Stopped by to pick up my dinner at this ghost kitchen location. Parking is in the front only and kind of busy but I found a spot and ran in. Food is fine. I ordered a mixed combo plate but it ended up only having one type of chicken. I requested two different types. The chicken was fine. Didn't have any sear so it just kind of lacked flavor. The rice is delicious. Buttery and fluffy! Chicken gyro wrap was huge and tasty. I also ordered two other wraps. They were good. Meal was fine. I wouldn't rush back. Lots of similar options in the area. read more

Wally's Cafe - Half eaten chicken gyro wrap. It's huge! - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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The food at this place lives up to the hype.. Absolutely fantastic meal! Located in a ghost kitchen food hall, this is a place your order and take away to enjoy at home. There are 5 or 6 places to order from here, each independently operated and they each have their own hours so check accordingly. The chicken shawarma combo is big enough to share and comes with this excellent lentil soup.. we will definitely be back to try some other dishes as the food was that good. Smallish parking lot out front or park around back and walk in. read more

Wally's Cafe - Chicken shawarma combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Original location near Berkeley, CA has been Yelp famous for years and this location opened up for takeaway orders in this hub for ghost kitchens in Costa Mesa. Talked to the staff as I put in an order and they were so helpful. Recommended chicken tawook pita and their chicken pomegranate plate. I bought both and shared them with my wife. The pomegranate chicken plate features chicken breast with a lightly sweet and savory pomegranate glaze over a rice pilaf sweetened with carrots. It's paired with tzatziki and a garlic toum, salad, and some pita quarters. The chicken tawook pita is a pita sandwich featuring marinated, juicy chicken thighs with flavors balanced by garlic toum, fries, and pickles. I enjoyed the chicken and I recommend it! We got a lentil soup, which was warm and delicious. We had the baklava which was very mildly sweet and very crispy from what seemed to be a dozen layers of filo dough. I loved the crispiness, which was unique to their baklava; however, I wouldn't have minded if it were a little sweeter. Overall, I understand why Yelpers love this place and I would definitely consider coming back. Staff was friendly and helpful and I'm glad that I stopped by! read more

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On Yelp's Top 100 for a reason! Wow, so impressed with Wally's Cafe. We ordered the chicken shawarma and the veggie sampler. The portions were huge! Love that both plates come with lentil soup. It was delicious and also was delivered to us still warm! The chicken was so flavorful and juicy. My favorite part of the plate surprisingly was the RICE! Holy Cow. It was so savory and buttery. I also loved the dips from the veggie sampler. The dolmas were not my favorite. The plates also came with little pieces of baklava and it was so flaky and perfectly sweet. 1000% recommend Wally's. Delivers super well! read more

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AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! Erick was so helpful and genuinely happy to be of service!! The food was delicious. I personally ordered the pomegranate chicken and the quantity was more than enough for two people to share. FYI, there is no dining area, takeout only read more

Wally's Cafe - And they even give a discount - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Tzatziki is such a winner here! Chicken shawarma isn't bad, but tastes very good with the above sauce Baklava is bomb and easy to eat $30 for a chicken shawarma + tabbouleh, fed two adults Will come back for the beef! Falafel is deep fried ================== Lentil soup It's not bad, but it is easy to eat and it tasted homemade. It also comes with rice with carrots and lentils, can prolly ask for less rice next time. Tabbouleh a bit soggy, lacking some brightness/acidity than I'd like. There's less bulgar wheat loads of t. It was missing some texture from the greens even though you see them there lol Chicken shawarma isn't bad. It's a little on the small side, pita is soft and pliable. I really enjoyed it with the homemade tzatziki, which is a must add. Baklava is great. Ronny threw in a sample and theirs is more airy, wonderfully buttery, with pistachios and it is less saturated with the syrup which I'm ok with. I can eat 5 of these easy without feeling gross lol Service was very friendly and personable. I wasn't sure what to order and Ronny guided me through the popular items and answered any questions that I had. read more

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First time tryin this place I the gyro beef and lamb meat is so tender and juicy . We got the gyro and chicken wraps . Those are a must get! The baba ganoush and hummus tasted so fresh . The rice was buttery and soft . The beef was kinda of dry though . They give you so much pita along With baklava and lentil soup. that was also delicious read more

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I went here because https://www.instagram.com/ocfeed?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== and said it was number six in the country. I don't know where she got that from but the food was mid at best and overpriced. Had the chicken show my plate. Very bland Just big portions. read more

This place does not offer dine in, it's a take out only. The owner and coworkers are very friendly and welcoming. They make everything as ordered. The price maybe in the low 20s but the portion is good for 2 people, or 2 meals for one person. The taste and texture of the meat are one of the best I have had. The chicken meat was juicy and tender. The pomegranate flavoring really sunk into the meat. The salad was fresh too. The owner offered us some dessert to try. It was really nice of him. I really appreciate the gesture. I would rate this 4.9 out of 5. Please try this place out for your taste bud! read more

Wally's Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Food definitely lived up to the hype! The kitchen concept was a little confusing to navigate (pickup only location) but everything we got was delicious and has us wanting to come back soon! read more

Best Falafel I've found in Orange County! We ordered the chicken Shawerma and mezze platter so we could sample a variety of items. Either the plates come with lentil soup and a tiny baklava or they threw it in either way I was glad to get to try those too. The portions we're very generous. The lentil soup was delicious. The tabbouleh was very Lebanese since it had no sign of bulghur (which is a good thing in my opinion) The tzatziki, baklava and hummus were solid. The chicken Shawerma, grape leaves and baba gannoush were just ok. The stand out was the falafel for sure! Perfectly crunchy on the outside and moist and full of flavor on the inside. read more

I don't usually run to Yelp to write reviews, but Wally's deserves a whole love letter. This is hands down the best Mediterranean food I've had in all of Orange County -- honestly, low-key better than some of the Mediterranean food I've had in the actual Middle East. I ordered the chicken pomegranate shawarma plate, and I'm STILL in shock at how much food they give you. The portion size is massive in the best way possible -- they're so generous, it almost feels illegal. Everything was fresh, flavorful, perfectly seasoned, and genuinely memorable. If you love Mediterranean food (or even if you don't), this place will convert you. Easily the best in OC... probably Los Angeles too. read more

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This was the best Mediterranean food I've ever had, hands down. I got the falafel plate, which also comes with lentil soup. Overall so filling, flavorful, and fresh!! The hummus is to live for. It truly blows Cava out of the water. I'll be recommending this place to everyone I know. Give it a try! read more

Wally's Café is an absolute must if you're anywhere near Costa Mesa. We're visiting from Florida and stumbled on this little gem--and left feeling like we took a mini trip to Lebanon. Between the chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, lamb kebab, lentil soup, salad, and baklava, everything was packed with flavor. The meat was juicy, the rice was unreal (fluffy like a dream!), and the berry lemonade? Basically heaven in a glass. My husband & my son, are not light eaters--and even we couldn't finish everything. The portions are generous, and the prices are super fair. Plus, the staff was so kind, offering us soup samples and treating us like family. Don't let the size of the café fool you--Wally's is serving up BIG flavor and even bigger hospitality. 10/10 would recommend! read more

Wally's Cafe - Lamb kebabs - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely the best Mediterranean food out there. We used to go to the one in Emeryville before moving down to SoCal and can't believe it's down here now! The owner, Ronnie, is such a sweet guy, too. This is place is definitely going to blow up! We got the lentil soup, falafel wrap, garlic paste, and baklava ice cream. Everything was exactly how we remembered them. 10 out of 10! read more

Wally's Cafe - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Why was the Shawarma at the doctor? It falafel ladder Lovely husband and wife duo serving delicious homemade food! Free lentil soup and baklava with every order and portions are enough for 2 people. The chicken pomegranate with rice pilaf was nice and flavorful. I appreciate the chicken not being dry. I can eat their falafels everyday! It's deep fried so it's crunchy on the outside, sits on a bed of lettuce and topped with garnishes. Love the garlic and tzatziki sauces. Lentil soup was so soothing and not salty (healthy too). Baklava was amazing also since it wasn't drowned in syrup. Located in Costa Mesa Kitchens; it's a pick up and go spot! Will need to come back to try the gyros... read more

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect gyro.... And this might be the best one I've had in California. We had the chicken gyro and talk about mouth explosion of flavor with the pillowy bread and that tzakiki sauce was just WOW! We also had a side of hummus which was delicious too. And we were surprised with an added lentil soup which also best I've ever had! And they were so incredibly nice. Gave a sample of beef shwarma while we waited and that was so tender and juicy! And don't miss out on baklavah! Once again the best I've ever tasted. It's just a tiny kitchen in Costa Mesa so order ahead or prepare to wait! But it's worth the wait! Hoping they get a storefront soon- in ORANGE please! We need you guys close! But no matter we will drive for your "father-in-laws recipes" and all the food! read more

Wally's Cafe - Chicken shwarma wrap and fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Amazing place with SO MANY OPTIONS! Everything is yummy!! There are so many different kinds of food & it was hard to choose!

Came to try this out due to the hype and appearing on the yelp too 100 list. I ordered 2 chicken plates which came with soooo much rice and a small side salad. I also ordered baklava ice cream. When I got there, the order was ready sooner than advertised and they threw in free lentil soup and samples of the baklava. The flavor was overall quite disappointing. The food was over seasoned but not really tasty. The portion was massive which justifies the price tag a bit. I didn't try the lentils but the baklava was dry. The small tiny scoop of ice cream wasn't tasty and was certainly overpriced. This place isn't worth the hype and parking is a nightmare. Just passing along a few notes that would have saved me a trip and $60 read more

WHAT A WIN FOR ORANGE COUNTY! Can't believe this hidden gem has a location in SoCal! (Still very hidden.. but that's beauty of it) Yes, I know Wally's Cafe for years when I lived in Bay Area... the food here is exactly as amazing as I remember. Consistency and quality of the food are spot on. The owners are super friendly and down to earth-- I can tell they are trying to add new drinks and desserts to the menu to expand the legacy! My top 3s here (fine.. i added 4th, that's a drink): - Chicken Pomegranate - Lamb kebab - Berry Mint Lemonade - Homemade Baklava Great food, awesome owners and cool vibe. Hit all the marks! read more

Wally's Cafe - Chicken pomegranate with garlic sauce and tzatziki - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Found this place on Yelp. What an interesting concept! Bunch of restaurants in one venue but it's a to go spot. The food are scrumptious! Many selection. I got the pomegranate chicken with lentil soup everyone raved about. Wowwww the portion is good and made fresh. My order I had enough left overs for the next day too... Highly recommended. read more

This is our favorite Mediterranean restaurant. Their food is outstanding. The lamb and beef gyro has so much flavor and is delicious. The lentil soup is better than any lentil soup we've ever had. Their chicken shawarma with their garlic paste and their tzatziki sauce is incredible. Also, their baklava is amazing. It's not too sweet and perfectly flavored. The restaurant operates out of the Costa Mesa Kitchens so it's easy for a take-out meal during the week. We are thankful Wally's decided to open up locally as it is a gem! read more

Excellent menu! We have tried many items on menu and they have all been delicious! Excellent service and always on time. No dine in available. Easy pick up but parking can be a bit of a challenge, so just allow yourself a few more minutes. read more

Good portion size, and def way better than your average mediterranean spot! I was impressed forsure and will be back.

5/5! If you're hungry, go right now! Wally's incredible food (named for it's original founder Walid whose cafe has been long beloved in Northern California) has recently been brought to OC by Wally's next generation - a husband and wife team with big hearts and incredible cooking. Though the Newport kitchens are known for being a great spot for Doordash/Uber eats, I recommend taking the opportunity sometime to also walk/drive and pick up your food in person to say hi and hear Wally's son share some of their story, too. I got the gyro lamb/beef wrap and onion rings and I almost ate it too fast to write a reasonable review. It was good. Really good. The gyro cuts are thick and juicy, and the salad vegetables are generously sauced, fresh, and crisp. The pita was fluffy and held up even when filled past the edge. Onion rings were seasoned (rarer than it should be down in OC...) and perfectly fried. I popped the ones that I didn't eat on the walk in the air fryer for a minute when I got home to eat them hot and they were perfect even after a second fry. Don't miss out on the mint lemonade with blackcurrant or the baklava! I recommend adding on the soup for tomorrow's lunch and the 6 piece baklava too- I've been enjoying it with coffee for the past four days. Food always tastes better when you know kind hearts are behind it, and the homemade vibe is cooked into each meal at Wally's. Service was prompt and thorough on top of it all. Already looking forward to my next time ordering. read more

Wally's Cafe - Gyro and onion rings - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Came here and had chicken shawarma wrap and lentol soup. Both were excellent. 4 stars do to no seating options.

The falafel is great! Very well done with a nice crunchy outside and nice texture on the inside and good flavor. The shawarma chicken was a let down. Nice cook on it and juicy by the flavors are just not what was expected from being so highly rated. The beef shawarma was a total let down. Meat wasn't juicy, very little flavor, had to cover it in the garlic sauce to get some type of flavor. I had high hopes for this place after reading it rated as one of the best restaurants by yelp. Not sure if that was a paid ad or what but I wouldn't rate it in the top 100. Service was good, ambiance is meh but it's a ghost kitchen so shouldn't expect much. read more

We ordered the family meal and it was fantastic, delicious, fresh, and way more than enough food. Great flavors and plenty to go around. Highly recommend! read more

Highly recommended! This place is wonderful and they deliver all over OC. The Chicken Shawarma is especially magnificent. I'm a former Londoner and a connoisseur of pita wraps. Wally's Cafe is worldclass! read more

What went well you ask???EVERYTHING!! From Ronny greeting us to meeting Jessica and them chatting with us while we tried their delicious food made it so comfortable. When it says they treat one like family they really do! If you like Mediterranean and Lebanese food this is your new go to!! My best friends and I love food we are foodies and this place is truly a genuine authentic Gem!!! Try it out you won't regret it!! read more

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As authentic as Lebanese Sandwiches can be. Simply mind blowing. Felt like I was eating in the heart of Beirut. Daniel is a goldmine. Very nice, presentable and knows how to make a good experience amazing. - It is important to note that this is a take out place so your expectations are set. I drove all the way from Los Angeles to try this place and I would do it over and over again. read more

My husband and I lived in Emeryville for seven years before getting married and moving down to SoCal. We used to dine at Wally's Cafe almost once a week to visit Wally and eat in his ghost kitchen. It was very comforting for us to start off with his lentil soup and end with a baklava. You knew who was new to eating at Wally's by what they ordered. He had so many regulars. He knew who they were. To top it off, sitting at Wally's countertop to have his homemade food was more like being invited to his home. Once we saw on Yelp that this new establishment opened, we had to visit them ourselves to see if this was the same Wally's we used to sit down to eat at in Emeryvile. THANK GOODNESS for his son and daughter in law who are now taking orders to-go of his dad's amazing food! We ordered our go-to items (chicken swarma plate, beef and lamb gyro combo, must-have lentil soup, and the flaky homemade baklava) that we had ordered in Emeryville. I kid you not, it did not disappoint us! That same flavor spice bomb is still there! It's best to eat it right away! The spices in the chicken swarma is so so so flavorful and has a good mild kick. The same goes for the lamb/beef gyro combo. You just can't stop eating it. The lentil soup tastes the same! Hasn't changed since the Emeryville days! Very flavorful and hearty! Don't skimp out on the soup. The baklava is Wally's homemade dessert. It's the perfect combination to end the meal. We're especially fond of Wally's and we hope you'll love it as much as we do. read more

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The food and the flavors were spot on! As a shawarma enthusiast, I ordered the chicken shawarma. It took me back to the days I live in the Middle East - nailed the simple things. Although the meat itself was not sliced from the infamous shawarma tower, the lack of form factor in a traditional sense is compensated by the flavor! The owners were VERY KIND and gave a baklava and lentil soup on the house! I would 100% be back! read more

Wally's is the BEST. the quantity and quality of their food is unmatched, and the owners are the nicest people in the world. highly recommend walking in to order to chat with them. can't recommend enough ! read more

I just have to leave a review for this amazing café. I came in at 7:50 PM and they close at 8 PM, I was embarrassed because I had just finished my shift and I was really hungry. However the owner cheerfully took my order and made me one of the most amazing meals I had in such a long time. I'm so grateful he took my order and he was about to close! iWe ordered the kebab plate, the combo plate and the chicken kabab wrap. literally everything was amazing the chicken kebab was extremely juicy and flavorful, the chicken kebab wrap was amazing my husband literally inhaled it in five minutes, and and the rice, salad, and garlic sauce was just amazing. Full of so much flavor. Ronnie also gave us baklava ice cream to try and baklava. I cannot explain how delicious those two items were. The food was so authentic and reminded me of middle eastern cuisine. even the rice was flavorful and that was incredible. Ronnie also gave us lentil soup I don't even like lentil soup and I like that soup. this place is really good and I'll be back! P.S I don't have any pictures to share because I inhaled everything. read more

Friendly and delicious!! Everything was very fresh and perfect flavors. Still thinking about the lemonade and the babaganoush

I've been looking for a fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant in Costa Mesa, and holy cow, is Wally's Cafe top notch! Because it's takeout only at the Costa Mesa Kitchens, their overhead isn't as high as brick and mortar restaurants and it shows! HUGE portions and the flavor is just incredible. The must order is the labneh and toum dip. It's just incredible, a combination I didn't know I needed. I ordered the combo plate and my husband ordered the pomegranate chicken plate. We got some bonus lentil soup, which is also delicious. We will be return customers again and again. read more

Great food and service. Highly recommended. Very clean and delicious food. I'm certain you will enjoy it. Give it a go.

Great food and friendly staff. We ordered there to go which was easy and was was quick.

Found this place while starving and scrolling through yelp. Ronnie was so friendly and gave me some lentil soup while I was waiting for my food and it was insanely good. Love their energy and the food is incredible for the price. read more