Al-Ha-Esh is an Israeli eatery in West Hills, that only recently popped up on my culinary radar. I had to go. The place is small but vibrant with orange color everywhere, including the seats. The background Israeli music is soft and the vocals are brilliant. You feel lke dancing. The aroma is that of Kababs, falafel and more. Yes, if you closed your eyes, forgot that you are in the valley, you may actually be in a small cafe, in Jerusalem. I came here for a carry out lunch (like I always). What attracted me about the menu was that it was small. Ne way to look at it is, that they have mastered all those items on the menu. My interest though lay mainly on one item, the Pargiot skewer. Essentially, an Israeli baby chicken, where the boneless skinless chicken thighs are marinated in herbs and grilled for succulence and taste. A first for me. I ordered one skewer a la carte ($11). It lived up to its reputation. Not only flavorful, but with a different satisfying chicken bite and texture. If anything, it was slightly over cooked. You have to get falafel when you are at an Israeli place. Here each costs $0.75 and I added six of them to the order and requested extra tahini. While you can get falafel in most middle eastern restaurants, they are never the same. This one seems to have hit the mark in a unique way. The stuffing had more greenery, hence accentuating the fragrance, mouthfeel and taste. One of the best, if not the best. Tahini was also superb, with the right amount of viscosity and flow. Service was exceptional. read more

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This place is SO GOOD. I feel like way more people should know about this restaurant but for now it's our little secret. The family that own this place are super nice and treat you like you're coming into their home to eat. They pack on so much food in your order that it's just awesome. My favorite things to order are the beef kebab patties, fries, falafel, fried cauliflower, hummus and ALL of their veggies sides. Their pita is so puffy and delicious too. My husband enjoys coming in on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they have beef shawarma. It's not to be missed. Also, their prices are actually a tad bit lower than the other Israeli places in town for the amount of food they give you which is great. There is ample seating inside and i feel like if you eat there they offer even more food. Our family always walks out with leftovers and happy, full tummies. Thank you for coming into the neighborhood, Al-Ha-Esh! We *heart* you. read more

Love this place! Incredible food Great owners. Always consistent Highly recommended! read more

I wasn't expecting much but it turned out to be a refreshing experience to all the Mediterranean food in the area. I thought it was a bit expensive but the portions are generous and quality high. Give it a try. You will not regret it. read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

I've tried Shawarma all around the world and this is by far the best I've ever come into contact with. The flavor, the juice, the sauce, the love - all of it. Everytime I come to LA, I make sure to maneuver my schedule around their opening times. You can not go wrong with anything from here, but Tuesday is steak Shawarma day and all I can say is OMG!​ read more

We ordered the Chicken, Shawarma and the kebab. They were amazing, the hummus, the Israeli salad that was incorporated in the Shawarma gave it an excellent taste. I highly recommend recommended. The service was good, our food was ready just in time for pick up. read more

This is the place that feels like home! You walk in and are greeted like you already belong. We were served such fresh and healthy food that truly tasted homemade. My family ordered the schnitzel, and they obviously loved it, judging by the cleaned-off plate! We were mid-argument about ordering fries--I was a no, my family a yes--when the chef brought over a complimentary basket and squashed our debate! I have to say, they were delish! ​But what I had was the star: the Sabich, an eggplant and hardboiled egg pita sandwich. Dressed with hummus, salad, and cucumbers, along with two dipping sauces, this is gold for a vegetarian! I enjoy falafel, but having a delicious alternative option is fantastic! We will be back again and again!! read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Sabich - eggplant and hardboiled egg pita sandwich. - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

Excellent family owned Kosher restaurant. I usually go to TeLAviv in Woodland Hills for Israeli food. I think I prefer Al Ha Esh now. While the proteins are comparable, I think the presentation and variety of side dishes at Al Ha Esh were superior. You also get more food for less $ here. The hospitality and service at the family owned and operated restaurant is also friendlier. All around great value and worthy of a 5 star review, which I rarely give. read more

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One of the best kosher spots around. The ribeye steak is amazing -- better than most steakhouses. Staff is so friendly, especially the older gentleman there. He's super kind and gives off the best energy. Go try it for yourself read more

We had the rib eye skewers and the rib eye shawarma and the schnitzel challa. Lot of sides which were very good, fresh pita and hummus. Rib eye skewers were fatty and gristly, the rib eye shawarma was also very gristly. The schnitzel challa was excellent as were the sides and everything else. I would go again and get the schnitzel challa again but maybe chicken or some other dishes. Super nice people- hope they make it. read more

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Middle eastern food served by a mom and pop small business that has great kosher food! The portions are very large and very tasty. The service is incredible! Chicken schnitzel is awesome, the sides are fresh, I also Order xtra falafel balls. And we order a regular order of French fries that is enough to feed a family of 5 and the fries are fresh cut potatoes. There is a few tables inside but we get the food to go. And believe me it's enough for 2 meals. Parking is not an issue. read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

We came on a Friday right before closing and had an incredible experience! We got the laffa pargiyot with a side of fries, extremely generous on the salads and the taste was phenomenal, extremely juicy and flavorful. On top of that, it is father and son owned and there is nothing better than supporting a family business. Would definitely recommend and come back!! read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - pargiyot laffa - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

PLEASE WEAR GLOVES when handling food other than that great place. I still don't know why he's not putting gloves on

When you come inside, you are greeted right away. The cashier is ready to take your order. They are super helpful with ordering too. The ambiance is very relaxed yet fast. The food is top notch! The food is made right! The right temperature, cook time, combination of ingredients, quality of ingredients, everything! Everything that comes inside the plate is delicious and nearly perfect! This is hard to beat for this type of food, it just hits the spot all the time! Again and again! Definitely try this, don't miss out! read more

The food is fantastic! Fresh, great flavor, huge portion. I had the falafel and hummus plate and will definitely get it again.

Food was so delicious and service was amazing! Everything we ordered was great. Great location. There's nothing kosher in that area. Definitely going back! read more

This place is amazing. The food is so fresh and flavorful and the portions are really generous. The owners used to have Ta-eem Grill on Melrose, but they've relocated and rebranded here as Al Ha Esh. You can tell they put the same care and love into everything they make. It's a family-owned business, and they're genuinely kind people who make sure you're happy with your meal. I got the Sabich on laffa, my husband had the Shawarma laffa, and my mother-in-law ordered the Al Ha Esh burger -- all three were excellent. So glad they're now in the valley. Highly recommend checking them out. read more

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Solid 5 stars! We ordered a falafel plate and what I really loved about this place is the variety of sides to choose from. Everything is very fresh and delicious! The falafels were perfect! Good size portions too! I also ordered a side order of beef kabob which was very tasty too. Service was excellent! This is a family owned restaurant and everyone is so sweet!!! They truly care that everyone enjoys their food. It's a very casual place with indoor and some outdoor seating. Very clean too and plenty of parking. We will definitely be back! read more

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This place was fabulous! The staff was very friendly and they helped us with our order as we were new to trying Shawarma. The food exceptional ! We ordered the plate shawarma with chicken and they gave us so many sauces to try and added free rice, bonus! One was more than enough food for my hubby and I to share. The pita bread soo light and fluffy will definitely be back for more. Totally recommend and it was located in a great place and the inside very nice and cozy to be in. read more

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This is our third time here. Food is always very good and fresh. Friendly service and fair prices!!! Highly recommended especially for families read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Family style food - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

Amazing honestly. A ton of food for a very reasonable price. Great quality, great service. Highly recommend

I hate leaving bad reviews for small local businesses but you reap what you sow I guess. Yesterday was my first visit to the establishment. I ordered a delicious looking sandwich a little on the pricey side at $23 but in today's world, you take that with a grain of salt. The gentleman behind the counter asked me if I would like the sandwich with everything. OK, let's pause there, what do you think everything means? Well, with my many years on the planet and lots of dining experiences to me everything means everything that's included in the sandwich, which also assumes I can remove things. I said sure why not as it had been my first visit. When I got my bill, I noticed I had been charged for additional items. So for a basic and admittedly delicious sandwich +2 falafel balls, $35. Yes that's overpriced. However, the bigger issue is that I was charged for items that I had no way of knowing would be an additional charge because nobody told me. Simply put bad business and I guarantee that you won't get my return business as a result. If your staff has not been trained properly then fix it and communicate properly and honestly. If this is your normal practice. Good luck to you, that particular spot has seen many businesses come and go. read more

First time trying and it was exceptional. Went beyond expectations and it's literally around the corner from the house. So many options. First got in and they recommended a variety to share so we can see what they offer. My fiancé and I decided to get plate and lafa to split. Th salad variety plate was beautifully served. Fresh and delicious Nice presentation. The lafa was stuffed and big. The green and red sauce was so spicy but I preferred the green sauce. The customer service was on point. They were so helpful and they kept walking around to check to make sure everything and everyone was ok. They even gave us French fries and desserts. Wonderful place. Totally recommend read more

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Got to say the BEST middle eastern restaurant there is out here in the West Hills area. First of all let's start with the fact that they provide you with soooo much food and delicious good. Service is absolutely outstanding. Friendly environment and the owners make it super welcome so you feel like HOME. Highly recommend this place and would definitely give it a try. You won't be disappointed! read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

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It was an amazing experience trying a new place for the first time and receiving the most friendly, quickly service ever! Mia (young lady at the cash register) was quick at taking my order, Sean (owner) was prepping my dish with the salads, hummus, and bread (don't know what it's called), and Yoel (older gentleman) was freshly shaving the chicken. The teamwork that they have is by far the best I have ever encountered from ANY restaurant. Their teamwork was far better than going to Subway/Chipotle. I ordered it to go. I ordered the Chicken Shawarma with hummus, pickles and yellow peppers, shredded carrots, a lemony cabbage, and cucumber tomato, and one round bread (don't know what it's called, but next time will ask for 2). Overall this is the place to come and pick up food when someone is in a hurry. They are SUPER FAST. I loved it! I will definitely be coming back in the near future and will recommend to family and friends. read more

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Phenomenal restaurant. Small, family-owned and run restaurant serving delish food. I tried it for the first time today for lunch and the friendly service and great food made my day. The side salads are outstanding. I want to try the pargiot when I go back. Large portions as well! read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Rib Eye Shawarma Plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

We lovreverything about this place run by a loving and tight knit family we ordered so much but they added more just to try. We had so much left over so we had lunch and dinner the next day as well. We took it all home. The pita-is exceptional light and fluffy The falafel were hot and flavorful. Run don't walk to our new favorite place Michael U read more

Wow, the Shawarma is amazing, the hummus is amazing, the salad is unbelievable. Just an amazing experience. I will recommend anybody of my friends. read more

The food is so good, the burrito was so yummy and you can pick whatever you'd like inside of it which makes it ten times better. Their prices are very fair and sometimes they have deals! The service is super fast and the staff is very friendly and accommodating to your requests. Small shop with sitting available, great service. read more

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Family loves this place so we came for a Sunday lunch. But it was Palm Sunday and they were closed. Normally they are closed only on Saturdays. There was no sign on the door, but guess Google was right! That they'd be closed for 3 weeks. Our loss. read more

The shawarma plate will be a ton of food. My favorite salad/side was the baba ganoush. We also ordered some falafels and the Moroccan sausage. The falafel was moist and prepared perfectly. The sausage was my favorite! So tender and packed with flavor. Great setup to take to go, and lots of free parking too. read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Shawarma plate to go - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

Yes to this place! I loved the chicken shawarma plate. Yes it's expensive but it's totally worth it and they give you a lot of food. It was enough food to feed me and my husband and still have some leftover for one more meal. That's pretty good! They are very sweet too. Parking was easy in the front and not hard to find. Chicken Shawarma plate - 10/10 Came with a lot of food and was super filling. The chicken is seasoned very well and it was nice and tender. Mergez Spicy Moroccan sausage - 9/10 Very rich in flavor. Good with their rice Ribeye Steak Skewer - 9/10 Loved that they cook to order and you have a choice of doneness. I got medium and it was cooked perfectly and tender. Purple cabbage salad - 10/10 If I could bathe in it I would. This was such a delicious side dish Baba Ghanoush - 9/10 Very tasty. I slathered that on the pita and layered with shawarma....chef's kiss Eggplant salad - 10/10 I love me some eggplant and loved putting this in every bite with the different proteins I ordered Hummus - 9/10 Another yummy side that I lathered on each bite to make it oh-so good. Hopefully I can get some of that beef shawarma next time that I see in the pictures. Not sure if they still serve beef shawarma anymore but I'm sure it would also be a hit like the chicken. Will be coming back and adding it to my list of places to go while shopping in that plaza. read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

I Love this place, the food is incredible, fresh, delicious, everything you can ask for! The family that runs it is even more amazing! Yoav is at the grill with his son, his daughter and wife run front and back of house. It's a real treat to dine here. The portions are so generous. I'm always impressed. There is a reason they have 200+ 5 star reviews. Thank you for a wonderful lunch and dining experience. I won't forget it! read more

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Ordered 3 plates as takeout for a family event (ribeye shawarma, grilled chicken, falafel) Grilled chicken & all the sides (cabbage, carrots, hummus, beets, vegetables, sauces, peppers) were AMAZING. + the grilled onions!! I'm not sure if this is a considered a Mediterranean restaurant but it was top 1 or 2 of this kind of food that I've eaten before. It was absolutely phenomenal. The shawarma & falafel were good but not quite on the amazing level of the chicken (to my taste). But still good. The 3 plates fed ~ 6 medium-small people and we made the rest into sandwiches for the next day; so portion sizes were great! read more

Tiny spot with incredible Middle Eastern dishes made the way you want it - like Chipotle for falafels! Super friendly staff.

Blink and you'll miss it, this place is nestled in the northwest corner of the Fallbrook Center, Al-Ha-Esh brings both the flavor and the portions... this is the kosher grill worth seeking out if you are anywhere near the neighborhood. They serve up shawarma, kabob, chicken breast, ribeye, sausages, and falafel on a baguette, in a pita, or as a lafa... or if you're in the mood to sit a spell, you can get a plate. The portions here are no joke, bring an appetite or be prepared to take home enough for your next meal! We've tried the shawarma (excellent), the falafel is good too, their beef kabobs are wonderful. I wasn't a huge fan of the hummus, it was good as a condiment but left a little to be desired as a dip. Plenty of parking in the lot, a few tables inside. Counter service. Food is prepared quickly so it's a great place if you're in a hurry. read more

What an awesome place I got there by chance just to grab something small to eat and ordered a burger wow what a taste simply amazing the place is small and simple but has this cozy and fun vibe the burger was juicy fresh and full of flavor honestly one of the best I've ever had really surprised me in the best way five stars without a doubt read more

Al-Ha-Esh Kosher Grill - Hamburger - Middle Eastern Near Me - West Hills, California

Very friendly people run this business. Everything is made to your preference. Sadly when I arrived home my order was incorrect. I was missing part of my order. I called and let them know. They seem to want to fix it but I was not going to go back . read more

Holy cow I'm still speechless! I've been coming here three weeks in a row, and it just keeps getting better. Family-owned business with amazing hospitality you can truly feel the love in everything they do. The food is beyond delicious, the service is warm and genuine, and the atmosphere makes you feel right at home. Men lie. Women lie. But this restaurant's flavor speaks for itself. read more

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Food was pretty good. The service was fantastic. The ambiance is very laid back with a chill vibe. The parking is easy and it's free. Great menu selection. I've tried this place three times and it's always good but just isn't a five for me. My meat has been really fatty the last two times as well. It's pricey but the portions are pretty big. It's definitely worth a try... read more