The falafels were really soft! One of the best falafels I've ever had to be honest. I feel like I've had falafels that were dry or too salty or too much batter, but I felt like the falafels here were just perfect! I really enjoyed the hummus plate. The lady was very nice! Make sure to also try the hot sauce. It's definitely a hole in the wall. read more

Al Aqsa - Falafel hummus plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Ok, I want to be able to recommend this place. I've been several times and enjoyed it in the beginning, but the last two times have been so awful I can no longer support it. PROS: The woman who runs it is super friendly. Definitely adds diversity to a limited food scene. CONS: Consistency and Quality Assurance Previous order (months ago) the meat was so dry it tasted like jerky, inedible and tossed the whole dish. Finally got the urge back to give it another chance today, ordering the lamb over hummus. The hummus has gone BAD. Tastes overly sour and has a strong fizzy sensation that you get when it has gone bad and fermented. Once again I will be tossing the entire dish. So sad! read more

Honestly it's a gem, they are a great family who we seen almost every week to get rice plates. I will be honest I read some things about the lamb and I sadly do agree that it is not the best. Their beef and chicken rice plates is always our go to never disappoint except for when they are low on rice to which she is happy to give you something extra. Their baklava is yummy and a great sweet treat, we always get helped quickly even when we come in during their prayer time they are still willing to help us. We have seen them host dinner and still kept the business open which just makes me happy cause it feels like family and community. The ambience inside is what you expect for a Mediterranean restaurant, I appreciate them displaying their heritage and culture. read more

The rice plate was amazing and portion size was good. It was very flavorful! I ordered to-go so I didn't care for how the inside looked. The service was fast and efficient. I would definitely order again. read more

Al Aqsa - Chicken Shawarma Kabsa Rice Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Friendly family owned. They make almost everything themselves so you will feel the warmth homemade meals and services. It was a husband and wife team when we dined in so we chatted with them both during our meal. Free street parking in this section of State Street. P. Y. Provides toilet cover seats. read more

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The sides were good, but the beef dish was unpleasant. I don't know if they are trying to keep prices down by using lower grades of beef or don't know how to prepare it. Tough meat, almost every piece was a knawing experience, nothing that you could bite right through, and several were large pieces of grizzle which never should have reached the plate and had to be spit out . Don't order the beef dishes. read more

We were visiting for the weekend and looking for a place to try in the area. This restaurant came recommended a few times on Reddit, and I'm so glad we gave it a shot! The place might look a bit outdated and informal, but the food was excellent and reasonably priced. The older man running the restaurant was kind, warm, greeted us with a smile, and his service was pretty quick. We ordered the beef kebab plate and the beef kabsa plate - both were generously portioned, and the flavors were spot on! Tastes just like how we remembered it when we went to Turkey. The hummus plate was also really good. I bought a baklava to go and excited to eat it! I wish more people would discover this place, you can tell the recipes are family-owned and made with care. We'll definitely stop by again the next time we're in Salem :) read more

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This place is a true hidden gem. The owners are friendly and the food is authentic. I don't think I've ever had such an amazing meal. I will be coming back. read more

I was amazed at the food. Was hard to decide because it was all exceptional. Fast and filling. Would recommend to anyone looking for this kind of food. If I could give 10 stars I would!!! read more

I see some other commentary here that is negative, but our experience for lunch was near perfect! The owner is wonderful, and the food and its flavors were perfect. I have spent years of my life in and around several middle eastern countries and along the Mediterranean. This was a trip back for me on plate. We will be back many times. read more

We specifically went there from the previous reviews. Sorry but falafel sandwiches should be flavorful. The sandwich had absolutely no flavor. The bread was thick. The tomatoes and cucumbers were fresh. The falafel sandwich was a big fail. The shawarma sandwich was not a shawarma. More likely a chicken kebab wrapped in thick bread with tomato and cucumber. The place was easy to find and the gentleman was polite. The food mmm no. read more

I can't believe I hadn't been here before! The food was so delicious, the service was very kind, and a nice clean environment. Grapes leaves were incredible-- my favorite. I also had the lamb hummus plate which was so good. Will definitely come back! read more

Al Aqsa - Grape leaves and falafel! - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Ordered a beef gyro .., it was dry and chewy ! Was not edible .., lamb gyro was dry also...had to throw out!!! Not recommended. Unfortunately it was a to go order! Not going back to get more .... Up note nice gentleman. read more

Fine middle eastern cuisine doesn't really describe this place at all. It is not fancy whatsoever and the food is very mediocre. we stopped by for lunch after visiting the capitol building. We were in a hurry to get back to our metered parking spot, and it seemed to take a long time to get our food. That was with no one else in the restaurant, so I can't imagine what a busy day would look like. We heard the microwave door opening and closing several times while we waited. I'm not really sure what was being microwaved, but I assume the rice. The food comes out and it looks pretty, and isn't necessarily bad but the meat tastes as if it is a lower quality product. The rice is clumped together, so the microwave assumption seems accurate. I would choose somewhere else next time. read more

The food here always delivers the wonderful Arabic taste with their touch of perfect spices. They're very personable. Check them out sometime soon! read more

Al Aqsa - Kufta Tahini Rice dish! - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Ordered a to go order and was 5 minutes away, the food was hot and ready when I got there, the inside was empty, the establishment is a little dated, but, the lady was very friendly and the food is very good! I'll be back for sure!!!! read more

Al Aqsa - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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My favorite local middle eastern restaurant. Food is great. The family is kind. They have the best hummus in Salem. Not a fancy date place as far as ambiance goes. The place is very clean. read more

It feels like I am walking into a different country. I get the lamb shawarma with spicy red sauce on the side. The meat is well seasoned, ingredients pure and simple, the white sauce is perfect. The owner is also kind enough to put some hummus onto it for me as well. It's affordable and delicious. read more

When I'm traveling my 1st choice for lunch or dinner is mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. I was really in the mood for kabobs. Chicken, beef and lamb, whatever! A good salad is important too. When I checked out the Yelp map I saw this restaurant and knew I'd be stopping in--especially after seeing the pics from fellow yelpers. The owners are a husband and wife team. Very hospitable and amazing in the kitchen! From my table I could hear the sound of my kebabs sizzling. When the meal came out I was happy to see that my salad had no raw onions in it. At first I thought my chicken kebabs were overdone but I was mistaken. They were so soft and juicy with just enough crisp on the outside. And the flavor, wow! Both of my cheeks were full of a combination of chicken, rice, salad with tahini. Yum! I did the best I could and then I needed to get a to-go container. One more reason to come to Salem, Oregon, thank you! read more

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Took an out of town guest here for a quick lunch because they were hungry, even though I was not. The cashier helped herself to nearly a 30% gratuity and never said anything about it as my guest's card was charged 30% more than the register rang up. Hummus and Falafal were bland. The Falafal had crunchy bits in it, which was weird. It provided sustenance, but that was it. Won't go back. read more

The food here is consistently great! The service was timely. This has been our go to place for good Mediterranean food!

Wanted Greek food on our drive to Bend - drove a few miles off the freeway to try this based on other reviews. We got the chicken Shawarma and the chicken was dry and overall sandwich was not great. Lamb rice plate was ok. Set expectations very low and you'll be fine - otherwise would skip. read more

I am still new to Oregon. I was visiting Salem to explore the Willamette Heritage Center. I was there some three hours and built up a rather healthy appetite. Curious, I wanted to find if Salem had a Middle Eastern Restaurant, for I have a love for the food and Eugene does not offer this cuisine. Entered Middle Eastern Food on Yelp and Al Aqsa came up. I drove to it its just around the corner from the center in a semi run down block, but inside it one the of the cleanest places I have ever been to. The service is a bit awkward, for this is a mom and pop owned restaurant and they run it as you are just another family member arriving in their dining room. There is not much dialogue between you and the server. I settled on having a Shawerma lamb rice plate.. It took a while to cook, for everything people were ordering were cooked individually by the husband, who was also the waiter, phone receptionist and more. 20 to 25 minutes later my food appeared and it was to perfection. It tasted fabulous and was very well presented. I had a mint tea (home made and baklava for desert. All came under $20. A fabulous deal and fabulous meal. Totally recommend this place when I come back to Salem. read more

Fabulous, authentic food, incredibly priced, run by a wonderful, friendly family. Excellent and fast service! They also provide altruistic community service in the neighborhood! Cannot recommend too highly... Thank you, Al Aqsa! read more

Amazing food - we had Dolmas with a delicious sauce and falafel with another great sauce. Our main dish was the Alonso Rice plate. The basmati rice is super tasty and the lamb some of the best I've ever had. We also enjoyed the Baklava and took tabouleh salad to go. If you are in Salem this is a must stop read more

Al Aqsa - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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We happened outside this place and we were hungry so we decided to try it. I'm usually not a big fan of eating in places that have faded pictures of food on the windows but I love Mediterranean so I talked the punk into it. We ordered at the counter the chicken kabobs. Also a handwritten sign on the register started they had homemade lentil soup, so I couldn't resist that. The soup was amazing! I'm not sure how they did it, but I wish I had that recipe. The punk was thrilled with her kabob plate. She decided then that she liked smaller places because they put care into making their food. She then assumed it wouldn't be long until they are a big place because the food was so good. The portions were large and we had it again for lunch the next day with an added order of Tiziki. If I lived in Salem, I would frequent this place. read more

Al Aqsa - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

Great food, great prices and friendly staff. The atmosphere was good but can use a touch of love to make it more cozy.

I love this place! The food is excellent, the quality and quantity for the price is great, and the people who run this restaurant are so nice. I feel very fortunate to share a neighborhood with Al Aqsa. read more

Amazing food. Enjoyed chicken gyro and chicken schwarma. Authentic and quality, generous portion, and priced very reasonable. Frequent customer and very satisfied. Monthly visit mandatory. read more

Al Aqsa - Chicken gyro. - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

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Al Aqsa, Close to Willamette U. Had the chicken schwaarma. Generous portion. Found the chicken dry, the veggies fresh. Fair value . Not eager to return. read more

Today was the second time I have visited Al Aqsa and these ladies blew my socks off for a second time! They are warm and welcoming and every single dish tastes incredible. The presentation is gorgeous and the restaurant is quaint but clean. Perfect portions to have enough to take home and be stuffed before you leave. I've lived in Salem my whole life and I just cannot believe I didn't try this place out sooner. The sweet gal working the register and serving us even gave a free meal to a homeless man who stopped in without skipping a beat and with all of the kindness in the world. It is just so clear how much love and care is put into every meal here. Much love!! read more

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This small restaurant is right around the corner from my barber and I have given it a small volume of trade over the years. I prefer takeout to dining in. Middle Eastern cuisine has a rather small presence mid-valley and I don't know how to rate this restaurant against others in the same specialty. I knocked off one star because as a lone elderly male I have never been made to feel at ease with Muslim women. I like the cuisine flavors, the texture of the basmati (?) rice, the meat prep, and they have a red pepper sauce which is delicious and exclusive to them in my experience. read more

Easily some of the best food in Salem. THE best Mediterranean here. We came and didn't realize they were closing; they served us and didn't say a word. Realized as we were paying that they were technically closed. Such a sweet couple. Will eat my way through the menu. read more

Everything here is incredible. Tahini rice dishes are my favorite. Amazing falafel. So much flavor in everything.

Delicious food, especially the dolmas! Fair prices and kind service. Looking forward to eating here again.

Came here with a work friend. We had the lamb and okra on rice. It was a super large portion. The place could use some updating and organization to help make it a little nicer. The staff was ok I am not sure customer service is a big thing for them. . The food had some good flavor and was presented well. The lamb was good and not gamy. I don't have much experience with this type of food so it's hard for me to tell if it was good or bad. I know I eat almost my whole huge plate full so it must not have been to bad. read more

Al Aqsa - Looking inward - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon

What this unpretentious restaurant may lack in "ambiance" is more than made up for in delicious, home-cooked style Middle Eastern food. And the prices are quite reasonable for the generous portions served. My wife and I both really enjoyed the lunch we had. Being a Saturday, they didn't have the lamb shank special, but we made do with other tasty dishes. My wife enjoyed the lamb shawarma Rice Plate (10.99) and I scarfed up the Lamb Hummus Plate (9.99). Yes, we'll be back! Parking is limited and on weekdays paid parking in front of the restaurant. read more

First time here was skeptical but I was not disappointed the lamb gyro was amazing customer was great as well very friendly environment I will definitely recommend this to people and be back again. I am telling you guys if you like good Mediterranean food this is the place to go. read more

Very good food in a restaursnt seeming to be locally owned. The service was very casual, the person who took our order said his wife makes the food, he has a friend who helps out at the restaurant sometimes, and the baklava was made by a friend as well. We ordered a lamb gyro, kufta tahini plate, lamb shawerma rice plate and falafel. Their menu is small, but that can be nice for those that are indecisive. We did notice that all of our dishes were basically the same ingredients and toppings, just in a different arrangement. Whatever, it taste good! They have street parking available and it was very quiet inside on a Friday night. I wanted to try mint tea in their fancy looking gold cup holder, but maybe next time! read more

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This place deserves a lot more business, any opportunity to get saffron rice and tzatziki is a good one. Affordable, flavorful, and rich, next time I'm going to get baklava for dessert read more

Al Aqsa - Lamb Shawarma Plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Salem, Oregon