and light. Lamb shank - lamb was cooked to perfection and the curry on the side enhanced the flavor, this one is a must have! Gourmet sabzi stew - Mr ordered it, i did not try but everyone seemed to enjoy this one as well. We ended with chef recommended vanilly pudding! The portion size was quite generous and was truly value for money. Highly recommend this place . We see ourselves going there often in future :)

    Lyla D.

    I've often seen fellow SoCal Yelp friends' posts about mouthwatering Persian cuisine, but living in Honolulu, we have only seen one Persian restaurant/bar open in the past decade. However, since we visit Los Angeles routinely, I've bookmarked many Persian restaurants in the West LA neighborhood and consulted Yelp's Top 10 Best Persian Restaurants List dated November 2025 to try. This time, I convinced my relatives to adopt a healthier Mediterranean diet, since our recent discussions have focused on aging gracefully or managing health conditions. Last night's rainy weather cleared temporarily, so we took the opportunity to drive out to one of our favorite Thai noodle soup restaurants when my Yelp bookmark for Vala Kitchen popped up. I only needed to mention the availability of "lamb shanks and chops" on Vala Kitchen's menu to my brother-in-law when he asked for navigation. All I needed to say was "Gower Gulch," and he immediately said he knew the location. We were about 20 minutes from the restaurant when I managed to book a reservation on the OpenTable dining reservation app. We found a parking stall almost directly in front of Vala Kitchen, even though the parking lot at the Gower Gulch strip mall was quite full. A tall host graciously checked us in, seated us with menus, while another male worker came to take our water service request and beer order. When the server returned, he asked if we had any questions about any of the menu items, but we were hangry and ready to place our orders. FOOD: -Appetizer Feast Platter: We selected this platter because it highlighted Mediterranean and Iranian appetizers. There were four dolmas, three falafels, a small dish of tahini for dipping the falafels, a bowl of hummus, and a bowl of Shirazi salad. I wasn't sure whether my husband or my brother-in-law would like the falafel, since neither had said they had tried it before. My husband surprised me by saying he enjoyed the texture and flavor as he ate two of the three falafel, leaving me with one. My brother-in-law ate most of the dolma, but compared them with the Greek dolmathes we had earlier in the week. We all enjoyed the refreshing, bright, and zesty Shirazi (Persian) salad of chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and mint, tossed in olive oil and lime juice and seasoned with salt and pepper. $18 -Koobideh 2 Skewers (Beef, Chicken): I described the kabob differences of Koobideh, Soltani, Barg, and Shish to my husband and brother-in-law, from what I remembered from fellow Yelp Friends' reviews. The Koobideh (seasoned ground meat and grilled) appealed to my husband. Between the two kabobs, one chicken and one beef, my husband preferred the lighter chicken as he liked the chicken's flavor, amount of seasoning, and texture. He enjoyed the fluffy basmati rice and ate it all. $23 -Adas Polo Plate (choice of Koobideh): I was attracted to the Adas Polo plate and chose the chicken Koobideh to complement the rice flavorings. Adas Polo (Polow) is a mixture of basmati rice, lentils, raisins, and caramelized onions, with warm spices like cinnamon or saffron, which appeals to my taste for sweet-and-savory flavors. To me, the natural choice of meat to eat with the sweet-savory flavors would be the chicken Koobideh. I think I was right since I tried a piece of the beef Koobideh with the Adas Polo and didn't enjoy it as much as with the chicken Koobideh. $22 -Saffron Ice Cream: We shared the creamy disc of saffron bastani, which tasted citrusy-honeyed-earthy-floral, with a subtle bitterness, and smelled fragrant. Its creaminess was offset by crunchy, nutty pistachio bits and topped with cherry sauce. The ice cream closed out our Middle Eastern meal in luxurious style. $8 We're looking forward to returning to Vala Kitchen on future visits whenever we're in this area of Los Angeles.

    Persian Eggplant
    Keat K.

    We walked in without a reservation as a group of four on a Saturday evening around 8:30, we were warmly greeted and sat immediately. The Persian eggplant was creamy and flavorful. A great small bite to start off the meal, I would gladly order this again. The family platter was larger than expected! Generous portions of steak, chicken, beef koobideh, and chicken koobideh served along side with plenty of charred tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, and peppers. The meats were juicy and incredibly savory, the best Persian food I have ever tried. Basmati rice was light and fluffy. The side of hummus we ordered was delicious as well, I wish there was more of it though. We finished the meal with ice cream, I have never tried saffron ice cream before and was pleasantly surprised. It had a mild sweetness with a floral taste. Vala Kitchen is serving up quality Persian food at a reasonable price. I would definitely recommend stopping and trying out their platters.

    Persian salad
    Laura C.

    Very kind staff from the moment my boyfriend and I walked in. Sam the owner, and his wife were both present. My Tahdig dish and the eggplant was delectable. I had a yellow rice I've never had before, with green beans and caramelized onions, very flavorful and hit my palate perfectly. My favorite dish was the fried potato samosas. Boyfriend had beef and chicken kabob and we ate so much but still got to walk out with leftovers which I enjoy. Perfect restaurant for a date, beautiful clean atmosphere.

    Beef Barg and Koobedeh with Barberry Rice
    Chris S.

    Been here a month or so ago and had to return with my wife. We started with the Dolmas (grape leaves). They were excellent. Next came the Fried Potato pastry wrap. It too was very good. Our main dishes came out. I had the Barg and Beef Koobedeh. My wife had the dark meat Chicken Kabob and the Chicken Koobedeh. The meats were flavorful and moist. We had enough for a take home meal. We also got the barberry rice. This is a must have. The restaurant hosts were very nice and checked in with us a number of times. All in all this is a great Persian restaurant.

    Maki-chan d.

    Food was delicious, and serving was generous. Love the eggplant appetizer! My favorite so far! Service was good, attentive and friendly staff. Ambience was chill. Would go back here :) Hopefully next time the buttercake is available. I really wanted to try it.

    Chicken Koobideh
    Leslie S.

    Food was fabulous, my husband had a falafel sandwich and I had a chicken kabob Plate. Everything was flavorful and on point. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I'm gonna put it on my rotation. Check it out!!

    Absolutely 5 stars! We recently hosted my son's graduation celebration here with around 30-40 guests, and everything was amazing. The staff did a fantastic job accommodating our party and making the event feel special. The food was outstanding the lemonade was delicious, the chicken kebab was perfectly cooked, and the salmon was excellent. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and high quality. I also had one of their homemade cupcakes, and it was absolutely amazing so delicious and one of the best cupcakes I've had. The restaurant was spotless, clean, and very well organized. The service was friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the entire event. Thank you for helping make my son's graduation celebration such a wonderful and memorable experience. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back Thank you to everyone at vala's Kitchen for helping make my son's graduation celebration so memorable. I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely be back.

    Beef Koobideh Sandwich with side of fries.
    Joan W.

    First time here for lunch. A very pleasant dining room with comfortable fabric upholstered chairs. Their menu offers the greatest hits from the Mediterranean and features Persian Kabobs. I got the Chicken Koobideh Kebob Sandwich and it was delicious. The bread had a little crunch in the crust and the ground chicken was tender and juicy. The special sauce came on the side and featured a nice kick of creamy garlic. Service was attentive and earnest. Loved that their check system allows for online payment and splitting of the bill among members of your party.

    Farhana S.

    THE BEST!!!!!! We have tried Persian food everywhere, literally all over and this place is hands down the best we have ever had! The chicken thigh melts in your mouth! Yes that's how soft it is! The koobideh?? Delicious!! I can't believe we didn't come here soon because this is what kabobs are made of! Run today! We can't wait to return back!!!

    Vala Chicken & Chicken Koobideh
    Mehdi K.

    This place is awesome. I tried their Vala Chicken & Chicken Koobideh. It was more than good. Highly Recommended

    Persian Tea

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The food was DELICIOUS, this will be my new go to spot. The service was great, staff is friendly too.

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    1 year ago

    Really wonderful place to eat. We got the yoghurt soup and Vala chicken plate. It was really good!

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    1 year ago

    The best Persian restaurant in LA.. I definitely recommend this nice and good quality food restaurant to everyone.

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    2 years ago

    Great food and authentic kabobs. Would recommend also great fresh salads and cozy atmosphere.

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    2 years ago

    Lovely restaurant with good food and friendly staff! Hummus was very good. Walking distance to the Paladium.

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    Sort of pricey for what it is but the chicken was super moist and delicious. I might give it a try again.

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    Page 7 of 10

    Vala Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Vala Kitchen

    Do u deliver to Beverly hills?

    I know for big orders they can make accommodations. I am in Van Nuys and we order from them all the time.

    What vegetables are on your veggie plate?

    It was roasted zukini and tomato.

    Is there any halal options?

    Hello, currently all meat is Halal except for the filet.

    Do you have vegan options?

    Yes, we do offer vegan options! Our menu includes a variety of delicious vegan dishes such as: • Appetizers: Dolma, falafel, and green olives.… 

    View All 6 Questions

    Bavel - Baked Alaska

    Bavel

    4.4(3k reviews)
    6.4 miArts District, Downtown
    $$$

    Thank god Bavel does not disappoint. I've been meaning to come back ever since I had that AMAZING…read moreduck at Bavel. I see why I love this place so much after watching the Odyssey too hahah the little lotus they served with the duck MUST be the lotus Charlize Theron has been feeding Matt Damon! That aside, this time we ordered the Fried Quail and the lamb manti. Both are just eye-opening delicious. It's fatty it's juicy and it's delicate. I do not want the food to run out, and it's much like the odyssey, hours later, I woke up to a different day and i still think about how insanely delicious they are! Different server this time, but still the and level of hospitality. Always checking in on us, bringing new utensils and recommending menus. It feels like we are the guests at a well run family dinner party. Loved the cocktails too. Nava and Semir are both excellent but maybe the former has a little too much ice. Loved their subtly. Definitely pricy, but I'd say it's on par with many of the Michelin starred place I've tried! Highly recommended for special occasions!

    Bavel is an upscale Middle Eastern style cuisine restaurant. It has modern decor with massive ivies…read morehanging down from ceiling planters. It's best to make a reservation in advance if you plan to dine here as they are almost always fully at capacity. They have both indoor and outdoor dining. If the weather is not too hot, I recommend sitting outside. Our mistake was choosing the indoors because it gets awfully loud to the point where you can't even hear the server(s) or your own party speak. Truth be told that's the major factor in the minus 1 star as it negatively affected our overall dining experience. 1. Farm Cheese Spread (5/5) The farm cheese was super light and airy. It's seasoned with sumac/fig leaf za'atar, rose petal (mostly for decor than taste) and fresh rosemary. It's served with 2 slices of crispy edged, doughy centered, black sesame bread that's toasted to perfection. 2. Baba Ghanoush (5/5) This is a dip dish made of smoked eggplant, Jimmy Nardello peppers (adds sweetness and smoky flavor), fennel escabeche, dill and olive oil. It's served with sites of fried pita bread. The eggplant was perfectly savory from the grilled onions and non-spicy, smoky flavor of the peppers. The Pita bread is like a fried beignet donut in terms of flavor. Another enjoyable appetizer to share. 3. Oyster Mushroom Kebab (5/5) Amazing smokey, well-charred and juicy mushroom with a nice price tag attached to it, but still worth to enjoy. It's served with avocado-lovage puree and sumac, which paired well with the mushroom flavor. 4. Grilled Octopus (5/5): The octopus tentacles were cooked to perfection - soft & melts in your mouth. It's almost like eating a very soft rice cake with a hint of seafood flavor note. It's served with sides of skordalia potato puree, brocooli, lamb xo sauce and coated in dill to give it a slightly spicy and savory profile. 5. Slow-Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma (4.5/5) Super tender lamb meat that's also very fatty. It's served with a side of basil-cilantro like sauce, pickled vegetables and tahini sauce which was super creamy and helped to cut the gaminess of the lamb. The dish also comes with a full size laffa bread, which was fresh (made in-house; you can literally see them making it in the background) and pillowy-soft to wrap the lamb meat in. 6. Cherry Sumac & Ricotta cheese pastry (4/5) We ended with a crispy Cherry jam tart. The puff pastry was flaky puff while the cherry jam was tart and sweet. It paired well with their ricotta cheese, which was light and airy and sprinkled with sumac. It also comes with a scoop of Pistachio ice cream that's subtly nutty and floral but was a bit too sweet for our liking. Overall, the food here was good, but the dining environment was too loud for our liking. This place is often compared to Bestia, which we prefer. Fun fact - Bavel and Bestia are owned by the same owners.

    Photos
    Bavel - Interior

    Interior

    Bavel - Oyster mushroom kabob

    Oyster mushroom kabob

    Bavel - *Dry Aged Trout Crudo

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    *Dry Aged Trout Crudo

    Open Sesame - Chicken Tawook plate. So good!

    Open Sesame

    4.2(1.1k reviews)
    2.3 miFairfax
    $$

    We just got home from dinner here and my wife and I loved it. The food was absolutely top notch. We…read morestarted with the potatoes in garlic sauce and an order of the haroumi and watermelon. What a great kick off! As for our mains, we both ordered a variation of the combo plates. I had the chicken tawook and beef. The Mrs. had the chicken and lamb. All good. Based on the food alone, we would recommend this place to anyone with a beating heart and more importantly, a mouth. This is quality food at a quality price. The atmosphere? Really great. It's a little dark and twinkly inside which sets a nice tone. There is cool artwork adorning every piece of wall, the place is very easy on the eyes...including the restrooms. Very clean. Our sever, didn't catch his name, but what a nice dude. Was super helpful without being "too much" he should teach a server class. He's pretty much who you want taking care of your table. He knew the menu well and made great suggestions. It was actually refreshing. We will come back, most likely with the family. Our waiter told us that they can accommodate larger groups which is great. I recently ate food at Saffy's and I didn't enjoy it one bit. The servings there are too small, too pretentious and too overpriced. Open Sesame is the exact opposite and that's why it rules. A wonderful experience in Beverly Boulevard.

    How Do I Start This Rationally ? Atmosphere Is A 5/5. Service Is 5/5. Food was 2.5/5. I Will…read moreExplain. If You A Charging $145 For A Group Platter, Then Everything Must Me PERFECT ! The Chicken Shawarma Was Inedible Because Is Was Obviously Dry And Lying Around For The Next Customer. The Beef Was Good. The Beef Shawarma Was AMAZING ! Probably The Best Thing. On The Menu. Tabouli Was Great. $260 With Tip Divided By Three Is Too Expensive For My First Experience Here. I Told The Manager That They Shouldn't Have Served The Chicken Shawarma If It Was Dry. Anyways.

    Photos
    Open Sesame - Dining room

    Dining room

    Open Sesame - Chicken Tawook

    Chicken Tawook

    Open Sesame - Chicken Tawook

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    Chicken Tawook

    Panini Kabob Grill

    Panini Kabob Grill

    4.1(2k reviews)
    5.1 miDowntown
    $$
    Healthy dining
    Grab-and-go

    Okay hi guys , the food was really good as well as the service i got seated right as i walked in …read more every nice interior as well , our waiter was also a nice person don't remember his name but he was very helpful with translating . the food was bussin like 10/10 . your gonna get your moneys worth

    Man, Panini Kabob Grill just never disappoints. Every time I come here, I'm reminded why it's one…read moreof my favorite Mediterranean spots. There are so many different kebabs to choose from, and I've yet to have one that wasn't delicious. My personal favorites are the steak and the chicken--both are incredibly tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. You can really taste the quality of the ingredients in every bite. One thing you absolutely cannot skip is the edamame hummus. I had never even heard of edamame hummus before coming here, and now I can't believe I went so long without trying it. It was smooth, fresh, and full of flavor while putting such a unique twist on traditional hummus. It's one of those dishes that completely changes your expectations and has you thinking about it long after you've left the restaurant. On top of the amazing food, the service was outstanding. Everyone made us feel genuinely welcome, and the atmosphere was warm, relaxing, and perfect whether you're grabbing a casual lunch or having dinner with friends or family. The menu is packed with so many dishes that I still want to try, which just gives me another reason to keep coming back. Panini Kabob Grill continues to deliver an incredible experience, and I can't recommend it enough.

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    Panini Kabob Grill
    Panini Kabob Grill
    Panini Kabob Grill

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    Vala Kitchen - persian - Updated September 2026

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