Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Yaba Yabaa

    3.3 (86 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Yaba Yabaa Takeout or Delivery

    Yaba Yabaa Photos

    Business Info

    YABA YABAA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Yaba Yabaa

    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

    Chicken shawarma
    Kaylie B.

    Needed to update my review of this place. I have been very pleased with both food and service the last few times I have been here. The guys are super nice and the wait time has decreased significantly. I absolutely LOVE the food. These guys really make excellent gyros! So glad I gave this place another go round!

    Yaba Yabaa Lebanese Mediterranean Food Menu
    Michael S.

    Forgive me, but I must Yaba Yabaa ... Dooooo myself a favor by getting some tasty and surprisingly filling Lebanese-style Mediterranean favorites from the Yaba Yabaa food cart at Happy Valley Station. * Lamb Master Sandwich ($10) with extra Meat This should be called the "Monster Sandwich" and come with a warning label because it is a gyro beast. (4 stars) * Hummus ($6) and Pita Bread Smooth and creamy with a trio of olives and not nearly enough pita slices packaged to go. More pita and less olives for me next time. (4 stars) As with most of the cart vendors at the HV Station, service at the counter is friendly and fast. Once you get your gyro, shawarma, falafel, kafta, or kebab, you can choose to sit indoors, outside, or head home like your sliding down the back of a dinosaur at 5:00 yelling Yaba Yabaa Doooooo!

    Lamb Gyro
    Cassandra C.

    Tons of mixed reviews here. After diligent reading I've discovered most of the low stars being thrown around are due to wait times, customer service and personal preference... We came early on Sunday with only a handful of people hanging around. First in line, our wait time was straight off 15 minutes. He was a young man, relatively friendly and told us the wait time immediately. It was no surprise but something to keep in mind. I imagine much longer on a busy summer day. So I'll just try to give you the facts that I gathered. We ordered your basic Lamb Gyro $8, Falafel $7 Sandwich and some Baklava $4. The Lamb Gyro easily could serve two people. I would guess almost a pound of meat was crammed in that Gyro. Here's where we go into personal preference. I like picking up my Gyro and eating it as a whole experience. This Gyro completely fell apart below the weight of meat. I was full after eating as much meat as I could to hold the sandwich together. By that time the bread had all but dissolved under toppings. More personal preference. I also like a bit more veg (in this case more than a sprinkling) in my Gyros. The tzatziki sauce was feta heavy (I love feta but I was missing the cucumber freshness love). Again, personal preference. The meat is fatty for lamb so it melts in your mouth. The flavor was fine, not as gamey as I typically like my lamb but it was good. The Falafel was pretty darn good. It was moist. That sandwich held together like a power house. If you're about quantity for value, Yaba is for you. There was a deceased bug glued to my baklava unfortunately. Looked like he'd been there for a while. I guess I wouldn't mind dying on sticky, delicious baklava. I'm not sure he'd agree. Poor buddy.

    Mmmmmmmm. Lamb over fresh Greek salad with taziki sauce
    Gregory A.

    The older reviews describe an entirely different place to me. I was just at Yaba Yabaa about an hour ago. It was wonderful. I'm on this crazy Keto diet (which works by the way) and this cart caters to folks like me. I ordered the gyro and in place of the wrap I received a delightfully fresh Greek salad under the generous lamb pieces and it was ladled with tzatziki sauce. The entire meal with very enjoyable - warm well seasoned lamb topping a cool green salad with mouthwatering fresh vegetables, kalamata olives and cucumbers. I was in heaven. My wife ordered the same and she had hers in a wrap. She loved her version as well. We ordered the baklava (yes, not keto) and I just realized that so I'll be sharing my dessert with my wife instead. The service was friendly and accommodating. I was told 10 minutes and it was ten minutes. They were very professional and I'll wager they probably washed their hands before they made my food (despite other reviews that seem to come from peeping toms who seemed a little too convenient to mention something you can't really see until you're actually IN the cart - but we'll believe those people, won't we? Nope, no we won't) Authentic Mediterranean food. Great selection. Keto / Gluten free options. Fresh salads. Friendly service. I'll be back for more!

    Truck
    John C.

    Came in the late afternoon. Overall, not a fan and won't come back. I got the falafel which was made to order. From the texture and shape, they looked like pre made frozen pucks. They were hard, dry and had very little flavor. I asked for some salt, they didn't have any. The wrap part was ok, it was soft and fresh. The sauce pretty much had no flavor. The girl who took my order on a service scale I'd give a 3 to. No smile and I did not feel welcomed when I came up. The guy who cooked looked like a nice guy, probably the owner. I love coming to Happy Valley station. There are plenty of other carts to try or go back to that I enjoyed.

    a variety of street signs
    W B.

    This is our back up when we cant make it to Mediterranean Grill a few blocks east. New owners and new name coming soon. Food is great. We love the lamb and chicken shwarma.

    Beef shawarma over rice
    Monica A.

    Pretty good! Very large portions. We got the lamb gyro and beef shawarma over rice. A lot of lamb in the gyro and vegetables were fresh. Well seasoned and not too salty. The pita was a little bready but good to balance out the massive amount of meat. Loved the beef shawarma, not too saucy and fantastic over rice. The portion is huge and definitely enough for two. It came with a small salad and hummus. Both were great flavored and light. Small salad had tomato, bell pepper, lettuce, cucumber, and kalamata olives. Will definitely be back again! Update-- been going to this cart frequently but in the last month, somethings have changed. The rice is different. Not long grain and no saffron. The dressing is also different for the salad, and the hummus is kind of bland. Not sure they changed owners, but I was not impressed with my plate.

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary Ann A.
    395
    76
    162

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Teresa S.
    84
    11
    28

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Food is extra small portions 1 tablespoon of 2 types of hummus, the chicken was tasteless, no spice or salt, we will not come back.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Michael S.
    4858
    3215
    31647

    7 years ago

    Helpful 90
    Thanks 0
    Love this 89
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    this business is top notch mediteranien food arround good service.flavor well maintaind freindly services

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon W.
    0
    52
    0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of W B.
    35
    109
    1098

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Food was great! Portions we're big! We only had to wait about 15 minutes during lunch time on a Sunday. I will definitely come back again!

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim H.
    0
    33
    5

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Lamb gyro a staple worth sticking to. Service fast and professional. Get the hot sauce, wait get three!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Consistently great tasting food. Have eaten here over a dozen times. Love everything we've tried!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mika Y.
    66
    27
    20

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott K.
    353
    37
    826

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ian F.
    4
    78
    147

    8 years ago

    Literally just stood here for 15 minutes waiting for someone to take my order. No thanks, i'm out.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lydia K.
    7
    114
    61

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Yaba Yabaa

    You might also consider

    The Observatory - Tomato Bisque

    The Observatory

    4.3(2.6k reviews)
    1.7 miMontavilla, Southeast Portland
    $$

    Add this to your must visit list, Now!…read more Oh my gosh, the observatory is the best place to go especially if you're in town and about to fly out the next day! Close enough to PDX hotels to Uber. The food was spectacular. The salads are huge. The ribs looked amazing. The lamb meatloaf was extremely tasty and the chicken pesto fettuccine was able to be made without fettuccine for me with just extra veggies and it was stellar. They did not even balk at substituting the extra veggies.. the swordfish special with the mushroom risotto and grilled asparagus was awesome. Everything was cooked to perfection and our waiter. Torben was the highlight. He had a wonderful, can-do attitude, very accommodating and extremely friendly. He really treated us amazing and his workplace as though restaurant was his taking pride in his job. The desserts that walked by our table made me wish I had only shared a meal with someone. Everything looked incredible. This needs to be put on your top five to try list.

    We forgot to take pictures of our outstanding food! We were talking and laughing so much! My mom…read moreand I went there for lunch. The service, the ambiance, the background music and the menu were all top notch! It was like a McMenamin feel with a way better menu. The menu had refreshing eclectic choices! We had the oregano fry bread. So fragrant and we loved the dipping sauces. Mom had the lamb burger and she kept saying how tender and savory it was. She never has had lamb before. We were chit chatting with the people next to us about the food and then grew to a wonderful visit with a husband, wife and his mother. They were lovely! We had the lamb burger

    Photos
    The Observatory - Love the decor and ambiance

    Love the decor and ambiance

    The Observatory - Sesame Sweet Chili Glazed Chicken Wings ($12)

    Sesame Sweet Chili Glazed Chicken Wings ($12)

    The Observatory - Buffalo chicken salad (instead of a wrap)

    See all

    Buffalo chicken salad (instead of a wrap)

    Wolf

    Wolf

    5.0(3 reviews)
    5.1 miKerns, Central Eastside, Northeast Portland

    Googling for a hot new restaurant and I stumbled upon Wolf and I am so glad the fates led me here…read more Was able to make reservations via Opentable. Reservation confirmation said, that door opens at 6:30pm and dinner service starts at 7pm. Phew, I'm sometimes bad with predicting the traffic patterns, so that gives you a little cushion. AND I arrived at 6:30pm on the dot. Ha! Plenty of street parking, but I wasn't sure I was in the right place since there was no sign. But, the building's number is clearly marked. So I stepped inside. There was music playing from the back of the building and I just kept moving towards the music. After 2 doorways, my husband remarked it was like we were entering a speakeasy. We stepped into a living room and proceeded through another doorway to find an open kitchen and jaw dropping red alder dining table. Standing in the kitchen was Chef Riley Eckersley and he greeted us like we were old friends. He had a couple of cocktails ready to pour and explained his concept of his place that has only been open for 3 weeks. Imagine an intimate dinner party (6 guests the night I was there) gathering for conversation while being taken on a culinary journey around Oregon. Throughout the evening, every detail was carefully curated, from the ingredients (from the coast to the mountains, he covered every corner), to the plating, music, and drinks (everything from mezcal, sake, orange wine, etc). The whole experience lasts 2 1/2-3 hours and I enjoyed every minute. I will certainly return as the menu changes with the seasons of Oregon. We began the evening as strangers, and ended as close friends.

    What a unique and fun experience! There are comfy couches and a pool table during cocktails. For…read moredinner, I felt like I was a judge on top chef with the explanations and numerous courses being presented by the chef at a long table of foodies. The food was beautifully prepared and delicious, with a lovely table setting and company. The only thing I was warn people is that a couple of courses my evening was spicy, which is fine for me, but maybe not everyone.

    Photos
    Wolf
    Wolf
    Wolf

    See all

    O'Dear Bar - Smoky, bacon, blue cheeseburger!

    O'Dear Bar

    4.0(107 reviews)
    1.7 miParkrose, Northeast Portland
    $$

    Meh. Ordered the steak salad, and was asked how we want the…read moresteak cooked - "medium rare", Caesar dressing on the side. It came out well done, (along with the elote "corn ribs", which were pretty dank, admittedly.) I mentioned it to the bartender, and she promptly offered to have it re-made. Cool. Let's do it. 15 minutes later I said to my wife - there's no way it's medium rare if it's taking this long. Lo and behold, another WELL DONE waste of steak, and waste of time. Got it wrapped up to go and decided to call it a night. Got home and realized they gave us blue cheese dressing. Can't catch a win to save my life tonight. These days we seldom go out to eat, and it's a bummer when we can't even get a decently prepared steak on the off chance we do. It was the second time I tried to get steak here, both times it was almost entirely GREY, in spite of clearly requesting medium rare. For the money, it should be done correctly.

    Met up with some friends for Happy Hour at O'Dear Bar in the Parkrose area, and wow--what a great…read morefind. I had never been before, but it was a central spot for all of us and the menu looked promising... and it absolutely delivered. The vibe when you walk in is spot on--moody and a little dark, but still well-lit, super clean, and surprisingly spacious. It instantly feels like a place you want to hang out for a while. Service was just as good. Our waiter was attentive, easygoing, and made everything feel relaxed and fun. We ordered the cauliflower, shrimp skewers, fondue, and a basket of fries--every single thing was delicious. But the fries? Next level. Kind of like jojos, but WAY better--crispy, flavorful, and honestly unforgettable. And the Old Fashioned completely stole the show. Easily one of the best I've had. Definitely adding O'Dear to the regular rotation.

    Photos
    O'Dear Bar
    O'Dear Bar - Catering Table

    Catering Table

    O'Dear Bar - Mac & Cheese

    See all

    Mac & Cheese

    Wilder - Their version of deviled eggs

    Wilder

    4.3(267 reviews)
    4.5 miConcordia, Northeast Portland
    $$

    I've looked forward to writing this review for a number of weeks now... ashamed I haven't done it…read moresooner. Wilder. WOW. JUST WOW. This is another one of those rare reviews I write where I regret we can't give more than 5-stars! Wilder is truly one of the greatest restaurants in all of the Portland metro. Discovered on a random Saturday morning months ago, we stumbled in for a late brunch... it was a knock-your-socks off moment. First, their Benedict is absolutley delectable! We all know I'm a sucker for a good Benedict but I'll put this one in my top-3 EVER! Absolutely wonderful! Secondly, having returned multiple times for brunch, I can confidently say, you can't choose wrong from their menu! During brunch one morning, we came to the realization that Wilder offers dinner, as well! Sure enough, we were back within the week. First thing we noticed was gluten-free fried chicken... what? Who would have thought?!?! Of course, it was on the list + their Steak Tartare. I'll just say, we couldn't have ordered better. Their chicken is literally, out of this world. Having lived in the southeast of the country twice now, I feel as though I've experienced some pretty darn good fried chicken. However, the Wilder's Fried Chicken was absolutely enchanting, every bite! The Steak Tartare was served beautifully, with a yolk on top... how much better does it get? Ambiance is cozy and romantic. Bright and intimate in the mornings for brunch, dark and moody in the evenings for dinner. It strikes the perfect mood, every visit. We would be remiss not to mention their fabulous staff. Each and every member of their team is a delight. Professional, kind, friendly, and engaging. Nothing but positive interactions, every single time. Drinks are wonderful, bar staff is obviously knowledgable. Great selection of spirits and wine. Food is to die for. Staff is top-notch! Wilder has earned nothing less than a perfect 5-star rating. Truly in our Top 3 favorite restaurants in all of Portland and permanently on our weekly list of places to visit. As it has started to become our Friday "date night" spot, it certainly makes me anxious for the weekends to get here! Go enjoy, you won't regret it! Thank me later!

    Wow! Been sleeping on this place. Everyone that worked there was a delight and seemed to work…read moreeffortlessly together. Special shout out to the kitchen staff for big multitasking energy: watching the game, closing out the place, and firing out some amazing food. Wilder's near-close happy hour offerings were both tasty and generous. Cocktails featured offerings from local distillers that yielded complex flavors but nothing that was "trying too hard" to be artisanal. Also Made my date's night that they were using polenta as a bun.

    Photos
    Wilder - Outdoor embiance

    Outdoor embiance

    Wilder - Steak frites

    Steak frites

    Wilder - Fried pickles

    See all

    Fried pickles

    Gabbiano's - Spaghetti with marinara

    Gabbiano's

    4.1(327 reviews)
    4.4 miConcordia, Alberta Arts District, Northeast Portland
    $$

    I absolutely love Gabbiano's. The service is always great and the food is always in point…read more I had the Caesar of course which is always yummy. The chicken Parmesan, they had agnolotti on when I went which was delicious, and spaghetti and meatballs. We always get the fried mozzarella. It's so good. Also have to start with the house made bread with vinegar and oil. It's such solid food I keep going back. The tiramisu is always a must here. The drinks are delicious and it's such a cute space. I recommend it to everyone who asks where they should go eat! Can't wait to go back.

    i came here at 6:30pm on a monday and i really wish i made a reservation because it was insanely…read morepacked. we waited nearly an hour before we were seated. i also brought a cake to eat inside the restaurant because it was my birthday but i was told that they would have to charge $20 if we ate it inside. that felt very unreasonable especially since they didn't make the cake. the food took very long. i can't remember anymore but it must've been around 40 minutes. the fortunate thing is that the food was very good. i usually don't like calamari but they made it very well. everything was pretty good but the chicken parm and spaghetti were extremely salty. i liked the chicken parm best and overall felt like the flavors all complimented each other very well. i had a lot of critiques of this place but at least the employees were all very kind and tried their hardest to make up for all the unfortunate events. i'm not sure if i would come back here since it was very expensive and salty, but i do think it's a good place to check out once.

    Photos
    Gabbiano's - Interior dining

    Interior dining

    Gabbiano's - Fried mozzarella appetizer

    Fried mozzarella appetizer

    Gabbiano's - Calamari appetizer

    See all

    Calamari appetizer

    Laurelhurst Market

    Laurelhurst Market

    4.1(1.5k reviews)
    3.9 miKerns, Northeast Portland
    $$$

    WOW!!! That is my first thought after my lunch yesterday at Laurelhurst Market. I had been touring…read morethe cathedral of music, at Music Millennium and I asked the gentleman at the counter where was a good spot to eat. He recommended Laurelhurst, and he was right on. I have been on a Reuben kick, and the best remains at Goose Hallow. But this was a close second, as it was great. I had a half sandwich, and I am glad I did, as it was quite enough. I had the Monsignor Murphy, which featured lots of House Made Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, Sauerkraut and Russian Dressing. I typically like a Reuben on marbled rye, as they served it on a Griddled Como Bread...and it was great. I didn't get her name at the order counter, but she was so friendly and engaging as well. Since this was my first time to the restaurant, she was able to provide me with a wealth of information. I will be back...and you can count on that.

    The Philly pork sandwich was ok. Pork was a mix of leaner pieces and fattier pieces. Fattier bits…read moreall melt in your mouth. Juices kinda poured over rather than the meat itself being juicy, if that makes sense. Bread was disappointing. Lemon aioli was nice. Fries pretty good. Great crunch. Warm. Fresh. Not very potato-y though. Could use more of that potato flavor. Overall it was a solid sandwich but at $24 for a sandwich and fries, meh. You could do better. Nothing really wowed me or seemed particularly good.

    Photos
    Laurelhurst Market
    Laurelhurst Market - LM Deviled Eggs

    LM Deviled Eggs

    Laurelhurst Market

    See all

    Yaba Yabaa - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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